February 26 2020

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THEATRE STUDENTS TO COMPETE IN D.C. Page 6-7

Fresno State’s Award-Winning Newspaper Wednesday, February 26, 2020

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Jordan College seeks to end 3 years of deficits Page 3

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OPINION

SPORTS

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Photo Illustration • The Collegian Editorial Staff

LAX on upswing with victory

Time to focus on local elections

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Program helps students with disabilities prepare for adulthood

By Galcy Lee Contributor Fresno State offers a unique program that helps students with disabilities transition into adulthood.

Techniques for Access Reaching Goals and Employment Training (TARGET) is a program exclusively opened to students with disabilities from Sanger Unified School District. These students are typically 18 to 22 years old with communicative, physical, psychological and/or academic disabilities.

“TARGET’s purpose is to prepare our students, students with disabilities, for adult life in all the different ways that we all are preparing ourselves,”said Wayne Richardson, program coordinator.

Richardson facilitates his students’ experiences at Fresno State. Scheduling 24 students to be in different places at the same time is rather difficult, but Richardson hopes to create more opportunities that fit students’ personal preferences. Some classes he hopes that students will have access to are music and DJing.

The TARGET program specifically aims to help students integrate into their communities as productive members. On campus, they’re able to take classes that help them enhance their social skills and learning skills. Through the process, they learn how to be independent individuals, Richardson said.

They learn the basics of what it’s like to be in a work environment. At an off-campus location, students get hands-on training with cooking and cleaning. This helps them become more independent, especially if they want to live alone in the future.

“Students with disabilities specifically need more time and coordinated activities in order

Galcy Lee • The Collegian

From left, Mason Frazier, Ulises Martinez and Diego Rodriguez from the Techniques for Access Reaching Goals and Employment Training (TARGET) program outside the University Center, passing out The Collegian on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020. to prepare them for adult life and to support them in that transition period from high school to work,” Richardson said. “If you have high expectations of them and you teach and support them, then they can surpass people’s ideas of what they can do.”

Ulises Martinez, 18, is eager to find work after he graduates from the program. He expresses how much he’s enjoying his work experience classes at Fresno State.

“I like TARGET because it gives you experience,” Martinez said. “One day you work here and the next day you work there.”

On a Wednesday afternoon, Martinez is passing out The Collegian’s newspaper with two other students from the program. After graduation, Martinez’s plan is to start working. He wants people to see that he’s a hard worker and

that he’s able to do things on his own.

Diego Rodriguez, 19, hopes to eventually live by himself after finding a job. He joined the program so that he can work, but it’s also helped him become more social. Rodriguez’s dream is to work at a radio station one day.

A few feet away, Mason Frazier, 19, is standing alone and quiet with a stack of The Collegian in his arms. He likes that the program is helping him to become more responsible. The program has introduced him into doing more adult things for himself.

“This is how I sing and it makes me cope more with words when I talk to people,” Frazier sings.

“I want them to know that I am a good singer even though I stutter,” Frazier said. “I have a unique singing voice that helps me speak.”

The TARGET program not only helps students with obtaining work experience, but it also helps build their confidence.

The Collegian is partnering up with the TARGET program, offering job opportunities for students. Every Wednesday morning, TARGET students distribute The Collegian to departments across campus. In the afternoon, they pass out copies in the Free Speech Area.

Aside from distribution, students also collect old newspapers and clean exteriors of news kiosks.

“When you’re not used to working with somebody with a disability, it is uncomfortable and it’s OK that it’s uncomfortable,” Richardson said. “In my experience, when people push past that time, that period of being uncomfortable, they’re usually better for it.”

Students start club inspired by civil rights activist

By Jennifer Reyes Reporter

Fresno State students and alumni are eager to kick off their new organization, the Dolores Huerta Club.

During the Clubs and Organization Fair on Feb. 5, the group of students had set up a table away from the event (because they are not official yet) and received many students who were interested in joining.

Inspired by Dolores Huerta, the club would like to create a safe place for students to come

together to empower their voices for social justice in all communities.

At 89, Huerta continues to inspire those around the Central Valley with her speeches about underrepresented communities.

“Dolores, she is strong, fierce, empowerment,” said Damien Bautista, president of the Dolores Huerta Club. “This lady is amazing.”

Bautista, in collaboration with Dayana Lopez, community organizer for the Dolores Huerta Foundation, had the idea of this new club stirring up for a while already.

“We are really excited to create something where people can come and have a safe place where everyone is welcome,” said Lopez. “We are so excited to see where this leads and what change we could bring to Fresno State and the community.”

The goal is to continue Huerta’s legacy into the campus community to guide and provide a platform where students can come together to make a change in the community.

“Diversity is key,” said Bautista. “We welcome as much input from students as possible;

the more input the better.”

The club will be educational with resources provided to the students and will also provide activities like movie nights.

Lopez had mentioned that other club members have already reached out to collaborate with them.

Lopez said, “All of us have a voice; it's just the matter of being empowered and using it.”

For more information about the club, contact Bautista at (559) 643-9076 or Lopez at (559) 328-9635

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

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University seeks to make farm financially sustainable

By Larry Valenzuela News Editor

The Fresno State University farm laboratory is currently looking into how to make the farm units financially sustainable after three years of triple deficits.

According to Dennis Nef, dean of the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, the agricultural foundation board looked over the budget in a midyear review and was charged by President Joseph I. Castro to give the dean the charge to figure out how to make the farm financially sustainable after finding that the labs had faced three years of triple deficits and the reserves were all gone.

