A s senior Wesley Simpson walks across campus, he can strike up a conversation with anyone he passes. Whether he knows them through classes or sports, with his friendly demeanor he never meets a stranger. 

The economics major and standout basketball player credits growing up in a military family and moving around for his outgoing personality.

“I was able to develop my ability to get to know people fast,” Simpson said. “I am able to make connections and make friends easily. I’ve also become very good at the small talk.”

It’s those skills and his capabilities on the basketball court that helped as he moved from Florida to New York then to Germany, Washington and finally to Georgia while growing up.

“I would say basketball is a passion,” Simpson said. “Sports was kind of one thing that helped me make friends as we moved to each different location. You're trying to come and fit in, going from playing recess to rec sports in the community. Basketball really helped me get to know people and make friends.”

As his skills grew on the court, Simpson saw how basketball could open doors for his future through collegiate play. Since joining the Bobcat Basketball team, he’s been a leader and major contributor to the team’s success.

“I am extremely proud of Wes and all of his accomplishments on and off the court,” said Head Basketball Coach Mark Gainous. “He exemplifies what a student-athlete should be. What sets Wes apart is his positive attitude, relentless work ethic and outgoing personality. I could coach another 20 years and not have another young man that is as well-rounded as Wes Simpson.” 

Among his many accolades on the court, some of the most important to him are those tied to academics like being named twice to the CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-District team and a two-time D2ADA (Division 2 Athletics Directors Association) Academic Achievement Award winner.

“Those are big awards for me, because they show that I'm doing both athletics and academics at a high level. I take pride in that, and it’s something that I work towards all the time,” he said. “I would definitely say that we have an athletic program that puts a lot of emphasis on student athletes being students first.”

He’s intentional about giving 100% both in his sport and his classes.
“Watching Wes play basketball is a clear indication of how he approaches everything in life. Even when the game is not going well, even when there's so much work to be done, even when he's playing hurt, he does not quit. He does not reduce his effort; instead, he somehow finds more to give during those times,” said Dr. Brooke Conaway, associate professor of economics.

An economics major came naturally for Simpson. Since he was a kid, he’s always been money conscious. When he took a test in high school to help guide his career path, it clearly pointed to the economics and finance field.  

“I would say that we have the best department as far as professors go on campus. They have been super supportive, super understanding of my schedule with basketball and that's just allowed me to want to give them the most that I can when I am in the classroom and make them proud with my assignments.”
According to his professor, his senior research project “covers the important topic of civilians, primarily people of color, experiencing fatal interactions with police.”

“He hand-collected data on the value of military surplus equipment filtered to police departments, as well as various state police protocols, to explore the factors affecting civilian deaths during police interactions,” Conaway said. “He is currently working through the preliminary empirical results, but his early findings show that states with younger populations, lower per capita incomes, and stand-your-ground laws are associated with more civilian fatalities during police interactions.” 

As for his future, Simpson plans to pursue graduate school. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, he also has one more year of eligibility for basketball. He’s not quite sure what next year will look like for him, but through his faith, he trusts it will all work out—just like it did for him to end up at Georgia College in the first place.

“I really do believe this is the spot that I was destined to be at this point in my life,” Simpson said. “I honestly didn't know what Georgia College was coming out of high school. But coming on visits and just seeing the family atmosphere here in the athletics department and in the econ department, it has truly been a great experience in all aspects.”