Student Debt Unpacked — Technician 09/07/23

919-515-5133

THE RADAR

Events to keep an eye on for the week of September 7

FEMINIST FRIDAY

Friday, Sept. 8, 1-2 p.m.

WOMEN’S CENTER, TALLEY STUDENT UNION, 5210

Free

Join the Women’s Center in discussions about issues that feminists care about and continue to debate.

SALSA WORKSHOP BY SUBE RITMO

Tuesday, Sept. 12, 8:15-10 p.m.

WELLNESS AND RECREATION CENTER AND CARMICHAEL GYM, 2605

Free

Do you want to learn the basic steps for salsa dancing? Join Sube Ritmo, the only Latin dance team at NC State, in their first workshop of the semester. No experience is required.

MOVE IT

Tuesday, Sept. 12, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

STAFFORD COMMONS

Free (Pre-registration required)

Come participate in a beginner-level workout hosted by Camp Gladiator. The University Activities Board will provide refreshments after each session.

ENTREPALOOZA

Thursday, Sept. 14, 5-7 p.m.

STAFFORD COMMONS

Free

Join the free festival celebrating all things entrepreneurship at NC State. Activities will include an entrepreneurship showcase, a Minute to Pitch It competition, giveaways and more.

THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

Flowers, candles, letters and a copy of the Daily Tar Heel pile up at a memorial for Zijie Yan at the Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower at UNC-Chapel Hill Sept. 4. Yan, a professor at Chapel Hill, was killed in an on-campus shooting at Caudill Labs Aug 28.

Editors-in-Chief Ethan Bakogiannis Jameson Wolf technician-editor@ncsu.edu

Managing Editor/Brand Manager Emily Vespa technician-managingeditor@ncsu.edu technician-marketing@ncsu.edu

Copy Desk Chief Rachelle Hernandez technician-copydesk@ncsu.edu

Assistant News Editors

Ally Tennant Amelia Russell

Culture Editors Emilia Rivadeneira Elizabeth Dull technician-features@ncsu.edu

Design Editor Ellie Bruno technician-design@ncsu.edu

Assistant Opinion Editor Skye Crawford Focused Editor Koen Rodabaugh technician-opinion@ncsu.edu

Sports Editor Jenna Cuniowski technician-sports@ncsu.edu

Assistant Sports Editors Erin Ferrare Noah Teague

Video Editor Isaac Hernandez technician-video@ncsu.edu

Assistant Video Editor Katherine Wan

General Manager Garrett Gough media-sales@ncsu.edu

Online technicianonline.com FRONT COVER BY ELLIE BRUNO

Assistant Copy Desk Chief Elliot Johnson News Editor Kate Denning technician-news@ncsu.edu

Assistant Design Editor Carter McDermott

Opinion Editor Justin Welch technician-opinion@ncsu.edu

Photo Editor Ethan Rimolt technician-photo@ncsu.edu

BACK COVER BY ANNA HANSEN

Wolfpack welcome packets spark controversy

Students were in for a shock when they opened University-distributed welcome packets containing sexually suggestive materials during residence hall move-in.

Hailey Martens, a first-year studying business management and resident of Lee Residence Hall, said her welcome packet included items such as condoms, strawberry-flavored lube and a game titled “(S)M.A.S.H,” which would predict a student’s next sexual encounter. Martens said it was uncomfortable to open her welcome packet with her parents present.

“I thought it was going to be like trail mix or protein powder or something,” Martens said. “I ripped open this package with my mom and we [started] pulling stuff out. We’re like, ‘Okay, well, welcome to college, I guess.’ We kind of shoved everything back really quick so that my younger brother, who’s nine years old, wouldn’t see. And it was definitely an awkward moment of realizing, ‘This is college.’”

The main source of the controversy was centered around the “(S)M.A.S.H” game, in which options included students engaging in sexual activity with more than one person; in educational settings, such as the library; and suggested specific intimate details of those encounters.

“It seems like this paper was almost encouraging to have several partners, like having a one night stand,” Martens said. “Just a lot of things that I would never think a school would want to happen. But they were

definitely, it seemed like they were promoting it.”

Amani Harpine, a first-year studying microbiology and resident of Lee Residence Hall, said she felt the welcome packets were useful for encouraging safe sex practices.

“I felt happy that the campus was not naive about what happens on a college campus,” Harpine said. “I think it was a good thing, because you’re providing the students with materials that they may not necessarily be comfortable asking for.”

Jajhayra Foneca-Roque, a third-year studying political science and communications and Bragaw Hall Resident Advisor, said she thought the “(S)M.A.S.H.” game crossed the line.

“I think the worst part was the flyer,” Foneca-Roque said. “It just kind of comes off really bad, especially as a parent, you’re seeing that and you’re like, ‘Why? Why are they giving this to you? Like, what message are they trying to promote?’”

However, RAs did open the packets with their supervisors the day before move-in.

“We opened it as a team, but everyone kind of was laughing,” Foneca-Roque said. “We were like, ‘Is this actually going to be handed out? This is gonna be a little controversial.’ But we all kind of just joked it off. I mean, it already had gone through [University] Housing.”

In an email statement, University spokesperson Mick Kulikowski said University Housing stopped distributing the packets.

“In partnership with CVS, NC State distributes wel -

come packs to provide students healthy snacks, homecare products and self-care aids as they acclimate to campus,” Kulikowski said in the statement. “University Housing was made aware of a questionable flyer from a condom manufacturer included in the packs and stopped distributing them on Friday, Aug. 18. CVS was notified about the issue.”

Foneca-Roque said she thought University Housing likely pulled the welcome packets after online feedback. “Parents were upset about it through Facebook,” she said. “I guess it reached [University] Housing. And then halfway through move-in, we stopped distributing [the packets].”

Martens said she felt parents were right to be angry about the packets.

“When I saw parents were getting upset about this, I was just like, ‘They should be getting upset about this,’” she said. “They’re sending their kid to a school… that’s promoting basically, ‘Get around as many places as you want, as many people as you want.’”

Other parents took the packets in good humor.

“My mom thought it was funny,” Harpine said. “I did not tell my father. He does not need to know that information.”

Harpine said her friends think the flyers are funny and the packets helpful otherwise.

“I think the welcome packets were pretty good, all things considered,” she said. “Other than maybe giving a pre-warning: ‘Don’t open it in front of your parents.’”

