February 27, 2019

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Legacy

THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION Page 3

Fresno State’s Award-Winning Newspaper Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Meet Fresno State’s first female wrestler

Police jurisdiction NEWS

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Opera preview Jose Romo Jr. • The Collegian

Rossana Aguilar is the first female to wrestle for Fresno State. She is also the founder of the Fresno State Women’s Wrestling Club and a three-time All-American wrestler.

INSIDE

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A&E

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LUKE BRYAN CONCERT TICKETS AVAILABLE ON MARCH 1


NEWS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2019

GOT TIPS? We want to hear them. COLLEGIAN@CSUFRESNO.EDU

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Ag students at World Ag Expo By Seth Casey Editor in Chief

Fresno State students and agriculture ambassadors had the opportunity to meet with industry professionals from around the globe at the 52nd annual World Ag Expo in Tulare from Feb. 12 through Feb. 14. At the expo, students networked with industry leaders and discussed programs offered at Fresno State with attendees interested in pursuing an education in the agricultural field. One of the ambassadors from Fresno State who attended the event was Jacqueline Taylor, an animal science major and Associated Students, Inc. senator for the Jordan College of Agricultural Science and Technology. Taylor said the Fresno State booth at the expo was well-received, with many at the event recognizing her Fresno State shirt. “Nine out of 10 smile and give you a handshake,” Taylor said. “Especially after our big football win, a lot of outsiders are saying, ‘Hey, that’s Fresno State at the ag expo.’” Omar Hernandez, a junior, is an ag ambassador and animal science major. Hernandez said he attends the expo every year, and he enjoys not only networking with industry professionals, but enjoys discussing the resources and opportunities available at Fresno State. “It’s about having pride in where you come from,” Hernandez said. “I like to talk about Fresno State whenever I can, so it’s a perfect opportunity.” Fresno State students offered samples of ice cream made at Fresno State’s dairy, which Hernandez said was a big hit. “The ambassadors from other colleges want our ice cream as well,” Hernandez said. “They find it very cool that we do our own. Especially because we make the point that it’s made at Fresno State by Fresno State students with our milk from our dairy. It’s all student-run, so people love it.” The ag expo was open to industry professionals, students and the general public. This year, Fresno State gave out 10 free tickets to the expo. Taylor said that students from all disciplines attended the event, noting that many were surprised by its size. This year’s expo also received a visit from Fresno State President Dr. Joseph I. Castro, as well as Victor E. Bulldog, the school’s mascot. Hernandez, who grew up in the Central Valley, said that Fresno State’s farmland, which spans more than 1,000 acres, offers a hands-on

Larry Valenzuela • The Collegian

Students participate in HackFresno’s 2019 hackathon at Fresno State on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019.

Students compete in hackathon By Larry Valenzuela News Editor

Geoff Thurner • Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology

Fresno State President Dr. Joseph I. Castro and ag ambassador Omar Hernandez hand out Fresno State ice cream at the World Ag Expo in Tulare on Feb. 14, 2019. experience that few universities can match. “We’re the number one when it comes to hands-on,” Hernandez said. “UC Davis will say they’re the number one in ag in general, they’re the number one in research ... their emphasis is on research, whereas ours is really hands-inthe-dirt type of work.” Fresno State also has several clubs that Taylor said are not limited to just ag students, but are open to all majors. Clubs, such as Fresno State’s Shooting Team and Fishing Club provide an opportunity for students of all majors to partake in recreational and competitive ag-related activities. “I think my favorite part of being an ag ambassador is all the diverse opportunities that you get to round yourself out as a person,” Taylor said. “Everyone in that class genuinely loves the program and wants to promote the college. They’re really the cream of the crop of our college.”

It’s about having pride in where you come from ... I like to talk about Fresno State whenever I can, so it’s a perfect opportunity.”

— Omar Hernandez, Fresno State junior

Techies had a chance to show off their skills in the third annual hackathon, which encourages Fresno State students to use creativity and innovation to solve some of the world’s toughest problems. The 24-hour-long design and innovation competition was held at Fresno State’s North Gym, Room 118, starting on Saturday and ending on Sunday. The event was open to students of all skill levels. Participants were encouraged to form teams and develop apps and software that focused on four core themes that encompass today’s toughest issues, such as education, health and wellness, environment, agriculture and social good. Teams were encouraged to stay for the full 24 hours to work on their projects. Projects worked on during the event included education apps, machine learning apps, hardware applications and even a virtual reality game. Participants were then required to present their projects and tell the judges how these apps will benefit the world in the themes they chose. “We just give students an opportunity to network, enhance their skills and build resumes,” said Aaron Marroquin, head of public relations of HackFresno.


WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2019

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THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

Students build shelter for homeless By Jacob Mulick Reporter

The official ribbon-cutting ceremony for a 100-square-foot shelter built by Fresno State students was held Friday in Lot 21. Students from the Lyles College of Engineering and Interior Design students from the College of Arts and Humanities partnered with Fresno construction businesses to construct and donate the shelter to the Poverello House charity organization. The shelter is a prototype for a series of shelters designed to replace the existing structures that the charity currently uses. The shelter features a geometric roof designed to withstand all types of weather. The shelter also features a sliding glass door and windows in the back. According to a university news release, each component of the structure was designed to be durable and long-lasting. Three of the four students who handled the constriction of the house and two interior design students who helped design the inside of the structure attended the event. Also present