Nef said the issues mainly come from the farm’s current inability to generate enough revenue.

“One of the things is we've got to have more income being generated on the farm,” Nef said.

“Some of those operations, and we'll use the dairy as an example, given the scale that we can operate, we're never going to be able to make money on the dairy, it just requires a much larger dairy to make money, but we need to have a dairy.

“So we've got to have some enterprises that can make dollars that we can invest in these other enterprises. So the long term plan then says, ‘OK, we're going to take some land and we're going to put it into crops that we know can make us good money.'”

Nef talked about the farm lab’s financial issues after online claims that the on-campus farm was at risk of being shut down.

One post on Twitter on Feb. 28 prompted a swift response from the college president.

The post, which has since been taken down, said: “It has come to my attention that rumors surrounding the closure of our on-campus farm have grown beyond just whispers in the hallway. As a student at the college, I felt the need to write to you to voice my utmost disgust for this decision surrounding the shutting down of our farm. Though I may not be from an agricultural background I know that California is one of the largest agricultural states throughout the country."

“Shutting down the farm is further pushing our community at Fresno State away from the career opportunities that this great state has to offer. I further request that you take not only the monetary loss of the farm into consideration but the future of the students that you claim to care about.”

“Your actions on this issue are being watched by the whole community of students

and faculty at Fresno State. We write to you in the hopes that you call upon students with-in Jordan College to hear their voices and solutions surrounding the profit loss of our farm.

We will not stand to see our farm empty.”

Castro responded to the tweet saying: “The farm at Fresno State will remain strong for the years to come. The Fresno State Jordan College’s dean Nef will host a forum for students to learn more about how to be involved in the farm’s bold and bright future.”

Nef said the last thing the college wants to do is eliminate classes, but it is looking at restructuring, resizing, or adding lab fees.

One of Nef’s ideas was not to eliminate units, like the beef or dairy classes, but to instead to look into consolidation.

“We have three beef units. We could consolidate them into one. And it would probably help us a little bit,” Nef said. “I think what we're ending up saying is there will be no elimination of any units at this point. We may consolidate them, but the purposes of those would still be there."

“We would still be facilitating student hands-on experience in their laboratory courses. We would still be facilitating research on those. We would still be facilitating students’ opportunities to intern or do volunteer work on the farm. I don't think that's going to go away.”

Animal science major student and dairy manager Logan Real said she’s not concerned by the rumors.

“I work closely with the people that run the farm so I know that we’re not going to be shut down,” Real said. “I think it's more about just some cutbacks or consolidating classes. Like we might not grow some citrus anymore that doesn’t make much money, but I don’t think the farm is going anywhere.”

1,000

BY THE NUMBERS

acres are part of the farm with 800 acres used for the farm classes.

Armando Carreno • The Collegian

Fresno State student Victoria Tolin picks some basil from green house at the horticulture building at Fresno State on Tuesday Feb. 25, 2020.

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Program allows students to get hired to local school districts

By Jace Dille Contributor Fresno State students who are wanting to teach in the future have the opportunity to work with current teachers and students.

This is thanks to the Kremen School of Education and Human Development’s collaboration with the Fresno Unified School District’s teacher development department, known as the Fresno Teacher Residency Program. This program began in 2013 with the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation Grant.

In this program, students can get a teaching credential through Fresno State, as well as a teaching position in Fresno Unified.

The department focuses on ensuring, “that every classroom has a highly effective teacher,” according to Fresno Unified’s informational video on the Teacher Residency Program on Fresno Unified’s website.

Heather Horsley, Fresno State assistant professor and teacher residency partnership coordinator, said there are several requirements that students who want to be in the program should have.

“They need to pass a basic skills test (CBEST) and subject matter competency tests (CSET), which are state-required certification exams,” said Horsley. “Students who graduate from liberal studies at Fresno State from 2016 on can waive the CSETS because our coursework was approved by the state and indicates that our liberal studies students are subject matter proficient.”

Horsley added that students need a GPA of 2.67 or higher overall, or 2.75 or higher in the last 60 units. She also said that, “a certificate of clearance is needed, [and that] fingerprints are taken to check each applicant's criminal background.”

Students are expected to do an interview with admissions in addition to having a health check and some previous experience in the field.

The program will vary in semester length and units, depending on what type of degree students want to pursue. These vary anywhere from 34 units of coursework in two semesters to 58 units of coursework in three semesters.

According to Fresno State literacy education professor Steven M. Hart, the program is important because students are provided with “extensive classroom teaching experiences, additional instructional support from district coaches, increased employment opportunities and understanding of district practices and procedures.”

Armando Carreno • The Collegian

The Kremen School of Education and Human Developmen Building at California State University, Fresno.

In this program, there is a cohort model that consists of approximately 20 to 40 students.

The number of students able to be in this program depends on what Fresno State and Fresno Unified decide on. It will also be based on state funding that will be provided for the residency program, according to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing’s website.

The program also supports co-teaching, in addition to providing financial incentives and creating a culture of collaboration.

According to Jeanna Perry, Fresno Unified teacher development manager, “Co-teaching is a hands-on approach that allows residents to receive relevant experiences with students.”

“It is when two teachers are working together with groups of students," Perry said. They share every aspect of teaching including, planning, organization, delivery and assessment of

or be in the field from Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Also according to Perry, “Residents shadow a Fresno Unified mentor teacher for an entire year and are to be at all meetings, professional learning opportunities and activities that might add to their repertoire.”