ETHAN RIMOLT/TECHNICIAN

Amelia Russell Assisstant News Editor

321 Coffee comes full circle with 2024 Centennial Campus expansion

321 Coffee, an alumni-owned business that employs people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, just announced its expansion to a new location in Centennial Campus’ Venture Place building at the beginning of 2024.

Lindsay Wrege, co-founder of 321 Coffee, said the business began as a student club at NC State in 2017 with the mission of providing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities job opportunities. The business employs over 60 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who do everything from roasting and packaging coffee to running deliveries and taking orders.

Wrege said this opportunity stems from the business’ growth as a result of support from the community.

“There’s people that believe in what we’re doing, and they believe in the importance of disability inclusion in the workforce,” Wrege said. “They recognize that just by coming and getting a cup of coffee, they’re a part of this solution, and that’s really powerful.”

As students, Wrege and co-founder Michael Evans tapped into resources provided by the Park Scholarship program and a long-time mentor in Jennifer Capps, the assistant vice provost for NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Capps said the purpose of her office is to create lasting connections with students beyond graduation.

“It’s actually something that we try to create for our entrepreneurial students and alumni, ways for them to engage back into the campus community in whatever way makes the most sense for them,” Capps said. “While they were students here, they took every opportunity that the University laid out in front of them.”

Wrege said she commends NC State for its commitment to students and its belief in their potential.

“The University — it just shows how much they do believe in their students,” Wrege said. “I think that’s what everyone wants to see from an organization that they’re a part of, but just sometimes the reality is that these organizations are gigantic, and they can’t always show up for people. And so I think it’s really cool that NC State does.”

321 Coffee has received support from all facets of NC State’s community, including from NC State football head coach Dave Doeren and his wife, Sara Doeren.

Wrege said the business caters to the football team every Monday morning during the season at the Murphy Cen -

ter. One of 321 Coffee’s first employees, Sam, created a special connection with the team. The business released a collaboration coffee with NC State football earlier this year under the name Greater Good.

“All the players and all of the coaching staff, they’re just so welcoming to our team,” Wrege said. “They will joke around. They want to know what Sam was doing over the weekend. … They are friends, and it’s real, and it’s fun. Sam will give it right back to them.”

Capps said 321 Coffee’s greatest impact lies in using coffee as a medium to promote inclusivity, giving locals from all walks of life an opportunity to see what people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are capable of.

“A lot of the people who enter their coffee shops, they might not have had the opportunity to interact with someone with a disability before,” Capps said. “So simply by showing one customer, ‘Let me introduce you to this person. Let me change your mindset with how you think about what this person is capable of,’ you change the mindset of one individual. In many cases the impact compounds on itself, which I just think is spectacular.”

Wrege said this development has caused her to look back on 321 Coffee’s

beginnings as a student club that served coffee from fold-out tables from Talley Student Union and where she saw the brand going from there.

“When you see Starbucks and Port City Java and just like real, established, reputable businesses, and then you look at yourself, and you’re storing your cups in the dorm room — there’s just so many steps in between those two ends,” Wrege said. “I think we did realize how far away we were from that, but I don’t know if we realized that we’d actually get there.”

Wrege said 321 Coffee’s expansion to campus encapsulates her and Evans’ vision from the brand’s conception.

“It’s a legit pipe dream coming into reality,” Wrege said. “It means a ton to Michael and I just being alumni of the University and like continuing to see NC State champion us. But also having started as students, it started with such scrappy beginnings. ... It’s just such a cool, full-circle experience.”

321 Coffee is currently offering a 20% discount for NC State students through Sept. 9 and is hosting a student scavenger hunt this upcoming week. More details can be found on its Instagram “@drink321coffee”.

COURTESY OF LINDSAY WREGE

Matthew Burkhart Staff Writer

DUELING COLUMNS

Professors, keep your biases out of the classroom

Whether we recognize them or not, we all have biased perspectives.

Being mindful of the way our personal views influence our interactions with others can be immensely challenging. But it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try, especially when we have positions of influence. This is especially true for educators.

College students are — as they should be — independent thinkers. However, knowing that the person grading your assignments has certain political, social or cultural perspectives can influence the way students complete their work.

Just as professors have unconscious biases, so do their students. In a classroom setting, this may impact assignment topics, discussions and how involved or engaged students are.

You are more likely to lean heavily towards a professor’s perspectives due to authoritative bias. Students will intentionally or unintentionally change their practices or stances to try and appeal to their professor’s perspectives. This can even impact students’ identity development.

The same stands for students who think their professors will disagree with their opinions. If you agree strongly with opinions that oppose the professor’s own perspectives, there is pressure to make work appear more neutral.

Both students and professors recognize that students find it hard to disagree with their educators. Who can blame them? Appealing to those who determine your grades is a logical thing to do for your academic success.

Another plain reality for those who disagree with their professor’s views is that it can cause friction between the two sides.

Students who write or present on stances opposing their professors may feel additionally frustrated by grades that they receive and misattribute the reasoning to their differing perspectives. This means a student may disregard any helpful constructive feedback being shared that could benefit them moving forward.

The way we communicate and personalize our stances on political and social issues during our college career can hold larger impacts on our ability to think and com-

Everyone has political biases, so why hide them?

municate critically.

Critical thinking is one of the most important skills people can have. In fact, most employers value these skills over a college degree, though the two may go hand-inhand. Our professors should support every opportunity to strengthen critical thinking skills.

In my experience, courses in which professors maintain neutrality result in the most productive peer-to-peer communication. Allowing students to discuss and debate matters amongst themselves creates more of an open discussion or seminar environment where individual opinions can be developed.

Professors on the modern college campus are often condemned by conservatives for having a liberal bias. This liberal orthodoxy supposedly suppresses differing points of view. Whether that’s true or not, I believe whatever the bias — be it liberal, conservative, socialist, reactionary or something else — students and professors should not conceal them.

If done correctly, making this bias transparent can open up discourse instead of shutting it down.

How can I justify encouraging professors and students to project their biases proudly? The typical line in journalism is to cover topics without fear or favor. Surely this applies to professors and students as well.

But this standard is mistaken. While people in a particular position may try to suppress their biases, they’ll still exist. Biases magnify certain details and downplay others, even unconsciously. This doesn’t go away in the classroom.

per or a question would be transgressive, a student can argue from their own biases and views knowing they are transgressive. This permits a respectful exchange of different ideas instead of making students constantly tiptoe around a subject, worrying about what might cross the line for the professor.

