Just in time for the 250th celebration of America’s independence, Bulloch County Revolutionary War hero Nicolas Anciaux is being honored thanks to the work of a 91ɬ�� professor. Olga Amarie, Ph.D., professor of French in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, led the charge to designate a previously unnamed Statesboro street in Anciaux’s honor. A French immigrant who joined the Continental Army and fought at the climactic battle of Yorktown that marked the decisive victory for the Americans, Anciaux settled in Bulloch County before his death.

“We don’t have many heroes like him,” Amarie said. “He was the paymaster for his regiment, which is a unique role that requires someone very intelligent. He was 35 years old with experience in war in France along with financial experience, so that made him important when he joined the American cause.”

With support from Statesboro residents and descendants of Anciaux, Statesboro City Council unanimously voted to designate a street near city hall as Nicolas Anciaux Lane on Sept. 1. Some of Anciaux’s descendants were able to be there in person for the honor.

“It was a beautiful surprise for the city council,” Amarie said. “Nobody knew beforehand, but when they introduced themselves, everybody was applauding and happy to see the real descendants of our local hero.”

Amarie first learned about Anciaux through a chance encounter in downtown Statesboro that left her wanting to discover more.

“I was curious about what to visit in Bulloch County, so I was looking through some travel brochures,” recalled Amarie. “Since I’m a French professor, one that mentioned France immediately drew my attention. It mentioned that a French immigrant was the first owner of the land that’s now Mill Creek. When I came back to learn more, the brochure was gone and nobody knew what I was describing.”

As a language professor, Amarie went to a familiar place to learn more: the local library. She began digging through records of Bulloch County history and found that Anciaux was given 1,200 acres of land in the county as payment for his service in the war. He died at age 67 in 1810 and was buried somewhere along his property in the Mill Creek area. His exact resting place is one of the gaps Amarie hopes to fill in Anciaux’s story.

“I made contact with our history department to see if, maybe in the future, we can write his biography,” Amarie said. “There are several documents that we can find in Statesboro and Savannah, but they might be in two languages. For example, his commission signed by the King of France is in French. This opportunity for interdisciplinary research is very interesting.”

While the blank pages of Anciaux’s story wait to be filled, Amarie hopes that the visible symbol of the street named in his honor helps keep Anciaux alive in local memory.

“Who knows how downtown Statesboro will continue to grow. Maybe one day there will be a French cafe on the lane that bears his name,” said Amarie. “I would like for people to see the street sign and think of him as a soldier and officer from the French army who decided to stay here, never returning to France. He embraced the United States with his whole heart.”

In early August, French Professor Olga Amarie, Ph.D., in 91ɬ��’s Department of World Languages and Cultures, was named the newest executive director of the board of Pi Delta Phi, the oldest national academic honor society for a world language within the United States.

The organization also provides opportunities for students to connect with leading scholars in French studies and assists students in applying for study abroad scholarships. However, Amarie’s involvement extends beyond her current title.

“I joined Pi Delta Phi as a graduate student at the University of Notre Dame, chapter Mu Phi. It is not common for European universities to have honor societies for each specific field. It was completely new and interesting for me as an international student,” she said.

In 2012, Amarie took her commitment to the organization and the students it serves a step further.

“Dr. David Seaman, emeritus, advised me to visit the Pi Delta Phi board at the Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association Conference because they had an open session, which I did,” Amarie said. “Soon after, I volunteered to serve as vice president for the society and opened nine chapters of Pi Delta Phi,” Amarie said.

Although this is her first time with the Executive Director title, this veteran educator has spent more than three decades devoting her career to supporting future generations of French scholars.

“The responsibilities are new but something I like to do: maintain all sorts of records for the society; represent the society at the annual meeting of the Association of College Honor Societies; work with chapter moderators on Pi Delta Phi materials; and work with scholarship recipients who will study abroad in Chicoutimi, Canada, and in Paris, Aix-en-Provence, France, etc.,” Amarie said.

As technology continues to rapidly evolve, Amarie stresses the importance of world culture and language as an integral part of human connection, scholarship and meaningful advancement.