Larry Valenzuela • The Collegian

A shelter constructed by Fresno State engineering and interior design students in collaboration with several local construction f irms. The shelter will be donated to the Poverello House charity foundation. were representatives from construction-related companies Webcor and Borga, who, along with Valley Iron, donated money and materials to the project. Brad Hyatt, chair of construction manage-

ment for Lyles College of Engineering, welcomed those in attendance before speaker Dr. Vivien Luo, associate professor of construction management, noted all the people who were involved in the project. Renowned architect Arthur Dyson also spoke, commenting on the unusually chilly weather and saying that there are some people in this community who don’t have classrooms and homes to go back to. “We’ll leave this meeting here, and we’ll go back to our classrooms. We’ll go back to our offices. We’ll go back to our homes. There are people in this community that don’t have the ability to go back to any of those, and that’s what this building is for,” Dyson said. Certificates were awarded by City of Fresno Council member Paul Caprioglio. Each individual involved in the project received a certificate and a handshake from the council member. Cruz Avila, chief executive officer of the Poverello House, expressed his gratitude and noted the benefits that the structure would offer those in need. “Everybody that laid a hand on it, that put a hammer to it, whatever the case may be,” said

Avila. “All the work and effort that went into this, know that one, two, three, all the way up to 72 individuals that rotate through services at that point and have a bed who will be able to use this blessing behind us and be able to call it a home.” The final speaker of the afternoon was Fresno State first lady Mary Castro. She echoed the previous sentiments by once again thanking all the contributors for their hard work, and said that the structure would be a “starting point.” The afternoon ended with the official ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Castro and a photo opportunity with the contributors. Nick Wicks, a construction management student, was one of the four students who worked on the project. Wicks built most of the roof and helped manage the project. Wicks said that he wished the team was able to communicate better but thinks the project “came out great.” Wicks also said that he would be interested in doing more projects like it in the future and was happy with the ultimate destination of the shelter. “I think it’s great where it’s going – I think it’s a great cause,” Wicks said.

Autonomous transportation around the corner By Payton Hartung Reporter

Imagine calling an Uber or Lyft and when the car arrives, there wasn’t a driver. The future of transportation is coming sooner than you may think as automotive companies like Tesla, Waymo and BMW continue to develop self-driving cars. Fresno State’s Transportation Institute founding director Aly Tawfik said that self-driving cars that require human supervision will be introduced within the next five to 10 years. Furthermore, Tawfik said that self-driving cars that do not require driver supervision will most likely be introduced at least 30 years from now. “We are fortunate they are 30 years away, because we still have to do a lot of preparation for these vehicles,” Tawfik said. Fresno State student Linda Lim has been researching shared autonomous vehicles and attended two conferences in Maui and Pittsburgh to present her findings. She said that even though the conferences were intimidating to her as a young undergraduate, she felt the

experience will help her greatly when pursuing graduate studies. “Everyone is there to obtain knowledge, and I think that is the best part about going to these conferences,” Lim said. “Once I started having that mentality, it was less intimidating because I realized I worked really hard on this research and I’m just as qualified as the other people there.” Lim and Tawfik researched the future travel cost of shared autonomous vehicles. Shared autonomous vehicles are fully self-driving cars that can be used for ride-sharing business models, like Uber and Lyft. Their research showed that shared autonomous vehicles will greatly reduce travel cost, increase productivity and potentially have a social impact manifesting in less injuries and vehicle fatalities. Their research also indicated that owning an autonomous vehicle will cost much more than using a sharing service because of depreciation and maintenance costs. Lim said that shared autonomous vehicles may include fees for vehicle maintenance. “Any service[s] have little charges to upkeep

it, but it’s super small and fractionated compared to actually owning it and what you would have to pay out of pocket for repairing it yourself,” said Lim. The Transportation Institute started operation last year and received $3 million in Measure C New Technology Reserve funds. The institute has four objectives. The first two objectives are providing education and local research opportunities that students can

utilize to develop their knowledge in transportation fields. The third objective is to offer technical services in cooperation with local agencies in order to take advantage of grant opportunities for transit development. Lastly, the fourth objective is public outreach. The institute interacts with K-12 students to educate them about the changing scope of transportation and future challenges.

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THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2019

Four police agencies protect one campus By Seth Casey Editor in Chief

Fresno State’s Campus Police Department isn’t the only line of defense in keeping the campus and nearby communities safe. The university’s location places it within the shared jurisdiction of four distinct law enforcement agencies. They are: the Fresno State Police Department, Fresno Police Department, Clovis Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. Jurisdiction of the campus itself is generally the responsibility of the campus police. However, the nature and severity of a crime may require another agency to assume command of particular cases and investigations, according to Amy Luna, emergency operations manager at Fresno State. Luna noted that the Fresno Police Department has more extensive resources and a larger staff of officers than the department on campus, despite the campus department’s ever-increasing size. The Fresno State Police Department has increased the number of sworn officers during the 14 years of Chief David Huerta’s tenure from 11 filled positions to the 27 officers that now protect the campus, Luna said, far less than the 812 officers Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said were currently on the Fresno force. While police response times on the campus are actually some of the fastest in the city, according to Dyer, the crossing boundaries of the different agencies may give rise to other complications. “When they call 911, sometimes there’s some confusion about who has responsibility,” Dyer said. “Within the city of Fresno -- within that geographical boundary that we have -- we have several of what’s called county islands.” These county islands include Mayfair, Fig Garden, Calwa and Fresno State, all of which are small areas within Fresno city limits. County islands are generally under the jurisdiction of the Fresno County sheriff’s office, or in the case of Fresno State, campus police. There are instances in which, depending on the severity and potential danger of a crime, Fresno police may respond to calls in these areas, and according to Dyer, may even arrive on scene faster than the sheriffs. On Fresno State campus, the uncertainty of jurisdictional authority may be compounded by the fact that, according to Luna, only landline emergency 911 calls are directed to campus po-

Seth Casey • The Collegian

A university police patrol car parked outside the Henry Madden Library. The university police department is one of four police agencies with jurisdiction on or around Fresno State campus. lice, while calls from cell phones are directed to Fresno city police. “Because of our proximity to the city of Fresno and the freeway, 911 calls on campus that are from cell phones go to Fresno PD first,” Luna said. “If Fresno PD’s 911 center received a call and someone said they had an emergency and they were in the library at Fresno State, then they would transfer that call to our 911 line.” On campus, Luna said that university police utilize specialized resources to respond to emergency situations on campus as quickly as possible, such as electric motorcycles. Luna said these electric vehicles have zero emissions, meaning they can even be used indoors to access locations faster than would be possible on foot. Luna also added that although the campus’

This cooperation includes joint security efforts at campus events with large attendance numbers, such as university sporting events and concerts at the Save Mart Center, Luna said. According to Luna, the campus police have jurisdiction in the areas that surround the school. The areas around the campus have not always had a reputation of being safe. Luna said one nearby neighborhood, known as El Dorado Park, has been a notoriously problematic area. She said that the university received a grant from the city several years ago to revitalize the area. Campus police partnered with the Fresno Police Department and, after a couple years of regular police patrols through the neighbor-

State reported a robbery in which a student was pushed to the ground and their cell phone was stolen in the campus’ P6 parking lot in broad daylight. According to the 2019 Campus Safety Plan published by University Communications, there have only been five reported violent crimes on campus between January and December of 2016. However, during that time, there were 154 reported thefts and 104 counts of destruction of property. Luna acknowledged the inevitable persistence of crime. According to Luna, the campus police’s main focus is displacing crime, not eradicating it entirely. “Unfortunately, when it comes to crime, what you do with it is you displace it and kind of push it,” Luna said. “The bad guys don’t stop

geographic footprint is only 388 acres of developed area, the university’s facilities amounts to over 3 million total square feet. To increase the department’s coverage and presence on campus and the surrounding neighborhoods, Luna said it has developed strong partnerships with the other local agencies to more comprehensively secure the campus. According to Luna, Fresno State’s police department has a well-established working relationship with the Fresno Police Department, and both cooperate to ensure adequate coverage and prompt response times to incidents on and around the campus.

hood, Luna said it has made a visible improvement. There are still neighborhoods near the university that have yet to experience such a positive change. One such area is the neighborhoods south of Shaw Avenue near the University Inn. Luna said that campus police have been working with the management of the inn to implement stricter rules. The campus police have also concerted their efforts with Fresno police to maintain a constant presence in the area. Even with a greater law enforcement presence and increased response times, the safety of Fresno State students is not guaranteed. An article in The Collegian newspaper at Fresno

doing bad things, they just look for other areas to go.” Despite all the complications of bordering jurisdictions, Luna asserted that the working relationship between campus police and the Fresno Police Depart is a positive one, and both agencies cooperate to ensure that safety and security are maintained for the Fresno State community on and around the university. Dyer said that he believes the coverage and effectiveness of each department is strengthened through cooperation and support. “The word separate doesn’t cross my mind,” Dyer said. “The word that comes to mind is how do we partner on both sides.”


A&E

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2019

COLLEGIAN.CSUFRESNO.EDU

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Lorraine Hansberry, revolutionary woman By Andrea Marin Contreras Reporter

Lorraine Hansberry was the first African American female to have a play performed on Broadway. What not everyone in the audience at the Peters Education Center Auditorium knew is that Hansberry was a revolutionary activist. CineCulture showed “Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart” on Feb. 22 to a diverse audience that included Fresno State and senior citizens. “I was born black and a female,” Hansberry said in the film. Hansberry was a journalist, playwright and writer from the south side of Chicago. Hansberry wrote “A Raisin in the Sun,” the first African American play to be performed on Broadway. With this play, Hansberry showcased the real struggles that black people in Chicago had to undergo. In “Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart,” the audience witnessed how “ahead of her time” Hansberry was by writing on women’s rights, gay rights and equality during a time when America was segregated, said Dr. Margaret Wilkerson, senior adviser of the film. Wilkerson is the author of the forthcoming book, “Lorraine Hansberry: Am I a Revolutionary?” which will be the first biography on Hansberry. A retired professor with a Ph.D. in Dramatic Art from the University of California, Berkeley, Wilkerson was interested in researching Hansberry and her work. During a conference, Wilk-

Andrea Marin Contreras • The Collegian

Dr. Margaret Wilkerson leads a discussion after f ilm “Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart” which was shown in f ront of the CineCulture audience on Feb. 22, 2019. erson met Hansberry’s ex-husband, Robert Nemiroff, who had listened to Wilkerson speak on a panel. Nemiroff asked Wilkerson to write Hansberry’s biography. “I had no idea what I was getting into,” Wilkerson said. Nemiroff offered Wilkerson unrestricted access to Hansberry’s work, which was “too good of an opportunity to pass out,” Wilkerson said. Wilkerson was a high school teacher in the Watts section of Los Angeles during the 1960s when she had the opportunity to travel to New York and see “A Raisin in The Sun” with the

original cast and production. “I hadn’t seen anything like it,” Wilkerson said. “I knew something really marvelous had happened.” Hansberry wanted to create stories where black people weren’t represented as the servient, ignorant, loud and/or aggressive people that Hollywood movies of the time showed. She wanted to represent the hard-working people of Chicago who were in the midst of the civil Rights Movement. Hansberry also wrote numerous lesbian stories under a pseudonym and made sure that the

public didn’t know she was a lesbian. When she was alive, Hansberry’s ideas of equality and diversity put her on the FBI’s watch list under the name of “communist.” This didn’t stop Hansberry from speaking her people’s truth. “She was so committed to what the world needed,” said Wilkerson, who closely studied Hansberry’s works. After the film, Wilkerson led a discussion by asking the feelings that the movie invoked in the audience. One of the audience members said, “I am so sad and so angry, and I don’t understand how we can do this to each other.” Wilkerson engaged the audience in a conversation about how important it is for people to learn about history and have honest conversations about controversial issues that affect society every day. “We have to be involved in what is going on. We have to talk about what is going on,” said Wilkerson. Wilkerson strongly believes that is “important to understand and hear the voices of people like [Hansberry].” Marisa Ramirez, a math major, thought the film was necessary. “There’s always certain stories that need to be shown,” Ramirez said. Dr. Mary Husain, instructor and club adviser of CineCulture, said that the purpose of these films is to “understand through film and dialogue” the many issues that society goes through. Students can watch “Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart” on Kanopy, the Henry Madden Library’s free streaming service.

Country artist Luke Bryan to make second appearance at Save Mart Center By Marilyn Castaneda A&E Editor

If Dierks Bentley kept you wanting more country music, you’ll be glad to hear that Luke Bryan is stopping in Fresno soon. The country music artist announced his 2019 “Sunset Repeat Tour,” which will be his

second time headlining as a performer at the Save Mart Center. This year’s event is at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 22, and also features guest artists Cole Swindell and Jon Langston. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, March 1 and may be purchased online at ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-745-3000 or in person at the Save Mart Center Box Office. The price range will begin at $30 and can

sum up to $96.75 for one ticket. Bryan’s most recent album was released in 2017 and was called “What Makes You Country,” including 15 of his tracks. The tour name originates from a line in his song “Sunrise, Sunburnt, Sunset” that is featured in the album. Bryan has won a variety of music awards and is known for his famous hits like, “Crash My Party,” “Drunk on You” and “Play It Again.”

Ticket sale

March 1 at 10 a.m. Check out ticketmaster.com or the Save Mart Center Box Office to purchase tickets.


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THE COLLEGIAN • A&E

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2019

Opera ‘Madama Butterfly’ at Fresno State By Marilyn Castaneda | A&E Editor It’s known to be one of the most frequently performed operas of all time, and it’s coming to Fresno State. The Fresno State Symphony Orchestra and Opera Theatre will present “Madama Butterfly,” a three-act opera by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, set in 1904 in Nagasaki, Japan. Performances will be on March 8 at 8 p.m. and March 10 at 2 p.m. at the Fresno State Concert Hall. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for faculty and seniors and $5 for students. Tickets may be purchased through the Department of Music website. Music professor Dr. Anthony P. Radford is the producer of the opera, with Dr. Thomas Loewenheim as the conductor of the orchestra and Dr. Cari Earnhart as the chorus master. “I love introducing this opera to other people and seeing their face when they realize how cool it is,” Radford said. The role of Madame Butterfly will be played by Dr. Maria Briggs, an assistant professor of voice and soprano at Fresno State, followed by the role of B.F. Pinkerton, which will be played by guest tenor Jonathan Yarrington, assis-

tant professor of voice at the University of Southern Mississippi. The production will feature a 60-piece orchestra and a cast of students and professionals, including Fresno State alumni and professional opera singers Limuel Forgey and Tiffanie Trujillo. Professional singers will fill the main roles with students supporting them in smaller roles “I have put on about 25 shows and eight full opera productions,” Radford said. “Putting on an opera is a big deal. It involves a lot of people, almost 80 people and five faculty members.” Radford describes the performance as a unique experience for the students, being that most of them have never been in an opera. For about 90 percent of the participating students, this performance will be a first. A stage that rises above the orchestra has been purchased, so the 280 seats in the hall will be able to experience the performance close-up. According to Radford, there is nowhere in Fresno to see an opera.

Jose Romo Jr. • The Collegian

Members of the Fresno State Symphony Orchestra and the Opera Theatre rehearse for “Madama Butterfly” on Monday, Feb. 25, 2019.

Jose Romo Jr. • The Collegian

Fresno State professor and conductor Dr. Thomas Loewenheim, the Fresno State Symphony Orchestra and the Opera Theatre practice for “Madama Butterfly” at the Fresno State Concert Hall on Monday, Feb. 25, 2019.

The goal was to put on an opera at Fresno State to keep the art form in our community, even with limitations. “We don’t have the budget for sets and there is also no theater in Fresno for opera with orchestra, but we do what we can with what we have,” said Radford. “Art and music benefit the community by making it a better place to live. It gets us out of the house to see each other perform.” Opera performances happen every semester on campus, and every other year a big opera with an orchestra is organized. “An opera is such a big undertaking that it needs many faculty to run it,” Radford said.

Radford added that next year before election day, the music department will be celebrating one hundred years since women were given the right to vote, with an opera about Susan B. Anthony. “The Mother of Us All” production will be a joint venture with the Fresno League of Women voters.

