The Breeze
JMU’s award-winning newspaper since 1922
APRIL 28, 2022 VOL. 100 NO.28 BREEZEJMU.ORG
IN REMEMBRANCE
JMU softball’s Lauren Bernett passed away Monday. The JMU community and universities nationwide have shown an outpouring of support for the team and all who knew her. Matt Young / The Breeze
By SAVANNAH REGER, MADISON HRICIK & GRANT JOHNSON The Breeze
How fitting that an ambulance drove down South High Street as the JMU athletic community left the flower dropping memorial for JMU softball’s Lauren Bernett. She once laughed when the sirens flew by Veterans Memorial Park after practice. “This is fun,” Lauren said at JMU softball’s media day Feb. 16, giggling as an ambulance interrupted an interview with The Breeze. Giggling, happy, smiling: It’s how everyone describes Lauren, who died on Monday. She was a sophomore on the Dukes’ softball team and served as catcher in the Women’s College World Series (WCWS) just under a year ago. Lauren grew up in McDonald, Pennsylvania, and graduated from South Fayette High School. She was a biology major with a preveterinary medicine minor and had four siblings. She was the only freshman consistently in both the batting order and on the field for the WCWS. Lauren hit a home run against
Liberty in the Knoxville Regional Final, arguably sealing the game for the Dukes and sending them to the Super Regional round of the tournament. Her last home run at home clinched the game against Hofstra on April 10. In all those moments, Lauren smiled. She opened her mouth wide as she ran to her team at home plate. This season, she put on a sparkly purple hat when she scored and ran around with it during postgame — the smile never leaving her face. