The Runner 4-27-22

therunneronline.com California State University, Bakersfield

April 27, 2022

Vol. 47, No. 12

Going green at CSUB

Photo by Autumn Layton/The Runner

Bobby, Biology Major, Nicolette Reneau, Biology major, Julissa Castruita, Biology Major, Rachel Howe, Biology Major, and Rafael Vazquezz, Grounds keeper working together to plant a native tree at CSUB.

Also Inside

4,000 locked out of registration See pg. 2

facebook.com/runnercsub

Student commuters scared of soaring gas prices See pg. 7

@therunner_csub

Baseball player makes school history See pg. 9

@therunner_csub

Pg. 6

@csub_runner

Scrutiny arises over Kahlo’s appropriation See pg. 4

News

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The Runner

April 27, 2022

The Runner Staff The Runner

California State University, Bakersfield 9001 Stockdale Highway Bakersfield, CA 93311-1099 661-654-2165 runner@csub.edu FACULTY ADVISER Jennifer Burger jburger1@csub.edu PUBLICATIONS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Vada Hepner vunderwood2@csub.edu DIGITAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ellice Richman erichman@csub.edu ARTIST Faith Okoli WEBSITE EDITOR Marlene Garcia SECTION EDITORS Ernesto Leon, Xochitl Martinez, Madalyn Powers, Sydney Williams COPY EDITORS Guadalupe Avalos, Kennadi Burke, Vanessa Hernandez, Frankie Nadal DIGITAL TEAM Camila Arambula, Brizna Fregoso, Autumn Layton, Melisa Magana, Adriana Toledo, Claire Welch SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM Haydee Brahona, Paige Calvin, Jessica Espinoza Diaz, Victoria Zaragoza REPORTERS/WRITERS Graciela Aguilar, Adeli Arvizu, Fatyma Cendejas, Giselle Gamez, Joselyn Green, Carlos Hernandez, Marlene Herrera, Ambria King, Nick Lopez, Yasmin Marcelo, David Mendoza, Alexis Shofner, Ashley Soren, Kiara Zabala, Alexa Zepeda ABOUT US The Runner is a laboratory newspaper published daily online with a biweekly PDF e-edition, in conjunction with the Department of Communications at CSU Bakersfield.

DISCLAIMERS Views and opinions expressed in The Runner are not necessarily those of the editors, staff or the Department of Communications. The staff of The Runner reserve the right to refuse or omit any advertising or material which advocates illegal activity, or which may be considered libelous, irresponsible or tasteless.

COPYRIGHT Copyright belongs to the Department of Communications at CSU Bakersfield.

CONTACT US Send corrections requests, letters to the editor, op-ed submissions and press releases to runner@csub.edu.

Send advertising inquiries to Faculty Adviser Jennifer Burger at jburger1@csub.edu.

4,000 locked out of registration

By Graciela Aguilar Staff Writer Over 4,000 CSU Bakersfield students were locked out of class registration on April 18 for the summer and fall semesters due to a hold on their account for not being compliant with the CSUB immunization requirements.

These immunization holds are not COVID-19 related, but for traditional immunization’s such as measles, mumps, and hepatitis B according to CSUB Health Services.

The immunizations have been required since the fall of 2020 but have been constantly pushed back due to the pandemics ongoing surges.

In January all students were informed that the immunizations were going to be required once again and there would be no further push backs starting in February.

Students not compliant with immunization records will have an immunization hold placed on your account on Feb. 25 that will prevent receiving financial

Canva illustration by Marlene Garcia/ The Runner

aid and class registration.

As of now, since the holds have prevented students from registering for classes for the summer and fall semesters there has been a gradual decrease in the number of holds says Erika Delamar Associate Director for Student Health Services at CSUB. “These immunization records have been required since the fall of 2020 but have been constantly pushed back due to COVID-19 related issues,” said Delamar.

There have been several

count-down emails sent specifically to students that have not uploaded the required immunization documents since the fall of 2020.

Students must follow the direction on said emails to properly upload their document’s to Complio, an American DataBank, a comprehensive tool used for student screening and immunization compliance.

The process for documentation approval takes up to three days.

“We understand that getting said documents and

information might be difficult, which is why we sent out a number of emails since the requirements were put out by the board, especially since some information might not be correct and that is another three days of waiting and getting the correct information,” says Delamar.

If you have any further questions or need help uploading your document’s to Complio, seek help from CSUB’s Heath Services to remove any immunization holds and register for classes.

Runner Nights concert returns to campus

By Adeli Arvizu Staff Writer CSU Bakersfield held their monthly Runner Walk and Talk on Tuesday, April 19 via Zoom.

The meeting highlighted commencement, the return of the Runner Nights concert and the university’s first symposium about sustainability and climate action that took place on Friday, April 22 at 9 a.m.

A tree planting ceremony also occured the same day on campus at 10 a.m.

“The conference will address sustainability issues that affect the valley, in particular, air quality, water, waste, and transportation,” said CSUB President Lynnette Zelezny.

Both events are part of CSUB’s Earth Day celebration for the week.

Commencement for graduating students was a major topic of discussion and Zelezny reminded everyone that it is only five weeks away.

Some students had questions regarding more details about graduation.

Photo by James Chavez/Runner File Photo Alessia Cara performs at the 2016 Runner Nights concert at CSUB.

Senior Specialist of Commencement and Academic Affairs, Dina Ebeling, explained that currently safety protocols for graduations have not yet been established but will be decided three weeks before commencement.

She went on to say that students can RSVP for commencement and that the deadline is on Tuesday, April 26.

Ebeling warned students that tickets have not been made available for purchase yet and therefore they should not trust anyone who is claiming to

sell graduation tickets, as it has come to her attention that students have recently been in this situation.

She also emphasized that it is against the school’s policy to sell any tickets requested for guests.

“We are excited to announce that we are going to host the Runner Nights concert,” said Assistant Dean of Student Integrity and Well-being, Emily Poole Callahan.

“We have been on a few year hiatus but we are back.”

The performing artist will not be announced

until May 3 on the Student Union patio and the event will take place on May 19.

A student asked if alumni are allowed to attend, in which Callahan explained that graduates from the previous two years will be contacted to participate in the event since they were not able to before.

She went on to say that it is $20 dollars for students and past alumni.

Students left comments attempting to guess the performing artist and expressed their excitement for the return of the event.

Right before the meeting reached its end, a question was asked about whether or not future Walk and Talk meetings will continue to be held virtually for the fall semester.

Zelezny responded that it will most likely be virtual since there is a favorable amount of people who join the meetings and it is easier for students and faculty to attend.

The last Runner Walk and Talk of the semester will take place on Wednesday, May 11 on Zoom.

News

The Runner

March 23, 2022

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UC Irvine prof explains dangers of wildfires for farmworkers

By Ernesto Leon Assistant Features Editor As wildfires have raged throughout California, there’s been too much concern over the damage to luxury crops like grapes and berries, and not enough for the farmworkers who put their life on the line, explained by Dr. Michael Mendez at the Kegley Institute of Ethics event on April 19th titled, “Tainted Grapes, Tainted Lungs: Extreme Wildfire Impacts on Undocumented Latina/o and Indigenous Migrants”.

Mendez is a professor at the University of California, Irvine where he teaches environmental policy and planning.

His research shows that wildfires are not isolated disasters, but they exaggerate existing inequalities.

He explains that undocumented migrants are often invisible when it comes to talking about the victims of wildfires in our communities. Mendez’s research demonstrates that the effects of wildfire on the body are a lot more dangerous than originally thought.

It can be more harmful than car exhaust directly inhaled by the body.

Mendez even quotes a farmworker who explained that he had black saliva from breathing in the smoke from the wildfires.

“Wildfires do so much more than damage property, they legitimately put farmworkers at risk,” said Mendez.

Mendez’s research focuses mainly on Somana and Ventura county from 2015 to 2020.

Where there are over

100,000 Hispanics/Latine individuals, with about 8% of the population estimated to be undocumented-that’s over 38,000 people.

There are also about 12,000 Indigenous Mexicans, and many do not speak English or Spanish.

Common languages spoken by Indigenous folk in the area are Mixtec, Triqui, Maya, Chatino, and Zapotec.

Indigenous Mexicans are not Hispanic or Latine, so this presents a huge language barrier for the community when it comes to informing them about wildfire dangers and evacuations.

“Indigenous Mexicans are distinctly different from Latin immigrants and policymakers don’t understand,” explained Mendez.

He continues by talking about the time Somana

county, during a wildfire, didn’t provide Spanish or Indigenous translations for Latine and Native communities.

There was also another wildfire in Ventura county where it took 10 days after the fire for county officials to provide a live translation.

Prior to this, it was up to farmworkers and Indigenous activist groups to help migrant farmworkers, in addition to being the reason the county provided any translation at all.

There was also a Q&A segment where many students got to ask him questions about his research.

One student asked Mendez what to do aout changing policy revolving around undocumented individuals, since it is a highly debated topic among American politics.

Canva Illustration by Ernesto Leon/The Runner

Mendez explained that within the last few years migration in the states from Latin America is no longer just going toward states like California or New York, but we see high migration patterns in the Midwest and south.

This will help broaden ideology when it comes to putting forth beneficial policy for farmworkers throughout the country.

Mendez ended his lecture with a simple saying. It’s to start thinking beyond property values.

Edible Garden welcomes students to weekly produce pop-up

Joel Kirksey, Heide Gutierrez, Andrea Bautista setting up the produce pop-up in front of the food pantry at CSUB.

Photos by Fatyma Cendejas/The Runner

Check out enitre photo galery at the The Runner online’s website !

Features

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April 27, 2022

The Runner

Kahlo’s legacy continues to inspire

By Marlene Herrera Staff Writer “Frida” (2002) goes out of its way to portray the life of the now widely known painter and feminist, Frida Kahlo, with the portrayal of critical and pivotal events of her life while at the same time incorporating her specific artistic style-- magical realism.

The movie was directed

by Julie Taymor and adapted from Hayden Herrera’s “Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo.”

The biographical movie depicts how she was able to channel the pain of her injury and her complex feelings regarding her non-traditional marriage through her art.

She was able to find the courage to take control over all aspects of her life, despite the unfortunate amount of adversity she faced.

As such, she is recognized as a symbol of perseverance and feminism.

To put this into per-

spective, she dove into a primarily male dominated field of art.

Frida did this while being disabled and fighting the societal and familial demands of what to do with her life.

She had to work against those trying to define her as a woman or, more specifically, how she was not woman enough under their definitions. In essence, she rejected traditional impositions of femininity on herself and in her art.

For instance, one of the opening scenes of the movie is her showing up to her family portrait wearing a full suit and tie with her hair slicked back, which eventually became inspiration for a self-portrait she painted.

To this, her mother rolls her eyes in frustration, but her father responded, “I always wanted a son ?””

However, her strong personality is put to the test after enduring a near-fatal bus accident, which only encouraged her to find the

The movie poster for “Frida” (2002).

perseverance to overcome this obstacle.

As a result of the accident, she was left to manage the effects of the injuries she suffered, which include damage to her spine, pelvic bone, and

legs.

She was forced to rely on others, leave university, and fight to learn how to walk again.

When she saw her dad had begun to lose hope in

her eventual recovery and struggle financially, she said, “Right now, I’m a burden, but I hope to be a self-sufficient cripple one day.”

Instead of following the easier path to alleviate this burdensome feeling she is experiencing by marrying off, she takes full advantage of how she sought refuge in painting during this time to turn it into a career.

The review titled “Frida,” by Roger Ebert (2002) stated, “Frida Kahlo seems to have painted in order to seek the zone and escape the pain: When she was at work, she didn’t so much put the paint onto the canvas as channel it away from the conscious thought and into the passion of her work.”

Moreover, the movie avoids the male gaze by embracing Frida’s heritage and artistic style as an influence when depicting how Frida’s body changes when she suffers through the accident.

The shot right after the

scene of the bus accident shows Frida lying with a pole through the bottom half of her body.

The shot itself looks like a portrait of her with blood perfectly distributed throughout her body, the openings the pole has caused, as well as gold dust sprinkled on top.

The scene then transitions to show skeletons taking notes and discussing all the ways her body had been broken.

Daisy Leign-Phippard (2018) recognized this as a way of honoring Frida when she explained, “Past just recreating her art in the composition of a shot, it reproduces her style, her love of color,” in her article, “#DirectedByWomen Frida, and Manifesting Power in Women Past the Body.”

This women-led movie made sure to portray her story in a way that encapsulates all of who she was; it does not shy away from scenes that portray women as less than whole and perfect.

Scrutiny arises over Kahlo’s appropriation

By Marlene Herrera Staff Writer Although Frida Kahlo is recognized for her peculiar art and has even become symbolic of a strong feminist with limitless perseverance, remnants of her aesthetic, both fashion and artistic, beg to be critically analyzed for indigenous appropriation.

