Josh Pastner was cut out for coaching college basketball at a very young age. When he was 13, he already began scouting high school basketball players and published the “Josh Pastner Scouting Report” on local high school players. While others his age aspiring for a career in basketball spent hours on the blacktop, Pastner took it a step further. His father gave him the reigns to an AAU team that included such future NBA starters as Emeka Okafor and T.J. Ford.

Pastner was similarly precocious in many other aspects of his life as well. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in two and a half years, and he finished his Master’s degree in just one year, all while playing basketball for the University of Arizona.

Now, Pastner’s job is to show that his wisdom beyond his years, questioned by no one, is the right recipe for a Tech basketball program looking for a facelift.

While working under College Basketball Hall of Fame inductee coach Lute Olson and legendary current coach John Calipari, Partner quickly ascended in the coaching ranks and became known for his fervent recruiting efforts. In 2009, Calipari left the Tigers to take a job with a jungle feline of another kind: the Wildcats of Kentucky, whose two-year flirt with Billy Gillespie had done little to recapture the magic of previous coaches Rick Pitino (now at Louisville) and Tubby Smith (ironically, now at Memphis), and Pastner was set to follow. On his way to Lexington, he got a call from Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson. Pastner turned around and drove back to Memphis. The head coaching job was his, and he quickly accepted. His first job as head man had arrived.

Pastner recruited one of the top classes in the country and avoided a significant drop off to be named the Conference USA Coach of the Year. In seven years as the head coach at Memphis, he led the Tigers to an NCAA Tournament appearance four times. He also helped another one of his peers get an early start to his coaching career. While he was still an NBA player, Luke Walton joined Josh Pastner’s staff as an assistant coach. The two were teammates at the University of Arizona, and under the guidance of Pastner, Walton was able to develop the fundamentals of coaching that helped him in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors and now with the Los Angeles Lakers.

But times weren’t easy. The Tigers were still savoring the newfound relevance brought to the program by Calipari and expectations were high. The placard on the head coach’s office had changed, but Memphis very much remained John Calipari’s program in spirit. Despite solid year-in, year-out recruiting, Pastner was never able to transform his talent into the tournament success expected by fans. A move was in order, and the opening of the Tech job with Brian Gregory’s termination was an appealing one.

In Pastner’s own words to David Gardner of Sports Illustrated, “at Memphis … it was just a straight-sustain, sustain, sustain. We were trying to win 30 [games] every year to match Coach Calipari.” Any coach would have a difficult time filling those footsteps, let alone a first-time head coach.

Coaching at Tech allows Pastner to build up his own program. With the allure of a big city, recruiting opportunities, and the competition of the ACC, there’s a lot to like about coaching the Jackets. Pastner intends to fully see out a rebuild, viewing it as his chance to leave his “own imprint on the program.”

At the beginning of the rebuild, Pastner has put together a squad that is wildly exceeding pessimistic predictions by the media made in the preseason. Most polls and media outlets had the Jackets slotted to finish at the bottom of the ACC, either No. 14 or No. 15 out of 15 teams. A strong showing in non-conference games, including a win over 15-5 Virginia Commonwealth helped to set up the Jackets for a tough ACC slate.

Early results have Pastner in the ACC Coach of the Year conversation, and while conference play is just getting started, he no doubt deserves consideration.

Pastner has been very open with Tech fans as well as the media. He is clear about his goals for the program and his recruiting efforts demonstrate his dedication. He has the AAU circuit excited about how he has developed players like Ben Lammers and Quinton Stephens and also given freshmen like Josh Okogie and Justin Moore extensive opportunities to play. Pastner is locked in on the current season now, but when asked about the future by Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he was clear about his optimism.

“I think people have a vision of what we want to do and as we continue to upgrade with talent … we’ll be better as we move forward” Pastner said.

Until recruiting season picks back up in April, Pastner has put Tech fans and other ACC teams on alert. With Pastner’s past, this is more likely a trend than a fluke.

There was a plan, and it wasn’t an unreasonable plan. I had started planning for my fall study abroad to Ireland during spring semester, way earlier than I needed to. There was a list of things I needed to pack, places I wanted to visit and foods I had to try. There was also a list of things that I would be missing while I was halfway across the world for a whole semester.

