For Georgia State alum Ben Moore, the term “Panther Family” carries a special significance.
Since graduating from Georgia State in 2003, Moore has not only stayed involved with Georgia State but made the school a permanent part of his life. Through his work at 247Sports, he became an integral part in the growth of Georgia State.
“‘Panther Family’ is a collective term that defines the grit and experience of every person that has walked the campus as a student,” Moore said.
Many Georgia State students can attest to that “grit” noted by Moore. Every student here has endured the challenges of going to a school still trying to establish itself.
Moore has gradually watched his alma mater transform from a commuter school to one that takes pride in its athletics. When Moore graduated, he could not have imagined the growth of the program. Even more, he takes pride in being a member of the Panther Family.
“Just walking up the stairs and seeing students with GSU stuff on, it still makes me smile a little,” Moore said.
When Moore originally came to the school in 1999, it looked nothing like it does today. Students back when Moore was a student did not wear Georgia State apparel because the school had yet to establish its own identity.
“When I was in school, you didn’t see people wearing Georgia State stuff,” he said. “It wasn’t something people were proud of.”
Moore essentially grew up with the school. He watched the basketball team’s first NCAA Tournament win — a 50-49 upset over the No. 6 seed, the Wisconsin Badgers. He witnessed the inaugural football game in 2010. As he grew closer to his school, he evolved his career into one that followed the school with an identity.
Since graduating, Moore has made a career for himself covering the school, while also giving back to current students at Georgia State. One of the biggest things he emphasizes to current students is the importance of building connections.
“When I come back to the school and talk to the students, I always emphasize building networks and how building connections was huge for my career,” he said.
Through his work at 247Sports, Moore also makes a point to hire Georgia State students as interns. He strongly believes in giving back to the students, giving more credence to the idea of a Panther Family.
“I keep telling people for years this Panther Family thing is more than just a hashtag,” he said.
Moore has also passed his passion for Georgia State to his family, something that is crucial for the growth of Georgia State’s athletics program. Alumni passing down their passion for the school could lead to exponential growth over the foreseeable future.
“My daughter is 10 years old; she’s as old as the program, and we all wear Georgia State blue and go to games,” he said.
Moore recognizes that passing the torch of Georgia State is crucial and why Panther Family means so much to him. Fandoms grow as the previous generations pass their fandom down to the next. For Moore, building family legacies is crucial for Georgia State.
Panther Family extends beyond athletics, and it is more than a hashtag. It is a school’s student body, its faculty and alumni all coming together as one.
