VALDOSTA STATE MAGAZINE 95 labs on campus to — and I’m not exaggerating here — a prostitution ring in our residence halls … understandably harsh media attention after our football coach asked a judge to excuse a registered sex offender from a court date so that that student of ours could play in a football game … four car loads of our students driving to a rival college, where they got in a fight with well over 100 of their students, and ultimately, one of our students shot one of theirs,” he said. “… those first six weeks on the job were just the beginning, and the real challenge came when we tried to turn things around,” he added. Carvajal thought about quitting when he and his family became the victims of criminal threats and acts. Someone did not like that he was removing what he referred to as the “poison” that was hindering the institution’s ability to thrive. A log was thrown through the window of his home. A bodyguard was assigned to him on campus. His family was forced into hiding on at least one occasion. “… other members of my team had their own responsibilities to fulfill,” he continued, “and theirs weren’t much easier, and since they weren’t quitting, how could I quit? They believed that there would come a time when the vision they had for all that our institution could be would become a reality … I, in turn, learned that when you have a group of people who love place and they channel all of their collective talents and energies in a common direction, there is almost nothing that cannot be accomplished. “It definitely took a lot of work, but just three years later, we had completely changed the culture on campus, and we had become the seventh fastest growing institution of our kind in the country.” Carvajal explained that the lessons learned from his childhood, his learning years in college, and his most challenging professional experiences will serve as a foundation for a Valdosta State University future created by every member of Blazer Nation — students, faculty, staff, alumni, retirees, and friends.