The Frida Kahlo exhibit, “Immersive Frida Kahlo: Her life. Her love. Her art.” open at the Lighthouse ArtSpace in Los Angeles, showcases how this painter was able to overcome pain and adversity through her art.

The exhibit features a 360-degree projection experience of her life portrayed through her art.

The exhibit contains real photos of her family and her participation in the revolution.

The animations convey her tumultuous marriage to fellow artist Diego Rivera and even her experiences with life-long health issues, such as the effects of polio at a young age, a near-fatal bus accident, and a miscarriage.

Photo by Marlene Herrera/The Runner Kahlo typically wore a huipil, an indigenous garment.

Aside from the frames of video, the exhibit also included poster walls analyzing her life down to her style.

The wall titled “The Personal and Political Style of an Icon,” shows a cut out collage-like picture of a typical outfit she was accustomed to wearing.

The description explains she wore loose fitting

Mexican blouses because “[it] concealed her casts for public experiences and sent out positive messages with their bold radiance.”

Learning about her great difficulty with managing the effects of the bus accident she endured.

This left her with irreparable spine damage and led to an eventual amputation of her leg.

She leaves us with the ability to empathize with her efforts to conceal her casts from the world.

However, Joana Garcia Cheran’s (2021) article, “An Indigenous Perspective on Frida Kahlo,’’ commented “While Frida Kahlo frequently donned Tehuana dresses traditional to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Kahlo had weak connections to the region, once stating in an interview… ‘I’ve never been to Tehuantepec, [...] nor do I have any connection to the town.’”

It is not just her choice of clothing that leaves people, especially indigenous folk, pondering her choice of identity portrayal.

Her style and paintings alone are able to convince people she was an indigenous woman herself.

In her article “Frida Kahlo and the Fetishization of ‘Indigenism’: a Lingering Question,” Yamily Habib (2021) commented, “Some [of her art pieces] even suggest that her fascination with Mexican folk art with indigenous roots was far from genuine.”

When in fact, her father

Photo by Marlene Herrera/The Runner “The Two Fridas”, a self-portrait by Frida Kahlo.

was a German immigrant and her mother was a mixed-race woman.

Nonetheless, the exhibit focuses on shining light on her representation as a feminist, her passion for speaking up and being heard, her rejection of gender impositions, and her perseverance portrayed through her art.

For instance, one of her portraits titled “The Two Fridas” shows both of her personalities: one being more traditional and representative of her home and upbringing while the other is more modern and independent.

She expressed it was

inspired by her loneliness from her separation from her husband and fellow artist, Diego Rivera.

Not only does the art showcase how she can be more than one thing as a woman, but it deals with conveying how she can be strong and independent as well as heartbroken and lonely.

Frida Kahlo died in 1954 from pulmonary embolism only a couple weeks after finally getting her own exhibition in Mexico City.

A couple days before her death, she wrote in her diary: “I hope the exit is joyful, and I hope never to return.”

Features

The Runner

April 27, 2022

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‘Kaisen 0’ follows story of undying love

By Marlene Herrera Staff Writer Anime lovers, specifically Jujutsu Kaisen fanatics, long anticipated the showing of the prequel to the beloved series.

Jujutsu Kaisen 0 is part of the manga series written and illustrated by Gege Akutami.

Despite the established love and following the series already holds, first time viewers wanting an introduction to the anime series can feel comfortable and confident in attending a showing and following along and cheering on protagonist Yuta Okkotsu.

Reviewer Michael Odorña (2022) commented, “My experience is proof you don’t have to know the show to enjoy the movie; [my daughter] is proof followers will get plenty of the bloody, weirdo fan service they crave,” in his article, “Review: If imaginative and extreme violence is your thing, ‘Jujutsu Kaisen 0’ is for you.”

The film follows the story of a young 16-year-old boy who tries to navigate how to isolate himself from others in order to protect and shield them from his cursed spirit that attacks aggressors despite his wishes and avoidance.

The film conveys the concept that negative emotions have a lot of power.

With this understanding, viewers can see how Yuta’s cursed spirit comes out to hurt his aggressors after he is bullied and mistreated.

Writer Vernieda Vergara in her article, “Jujutsu Kaisen 0 Dives into the Past to Prepare for the Future” commented, “In the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, negative emotions give rise to cursed energy in humans.

Normal people can’t control this energy… But some people do and can.

These people are known as jujutsu sorcerers.”

Through the mentorship of sorcerer Saturo Gojo, he is enrolled in Tokyo Prefectural Jujutsu Highschool to learn how to control Rika Onmoto.

His presumed curse is named after his best friend, who he watched die tragically when they were only kids.

Yuta believes she sticks around to haunt him because of the promise they made to one another about marrying each other when they grew up.

As he navigates how to control his powers and advance in his training, he relies on his sorcerer classmates to support and guide him; however, most

of his motivation comes from his desire to do good, so he can learn to accept his existence.

The repeated flashbacks of him making the promise to marry Rika after she gives him an engagement ring functions as motivation to honor her as well as prove to himself that he can do something beautiful, like saving lives, out of something so unfortunate and tragic.

During a quarrel with Maki, his classmate, he stated, “I want to have a connection with someone. I want to be needed by someone. I want the confidence to feel like it’s ok to live.”

The film balances the previously mentioned darker and more tragic themes of violence with lighthearted and funny scenes.

For instance, it illustrates one of the bad guys in the battle with hearts for nipples and Panda, Yuta’s sorcerer classmate, trying to play matchmaker between him and Maki.

The prequel allows new viewers to enjoy the film and want to continue to follow along while allowing established fans to better understand the series they know and love.

Movie poster from IMDB

‘RUNNERS REACT

Have you registered for classes? How is that going/how did it go, any difficulties?

Interviews and photos by Fatyma Cendejas

Maria Herrera sophomore Accounting major

Kaitlyn Otanes freshman Pre-Health major

Anjolaoluwa Agboola sophomore Biology major

“Yes I registered, I’m enrolled in summer and fall.

One class I had to override for fall, I’m completing it over summer.”

“I have not registered yet.

Microbiology is competitive to get into.”

“I have not registered for classes. My classes aren’t competitive to enroll in.”

Jennifer Vandever junior Psychology/Philosophy major.

“I already registered for classes. It was quick and efficient. It took a minute for advising to help me with classes but once they did it was very quick and easy.”

