For Laura Santiago, 蜜糖直播鈥檚 2025 Fall Commencement, marks the completion of a journey she began 30 years ago. The 49-year-old married mother of two began her college education straight out of high school but early motherhood changed her course and prompted her to put her studies on hold.

鈥淚 love school, but I didn鈥檛 want to take away from my kids,鈥� Santiago said. 鈥淥nce I had them, I didn鈥檛 want to miss their after-school activities. I just didn鈥檛 want to take time away from them. I felt like I had my chance.鈥�

Santiago was born in Puerto Rico, the middle of six children. Her family moved to New York when she was 4 years old and returned to Puerto Rico when she was 12. Her parents never finished high school, but she did 鈥� and now, by earning a bachelor’s degree in World Languages and Cultures with a concentration in Spanish, Santiago is rewriting her family鈥檚 story.

鈥淚鈥檓 the only one in my mother鈥檚 household to graduate from high school and earn a college degree,鈥� she said.鈥� At this age, I feel it would have been easier to do it when I was younger, but my family is really proud of me.鈥�

Santiago never let go of her academic goals and she returned to school once her own daughter entered college.

鈥淎s soon as my daughter graduated high school and went to college, I thought, 鈥榶es, I鈥檓 going to college too,鈥欌�� she recalled. She earned an associate degree then paused again. After several more years passed, she realized, 鈥淭he years are going to continue passing me by whether I do it or not. I might as well finish so I can be in the position that I want to be.鈥�

In the summer of 2023, she enrolled at 蜜糖直播 as a first-generation, fully online student in the College of Arts and Humanities.

鈥淚’ve grown so much, while I’ve been here,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 feel empowered. I鈥檓 more confident in my knowledge and abilities. The professors are so knowledgeable and passionate about their subject areas, and they were so supportive. I’m going to remember them. I’m going to take them with me.鈥�

Santiago, who lives in Woodstock, Georgia, works full-timefull time as a middle school instructional support paraprofessional. Her goal is to become a Spanish/ESOL teacher.

鈥淲orking with special needs kids is the most rewarding thing,鈥� said the future alumna. 鈥淪eeing a child who believes 鈥� along with their parents 鈥� that they鈥檙e limited or incapable, then watching them accomplish milestones they never thought possible is incredibly rewarding.鈥�

While attending 蜜糖直播, Santiago excelled in her studies despite her full-time job and full course load. She earned her place on the President鈥檚 List and received an 鈥淎鈥� in all but one course. It required discipline, sacrificing time with family and friends, careful scheduling and the ability to solve problems independently as an online student. She also credits her supportive husband who took on laundry, cooking and other household responsibilities.

Closing in on the finishing line, Santiago expressed how her college experience expanded her sense of what she can achieve.

鈥淚t’s helped me realize that I can do more than I think that I’m capable of,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 can still learn 鈥� there鈥檚 so much that I don’t know. When you’re not going to college, you live in a little bubble and just what’s around you. A world languages and cultures major opens your eyes to what’s happening around the world. I appreciate learning about other cultures. It鈥檚 been very enriching to understand and see things from different perspectives.鈥�

Now, her decades-old journey will culminate with a well-deserved walk across the commencement stage at 蜜糖直播.

鈥淚 already have my cap and gown,鈥� Santiago said. 鈥淚 was debating it, but my family said, 鈥榊ou’ve worked so hard 鈥� you deserve to go and walk.鈥� So, I said, 鈥榦kay, let’s do it.鈥欌��

蜜糖直播 Spanish professor Miguel Garc铆a, Ph.D., was among many instructors teaching courses during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. As coronavirus entered the U.S. in 2020, classes shifted from fully virtual in the spring semester to hybrid models by the fall, prompting many faculty members to develop innovative learning solutions along the way.

Published in April 2025, 鈥淰oces, poemas e historias,鈥� is a collection of poems written by beginner and elementary-level Spanish students that showcases the powerful ability of 蜜糖直播鈥檚 students, faculty and staff to innovate, create and collaborate across campus. 

Composition had always been a significant component of students’ graded assignments in Garc铆a’s courses. To contrast the strict, isolating protocols of the pandemic, he wanted to offer his students a chance 鈥渢o walk into a puddle and splash around with words,鈥� exploring their creative abilities and challenging them to use their newfound Spanish language skills. 