Putting on an opera is a big deal. It involves a lot of people, almost 80 people and five faculty members.” — Dr. Anthony P. Radford Music professor


WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2019

THE COLLEGIAN • A&E

PAGE 7

Black history, poetry the order of the night By Paige Gibbs

Just in time for Black History month, the Cross Cultural Programs and Services presented on Feb. 20 its monthly poetry jam featuring black artists for an intimate group of about 15 people. Though the theme was black history, all were welcome to attend and perform. Set up

has applied for the graduate program at Fresno State. The other artists read poems about family, lovers and even a poem written to Lady Diana Spencer before she was Princess Diana. Between poetry readings, the student coordinators facilitated Kahoot challenges with multiple choice questions about black history. The winners received Starbucks gift cards. The first challenge included questions about

in the Vintage Room, the event had snacks and drinks available for attendees. There were four performers who read one poem each. Local poet and author Jaie Noelle presented her poem titled “Blind Spots.” The poem focused on the idea that if a person continues to perpetuate stereotypes about race and ethnicity, these ideas become a blindspot to the truth. Noelle was inspired to write the poem when she considered how people often see what they want to see, she said in an interview following her performance. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and

Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela and Tarana Burke. The second challenge featured questions about African American pop culture icons, like Halle Berry and Oprah. Two short videos were played during the hourlong event. The first was ESPN’s 2016 Black History month special titled “Rise Up,” featuring singer and songwriter Andra Day. “Black history does not repeat itself,” Day said in the video. “It evolves.” The second video ended the evening. It was a 2016 NBC News video explaining the history of the #BlackLivesMatter movement created in response to increasing police violence.

Reporter

Paige Gibbs • The Collegian

Local author and poet Jaie Noelle reads her poem titled “Blind Spots” at the Cross Cultural Programs and Services monthly poetry jam on Feb. 20, 2019.


OPINION

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2019

GOT OPINIONS? We want to hear them. COLLEGIAN@CSUFRESNO.EDU

8

Why the friend zone incites aggression

By Christina Tran Opinion Editor

With a major spike in the popularity of technology, the use of social media platforms has allowed individuals to engage one another in pursuit of potential relationships. Often while browsing one’s direct or personal messages on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat, the beginning of a conversation is made, whether it’s wanted or not. What happens in these conversations can go well and help two people come together and form their own relationship. More often than not, however, the attention given can also be seen as something one party has no interest in. Whether these advances come from complete strangers, friends or colleagues, the one thing they all have in common is the odds of rejection, which further lead to the dreaded ‘friend zone.’ This is a term often used for when someone wants to take the next step in getting closer with an individual they’re romantically interested in and coming to the realization that a romantic relationship may never develop. Their hopes being quickly dashed away in regards to a romantic interest between two people incites awkward and uncomfortable feelings, but some individuals aren’t able to adjust to this clear and direct rejection. This is usually where the nice stranger, friend or colleague shifts their approach and shows aggression through vulgar language and negative, repetitive behavior. Name-calling and

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

Tribune News Service

derogatory terms are used to belittle and scorn the love interest for not recognizing the efforts and “good nature” of the individual attempting to form a relationship. The phrase “nice guys finish last” is another form of aggression that men will heavily lean on to provide excuses for unacceptable behavior and personal disappointment in being rejected. Taking this rejection a step further, these “nice guys” are the type of individuals who think that the whole world is against them because one girl refused his advances toward her. Rather than owning up to the fact that a woman might not find any connection with him, or have any type of physical attraction, “nice guys” express their emotions through sympathetic dialogue that make them seem like

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undeserving victims who have been mistreated. Through this type of manipulative mentality, a man can continue to spiral into this negative idea of what it means to find genuine interest toward a potential partner. It’s not about recognizing that because he is a nice person he should therefore be rewarded any partner he wants. The point is that no one should feel that they are entitled to have an immediate acceptance and reciprocation of their attractions and love interests. In order to have a relationship that benefits both partners, whether it be straight or queer, it’s necessary for everyone to understand

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that respect is what needs to be universally given. No matter if you’re rejected or find the love of your life.

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COMMENT: to comment on this story visit our website collegian.csufresno.edu

The Collegian carries four different ethnic supplements inserted several times throughout each semester into its print publication. Each supplement is produced by its own staff and advisers and is separate from The Collegian. The news stories or opinions in the supplements do not reflect those of The Collegian.

Each member of the campus community is permitted a copy of The Collegian. Subscriptions are available for $25, on a semester basis. Staff positions at The Collegian are open to students of all majors. All content Copyright © 2018 The Collegian. Letters to the Editor (collegian@csufresno.edu): All letters submitted to The Collegian should be between 250-500 words in length, must be type-written, and must be accompanied by a full name and phone number to verify content. The Collegian reserves the right to edit all material for length, content, spelling and grammar, as well as the right to refuse publication of any material submitted. All material submitted to The Collegian becomes property of The Collegian.


WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2019

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS

PAGE 9

Wrestling outside the boundary lines

C

ombat sports are often stigmatized as brutal, barbaric and violent, especially in sports that have a very minuscule female presence. But over the past few years the lines between gender specific sports have rapidly become blurred in society, as great strides have been made in the world of mixed mar-

By Anthony De Leon | Sports Editor

and Aguilar’s was interested in the science, technology, engineering and math fields, coupled with the inflated cost of tuition at a private university, led her to a less expensive college destination. “I didn’t want to put my mom through having to help me with paying for college, and I knew if I had a debt, she would have to help