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April 27, 2022

The Runner

Opinions

The Runner

April 27, 2022

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Student commuters scared of soaring gas prices

Canva illistration by Sydney Williams/The Runner

By Frankie Nadal Copy Editor

As gas prices continue to soar loftier than my dreams did as a child, so does my exasperation with the matter.

Admittedly, I paid no mind to the gradual increase; at first.

As a California State University, Bakersfield student with courses both online and in-person, commuting to campus two days out of the week with my dear friend was nothing short of an excellent idea that heralded wondrous conversations and spectacular memories.

But now? Now it is marred by the underlying thoughts of efficiency and financial dilemmas: Do we go grocery shopping, or fill up the tank?

Do we adjust our schedule to accommodate a shorter commute? Will CSUB provide some form of relief for off campus students?

Is California’s new gas allowance initiative enough? Should we enroll in more online classes next semester?

Will that still be an option?

Regardless, this all seems somewhat contrite without the appropriate

context. The two largest factors to the issue of rising gas prices are the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Due to the pandemic, some companies made a shift to remote work in 2020.

As a result, gas prices dropped, but so did employment numbers as many more companies forced workers into unsafe working conditions and laid off hundreds of thousands.

Then, Russia, one of the largest suppliers of crude oil for the US, invaded Ukraine, resulting in economic sanctions and restrictions on imports.

Though, the genocide of entire people should be met with more than sanctions, but this is a complicated matter and I digress.

Now, there has been some “effort” made to alleviate the economic burden at both the federal and state level. President Biden shared “He will release roughly 1 million barrels of oil a day from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve,” per Shannon Pettypiece et al. of NBC News.

That would amount to roughly 180 million barrels over the established sixmonth period. Perhaps that would ease the burden on

Americans?

Well, during a hearing held by a subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, it is implied that the availability of crude oil may not be the driving factor of inflated gas prices.

Zack Budryk, writer for The Hill, covered the hearing and noted how Democrats “grilled” oil executives from four separate companies; Exxon, Devon, Shell, and Pioneer.

The execs stated that 2020 was a “bad year” and that it somehow was affecting gas prices even two years later.

While Republicans on the subcommittee dismissed the matter, Democrat members remarked how the companies had reported record high profits in 2021 and spent billions in bonuses and buybacks while laying off workers.

As for the states, several have proposed relief in the form of a temporary suspension of gas taxes, and in California, which has a massive budget surplus, Governor Newsom has proposed a $400 gas relief payment for registered vehicle owners and a temporary suspension of the gas tax, in addition to free bus fare; however, as shared by Taryn Luna,

writer for the LA Times, state legislators have yet to agree on a relief plan, citing loopholes for the wealthy and the erasure of poorer citizens.

Should a plan come to fruition, its effects will not be felt until this summer.

Which brings us right back to the start—as gas prices keep rising, so too does my blood pressure.

Yet, it does not need to be that way, at least, not for students at CSUB. The university has several different avenues for aiding their students during this once in a lifetime event, which seems to happen every few months Online instruction, reimbursements, and virtual events were all used over the past two years of the pandemic, and all three proved not only effective, but greatly beneficial for students and staff and faculty.

Attending courses fully online through Zoom or with a hybrid mode, which meets in-person some days and online others, granted students greater freedom and helped reduce anxieties.

Students were able to work more regularly, had a better life balance, and some were even able to

attend class while out of state.

Of course, this also means little to no commute and hundreds saved on gas.

As for reimbursements, any sum of money granted at regular intervals is sure to bring wellness to anyone, much like those oil executives from a few paragraphs ago.

These tuition reimbursements were done at the beginning of each semester, and the amount varied depending on need, but virtually --heh, puns-- every student received aid.

This was due to students having no in-person classes in the early months, then years, of the pandemic and paying full tuition price was not rational.

Additionally, many people were on lockdown, and either were unable to work, or were laid off as a result.

This would cover not just the desire to stay virtual but would also help alleviate issues with commutes and the rising gas prices.

Lastly, virtual events.

While most sporting events were limited in scope, there was a greater likelihood of the event being recorded and thus enjoyed by more remotely.

Campus events, such as the Runner Walk and Talk,

were also held over Zoom, allowing for more people to attend, recording to be made and rewatched, and generally resulted in more student voices being heard.

I understand the want to return to “normalcy,” but “normal” wasn’t doing us any good.

Rampant racism and discrimination and blatant attempts to destroy our democracy supplemented by the death of millions and a mass disabling event, followed by the erasure of entire communities and this push to risk our lives for companies’ profit isn’t something we should want to go back to.

We have a very real, and very urgent, opportunity to make lasting changes for the betterment of everyone, and yes, change can be scary, but don’t fret.

Take things one day, one step at a time.

If you are in a position to do so, donate to relief causes and make calls to your representatives.

After all, a true, genuine act of kindness, no matter how small, will always beget another.

And remember, just like the Lorax said, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

Opinions

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The Runner

April 27, 2022

Enviornmental wellness affects CSUB students

By Marlene Herrera Features Writer

Students are often looking for ways to better enhance productivity and efficiency in their academics. When striving for success, it is important for students to be aware of how their environmental wellness intertwines with their performance in school and work settings.

Our environment encompasses the surroundings and conditions in which we live as well as animals and plants. When considering our own wellness, which means having a state of good health, including mental, physical, and emotional health, it is reasonable to find ways in which we reach wellness in our environment while at the same time caring for the environment of others.

The physical aspect of our environmental wellness encircles the air we breathe, the water we drink, the chemicals we are exposed to, and even the cleanliness of our homes. Not recognizing their importance can lead to health impacts, such as respiratory and even heart diseases. Similarly, when our cultural environment is not balanced, which includes the people we live with, friends, groups and communities we are a part of, we are likely to experience a negative impact

and strain on the strength and quality of our social relationships and enhanced stress related to our jobs and school environments.

The University of Maryland comments, “[Environmental wellness] involves understanding the dynamic relationship between the environment and people and recognizing we are responsible for the quality of the air, water, and earth

that surround us and in turn, that social, natural, and built environments affect our health and well-being.”

With the semester wrapping up and finals coming closer, it is easy for us to feel bombarded and overwhelmed with upcoming assignments and exams. It is important to take a step back and evaluate both our physical and cultural

environment.

In order to assess how to improve our surroundings, such as your study area or workplace, it is crucial to first learn to identify what enhances your anxiety and ultimately makes it harder to get started and focus. When trying to prioritize dedicating time to study, what makes you uncomfortable or anxious in your study

area? Is it cluttered? Are there things out of place? For instance, empty water bottles tend to scatter across study areas for college students.

