The Breeze 3.28.24

The Breeze

Young Americans for Freedom welcomes former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom News

Student bands to open for Dayglow after winning Battle of the Bands Culture

SNL comedian Marcello Hernadez’s standup routine unites JMU community Culture | 12

JMU’s

On the cover

This week ’ s front page highlights the departure of JMU men's basketball head coach Mark Byington. After four seasons as the Dukes coach, Byington announced he will leave for the same position at Vanderbilt.

In a statement from JMU Athletics, Byington expressed his gratitude and best wishes to JMU sports.

Byington accrued an 82-36 record at JMU, and is leaving with a .695 winning percentage, the best by a JMU coach in program history.

For more on Byington ’ s departure, see page 14.

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Letter from the editors

GameDay. March Madness. The Redpoint shooting. Liz Wheeler. JMU's first bowl game. Football Head Coach Curt Cignetti leaving. President Jonathan Alger leaving. We have covered all of these historical JMU events within the past year, and none of this could have been accomplished without you, our readers, donors and supporters.

Thank you to every single person who’s picked up a paper, gone to our website, engaged with us on social media or purchased a special edition. Thank you for trusting us to provide your JMU news. This year has been an unforgettable journey because of you. Without you, we’re nothing.

Each of us fell in love with this job because we want to tell stories, your stories. And we’ve gotten the opportunity to speak to some amazing people and shed light on their voices. Thank you for trusting us with your words. We can only hope that we’ve made a difference in a fraction of the lives we’ve featured.

As we pass the torch on to a new staff, we have no doubt they will continue to follow in our footsteps. It’s been an unforgettable year, and we owe it all to you. Because of you, we’ve gotten the chance to write about JMU’s history in

the making that we hope you’ll carry with you forever.

Our newsroom staff

It’s difficult to encapsulate how much you guys meant to us. We were dealt an incredibly difficult hand — pretty much every possible breaking news event that could’ve happened to us, happened, yet you handled all the sudden changes with urgency and grace.

Thank you for being the most collaborative and supportive staff we’ve been a part of. Leaders are only as strong as their staff, and you guys absolutely killed it. Thank you for making Wednesdays — the days we produced the newspaper — not only tolerable, but an absolute ball and joy to lead you all to making something bigger than any one person. You all made the grind worth it.

Thank you for writing the difficult stories, staying up late with writers and working to make the paper that much better. There is only so much as leaders that we can tell you all — great journalists have an intrinsic motivation to serve an audience, and the best work happens organically. We watched all of you blossom right in front of our eyes and, for that, we’re eternally grateful.

And lastly, thank you for making

Editorial Staff

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF GRANT JOHNSON breezeeditor@gmail.com

NEWS EDITORS ELEANOR SHAW & K. MAUSER breezenews@gmail.com

COPY EDITORS EMMA JOHNSON & HANNAH KENNEDY breezecopy@gmail.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR MICHAEL RUSSO breezepress@gmail.com

CULTURE EDITORS MORGAN BLAIR & EVAN MOODY thebreezeculture@gmail.com

PHOTO EDITORS KAILEY GARNER & LANDON SHACKELFORD breezephotography@gmail.com

MANAGING EDITOR AVERY GOODSTINE thebreezeweb@gmail.com

SPORTS EDITORS KAIDEN BRIDGES & JACKSON HEPHNER breezesports@gmail.com

AUDIENCE EDITOR

KASEY THOMPSON thebreezesocials@gmail.com

our office feel like a second home. We spent so much time here over the past few years, but each of you made it a place we wanted to be. Production days and special sections from Sundays to Tuesdays were so much more enjoyable because of your collective spirit and energy.

We are forever indebted to you guys. Thank you for making our jobs a little bit more tolerable and for making the paper freaking awesome each and every week.

Our advisers, office staff and professors

The Breeze is student-run, though we are so lucky to have the support of incredible advisers and faculty who stand by us.

Brad Jenkins, Ryan Parkhurst, Roger Soenksen, Blake Shepherd and Charlene Rice are the best in the business. You push us to be better and faster with our coverage each week. You keep this operation running behind the scenes so we can focus on storytelling and serving our audience the best we can. You’re unselfish and will put your own work down to prioritize helping us. You’re amazing.

Just a few weeks ago, Breeze reporters were removed from an illegal closed

session of the Student Government Association’s (SGA) public meeting.

M. Joseph Hinshaw, interim director of the School of Media Arts and Design (SMAD), sent a letter co-signed by our journalism professors in the department to SGA leaders and advisers, as well as to Vice President for Student Affairs Tim Miller, calling for a public apology for violating open meeting laws.

It means so much to us that you’re all willing to advocate for us when we get pushback for our reporting, and how you uphold our work and rights. We have learned so much from you during our time at The Breeze and in SMAD, and we are forever thankful.

None of us expected what was handed to us over the past year. Through all of the ups and downs, we tried our best to lead with humility and grace. As we all embark on the next chapter of our lives, it’s hard to envision what comes next. The Breeze has been such a big part of our lives for the past four years, but we’re moving on with nothing but pride in our hearts. We know our successors will continue to make this paper the best it can be, and we are so excited to see what the future holds.

Sincerely,

Grant Johnson

Michael Russo

Avery

Goodstine

The Breeze

OPINION EDITOR EVAN WEAVER breezeopinion@gmail.com

ASST. AUDIENCE EDITOR

ALEXA BONILLA thebreezesocials@gmail.com

ART DIRECTOR

ABBY PAREDES thebreezeartdirector@gmail.com

Advertising Staff

AD DESIGNERS TRISTAN GAONA, MEGAN GOLINSKY & SAM RHINARD

YAF invites former NBA player to JMU for speech on freedom, fascism

By K. MAUSER

The Breeze

“It’s not given, it’s taken: Freedom.”

This is the mission statement for Enes Kanter Freedom’s advocacy work, bolded and emphasized on his website. It’s also a hint to what the Young Americans for Freedom’s (YAF) Instagram said Freedom will discuss when he visits JMU: freedom from “evils” like fascism.

Freedom, a former NBA player and previously known as Enes Kanter, will speak in JMU’s Hall of Presidents on the third floor of D-Hall on Thursday at 6 p.m.

According to his biography on the YAF

order] to have a more interesting conversation.”

Boggs, who invited Freedom to speak, said conservative values and freedom are both equally important to YAF and that both of these values cannot be achieved without each other. Boggs also said YAF strives to model freedom for other countries besides America and aid other nations in achieving that freedom, which is what Freedom strives to accomplish internationally.

“[Freedom’s speech] is going to really focus on fascism abroad, obviously within Turkey and China ... evils of the CCP and how they’re treating the weaker, [and] the genocide that’s happening currently in China,” Boggs said.

Freedom himself was

according to the YAF website, which said his advocacy journey began when he highlighted “human rights violations” done by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The page also states that, because of this, Turkey canceled Freedom’s passport, put his name on the Interpol’s Most Wanted list, imprisoned his father and set a $500,000 bounty on Freedom.

“We do have the freedom here, but look at other places such as in China [and] Turkey, for example,” Boggs said. “Those places do not have the correct freedoms and the rights that we have as American citizens today.”

Boggs said he hopes to accomplish two things by hosting Freedom at JMU:

understand international issues and bring free speech to campus.

“We’re a very open-minded campus, and I think that that is fantastic,” Boggs said. “That’s great for people who especially want to hear about something that is international, that may not be known about.”

The fliers Boggs will distribute advertising the event read, “Do you support human rights in China?” across the front, which he said are meant to help students consider whether they are “open-minded.”

“Come out here,” Boggs said. “Come have a conversation with us. Come be open about it … That’s what I’m trying to accomplish. That’s what

K. Mauser at breezenews@gmail. com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

K . Mauser/TheBreeze

Pro-life speaker visits JMU, sparks controversy among attendees

Kristan Hawkins addresses crowd of students, protesters

By LIBBY ADDISON The Breeze

Editor’s Note: This story contains mentions of rape and abortion that may be triggering for some readers.

Hushed whispers and chatter echoed throughout the GraftonStovall Theatre as pro-life speaker Kristan Hawkins addressed an auditorium of JMU students during her “No Abortion, No Exceptions” college tour on March 21.

Hawkins said her goal for her advocacy is to make abortion “illegal again” in every state, according to her presentation at Xavier University. She said she was also a key advocate in the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and said she was selected to announce its reversal on the steps of the Supreme Court.

Hawkins has been featured on “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” as well as in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek and NPR. She also has her own podcast, Explicitly Pro-Life, and plans to launch a new TV show to air in late spring.

Hawkins was joined on Thursday by Angela Harders, who has previously expressed her support for Hawkins’ campaign that abortion “shouldn’t just be illegal, it should be unthinkable,” which Harders said includes the idea that women don’t need an abortion to be successful. Hawkins said she hoped bringing Harders to tell her story would give a newfound perspective to JMU students.

On TikTok, Harders said she has received support from thousands of women who have gone through the same experience of contemplating whether to get an abortion. In addition to this support, Harders also said she’s received hundreds of messages from women who regret having an abortion.

“These women commented that now they’re living with decades of regret, decades of grief — and I know that there are some women out there [that are happy] with their abortion,” Harders said at the Thursday event. “But the reality is that there are so many women out there that aren’t.”

Dukes for Life President Lydia Hill, JMU Freshman, introduced Hawkins as the “CEO of the pro-life generation” and said Hawkins has been working for 17 years to create a “national network of

pro-life initiatives” across all 50 states. Hawkins is also the president of Students for Life of America and Students for Life Action (SFLA).

“I believe that many who support abortion aren’t doing it with malice in their hearts,” Hawkins said. “I’m not here to say those people are stupid or uncaring, I simply believe they are very wrong as they have fallen victim to the $2 billion abortion industry’s lies.”

A group of around five students clustered toward the right of the theater, peacefully protesting with pro-choice signs. The event became heated once Hawkins opened the floor for questions, and students began pulling out their phones to snap pictures and record.

Guest testimony to students

Nine years ago, Harders was confronted with the question of abortion shortly after she discovered she had become pregnant from rape. At first, Harders said she was “overwhelmed with fear” and added her first thought was to call Planned Parenthood and immediately schedule an abortion.

“I was devastated and really in anguish over the decision I was going to be making,” she said. Harders said she called the pregnancy center in tears, consumed by the decision she was about to make to “end the life of her child.”

Harders said she received advice from the pregnancy center receptionist on that phone call that changed her life: “Sex does not make babies, God does.”

With this newfound perspective, Harders canceled her abortion appointment and chose to have her daughter, Sophia.

“My daughter’s a real person, and I was moments away from ending her life,” Harders said, holding back tears.

Harders and Hawkins gave students opportunities to ask questions during her speech and set up a table with Dukes for Life on campus during the day, discussing her mission with any student who chose to stop by.

see PRO-LIFE SPEAKER , page 6

Guest speaker Angela Harder shared her story with the crowd Thursday evening, explained how she chose to carry her child to term after she became pregnant as a result of rape. Landon Shackelford / The Breeze

K. Mauser / The Breeze

“My daughter's a real person, and I was moments away from ending her life. ”

Angela Harders

Event guest speaker

from PRO-LIFE SPEAKER, page 5

“We can argue all day about various things,” Hawkins said. “But [the pro-life] concern would be, when you do [advocate for abortion], you create moral wrong and atrocity that happens over and over and over again.”

Protesters debate speakers

During the open period of the presentation, many of the protestors took turns asking questions, including JMU students Romeo and L, both of whom spoke on the condition of partial anonymity because of privacy concerns given the sensitive topic.

The open-question period became tense when Romeo, who uses all pronouns, said they found the speakers’ “leveraging of rape victims to prop up” their argument “sinister,” and was deeply offended by their rhetoric as they were once “violently raped.”

Romeo explained they were raped during their time as a JMU student, and to prevent carrying their rapist’s child to term, chose to obtain emergency contraception.

After Romeo shared their experience, What Romeo referred to as their “aggressively prochoice” stance was contended by both Hawkins

and Harders. The two said they understood Romeo's point, but disagreed.

“I didn’t want to get emotional about it, but I am. I think it’s honestly sinister,” Romeo said outside of the event about Hawkins and Harders’ pro-life rhetoric. “That was the only choice that I could make, and I am extremely happy that I had that choice available to me.”

Romeo said they understand that Hardens is “very happy” with her choice to carry Sophia rather than obtain an abortion, though Romeo said they wish Harders understood that everyone should have the right to choose whether or not they want to have a child.

L, who uses they/them pronouns, said they think Hawkins is taking advantage of JMU students in the audience through her advocacy against abortion.

“What [Hawkins] does is draw them into an absolutely abhorrent f—king ideology, and they stake their whole lives on it,” L said. “It ruins the whole country.”

CONTACT Libby Addison addisoen@dukes. jmu.edu For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

BOTTOM:

TOP: Audience members were hushed, giggling at either the occassional joke or at the speakers.

Attendees intently watched Hawkins and Harders as they shared their personal experiences and pro-life beliefs. Photos by Landon Shackelford / The Breeze

SGA approves nearly $8,500, appoints association historian

By LANDON SHACKELFORD The Breeze

The Student Government Association (SGA) Senate approved funding for Front End Budget (FEB) groups, BluesTones, Madison Saxophone Society (MSS) and the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA). SGA also appointed an SGA Historian for the remainder of the 2023-24 school year during its normal Tuesday meeting.

SGA passes first Front End Budgets

Three FEB groups’ financial plans were unanimously approved by the SGA. Among the organizations were the University Program Board (UPB), Student Ambassadors (SA) and Latinx Student Alliance (LSA).

The SGA unanimously approved UPB’s $400,771.20 budget, LSA’s $24,625 budget and SA’s budget. The organizations will use the money for miscellaneous expenditures throughout the 2024-25 school year.

Executive Treasurer Senior Matt Haynicz said an FEB group is a group “whose mission is essential to the university.” The groups are of such importance that they are paid “on the front end in order to focus on their missions rather than fundraising.”

There are only nine groups that meet the qualifications for being an FEB group — UPB, SA and LSA being among them. To become an FEB group, an organization must fit the SGA’s seven qualifications, according to its website:

1. The group is so important that it must be budgeted on the front end versus Contingency or Program Grants;

2. The group has a far-reaching impact;

3. There is no current formal form of funding for the group through a university department or national organization;

4. The group appropriately uses its funding;

5. No duplicate services are provided on campus through another FEB group or university department;

6. Continual fundraising would keep the group from fulfilling its mission;

7. The group has been a recognized organization of the Office of Student Activities and Involvement and in good standing for the previous two years.