During the fall 2020 semester, Garc铆a presented his students with the choice to write a poem for the composition element for their coursework; he found his students expressing not only their creativity, but also their experiences, emotions and journeys through life. 

Contributing poet and dual Spanish and political science major Inga Withers said, 鈥淯sing words wisely is a form of art; as they say, the pen is mightier than the sword.鈥� 

Withers, who has faced life-altering personal challenges in the past several years, stressed the importance of allowing creative freedom within the curriculum. 

“The writing process helped me to work through some pretty complex emotions, and doing so in my second language facilitated me being extremely careful with my words,鈥� said Withers. 鈥淐reativity in the classroom is essential. It is the way we internalize learning.” 

The world didn鈥檛 end when the coronavirus began, and although 鈥渢he new normal鈥� at the time completely altered the social landscape, pandemic students still had to face difficult and complex personal hardships while also dealing with the added stress of social isolation and the threat of illness. Poetry, Garc铆a thought, could be a means of exploring new facets of self through carefully chosen words. It was a way of communicating complex emotions with one another that social isolation had hindered within the last year of living through a global pandemic. 

Another contributing student poet and English major, Kat Williams, also welcomed the option of a poetry assignment, using the challenge as a means of combining her unique interests and knowledge base. 

“When professor Garc铆a let us know that if we wanted to write a poem for our final instead of a paper, I jumped at the opportunity,” she said. 

To Williams, the project blended personal interests and world culture. 

鈥淲ith ‘El anhelo de Hades y Pers茅fone,’ I wanted to pay homage to everlasting culture and how, after a while, it all mixes,鈥� explained Williams. 鈥淥verall, the poem represents a love of natural opposites.”  

Although many students were thrilled with the opportunity to submit poetry, the idea of publishing the poems came to Garc铆a a few years after he began implementing the assignment. However, Garc铆a felt that he lacked the literary background needed to successfully complete the book and called upon 蜜糖直播 professor Teresa Buzo Salas, senior lecturer of Spanish, to assist in writing the introductory portion of the publication to give 鈥淰oces鈥� greater depth. 

Spanish professor Michael McGrath, Ph.D., and eight of his students, as well as graduate student Madi Stefan, also played a significant role in the production of 鈥淰oces鈥� by translating into Spanish each contributing poet鈥檚 short biography, allowing readers to have a chance to get to know the people behind the poetry.

For the design elements of 鈥淰oces,鈥� Garc铆a tapped associate professor Hans Mortensen鈥檚 students from the Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art. In collaboration with Mortensen’s graphic design students, a web copy of the book was successfully designed and published in April 2025.

Among those design students, Gracyn Murguia had the opportunity to work on the publication’s formatting and editing. “I personally find collaboration especially important when building digital projects,鈥� said Murguia. “By working together, we were able to create a much more functional and visually appealing product than if we were working alone. We were also able to bounce ideas off each other and learn more about the other’s expertise.” 

With additional support from Associate Dean of Libraries for Research & Assessment Katia Karadjova-Kozhuharova, Ph.D., and Digital Scholarship Librarian Jeff Mortimore, 蜜糖直播’s Henderson Library, the students鈥� contributions can also be accessed through the for years to come. 

“This project is a testament to the creativity, collaboration and dedication of our students and colleagues,” Garc铆a said. “I am deeply grateful to everyone who made 鈥�Voces鈥� possible.” 

The 蜜糖直播 Museum’s commitment to education about Georgia’s Coastal Plain region and its communities helped it earn renewed accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) for another 10 years. The Museum first received the accreditation in 1997.

AAM accreditation is awarded based on several criteria including how a museum identifies and serves its community, the diversity of its programming, and its commitment to placing education at the center of public service. The accreditation committee noted the 蜜糖直播 Museum not only meets, but exceeds requirements in several key areas. Community partnerships like received high praise from the evaluators, something that does not surprise Museum leadership.

鈥淥ur connections with partners across the region mean a lot,鈥� said Museum Director Brent Tharp, Ph.D. 鈥淓veryone from the Kiwanis Club to Bulloch County Schools to faculty and staff across the University who are not Museum staff, they are all a critical part of our operations.鈥�

The depth of education offered at various locations also caught the eye of the evaluators. They noted that the Museum on Main, housed at the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau, provided rich local history in a way that appealed to visitors. They also cited how the Gretsch Collection exhibited at the Plant Riverside District in Savannah takes engagement beyond the usual museum audience.