Armed with my laptop and two mobile phones, I wasn’t too worried about missing things because I had planned to keep up. Little did I realize that though the internet is a magical source of all the facts, articles and videos any sports fan could wish for, keeping up online is just not the same as being on campus to watch in person. My plan to keep up with an entire season of Tech football, as well as all the other fall sports happening back on campus, was an utter failure.

The rush of pride that comes along with watching a football game from the Swarm section is nonexistent when you’re streaming the game on your laptop in the middle of the night and you have a 7 a.m. flight in a few hours. My plan to watch every televised game over the internet was foiled by poor connections and the existence of time zones. It turned into reading newspaper headlines and sports blogs while riding the train.

Last year, I constantly reminded my friends that our football performance would turn around in the 2016 season, that the growing pains that caused the Jackets to end the season with only three victories wouldn’t last for more than one season. Things did turn around, and I missed it.

Tech flew all the way to Dublin for their first win of the season, beat UGA for the second time since my freshman year and ended the season with a 9-4 record. Even though I managed to keep up with the season online, it still felt like I missed everything.

Sure, I fangirled over rugby, managed to watch some of a hurling match and got to experience the insanity that is Gaelic football, but I still felt like I missed out. I made it home in time for the TaxSlayer Bowl, but I wasn’t really feeling the spirit.

I didn’t watch Harrison Butker break Luke Manget’s record with 337 career points. I didn’t watch Justin Thomas’s last game donning the White and Gold. I didn’t even get that excited to see Demaryius Thomas and Adam Gotsis on the field when the Broncos destroyed the Raiders.

It wasn’t that I missed out on feeling proud of Tech and Tech’s athletes. The internet made it extremely easy to keep up with important headlines and sports statistics; I felt proud every time I read something positive.

It was the atmosphere I missed out on. No matter where I am in the world, it’s always made me feel proud to read about how successful Tech athletes have been. Tracking statistics, skimming blogs and filing other journalists’ opinions on Tech sports away in my head is something I can do from anywhere in the world.

The thing is, being a sports fan is more than being able to recall a whole set of scoring statistics or debate whether or not a team could have won if the last play of the second quarter had gone more smoothly. Being a sports fan is about contributing to the atmosphere we all know and love. It took flying halfway across the world for me to realize that the excitement about Tech sports is all about the atmosphere for me.

There’s something about waking up, eating a massive breakfast and standing in the sweltering heat with thousands of other people hoping for a Jackets victory. Something that feels like home.

Missing the game day atmosphere that was happening without me on campus didn’t prevent me from getting excited about Irish sports though. When Ireland beat the All Blacks at Soldier Field for the first time in 111 years, I was buzzing. Everyone on campus was. Irish people have an uncanny ability to make any atmosphere a good one, and sports are no exception. Jokes, light banter, delicious food and tons of national pride make being uninterested in Irish sports nearly impossible. While I’m happy to be back on campus to see Tech baseball welcome another world-class bunch of freshmen athletes, I’m missing Irish sports more than I expected.

I guess that brings me back to where I started. For all we talk about the play of Tech teams (and this section, of course, is no exception), perhaps what matters more is the time we spend watching them with our friends.

I’ll no longer take that aspect of Tech athletics for granted, regardless of our record at the end of the season or how we fare in the national rankings.

In preview of their last show together, the Technique had the opportunity to speak to Brian Revels, the singer, songwriter and guitarist for City Mouse.

City Mouse is an Atlanta based indie folk-Americana band. The band’s debut EP “Joy of Life” was released in 2015.

The show will serve as a farewell and release show for their new project titled “The Sanguine Sessions,” produced by Tony Terrebonne of ZAC Recordings.

Technique: The recording of these two songs that you guys did for “The Sanguine Sessions,” what were the inspirations for those? Was it due to Michael not being part of the lineup anymore? Could you tell me more about that?

Revels: We did record them originally because Michael was gonna be leaving the band. I mean there were definitely songs we wanted to get recorded regardless, but the catalyst was definitely because Michael was gonna be splitting. We wanted a way to sort of celebrate it and get a last little signature or some kind of his since he was such an important part of the band. And we loved the song (“Bloodshot Eyes”).