SGA approves

nearly $8,500 in funding

The SGA unanimously approved funding for the BluesTones, an on-campus a cappella group. According to the presentation delivered by senior BluesTones Business Manager and Treasurer Sara Arnold, the $3,000 contingency request was for $3,000 will support its upcoming 25th anniversary and concert for current members of The Bluestones and alumni.

Arnold clarified that the concert will be open to the public for free. This will be the BluesTones’ largest event since 1999, she added.

The SGA also unanimously approved the VSA’s $1,526.71 contingency fund request. Junior VSA Treasurer Mary Huynh and junior VSA President Chelsea Nygn presented the request. Huynh and Ngyn said the funds will be used for the VSA’s culture show.

Huynh said the “Shrek”-themed performance is open to JMU students and VSA sister schools. According to Huynh and Ngyn’s presentation, the show will follow “Shrek’s” storyline while integrating Vietnamese folklore.

Huynh also spoke on how the VSA will purchase culturally appropriate outfits that fit all body types. The upcoming show will be in Wilson Hall.

“I think it's really good as they are inviting other organizations from around the community,” senior Sen. Zach Fox said. “I think it's very important to make JMU a destination place.”

The final funding approval of the night was MSS’ $3,900 contingency request, which the SGA also passed unanimously.

Sophomore MSS Treasurer Haven Kahn said the funds will be used for its upcoming Otis Murphy Recital and Masterclass. According to Kahn’s presentation, Otis Murphy is a widely celebrated classical saxophonist and the current professor of saxophone and chair of woodwinds at Indiana University Jacob School of Music.

Murphy’s Masterclass will be a scheduled time for him to teach attendees saxophoneplaying skills, with classes being open to the public. According to Khan’s presentation the masterclass will last from May 2 to 4, with it opening to the public on May 3, followed by a recital.

Mason Hoey appointed to SGA Historian

The SGA appointed junior Mason Hoey to the position for the remainder of the 2023-24 school year. Senior Senate Speaker Carlin Bumgarner said that Hoey would have to reapply for the position in fall 2024.

“[Hoey] has displayed commitment to this organization, interest and passion for the role, and the responsibility needed to assist in commemorating our past, documenting our present and creating connections for our future,” the resolution reads.

Chief of Staff Junior Brielle Lacroix, who wrote the resolution, endorsed the appointment and spoke highly of Hoey’s character.

“Mason is really great, he's done a lot of awesome work with [the legislative affairs chairman] to commemorate [the SGA’s] history already, so putting a title on this just makes it official,” Lacroix said. “He's already been doing a great job, I’m super confident he will do the best job any historian has done because we don't have one right now.”

Hoey was absent at the time because he was attending a class.

CONTACT Landon Shackelford at breezephotography@gmail.com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

Senior Executive Treasurer Matt Haynicz presented on behalf of the three Front End Budget Groups Tuesday. Photos by Landon Shackelford / The Breeze

SGA members met Tuesday and passed first Front End Budgets and approved around $8,500 in funding.

Battle of the Bands: South House and Von Berger to open for Purple Reign

By SADIE MCCLAIN contributing writer

The lights are dimmed. The atmosphere is vibrating.

Taylor Down Under (TDU) is packed as the last band gets on stage, playing two original songs before closing out the night with a rocking cover of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story.” The Battle of the Bands concluded with an audience vote to elect one of the two winning JMU bands.

The University Program Board (UPB) holds this annual music competition to determine which student bands will open for the headliner at one of UPB’s biggest events: Purple Reign, a festival held every spring.

This year, six bands competed at TDU: Kai Kairi, Red Miata, Regression, White Wall, Von Berger and South House. The genres ranged from heavy metal to indie rock to jazz.

Kai Kairi opened the night with a cover of Elliott Smith’s “Clementine.” Though the audience was still trickling in, Kai Kairi managed to get people on the dance floor early on. In a show of sportsmanship, lead singer Andrew George rushed to lend his guitar to the next band, Red Miata, when one of their strings broke after their first original song.

Regression, an alt-metal band who performed three original songs, stood out not only for their genre and sound — unique amongst the more indie sound of the other bands — but also for the number of fans they performed for. Many members of the JMU Heavy Music Club showed up to support the band by dancing, headbanging and at one point, cartwheeling into one another on the TDU dance floor.

The fourth band, White Wall, had a sound reminiscent of the Red Hot Chili Peppers with

lead vocals from both the guitarist and bassist.

The audience grew throughout the night to what UPB representative Jackson Sawyer estimated to be about 100 by the time the penultimate band performed.

Von Berger entertained the crowd with what lead singer Max Berger described as a mix of jazz and 2000s garage rock. Their distinctive vocal and instrumental style matched their unique look of black and white semi-formal wear.

“I think they look nice; they’re a cool part of the look,” Berger said when asked about his white blazer, black button-down and the sunglasses he put on mid-set around 10 p.m. He mentioned one of the band’s original songs will be released as a single this spring.

South House was an anticipated performance, as during the soundcheck one of the band members was tuning a viola. Violist Madeline Burns also added her voice to South House’s first original song, “On Your Own,” harmonizing with lead vocalist Christian Wright. After their second original song, “Tell Me What It Is,” they ended the night with Taylor Swift’s “Love Story.”

Along with an audience vote, one of the night’s winners was chosen by UPB. They were not, however, at liberty to disclose which band was audience-elected at the time of the performances.

“We weighed several options for deciding who to pick, including stage presence, audience reaction and musicianship,” Sawyer said.

The winners of the Battle of the Bands were announced, causing the March Madness game (which some students had turned on while the ballots were counted) to be paused, and the room filled with mock drum rolls as UPB member Izzy Smith announced the winners. The members of South House and Von Berger came up on stage once more to receive their applause and pose for a picture.

“I think we’re going to get a few new songs written, [prepare] a few covers and go as hard as we can and just have fun with the great opportunity this university has given us,” Wright said.

UPB’s Instagram announced Purple Reign’s headlineron Tuesday: Dayglow, an alternative/ indie-pop project lead by Sloan Struble. An unrevealed JMU a cappella group and student DJ will also be featured at the festival. The winning bands, headliner Dayglow and

more will perform at Purple Reign on April 13, from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the Festival lawn. South House and Von Berger will go on stage at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. The order has not been determined.

CONTACT Sadie McClain at mcclaisd@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

Members of the two winning bands posed for a picture to commemorate their win. They will open for headlining act Dayglow at JMU’s annual music festival. Photos courtesy of Izzy Smith (University Program Board)

South House perfomed original songs “On Your Own” and “Tell Me What It Is” at the event.

JMU cultivates community during annual diversity conference

By LIZZIE STONE The Breeze

During JMU’s annual diversity conference, attendees discussed topics related to inclusion in higher education, identity, experience and ability on campus and in the wider community.

The March 20 sessions were led by JMU faculty and community members who previously applied to present their expertise on a topic surrounding diversity. Topics varied across higher education, industry and interpersonal experiences, with speakers who are experts in serving diverse groups of people and searching for different experiences and identities in hiring and leadership.

During one session, Director for the Office of Equal Opportunity Christi Carter presented about diversity in the workplace, which she said is about “access to employment for all people.”

Carter said it’s important to make broad change but also to focus on people nearby and to create positive impacts “in our sphere of influence.” She said her work is about honesty, compassion and helping people look for “opportunities to advocate for one another.”

JMU has hosted a version of this conference every year for almost two decades, where student groups, faculty, community members and university leaders can share their passion for diversity.

During the conference, JMU President Jonathan Alger — who has been part of conversations about diversity in higher education throughout his career outside of the university, including at the Supreme Court level — introduced keynote speaker Richard Mitchell, who is the commissioner of the Virginia Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired (VDBI). The group collaborated with

JMU on a transition program that allowed visually impaired students to come to campus and discuss the possibility of attending college.

VDBI helps people with visual impairments achieve their goals in education and employment. Mitchell, who is blind, spoke about the ability of people with disabilities to take charge of their own lives once they have the tools they need.

Mitchell said he sees more and more disabled people being allowed access to spaces, especially workplaces. He said it’s important to keep thinking about disabled people’s needs once they are hired and to make them feel as though they belong while giving them space and tools to work.

“If we want to have successful workplaces now and in the future, we have to make sure that we have inclusive behaviors,” Mitchell said. “Access is critical, and belonging here is so very important.”

Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Malika Carter-Hoyt said her work is about equipping people with tools to foster diversity beyond positive intentions.

“We have to have a level of know-how and skill in order to apply these things from an institutional point of view,” she said.

Addressing attendees, Mitchell emphasized that one of the best tools is the ability to step back and let groups speak for themselves. As someone who works to help visually impaired people engage in higher education and in their workplaces, Mitchell said he tries to let people advocate for themselves and ask for the tools and accommodations they need as individuals.

Carter-Hoyt said the Harrisonburg community partners attending the conference generally have a relationship with JMU. Many of them, including health care delivery system Sentara,

biopharmacy company Merck and others, work with JMU students and hire graduates. Conversations about diversity will create positive change in the environments JMU students will graduate into while helping students “be more prepared to walk into whatever their destiny is,” she said.

“I’m really hoping that people ingest what they’ve heard and are learning and leveraging

and making new partnerships on behalf of [the] community,” Carter-Hoyt said. “That’s what we like to see.”

CONTACT Lizzie Stone at stone3em@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

Richard Mitchell, the commissioner of the Virginia Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired (VDBI), was the keynote speaker during the conference.

Three sessions took place on March 20. The sessions discussed topics related to inclusion in higher education, identity, experience and ability. Photos courtesy of the Office of Inclusive Excellence and Engagement.

Saturday Night Laughs: SNL comedian unites JMU students, Latino community during standup routine

By ASHLEE THOMPSON The Breeze

In a nearly sold-out Wilson Hall, students, faculty and community members alike roared with laughter and applause for special guest Marcello Hernandez who’s appeared on stages such as Saturday Night Live (SNL).

Best known for his role on SNL since 2022, the Cuban/Dominican comedian cracked jokes for an hour and a half on Saturday, focusing on his experiences growing up with immigrant parents and issues with dating. His set was followed by a short question-and-answer segment with the audience. New York City comedian Matt Richards opened the evening with jokes poking at his life experiences with women and recent political events, such as the 2023 Chinese balloon incident. During his set, Hernandez screamed into the microphone, kicked down stools and did impressions of his imaginary Latino child, which earned boisterous laughs, cries and applause.

Hernandez recently performed at multiple colleges, including Tulane University and Penn State, before making his way to Harrisonburg.

Growing up in Miami, Hernandez joked about how he “studied abroad” at John Carroll University in Ohio — a school that’s centered in his jokes about the differences between white people and Latinos.

Sophomores Sofia Salinas, Ally Posey and Roselyn Sanchez held up signs that read “Latinas For Marcello” as Hernandez walked on stage, which he called out with a smile before beginning his show.

Salinas, who began lining up an hour before doors opened, made a point to attend the event because it would be a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she said, as it’s not every day an SNL cast member comes to your school.

“It was mainly for representation,” Posey said on why she attended. “I love seeing my other fellow Latinos, especially at SNL. He works with big-name people, and I want to be here to support him.”

Marcello started his set with his struggles of being dubbed a “short king” by women and then transitioned into jokes about growing up in a Latino household, both of which resonated with members of the audience for different reasons.

Junior and brand engagement director for the University Program Board (UPB) Isabelle Smith was responsible for booking the show and was committed to creating a diverse and inclusive program for everyone to enjoy.

“I wanted to bring him to campus because I thought he would bring a different voice that isn’t heard often,” Smith said in an email to The Breeze. “I got a unanimous vote to bring him to campus … in my eyes it seemed as though there was no other choice than Marcello.”

Audience members of Hernandez’s comedy show fill Wilson Hall to hear his set. Photos by Kailey Garner / The Breeze

The line to enter Wilson Hall’s auditorium wrapped around hallways and up the stairs to fit as many people as possible before doors opened. Freshman theater major Abby Lee didn’t mind waiting, however, as she was among the first to line up at 5 p.m., two hours before showtime.

“When I was little, my parents told me I should go on SNL, and I got a power trip about it,” Lee said. “I love Marcello Hernandez and was like ‘Well, I have to be front row.’”

Freshman theater major Mina Abu Alhomos was also a fan of sketch comedy beforehand and called Hernandez her favorite comedian, which motivated her to sit front row like Lee.

“As someone who has immigrant parents, I find his jokes relatable,” Abu Alhomos said.

CONTACT Ashlee Thompson at thomp6ab@dukes.jmu.edu and Abby Camp at campad@dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

Thursday, March 28, 2024 |

Hernandez’s jokes covered topics of dating, growing up Latino and politics.

Hernandez is known for his features on SNL in skits such as “Weekend Update.” NBC News

Byington leaves JMU for same position at Vanderbilt

‘I love you all’: Head coach departs after historic record-breaking season

By SPORTS DESK

The Breeze

JMU men’s basketball head coach Mark Byington is leaving JMU for the same position at Vanderbilt, ESPN reported Monday afternoon.

His departure comes after a 32-4 season (15-3 Sun Belt), including a conference championship and a win over No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament — JMU’s first since 1983.

Byington boasted an 82-36 record through four seasons at JMU, turning the program around upon arriving off a 9-21 season in 2019, when he succeeded former head coach Louis Rowe. Before arriving at JMU, Byington led Georgia Southern to four 20-win seasons, including three consecutive ones — the first time for that program in 30 years.

Under Byington, guard Terrence Edwards Jr. won the 2023-24 Sun Belt Player of the Year and 2022-23 Sixth Man of the Year, while forward T.J. Bickerstaff won 2023-24 Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year. Forward Julien Wooden, who played four of his five years at JMU under Byington, broke the program’s record for all-time games played this year with 146.

Byington led the Dukes to their first AP national ranking in program history when they were ranked No. 24 in the polls on Nov. 13. They ranked as high as No. 19 on Jan. 1.

Vanderbilt finished the 2023-24 season 9-23 — its worst finish since the abbreviated 2020-21 season when they finished 9-16. “I’m thrilled and honored to be the head men’s basketball coach at Vanderbilt University. I know Commodore fans are eager for success, and we will get there together,”

Byington said in his official introduction at Vanderbilt.

Former Appalachian State (1975-1981), Georgia Tech (1981-200) and College of Charleston (2006-2012) head coach Bobby Cremins, who Byington worked under as an assistant coach at the College of Charleston (2005-20012), said he’s a “tireless worker.”

“First of all, it’s gonna be a challenge,” Cremins said. “Mark is very smart and I don’t think he would just jump into a situation where he didn’t think he could be successful.” I think something clicked with him and the AD [Candice Storey Lee] at the school. To have an opportunity to go to a Power 5 school is something you have to look at.”