Horsley said, “Over the past seven years, Fresno State has been a committed partner to Fresno Unified School District (FUSD) in the development and implementation of multimillion-dollar federal, state, and private philanthropic grants, which are aimed at strengthening teacher preparation programming while also increasing the hiring of diverse, high quality Fresno State graduates to teach in high priority schools in FUSD.” “Our collective partnership goal is to produce graduates that are so well prepared that

teaching positions around the FUSD. These positions include special education, computer science, bilingual authorization, mathematics and science.

Perry explained why these teaching positions were chosen.

“Our program supports individuals acquiring their credentials in areas considered by the district to be high needs, or hard to fill, specifically positions in special education, bilingual authorization, mathematics, science and computer science,” Perry said.

Applications are being currently accepted for the summer and fall semesters, and the due dates will vary depending on what degree students plan to get, and the semester in which the degree will be obtained. Students are encouraged to apply well before the respective deadlines.

instruction, as well as the physical space."

Fresno Unified also provides financial incentives of $13,000, which covers tuition and state licensure exams for students in the program. If students accept these incentives, they agree to being involved in Fresno Unified for at least four years after they successfully complete the program.

In addition to providing students with a teaching credential through Fresno State, the program also provides students with the opportunity to learn from professionals, as well as a year-long residency.

When in this program, residents can expect to see a heavy workload. Residents in the program are expected to either do coursework

they are effective teachers from the day they step foot into their own classrooms,” Horsley said.

“The residency model is a way to develop a synergistic relationship between Fresno State and Fresno Unified, where the knowledge, expertise and traditional roles of these institutions is merged," Hart said.

Fresno State faculty interact more directly with Fresno Unified classroom teachers through collaboration and professional learning sessions.

"Similarly, Fresno Unified staff interact more directly with professors in designing and delivering courses,” Hart said.

The program was created in order to fill five

In order to apply for the program, applicants who are interested can go to tinyurl.com/ fresnotrp.

Applicants must then complete the Fresno Unified Certificated online application and attach a resume, two letters of support and transcripts.

Afterward, applicants must complete a teacher insight survey, which will be emailed upon completion of the application.

Finally, applicants can apply for teacher residency.

In addition to collaborating with Fresno Unified, the Kremen School is also doing teacher residency programs with Sanger and Clovis Unified.

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Fresno State students heading to national acting competition in D.C

By Anjanae Freitas A&E Editor Eight years ago, Jimmy Haynie embarked on his acting journey in elementary school. Little did he know that it would manifest into his now successful acting career.

He has been working side by side with a colleague and close friend -- Aruim Andrews.

“We met a while ago when I was in high school, we started working together at Fresno State," said Haynie.

"Every play I have been in, she has been in.

She is older than me and she didn’t go to the same high school as me, but she knew me in high school. We have grown really close."

On Feb. 15 2020, Haynie chose Andrews as his partner to compete with him in the Kennedy Center American College Festival (KCACTF) Region 8 acting competition.

Haynie has attended KCACTF twice in the past as an acting partner. In 2019, with Haynie being the actor and Andrews being the partner, they advanced to the finals and earned second place.

This year, Haynie was now attending as the actor and Andrew as his partner.

Each of the 342 nominees in the competition had to perform a monologue and two scenes with their partner.

Sixteen finalists then performed for a huge crowd at the regional festival, which was hosted

by California State University, Fullerton.

Haynie and Andrews won the entire competition this year and were chosen to represent the five-state region and advance to the national competition at the John F. Kennedy Center of Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., April 6-10.

The monologue they chose was from “Titus Andronicus" by William Shakespeare.

“The scene was very dark, very captivating but also super scary, gross and deep,” said

didn’t start getting on his feet for the competition until the beginning of January.

“I was nervous, and it was nerve-racking because there are so many talented people. A lot of schools come and compete, and they take classes in this competition,” said Haynie.

Haynie, 21, was born and raised in Fresno.

After expressing his love for singing, his 8th grade teacher from Washington Academic Middle School in Sanger suggested that he audition

ing the pressures one feels to abide by societal norms that emphasize skinny as the proper way to inhabit the world.

“I played Tom, which was a transformative character,” said Haynie.

The irony in Haynie’s favorite play being “Fat Pig” was that he and his partner decided to take a scene from the play to showcase as one of the two scenes for the competition.

He shared that he has nerves about com-

couldn’t really be myself how I wanted to be myself," said Haynie. "I was basically around older brothers and my family, and I didn’t really know that they were shaping who I was."

In my adult life, I now get doubts about who I am, because when you do pieces, you always want to bring a part of you to the character to make it more real and personal, and sometimes I doubt who I am or if I am good enough to play a role,” said Haynie.

“It is really difficult for me to expect that I am worthy of things sometimes from my own insecurities in my head and from society.”

Haynie shared that his biggest inspiration is his mother.

“She has always reminded me to stay positive through everything. I have been through a lot in my life and I still continue to go through a lot. But I don’t let it affect what I love to do,” said Haynie.

“I just use that to influence me to remain a good person and look for a brighter future. I guess it kind of also triggers me to go out and do more with myself and my career because I always second guess what I want to do.”

In his professional life, Haynie says that his biggest acting inspiration is Myers who is a professor in Fresno State’s theatre department.

“He always pushes me out of my comfort zone, even if he is good or I am good, he always challenges me to be better,” he said.

“He is beneficial for me and my acting career to know that I don’t ever need to settle for what I am, I can always do better and push to do better things and have room to grow. He is my acting coach through Fresno State and in life.”

Haynie says acting has allowed him to now be very sure of himself and what he wants.

“I am very confident, I don’t let anyone walk over me. I know what I represent, and I know what I bring to the table. I do not let anyone overrule me or treat me with disrespect because

Haynie.

“I chose that scene because of its dynamic and because it is classical. And I love classical material," said Haynie. "It was also a huge contrast to all my other pieces."

“It definitely took me out of my comfort zone because I am not a mass murderer.”

Haynie said that he and Andrews chose that particular performance for the competition because it spoke to them, it was difficult for them and made them better actors.

“It was very personal, it just shows our range and our ability,” said Haynie.

Haynie said that he started to prepare for the performance over winter break, but he

for a play.

Since Haynie got the part for that first play, he continued to act throughout his four years at Sanger High School and now at Fresno State.

Haynie is now in his third year at Fresno State and has been involved in production of Fresno State’s acting program for all three years of his college career with his main focus in acting and musical theater.

Haynie was also a member of the Fresno State Chamber Choir.

Haynie said that the favorite play he has acted in so far was “Fat Pig” by Brad Myers, which came out at the end of fall 2019 semester.

The play focused on fatphobia, highlight-

peting in Washington, D.C., not because of the play, but because he will be flying on a plane for the first time, he said.

“I am really excited because I love doing new things," said Haynie. "I am confident about our material, but I am very nervous about the flight."

“I am also nervous about watching all of those other people compete because there are eight regions that compete and there is only one winner in each region. I am competing with all these talented people.”

Haynie said that he has not always had things he always wanted or mostly even needed.

“I was raised around a lot of boys, and I

I give a lot of respect and always come to work eager to grow,” said Haynie.

“I know my worth and if I'm not being treated so, I'll walk away because it is about having fun and growing, and I don’t ever wanna feel like I am doubting what I love to do because of someone else,” said Haynie.

Haynie plans to continue graduate school after Fresno State and hopes to get accepted to New York University. He wants to work with any professional companies offering good opportunities for what he wants to do.

“I want to be in film and I also want to be in live musical theater," said Haynie. "I just want to act for the rest of my life.”

Photo Courtesy Jimmy Haynie

Aruim Andrews (left) and Jimmy Haynie (right) celebrate their win at the The Kennedy Center American College Festival Region 8 action competition. Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, Feb. 15 202o.

A&E

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

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Fresno State student wins award for his play, ‘La Norteña’

By Leticia Leal Reporter

“La Norteña,” a play written by Fresno State student Rodolfo Robles Cruz, won the one-act category award in the 2020 National Playwriting Program.

This was the very first play he had written.

Cruz, 22, has acted for well over eight years, directed for three and has written one story one time about a year ago.

“I doubted that my story would ever get chosen.” Cruz said.

He submitted his play to the competition on a whim after his professor encouraged him to do so the day before the deadline.

A year ago, he had a deadline for a small local competition called the Selma Originals.

He explained how he was in the middle of acting in a show where he didn’t have many lines.

“I would be in the first scene, and then I would come back for the last scene, so I had about an hour and a half long break,” he said.

“I would perform and then run to the back and that’s where I started writing my script to my play."

“

“I never felt like I fit anywhere, these were our stories and people from this community deserve to have their voices be heard and their stories be told.”

— Rodolfo Robles Cruz, Fresno State student and screenplay writer

Months later, he heard about the deadline for the National Playwriting Program one day before he had to submit.

“I had great feedback when my play was performed in Selma’s competition, people loved it and the reaction from the audience was great,” he said.

He sat in a local coffee shop, Hi-Top Coffee, that entire day, revising his play before the deadline.

Cruz submitted his 30-minute play into the one-act category and remembered saying to himself, “OK, let’s see what happens.”

The competition takes place around February every year and eight regions from all over the U.S. compete. All of these regions submit to categories like acting, directing and playwriting.

Arizona, Central and Southern California, Hawaii, Southern Nevada, Utah and Guam are all part of region eight.

There were many students who submitted to this competition, and students from all regions competed against each other.

Cruz entered his play, “La Norteña,” to the Kennedy Center American College Festival (KCACTF) National Playwriting Program for the one-act category.

He submitted his play blindly, which means the name and affiliations are stripped off to allow judgment to be solely based on the story alone.

To announce the winners, Cruz attended a private awards ceremony with the people who competed in his region.

Cruz was one of two winners.

His play now has the chance to be performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. According to the synopsis, the play touches base on the disparity of Latinx individuals living on opposite sides of the border.

It is a reflection of the lives of Mexican-Americans living in California.

Cruz said two cousins from “two sides” come togethzer for a funeral, and throughout that time they grapple with “opposing views on opportunity, immigration and the authenticity of the Mexican experience relative to their location.”

"The play is about two cousins, one is American and one is Mexican. They both lead very different lives," said Cruz.

In the beginning, they try to become reacquianted, but slowly realize they have a lot of differences, mindsets, and philosophies in life."

He said the ending is not happy.

“Life isn’t about happy endings,” he said.

Cruz was born and partially raised in Morelia Michoacan, Mexico.

Being born in Mexico is a huge part as to why Cruz focuses his culture on his work.

"This is a lot of inspiration from where my work comes from, I like Latinx theater, Latinx writing and directing, which is a huge upcoming fraction of the forefront of theater right now," said Cruz.

"We are so dominated by this England and European form of theater, so we label Latinx

Leticia Leal • The Collegian

Rodolfo Robles Cruz sitting at Hi-Top Coffee where he revised his play the day before it was submitted on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020. theater as like a sepate subsection."

Cruz stated that a lot of people of color in theater and in movies are being shown to the forefront.

"I think it is a really exciting time to be the type of person I am, to be going into theater. " Cruz has a passionate and love for acting and shared that he thinks he still wants to act, but he has now moved on to more of a writing bases of what he wants to do.

"I have recieved so much vaildation and encouragement, and it was such a great experience to be able to have something that I actually wrote put on its feet while competing on a national level," said Cruz.

"I want to be a full-fledged rounded artist.

I want to act in my stuff, produce and direct beause that is kind of what you need to do to be in this industry," said Cruz.

"It is so interesting because now I am trying to really discover what my writing process is," said Cruz.

At a young age, he and members of his family came to America due to his father working in the U.S. and receiving residency.

Cruz has now lived here for 21 years.

He describes himself as someone who was never able to label himself with either side-American or Mexican.

“I never felt like I fit anywhere,” he said.

His play was inspired by the stories told to him by his parents, sisters, mom and aunts.

“These were our stories!” he said. “People from this community deserve to have their voice be heard and their stories be told.”

He said he wanted to write something that everyone could relate to, even if they weren't a part of the Latinx community.

After his accomplishments and recognition, Cruz says writing is something he may have passion for.

He is striving to receive his Master of Arts Degree and hopes to become “a master of his artistic craft.”

“The playwright believes Fresno State’s theatre program is very underrated but says it is finally “gaining momentum.”

Cruz was honored to have received the award, especially since the story was genuine tale.

“I was able to tell a story from a lens of somebody like me, and people liked it!” he said.

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

PAGE 8

March primaries are what we need to focus on

By Rachel Lewis Reporter

As we enter this election season and begin the rev up for the November 2020 presidential election, let me remind you that there are still a lot of seats that will be decided, not in November, but in March.

Not only do we have a presidential primary that will determine who will be the presidential nominee for each party, but we also have local elections and measures that need to be paid attention to.

While it is exciting and I am not doubting the importance of being aware of what is going on with the presidential primary race and the eventual presidential race, it is also important to be aware that there are local elections at play.

Local elections, though not as sexy as congressional or presidential elections, are extremely important.

The policies that will have the most direct impact on you and your community are decided by locally elected officials like city council mem-

Courtesy Tribune News Service

bers and mayors.

It is especially important to be cognizant of the local races going on around us because there are some important seats up for grabs.

Take the Fresno mayoral race for example.

Mayor Lee Brand will be stepping down after one term, and he has two prominent candidates

vying for his seat.

Jerry Dyer and Andrew Janz stand as the leading candidates, both of whom are running very competitive and dog-eat-dog campaigns.

Each candidate has raised a lot of money and thrown a lot of shade. Regardless of their political party or political strategy, however, each

candidate has the chance to directly impact what happens in the city of Fresno for the next four years if elected. With this in mind, it is important for voters to pay attention to the platforms and campaign promises each candidate is proposing.

So, as you sit down to fill out your ballot on or before March 3, do not just focus on filling in the presidential candidate and then be willy-nilly about the remaining election candidates.

Do your research, find out what each candidate's history is and make it a point to pick the candidate that speaks to you and what you want for your community.

The presidential election will determine the path of the nation, but local elections determine the path of our own hometowns and communities. So do yourself and your community a favor, pay attention to the local races and become an educated voter. All you need to do is Google a person, measure or proposition, and you will get the answers you need to make an informed voting decision.

I fought temptation, but I bit the Apple

By Avery Johnston Reporter

I was reluctant--to say the least--about buying a MacBook. But the temptation was everywhere.

When I went to community college, I could have sworn I would only see the occasional laptop. When I got to Fresno State, less than half the students in my classes would take notes on paper.

But now, I’ve joined the dark side. I take notes on my MacBook.

This sounds like a stupid thing to debate over, but I was stressing when I first start-

The Collegian is a student-run publication that serves the Fresno State community. Views expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or university.

ed school. It was peer pressure. Like I said, it seemed like most people had laptops, and their laptops were MacBooks, or something just as nice.

If I did want to take notes on my computer in class, I was looking at packing up my early 2000s Dell laptop. We had great times together, that laptop and I, but I could not bring that thing to school and risk the embarrassment that would ensue.

I’m not saying I’m a college student who wanted to be cool, but I am saying that I’m a college student who didn’t want to have the oldest laptop in school. So, yes I eventually caved.

Now let me tell you, when I heard the cost of

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one of these bad boys, I almost backed out. But like the bad student I am, when I found out you

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Staff Reporter Staff Reporter General Sales Manager National Sales Manager Art Director Distribution Manager General Manager Financial Manager Advertising Faculty Adviser Editorial Faculty Adviser MCJ Department Chair

could text from your laptop, I practically rung up the item myself.

I realized how much easier it is to take notes on your computer than it is on paper. I don’t regret my buy at all, but I do regret letting peer pressure talk me into buying a luxurious item.

I also hate myself for getting a laptop with so many fun things to do on it that I may neglect to listen in class, but what can you do?

Now this might sound like an ad, but it’s not. I am going to let you decide for yourself if you want to buy a MacBook or some other fancy computer to use during class, but I just wanted to say I crossed over to the dark side and I don’t regret it one bit.

Savannah Moore Vendila Yang Diane O'Canto Jacob Mullick Jeff Vinogradoff Jorge Rodriguez Richard Marshall Kevin Fries Jan Edwards Timothy Drachlis Betsy Hays

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The news stories or opinions in the supplements do not reflect those of The Collegian.

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OPINION

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

PAGE 9

Are smartphones making us less connected?

By Savannah Moore Reporter It doesn’t seem to matter who you talk to.