An easy solution that both would declutter your space and help the environment would be to use a reusable water bottle to avoid accumulating the plastic that comes with disposables.

In his article, “6 Ways

Canva illustration by Alexis Shofner / The Runner

to Enhance Your Environment Wellness,” Benjamin Momme stresses, “Even small changes add up, so don’t discount the small things in your power to recycle more or bring your own travel mug for coffee.” When thinking of ways to destress and clear your mind, taking a walk with someone you care about and makes you feel safe can really improve your wellness, so you can then be more prepared and motivated to complete challenging tasks.

In doing this for yourself, taking a recycled bag to pick up trash or recyclables can ensure you are also taking an initiative to protect and care for the community’s environmental wellness; This can also provide a sense of purpose and fulfillment, which will only encourage healthy habits.

Momme explains, “When our own personal surroundings are well cared for, clean and organized, we experience a greater sense of comfort and less anxiety. ” Ensuring our environment makes us feel safe and at peace encourages a healthy and motivating atmosphere for students to strive academically in.

Thus, it is important for students to prioritize an awareness of all aspects of their environment.

Five ways to go green in college 1. Switch out plastic for stainless or glass.

By Alexis Shofner Features Writer Being sustainable as a college student doesn’t cost much more than some dedication and spirit. There are often courses available to learn more about environmental awareness as well as clubs both on campus and within the community.

Below are five simple ways to start being more sustainable now.

While Hydo Flasks are popular, there are many budget-friendly versions of stainless-steel reusable water bottles that also come in different styles and colors.

They are portable, make staying hydrated easier, and could potentially save you upwards of $1,200 according to a study conducted by Penn State University. Single-use plastic food containers can be swapped out for glass, which will keep your leftovers fresher for longer

2. Reuse school supplies.

3. Recycle and trash appropriately.

4. Ditch soap bottles for soap bars.

5. Be thrifty.

Rather than throwing out those half-used notebooks from last semester, repurpose them for the new term. They can be used as their original purpose or transformed into other things like a personal journal or brain dump book. If you are a mechanical pencil user, then buying a refillable one will not only last longer but also cut down on plastic waste. Some ink pens are refillable as well and fully wooden pencils are always an option.

Sorting recycling and trash is the easiest thing for a college student to do.

Be sure to double check what materials are okay to generally recycle and which ones might need to go to separate facilitates dedicated to that material. electronic waste is something that is separate from the facilities that deal with things like aluminum and plastic. Taking your recycling to a facility can even bring in some extra cash.

Instead of buying the bottled version of body wash look for soap bars.

There is less plastic packaging involved, sometimes none, and they work just as well as the liquid form. Bar soap also typically lasts longer than liquid soap.

This bar soap swap can be applied to hand wash, body wash, shampoo, and conditioner, and even cleaning products like dish soap.

By being thrifty, you can recycle and upcycle all sorts of goods like clothes, furniture, books, housewares, and virtually anything you can think of. Thrifting is cheaper than shopping via corporations. Used textbooks can be found, especially in college towns. Rather than throwing out old clothes, donate them. It is estimated that Americans contribute around 16 million tons of textile waste per year, according to the Environmental Protective Agency.

Sports

The Runner

April 27, 2022

9

Baseball player makes school history

By Nick Lopez Sports Reporter One local player has made some noise in the college baseball world and that is the Roadrunners switch hitting designated hitter Andrew Allanson.

Allanson hit two grand slams, one from each side of the plate, producing 8 runs by himself.

This has never been done before in the program’s history, according to Roadrunner athletics and it certainly may never be done again.

Allanson, a redshirt freshman was named the Big West conference baseball player of the week in the week March 28.

Allanson is coming off a stellar performance against Pepperdine University.

“It felt surreal. I did not realize I hit a grand slam the first time. I did not find out until I came back to the dugout after the second one,” Allanson said.

Allanson did not realize what he had accomplished.

He knew he had hit the first grand slam; he did not realize he hit a second.

He was not sure how many runners were on the basepaths at the time, in the end it really did not matter.

Allanson recorded a

.555 batting average and produced 10 hits in 18 plate appearances in his Big West player of the week performance against Pepperdine.

Allanson explained his personal game mentality.

“Trusting my process, sticking with my approach, mentally stating neutral not getting too up about the good moments and not too low about the bad moments.”

When I asked Coach Beard if anyone reached out to him about Allanson and his historical night.

Beard responded “Harold Reynolds with MLB network was texting me back and forth about it.

Beard said that Reynolds was asking him what was all the noise he was hearing about in Bakersfield.

He had heard of Allanson’s incredible night.

Harold Reynolds is a former MLB all-star and now currently a wellknown MLB network analyst.

Allanson’s career night made its way to the biggest platform there is, Allanson is just “Whenever you have players perform at that kind of the level it helps build the image that we are growing our program for the better,” Beard added.

His redshirt season last year made Allanson eager to get out onto the field and compete after sitting out.

He was still involved with practices and workouts he was not able to get actual playing time. Allanson was redshirted due to having issues with high school transcripts transferring over to the university during his true freshman year.

“I was able to watch the teams in our conference and got to learn how college pitchers pitch it’s a completely next level from high school,” Allanson said.

Allanson believes that siting out for a year may have benefited him because it not only helped him become more familiar with the competition, but also with the team’s expectations.

Allanson’s father Andrew Allanson Sr. spent some time in the major leagues as catcher with a few different organizations including the Detroit Tigers, The Milwaukee Brewers and the Anaheim Angels. Allanson said his relationship with his father is valuable as a college baseball player and it has helped him get to become the player he is today.

“I am very fortunate to have someone like that,

Photo provided by Nick Ellis/ CSUB Athletics Allanson and his teammates celebrating one of his grand slams at Hardt Field in a single game

with insight of the game.

It helps me have a different view of the game at a young age and that is something that has been with me throughout my baseball career.”; Allanson said Since being part of this team, Allanson describes how this squad has been different than other teams he has been a part of over the years of high school baseball and club teams.

“It’s the commitment to the program. Everyone on the team is very selfless,” Allanson said.

The team has not only brought their commit-

ment the program on the field but also with their busy schedules as student athletes. They have been excelling as a team in the classroom. According to athletics their average GPA as a team is 3.13 which is the highest by any men’s team at the university.