In an official written announcement by JMU, Byington left the following message:

“To JMU fans, alumni and students, when I took the head coach job four years ago, I knew we could do great things together. Although there were incredible challenges such as CoVID, changing conferences and evolution of changes in college athletics, we were able to take this program to incredible heights. Your support and enthusiasm lifted this program to unimaginable success. I will miss the great people and campus community tremendously, but I will always have special memories of the way I was treated, welcomed and supported while I was the coach. JMU Athletics had so much success and national attention this year, and I have no doubt it will continue its elevation. Most of all I want to thank my players. I love you all and it was a privilege to be your coach. Go Dukes!!!!”

CONTACT sports desk at breezesports@gmail.com. For more men’s basketball coverage, follow the sports desk on X @TheBreezeSports.

Former men’s basketball head coach Mark Byington speaks with CBS sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson during a media timeout at the Dukes’ first round matchup against Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament. The Dukes won 72-61. Kaiden Bridges / The Breeze

Ella Austin / The Breeze

Men’s hoops HC Byington departs, leaves vacancy for unnamed successor

By PRESTON COMER The Breeze

After four seasons, men’s basketball head coach Mark Byington is leaving the Dukes for the same position at Vanderbilt after leading JMU to a Sun Belt Conference Championship and its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013, accumulating an 82-36 record during his tenure.

With their recent success and experience with building their respective programs, here are names to keep an eye on as the Dukes look for Byington’s successor:

Former JMU coaching candidates

All four of these candidates had their names thrown around with JMU’s open head coach position after the departure of Louis Rowe (2016-20). JMU could turn to these names once again with its need for a head coach.

Russell Turner, UC Irvine head coach: The Roanoke native and former player at Hampden-Sydney (1988-92) has built quite the resume during his 14 years at UC Irvine. He is a four-time Big West Coach of the Year who led the Anteaters to two conference championship wins and two NCAA Tournament appearances. In its second appearance in 201819 as a No. 13 seed, UC Irvine upset No. 4 seed Kansas State in the first round.

Robert Jones, Norfolk State head coach: Jones has been named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year three times in his 11 years with the program. He led the Spartans to four regular season championships, two conference championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances.

Mike Jones, UNC Greensboro head coach: Jones has coached for 13 years, 10 of which were at Radford. In his time at Radford, he brought in one Big South Championship

leading to his only NCAA Tournament appearance (2018). He has spent the last three seasons leading the Spartans and has finished the last two seasons with at least twenty wins.

Kevin Sutton, Rhode Island assistant coach: The former JMU player (1983-86) has been an assistant coach for the Rams since 2018. Before his gig with Rhode Island, Sutton coached at Montverde Academy (2004-11) and had a record of 186-33. Depending on how negotiations with other coaches go, Sutton could have his name called.

Potentials with Virginia ties

These coaches may not have direct ties to JMU, but their ties to Virginia basketball could make them contenders for the job.

Mike Morell, UNC Asheville head coach: The former VCU assistant had a bumpy start in his first four seasons (2018-22) with a 46-68 overall record, but he turned UNC Asheville in a completely different direction. In 2022-23, he led the Bulldogs to a 27-8 record, winning the Big South championship and making the NCAA Tournament.

Joel Justus, NC State assistant coach: Justus has seen his fair share of college basketball. He spent seven years on Kentucky’s staff, one year at Arizona State’s and spent the last two years as an assistant coach for North Carolina State. He led a Wolfpack offense that finished second in the ACC in scoring in 2022-23 with 77.7 points per game. In 2023-24, the Wolfpack finished sixth in the conference with 76.5 points per game, won the ACC tournament and will play in the Sweet 16 on Thursday. Justus already has ties to Virginia as he used to be the head coach for Woodberry Forest School, which is a little over 50 miles east of Harrisonburg.

CONTACT Preston Comer at comerps@dukes.jmu.edu. For more men’s basketball coverage, follow the sports desk on X @TheBreezeSports.

Byington announced his leave roughly 17 hours after JMU’s 93-55 loss to Duke in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Mark Byington is leaving JMU after four seasons as head coach with an 82-36 record. Photos by Kaiden Bridges / The Breeze

Analysis | The good, bad & ugly of JMU baseball

A look into the ups and downs of JMU baseball 24 games into the season

By PRESTON COMER The Breeze

JMU baseball started its 2024 season hot, going 11-3 through the first 14 games. In this run, they went on a 10-game win streak after a 1-3 start. The win streak ended five days before the Dukes began to play other Sun Belt teams.

Since the 11-3 start, JMU has gone 3-7 and 2-4 in conference play.

Here are takeaways from JMU's hot start and its cold stretch to conference play:

The good: Unsung heroes

During the early 10-game win streak, the Dukes averaged a staggering 9.4 runs and 11.7 hits per game.

The bright spot on offense for JMU has been junior catcher Jason Schiavone. The Maryland native has started behind the plate for all 24 of the Dukes’ games this season and leads all starters in batting average at .316.

Schiavone is also first on the team in RBI’s with 20, second on-base-plus-slugging percentage at 1.022 and third in home runs at six.

Not only has Schiavone impressed with his bat, but he’s been a workhorse behind the plate. Schiavone leads all catchers in the Sun Belt with 12 runners thrown out, with the next closest catcher having just six.

Even during the 3–7 stretch, Schiavone has batted at .399 with three home runs and 12 RBIs.

Another unsung hero for JMU has been sophomore infielder Wyatt Peifer. The switch hitter has started the season by batting .312, only behind Schiavone. Piefer is also second on the team in on-base percentage at .404.

Last year, Schiavone had the lowest batting average of every JMU starter at .194, along with the lowest on-base percentage at .311.

Piefer only appeared in 38 games last season and didn't see the production he has this year. Last season, he batted just .250 and had the third lowest on-base-plus-slugging percentage on the team at .641.

The bad: Cold bats

Multiple significant contributors to the Dukes’ offense early this year and last season haven’t seen the same production as of late.

In 25 games last season, junior outfielder Ryan Dooley made the most of his limited opportunities. He batted .324 with 19 RBIs, helping him earn his spot as a starter this season.

Dooley hasn’t been cold or unproductive by any means, but he hasn’t met the higher expectations. Through the first 24 games, he is slightly off his pace from last season, with a batting average of .278 and just 14 RBIs.

The hitter in JMU’s lineup who has most struggled to find a groove is sophomore second baseman Mike Mancini. As the leadoff hitter for the Dukes, he's batting at .267, the second lowest on the team, with a .396 on-base percentage.

But as a whole, JMU’s bats have gone cold. In the 3-7 stretch, the offense has cooled off significantly. Even though they are still putting up runs, they average almost half as many during the drought as they did during the 10-game win streak at 4.9 runs per game.

The ugly: Pitching

Unlike hitting, the pitching has been an issue since opening day. In the Dukes’ first 24 games, they've allowed 6.6 runs per game.

Statistically, JMU is at the bottom of the Sun Belt in pitching. The Dukes have the secondhighest ERA in the conference at 5.83, the most hits allowed at 251, the fourth-most runs allowed at 152 and the best opponent batting average at .305.

Pitching proved to be an issue for JMU in the 2023 season as well, as it finished with an ERA

of 6.32. But two pitchers impressed above the rest last year: senior Ryan Murphy and junior Todd Mozoki.