Individually, the songs have their own inspirations. Mine was sort of random, and his was about sobering up a little bit due to maybe a love interest or something. Kind of better himself for someone else in a sense, which is probably kind of a shitty quote.

Technique: Will someone be taking his place? What is his timeline, and what does the band plan to do?

Revels: We are actually looking at taking a hiatus. I will still continue as a songwriter and musician, but I don’t feel right continuing with the City Mouse name by myself. I’m gonna do the bandmates the respect of.

Technique: You guys are having your release party the 27th, right? Will this be the final show you guys do together?

Revels: Correct, and yes, this will be the final City Mouse show. We will be sharing the stage with Elliot Bronson, which is badass in its own right.

Technique: Of the two songs from the project, which one would you say is your favorite? Or are you a little biased since you wrote one of them?

Revels: I love a good waltz. We don’t have, I don’t think, any other waltzes besides Michael’s song, “Bloodshot Eyes.” I think that it’s some of his best lyricism that I’ve heard as a songwriter. As a bandmate of his, it’s one of the best ones he’s come up with. I wrote the other one, so I’m a little bit biased.

Technique: What can we expect from the show? Will you only be performing songs from “The Sanguine Sessions” or old songs as well?

Revels: What I’m expecting to do is, since its not really a long set, we gotta be kind of selective. I would like to revisit some older material, some of the early stuff, and kind of give a chronology of the band–that’s kind of where my head is. I think we’ll start at the beginning and bring it right
on through.

Nestled in a small, inconspicuous shopping center in Ansley Park is an unassuming, unremarkable building bearing a simple sign which reads “Bangkok.”

If one happens to notice the building as he fights the traffic of Piedmont Avenue and ventures inside to give the restaurant a shot, he will be rewarded with a delicious and cozy experience.

Bangkok Thai offers those who are adventurous enough to try it – and willing to leave the Georgia Tech bubble – a dining experience superior in flavor, authenticity and service to those available at comparable restaurants on and near campus.

In 1977 the proprietors of this local favorite settled down near Ansley Mall and opened the first Thai restaurant in Atlanta.

The menu, anchored by curries and various Thai meat dishes, has changed little, aside from the steady addition of creative specials named for the loyal customers who invented them. Most dishes are offered at various levels of spiciness, ranging from the easily manageable mild to the deadly “Triple Thai Hot.”

All of Bangkok’s dishes, from its traditional curries to its less authentic but equally enticing specials, are delicious options which leave one satisfied and pleased.

Perhaps the most outstanding aspect of the Bangkok experience, though, is the superior service provided by the staff and proprietors; the wait staff makes customers feel welcome and cared for. This excellent service is an obvious result of the constant presence of the
restaurant’s owners.

This dedication on the part of the proprietors gives the restaurant its charm. Bangkok has the distinctive feel of a neighborhood eatery, a local favorite known only to those lucky enough to
live nearby.

The owners generate this vibe with their care and appreciation for their loyal customers and their excitement about new ones. They frequently visit tables to deliver jokes and stories about their children and their time in Thailand.Those who habitually visit the establishment are likely to get free meals for their birthdays and special occasions and to develop deep, long lasting friendships with the owners. The founders are so amicable that the restaurant’s slogan could easily be “dinner and a conversation.”

The restaurant’s only negative feature is its décor, which does not seem to have changed much since 1977. The interior of the building is best described as plain. However, this plainness is a part of what makes eating at Bangkok feel special.

Bangkok is not a flashy, modern, fancy restaurant; it is a neighborhood classic. When viewed with a delicious meal and an interesting conversation, the décor’s plainness morphs into coziness.

Perhaps what makes Bangkok so great is that it embodies the feeling that makes Atlanta so unique among major cities. The restaurant feels more like a small town pub than a cosmopolitan Thai restaurant, just as Atlanta’s neighborhoods feel more like small villages than the wards of a major city.

The establishment is a symbol of an Atlanta that predated flashy attractions like the World of Coke, the Aquarium and Centennial Olympic Park. This Atlanta may not have attracted tourists, but was simply a great place
to live.

Preserved from a more genuine time, Bangkok Thai is the perfect restaurant for students seeking an authentic Atlanta experience.

Taking a break from their usual fare of Shakespearean drama, the New American Shakespeare Tavern opted for a performance written by Christopher Marlowe, one of Shakespeare’s contemporaries.

Dealings with demons and summoning Lucifer were controversial topics bordering on taboo in the late 1500s, especially for fictional and entertainment purposes, but this subject matter is precisely what “Doctor Faustus” focuses on.

Far from traditional, even the layout of the theatre indicated that this play would be unique. For other performances at the Shakespeare Tavern, and indeed, at most playhouses, the audience is seated around various tables facing a stage. The actors stay on the stage barring a few scenes requiring extravagant entrances or exits.

“Doctor Faustus,” on the other hand, occurred in the center of the room. The audience’s candlelit tables were strewn around the central clearing, and more than a few tables were even on the stage itself.

This atmosphere lent to the decidedly dark tones of the play and allowed for the play to change settings easier than if it occurred on a set stage with Dr. Faustus’ (Chris Kayser) own rooms being the central clearing and various other places in the theatre serving for his journeys.

The play itself had a more or less linear plot wherein Dr. Faustus, a renowned scholar and doctor, finds himself always searching for more knowledge. In his quest, he finds that he is capable of summoning demons, namely Mephistopheles, who is expertly played by Laura Cole.

He forsakes his Christianity and signs a contract with Lucifer: in exchange for his soul, Mephistopheles becomes his servant and is bound to do his bidding for 24 years.

At first, Dr. Faustus plans to create a better world, and he tests Mephistopheles to see if his power is complete. He quickly learns much more than anyone around and becomes a well-known magician with his own followers (also played by Laura Cole).

Throughout the play, Dr. Faustus struggles with his faith and lack thereof. He occasionally repents despite the assurance of its futility by Mephistopheles. It is quite easy to see how shocking this play would have been for its time period.

The execution of the play is far more interesting than the plot itself. Despite having many characters in the play, there are only six actors involved. Three of them are never seen, only heard as the voices of demons and of the devil himself.

The fourth actor, Anna Fontaine, plays Helen of Troy when Dr. Faustus desires to see the face that launched a thousand ships.This scene lasts for but a few seconds before the play is once again a simple affair of two actors performing admirably.

With the limited cast, or the limited visible cast, at least, it would have been simple for this rendition of “Dr. Faustus” to become an indecipherable medley of Dr. Faustus going insane, treating one person as though he were several dozen.

Fortunately for the audience, Laura Cole was more than capable of portraying her many
characters – although some were quite over the top.

Even more fortuitously, these other portrayals did not detract from her interpretation of Mephistopheles. Somehow, the demon managed to appear completely inhuman and too-human at the same time, which is perhaps one of the points of the play.

Throughout the play, several puppets made appearances in lieu of actors when demons and Lucifer needed representation. This interesting approach to all supporting characters emphasized Dr. Faustus’ internal conflict, as he had no human to turn to for help aside from the
not-quite-human Mephistopheles.

At first, the choices regarding casting – and lack thereof – sound a bit strange. While it is hard to envision a play being understandable, let alone entertaining, with such limitations it worked for “Doctor Faustus.”

To assist in this mostly two-person play, there were plenty of props. These props were far more elaborate than those normally used in the theatre’s other performances. In addition to the intricate summoning circle inscribed directly on the playhouse floor, there were tables strewn with parchment and old books. This set design provided a visualization of Dr. Faustus’s extensive learning prior to summoning demons and making deals with the devil.

“Dr. Faustus” will be performed for the rest of this weekend before the playhouse transitions into the traditional Shakespearean standby “Romeo and Juliet” for February, including Valentine’s Day. This play will provide a stark contrast to the dark performance of January.

While people across the country marched last Saturday to support women’s rights and social justice issues, Atlanta’s own arts community had already rallied to fight the hateful rhetoric associated with President Trump.

On Thursday, Jan. 19, banners with themes of unity, love and empowerment were hung on buildings across the city. Messages such as “No matter how dim, continue to shine,” “Google: ‘The Golden Rule,’ thanks” and “Si se puede” were designed by artists.

Signs of Solidarity ATL was a collaboration of more than 30 artists and organizations. The effort was inspired by Signs of Solidarity Philadelphia, “an inauguration day public art protest in opposition to hate,” according to their website. While this idea originally involved displaying a couple of banners at private homes, it rapidly grew to be a city-wide project. The Atlanta arm produced their project in about three weeks.