If you ask just about any student on campus what’s the one thing they can’t leave the house (or dorm) without, it isn’t going to be their textbook, calculator or even car keys. It’s going to be their smartphone.

These devices play a major role in our educational, professional and personal lives. It’s how I talk to my friends and family. I use my phone to keep up with the news and check social media. I even work on homework assignments on my phone.

My phone keeps me in contact with people.

If I need to know something, it’s right there and I can get an answer in seconds. Cell phones have changed the way we live our lives drastically over the last few years. I can hardly remember a time when they weren’t around.

Now we are hardly ever without them, and accidentally forgetting your smartphone at home is cause for panic. I’ll forget my drivers license before I leave my house without my phone.

Personally, my phone is never more than a few feet away. It’s by my bed when I wake up

in the morning. It’s right there in my backpack while I’m in class. I take it absolutely everywhere with me.

It’s always nearby just in case someone needs to get a hold of me. I hate missing the chance to talk with friends when they text or call. I feel disconnected and left out when I do.

Most of the time I don't even notice how prevalent cell phones are in my life and the lives of those around me. They’re everywhere, a natural part of the scenery. The smartphone’s constant presence is normal.

It is normal to have my phone on me all the time. It is normal to sometimes feel phantom buzzes from it, when no one is actually texting me. It is normal to check it every few minutes, just in case I didn’t hear it.

This is normal, so it’s OK. Or at least that’s what I thought.

For the longest time I didn’t realize how much my phone took up my time. Looking at my phone usage, I realized I spent hours a day just on my phone. At one point, my daily average screen time was around five hours. That was obsessive.

I didn’t realize how much it affected the way I interacted with people.

My phone is the first thing I look at in the

Photo Illustration Armando Carreno

morning and the last thing before I go to sleep.

There are days where I spend more time with my phone than with people. There are days where I spend more time surfing the internet and scrolling down social media than with my own family.

Sometimes I’m in the same house as a family member, and I’ll text them for something I need instead of getting up and finding them.

When I’m out with a friend, often what ends up happening is my phone rings and I break up our conversation to look. It’s just a few seconds,

but it’s a few seconds where I decided that my device is more important than the friend sitting right in front of me.

Our connections to our phones, that constant bond of always being within reaching distance, is unhealthy, an obsession. Often, constant phone use is so normalized that we don’t even realize how much time we spend on our phones or how it affects our relationships with those around us.

Sometimes our cell phones don’t bring us closer to others, but instead push us apart.

Find some time to find some time

By Anjanae Freitas A&E Editor

After transfering from Fresno City College, I decided I wanted to graduate from Fresno State in a year and half, rather than two years.

I currently work two jobs, one part time and one full time, on top of taking 21 units. Now you are probably thinking, “What the heck is wrong with this girl?’’

The truth is, I have always put an intense amount of pressure on myself because I was already a year behind from when most people are “supposed” to have already graduated from college.

As someone who spends most of their time

CORRECTION For any other corrections found in this newspaper, email the editor. collegian@csufresno.edu

Courtesy Tribune News Service

being stressed and anxious about time management, I want you to know that you can most certainly take a lot of units and manage to succeed.

However, your time management is key in order to keep yourself physically and mentally healthy.

Yes, graduating is such an exciting accom-

plishment and continuing to graduate school or your dream job is exciting.

Yet you need to be able to perform to your best ability in order to achieve those goals and that does not start with being sleep deprived in the process.

If you work in between all of your classes, it is essential that you are giving yourself breaks in between.

Self-care is not selfish, so stop sitting at home thinking “I need to be at work.”

Yes, the extra money is helpful and in most cases necessary to pay bills.

However, if you have the ability to take a half or full day to rest, then rest.

Take one assignment and day at a time.

* In The Collegian's Feb. 12 issue, it was stated that the film,"Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress”, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and won the John F. Kennedy Gold Medal. In the film, "Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress” was not nominated for a Pulitzer Prize nor a John F. Kennedy Gold Medal, those distinctions belong to the discussant for the showing, Edward EmmanuEl.

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

PAGE 10

Fresno State Lacrosse dominates in home opener

By Marc Anthony Lopez Reporter

Fresno State lacrosse shattered records during its home opener against Stetson Hatters on Saturday.

Sophomore Sydney Skalstad set the program record for the most goals in a single game with eight in the 21-13 victory against the Hatters.

Her record-breaking performance also doubled her single-game career-high.

Along with Skalstad, junior Lauren Kiszely set the program record for the most assists in a single game with six. Kiszely assisted on five of Skalstad’s goals.

“I know that the girls were really excited to kick it off at home,” said interim head coach Kara Concheck. “Coming out strong and staying composed under pressure for 60 minutes was definitely one of our goals. We also proved today that we could score at will.”

The Bulldogs’ 21 goals were the most goals scored at home in the history of the program and were the third most goals ever scored.

While Skalstad and Kiszely set records, the rest of the team was not far behind. Senior Kayla Galet and junior Megan Walaitis both earned

hat tricks, and senior goalie Laurel Maunder recorded nine saves and the defense held Stetson to 24 shots.

Senior Tiffiny Wallace earned four assists out of the Bulldogs’ 10 for the second consecutive time.

Concheck says that the home opener was a great team win, and that the team did a really good job at sharing the wealth.

The Hatters fell behind early as Fresno State opened up the first minute of the game scoring two goals.

11:26

BY THE NUMBERS

Fresno State lacrosse scored eight straight goals in 11:26 during the first period.