The two pitchers had the most starts on the team and were both tied for first in ERA last season at 4.89. As JMU reaches the halfway point of the 2024 season, Murphy has an ERA of 7.25 and Mozoki is sitting at 8.14. Hitters are also seeing high success against both pitchers, as both allow a .368 batting average.

The bright point from the starting pitchers has been graduate Donovan Burke. He finished the 2023 season with a 10.43 ERA in five starts but has started this season with a team-high 3.06 ERA in his four starts.

JMU’s next opportunity to get back on track in conference play is on the road in a three-game series against Georgia State (1311, 5-1 Sun Belt) starting Thursday at 6 p.m.

CONTACT Preston Comer at comerps@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more baseball coverage, follow the sports desk on X @TheBreezeSports.

Junior catcher Jason Schiavone is batting .316 with six home runs this season.

Rowan Potts / The Breeze

Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? Darts & Pats is the place to do it. Submit your own at breezejmu.org.

A “so-stunning” pat to all the Black women on JMU's campus.

From someone that loves and appreciates you all.

A “you-saved-the-day” pat to Alexandra at the Bookstore by giving this alum's car battery a jump, and proving Dukes are the kindest people!

From a 2004 grad with kids hopped up on D-Hall ice cream.

A “we-appreciate-you” pat to Evan Weaver for all of the awesome work he's done with the opinion section during his tenure.

From an appreciative reader. A “shut-up” dart to my professor for cursing too much in class.

From someone mature enough to read the room.

Graduating staff reflects on their time spent at The Breeze Sayonara to our seniors

MICHAEL RUSSO | Executive Editor

When I came to JMU, I was lonely. I was sent home after 12 days and stayed there since all my classes were online during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When I returned to campus in the spring, I lived alone in my Shenandoah Hall dorm room. When I wanted to see my few friends at the time, we were masked and socially distant. Classes were mostly online, and I couldn’t really visit my family since we didn’t want to risk getting each other sick.

Freshman year was a rough start to college, one I wouldn’t wish on anyone. But with help from my family and friends, we made the most of it however we could. They got me through it. So did The Breeze.

I started my Breeze journey as a writer for the culture section. My first story? Pumpkin recipes in time for fall. I also wrote multiple reviews of “The Mandalorian” and completed my first feature story by December, which was the first time I had ever interviewed strangers. That story’s framed back home now — a symbol of where I started.

The next year, I actually got to interact with the rest of my section! Then-Culture Editors

Charlotte Matherly and Amy Needham cultivated my potential to be a more confident reporter. I refined my writing style and became more comfortable interviewing sources for features. They supported me as I decided to follow in their footsteps as a culture editor, an opportunity I knew I wanted and needed to take to make the most of my experience.

Leading the Culture section was equally formative. I learned how to manage a team while being a part of one on the editorial staff. I covered some of the most emotional events I’d ever witnessed at vigils and memorial services. My co-workers became my new friends — another family — who I could lean on.

It wasn’t until I sat down with the thenExecutive Editor Zia Faqiri in December 2022, that I realized Executive Editor was the job for me: to focus on the big picture and continue to foster collaboration among our whole staff of print and TV journalists. I hadn’t originally envisioned myself working in broadcast, but I worked to integrate myself into Breeze TV, and I grew to love all parts of The Breeze even more.

So, the day has finally arrived. I never could’ve imagined just how profound of an impact The Breeze would have on me — one I can’t fully express with words. It’s

bittersweet to say goodbye to the place and people that have fundamentally shaped my college experience.

It’s been a long year with seemingly nonstop breaking news, all while juggling mentoring staffers, meeting with advisers and adapting to be the best leader I could be. It feels like a lot, and I’m the first to tell you I wish I could’ve done more.

Nevertheless, The Breeze is in the best hands with its next leaders, Eleanor Shaw and Alexa Bonilla. They have the persistence to stand their ground and a deep desire to learn that has them asking tough questions.

To Mom, Dad, Andy, Amelia, Sarah and Diego, I wouldn’t be here without you. Your constant support kept me grounded, even when I was swamped with work and couldn’t always return the favor. I love you all so much.

To everyone I’ve worked with these past two years, we have covered so many crazy, exciting stories together. Thank you for being the best team to work with every week and for trusting me as one of your leaders. It’s been a roller coaster, but I know I’ve learned so much from this experience. I hope you have, too.

In the words of Taylor Swift: “Long live all the mountains we moved, I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you."

Read the full version at www.breezejmu.org

From left to right: Seniors Abigail Parades, Emma Johnson, Evan Weaver, Avery Goodstine, Grant Johnson and Michael Russo. Blake Shepherd / The Breeze

GRANT JOHNSON Editor-in-Chief

It is quite literally impossible to encapsulate my four years with The Breeze and three years on its editorial staff in this column. Plus, I hate talking about myself. So I’m gonna dedicate my too-many-yearsin-the-making goodbye column to the folks who molded my Breeze experience — as I learned in my news writing and reporting class in the first semester of my sophomore year, start articles with the most important stuff (shoutout Brad).

But, the people below are not written in order of importance. You’re all important! I wrote this strictly off of vibes. Mom and dad, no, you weren’t the ninth most important people in my Breeze career.

To the 2023-24 editorial staff: I was pretty burnt out from a lot of things — this newspaper, school, overall stress, being “against the clock,” if you will — going into staff interviews in February 2023. I remember walking out of them and feeling almost cured — so rejuvenated, so inspired by your ideas, to the point that I didn’t want to let you down as your editor-in-chief. Despite multiple shakeups to the staff, two extra special edition papers and breaking news galore, we stayed the course, and this past spring semester ended up being the best group I’ve been a part of in my three years on staff. Thank you for being awesome. Thank you for being your authentic selves. Thank you for being so supportive and collaborative. Thank you for making my job easier. Despite the many jokes at my expense, I promise, I had a blast.

To Jackson Hephner & Kaiden Bridges: Man, where do I even start? Between covering an athletic director stepping down, a coaching search, ESPN College GameDay, this weird bowl waiver thing, the actual bowl game, March Madness, and with another coaching search ongoing as I type this, I could not possibly imagine a tougher hand being dealt to my sports editor successors. There was nothing I could’ve said or done to prepare you for any of the above things because I didn’t experience any of it, but you still produced quality work time and time again when duty called with urgency and grace. Please know I’m so proud of both of you, and that you’re leaving the sports desk in a tremendous place.

To Savannah Reger & Charlotte Matherly: I feel like I have to put you both in the same entry or else you’ll accuse me of not being even, and because you’re basically the same person anyway. Savannah, my first Breeze editor alongside Noah Ziegler on the sports desk, thanks for teaching me what an em dash is. I use them from time to time. Charlotte, thanks for showing me that you don’t need to know everything or always be the loudest in the room to lead a staff. And thank you both for your continued support. I hope I’m making you proud! (*seven teary-eyed emojis*) I miss you! Ah!!!

To the 2022-23 sports desk: I would never be able to foresee where our weekly Sunday meetings went, and I

mean that in the best way possible. You all took on game coverage, communicated and worked hard week in and week out. I’m so humbled to call you guys the first staff I had the honor of leading.

To Madison Hricik & Josh Dixon: No one else can say they led The Breeze and Breeze TV’s coverage of JMU Athletics’ first year in the Sun Belt Conference and the FBS — and I’ll always be damn proud of that. I know you’ll both continue to thrive in the sports world! Extra Points on the Quad this afternoon?