Organizer Kristen Consuegra explained that “the goal of our project is to bring the community together and build the overall moral of the city. In light of recent events, we wanted to show Atlanta that we as a city do not put up with divisiveness and hate. We also wanted to encourage others to use their art and talents for proactive activism. We can all be a part of this fight against hate.”

The signs were scattered across various neighborhoods, including Edgewood, Inman Park, Castleburry Hill, South Downtown, Grant Park, Cabbagetown and East Atlanta Village. Despite the rainy weather over the weekend, signs remained on display through Sunday, Jan. 22.

Each sign had “#signsofsolidarityatl” on it, and the project was well documented on Instagram by many Atlantans, who were overwhelmingly supportive.

“It is a role for artists to give these glimpses of hope when the world right now is justifying so much hate,” Conseguera added. “Without that passion for activism and a cause, we would have never been able to produce what we did. …

“Some of the best art is political. Art is activism, and I feel we as artists have [an] obligation to forward messages of substance, … issues we as a community find ourselves dealing with.”

About half of the artists and arts organizations involved in the project were Forward Warrior, Peter Ferrari, Grant Henry, Fabian Williams, Mammal Gallery, Brian Egan, Murmur, William Mitchell, Dashboard US, Nikita Gale Karen Tauches, Arbitrary Living, Faatimah Stevens, Quianah Upton, Wussy Mag, Shannon Palumbo, Broad Street Visitor Center, Jared Pepper, Yoyo Ferro, Brooke Sprickman, Brandon English, Jessica Colvin, Hi-Lo Press, Dianna Settles, Yoon Nam, Priscilla Smith, Catherine Rush, Estela Semeco, Brutal Studio, Allie Bashuk, Danielle Brutto, Sara Santamaria, Barry Lee, Lynne Tanzer, Miya Bailey and Susannah Leigh Caviness.

Businesses supporting the cause by displaying the signs included 7 Stages Theater, Bon Ton, Vesta Movement, Elliot Street Pub, Mary’s EAV, Ria’s Bluebird, Octane Grant Park, City of Ink, Hi-Lo Press, Joe’s Coffee EAV, Mindzai Creative, Sister Louisa’s Church, Mother, Lotta Futta, The Soundtable and Joystick.

“Moreover, on the production side of things, none of this would have been possible without the help of Grant Henry, [owner of Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room and Ping-Pong Emporium,] who provided materials, and Notch 8 Gallery who opened their space to us to create and prep the banners,” Consuegra said.

When asked about future plans, Consuegra said that they “are planning to forward this project and hopefully continue to partner with our friends in Philadelphia, so you can definitely expect to see us again soon!”

Of all the mediums for entertainment, film can be one of the most beautifully profound. It can provide explicit social commentary with simple images or color schemes, examine the human condition using special cinematography or editing and communicate the oldest stories on a platform that everyone can experience.

Then there are movies like “xXx: Return of Xander Cage.”

Directed by D. J. Caruso, fans of the franchise or action genre will be pleased to see Vin Diesel (“The Fast and the Furious”) back as Xander Cage alongside Samuel L. Jackson (“The Avengers”) and Donnie Yen (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”).

The latest mission for Xander Cage, the extreme sports enthusiast turned super spy, is to retrieve a device capable of controlling satellites to crash into Earth.

Everything else that ensues is a combination of high-octane stunts, fast-paced fight scenes and utter mayhem.

Despite that energetic combination, the film likely will not win any new fans or help its audience achieve any sort of radical epiphanies about life.

One look at the trailer and viewers know exactly what to expect: questionably large explosions, unreasonable problem solving, and the objectification of women. The focus is not on the plot or character development: it is on how many ways something can be blown up or punched
by Mr. Diesel.

The film also tests how many one-liners he can make afterwards before audiences walk out of the theater. The film relies on its spectacle and absurdity, but neither make up for its shortcomings.

The premise itself is one that would be better suited for a parody than a serious action movie. The franchise has never sufficiently explained why a superspy that can ski through a jungle or ride a dirt bike around his enemies is superior to someone like James Bond. Such is the case for Vin Diesel’s other action franchise, “The Fast and the Furious.”