“Many employers value multilingual employees. I personally speak four languages: Romanian, French, English and Russian. Foreign language skills are useful in many fields, including education, business, health care, government, tourism, international relations and technology. Being bilingual or multilingual can make job candidates more competitive,” she said.

Looking ahead while honoring history, Amarie anticipates future generations of eager undergraduate and graduate students as they explore academic and career opportunities, connecting scholars from across the globe and unifying learners through their shared admiration and commitment to French language and Francophone literatures.

“The motto of Pi Delta Phi is very inspirational: «Avançons, amis fidèles de la culture française», which means, ‘Let us move forward, faithful friends of French culture,’” she said. “I like this motto because it emphasizes both growth (avançons) and commitment (fidèles) to French studies. We work together toward shared language, cultural traditions and values.”

How often do you notice Spanish in your community? A group of student researchers sought to discover the sociolinguistic uses of the Spanish language throughout two of 91ɬ��’s communities: Statesboro and Savannah. Through this research, students gained valuable undergraduate research skills while also raising awareness of the linguistic landscape of the communities the University serves. 

For Miguel García, Ph.D., who taught the course, research isn’t just a means of concluding; it’s also an invaluable learning opportunity for students.

“These experiences build confidence, develop transferable skills and prepare students for graduate study and professional careers. At the same time, student research showcases Georgia Southern’s commitment to innovation and experiential learning, strengthening its academic reputation,” he said. 

According to 2023 Census data, , respectively. With thousands of potential Spanish-speaking residents, García wanted to create an opportunity for his students to participate in research beyond the classroom.

“We grounded our study in five recent investigations that examined the presence of Spanish in the linguistic landscape of the United States,” García said. “Specifically, we drew on studies conducted in Orlando, Los Angeles, Tuscaloosa, Philadelphia and Dallas. These studies provided a useful framework for analyzing how Spanish appears in public spaces while allowing us to explore how the linguistic landscape of two Georgia cities compares with those of other regions of the country.”

The research focuses on accessible public texts found in community spaces, including public signage and online publications. Students then analyzed writing styles and linguistic patterns in these texts across Statesboro and Savannah.

One student researcher, Kaidence Phillips, said that the opportunity to participate in community-based research was not only a positive experience, but a transformative one as well.

Variations in formality and the commercial focus of Spanish-language content reflect the needs and diversity amongst the two cities as well as highlighting space for improvement when it comes to consistency and informed translation. 

“This research project taught me the importance of conducting research within our local spaces,” Phillips explained. “Studies like these open up new conversations that have the power to create change. By making people aware of language use in our communities, we can work together to create solutions to make media more consistent and better.”

After gathering dozens of photos from each city, students then began looking at similarities and differences in how Spanish was utilized among businesses, community service organizations, informal spaces and digital media. 

Phillips represented the class’s research at CURIO Undergraduate Research and Intellectual Opportunities (CURIO) and GS4 symposiums highlighting student research projects. 

The findings revealed both similarities to previously reported , particularly with respect to the diversity of the Spanish language.

“In our project, students collected and analyzed original data from two Georgia cities, making the research personally meaningful and relevant. They were also able to connect what they learned about the Spanish language in the classroom to real-life contexts by observing how Spanish is actually used in public spaces. That connection between academic learning and everyday life made the experience particularly rewarding,” García explained.

Previously, García published a book project centering around Spanish poetry, “Voces, poemas e historias,” and believes student work is critical to furthering understanding of community, language and research both inside and outside of the classroom.

However, research opportunities soar beyond methodology and findings alone. For students, it’s a chance to contribute to a greater pool of knowledge while also getting involved off-campus. For Georgia Southern faculty, opening doors to new experiences is one of the many ways they encourage students to engage outside of the classroom.

“My favorite part was hearing how the project changed the way students think and observe the world around them. One student on the data analysis team told me that he had started applying some of the analytical techniques we used in the project to his current job,” García said. “Knowing that the project changed the way they perceive their everyday environment, including its language use, was incredibly gratifying.” 

Bennett Parten, Ph.D., assistant professor of history at 91ɬ��, has been awarded the 2026 History Author of the Year Award from the Georgia Writers Association (GWA) for his work, “Somewhere Toward Freedom: Sherman’s March and the History of Emancipation.”

GWA’s Georgia Author of the Year Awards is an annual recognition celebrating authors statewide for their contributions to literature. For Parten, recognition from an organization dedicated to highlighting Georgia’s most influential authors is a meaningful recognition of his work.

“It’s a great honor. There were lots of exceptional books published – and it’s an honor to be mentioned among them,” Parten said.

Parten’s book is a deep dive into the rarely acknowledged perspective of thousands of enslaved people who experienced Sherman’s March to the Sea as a journey to freedom. With few accounts of the emancipation of formerly enslaved people recorded, Parten relied on creative research methods to uncover volumes of documentation to build the foundation of his work.

Many accounts of Sherman’s March to the Sea military campaign stem from the bureaucratic perspective of Union soldiers and personnel. However, Parten sought to shift the narrative, focusing heavily on creating a thought-provoking look at formerly enslaved people experiencing the march firsthand.

“I hope it is written in a way that is accessible and appealing to readers, but more than anything, I hope it is a topic that pulls them in and perhaps forces them to think differently about a well-known historical topic,” Parten explained.

When it comes to Georgia’s history, the march represents a quintessential turning point in the Civil War, setting the foundation for the state’s modern framework. As a historian, Parten says that understanding Sherman’s March to the Sea is critical for comprehending the modern state of Georgia.

“I think it is essential to hear the story of all people involved in emancipation,” Parten said. “I think this is unquestionably Georgia’s most important historical moment and the crucible that made the state what it is today in so many ways.”

Some students come to college determined to earn their degree. Spring graduate Jaylee Kilgo was determined to leave a legacy.

Arriving on 91ɬ��’s campus, Kilgo already loved storytelling. Michael Van Wagenen, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of History, showed her how a degree in history could help her preserve and share stories in a meaningful way.

“Dr. Van Wagenen showed me all the things I could do with a history degree,” she said. “I had already been thinking about changing my major, and I felt like it was a sign. He helped me get an internship and really changed the direction of my education.”

Through her program, she received hands-on experience in research, preservation and interpretation of historical artifacts. Kilgo was especially drawn to projects featuring the stories of influential women at Georgia Southern. Her drive to uncover and share overlooked stories served as a defining part of her collegiate experience, leading her to work on projects including Georgia Brown Watson, the and a World War II memorial.

“One of my favorite things has been preserving the history of Georgia Southern,” she said. “I want students years from now to still have the opportunity to learn about the people and stories that helped shape this institution.”

Kilgo took her passion for history further by studying abroad at Georgia Southern’s Learning Center in Wexford, Ireland.

“Ireland was unlike anything I had ever experienced,” she said. “That was the first time I’d been abroad. The architecture is just absolutely beautiful in Ireland, and being able to walk to class while also walking in the middle of a town was really cool and unique to experience.”

While in Wexford, Kilgo attended classes and took educational excursions throughout Ireland. The unique structure allowed her to connect classroom lessons directly to real-world applications.

“Being able to learn about something in the classroom and then go see it for yourself was incredible,” she said. “Learning hands-on from the native Irish communities and experiencing their history, culture and landscapes was extraordinary.”

Kilgo never expected her college path to include so many opportunities for leadership, research and service, but she seized each one that came her way. From studying abroad in Ireland to serving as a Southern Ambassador, earning a role as Panhellenic president and preserving University history through archival projects with , she met every chance with open arms.

“I’ve lived every single day to the fullest that I could,” she said. “I have no regrets about my time here at Georgia Southern.”

Her engagement, including work with the , helped her appreciate just how special the Georgia Southern community really is. It was that bond to the Georgia Southern community that became the foundation for her experience.

She credits faculty members Howard Keeley, Ph.D., Brian Feltman, Ph.D., William (Bill) Allison, Ph.D., and Shana Bridges, Ph.D., as well as her advisors and staff members Daniel McBurney and Megan Bowen, and the teams within Special Collections and Fraternity and Sorority Life, as key to her success. From helping her navigate graduate school applications to supporting her research ideas or simply assuring her that she is doing amazing things, these mentors were crucial to her.