In fact, when a professor acknowledges their bias on a topic and makes it clear that they welcome differing viewpoints, I find it much easier to disagree with them than if the professor did not acknowledge their biases.

When bias is accepted as a component of one’s view, potential for heterodox opinions is possible too.

All professors can benefit from practicing strategies to decrease their biases for lectures and grading. There will never be a truly opinion-free classroom, but teaching skewed material does not solve the issues surrounding authoritative bias — students don’t need professors to explicitly state their stances to know what they are.

This isn’t to say professors should pretend their biases don’t exist. Oftentimes, professors involved in polarizing fields already have an established body of published work sharing their perspectives. Students are free to search online if they are curious about what their educators’ beliefs are. Still, it makes more sense to keep that discussion out of a classroom setting.

In educational settings, the presence of personal biases among both professors and students is an inevitable reality that significantly impacts learning experiences. Striving for an open and neutral environment provides a safe space for the success and development of college students. Professors should be mindful of their biases and minimize the opinions they share with their students in class.

If someone is discussing a contentious issue such as abortion, foreign policy or immigration, they will most likely have some sort of bias that affects their presentation of the facts. It may not be intentional, but the emotional aspect of our thought process is very strong.

Without knowing someone’s bias, we could be missing half the story and not even know it. However, if their bias was made clear, we could more reasonably infer possible blindspots.

While professors are understandably better-read than students, having biases affect your presentation of ideas is still a natural part of the human experience — they are as faulty as the rest of us.

As such, I believe that the best way to foster deeper understanding among students is for us to understand the possible biases that come with the lecture and consider any the opposing points of view that may not be as apparent.

Instead of having an unspoken elephant in the room that the wrong point of view might be shunned, laying bare one’s biases and simultaneously welcoming dissident perspectives makes expression easier.

Far from worrying about whether a pa-

In a politically charged environment, disagreements can often become tense. Making the ordeal an open book by disclosing biases also recognizes that imperfect and immutable aspect of the human condition we all share. It allows us to lighten the tension by sharing such an experience, and in a college environment where the majority of students refrain from expressing some of their views out of concern for consequences, lightening this tension is crucial.

Most importantly, however, I don’t want to sound like I am putting the onus solely on our professors. Even though they have their biases like the rest of us, they are the most educated and therefore more likely than anyone else to be able to steelman opposing views. It is even more important for us, as students, to actively seek out ideas that challenge our current ones as we learn.

Jordan Birkner Correspondent

Jake Pekar Correspondent

Striving for an open and neutral environment provides a safe space for the success and development of college students.

Biases magnify certain details and downplay others, even unconsciously. This doesn’t go away in the classroom.

NC State, don’t hate on Condomgate

Parents have condemned NC State for the packs, saying its contents promote sexual activity, as evidenced by tirades of Facebook comment sections. I’ve yet to witness a student complain or express similar concerns over the matter.

Skye Crawford Assistant Opinion Editor

As a senior looking back at my first year on campus, my freshman year welcome pack from NC State wasn’t very memorable. I vaguely remember getting some Clorox wipes, a lanyard and various NC State-related stickers. Every incoming freshman class gets these packs, but I’ve never once heard a student talk about it.

That is, until now, with the birth of the condom controversy of the century.

Since move-in started for this year’s freshman class, NC State has received backlash for including a pack of condoms, alongside some other material, in the welcome packs. The outrage has ultimately resulted in the University putting an end to their distribution.

Sure, the handout used to predict your next sexual encounter — called “(S.) M.A.S.H,” if you were curious — went too far. Sure, we don’t need to openly talk about threesomes at the university level and potentially promote risky sexual behaviors.

That’s another topic, though. I’m just here to talk about condoms.

Interestingly enough, the only thing that increased access to condoms leads to is increased rates of protected sex. There’s no evidence that free condoms would amount to more sex among young adults.

Even if it did, so what? Sex can be dangerous when not handled carefully, but in general, it’s a healthy, beneficial and natural part of the human experience. For women alone it can improve your immune system, decrease your risk for heart disease and limit physiological and emotional stress. Similar conclusions have been drawn for men’s sexual health.

I’m not trying to promote orgies. But there’s no getting around the fact that college students are sexually active. In fact, in 2017, two-thirds of college students said they were. Consider this statistic, then add the fact that college students have high rates of STIs but aren’t often tested. That’s a scary combination.

This being said, making sure intercourse is safe and healthy is about the only thing

we can do in regard to college students’ sex lives.

Encouraging abstinence won’t work; my generation has heard that spiel far too many times from instructors in sexual education. They tell us that the best way to prevent unwanted sexual outcomes is to not have sex. While this is technically true, it’s unrealistic.

A realistic way, then, to prevent such consequences is providing birth control options, and condoms are one of the easiest methods to access. It can be made even easier if universities offer them free of charge.

If you’ve ever bought condoms, you know how embarrassing it can feel. Providing them for students can block that obstacle, making them more likely to participate in safe sex.

The NC State Student Health Center already offers one female condom and three male condoms free per day. That was one of the first on-campus resources I heard about when I committed here, and no one is outraged about that.

In addition to increasing our awareness and access to sexual health resources, it’s important that we begin tackling the stigma around sex itself. For whatever reason,

older generations are typically harsher than younger ones in terms of expressing sexuality.

There’s so much shame associated with sexual activity in our culture these days. The number of people someone has had sex with has become an indicator of who they are as a person. A victim of sexual violence is blamed for the kind of clothes they wore. Tinder is viewed as a tool of hook-up culture that’s frowned upon. And contraception is getting chipped away at every day.

Until we let go of this stigma, safe and educated sex will only go so far.

NC State does well with services related to sexual health. We have the Women’s Center, free STI testing, gynecology services and more, though there is always room for improvement. I’ve happily used some of these resources, but they could be better by simply making students more aware of them.

But critics need to stop telling us we should be doing less about sexual behavior for fear of it promoting intercourse when we can never do too much.

So yes, NC State, keep the condoms coming.

focused

Student debt: How NC State stacks up

Justin Welch Opinion Editor & & Ally Tennant Assistant News Editor

Amelia Russell Assistant News Editor

In July, days after the Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden’s student debt relief plan, UNCChapel Hill sent shockwaves through North Carolina’s public university circle with the announcement that the school would cover all tuition and fees for in-state students whose families make less than $80,000 a year.