To Jake Conley: Thank you for taking a chance on a freshman who didn’t know what a copy editor was. (Confession: I didn’t mean to call you back when you called to hire me; I wanted to listen to your message first and didn’t think it would call you when I tapped on the message you left.) Even though you’re probably the most annoying person I’ve ever met, you were the first model I had for leading a staff and loving the essence of journalism — holding authority to account and calling out fraudulence — and I’m the journalist I am today because of you. Won’t lie, sometimes I was scared to point out a copy error as a little-bitty freshman, or to make edits when you’d write 30 gazillion Google Doc pages about suing JMU or complicated money stuff or what have you. Can’t wait to see what comes next in your reporting of the fishies!

To Joanna Sommer: Gotta shout out my first co-editor! Yes, I miss you (just a little), but I don’t miss your take on the Oxford comma.

To Noah Zeigler: I don’t think you realize what you did for me. Pushing me to apply for an editor position as a freshman when I had one byline to my name launched everything. I will be forever grateful for that. I owe you a drink this summer.

To Mom & Dad: Thank you for your unwavering support, story ideas and bringing in the two page views The Breeze could always count on. I’m so lucky and grateful to have two parents who are so supportive of a young journalist set to enter a low-paying field with odd hours. I can chase my passion because of you both. Whenever I wouldn’t respond to a text in a timely manner over the last three years, I promise it was because I was busy and not due to me ignoring you. Love you guys!

To Brad Jenkins, Ryan Alessi and all the SMAD faculty/ Breeze lifeline support crew: Thank you for always, without a second thought or hesitation, being there for us. My biggest advice for Eleanor stepping into editorin-chief has been to lean on you guys and never feel like she’s alone. That advice stems from the supportive environment you’ve nurtured and the problem-solvingoriented thinking you all instill in us. You’re why The Breeze has thrived for years. We’re forever indebted to you guys. None of the awards, accolades or honors The Breeze wins are possible without the infrastructure and culture you all have built.

To Charlene Rice & Blake Shepherd: I will always

associate The Breeze office with both of your consistent, warming presences. Charlene, I will miss the smile you flashed every time I walked into the office on production day, and Blake, I’m convinced you have a story for every situation ever. Can’t wait to hear about the new lore you share next year.

To Kayla Brown: I will always remember sitting in Black Sheep Coffee on a Tuesday evening in early February 2023 going back and forth with you over text, our perpetually anxious selves, checking to see if either of us got a call from Brad about becoming editor-in-chief and news director. You care so much about this industry, and there’s never a dull moment with you. Can’t wait to see what you do as a reporter or producer in rural America! If you need to cry about journalism at 3 a.m., you know I’m here.

To Michael Russo & Avery Goodstine: I knew we were gonna be special right away. Alongside Kayla, we initially proclaimed ourselves the “dream team,” and we were so excited to work together. Little did we know then, we would go through the ringer this year. Between six midyear hires, multiple freshmen on staff and having every single newsy thing that could’ve happened, happen, we still made it to the other side. I simply couldn’t have done my job without you guys. You are my rocks, and we took The Breeze to new heights. All of us. Dare I say … culture kitchen in April?

To Eleanor Shaw: Be you, be bold and lean on your staff. Most importantly, remember to take care of yourself. I’m so confident in you taking the reins as editor-in-chief. I’m always just one phone call away.

There are too many others to count. I hope y’all know who you are. Not to mention so many little moments, epiphanies, silly and serious arguments, and inside jokes that will stick with me forever. But what I’ll take the most from my time with The Breeze isn’t the journalism. It’s the life lessons.

I tell people all the time that The Breeze has taught me more about making tough decisions and working with others than any class, organization or extracurricular in college could have. You learn life skills that go well beyond reporting, taking photos or designing pages. You become a time management master, juggling a full course load and sometimes sacrificing class attendance, as news doesn’t stop in your community just because you’re a student. You learn how to work with a team, and that it takes every staff members’ collective strengths to produce something that is bigger than any one reporter or editor: a newspaper.

And for all of that, I’m forever grateful, fulfilled and humbled to have called The Breeze office home and my colleagues best friends at JMU.

Cheers to the most challenging yet rewarding years of my life.

Thank you, and stay wealthy and healthy.

AVERY GOODSTINE Managing Editor

The time has come for the impossible task: Say goodbye to an organization that has taken up more of my life over the past four years than anything else. This is a task I’ve been simultaneously dreading and looking forward to ever since I started as a baby freshman culture writer. Let’s take some time to reminisce on what seems like ages ago at this point.

Believe it or not, I thought I wanted to go into broadcast journalism. However, my head was turned when I heard about The Breeze’s newspaper.

Instantly, I was enamored with the cut-throat reporting these student journalists were doing. I was amazed by this beautiful paper they made every week and the stories they were reporting on. These people were making a difference, and I wanted to be a part of that.

I remember applying to be a culture writer and being

ecstatic when I got my acceptance email. I couldn’t wait to tell my parents and was so excited for my first pitch meeting. At that point, I had no idea what was in store for me.

The very first article I ever wrote for The Breeze was about Bahir Al Badry, a local artist whose workshop was in Oasis Fine Arts and Crafts.

My editors at the time were Amy and Charlotte, and boy did they rip that article to shreds. I was in the grocery store with my stepmom when I got the Google Doc notifications that edits were made. I almost cried when I saw more than 70 edits on the article, but now, that memory makes me laugh because I know I probably instilled that same shock in so many others once I became a culture editor.

Amy and Charlotte, thank you for pushing me to become a better writer and apply for an editor position. Without you guys, I would not be where I am now. You taught me how to lead with grace, and that is something I will never forget.

Thank you for always rooting for me, even when I wasn’t always rooting for myself.

To Michael, my co-editor. Thank you for a true friendship that will last a lifetime. We started this journey together as culture writers, and now we’re leaving together as managing and executive editors. If it wasn’t for you, I would have gone absolutely insane.

To Grant, my editor-in-chief: We definitely had to find our footing with each other, but once we did, we were an unstoppable team. I’ve watched you grow into someone who leads with conviction. The unwavering dedication and passion you have for this career is inspiring, and it’s been an honor to work alongside you.

from GOODBYE, page 19

To Kaiden, the queen of sports herself. Thank you for your friendship. Your beautiful soul shines so brightly, and you are an absolute joy of a person.

To Miss Kayla Brown: I will never meet someone like you again in a million lifetimes. You were born for this job. You’re so special, and everyone who gets a chance to meet you is so lucky. You are making a difference.

Now, as I somehow begin to mentally prepare myself for the fact that I will suddenly have my Mondays and Wednesdays free after three long years, I look back on

my tenure with nothing but pride, joy and love. I have no doubt it’s being left in good hands.

To Eleanor: Go with your gut. Remember why you’re here. You’ve got this. There is no one I have more faith in running this paper than you. Your dedication to true, fair and unbiased reporting is rooted in the heart of journalism, and I know you will honor your title tremendously.

To my parents: Thank you for your constant unwavering support. Thank you for experiencing all the highs and lows this job has brought me over the past four years. One of my No. 1 goals has always been to make you guys proud, and I hope I’ve done so and continue to do that. I couldn’t have done any of this without knowing you guys

EMMA JOHNSON Copy Editor

I entered college knowing exactly what I wanted to do. It wasn’t until I started doing it that I understood why.