Museum leaders credit much of the success of their programs to the student staff. Students do everything from leading tour groups through exhibits to running the gift shop. Assistant Director Lashanda Hicks-Griffin credits the enthusiasm from the students for creating an environment where learning feels like an adventure.

鈥淭he only way that we can accomplish so much of what we’re doing is because we have a strong student support system,鈥� said Hicks-Griffin. 鈥淭hey make it fulfilling and fun to come to work every day.鈥�

The Museum staff takes pride in their dedication to building diverse exhibits through interdisciplinary work. Curator of Paleontology and Associate Professor Kathlyn Smith, Ph.D., is so accustomed to the involvement of 蜜糖直播鈥檚 faculty that she cannot imagine operating without it.

鈥淭he evaluation team said it was unusual that I spent a lot of time doing outreach,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淭hey said some institutions struggle to get their faculty to join outreach efforts, but I love taking our collection to places like comic conventions and sharing it with people who might not expect to find it there.鈥�

Presenting a wide spectrum of topics to a broad audience is a core part of the museum鈥檚 mission. Thousands of visitors, from University students to school groups to tourists, pass through the Museum each year. Curator of Education Marjean Cone takes an individual approach to connecting all of them with the discoveries they make inside the exhibits.

鈥淚 feel like I鈥檝e done my job at the end of the day if somebody from any background can come in here, be inspired by something we present and want to keep learning more when they go back outside to their daily life.鈥�

The Museum features permanent exhibits that chronicle the history of Georgia鈥檚 Coastal Plain region. It also hosts rotating exhibits on diverse topics in science, history and culture. General admission is $4 per person. Admission is free for Museum members as well as 蜜糖直播 students, alumni, faculty, staff, members and children under 3 years old.

The College of Arts and Humanities at 蜜糖直播 will host the next event in its 鈥淢oveable Feast鈥� lecture series, featuring a discussion on an iconic American instrument. Gretsch Collection Curator Matthew Hill, Ph.D., will present 鈥淪trum and Twang: The Improbable Yet Inevitable Rise of the Electric Guitar Since 1750鈥� Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. at Plant Riverside District in Savannah.

鈥淢any people think they know the history of the instrument, but they don鈥檛,鈥� said Hill. 鈥淭here are lots of myths and legends that are just not true, but the real story is even weirder.”

Hill鈥檚 presentation will take attendees on a journey from bizarre instruments powered by static electricity that predate the Revolutionary War to the wild days of the rock 鈥檔鈥� roll revolution. Participants will also experiencehear special instruments that Hill has built to replicate the strange sounds of the past and new ones he has created.

鈥淭hese instruments have been evolving for centuries,鈥� explained Hill. 鈥淭he electric guitar is not just part of music, it鈥檚 part of popular culture. People constantly bring it with them into whatever the new modern era is. These days you can go online and learn so many ways to modify them and make something new.鈥�

The Moveable Feast series is an immersive learning experience by bringing lectures into spaces relevant to their topics. Hill鈥檚 presentation will take place among the many guitars displayed as part of “That Great Gretsch Sound!” collection in the District Live lobby within Savannah’s Plant Riverside District. The collection is maintained by the 蜜糖直播 Museum.

The event is free and open to the public. 

The Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music at 蜜糖直播 will celebrate its fifth anniversary with two feature concert performances by student and faculty musicians.

The concerts will showcase two renowned campus musical groups – The Sound and The Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Both groups will perform Oct. 15 at the Performing Arts Center on the Statesboro Campus and Oct. 16 at the Fine Arts Auditorium on the Armstrong Campus in Savannah.

The Sound is an audition-only ensemble made up of student performers from the Armstrong Campus that focuses on modern performance techniques and musical styles from pop, rock, hip-hop and more. The group is directed by Benjamin Mathews, DMA, the Gretsch Distinguished Scholar of Guitar and Music Industry for the Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music. 

The Symphonic Wind Ensemble is the most select of the University鈥檚 concert bands, with a membership limited to 50 to 55 of the most accomplished woodwind, brass and percussion student performers on the Statesboro Campus. Members of the Symphonic Wind Ensemble perform repertoire of the highest caliber, representing all musical style periods from the Renaissance through the modern day, featuring works created by the finest composers for the historical and contemporary wind bands. The Ensemble is conducted by Darrell Brown, DMA, director of bands.

Jayson Brown, a junior music major and member of The Symphonic Wind Ensemble, is excited to be a part of the fifth anniversary celebration concerts. 