The natural response from NC State students — and surely from other qualifying students at public universities across the state — is, ‘Where is our free tuition?’

Members of the UNC Board of Governors were quick to raise questions about the plan, which was not previously disclosed to the board.

A primary concern of the board was where the money will come from. There are extensive restrictions on where public money and general tuition fees can go, and dramatic structural changes usually have to go through the entire system.

Chapel Hill’s plan can move forward without the Board of Governors because it isn’t waiving tuition and fees for some students, but providing financial aid to the effect of free tuition. The school devotes 15% of its tuition revenue toward need-based financial aid — the maximum percentage the board allows.

Instead, the money will come from private gifts generated from a monumental $5 billion fundraising campaign that launched in 2017. Chapel Hill’s endeavor will cost an estimated $500,000 to $600,000 in private gifts and cover tuition and fees for approximately 150 to 200 additional students.

This announcement came in the midst of national conversations regarding the cost of college and consequences of student debt. Federal student debt relief was a significant campaign promise during Biden’s 2020 bid, and the White House has made several attempts to fulfill that promise but has faced opposition in the courts. Forbes reports 92% of all student debts are federal student loans, and individual borrowers owe an average of $28,950. In the 2021-22 academic year, 47% of bachelor’s completers at NC State took out federal loans, compared to 31.6% of bachelor’s completers at Chapel Hill. The average federal debt of NC State bachelor’s completers in that same year was $18,206, while bachelor’s completers at Chapel Hill assumed an average federal debt of $13,978.

After being on hold since March 2020, student debt payments are set to resume this October with no chance of another extension.

Borrowers enrolled in Biden’s new Saving on a Valuable Education plan — which sets a borrower’s monthly payment proportionate to their income — who miss a payment will not be reported to credit agencies or defaulted.

Under the SAVE plan, households who make 225% above the federal poverty level will not have a monthly payment, and monthly payments will be 5% of a borrower’s discretionary income for undergraduate loans and 10% for graduate loans.

NC State students interested in the program can apply through the Department of Education website. The plan is set to go into effect next summer.

GRPAHIC BY ELLIE BRUNO

The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid’s tips for managing student loans

With the end of student loan freezes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, many students will begin paying their student loans for the first time this upcoming October. As the day of payment approaches, the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid has some tips for the student body.

Krista Ringler, director of the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, said the most important thing students should know is that nothing has fundamentally changed in the way students will be paying off their loans.

“For students who have been enrolled, [loan payments] are going to be much like it was pre-pandemic,” Ringler said. “So if you’re currently enrolled, you’re going to have the same experience that students had pre-pandemic as far as how the process works.”

Jamie Pendergrass, associate director of the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, said that students should know who their provider is because they don’t want to risk missing key information on their loan payments.

“I would stress the importance of looking at [studentaid.gov] proactively because your loan servicer will contact you…when you’re getting close to a payment,” Pendergrass said. “What if you get this random letter from some random company…and throw it away thinking it’s spam? Well, that’s actually your service on it.”

Students are not expected to pay their loans until six months after they’ve left school. Once the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid knows that a student has not returned to school, they will reach out with assistance.

“If we know [a student] has not returned, we proactively send them an email to say,

‘You should go out and complete exit counseling,” Ringler said.

Nonetheless, Ringler suggests that students capable of making payments do so because interest will begin accruing this month.

“It’s great advice, whether enrolled or not, if you can make payments of any amount, it’s a good thing,” Ringler said. “Particularly, as regards accruing interest, it’s always a good idea to pay them down just to keep them at a reasonable amount.”

Ringler said it is important for students to consistently stay conscious of their loans. There are several techniques NC State is currently employing to this effect.

“As of this past year, a new resource we were using from the federal government was having students annually acknowledge their student loans,” Ringler said. “What NC State does is we leverage the tools that the federal government provides and try to

drive students to use them.”

Pendergrass said students should keep a few things in mind when taking on student loans.

“The first thing I always tell students… [is], ‘Do you need it all?’” Pendergrass said. “I always tell students to actually look at what you need to borrow in the whole totality of what other financial aid you might have received.”

Pendergrass said that students can be offered up to $7,500 in federal student loans but may not necessarily have to take up that much debt if it’s not needed.

“Let’s say you borrow $3,000 at the start of the year,” Pendergrass said. “Towards the end of your year, something happens and you need more loan money — you can still come and ask for it because you can get up to that total amount that you’re eligible for an academic year.”

Pendergrass said there are three things to

Koen Rodabaugh

Focused Editor

Chancellor Woodson: Tuition relief plan not in NC State’s future

Kate Denning News Editor

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s Biden v. Nebraska decision, which struck down President Joe Biden’s student debt relief plan seeking to forgive $430 billion in student loan debt, nearby universities Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill announced plans to offer free tuition to qualifying students originating from the Carolinas. Many wondered if NC State would follow suit.

Chapel Hill’s initiative will cover tuition and mandatory fees for undergraduate students from North Carolina whose families earn less than $80,000 a year and have “typical assets.” Duke’s Initiative for Students from the Carolinas will provide full tuition grants for North and South Carolina undergraduate students whose families earn less than $150,000 a year and additional relief for students whose families earn less than $65,000 a year.

Chancellor Randy Woodson said it’s important to set aside Duke from the conversation, considering it is a private institution, meaning the tuition is higher and the population of Carolinians is smaller.

“First of all, it’s a private university,” Woodson said. “They don’t have to tell you anything. Secondly, you know, we’re talking about $9,000 in tuition and fees versus $60,000.”

Although NC State and Chapel Hill are both within the UNC System, the universities differ in size and demonstrated need.

“We have more students that have financial needs,” Woodson said. “And as we have more students from families with $80,000 or less income, we have more students overall. We’re by far the largest university in the state, so overall, we have more students from families that need support. We need to raise more money privately because the need is so great.”

keep in mind at all times when dealing with student loans, especially since these factors can change quickly.

“Know how much you owe, know who you owe … and then if something in your life changes where you can’t meet your repayment obligation, it’s really important to reach out to your servicer right away,” Pendergrass said.

Ringler said staying on top of your loans, including being aware of who your provider is, will make the process of getting support if and when you need it much easier.