“Producing for the university from a strong image standpoint is something that separates this group and it only sets the tone for the future.”; Beard said.

According to Allanson, the team is a very tight group. Allanson credits the team for all being on the same page and holding

each other accountable to getting better and buying into the program itself for some of their success this season.

“These guys are going bring their workman approach every day they are going to continue to be relentless. Outcomes I can’t promise but I guarantee that they are going to work hard every day and they will fight till the last game of the season.”

The team will be back in action at Hardt Field at CSUB as they face off in a Big West-three game home series against UC San Diego.

Player Spotlight: Shaylene Fuimano

By David Mendoza Sports Reporter One of the Runner’s youngest and talented softball players is Shaylene Fuimaono.

She sits down to discuss this current season and how she is feeling as the team prepares for a series of games against the Hawai’i Rainbow Wahine this weekend.

When discussing what inspired her to become a softball player, she gave credit to her family.

“My family as a whole.

We grew up in a softball family. It started with my parents and my grandparents playing slow pitch then they decided to put my older cousin in and we kind of just followed her and decided to carry on that legacy.”

She goes on to say that she started at the age of

ten, which is late compared to other kids starting the game.

This is because her father did not want her getting burnt out before making it to play college ball.

After completing a year in this sport Fuimaono decided with her father that this was something she wanted to keep pursuing and took the steps to make sure she could compete at the highest level.

Due to COVID and all the safety precautions that were put in place because of it, it was hard for Fuimaono to tour any campuses and even when allowed to visit a campus she was not allowed to talk to the coaches.

This did not only affect her, but all ten first-year softball players that are on the team this year. What helped her decide to join

Photo provided by Nick Ellis/CSUB Athletics Shaylene Fuimaono in the batting box during a game.

Photo provided by Nick Ellis/CSUB Athletics Shaylenne Fuimano with her softball glove on, on the field.

the Runners was talking to Coach Ziegler through virtual calls and the coach believing in the talents she

has as a softball player.

“She really sold me on the fact that she is going to rebuild this program.

Coming into the Big West we are the underdogs, and we still have a lot to work on, but we are making a name for ourselves in the Big West and that is what sold me on being here.”

As she looks at her overall performance up to this point in the season, she is determined to improve her skills and believes she has the right mindset to continue to get better.

Now looking forward

to the games this weekend she feels prepared and shared that the team feels ready to go. They are currently set to be playing in the hometown of teammates Cydney and Cieana Curran’s family.

Cydney Curran is the current captain for the runners and Fuiamono shares that the team wants to go out there and perform to the best of their abilities in front of their captain’s family.

The Runner

Sports April 27, 2022

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Wrestler aims for national championship

By David Mendoza Sports Reporter Heading into his fourth year, one of the most notable CSUB wrestler Chance Rich, sits down to talk about this past season.

The 133 lb. redshirt sophomore comes from Santa Clarita, California and is studying for a Business Administration degree.

He is looking forward to graduating next fall semester.

When asked who motivated him to join this sport he gave credit to his dad who encouraged him to try out wrestling at the age of 7.

From then, he continued his journey not only with wrestling but also Jiu Jitsu. Coming into high school, he realized that he wanted to solely focus on wrestling.

He states his dad, “pushed me to be the best that I can be in this sport.”

What attracted Rich to CSUB was wanting to stay in California, the coaching staff, and the amazing history of all the great wrestlers this program has produced.

For example, extraordinary heavyweight wrestler Stephen Neal concluded his wrestling career for the Runners as four

time All American and two time undefeated NCAA Division I champion. He also contributes the influence of his coach and former runner John Azevedo who was a two time NCAA Division II champion at 126 pounds. Rich wants to be a part of this history and make his mark.

When asked which wrestler inspires him, he shared Takuto Otoguro, who is a wrestler from Japan and became the youngest Freestyle World Champion at the age of 19 years old at the 2018 World Championships.

Otoguro also won gold at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics at 65 kg against Mongolian wrestler Tumur-Ochir Tulga.

This Japanese wrestler inspires Rich because he is only a couple years older than him and captures the mindset that he says, “you can be the best with what you got.”

Chance Rich’s most successful moment for this season came at the Pac-12 Championship in Tempe, Arizona where he upset #12 Devan Turner from Oregon State in a semi match with a takedown in the second sudden victory period.

This was a huge milestone for Rich as it punched his ticket to the NCAA Championship and

has grappled against Turner on several occasions, but had never beaten him. Rich goes on to emphasize the importance in not giving up.

“No matter how many times you get kicked while you’re down you just keep getting back up and you will figure it out eventually. It’s just sometimes it takes a little more time than you would like it to be,” Rich states.

Looking back at this past season, Rich reflects on the short season he had due to sustaining an injury to his knee at the beginning and testing positive for COVID. Rich explains that despite these obstacles, it allowed him to be able to grow his passion for wrestling. Dealing with both of these setbacks challenged Rich where he could not train that much, having breathing issues throughout the season, and not having endurance to keep up with others on the mat. However, Rich did not let these adversaries hold him back.

Rich shares, “I learned the most about my wrestling and about what I need to do to become a national champ next year and get on that podium.”

The biggest takeaway Rich learned was working on his mindset as he not only had to

Photo by Larry Slater

Chance Rich facing off against Indiana’s #13 Brock Hudkins.

focus on wrestling, but also his family and academics. He did hit some bumps on the road coming back with only a month or so left in the season but with the support of his coaches, family, and through prayer he made the best of his season.

Rich states that his goals for next season remain the same, “Same thing as always... national champ you know.”

He believes that this will happen for him as this season has made him focus on different areas in his technique that need to be worked on to accomplish this goal.

He also wants his teammates to accomplish this goal for them-

selves in their respective weight class as he sees the talented guys that are part of the team.

He shares, “Guys like Albert Urias and Angelo Martinoni are great wrestlers you know? They are right there and they do all the right things too so I just want to see them to succeed. I want these guys to come along with me so we can accomplish our goals as individuals and as a team.”

Rich continues to train to stay in shape for next season, as he shifts his focus to Freestyle wrestling and pursuing trophies.

Be on the lookout for this Runner next season as he looks to come with grit and determination to leave his mark on the mat.

Wrestling coach shows what it takes to survive

By David Mendoza Sports Writer As the wrestling season comes to an end, Coach Smith discusses what it is like being a wrestling coach and the many challenges that come with it.

Before becoming a wrestling coach, Luke Smith, started as a wrestler at the age of 3 years old.