鈥淚 am most excited to be able to play in a different environment with musicians from the Armstrong Campus,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淓ducationally, I think it is beneficial to be exposed to various genres of music as well as many playing scenarios. I am also excited for the challenges and focus that will come with a shorter rehearsal cycle. The rehearsal process thus far has been incredible. There is so much great music-making going on in the rehearsal room. Dr. Brown is a great conductor, educator and mentor, and the way he meticulously dissects the music always results in beautiful music.鈥�

In February 2021, 蜜糖直播 received a transformational gift from Fred and Dinah Gretsch. Their $3 million pledge, along with their personal Gretsch Collection of historic guitars, drums and archives, led to the creation of the Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music, named in their honor. 

鈥淲hat began as a partnership rooted in a shared passion to, as Fred often says, 鈥榖e musical,鈥� has grown into a legacy that continues to shape the future of the Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music,鈥� said 蜜糖直播 President Kyle Marrero. 鈥淔red and Dinah Gretsch believed in our students and in the promise of what we could build together. Five years later, that vision lives on in every note played, every new music educator entering our schools, and in the nationally celebrated reputation of our program.鈥�

鈥�鈥嬧赌�The Gretsch family is incredibly supportive of music education,鈥� Mathews said. 鈥淥ur partnership is generating unprecedented opportunities for music students. Thanks to these gifts and the Gretsch family’s continued involvement, we can provide modern music education at an incredibly high value for students, collaborate and network in innovative ways, and help students jump-start real-world music industry careers鈥嬧赌�.鈥�

Along with the gift, the Gretsch family also donated a collection of instruments, which is included in 鈥淭hat Great Gretsch Sound!鈥� museum, housed in the Plant Riverside District in Savannah. It showcases more than a century of iconic Gretsch instruments, from banjos and early drums to guitars played by legends like George Harrison and Malcolm Young. The Gretsch family also donated three major additions to the archives to the Zach S. Henderson Library Special Collections, including Gretsch Company Records, Gretsch Audio-Visual Collection and Musical Industry Reference Collection. 

For the Gretsch family, it鈥檚 all about building a legacy that will stand the test of time.

“In the years ahead, we look forward to continuing to develop and mature the community music program here and being a beacon to the whole U.S. and worldwide as well,鈥� said Fred Gretsch. 鈥淭here are well known schools of music across the country. The one at 蜜糖直播, a hundred years from now, will absolutely be number one in the world.鈥�

鈥淲e wanted a partner that we could work with to leave our legacy and 蜜糖直播 has been wonderful to work with,鈥� said Dinah Gretsch. 鈥淲e’ve built a lot of programs and continue to increase what we do today.”

The Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music creates an environment rich in musical diversity with endless opportunities. The School of Music offers a variety of ensembles ranging from bands, choirs and orchestras to commercial music, jazz, opera and chamber ensembles. 

鈥淲ith their gift, the Gretsches enabled a historic Department of Music to look forward to a greater future, with the finest faculty, students and facilities,鈥� Chair of the School of Music Terre Johnson, Ph.D., said. 鈥淎s a result, in the last five years, the Gretsch School of Music has seen record growth on both the Statesboro and Armstrong campuses, as well as international recognition for its ensembles.鈥�
Both concerts are free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Fred and Dinah Gretsch School of Music homepage.

A new symbol of Eagle spirit stands at the entrance of after 蜜糖直播 unveiled 鈥淔reedom to Soar,鈥� a life-size bronze statue honoring Freedom, the University鈥檚 beloved bald eagle mascot who passed away in March 2025. 

The sculpture has a wingspan of approximately eight feet and weighs 385 pounds. It sits atop a custom cast and polished concrete pedestal that weighs 6,000 pounds. The inspiration for the final look is one that Eagles football fans will find familiar.

鈥淭he plinth is designed to reflect Freedom flying over the stadium,鈥� said Jason McCoy, studio technician in the Betty Foy Sanders Department of Art. 鈥淚t has the terracing of the seating inside the stadium, and Freedom is flying at an angle and soaring down to the field. So, it’s designed to mirror the stadium and Freedom’s Flight over the stadium.鈥�

For more than two decades, Freedom was more than a symbol on game days. He embodied strength, pride and the True Blue spirit of Eagle Nation. His story inspired thousands of alumni, students, faculty, staff and fans, and his presence at community and University events uplifted generations of Eagles. As an ambassador for 蜜糖直播, wildlife and as a symbol of our nation, Freedom inspired thousands annually at , the in Savannah, , community events and other appearances across the State of Georgia and .