At the start of my sophomore year, I found myself in Roop Hall, sitting on a bean bag chair in the back of a room, jockeying for my first byline in The Breeze’s culture section.

My first two interviews were over the phone — no faceto-face contact because of COVID-19’s lingering presence. I wrote about a girl painting a mural in Crozet and several album reviews before I struck gold.

Someone had pitched a story about a professor who knew Princess Diana. I needed to write it, but it wasn’t until I spoke to Dr. Kenneth Rutherford — whom I was honestly terrified to interview — that I got the full story. I left his office with chills and wrote the article in one night. When I saw it on the cover, I knew why I loved journalism. It’s sat me across from some of the most fascinating people. It’s a chair I never want to get up from.

From inmates to beekeepers, painters to landmine survivors, I’ve walked numerous people’s lives and told their stories to others. While I enjoyed my time writing so much, I still had a desire to be in the newsroom, to see the ins and outs of The Breeze. After interviewing for the culture editor position and not getting it (no hard feelings Avery and

EVAN WEAVER Opinion Editor

When I began my freshman year at JMU, I knew nothing about The Breeze and had no intention of getting involved in journalism. I was pursuing a degree in computer science and couldn’t see myself doing anything else. At the end of my first semester, however, I decided computer science wasn’t for me. I switched majors twice after that, eventually landing on English the following semester, but I felt lost.

I was also a commuter and traveled every day to class from Broadway, a small town outside of Harrisonburg, and often felt very detached from campus. I wanted to become more involved at JMU and practice my writing skills, so in the fall of my sophomore year, I decided to apply for a writing position at The Breeze. It was on a complete whim that I chose to apply to the opinion section.

Contributing to the opinion section involved a style of

Michael), I was hired as a copy editor. I wasn’t excited about the position initially. I felt unqualified and unsure about what I had agreed to.

When I was hired, I was told copy editing is a thankless job. You only get recognized when you mess up. During my two years of copy editing, not only did I discover that people do know who I am, but I also learned another aspect of journalism I love: being a piece of a newsroom full of people all working together to create something for everyone.

Yes, I’ve messed up along the way, with the occasional Oxford comma sneaking into a photo caption or an overlooked AP Style rule hiding in the lines of a story. Still, nothing could detract from the feeling of contributing to something so powerful. Student journalism (but really just journalism) never ceases to amaze me. We’re the voice for so many people and their stories, and the catalyst for the never-ending flow of community news. I’m always shocked by what people on campus don’t know, and then I realize I would be just as unaware if it wasn’t for The Breeze. It’s taught me so much, not just about the nitty-gritty of making a newspaper but about the importance of writing, informing and working together.

Thank you to every co-copy editor I’ve had. You all kept me sane during late production nights. There were times when being in the newsroom wasn’t easy for me, and each of you helped in your own ways.

stood by me 100% of the time.

As my time with The Breeze comes to an end, I know the next few days will be consumed with laughter, smiles and tears. I wouldn’t trade anything for the experiences, friendships and mentor ships it has given me. Without The Breeze, I would be lost. This is where I found my home, literally, because I often spent more hours at the office than I did at my own apartment. I can only hope that I have left even a speck of a mark on this organization compared to the extraordinary mark it’s left on me.

“Long live all the mountains we moved, I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you.” -Taylor Swift

Read the full version at www.breezejmu.org

Thank you to every person who allowed me to interview them and tell their story. Every conversation taught me something different and showed me why journalism is so special.

Thank you to every person, professor and student involved in The Breeze. It’s an extensive support system, and, whether we interacted or not, I’m so grateful for every person I had the opportunity to learn from and work with.

Hannah: You got this girl. It’s a tough position, but I have no doubt you’ll stick with it and keep the copy desk going. Don’t lose sight of what you love and why you love it. Never stop questioning, and ALWAYS trust your gut ;) You’re an AP Style queen, and I’m so excited for what’s to come for you.

Big 3: You all are a force to be reckoned with, and I’m so proud to have been a part of something led by the three of you. You all are so talented, and I can’t wait to see what comes next for all of you.

To my family and friends: Thank you for listening to my rants, giving me advice and being there to remind me why I love this. I couldn’t ask for better people to have in my corner.

My time at The Breeze has been a transformative one. It’s an experience that’s been filled with laughs, tears and people I’ll never forget. To the next staff: Keep writing. You’re journalists; don’t let anyone try to tell you otherwise.

Bye guys, have a good night!

writing I wasn’t used to, and conducting interviews for articles was intimidating. However, interviewing people quickly became my favorite part of the job. I always looked forward to learning from people who were intimate with the topics I was writing about.

The following semester, my editor asked if I would apply for the position he would be leaving once he graduated. When he first announced to the opinion staff that The Breeze would be taking applications for his position, I hadn’t planned on applying. I wanted to keep writing, but I eventually decided to give it a shot — and I’m glad I did.

As an English major, nothing prepared me for the steep learning curve that came with being an editor of a newspaper. Training with my predecessor was overwhelming, and the proposition of having to fill the pages of a newspaper every week for a year was daunting, to say the least. While training with my predecessor, he asked me if I could see myself training the next opinion editor when I was a senior, and I thought there was no way.

ABIGAIL PARADES | Art Director

I cannot believe my time at JMU is nearly over. It feels like yesterday that my parents were dropping me off at Dingledine Hall. I had nervous butterflies about the prospect of finding my place, purpose and people. To all my roommates (and extended roommates), thank you for always being there for me, making me laugh and having my back even through times of stress. I know I will always have you all in my life, and I’m so thankful for you.

Thank you to all my classmates who have helped build my skills and inspired me with your passions and talents. Thank you to all the professors and staff who have set me up for success in my future. You have all been so extremely important to me.

I was content with my college experience going into the second semester of my senior year. I honestly never anticipated it being as good as it has been. I was incredibly shocked and excited when another door opened for me to become The

Two years later, and I’m still here. Though this wasn’t the path I had imagined when I was a freshman, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve learned a lot from everyone I have worked with during my time at The Breeze, and I’m grateful to this organization for that. Though I don’t plan on pursuing journalism after graduation, the long hours spent in the office preparing issues of paper and the dedication I have witnessed from my co-workers have instilled a deep respect in me for the work journalists do.

Most of all, I’m indebted to my writers. During my time as the opinion editor, I was impressed by each of you time and time again. The insightful ideas you came up with and your thoughtful writing is what improved the opinion section more than any contribution I could have made.

To all my writers, the editors of the new staff and my fellow graduating editors, I wish you all the best of luck. I would like each of you to know — whether it seemed like it or not — that you made an impression on my life that I will not soon forget.

Breeze’s art director.

To everyone at The Breeze, thank you for welcoming me with open arms into this excellent publication. Thank you for trusting my creative direction and challenging me when I needed a push. My time at The Breeze has been a whirlwind of art, creativity, late nights in the office and new friends. I knew my time at JMU would be amazing, but joining the team has made it all the more fulfilling. I will never forget the role I played and the people involved with The Breeze. Thank you.

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CONTACT Kimberly Aikens at aiken2km@dukes.jmu.edu. For more multimedia content, visit breezejmu.org/multimedia.

Photo timeline: Tracking the Carrier Library renovation project

As the Carrier Library renovation continues, construction workers are progressing toward new developments every day. Photos by Kimberly Aikens / The Breeze

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