“There are all kinds of options that can give you a deferment or forbearance, give you more time and a different payment plan,

something that will keep you in good standing,” Ringler said.

Both Ringler and Pendergrass said the vast majority of students will not have to worry about their loans impeding their financial development.

“I think the important thing to know is that NC State students traditionally do very well with their student loans,” Ringler said. “Less than 50% of our students graduate with debt, and those who do graduate, graduate on average close to $20,000 total.”

Ringler said that the worries about students with hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loan debt do not represent the debt accrued by NC State students, noting

that before COVID-19, NC State’s default rate was below the state and national average.

“These articles about people with $200,000 in debt are not NC State students,” Ringler said. “It’s private schools, medical schools, graduate school. … So while there are some students [in the United States] … that are struggling, … for most of them, the debt they have is completely within reach to be repaid back from the types of salaries they’re graduating with.”

Ringler continued this point by highlighting how important it is for students to use the wealth of resources available to them from the University beyond the Office of

Woodson said it may be feasible to implement a similar plan at NC State, though it would require a large fundraising effort.

“We can’t guarantee that every student from a family that makes less than $80,000 will have sufficient financial aid to cover tuition and fees,” Woodson said. “On average, right now, the majority of our students from that threshold do have some level of financial aid to meet the need, but we have a gap between what their demonstrated need is and the amount of money available.”

Woodson said while it will cost Chapel Hill between $500,000 to $600,000 to cover tuition and fees for undergraduate students whose families earn less than $80,000 a year, it would cost NC State significantly more.

“For us, the gap is $11.7 million,” Woodson said. “I think it’s incumbent to explain that because we’re much bigger.”

Technician was unable to independently confirm it would cost the University $11.7 million to implement a plan on par with UNC’s plan.

That is not to say NC State is not making efforts to assist students requiring financial aid. According to the UNC Board of Governors, a policy-making body which oversees the public universities in the UNC system, NC State is allocating $2.6 million more towards need-based financial aid than last year, whereas UNC-Chapel Hill has already devoted the maximum percent of tuition revenue toward need-based financial aid.

“We know we have a gap, and we’ve been working hard to fill that gap by raising money,” Woodson said. “So in the last few years, we’ve implemented the Goodnight Scholars Program, which is for families making under $100,000, and that’s a large number of students. We’re doing the Extraordinary Opportunity Scholarship Program. So we’re closing the gap, but we have to raise a lot more money.”

Scholarships and Financial Aid such as the Career Center, ePack and student job fairs. “The goal of the University is to set the student up to leave us very successfully,” Pendergrass said. “All those options … bundled together should translate to a successful student loan repayment.”

To find more information on your loan repayment plan and loan service provider, visit studentaid.gov.

GRPAHIC BY EMILY VESPA

OPINION: NC State provides financial resources — if only we knew about them

graduate. “I think NC State should make a more mindful effort to advertise these services.”

College is expensive.

Student loans and debt are a major concern for many students. Raleigh is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live in, reaching an estimated $2,467 a month per person without considering costs of college tuition.

While NC State does not plan to offer the same tuition assistance that UNC-Chapel Hill recently announced, the University does provide assistance that may alleviate financial strain on students in other ways.

Nonetheless, I have noticed serious issues with the communication regarding these opportunities and management of student expenses.

I was surprised to learn this semester, after having been on campus for four years, that many of the resources NC State provides its students are free.

We currently have 37,873 students attending our university and 10,678 beds for housing on campus. Over 200 of these spots are reserved for RAs, and there are rooms across 16 halls reserved for members of NC State’s 15 Living and Learning Villages.

With this in mind, upperclassmen may not be able to stay on campus due to campus capacity, and the related costs of parking passes, gas and car maintenance are not expenses to overlook.

The free Park and Ride services available to assist with off-campus parking are an incredible way for students to avoid expensive parking passes.

“I was unaware of the free park and ride options,” said Nikki Reznik, a spring 2023

Our tuition also covers prepaid student legal services. If you get screwed over by an off-campus lease, need legal representation for traffic violations, are seeking general legal advice or more, you can reach out via phone or confidential email.

NC State’s on-campus pharmacy often charges less for medications than offcampus pharmacies — something I have discovered through personal experience. This benefits students who spend on medications, but unless there is direct communication about the differences, students may overpay on these items.

“I know far too many people who pay very high out-of-pocket premiums for their prescriptions at pharmacies outside of NC State, and I know it would or could be a game changer for them to purchase their medications at a lower cost and with the convenience of the campus pharmacy,” Reznik said.

These communications extend beyond the resources directly offered on our campus that may benefit our students. For example, UNC-Chapel Hill offers free dental appointments by its dentistry students.

It’s also important to more frequently reiterate the free counseling support structures we have in place to our campus population.

NC State students have access to 12 mental health counseling sessions and career counseling through the Career Development Center. Each of these can be important in maintaining mental health, reducing stress and maintaining emotional and physical wellness — all without spending a dime.

Noah Kellar, a third-year studying engineering, said he wasn’t aware that free counseling resources were available for students with external insurance plans. As a result, he never thought the services were an option for him.

Direct funding options for students are available in some situations. For example, the Student Emergency Fund applies to a range of unforeseen financial stressors and can cover up to $500 of unexpected expenses. The Pack Essentials site is full of resources for student support.

That being said, how does our campus reach its student body with this information?

Email isn’t always the best route, as an overwhelming amount of department emails or student groups may lead to emails getting ignored or treated like spam.

However, use of social media can improve communication significantly. There is verification for NC State student groups using Snapchat and Discord, and students who frequently use these apps may be reached more easily through these platforms.

Another method is to incorporate information directly within platforms that students use every day. Nearly every course on campus uses Moodle.

Some professors do include resource links within their course syllabus. However, these standardized structures are not engaging, and there is rarely an effort to emphasize these opportunities.

If NC State could integrate standard resource links for students directly within Moodle footers or sidebars, students would be more likely to see and interact with them. The template the University provides to pro-

fessors could include these updates.

The range of expenses contributing to student debt make it clear that communication is vital for our students to use the resources available to them. Moving forward, the University should make an active effort to better communicate the resources it provides to the student body.