鈥淭here’s this continuation of Freedom’s legacy that is connected and ingrained into the 蜜糖直播 community,鈥� said Jeff Garland, associate dean of faculty affairs and research. 鈥淭hat’s the legacy of this sculpture. It鈥檚 a great way to show that legacy and show we will have him forever.鈥�

Restoration and preparation of the statue began in April 2025, and were carried out by an eclectic team from all corners of the 蜜糖直播 community. Students, faculty and staff from the BFSDoArt, Master of Fine Arts student Tanner Maxey, Associate Professor Matt Mogle, in addition to Garland and McCoy, contributed work to the monument. Steve Hein, executive director of the Center for Wildlife Education, served as consultant throughout the project. Additionally, 蜜糖直播鈥檚 Division of Facilities Planning, Design and Construction, led by Project Manager Sandi Wilkinson, was supported by Dabbs Williams General Contractors to help with the landscaping and installation process.

Designers wanted even the smallest details included in the piece, all the way down to counting the number of feathers along the edges of the wings.

鈥淵ou want all parties involved to agree on what’s happening so that everybody’s happy with the final outcome,鈥� said McCoy. 鈥淚t takes a lot of people to get stuff like this done. It’s a memorial piece for the University mascot, so it’s going to mean a lot to a lot of people.鈥�

The statue stands alongside the Erk Russell statue in the plaza at , which will unite two enduring symbols of Eagles football.

Friday’s ceremony featured the unveiling of the statue, as well as speeches and stories from those who worked closely with Freedom and the Wildlife Center. Speakers included Hein, Garland, 蜜糖直播 President Kyle Marrero, Alumnus David Ball, Hein鈥檚 longtime mentor Steve Layman, Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives Jon Burns, Georgia State Senator Billy Hickman and 蜜糖直播 Director Chris Davis.

鈥淔reedom wasn鈥檛 just a mascot,鈥� said Marrero. 鈥淗e was a symbol of strength, of unity and of that True Blue pride that defines 蜜糖直播. In true Eagle fashion, he grew into something bigger than anyone expected. As we unveiled this new statue in Freedom鈥檚 honor, we celebrated not only his life but the tradition and spirit he leaves with us.鈥�

The , 蜜糖直播鈥檚 premier choral ensemble, continues to reach new heights in international competitions. The group took third place in the in the Netherlands, which was held from May 29 through June 1. The prestigious festival featured 10 choirs from eight countries, including the U.S., Sweden, Slovenia and other European countries.聽

鈥淚 could not be prouder of these students,鈥� said Shannon Jeffreys, D.M.A., director of Choral Activities at 蜜糖直播. 鈥淭hey sang with such passion, musical precision and sincerity. Every note came from the heart. On that stage, they weren鈥檛 just performing music; they were telling stories, sharing their souls and lifting up the very best of what choral music can be.鈥�

Jeffreys said each student brought something unique and beautiful to the experience, but two students made special additions by having their own songs featured in their performances. Ryan Fruchtl and James Rowell are both in their third year with the group. Motivated by Jeffreys to write their own works, the students’ European debuts are the results of years’ worth of effort.

鈥淲e had been talking in her office one day about writing something,鈥� Rowell said. 鈥淲e were brainstorming what could be used during the competition, and we settled on something that could be sung in a cathedral. I showed her a piece, and she said, 鈥楲et鈥檚 go with it!鈥欌��

Rowell鈥檚 song, 鈥淪omnambulism,鈥� which means 鈥渟leepwalking,鈥� served as the prelude to their other competition pieces. And as fate would have it, it would eventually be sung in a cathedral while on the tour.

Fruchtl鈥檚 piece, 鈥淢y Faith Still Holds,鈥� features two male solo parts, but neither of them are performed by Fruchtl himself. As Jeffreys auditioned students, everyone had an opportunity to try out for the roles. 

鈥淚鈥檓 really good friends with the soloists,鈥� said Fruchtl. 鈥淚f I鈥檓 being honest, I really had Paul and Bret, who ultimately performed the piece, in mind for the solos when I wrote it. They鈥檙e just incredible.鈥�

Chorale, made up of 35 students, has been performing in competitive and noncompetitive venues for the past week throughout the Netherlands and Belgium. Between performances, the students have explored local historic and cultural locations across Amsterdam and other areas.