“There were plenty of times I would walk into someone’s office and just need guidance,” she said. “The people at Georgia Southern are always willing to help.”

When asked how she hopes to be remembered, Kilgo doesn’t point to titles or accomplishments, but to her impact.

“I want to leave behind a legacy of someone warm and kind, but also made a difference in the people around her,” she said. “Having the opportunity to continue to have an impact on the institution through preserving Georgia Southern history and that potentially being a learning outcome for someone years down the road, that’s what I want to leave a legacy of.”

Having crossed the stage at commencement, Kilgo leaves not only with a history degree and a communication studies minor, but also with a collection of memories. As she prepares for graduate school in Tennessee, she believes it is time to carry the impact of Eagle Nation beyond her home state of Georgia.

“My impact has already been made here,” she said. “Now it is time for me to go do that somewhere else.”

As for future students searching for their place on campus, her advice is simple.

“Just do it,” she said. “Get involved. Talk to people. Don’t be afraid to try something new. You only have a few years here, and before you know it, you’ll be graduating. Make every opportunity count.”

Thirty-seven 91ɬ�� students will visit Germany this summer thanks to support from the Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED) and the Halle Foundation. Thirteen students in the theater program will experience a five-week study abroad curriculum from Wittenberg to Berlin, while 24 students from the trumpet ensemble and The Sound ensemble will go on a two-week performance tour with stops in Nuremberg, Halle an der Saale, Detmold and Munich.

Students taking part in the theater trip will study the work of German playwright Bertolt Brecht whose signature style of “epic theater” differs from the more naturalistic style common in the U.S. Theater minor Bella Diaz is excited for the opportunity to study Brecht’s style in the place where it originated.

“When you are learning about something that is foreign to you, being able to immerse yourself not just in the culture, but in the people who live that culture, it makes you appreciate it more,” Diaz said. “Of course, I could never have the full perspective of a native German, but being able to look up from the textbook and think ‘that street sign is in German and those buildings do not look like anything in my hometown,’ I believe that will help me understand the content in a much deeper way than if I was studying it outside the place where it originated.”

Theatre professor Nick Newell knows firsthand how international learning can create a more profound appreciation. He looks forward to giving his students the same kind of experience he had when he studied overseas.

“I was very fortunate to have studied Shakespeare in England at Stratford-upon-Avon as an undergrad and (Anton) Chekhov and (Konstantin) Stanislavski at the Moscow Art Theatre School in graduate school,” said Newell. “I can say definitively that those experiences helped to shape me as an artist and scholar in a way that never would have been possible through reading about them because theater is an experiential art.” 

In addition to performing for German audiences, the music ensembles will take part in master classes and participate in master classes taught by German instructors. Principal Lecturer of Trumpet Tim Kintzinger, DMA, notes that the venues will be unlike anything the students have ever experienced.

“Think of a church that is older than your country, and that’s where you are going to be playing,” said Kintzinger. “Then our concert in Halle is going to be outdoors during a city festival, so they will be on stage in the town square where the whole town comes together for food and music.”

Georgia Southern has sent several groups to Germany in recent years thanks to grants from the Halle Foundation, coordinated by Jolyon Hughes, Ph.D., professor of communication arts and world languages and cultures. This year’s trips received a collective $80,000 from the foundation, along with $20,000 from ORED. Hughes said the partnership between the University and the Halle Foundation has created a mutual exchange of cultural and educational benefits.

“This grant process has allowed us to make quite a few connections in Germany, and we have been able to send many students there. We are also working on faculty exchanges,” said Hughes. “It has really broadened our partnerships with our German and European partner institutions.”

Kintzinger has seen many students go on previous trips to Germany. He knows the full value of the program is something that can only be felt and not described.

“This is a great experience for them and they cannot know how much they are going to get out of it until they actually do it,” said Kintzinger. “I just keep telling them, ‘you will come home changed.’”

