VSU
Red Black bounces back
VSU rising above post-pandemic challenges
words & photography by BAILEY WILSON
One of the largest parts of Valdosta’ s community is its college, Valdosta State University. With its impact both culturally and economically, it brings in a community of its own and shifts Valdosta’ s population semester after semester to include a magnetism of its own. This is a shift that is felt by more than just the college; the entire Valdosta community is fed by the growth that the college brings.
Like the rest of the community at large, this growth was challenged in the face of the COVID- 19 pandemic that rocked the world in March of 2020. The sudden shift from in-person to online classes marked a decrease in millions of dollars from the university campus, and changed how in-person classes and campus life would be seen for students, faculty and staff for years to come.
Not long after VSU and the city as a whole began to recover, both were rocked by two devastating hurricanes in back-to-back years. Hurricanes Idalia and Helene shook Valdosta to its core.
Now, a resurgence at VSU is helping the city as a whole to grow and adapt to life after such world-changing events.
8 Valdosta Scene | October 2025