鈥淥pportunities like this one鈥攚here students engage at the highest level on an international stage鈥攁re transformative,鈥� said Jeffreys. 鈥淭hey grow as artists, as musicians and as people. It builds confidence, deepens their understanding of other cultures and shows them just how powerful music can be in connecting people across the world. I have so much love and admiration for each of them. What they achieved together is something they鈥檒l carry for a lifetime鈥攁nd so will I.鈥�

The trip was supported and sponsored by the Office of the President, the Office of the Provost and College of Arts and Humanities Office of the Dean.

In 2022, in Berlin, Germany. Their global success also earned the singers national recognition as named a in 2024.

Elise Aleman, a 蜜糖直播 Master of Fine Arts (MFA) graduate, spent much of her adult life in South Florida working as a graphic artist. She moved to Savannah, Georgia, in 2017 to pursue a new calling in painting. After receiving a bachelor鈥檚 degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design, Aleman decided she wasn鈥檛 done yet.

Aleman dreamed of becoming an art teacher, and she wanted to have a graduate degree to boost her applications. While looking for a master鈥檚 program, she was recruited by a friend to look at 蜜糖直播. Shortly thereafter, she became a member of Eagle Nation.

As she developed her portfolio in the graduate program, she found herself going to a familiar source.

In the 1960s, there was a wave of immigration from Cuba into the U.S. This pattern of immigration was called the 鈥淔reedom Flights.鈥�

When she was just seven years old, Aleman and most of her family were on one of those planes in July of 1967. 

The Communist regime believed all who left the island were deserting their nation, and they took many of the families’ belongings in retaliation. 

鈥淲hen people would get on the flights, the military was at the airport,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey would go through all your bags, they take anything  that either they wanted to keep for themselves or just to be spiteful. A lot of the time, they would take photographs and just throw them out.鈥�

To avoid losing their family pictures, Aleman鈥檚 mother left their photos with relatives in Cuba.

After landing in the U.S., they settled in a small community in New Jersey where they learned a new language and way of life.

Over time, deliveries began arriving in their new home in the Garden State. They held the family photos they had left behind, sent by relatives who had been protecting them.

鈥淚 use the photographs from Cuba that were sent to us when we came in,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here’s a series in my scope that I did that is about those photographs and immigrating here. I wanted to make people see them and really connect with it in their own way.鈥�

Those paintings were featured in a recent art exhibition, 鈥淭heopoetics Prothesis,鈥� on the University鈥檚 Armstrong Campus in Savannah, which explored the intersections of her faith, exile and transformation through two parallel yet interwoven bodies of work. One aspect reflected on her family’s immigration from Cuba, and considered how cultural displacement shapes identity, memory and faith. The other engaged directly with biblical themes, using scripture as a foundation for conceptual exploration.

鈥淢y goal was to make both scripture and personal history compelling and relevant,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he Bible is more than just a religious text鈥攊t鈥檚 a multidimensional tapestry of history, poetry, prophecy and metaphor. Likewise, the story of exile and displacement is not just my own but a universal narrative of survival, adaptation and faith. I wanted viewers to engage with these layered meanings, finding connections between the sacred, the personal and the collective.鈥�

As Aleman prepares to graduate this week, she鈥檚 reflecting on the journey her family took to make it possible. She鈥檚 also grateful to the 蜜糖直播 community for welcoming her, despite the age gap between her and other MFA students.

鈥淭hose students, especially in the grad program, they just embrace you,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 never felt like an outsider. 鈥極h, there’s the old lady,鈥� you know? We have a very tight group in the fine arts program.鈥�

鈥淚 am never going to 蜜糖直播,鈥� graduating senior Whitley Gatch recalls saying as a high school student. 

Before the coronavirus pandemic set Gatch on a track to earning her undergraduate degrees in history and at 蜜糖直播, her mind was firmly set on attending any other school. She鈥檇 spent enough time on campus already, she insisted, drawing on memories from her childhood when she toddled around the office of her mom, Delena Gatch, Ph.D., an associate professor and the associate vice president of institutional effectiveness and accreditation. But when the crowded hallways of Gatch鈥檚 high school raised the risk of bringing infection home to her aging grandparents and an immunocompromised family member, she knew she needed to reconsider the university she鈥檇 once ruled out.