tial arts, football and women’s wresme somehow,” Aguilar said. “With tling. Fresno State being local and tuition The battle for gender equality in being low, along with being able to sports is still ongoing, often dealqualify for financial aid, it would be ing with either misrepresentation or so much easier.” underrepresentation, but on Fresno Aguilar’s choice to attend Fresno State’s campus Rossana Aguilar has State became a life-altering decitaken it upon herself to push the envesion, as the path that she chose to lope in the sport of wrestling. Aguilar take would ultimately leave a legacy was instrumental in establishing a on campus that few have been able presence in female wrestling that had to achieve in such a short amount of never been seen in Fresno State’s 113time. year history at the time Aguilar stepped In a chance conversation with a foot on campus. Jose Romo Jr. • The Collegian former teammate, Aguilar was proIn 2019, with four years of wrestling Rossana Aguilar practing her grappling as she continues to prepare for her f inal season in vided with the information on how under her belt (2015-19), Aguilar has women’s wrestling, hoping to achieve the first place finish that has alluded her throughout her to apply to start a club on campus become a pioneer at Fresno State, going career on Feb. 25, 2019. which could help Aguilar continue from being a teenager with an inkling of her wrestling career in some capacjoining her school’s wrestling team to a 3-time pursue so passionately. Aguilar was not surshe wasn’t able to receive the adequate resourcity. All-American and the first female wrestler in prised by the reaction of her family at first, but es needed to support female wrestlers, despite “I found out you could apply for ... different the history of Fresno State. knew that they would come around to support the success that Aguilar was achieving. funding on campus so I knew that if I was to Aguilar’s upbringing began in the Bay Area. her, especially in the form of her mother. “Those first two years of high school, I was come to Fresno State, I would still be able to Born to Filipino immigrants who moved to “My mom doesn’t discourage us when it not able to compete for [the] girl’s state title compete for a club team,” said Aguilar. “It just the United States in their teens, Aguilar said comes to trying new things, even if she is worbecause of funding and there wasn’t enough depended on how much work I was willing to she spent her life in a traditional environment ried about our well-being,” Aguilar said. “I just interest in the Valley to create a sectional tourput into the program.” ,along with her eight brothers and sisters. At made sure to let her know that I could handle nament,” said Aguilar. “In order to go to state, Starting life on campus as part of the Fresthe age of nine, Aguilar’s parents moved to myself and I would be OK.” you have to go to a sectional tournament and no State Wrestling Club (FSWC) was an easy Fresno in search of better opportunities for Aguilar’s mother’s support would waver in the closest one was six hours away, which my transition for Aguilar with the support of her their family. some instances, as the physical toll that wrescoaches didn’t want to drive just for that.” coach and teammates. The drive that Aguilar The journey to All-American female wrestler tling takes began to show in the form of bloody Luckily for Aguilar, a Central Section was possessed led to the development of the Fresno began by happenstance for Aguilar, as her first noses, bruises and sprains. opened for women’s wrestling during her juState Women’s Wrestling Club (FSWWC), an taste of wrestling was in eighth grade during a Aguilar’s parents were not the only deternior year. In her first year competing at that offshoot of the FSWC. throw-away unit in physical education, run by rents when it came to pursuing wrestling. She is level she was able to turn her inexperience into Aguilar established herself as the first fethe wrestling coach, where the students learned the sister of six brothers, many of whom tried to a top-12 finish at state in 2013. Aguilar was able male wrestler on Fresno State’s campus at the the basics of wrestling. Along with many of steer her away from wrestling due in part to the to follow that with a win in the Valley sectionals club sports level and first female wrestler on her friends in the class who were also on the fear that their sister would be putting herself in in 2014 and once again reach the top 12, but campus in general, due to the fact that NCAA wrestling team, the inclusion of many female danger by wrestling. lost a disheartening matchup before the placing wrestling programs like Fresno State’s are wrestlers on the team is what piqued Aguilar’s “My family would be really upset when I rounds. strictly male, the magnitude of Aguilar’s feat is interest in giving wrestling a try. would wrestle against guys and end up with a Aguilar’s wrestling ability led to opportuninot lost on her teammates and coaches. “Surprisingly, there were 10 or 11 girls on lot of bruises, popped lip and bloody noses,” ties beyond high school. One such opportunity FSWC coach Omar Benavides first met the team. So it was more encouraging to join Aguilar said. “They were discouraging, but I involved a scholarship to Menlo College located Aguilar in the fall of 2014 when she joined the the team, and then from there I liked how vertold them that I would get better. They became in the city of Atherton near the Bay Area. FSWC and has nothing but admiration for the satile wrestling is, how you could develop your more supportive and [started] coming to my But in Aguilar’s mind, mixed feeling began legacy that Aguilar has developed during her own technique to win,” Aguilar said. matches.” to arise, as she would be informed that the time on campus. Benavides understands the The decision to join the wrestling team Aguilar would continue to realize just how perceived full scholarship would not cover all magnitude of Aguilar’s impact in female wresshocked Aguilar’s parents as wrestling was not difficult it is to be in a male-dominated sport, of her tuition, as once believed. With the fact See wrestling, Page 10 the avenue that her family thought she would as she moved on to Edison High School, where that Menlo is a business-focused university


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tling on campus. “The FSWWC owes much of its success to Rossana Aguilar,” said Benavides. “By branching off of FSWC in the spring of 2015, Aguilar has given other female student-athletes a formal platform to either begin or continue their wrestling careers.” With Aguilar’s success on the mat, she has exemplified the rigor of balancing academic and wrestling success. As a senior, Aguilar is grinding to complete her degree in the Lyles College of Engineering and working towards earning her fourth national championship medal under the National Collegiate Wrestling Association in the 123-pound division (third in 2016, fourth in 2017 and second in 2018). As Aguilar continues her 2019 campaign with a record 5-0, the realization that this year will be her final opportunity to earn a first place finish at nationals is slowly creeping up. But Aguilar doesn’t seem too concerned with the stress of finishing first at the end of the season. “My goal every year is to take first at nationals, but I want to continue to have fun and become a better wrestler,” Aguilar said. “I’ve always come out with the mindset of ‘I’ll do my best and if that’s not good enough, that is okay,’ but this year I do feel the energy of just wanting to win at whatever cost.” Even without a first place finish, the legacy Aguilar has cemented for herself is one of incredible feats, including her medal finishes at NCWA nationals in the past three years or being undefeated during her time in the West Coast Conference, matching up with the likes of USC, UCLA and Nevada. For the 3-time All-American, the goal of expanding female wrestling and continuing the ongoing fight for recognition by the NCAA beyond club sports is what her focus has shifted toward. Well-versed in wrestling knowledge, Aguilar finds inspiration from other wrestling stories apart from hers that she can feed off of as she continues her path as a trailblazer in her own right. Aguilar knew that being a female in wrestling would be difficult, but drew inspiration from stories like former New Jersey wrestler Anthony Ferarro, subject of the documentary “A Shot in the Dark” chronicling his time wrestling while legally blind. And the story of Anthony Robles, the 2010 NCAA national champion in the 125-pound division who wrestled with only one leg after losing a leg at birth. With those stories of perseverance in the back of her mind, Aguilar believes that women’s wrestling can continue to make strides in its quest to ultimately become a sport recognized

