{"685878":{"#nid":"685878","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Math Major Josh Hembree Leads Tech Tradition as Wreck Driver","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEditor\u2019s Note: The Ramblin\u2019 Reck Club has used the spelling \u201cReck\u201d to refer to the car since its inception. However, the Institute uses \u201cRamblin\u2019 Wreck\u201d and holds a trademark on this spelling.\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EJosh Hembree\u003C\/strong\u003E, a mathematics major from Villa Rica, Georgia, is the first Ramblin\u2019 Wreck driver to drive the Wreck at his own wedding. He\u2019s also the first transfer student Wreck driver in at least a decade.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ELike approximately 25% of each new class of Tech students, Hembree transferred to the Institute. When he applied for first-year admission, he received a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/admission.gatech.edu\/transfer\/transfer-pathway-programs\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Etransfer pathway offer\u003C\/a\u003E outlining the specific criteria he could meet to transfer to Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe began his college career at LaGrange College, where he was on the tennis team, and then finished the rest of his transfer requirements at the University of West Georgia. He arrived at Tech in August 2023.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EJoanna, Hembree\u2019s wife, was the one who initially encouraged Hembree to get involved in student life. With her cheering him on, Hembree found his way to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.reckclub.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ERamblin\u2019 Reck Club\u003C\/a\u003E on campus, which promotes the traditions and spirit of Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBecoming the Wreck Driver\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe club was a perfect fit, as Hembree is a proud lifelong Yellow Jacket fan with several alumni family members. When he was initially named the Wreck driver, his first call was to his wife. His second was to his dad.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cSomehow, he seemed even more excited than me,\u201d said Hembree. \u201cAnd my grandad thinks it\u2019s the coolest thing ever \u2013 he was also a math major when he was here, but he spent a lot of time in his dorm room. So, he\u2019s excited to see me out here doing things on campus. They\u2019ve bought season football tickets to watch all the ride outs.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe Wreck driver is the sole person with keys to the vehicle and is charged with all major upkeep of the car. They drive the car everywhere it goes, including onto the football field before home games. All Wreck driver candidates campaign for the position through the Ramblin\u2019 Reck Club.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHembree\u2019s proposal was one of building an environment where all students can have a meaningful experience with the Wreck.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI want people to be able to say, \u2018Yeah, I was running late one day, and the Wreck picked me up at a bus stop and took me to class,\u2019\u201d said Hembree. \u201cIt\u2019s trying to reach as many people as possible and give them a memory to share forever. Because Tech is hard, and if you make it here, you deserve a ride in the Wreck.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAdvice for New Students, Celebrating National Transfer Student Week\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h3\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen it comes to being new on Tech\u2019s campus, Hembree now echoes the same advice his wife once gave him: get involved.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt can be tempting to say you don\u2019t have time for anything but schoolwork,\u201d he said. \u201cBut if you have even a two-hour window in your day, try to do something social during it. Even if it doesn\u2019t feel like it, it\u2019s so much more productive to meet and connect with your peers.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThis year, National Transfer Student Week (NTSW), which celebrates transfer students across the U.S., overlaps with Tech\u2019s Homecoming week. Hembree and other Ramblin\u2019 Reck Club members will spend the week waking up at 4 a.m. each day to make sure all the traditions, like the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.reckclub.org\/homecoming\/cake-race.php\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EFreshman Cake Race\u003C\/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.reckclub.org\/homecoming\/wreck-parade.php\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EWreck Parade\u003C\/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.reckclub.org\/homecoming\/mini-500.php\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMini 500,\u003C\/a\u003E go off without a hitch.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDespite the long days, Hembree is proud to be a Yellow Jacket and spread the good word.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cIt really is the coolest thing \u2013 people hear me coming in the car and get the biggest smile on their face,\u201d said Hembree. \u201cIt\u2019s all about reaching as many people as possible and giving them a memorable experience.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENational Transfer Student Week takes place from Oct. 20 \u2013 24. For resources, events, and to learn more about transferring to Tech, review the \u003C\/em\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/application.gatech.edu\/portal\/visit_transfer?cmd=ntsw\u0022\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENTSW resource page\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cem\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003Cbr\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EJosh Hembree is the first Ramblin\u2019 Wreck driver to drive the car at his own wedding. He\u2019s also the first transfer student driver in more than a decade.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Josh Hembree is the first Ramblin\u2019 Wreck driver to drive the car at his own wedding. He\u2019s also the first transfer student driver in more than a decade. "}],"uid":"36583","created_gmt":"2025-10-21 14:42:14","changed_gmt":"2025-11-18 19:28:22","author":"lvidal7","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-10-21T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2025-10-21T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678398":{"id":"678398","type":"image","title":"Josh Hembree, a mathematics major from Villa Rica, Georgia, poses with the Ramblin\u2019 Wreck, Georgia Tech\u2019s 1930 Ford Model A Sport Coupe mascot, of which he is the sole driver for 2025. ","body":null,"created":"1761057760","gmt_created":"2025-10-21 14:42:40","changed":"1761057760","gmt_changed":"2025-10-21 14:42:40","alt":"Josh Hembree, a mathematics major from Villa Rica, Georgia, poses with the Ramblin\u2019 Wreck, Georgia Tech\u2019s 1930 Ford Model A Sport Coupe mascot, of which he is the sole driver for 2025. ","file":{"fid":"262418","name":"DSC04753-1.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/21\/DSC04753-1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/10\/21\/DSC04753-1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":323742,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/10\/21\/DSC04753-1.jpg?itok=9asfRIOf"}}},"media_ids":["678398"],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"185400","name":"transfer student"},{"id":"168854","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"192249","name":"cos-community"},{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"},{"id":"193733","name":"_for_math_site_manual_feed_"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBy \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.em.gatech.edu\/author\/abudd7\/\u0022\u003EAmanda Budd\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["amanda.budd@ssc.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}