The reason he started wrestling at such a young age was because being the youngest out of four brothers, he wanted to learn how to defend himself from his older brothers.

They would come home from wrestling practice and they would be ready to grapple.

“I don’t know where my life would be without wrestling.”

Smith said.

Smith often competed and even when he was not competing, he would travel to see his older brothers wrestle in tournaments.

As his wrestling career was coming to an end, he wanted to contribute back to the sport so he took this opportunity to be a coach because he wanted to help other people accomplish their goals.

When asked what interested him in coaching wrestling at CSUB, he discussed the relationship that was built between

former competitor, CSUB head Coach, Manny Rivera. This was back in 2004 when Smith took on an Olympic red shirt to try to make the world team. He would travel to the University of Michigan to train with Olympic silver medalist Brandon Paulson.

Taking an Olympic red shirt means that any wrestler that is qualified to compete in the Olympics is granted by the NCAA a year off during an Olympic season while not using a year of eligibility of school.

As they both Smith and Rivera transitioned into coaching they would see each other at different tournaments. Later on, Rivera took the opportunity to be the head coach at CSUB. While Coach Smith was a part of the coaching staff at Eastern Michigan he shared how this wrestling team was having success, but unfortunately the program was dropped.

This is when Coach Rivera called him to come to CSUB because he thought that he would be a good fit for the program.

Smith decided to come to Bakersfield and was glad that he took the opportunity to become an assistant coach at CSUB because it reminded him why he wanted to become a coach and it rekindled his passion for wrestling.

As a coach, Smith shared that the biggest adversary was not expecting to be the new head coach of CSUB Wrestling Team after former head coach Manny Rivera stepped down.

Smith also took on this challenge when COVID hit. The pandemic had a drastic effect on sports and it caused challenges that Smith and his team had to face.

Some of the challenges that Coach Smith had to deal with were figuring out whether they were going to have a season, preparing the team while following safety protocols, and not having a guarantee that he would remain as head coach.

Smith shares that it was the most stressful year of his life, but he took this challenge head on as he was trying to prove that he was the right man for the job.

Coach Smith shared solid pieces of advice for those who are eager to join.

This consisted of for the athletes to keep their grades up.

Smith says he has seen many great wrestlers, but unfortunately many were unable to compete consistently because of academics.

He also shares that there are only 30 spots on the team. So the type of guys he wants on the team are tough, have heart, and

have what he calls “Bakersfield grit”.

This means competing wrestlers need to be scrap, be tough, and leave it all out on the mat. This connects with Coach Smith’s core values. He wants his guys to have a good attitude and show maximum effort, not just in wrestling, but in all areas of their lives.

He wants his team to build good habits so that no matter what they do, they put maximum effort so they can be successful after their wrestling career ends.

This is the mentality that he wants to instill into each of his wrestlers because the things that they learn while being on the team will set them up for success later in life.

When asked what his most successful moment as a coach was he shared that it was ironically two days before his lowest moment. When the Eastern Michigan Wrestling team was dropped.

At Eastern Michigan, Sa’Derian Perry who competed at 141 pounds earned All American honors in the NCAA Championship. This was a story of an underdog as Perry had only begun wrestling at the end of his freshman year of high school.

When he started his college career many schools were not

Photo provided by CSUB Athletics Picture of Coach Luke Smith.

recruiting him, but when he came to Eastern Michigan they believed in him and helped him achieve his goals.

After viewing his team’s overall performance for this season, it is clear to Coach Smith that his team has become better from where they started at the beginning of the season.

It was bittersweet as his team did not reach the goals that they wanted at the championships, but with the growth they are showing he is excited to see what the future holds.

The goals he has for his team next year is to have consistency and to help each wrestler to become the best versions of themselves on and off the mat.

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April 27, 2022

The Runner

Player Spotlight: Mikayla Popham

By David Mendoza Sports Reporter One of the most talented freestyle swimmers at CSU Bakersfield, Mikayla Popham sits down to discuss this past season and what she looks to accomplish in her career moving forward.

Popham is originally from Sunshine Coast, Australia and is currently a junior pursuing a degree in Psychology and minoring in Kinesiology.

Popham shares that she learned to swim at a young age. With time she eventually advanced her skill and grew a genuine love for the sport.

“I fell in love with swimming and it’s something I’ve always done,” Popham states.

When asked what interested her to come to CSUB

she explained that her recruitment process was actually very similar to what the COVID process is now.

This is because the only way to be in contact with different schools and coaches when in Australia was via Skype.

What helped her decide to join CSUB was the coaching staff, distance from the beach, and the weather in California as it reminded her of back home.

One of the most successful moments this past season for her was winning the 100 freestyle race at the National Invitationals Championship that was held in Elkhart Indiana.

“My 200 free the day before which was not the best and not exactly what I wanted. It’s like being able to come back the next day

and do that made me super proud of myself to know that I can do that,” Popham stated.

When asked what athlete inspires her, she shared Australian Swimmer Emma Mckeon who has won over 40 medals since she began competing for Australia at the world championships.

This 27 year old athlete captures the mindset that Popham strives to be like.

Ever since Popham witnessed her teammate Autumn D’arcy become the first women in CSUB Swim and Dive program history to reach the NCAA championship, that has been her biggest goal for next season.

This dream continues to inspire her to train hard this summer and be ready to accomplish more next season.

Photo provided by Dan Sperl/CSUB Athletics Swimmer and sophomore, Mikayla Popham diving into the pool.

Photo provided by Dan Sperl/CSUB Athletics Swimmer and sophomore, Mikayla Popham swimming in the pool.

Swim director sets out to rebuild teams

By David Mendoza Sports Reporter After another tough but successful season, Coach Hansen sits down to discuss what it’s like being the Director of Swim for both Men and Women’s teams at CSUB and the many challenges that come with it. When asked what inspired him to become a coach he was honest and shared that he did not have plans to be a coach after graduating college, but after moving back home he changed his mind. Chris Hansen began his coaching career as an assistant coach at East Carolina University and also earned a Masters of Arts in Exercise and Sports Science there. After earning his masters and starting his coaching career he shared that he “fell in love with it more and never stopped.”

The next step after spending many years as an assistant coach was becoming head coach. This began when Chris Hansen was brought into CSUB as the head coach for the men’s swim team. At the time the women’s team had their own coach. CSUB contacted Hansen for the

head position and was informed he would only be coaching half of the team for a couple seasons. It was not until a few seasons later that Hansen would be coaching both men’s and women’s swim. This has been one of the many adversaries he has faced as head coach at CSUB. Over the many years Hansen has spent coaching at CSUB, he has seen many coaches leave the program.