By the time the Hatters got on the board, the Bulldogs were up three goals.

With a little under 24 minutes left to go in

Fresno State earns 14 All-MW Honors at championship

By Zaeem Shaikh

Sports Editor

At the 2020 Mountain West (MW) Championship, the Fresno State women’s swim and dive team finished sixth in Minneapolis, and seven Bulldogs were awarded a total of 14 AllMW Honors.

Fresno State freshman Athena Clayson led the swimmers, winning the 100 and 200 meter backstroke. Clayson was also named MW Freshman of the Year for her dominant performance in both events, according to a Fresno State Athletics press release.

Bulldogs’ swimmer Darina Khisiamova won the 1650 freestyle and was recognized for her silver medal finish in the 400 individual medley (IM). Three other swimmers — Kimberly Harbert, Manuela Mendolicchio and Lucy Davies — all received All-MW Selections in their swimming events.

Harbert earned honors in the 100 butterfly, Mendolicchio received a selection for her finish

in the 200 and 400 IM and the 200 breaststroke and Davis earned honors in the 400 IM and 200 breaststroke.

In diving, two Fresno State players earned honors for their finishes. Irinia Nikolaeva broke Fresno State’s records in the one meter and three meter dive, and she’s now earned honors on the one meter for three straight seasons.

Bulldogs’ Yuliya Tykha received a selection for her finish in the three meter dive and the platform.

Fresno State head coach Jeanne Fleck said she was proud of the team’s performance.

“We had a great finish to the meet,” said Fleck in the press release. “We couldn't have asked for more. We had four individual winners this week, the most we've ever had. We broke records and earned medals. I'm so proud of Athena [Clayson] for winning Freshman of the Meet. She had an amazing week for us. We hoped to reach higher than sixth place, but we just didn't have the depth this year."

the first period, Fresno State started its rally on Skalstad’s second goal of the game.

Her goal was one of eight unanswered goals

by Fresno State.

By the 10-minute mark, Stetson scored its third goal, but the damage had already been done as halftime hit. Fresno State was leading 14-4.

The Hatters opened the second half scoring three straight goals — two coming within the first minute.

This was an early sign that the second period was going to be different, and Concheck told the team to expect this.

“That is definitely something that we talked about at halftime, and it’s something any coach would talk about,” said Concheck. “We expected Stetson to come out strong and we needed to exceed that.”

The Bulldogs fought through Stetson’s rally and scored two more to extend the lead. Stetson would not be able to close the big gap as each team went back and forth throughout the rest of the second period.

Skalstad’s record-breaking performance earned her the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Offensive Player of the Week. This marks the sixth MPSF honor of her career and

Vendila Yang • The Collegian

Stetson junior Emily Mcgowan (left) defends Fresno State sophomore Sydney Skalstad (right) who shoots a goal during the second half of the game on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020. the first of the season.

Skalstad is just one of five Division I women’s lacrosse players to have scored eight goals in a single game this season. She also ranks fourth in the country for goals per game (5) and third for shots on goal (7.33).

Thinking about Graduate School?

“Fresno County has a myriad of career opportunities to offer.

I chose San Joaquin College of Law because I want to be a part of the legal community in Fresno County.”

Nicole Tucker

Political Science Undergraduate Major Juris Doctor Candidate 2020

Law School 101

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020 FROM 7-9PM REGISTER NOW: www.sjcl.edu OR 559/323-2100

SJCL ADMITS STUDENTS OF ANY RACE/ COLOR, RELIGIOUS CREED, NATIONAL ORIGIN/ANCESTRY, AGE, GENDER, MENTAL OR PHYSICAL DISABILITY, MEDICAL CONDITION, MARITAL STATUS, OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

Deadline to register for the April 25 LSAT is March 10

SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

PAGE 11

Armando Carreno • The Collegian

Armando Carreno • The Collegian

Miranda Rohleder (9) celebrates her RBI double while at second base at Fresno State Pitcher Danielle Lung pitching to Ohio State in the first inning at Margie Wright Diamond on Friday Feb. 21, 2020.

Margie Wright Diamond on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020.

Bulldogs sweep Fresno State Invitational

By Marc Anthony Lopez Reporter The Fresno State Bulldogs softball team showcased its pitching at Margie Wright Diamond last weekend as it swept a five-game tournament for a second time to improve to 10-0 at home this season.

Unlike last weekend during the Fresno State Kickoff Classic, pitching was the story instead of power hitting.

“I think the biggest performance was Hailey Dolcini,” said Fresno State head coach Linda Garza. “To be able to throw two shutouts and a lot of strikeouts and the dominance she was able to have, it’s fun to see that.”

Not only did Dolcini throw two complete-game shutouts, but she also surpassed her career-high in a single game with 15 strikeouts during Friday’s 1-0 victory against University of Illinois-Chicago.

Dolcini threw one more complete game shutout as she held Pacific to four hits in the 4-0 victory on Sunday. For the entirety of the Fresno State Invitational, Dolcini threw 21 strikeouts, allowed eight hits with no runs and no walks.

“I felt really sharp,” said Dolcini following the win against Pacific. “Getting ahead on the count and having Kelcey [Carrasco] back there with me helps me with my rising pitches. Be-

ing able to do that allows me to get a lot more swings and misses.”

However, Dolcini wasn’t the only one to throw a complete game during the invitational.

Sophomore Danielle Lung went the distance and threw a complete game against Ohio State on Friday night. Lung had a tougher time in the circle against the Buckeyes but hung on to earn the 9-4 victory.