Promise Oti-Okardie’s journey to 91ɬ�� began while she was managing marketing campaigns at a leading digital marketing agency in Nigeria. Although she enjoyed working with major global brands, she realized she needed to make the transition from execution to leadership.

“I wanted to be equipped not only to communicate effectively, but also to lead with intention, make meaningful decisions and create environments where people can thrive,” she explained.

Oti-Okardie’s passion for communication and its impact on people, organizations and culture led her to pursue a Master of Arts in Georgia Southern’s Professional Communication and Leadership program. Raised in Nigeria as the eldest of five children, she assumed responsibility early, whether helping her siblings or organizing household projects.

“Growing up in that environment taught me to connect with different personalities, handle challenges and truly value relationships,” Oti-Okardie said. “Looking back, those experiences shaped how I show up today and how I think about leadership and community.”

After moving thousands of miles from her home country, the graduate student found a new community on the Statesboro Campus. She attended various student activities and events organized by the Office of Student Activities and International Student Admission and Programs. She also joined the Nigerian Student Association and served as its social director.

“Being part of that community was important to me because it gave me a sense of belonging and allowed me to stay connected to my culture while sharing it with others,” she said. “It created a space where I could build relationships, celebrate identity and feel at home even while being far away.” 

As a graduate assistant in the Office of Institutional Engagement, Oti-Okardie supported University employee engagement initiatives. The experience allowed her to apply what she was learning in real time, from planning events to analyzing data and creating programs to enhance the employee experience.

Some of her favorite University memories include participating in initiatives through the Office of Institutional Engagement, such as supporting the launch of the REACH for Southern Scholars program. Another important moment was assisting with the University Awards of Excellence, and she especially values the memory of taking a picture with University President Kyle Marrero.

“It may seem like a small moment, but it felt like a full-circle moment for me because it reflected how involved I had become and how connected I felt to the Georgia Southern community,” she said.

Oti-Okardie credits the University with providing her with a strong foundation in communications and leadership. Beyond the classroom’s real-world applications, she cherishes the memory of her late mentor, Department of Communication Arts Professor Pamela Bourland-Davis.

“Dr. Bourland-Davis had the most impact on me,” she acknowledged. “I genuinely enjoyed her class and learned so much not only from the course content but also from her experiences and her approach to leadership and life. She inspired me to become a more thoughtful, people-centered leader, and her impact on me is something I will carry for a long time.”

As she prepares to graduate, Oti-Okardie said she is proud of maintaining a strong GPA while balancing her responsibilities as a graduate assistant and adjusting to life in a new country. She is also grateful for the scholarships that supported her education and enabled her to graduate. She is confident about her next chapter.

“This experience helped me gain clarity about who I am, what I value and the direction I want my life and career to take,” said Oti-Okardie. “My long-term goal is to grow into an executive leadership role that helps shape strategy, culture and organizational impact. I am particularly interested in roles that sit at the intersection of communication, people and business strategy. I want to be part of building organizations that are not only successful but also intentional in how they engage people, make decisions and create value.”

As the first in her family to earn a master’s degree, Oti-Okardie attributes her accomplishment to the support and sacrifices her loved ones provided along the way. 

“It means a lot to them to see me pursue my goals and create new opportunities,” she said, adding that they will feel proud, happy and fulfilled once her diploma is in hand.

The “Jazz at the Garden” outdoor concert will showcase the student Jazz Ensemble, alongside retired U.S. Air Force Airmen of Note ensemble members and University of Arkansas-Monticello faculty Ben Patterson and Tim Leahey. The musicians will perform a repertoire of pieces by Glenn Miller and Chick Corea along with original compositions written by Georgia Southern students. Music education major and trumpet player Cameron Carter says being able to play alongside such accomplished musicians makes this concert a unique experience. 

“It’s exciting to work with musicians who are at such a high level,” said Carter. “It’s amazing to be able to get outside of the classroom and instructional sessions to actually perform with people who are at the level I hope to be. I get to see what my future could look like.”

Director of the Jazz Ensemble Nathan DuVall, DMA, says the music and atmosphere were carefully chosen to make this concert a special event for both the audience and performers.