This led Gatch to consider dual enrollment at 蜜糖直播, where she could get a head start on college credits while fulfilling remaining requirements for her high school diploma without sacrificing the safety of her family. At 蜜糖直播, Gatch was relieved by the virtual and hybrid course model during the pandemic, which helped maintain social distancing without slowing down educational opportunities. Before committing, though, she sat down to have a talk with her mom.

鈥淢y mom and I agreed that if I was going to start dual enrollment, I should take a subject I enjoy,鈥� she explained. 鈥淚 found a course in anthropology that fulfilled a social science requirement for high school, and the rest is history 鈥� literally.鈥�

History and anthropology have always interested Gatch. Her family often traveled with her mother when she attended conferences across the country, and they made a point of visiting historical battlefields. From their visits, Gatch became fascinated by the Civil War era, and has made the era her academic focus since graduating from high school and enrolling as a full-time college student.

鈥淚 absolutely ate my words,鈥� she laughed, reflecting on her decision to stay at 蜜糖直播. 鈥淚 realized there鈥檚 no better place to be.鈥�

The opportunity to center her studies on conflict archaeology sealed the deal for Gatch. Now, when she visits historical sites like , one of the largest prisoner-of-war camps in the Civil War, she has a trowel in hand to dig up bullets and other artifacts. With her findings, she can construct an archeological lens for understanding the social aspects of the time period and the implications of violence and warfare.

One of Gatch鈥檚 projects is currently on display in the Henderson Library on 蜜糖直播鈥檚 Statesboro Campus. Having noticed the lack of representation for African American soldiers based in southeast Georgia, Gatch worked with Professor Brian K. Feltman, Ph.D., her classmates and staff in the Library鈥檚 Special Collections department to build 鈥�,鈥� an exhibit that displays letters written by local soldiers along with military gear and books related to the time period. Among the artifacts are a gas mask and helmet that Gatch was entrusted to collect from the University of Georgia.

鈥淚t was so fun because you鈥檝e got to think about applying the aspects that you learn in your history classes,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou can write a paper, you can read the books, you can learn it, but what are you going to do with it? Creating that exhibit meant a lot because it鈥檚 a hundred years later and those soldiers are finally getting the commemoration that was given to the white soldiers who died in the same war.鈥�

Having grown up in Bulloch County, Gatch has worked on additional projects related to the area. This included , which experienced a major environmental crisis in 2011. Meanwhile, , examining the historical markers in Georgia鈥檚 Coastal Plain and low country that commemorate Sherman鈥檚 March to the Sea.

Other highlights of Gatch鈥檚 college experience include , receiving multiple academic scholarships through the Honors College, leading clubs on campus and studying abroad in Wexford, Ireland. After graduating and completing a summer internship at Ocmulgee National Park as an archaeological technician, she鈥檒l attend Yale University, where she will earn her master鈥檚 in archeology. With her graduate degree, she hopes to build more exhibits like 鈥淢ore than a Name鈥� and intends to become a professor so she can share her knowledge and enthusiasm with the next generation.

鈥淥ne of the taglines I was always given in my classes was that, as archeologists and historians, we are supposed to give a voice to the voiceless,鈥� she said. 鈥淧eople like you and me will die one day, and nobody will remember us, so it鈥檚 really what鈥檚 left of people, those artifacts, that tells you about them. I like helping curate that memory.鈥�

Wednesday will begin a nearly thousand-year-old tradition. After the recent passing of Pope Francis, who served as pope for 12 years, the Catholic Church is looking for his successor. Soon, the doors to the Sistine Chapel will be locked, signifying the beginning of the papal conclave 鈥� the secretive balloting process where the College of Cardinals, who are among the highest-ranking members of the church, elect a new pope.

Kathleen Comerford, Ph.D., at 蜜糖直播, specializes in Catholic history in the 16th and 17th centuries. She is also an associate editor for the , which focuses on the work of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), a religious order within the Catholic Church. Pope Francis was the church鈥檚 first Jesuit pope.

With the global significance and rarity of the conclave, Comerford answered frequently asked questions about how the conclave works, how the conclave process has evolved over time, and what the passing of a pope means for the Catholic Church and the world. 

Question: What does the passing of a pope mean for the world?

Comerford: Multiple things! First of all, there are 1.4 billion Catholics in the world scattered in many different countries. The pope is a unifying figure for all of the Catholics. He represents something immediate in the sense that he’s the head of the church and is a recognizable figure.