Quick Tips: Free Student Resources

• Park & Ride transportation

• Prepaid student legal services

• On-Campus pharmacy reduced prescription prices

• Free career counseling

• 12 free mental health counseling sessions

• Student Emergency Fund

Scan this QR code to view an exhaustive list of the Counseling Center’s resources

Jordan Birkner Correspondent

Culture It’s finally here: Starbucks fall menu review

The arrival of fall means one thing for Starbucks coffee lovers — the famous fall menu is finally here.

Returning for its 20th year, the Pumpkin Spice Latte remains among the fall favorite drinks for many customers. However, this year the menu features two new seasonal beverages: the Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso and the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte.

“We have our pumpkin spice items, which are super popular,” said Sanai Johnson, a fourth-year studying psychology and Starbucks barista. “We came out with something new this year, the Iced Pumpkin Chai, and that has been totally a killer.”

Here’s a review of its fall drinks, rated on a scale of one to five. I took into consideration categories such as flavor accuracy, the likelihood I would buy this again and the question, “Does this drink feel like fall?”

Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte: 4/5

Does it live up to its hype? Yes. Although the orangey-color is kind of disturbing when opening the cup, its taste makes up for it.

Jessie Alegre, a Starbucks barista, said even though this year’s fall menu introduces new options, the Pumpkin Spice remains a customer favorite.

“I feel like Pumpkin Spice Latte is just so up there, especially within Starbucks,” Alegre said. “But the chai with pumpkin foam is slowly rising up there. I think we’ve definitely gotten more orders of that than the regular Pumpkin Spice Latte.”

Overall, the 20-year-old beverage receives a four out of five. Its renowned presence within the fall menu is justified, as its prominent pumpkin flavor brings the fall spirit to anyone who drinks it.

Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte: 5/5

That first sip feeling. Personally, I’ve never been a chai person, but this drink might have turned me into one.

The pumpkin flavor was there. After a few minutes, I could still taste the pumpkin spice in my system.

On a scale from one to five, this cozy, seasonal treat receives a five, as this bever-

age is the closest representation of how the fall season feels in a cup of coffee.

Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso: 4/5

Although the ice waters down the flavor of the apple crisp, this cold, seasonal drink had the right amount of sweetness and pumps of coffee for it to be a great tasting experience. As an avid fanatic of the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso myself, this new apple version might be my new go-to during the fall season.

Overall, this coffee was a solid four out of five. It had the perfect amount of sweetness, making it neither too sweet nor too bitter.

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew: 2/5

I could barely taste the pumpkin in the drink, leading to a lack of the fall vibe that distinguishes the Starbucks fall beverages. This was just regular coffee that someone would order on a day-to-day basis rather than ordering it on a day where the leaves are starting to fall and the soundtrack of “Gilmore Girls” is playing in my headphones.

Joanna Paul, a fourth-year studying human biology, said the drink was heavily coffee-flavored, which overpowered the flavor of pumpkin.

“Coffee does not really taste like pumpkin,” Paul said. “I wish it was a little bit sweeter, personally. But if you prefer a stronger coffee or something that’s not super sweet, this would be good for you. … I probably would not get this again.”

Sorry Starbucks, but this drink is a two out of five. The lack of pumpkin flavor brings the beverage to a low score on the flavor accuracy and experience category as it doesn’t give a fall vibe to its customers.

Hot Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato: 4.5/5

On a crisp fall afternoon, this drink feels like a warm embrace in your mouth.

“[Starbucks] had the apple brown sugar syrup back, that one is pretty popular as well,” Alegre said. “Personally, I think that one smells better than it tastes. It’s kind of like an acquired taste, so you have to mix and match to see where it goes.”

You can taste the apple crisp in this drink from the first sip, which elevates the score to a 4.5 out of five.

Overall, the Starbucks fall menu has a variety of flavors that will appeal to any coffee lovers this fall season. Although the Pumpkin Spice Latte keeps its top position — as of right now — among frequent customers, the Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte appears to be its major competitor this season.

GRAPHIC BY AVERY SZAKACS

Emilia Rivadeneira Culture Editor

Barbenheimer’s impact on the film industry

Matthew Junkroski Correspondent & Will LaMarche Staff Writer

The simultaneous release of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” led to a widespread phenomenon known as “Barbenheimer” across social media, pushing people to theaters to watch both movies, some even on the same day.

Tommy Jenkins, a film lecturer at NC State, said “Oppenheimer” benefited from having a joint release date with “Barbie.”

“‘Barbie’ had a built-in audience and had a very good and clever marketing campaign, and I think it was going to do well out of the gate,” Jenkins said. “‘Oppenheimer’ was able to ride the coattails. Not that it didn’t have its own merits, but just getting locked into that, it became ‘Oh, have you seen “Barbie” and “Op penheimer?”’”

“Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” are two very different, but very similar movies. This con trast is what makes Barbenheimer a breath of fresh air to moviegoers.

“I think it’s two movies that on paper look very different,” said Danny Ostro vskiy, a fourth-year studying mechani cal engineering. “But when you actually watch them, the prime mix is very similar. It’s just your main character battling with their inner thoughts while the world around them is changing.”

The movies’ clashing aesthetics eventually became memes, which started trends for both movies. Dressing up was a part of the theater experience for many attendees.

“We wore all pink, and it was my friend’s birthday party,” said Elizabeth Morris, a third-year studying communi cation. “Even her father was wearing pink.”

The hype for the film duo was obvious in the many

Barbenheimer memes that flooded social media, particularly TikTok and Instagram. Both movies’ popularity was from more than just memes, though. Brian Hill, a second-year studying statistics, said the movies’ quality revived the film industry this summer.

“I feel like this has been a kind of mediocre year for movies, in terms of box office, and also just in terms of the quality of the movies,” Hill said. “And this really kind of saved 2023. [It] is not a year that’s going to be just horrible all around at least.”

Marsha Gordon, a professor of film studies, said these films are a unique departure from recent box-office hits.

“They are not superhero films,” Gordon said. “They are not the films that have been destroying it at the box office and that have really taken over a lot of Hollywood film production.”

Gordon said “Barbie” is the highest grossing movie of the year. Although “Barbie” won the box office race, “Oppenheimer” by no means lost, having passed the 700 million mark globally. One of the salient aspects of Barbenheimer is that it’s a theatrical experience.

“Everyone got used to streaming everything online, including new releases,” Gordon said. “When we look back on this, that will be one of the most notable things about it — is that so many people were enthusiastic about going to see a movie in a movie theater.”