This franchise is just as silly, and each movie has to somehow justify its excessive use of automobiles in every situation.

Both franchises share the same creator, and it is no coincidence that both contain as much substance as an empty water bottle.

It is not that the movie was unwatchable – it only barely was – but it is unclear who exactly the movie was for. The first and last time that Vin Diesel starred as Xander Cage on the big screen was over a decade ago, so any waves of enthusiasm for more sequels have since died down.

Extreme sports are not nearly as sensational as the movie makes them out to be. The films definition of ‘awesome’ might be what one would expect from a middle schooler that just learned how to skateboard.

Perhaps this is what enables action movies like “xXx” to survive – it is a predictable display of irrational excuses to see a man who sounds like he gargles gravel before bedtime do the impossible. This type of film is not to be taken seriously and is advertised as such.

Nowhere in the movie did the action stop to reveal something deeper behind the action. In a world where action movies now consist of Marvel Comics’ epic storytelling, the return of Xander Cage may not be a long lived one.

“xXx” is not just the commonly known symbol for when a team runs out of guesses in “Family Feud,” it is the name of a franchise that did not know when to end.

There is plenty of guilty pleasure to be had in the movie’s many quips and stunts, but there is not enough to justify the price of a movie ticket.

Working in groups can be tricky: messy schedules, conflicting personalities and divergent ways of thinking can obstruct progress. Tech’s Senior Capstone Design class encourages teams to utilize their strengths instead of their weaknesses to produce something that showcases their many talents.

Students who graduated in December had the chance to share the fruits of their Capstone Design projects on Dec. 6 in McCamish Pavilion. Innovators competed to be declared the best project from their major, and to win an overall prize of $2,000.

This year’s overall winner was a team of mechanical engineers that call themselves “Too Inspired to be Tired.” The four students who worked on the victorious team were Neha Sinha, Joshua Bobo, Hayley Snyder and Corinne Maxey.

“By the time they got around to announcing winner we thought there was no way we could win. It was super surprising,” says Neha Sinha, team liaison.

Ethicon, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson and the team’s sponsor, is the producer of the SecureStrap, a suture device used by surgeons in laparoscopic hernia repair. The team realized that there needed to be a faster and more efficient way of manufacturing the SecureStrap, so “Too Inspired to be Tired” set out to create a machine that would safely produce this device in less time.

“We were on the manufacturing side. They had a lot of steps that were labor intensive for the operatives, with lots of repetitive movements,” Sinha said. “We automated the manual manufacturing process.”

The team faced several challenges along the way. Their group was smaller than the average  Capstone Design team, which sometimes required members to spread themselves thin and take on extra work.

In addition, they had to make sure that the product complied with FDA regulations, and the team had to learn a lot about topics they weren’t necessarily famiiar and comfortable with.

“There was a lot of electrical wiring and programming necessary to automate something, which is not a huge part of the ME program, so we had to learn as we went,” Sinha said.

Instead of simply automating the process, “Too Inspired to be Tired” worked on making manufacturing process improvements, such as swapping an inefficient rubber band for a cap that could be reused. Ethicon is already implementing the team’s cap design and process improvements.

“You’re not sure how it’s gonna turn out, and people always tell you your first version is not going to work,” Sinha said. “We were lucky that we had such a great team that was able to produce a functional end product.”

The project was a relief to finish, and when it came time for the Capstone Design Expo, the team was proud of this end product.

“I love talking to people, and the people on our team were able to communicate our project really well,” Sinha said. She thinks they were successful because the project was relatable and understandable, and the applications could easily be seen.

In addition to the overall prize, awards were given out for each engineering discipline. Aerospace engineering produced winner “Impact,” an 11-person team that constructed a Cubesat mission to Mars’ moon Deimos in order to determine its origins.

“CathART” won the biomedical engineering category, showing off an assisted reproduction catheter that increased device effectiveness and decreased patient pain.

Electrical and computer engineering students from “Raising the Steaks” won their category with the creation of a drone-mounted RFID scanning process that takes inventory of the cattle in a herd.

“Eggwash,” an industrial design team, created a seating device that allows elderly and other disabled individuals to shower more easily and safely.

The winner of the industrial and system engineering category was the “Wrigley’s Lifesavers Project,” who attempted to help Wrigley eliminate manufacturing bottlenecks.

