By: Aylin Quiroz, Staff writer  On Monday and Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in front of Palms Dining Hall, students had the chance to experience what animals experience in animal testing facilities.   PETA2 is the youth division of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) with the goal of teaching young people about animal rights and ...

Hey Blazers, With the immense amount of heat, fire and smoke safety issues going around, this is your reminder to stay safe as we finish out the school year. -Stay inside as much as possible -Avoid cooking outside or using flames in open air spaces -Dress cooler to avoid the risk of a heatstroke -Keep an eye on weather/ news ...

By: Madeline Higdon, Staff writer FARGO, Ga.– A vicious wildfire has been ripping through Echols and Clinch counties since Sunday, April 18.    The fire’s core is located at Pineland Road in Fargo, and it has spread close to 17,000 acres – which is roughly 26 miles of fire. The initial cause of the fire is currently unknown.    A Level 3 evacuation order is currently in effect for those who are living ...

By: Rut Labrada, Staff writer Dr. Zhiguang Xu, VSU computer science professor who redesigned the department’s senior capstone course to allow students to work with local organizations, died on March 31, at his home in Orlando, Florida.   Dr. Xu, who worked at VSU since 2002, was one of three professors spearheading the development of an artificial intelligence track for the computer science major that was set to start in the fall 2026 semester.  According to Computer Science ...

By: Austin Sellars, Staff Writer VALDOSTA, Ga. – Titletown, USA, is renowned for its numerous national championships in Division II sports at VSU and its intense high school football rivalries. However, many overlook that it has become a powerhouse in collegiate dance.   The VSU Red Hots swept both the jazz and hip-hop divisions at the National Dance Alliance College National Championship in Daytona Beach, Florida, securing their 10th and 11th national titles in program history.   ...

By: Rut Labrada, Staff writer At a town hall meeting on April 17 at the Student Union Theatre, guest speakers and more than 70 city residents discussed concerns regarding an artificial intelligence data center to be built near the Foxborough subdivision, concluding, among other things, that the data center would not create many jobs for the City of Valdosta. The data center, which is being spearheaded by lawyer Pope Langdale ...

Finals are right around the corner! We at The Spectator wish you good luck on all of your finals. Whether it’s a group project, a tedious essay, a nail-biting presentation or a last-minute experiment, we hope that you keep your head held high and finish this semester strong. You’ve got this!

Megan Callahan News Editor On Friday, April 24th, the Michael Jackson movie, “Michael”, will come out in theatres! This movie has probably been long awaited by Michael Jackson fans, especially since he was named as, “The King of Pop”, during his time. Over the years, the movie industry has created several movies about infamous names in music. Including Amy Winehouse, Elvis, Whitney ...

Hey Blazer nation!! We are almost about to wrap up the spring 2026 semester, but before we do, here are some tips on how you can “Blaze” through the rest of these last few weeks of school. First, make sure that you are prioritizing your time wisely when it comes to completing your assignments on time. Let’s try to complete ...

By: Rut Labrada, staff writer  Get ready to “Dance the Night Away,” Blazers. On Friday, April 17, VSU’s K-pop Club will be hosting their yearly busking event from 3-4 p.m., where the club members will perform a lineup of nine different K-pop dances at Converse Square.  The event, which was initially planned to occur from 2-3:30 p.m., was moved back one hour ...