Jenkins said she expects to see an attempt to recreate this phenomenon next summer.

“I guarantee we will see a number of articles, pop culture articles, leading up to the summer, ‘What are going to be next year’s Barbenheimer?’” Jenkins said. “That’s just kind of the thing studios love; they love a formula that works.”

GRPAHIC BY AVERY SZAKACS

Football at UConn takeaways: Armstrong and defense shine

Feel free to rejoice everyone. Football is finally back. While it hasn’t hit Raleigh just yet, fans across the City of Oaks flocked to their nearest screen to watch NC State football take on UConn in East Hartford, Connecticut on Thursday, Aug. 31. While not the most exciting game, there’s plenty to take away from the Wolfpack’s 24-14 win over the Huskies.

The debut of graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong didn’t disappoint, and the Wolfpack’s ground game as a whole excelled under the guidance of new offensive coordinator Robert Anae. However, there was much to be desired from the Pack’s passing attack. On the other side of the ball, the NC State defense didn’t skip a beat from its dominant 2022 season.

Ground and pound

While Armstrong led the Pack’s rushing attack, NC State’s other backs played a crucial part in the win. With 209 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, Anae used every weapon at his disposal to run it down UConn’s throat.

Second to Armstrong in rushing yards was senior running back Jordan Houston with 57 yards on 13 carries. Redshirt junior running back Delbert Mimms III and sophomore running back Michael Allen followed suit with 20 yards on eight attempts and 30 yards on four attempts, respectively.

While Mimms secured the Wolfpack’s second touchdown of the day on a one-yard score, Allen was the most efficient of all backs, averaging 7.5 yards per carry. Allen showed off his versatility by catching three balls for 27 yards, adding another dimension to the NC State backfield.

Whether this is a UConn-specific strategy or a seasonlong trend remains to be seen. Based on this performance, though, NC State’s offensive identity could easily be predicated on its commitment to the run.

Searching for rhythm through the air

While NC State’s ground game hit its stride in full at UConn, Armstrong and Anae still have work to do in order to unlock the full potential of the Pack’s air attack.

Nine different NC State receivers had receptions, so the ex-Virginia duo put an emphasis on spreading the wealth through the air. The Wolfpack’s leading receiver was freshman Kevin Concepcion, who recorded four catches for only 36 yards. The rest of the receiving corps recorded less than 30 yards each, making up Armstrong’s 155 total passing yards.

Armstrong’s longest throw of the night came on a 19-yard connection to Allen. While Anae and Armstrong gave the deep ball a go multiple times, the Wolfpack couldn’t find any chunk plays throughout the game, making for slow, hard-earned marches toward the end zone.

It’s only week one, so there’s reason to believe the redand-white can work through the kinks. However, if NC State wants any chance to score on Notre Dame’s vaunted defense next weekend, the Wolfpack better figure it out fast.

New year, same defense

Despite a shaky first drive, the red-and-white’s elite defense didn’t skip a beat since last season. Aside from UConn’s opening drive — a 12-play, 75-yard series that resulted in a touchdown — and a 71-yard touchdown in the third quarter, NC State’s defense held the Huskies to only 127 yards and no other scores.

After settling in, the Wolfpack defense looked as strong as it did last season. Pressure from the defensive line forced multiple tackles for loss while redshirt junior defensive lineman Red Hibbler and junior defensive tackle Davin Vann recorded NC State’s first sacks of the season.

With the front seven and linebacking units holding the

line, the Pack’s secondary sealed the deal by holding UConn quarterback Joseph Fagnano to a mere 113 passing yards. NC State’s lethal cornerback duo of junior Aydan White and redshirt junior Shyheim Battle played a large part in shutting down the UConn attack, keeping Fagnano to a dismal average of 4.3 yards per completion.

To finish it all off, graduate linebacker Payton Wilson picked off Fagnano late in the fourth quarter and promptly waved goodbye to the crowd in East Hartford.

While both sides of the ball will be tested to a much greater extent when the red-and-white takes on No. 13 Notre Dame, this showing from the Pack’s defense suggests more performances reminiscent of last year’s gritty, ball-hawking unit.

GRIFFIN BRYANT/TECHNICIAN

Head coach Dave Doeren runs out of the tunnel with the team before the Wolfpack’s last regular season football game against the UNC-Chapel Hill Tar Heels at Kenan Memorial Stadium on Friday, Nov. 25, 2022 as The Wolfpack beat the Tar Heels in double overtime 30-27.

Ethan Bakogiannis Editor-in-Chief

NC State football set to battle Notre Dame in highly anticipated home-opener

Gavin Gallimore Staff Writer

NC State football is slated to take on the No. 10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish this weekend during the Wolfpack’s highly anticipated home opener in Carter-Finley Stadium.

The two squads have faced off three times, with NC State holding a 2-1 advantage in the series. The last time they played was in a 35-14 Irish win in South Bend, Indiana in 2017.

Last season was one of ups and downs for Notre Dame under then-first-year head coach Marcus Freeman. After weathering a slow 1-2 start, the Irish responded by finishing the year 9-4 with a victory over South Carolina in the Gator Bowl.

So far, Notre Dame has gotten off to the start many expected of it. After blowout wins over Navy and Tennessee State, the Irish clock in at No. 10 in the current AP poll. Going into the season, many questions surrounded the team with none more pressing than quarterback play.

In January, former Wake Forest standout signal-caller Sam Hartman transferred to the Irish to fulfill his last year of eligibility. As possibly the most coveted player in the entire transfer portal, all eyes will be on Hartman to guide Notre Dame’s talented offense. However, this is Hartman’s fourth time taking the field against NC State, making him a familiar opponent.

Hartman has lived up to expectations so far with his new team. In games against Navy and Tennessee State, he has thrown for 251 and 194 yards respectively, while combining for six total touchdowns and connecting on nearly 83% of his passes. Wide receiver Jayden Thomas has compiled 60 receiving yards in each of the Irish’s games, making him a reliable weapon for Hartman. Wide receiver Jaden Greathouse gives the Irish another deep threat after he burst onto the scene in Notre Dame’s first game with 68 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns.

After a solid showing against UConn last week, NC State ranks third in the ACC in terms of fewest passing yards allowed. However, Hartman and his talented array of receivers will undoubtedly provide a challenge for the Wolfpack’s pass defense.