Having to adapt with new coaches being a part of his team has been a reoccurring issue, however Coach Hansen shared his biggest challenge of coaching yet; COVID. After discussing possible solutions with the athletic director and president of CSUB they came to a conclusion that it would be best to cancel the 2020 swim season. The decision also included to only allow seven world championship qualifiers to continue training. This was not an easy decision to make as they had to choose seven student athletes over the rest of the team, but Hansen shares that the team handled the situation well.

When asked what qualities he looks for in a

Photo provided by CSUB Athletics Coach Chris Hansen

swimmer to be a part of his team he discusses it comes down to the person’s character and after COVID “it’s 100% more that way.”

He shares that he wants an athlete that has a good attitude, loyalty, communication skills, and is a nice person. As he shares “I would much rather recruit a good attitude of a slower person than a bad attitude of a faster person.”

Now looking forward to next season Coach Hansen discusses that a majority of his team will be graduating, so next year will be a rebuilding year for the team but he is determined to continue to have his athletes compete at the highest level of the NCAA Championship and World trials.

The Runner

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Eggleston goes pro with Adelitas

By Nick Lopez Sports Reporter CSU Bakersfield’s women’s basketball player, Jayden Eggleston signs a professional contract to take her talents across the southern border to be part of the newly formed women’s team called the Adelitas Chihuahua.

The team is located in Chihuahua city, playing in the East Division of the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional (The LNBP). Their home arena is the Gimnasio Manuel Bernardo Aguirre.

“I have been playing basketball my whole life, playing professionally is everything I have ever worked for. All the hard work and blood sweat and tears over the last 18 years will have paid off,” said Eggleston.

Eggleston had never been to Mexico prior to her signing but she did have prior plans on going to Mexico this spring. The thing is she was not expecting to go for basketball.

“When I got the call from my agent, I was literally on the way to Mexico for spring break. I had to cancel my trip, turn around and had to turn back around and start packing to go play in Mexico,” said Eggleston.

Eggleston is currently in Mexico preparing for her first game of the season on Saturday April 21.

Being that she is completely new to the country and now in a pre-dominantly Spanish speaking country. Eggleston said she currently has an assistant coach who stands beside her during practices and does his best to

translate for her. But even then, she says the English she receives is not the easiest to understand.

Eggleston said she’s going to eventually have to learn Spanish to have better communication with her team.

“It is definitely an adjustment with having to deal with a language barrier but at the end of the day it’s still basketball,” said Eggleston.

Regardless of her family being away in her hometown in Las Vegas Nevada. Eggleston praises her family for always being there for her as a solid foundation over the years in supporting her and her dream to play professional basketball.

“My family has been supportive of me

spare time in her life to give back. She spent some time on the from a different side of the court as a coach. She was an assistant coach of the boys’ basketball team at Bakersfield Christian High school.

There, she spread her knowledge of the game and experiences to a new generation of athletes. Eggleston believes the time she spent coaching at BCHS really helped her in her with her own game.

“Coaching this year at BCHS with Garrett Brown really helped me out and it changed the way I see the game. If it weren’t for that opportunity, I would not be the player I was this year,” said Eggleston.

Greg McCall has coached over 11 years for the women’s basketball team.

He has spent three of those years coaching Eggleston in her time at the university. McCall had a few wise words to say about Eggleston and her new journey as a professional.

“Stay how she is. Stay

this whole time.

My mom has been there since day one, without her none of this would be possible.” said Eggleston. Her family continues to be a great support system.

“To them I’m the best player in the world, they’ve seen all the hard work I’ve put in over the years,” states Eggleston.

Even while being a busy student athlete, she has found some

humble, stay extremely hungry.

Continue to grind because she does have that Bakersfield grit.

She always working, especially when no one’s looking,” said McCall.

Years as a Roadrunner Eggleston was a staple in Roadrunners line up as the starting guard/forward, she led the women’s basketball team in minutes played recording up to 833 minutes on the court in her tenure. In this season she was averaging 33 minutes each game.

No mistake for it, as Eggleston was a major part of the Roadrunners’ success in all her years as a Roadrunner.

She was just the sixth player in CSU Bakersfield program history to rack up 1,000 career points as well as 500 career rebounds in her career as a Roadrunner, which will be recorded into the program’s history.

Eggleston sure came through in big moments, scoring her career best of 29 points against CSU Northridge leading the team past the first round of the Big West playoffs in the 2022 season.

She proved that the biggest moments were her best.

Before that her previous highest scoring game came against The University of the Pacific, at the time a high-ranking program.

Where she scored 21 points in a single game her sophomore year. Jayden Eggleston was named earlier this year on the top prospect draft list.

This list had the top 88 players from across the country who are draft eligible and able to sign professionally at the end of the season.

Miller sets a new school pole vaulting record

By Madalyn Powers Sports Editor For pole vaulter, Miranda Miller, it’s not only about the sport but the academics; becoming one of the Big West Scholars of the Year.

When asked how it felt to get this award she exclaimed, “Just to know I’m recognized as both a student and an athlete is nice.”

When discussing what got her into the sport, she explained how her junior year English teacher who was the hurdle coach got her to come out.

She had been a competitive gymnast before so she was interested to see what this sport had to offer.

Miller started by competing in both Triple Jump and Pole Vault.

After making it to state her

junior year in triple jump, she thought it was her calling.

During her senior year she reached state in both Triple and Pole Vault.

This was an eye opener for Miller as she wasn’t just a great horizontal jumper, but also a vertical.

That same year she also broke and still holds the school record of 11’ 9 in pole vaulting.

The reasoning for choosing CSUB? The official visit felt warm and welcoming, with a support system and a team to push her she felt right at home to continue both her academic and athletic careers here.

When discussing her ground breaking record pole vault record 13’11.75 on Mar. 19. at the Franson Classic Miller, she expressed her gratitude for the people

Photo provided by Alyssa Shannon/CSUB Athletics Miranda Miller walks off the mat after landing one of her jumps.

around her.

“It feels amazing but wouldn’t be here without the support system. I’m excited to leave my mark.”

As for what she hopes to accomplish the rest of the season; a spot at the NCAA regionals, the possibility of Nationals, and to push the threshold and get over

the 14’ mark with a goal of 14’6.

As for her academic goals, Miller yearns for a solid GPA. “I really want to hit a 4.0.”