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS by the NCAA. According to an NPR article, in the past few years the NCAA has been approached by a few colleges to try and persuade them to recognize women’s wrestling as a sanctioned sport. The reports suggest that about 17 NCAA colleges are ready to start women’s wrestling teams if sanctioned. As the articles explains and Aguilar suggests herself, the numbers game is one reason why the NCAA has not moved forward in making progress for women’s wrestling, but organizations like USA Wrestling and the U.S. Olympic Committee have continued to try and persuade the NCAA to open its doors to female wrestling. “The issue is numbers. There are not enough women in wrestling to garner that kind of recognition just yet,” Aguilar said. “But I know the sport’s growing. I think in five or six years the amount of college teams has doubled already, so I think it just depends on upping the numbers.” According to the NPR article, there is a significant number of benefits that male college wrestlers receive that their female counterparts do not, including health insurance, scholarships, grants and internship opportunities. The Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Association provides its members with health information and recognizes athletes who achieve certain GPA accomplishments, but it does not have an adequate financial budget and is dwarfed in comparison when it comes to financial assistance compared to the NCAA. Time will tell whether or not the NCAA will move to recognize women’s wrestling as a sanctioned sport under its umbrella, but Aguilar is doing everything in her power to make sure that when that time comes, Fresno State can also expand in the realm of women’s wrestling. With numerous opportunities to further her wrestling career, Aguilar wants to continue the growing success of the FSWWC on campus and turn her wrestling experience into a coaching opportunity for female wrestlers who want to advance the legacy of women’s wrestling. “I am leaning more so to coaching the club teams to help out with the funding, maybe eventually turning that into a career coaching at the high school level and potentially one day a WCWA team,” said Aguilar. In the annals of Fresno State lore, Aguilar will go down as a true trailblazer for starting the FSWWC on campus and achieving the highest success at the WCWA level. With the utmost humility, Aguilar isn’t worried about the legacy she established on the mat, she just wants to continue the legacy she started off with. “I am not so concerned with whether I am remembered,” Aguilar said. “I just hope that what I’ve started will eventually branch off and encourage the school to pick up an official women’s team.”

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2019

Women’s track and field finish 8th By Anthony De Leon Sports Editor

The Fresno State track and field team concluded the 2019 Mountain West Indoor Championship Saturday afternoon at the Albuquerque Convention Center by finishing eighth as a team in the meet with 40 points. On Saturday, the Bulldogs added two medals to the team’s total, as seniors Varvara Klyuchnikova and Maja Pogorevc both medaled in the high jump and in the 400 meter, respectively. Klyuchnikova started strong out of the gate for the ‘Dogs as she set a personal best, posting the highest jump of her Bulldog indoor career. Klyuchnikova’s new personal best came at the height of 1.75m, which ranks second on the alltime indoor records list for Fresno State. Despite setting the second highest high jump mark in Fresno State indoor history, Klyuchnikova was unable to get over the bar on her second jump at 1.75m/5-8.75. Klyuchnikova needed one completion to move on, but failed to make it over the bar, resulting in her just missing the chance to move up into the third place position due to the number of previous misses. Pentathlete Jestena Mattson earned points for Fresno State in the 60-meter hurdles, finishing with a time of 8.71 seconds. The mark gave Mattson 15 total points on her third day of competing, earning 10 in the pentathlon, four in the long jump and one in the 60-meter hurdles. The top two times by Pogorevc and Patricija Roshofa for the women’s 400 meters would come in the second heat of the event. The pair finished as two of four athletes under 55 seconds (Pogorevc – 54.94; Roshofa – 54.98). The duo would pick up 11 points for the ‘Dogs during the weekend. For Porgorevc, it was her third Mountain West bronze medal overall, and second at the indoor championships, earning wins in 2017 and 2019. Porgorevc earned a third-place finish to grab the final spot in Friday’s prelims. The freshman Roshofa notched a personal record by besting the 55.10 that she set on Friday night as the third-fastest qualifier. The final event for the Bulldogs during the weekend was the 4x400 relay team of Pogorevc, Roshofa, Divina Henry and Kimberly Efonye placing fourth with a time of 3:44.07 to lead the

By the numbers

1.75m Varvara Klyuchnikova reached a height of 1.75 meters, which ranks second on the all-time indoor records list at Fresno State Bulldogs to an eighth-place finish. The Mountain West announced Tuesday the 2018-19 MW Indoor Track and Field All-Conference team, which is comprised of the topthree finishers in each individual event and the top-three relay teams at the 2019 MW Indoor Championships. Fresno State’s Varvara Klyuchnikova, Jestena Mattson and Maja Pogorevc were each named to the team. Following this past Saturday’s meet in Albuquerque, the Mountain West announced the 2018-19 MW. Indoor Track and Field All-Conference team, which included Klyuchnikova, Mattson and Pogorevc being recognized for top-three finishes in each individual event and the topthree relay teams at the 2019 MW Indoor Championships. Mattson earned a spot on the team after receiving the only championship of the meet on Saturday. Mattson, now a two-time pentathlon champion, won the multi-event by breaking her own school record with 4,082 points, a total that ranked fifth-best in Mountain West history. Mattson also tied a personal best in the high jump (1.70m) and set a new personal best in the shot put (12.81m). Pogorevc joins Mattson on the All-MW team for the second time after receiving her second-career indoor bronze medal in the 400 meters. Pogorevc finished third overall with a time of 54.94. Klyuchnikova grabbed her first conference medal as a Bulldog, placing third in the high jump. The senior posted the best jump of her indoor career, clearing 1.75m.


