“THEVOICE OF GSW”
THE SOU’WESTER
VOL. 96, NO. 2 October 2026
8TH ANNUAL SCIENCE DAY ENDS WITH A BANG
RENOWNED MUSICIAN OPENS
Page Designer & Reporter
CHAMBER CONCERT SERIES
Aden Bruce
IN THIS ISSUE
PAGE 2 DUO FUERZA ON THE PIANO PAGE 3 GSW GOLF ENDS 25-26 SEASON WITH SUCCESS PAGE 4 ANNOUNCEMENTS PAGE 5 Liquid nitrogen explosion flings ping pong balls outside Jackson Hall. Photo by Aden Bruce.
GSW hosted over 130 high school students at this year’s Science Day on October 2. Students from Terrell Academy, Sumter County High School, Furlow Charter School, and Chattahoochee County High School visited campus to observe the wonders of science under the guidance of the science professors and faculty. “The event was very successful,” said Dr Nedialka Iordanova, professor of chemistry and Science Day organizer. “137 students and 13 teachers from local high schools attended.” The students were shown how to extract their own DNA from a cheek swab, inflate a ballon with baking soda and vinegar, light fires in their hands, make slime, do math games, and observe the animals in the herpetology room. These hands-on demonstrations are a fun way to explore the variety of STEM opportunities GSW has to offer. Students look forward to this event each year, with some, like sophomore engineering major, Elizabeth Barrentine, coming back to volunteer. “Yes, I loved it,” said Barrentine. “They still do the herpetology, and that was my favorite spot, because we got to keep one of the little snake eggs or a skin.” Of course, the day had to end with a bang, which in this case, was a liquid nitrogen explosion. The nitrogen was poured and sealed into a bottle and covered with ping pong balls. As the liquid nitrogen evaporated, pressure started to build within the bottle until it exploded. Science Day is held in the Science and Roney buildings and while construction on the new natural sciences building is predicted to be completed next fall, Iordanova assures Continued on Page 2.
us that Science Day will continue. “We plan to have the Science Day next fall again and invite a variety of other local schools to attend and learn about our STEM and some other programs on campus,” Iordanova said. (L-R) Aden Bruce & Elizabeth Barrentine place baking soda balloons onto flasks of vinager.
RENOWNED MUSICIAN OPENS CHAMBER CONCERT SERIES Aden Bruce Page Designer & Reporter
The Chamber Concert series kicked off the first of six performances on September 15 with an evening of Chinese classical music. This concert featured Dr. HaiQiong Deng, an award-winning musician and professor from Florida State University, showcasing her talents on the Zheng, a 21-string plucked zither and the Qin, a seven-stringed zither. Deng performed six songs. She played Liu Shui “Flowing Water” and Jiukuang “Drunken Ecstasy” on the qin followed by Guangling San “Guangling Melody” and Jiao Chuang Ye Yu
Professor Alwen Yeung & Dr. HaiQiong Deng.
“Rain at the Plantain Window” on the zheng. The penultimate piece being the world debut of Yue Sun’s “Resonant Waters: for Electronics & Zheng Improvisation.” The zheng portions of the song were improvised, making each performance unique based on how the performer interpreted the electronics. GSW music professor, Alwen Yeung, joined Deng for the final arrangement, Xiang Yun “Tune from My Hometown.” The piano and zheng collaboration was truly fantastic.
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Dr. Deng demonstrates the zheng after the concert. Photo by Aden Bruce
DUO FUERZA WOWS ON THE PIANO Aden Bruce Page Designer & Reporter
Duo Fuerza impressed audiences as a four-hand piano ensemble at the second chamber concert series performance on October 6. Duo Fuerza, GSW’s first-ever Ensemble-In-Residence, is a classical piano duo featuring GSW instructors, Alwen Yeung and James D’Leon. They performed Bach’s “Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeir” and “Jeses bleibet mein Freude,” Schubert’s “Lebensstürme,” all thirteen parts of Schumann’s “Kindersznen,” then Piazzolla’s “Milonga del ángel” and “Adios Nonino.” The concert ended with “America” from “West Side Story” arranged by D’Leon. The arrangement also included Yeung and D’Leon taking turns dancing around the bench while clapping to the beat and swapping places with each other. The duo’s lovely performance addition to the concert series.
proved
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The next Chamber Concert Series performance will feature David and Goliath, a violn and brass duo on January 26, 2027.
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James D’Leon & Alwen Yeung performing.
GSW GOLF ENDS 25-26 SEASON WITH SUCCESS Dylan Scott Athletics Correspondent
The GSW golf team keeps swinging their way to success. After winning the Peach Belt Conference over the summer, the second PBC win in Canes golf history; they advanced to the Elite Eight of the National Championship Tournament where their season ended in the quarterfinals. GSW dominated the PBC Tournament from the beginning to the end, finishing all three rounds in first place. “When we won it all, it was a surreal feeling,” said Junior Jordan Jones. With the PBC win, GSW automatically qualified for the NCAA Tournament, starting with the South/Southeastern Regional Tournament. “We were definitely happy that we won the PBC, but we wanted more,” Jones said. At the National Championship Tournament, the team finished fifth of 20 after three rounds, advancing to medal match play where they lost to Lee University, 1-4. Continue to support our Hurricanes as they strive for more success in the 26-27 season.
The 2025-26 Peach Belt Conference Champions. Vol. 96 No. 2
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ANNOUNCEMENTS Events Oct. 20, What Can You Do with an English Degree? A Career Panel, 6 p.m.-7 p.m., English Building Room 212. More information can be found at: https://my.gsw.edu/external/ events/10014457 Oct. 22, FYE Registration Party, 5 p.m.-7 p.m., Canes Central. Oct. 22, 24, 26, 28, and 31, Haunted History Tours, 7:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Americus Visitor Center. More information can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/visitamericus Oct. 23, 24, 30, and 31, The Dark Forest Haunted Trail, 7 p.m.- 10:30 p.m., Georgia Veterans State Park. More information can be found at:https://www.lakeblackshearresort.com/ calendar-event/the-dark-forest-haunted-trail-7/ Oct. 29, Downtown Trick or Treat, 5 p.m.-8 p.m., Americus Visitor Center. More information can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/events/2845530675788600/ Oct. 29, EML Dystopian Movie Night: “Children of Men” (2006), 6 p.m.-8 p.m., English Building Room 212. Oct. 30, “Shadowed” Hometown Premiere, 8 p.m.-10 p.m., Rylander Theatre. More information can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1633272421644969 Nov. 3, Cookies and Careers, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Carter 1 lobby on the main floor. Nov. 4, Experiential Learning Fair, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Library first floor. Nov. 6, Downtown Tailgate & Bar Fight, 5 p.m.-8 p.m., Downtown Americus. More information can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/events/3009385662590728/ Nov. 11, Veterans Day Parade, 6 p.m.-7 p.m., Americus Visitor Center. More information can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/events/4385877978408575 Nov. 13, GSW Humanities Symposium, BHP building. More information can be found at: https://www.gsw.edu/arts-and-sciences/humanities-symposium Recurring Events: Every Monday, Silent Reading Scurry, 2 p.m.-3 p.m., English Building Room 212. More information can be found at: https://my.gsw.edu/events/10011386 Every second Tuesday, LBRLS Book Club, 5 p.m.-6 p.m., Lake Blackshear Regional Library. More information can be found at:https://www.facebook.com/events/2207268843456026/
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