“The Botanic Garden is a stunning venue and everything is in fresh bloom,” said DuVall. “I wanted to create something exciting and different to get the students out of the routine of the concert hall. I think the public will like it as well since it is a picnic environment where they can bring chairs, blankets and their own food.”

Carter believes the informal venue and the improvisational nature of jazz will blend perfectly to make this concert a freeflowing musical conversation between the performers and audience.

“At our jazz concerts, we cheer each other on, laugh together and have a good time while making fun, energetic music,” said Carter. “Jazz has been my gateway for communicating through music. Instead of just sticking to what’s on the page, we really get into the performance and it never goes the same way twice. We just make music that fits the moment.”

The free concert will be held at the Botanic Garden April 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Three students in 91ɬ��’s multimedia and film production (MMFP) program will take part in the Broadcast Education Association (BEA) annual conference in Las Vegas April 17-21. The conference brings more than 1,000 people from hundreds of institutions together to discuss the media industry and what they have learned from their own projects.

Multimedia and film production Professor Matthew Hashiguchi says participation in the BEA conference is just one example of the MMFP program’s commitment to experiential learning. 

“Technical skill is important, but we want to also develop the voices of our students,” said Hashiguchi. “That’s what makes our program unique. We really focus on giving students experiences so they can find what areas speak to them and then we support them as they pursue their passion.”

As he heads to the BEA conference, MMFP student Ethan Bridger says the focus on hands-on learning has made all the difference in his own growth as a multimedia artist.

“In this field, you have to get out there and create,” said Bridger. “You have to be able to do the work, so it’s great that we have so many opportunities to go our own way and get what we want out of the degree versus following a strict curriculum.”

Alex Lee is among 100 students across the country chosen as a Radio Advertising Bureau scholar to receive complimentary registration for the BEA conference. Lee echoes the sentiment that creating original work, rather than just studying the work of others, helps students find the right career path while in the MMFP program.

“I began the program thinking I would focus on cinematography and video work,” said Lee. “Now that I am about to graduate, I am leaving with a focus on sound design and scriptwriting. It’s a complete flip in direction and I figured it out through the experiences I have been able to have in the program.”

The work of Georgia Southern’s MMFP students and faculty caught the eye of BEA members even before the conference began. Recently, Dominic Thomas earned an award of excellence in narrative audio from the BEA for the podcast episode “Through the Storm.” Bae Allen garnered a BEA award of excellence for short-form documentary for “Armadillo Olympics.” Joshua Johnson, Bud Poulos, Ethan Bridger and Chandler Crosby’s work on a texting and driving prevention campaign with the Bulloch County Fire Department came in second place in the BEA spots category. Hashiguchi earned best of competition in the faculty documentary category.

Three Georgia Southern students are taking part in the University System of Georgia annual Regents Cup Debate Series. Alexander Millstone, majoring in business and religious studies, Annelise Hughes, a political science major, and Niyah Sanchez (alternate), a public relations major, earned a place in the statewide event by reaching the finals of the 91ɬ�� debate competition. 

Millstone helped revive the Debate Club at Georgia Southern and says the experience has been invaluable in shaping his career goals.

“I believe debate is a skill that is universally beneficial,” said Millstone. “Whether you’re an analyst who needs to translate data to an audience through a presentation with lots of visualization, or a manager who needs to explain the breadth of the role to your new hire, the logic and structure of speech that debate teaches is undeniably useful.”

Hughes agrees that participating in the Debate Club provides exceptional experience beyond the classroom. She is especially excited about the opportunity for networking at the Regents Cup.

“I love meeting like-minded people as well as intellectual students and I’m very excited to make new connections there,“ said Hughes. “I eventually want to attend law school and I intend to use this opportunity at the Regents Cup to expand opportunities for meeting experts in the law field.”

Millstone notes that although debate can seem confrontational, the spirit of connecting and communicating is actually the focal point of a good debate event.

“Debate is about two peers working together to search for the objective truth about a topic,” said Millstone. “It has a negative connotation to many people, and that confuses me, because debate is a constructive thing.”

The 2026 Regents Cup takes place April 14 and 15 at Columbus State University.