The Irish also boast a very potent rushing game which currently ranks fifth in the nation with 412 rushing yards. This group is headed by running back Audric Estime. In the season opener against Navy, he ran for 95 yards and a score and continued his success against Tennessee State with 116 yards on the ground and another score. Meanwhile, running back Jeremiyah Love has proven to be a very capable change of pace back with 91 yards and a touchdown.

In order to combat the threat of Estime and Love, the Pack will certainly have to find answers following a performance against UConn in which it allowed 160 yards on the ground. Despite this, the red-and-white will look for similar contributions from graduate linebacker Payton Wilson and junior defensive tackle Davin Vann who each had at least five tackles last week.

While Navy only attempted six passes, Notre Dame held Tennessee State to a minimum in passing yards while forcing two interceptions, one of which was a pick-six.

To counter this, graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong will certainly look to build off of a solid performance last week in which he tallied 155 yards through the air. Despite not having any turnovers, it appeared that the Pack

left plenty of points on the table. However, NC State excelled in the run game against the Huskies, racking up 209 yards and three scores on the ground. A large part of this came from the dual-threat ability of Armstrong who powered his way to 96 yards and two scores. Senior running back Jordan Houston was also efficient, running for 57 yards. The NC State offense will face a Notre Dame run defense which currently allows 215 yards per contest. Despite allowing a sizable amount of rushing yards per game, it currently boasts three players

with double-digit tackles on the season.

With a familiar foe at quarterback, the Pack will look to stifle an Irish team that has had sustained success so far this season. The confines of Carter-Finley should prove to be as raucous as ever as the Pack looks to take down a nationally ranked top ten team.

Kickoff against the Fighting Irish is set for noon on Saturday, Sept. 9 at Carter-Finley Stadium. The game will be televised on ABC.

JON WILLIAMS/TECHNICIAN

The NC State football team takes the field before the game against Boston College at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022. Boston College beat NC State 21-20.

Sports Follow along as Nebraska takes charge of college volleyball’s growth

In front of 92,003 fans, Nebraska volleyball did the unthinkable — the Huskers broke the all-time American and international record for attendance at a women’s sporting event Wednesday, Aug. 30.

The Cornhuskers defeated University of Nebraska-Omaha in three swift sets. While many might have tuned in for the actual match, the real spectacle was a volleyball team playing in a football stadium in front of the largest crowd in women’s sporting history.

“It’s outstanding,” said NC State volleyball’s junior middle blocker Jada Allen. “I’m a big nerd when it comes to broadcasting and stuff like that. So all [that] it’s doing for women in sports on television, I love it.”

It’s a monumental achievement for the sport of volleyball, showing the rise of the sport’s popularity across the country.

The number of U.S. high school volleyball players increased from 409,332 girls and 50,016 boys in 2010 to 454,153 girls and 66,487 boys in 2022. This gradual increase in participation shows the sport is gaining more popularity every year in the U.S., which can help the country on the international stage.

Volleyball is a well-known sport all across the world, and it brings in millions of viewers every match. The international governing body of volleyball, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), estimates the sport has around 3.5 billion fans worldwide. The FIVB Volleyball Nations League, which was held in May, June and July this year, draws around 2.5 billion viewers each year.

The U.S. consistently makes its mark on the international vol leyball stage as well, as Team USA showcased in the 2020 Olympics. Team USA’s wom en’s volleyball team won gold — with NC State’s head coach Luka Slabe as one of the as sistant coaches.

“Volleyball is [the] num ber two female sport in the world,” Slabe said. “It’s right there when it comes to all [the] sports in the world. Men’s volley ball across the world is huge.”

The problem in the U.S. is many people aren’t watching volleyball on both the national and

collegiate levels. It’s only in specific NCAA conferences where volleyball is able to get the recognition it deserves.

The Big 10 Conference is leading the charge when it comes to helping women’s volleyball grow. BTN, the network that broadcasts everything related to the conference, has increased its total volleyball broadcasts per year from 23 to 42, in addition to highlighting games through replays.

Nebraska’s historic game on the 30th was broadcasted on BTN, sending more viewers to the channel and the conference. Volleyball is the third most popular sport within the conference, only trailing behind football

So, how can volleyball become more popular and recognizable in more conferences around the country? The answer might rely on the spectacle of that night in Playing in a 90,000 seat football stadium helped the Huskers reach the coveted world record — something that can be easily imitated by colleges around the country.

“[The Nebraska game] could have been a loss, but just that [so] many eyes were on wom-

en’s volleyball, I think it’s amazing,” Allen said. “I mean I couldn’t really care less how the game went, I was just so excited to see how many people watched it and how people were tuned in.”

The increase in viewership also helps both the athletes and universities gain more revenue. With the recent uptick in NIL deals, a program that allows student athletes to make money off their name, image and likeness, many female student athletes are able to turn their athletic abilities into money. More viewers equals more fans, which can mean more recognition of their talent.

Out of all the 522 women’s sport programs in the six major public collegiate conferences, only one turned a profit in 2022 — Nebraska women’s volleyball.

“People need to know that [this] is more than coming and supporting this program,” Slabe said. “Our administration needs to continue supporting us and understand women’s volleyball is making big strides forward in general, not just at NC State. It’s gonna take us a little bit, but yeah, it’s a beautiful sport.”

It’s time for colleges and universities around the country to understand that volleyball is on the rise and recognize the chance to tap into the sport’s market. Athletics programs should not focus on one or two major sports, but rather spread attention to the teams that are growing their fanbases.

With a gold medal-winning head coach and special talent on its roster, the NC State

volleyball program has the ability to support volleyball’s nationwide rise.

And who knows, maybe someday Raleigh can pack Carter-Finley Stadium with 90,000 passionate fans of its own — not for football, but for volleyball.

Erin Ferrare

Assistant Sports Editor

ALEKS SENYUKOVA/TECHNICIAN

Senior middle blocker Riley Shaak celebrates a point during the game against Rutgers in Reynolds Coliseum on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023. Shaak made five blocks for the Wolfpack. NC State beat Rutgers 3-2.

HALLIE WALKER/TECHNICIAN

Junior middle blocker Jada Allen smiles with her teammates after scoring a point during the game against Howard University at Reynolds Coliseum on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. Allen made 11 kills for the Wolfpack. NC State beat Howard University 3-1.

See page 15 VOLLEYBALL