“Great Clips” dominated the mechanical engineering category by creating a device that safely helps railroad workers apply railroad elastic fastener clips.

The interdisciplinary group “PH571” aimed high and attempted to build a vehicle that would be top of the field in urban commuting, long-range travel and performance driving.

Too Inspired to be Tired has now scattered and members are pursuing various careers. Their work will continue to be used and will impact manufacturers, operators and patients in future years.

In Spring 2013, Georgia Tech Best Buddies was founded by Tech students Marnie Williams, Gina Holden, Ben Murray and Chris Hoag.

Though not an officially chartered chapter of Best Buddies International, the small group of students that make up this club are passionate about creating one-on-one friendships with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Elected president of the club this past Spring semester, Colleen Chen, fourth-year MSE, didn’t start working with people with disabilities until college.

“It really wasn’t something that I did or really knew about in high school, and honestly my life has been changed from working with some of these people,” Chen said.

Georgia Tech’s Best Buddies club pairs intellectually disabled people aged 18 to 25 with Tech students.

“A lot of our buddies come from family friends and siblings of Tech students or neighbors,” Chen said.

The buddies are all somewhere on the wide spectrum of IDD.

“We have a guy who has cerebral palsy, and he’s completely nonverbal. So he speaks a lot with emotion. That’s sometimes hard because he only uses motion, like when he high-fives you he’ll knock you to the ground, it’s really funny,” said Chen. “I’ll talk specifically about one buddy — her name is Kristina Brewster, she is very high functioning, she has Down syndrome and she’s super talkative and sassy.”

Chen went on to describe another one of the buddies. Though not very talkative, “he’ll express himself in different ways and if you get him talking about the right thing, then he’ll talk. So it just kind of depends, person to person. They’re all different and exciting.”

For this semester, the club currently has six buddies. Each of them will be paired with one Tech student. The club is comprised of approximately 25 members, and those not directly paired with a buddy are still able to participate in the meetings, which occur about three times a month.

“Everyone is able to come, they’re all open to the public too. We also do volunteering throughout the Atlanta community. So our group of 20-ish people is able to make an impact,” Chen said.

One of the biggest challenges for the club is recruiting and retaining the buddies. It’s difficult to spread the word, but it’s also hard for the parents to trust college students with their children.

“It’s hard to show parents that we really care about their children,” said Chen.

Some of the parents will join in on the events, much to the dismay of their children.

“We always invite the parents to stick around. A lot of the buddies actually don’t like when their parents stick around just because they feel like they’re being watched,” Chen said.

Another obstacle with the club is creating the most inclusive events possible for the full range of IDD.

“We take buddies of all spectrum of disabilities, some are verbal some are non-verbal, some are highly functioning some are not as high-functioning. We have to cope with that in a way that we can make an all inclusive environment. So that’s difficult especially if we have an event where one buddy is a lot shyer than another,” said Chen.

While wanting to create an accommodating environment, Chen stressed that Tech students need no prior experience.

“Anyone’s welcome. Anyone who’s passionate and can problem solve. Because you never know what somebody with disabilities will do, they’re very unpredictable, you kind of just have to be on your feet and be ready for the unexpected. Which is kind of the fun in it.”

Past events have included a kick-nik (an event with both kickball and a picnic, including both a sandwich and lemonade bar), pool & pool at Square on Fifth (swimming and billiards on the roof), Valentine’s dances and events at campus locations like Tech Rec or Paper & Clay.

Chen’s personal favorite event involved the Titans Wheelchair League. They play a sport that’s a mix between basketball and soccer using their hands to score while in wheelchairs.

“I was able to volunteer with some of the Best Buddies club to actually be in a wheelchair, play with them, and honestly that was when I was like wow these people are so abled, why do they call it a disability. A lot of the people that I’ve met with an IDD are so self advocating and amazing people, and it just kind of puts life into perspective. One that you don’t see if you don’t get involved with people with disabilities. So it’s been pretty rewarding.”

Chen concluded by saying that  “it’s really great to be able to give them the opportunity to let them shine and show off their abilities rather than disabilities.”

In the future, Best Buddies is looking to expand to include more Tech students and buddies.  Their goal is to continue to spread awareness and understanding of intellectual and developmental disabilities.