SPORTS

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Baseball off to hot start to season at 5-1 By Jorge Rodriguez Reporter

The Fresno State baseball team participated in the Tony Gwynn Legacy Tournament in San Diego last weekend, winning all three games that they played. The tournament, hosted by both University of San Diego and San Diego State University, was held from Feb. 22 through the 24. In its fourth year, the Tony Gwynn Legacy Tournament celebrates the legacy MLB and San Diego State legend Tony Gwynn. Besides the Bulldogs, Kansas State University, Cal State Fullerton, Oklahoma University, University of Utah and Missouri State University were also invited to the tournament. The Bulldogs were scheduled to play Utah on Thursday, but due to inclement weather, they had to cancel their first game of the tournament. On Friday, the ‘Dogs were able to play and faced Kansas State at University of San Diego’s Fowler Park. The ‘Dogs defeated Kansas State 11-3, with pitcher Ryan Jensen on the mound, shutting down the Wildcats for five straight innings and only allowing one run in six innings.

Kiel Maddox • Fresno State Athletics

Junior David Moore pitching during the Bulldogs’ clean sweep of opppnents this past weekend at the 2019 Tony Gwynn Legacy Tournament for a 5-1 start to the season on Feb. 24, 2019. For the Bulldogs, on offense Zach Presno and Nolan Dempsey had a good game, with Presno scoring a two-run home run and getting three hits overall and Dempsey with two hits and three runs. In a news release from Fresno State Athletics, head coach Mike Batesole said that he liked that a lot of his players got playing time and that a ball club having a lot of players with playing time is a good thing.

“[Jensen] had outstanding fastball command, a lot of confidence and if he can get going, he will have a big year,” Batesole said. With one win already in the books, Fresno State was ready to face its next challenge on Saturday, facing Cal State Fullerton in San Diego State’s Tony Gwynn stadium. The Bulldogs defeated the Titans 5-2, with pitcher Nikoh Mitchell only allowing six hits and two runs, getting the win for the Bulldogs.

Fresno State was able to pull away from the Titans in the eighth inning, thanks to JT Arruda who hit a home run that put the Bulldogs up by two. Auston Chastain sealed the win for the Bulldogs in the ninth inning, hitting a single into center field and bringing in Jeff Jamison for a final score of 5-2. The Bulldogs faced off against the Missouri State Bears, this was the first-ever meeting between the programs. The game was played at the Tony Gwynn Stadium and was scoreless until the fourth inning, when the Bulldogs’ Arruda, Dempsey and Presno all scored runs, giving the ‘Dogs a threerun lead. Bulldog Davis Moore pitched five innings, striking out seven opponents and only allowing two runs. Missouri State scored twice in the fifth inning, but it wasn’t enough as the Bulldogs took their third win of the tournament. The Bulldogs improved their overall record to 5-1, gathering momentum for their upcoming Mountain West Conference weekend series against University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Swim and dive places 5th in MW tournament By Jorge Rodriguez Reporter

The Fresno State swimming and diving team finished fifth in the Mountain West Conference Championship, giving the ‘Dogs their best finish in the tournament. The championship took place at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis from Feb. 20 to Feb. 23. The fifth-place finish is the best for the program since 2012-2013, when Fresno State joined the conference. The Bulldogs finished with a total of 781.5 points, just 11 points behind the University of New Mexico, which finished fourth, 579 points behind eventual champion San Diego State. For the ‘Dogs, Zofia Niemczak became the Mountain West champion in the 200 butterfly event. Niemczak won the final in 1:58.63, which was just shy of the program’s record time. Niemczak said, according to a Fresno State

Athletics news release, that this year had been a rollercoaster of emotions. “It’s been up and down and it’s everything I could have asked for. I couldn’t have done it without any of my girls here,” Niemczak said. “They’ve had my back and I’ve had theirs, and this team really means everything to me. It feels like a dream come true to be a Mountain West champion and I’m just on cloud nine.” Ugne Mazutaityte and Manuela Mendolicchio earned bronze in the 200 backstroke and 200 breastroke, respectively. For Mazutaityte, this was her third career medal in the 200 backstroke, finishing with a time of 1:55.88. Mendolicchio finished just .10 seconds shy of breaking the 200 breaststroke record with a time of 2:11.31. In the 1,650-yard freestyle, Bulldog Brenda Diaz Martinez finished with a time of 16:41.87, breaking the former record of 16:43.28 for the program. Bulldog diver Yuliya Tykha finished her time

in the championship placing 18th with a total score of 205.85. The other Bulldogs diver, Kelli Funk, placed 13th with a score of 210.30, which advanced her to the consolation final, where she placed fourth with a score of 218.00. After the championship weekend, Niemczak now holds program records for the 200 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 200 butterfly. The Bulldogs were also able to break the 200 and 400 medley relay and the 800 free relay program records. Head coach Jeanne Fleck said that this year was just a phenomenal year for her team.

Courtesy of Fresno State Athletics

“I’m disappointed we didn’t get fourth but we did about everything we could to get it. We swam great and I’m so proud of the swimmers and divers and everybody,” Fleck said. “Everybody pulled their weight and it was a fun and exciting last day and it was great having a champion.”


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