The pope is also a monarch. I was just talking with my classes about this. He is the head of the government of the Vatican City State, which is the smallest independent state in the world. It has a very long history itself. Pretty much everybody who lives in Vatican City works for the Vatican. The pope is one of the few elected monarchs in history. He is responsible for financial and political decisions, and he has ambassadors around the world as a result of his role in global policy.

Question: How is a new pope selected?

Comerford: The College of Cardinals will meet for an election called a conclave, and they actually stay in a dormitory-like place in Vatican City for it. They are sequestered from the public, and they take some time to meet,  pray and vote. The cardinals aren’t supposed to be sitting around talking about who would be a really good pope, but we don’t know whether they do because they’re sequestered and nobody is supposed to talk about it.

They will likely take a vote on the first day, but that’s not required. Every subsequent day, they can take a maximum of four votes; two in the morning and two in the afternoon until a candidate gets a two-thirds majority.

Question: What does the voting look like?

Comerford: There are ballots, and the cardinals write their preferred candidate on the ballot, and then they put their vote in a chalice. To count the votes, there鈥檚 a group of three people who are in charge of counting and then announcing the results to the fellow cardinals. There are 252 cardinals, but only 135 of them are eligible to vote because anyone over the age of 80 is ineligible. 

The procedure where only cardinals can elect the pope dates from 1059. The secret ballot and the two-thirds majority requirement is from 1621. The sequestration for the process dates from 1271 because they argued about who the new pope would be for two years and nine months; a total of 33 months. And so, they decided that the only way to make sure that this didn’t happen again would be to create this scenario with the cardinals locked in a room with a key.

Question: When one of the candidates receives a two-thirds majority and becomes the next pope, how will it be announced?

Comerford: Well, this is kind of fun, because they have four votes every day until one of the candidates receives a two-thirds majority. After they take the votes, the papers used to vote are burned. How the news is shared to the crowds outside is based on the color of smoke. If the smoke is black, that means no one received the majority and there鈥檚 no new pope yet. If there鈥檚 white smoke, it means there鈥檚 a new pope.

This practice really only dates to the early 19th century. At first, it was just if there was smoke, there was no pope; if there was no smoke, then there was a pope. In 1914, they changed this aspect of the election so that black smoke means 鈥渘o pope鈥� and white smoke means 鈥渘ew pope.鈥�

Question: It鈥檚 expected that the next pope will be one of the cardinals in the room when they vote, yes?

Comerford: Yes, but it doesn’t have to be. There have been a lot of popes, but in the last 200-300 years, there hasn’t been somebody who wasn’t in the conclave that was elected. Theoretically, they could nominate somebody who鈥檚 not a cardinal and the whole room could say, 鈥測es, that’s the person we want as pope.鈥� However, they don’t vote by acclamation anymore. They stopped doing that in the 19th century.

Question: Pope Francis appointed 108 of the cardinals, so that’s a total of 80% of those eligible to vote for the next pope. How likely is it that we see a pope similar to the late Francis, considering he provided the electorate for his successor?

Comerford: First of all, he deliberately went out and created cardinals in places where there had never been cardinals before. And he didn’t do that by saying, 鈥淚’m going to find somebody who’s like-minded to me.鈥� He just said, 鈥淭here are a lot of Catholics in Myanmar and they’ve never had a cardinal. So I’m going to make sure that there’s a cardinal now.鈥� Most of these new cardinals are in places like Rwanda, Cape Verde, Tonga, Myanmar, Mongolia and so on. So these are non-European cardinals.

Now, less than 40% of the voting cardinals are European. So to speculate on how similar they are to Francis, you have to break down what Francis was. There has been his entire pontificate about how he’s the first American pope, but his parents were born in Italy. He didn鈥檛 grow up speaking Italian, but it was a dialect of Italian as well as Spanish, because he grew up in Argentina. He was the most European you can get and still be an American.

Another part of the question is, will the new pope be somebody who is of a similar mind to Francis in terms of his governance, which was very devolved. He introduced this idea of 鈥渟ynodality,鈥� which is about fairly consistent communication with groups of people. Pope Francis was not particularly monarchical or hierarchical. 

There is also the aspect of his thinking that leans more to the left than the right on a number of social issues like immigration, women’s rights, the rights of minorities and immigration. He opened a lot of conversations, which the very right leaning portions of the church have been very uncomfortable with.