Lung’s performance against OSU was different compared with her performance against UCSB. UCSB earned three runs on four hits and struck out twice as Lung only pitched two full innings.

The Fresno State pitching staff had a rough outing against UCSB as the Gauchos scored seven earned runs in the third inning.

Danielle East was credited with the win, throwing four innings, allowing four hits and four earned runs with one strikeout. Darina Orme earned herself a save as she kept the UCSB offense from tying the game in the seventh.

For the second game against UIC, Orme got the start in the circle. She pitched 4.2 innings, allowed five hits, held UIC to three earned runs and struck out four batters.

East came in for relief and threw for 2.1 innings, allowed no hits and no runs with three strikeouts.

The Fresno State bullpen held all four teams to 16 runs in five games.

Although pitching was the story during the invitational, the bats did not stay silent all weekend long. Fresno State had 33 hits, 26 RBIs, five triples and two home runs over the weekend.

Fresno State’s offense was the reason why they came back to win the game against UCSB. The Bulldogs would score four runs in the third after Kaitlyn Jennings started the rally on a single to right field.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Bulldogs scored five more runs to retake the lead. Miranda Rohleder’s bases-clearing double scored in three of the five runs in the fifth.

“We didn’t have the pitching against Santa Barbara but our offense came through,” said Garza. “So we still have a really good mixture of both hitting and pitching.”

Fresno State’s only run of the first UIC game came off a double that was being stretched into a triple by Rohleder.

However, on her way to third base, the ball would get past UIC third-basemen Cassie Kaelber and roll into Fresno State’s dugout. By rule, the ball is out of play and home plate is awarded to Rohleder to put up the Dog’s only run of the game.

For the OSU game, Fresno State’s bats exploded after back-to-back home runs by Jen-

nings and Schuylar Broussard in the bottom of the third inning. Both their home runs would spark a four-run rally to give the Dogs’ a lead.

The Bulldogs’ bats continued to add more runs as Kelsey Hall scored two RBIs in the fifth and Haley Fuller and Rohleder scored in RBIs each.

In the second match against UIC, Broussard powered the Bulldogs going 3-for-4 with two doubles and triple and scoring three RBIs. Hayleigh Galvan was the second-leading scorer for the Bulldogs as she knocked in two RBIs off a single and a double.

Rohleder’s name would be called again in the game against Pacific as she was part of two triples in the game. Rohleder’s triple put her in scoring position for Carrasco to earn herself an RBI. Carrasco grounded out to the Gaucho’s shortstop Korie Thomas, allowing Rohleder to cross home plate. Fuller had the second triple of the game after Alesia Denby walked in the sixth.

Fuller scored in Denby and would soon score after pinch hitter Vanessa Hernandez hit a ground out to shortstop.

Coming into the invitational, Fresno State led the nation with 16 triples and added five more over the weekend.

The Bulldogs will now travel to Fullerton for the Judy Garman Classic, where they are slated to face two top 10 teams, Texas and Washington.

SPORTS Diamond 'Dogs shut out Mustangs at home WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

By Zaeem Shaikh Sports Editor

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Fresno State’s right fielder Nate Thimjon stepped to the plate. The Bulldogs were in the middle of a scoring drought, and they had two runners on first and third base — Blake Wink and Ryan Higgins.

The ‘Dogs had one out, and Higgins had just walked to first. Thimjon then set up and hit a three-run home run to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead.

The Fresno State Bulldogs went on to beat the Cal Poly Mustangs 13-0 at Pete Beiden Field on Tuesday night.

The ‘Dogs got on the board early in the second as second baseman Andrew Kachel hit a two-run home run to left field, scoring third baseman Zach Morgan.

To end the second, Bulldogs’ catcher Zach Presno hit a single to left field, and Cal Poly’s shortstop Blake Wink was unable to catch it. As the ball flew behind him, Wink was able to run home, giving the ‘Dogs a 4-0 lead.

As the Mustangs tried to answer back, the Bulldogs held them to one hit, ending their half-inning short with a double play and a catch

Armando Carreno • The Collegian

Ryan Higgins (5) , Blake Wink (7) and Nate Thimjon (33) celebrate Thimjon 's three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning at Pete Beiden Field on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020. in the outfield from Thimjon. Higgins continued the momentum, hitting a single in the gap to left field and scoring left fielder Dylan Johnson.

Fresno State used seven pitchers to shut

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down Cal Poly’s offense, holding them to five hits. The starting pitcher for the ‘Dogs was Alex Kendrick who pitched for 3.1 innings, had one strikeout and gave up three hits.

Bulldogs head coach Mike Batesole said that

PAGE 12

Kendrick is continuing to get better after his first career start.

“You could just feel him getting better. You could feel it every time he takes the ball his chest gets a little bit further out,” Batesole said.

“That's a kid with outstanding Friday night stuff. When he's a junior he's going to be something to deal with. Right now he has some growing pains to go through. His stuff is so good he gets away with not having to deal with a lot of that to this point. There will be a few coming, but I love what he's doing. I love the way he's charging it up there and his stuff is electric.”

After being scoreless for the next three innings, the Bulldogs scored three runs in the final three frames. The Bulldogs had two threerun home runs in the sixth and the eighth, respectively.

Other than Thimjon, Kachel hit another home run in the bottom of the eight, giving the ‘Dogs a 13-0 lead. Kachel led the way for the ‘Dogs with two home runs and five RBIs. Fresno State finished the night with three home runs, five doubles and 16 hits.

Bulldogs' freshman Jake Harrell earned his first win as he pitched for 1.2 innings, struck out one and gave up zero hits.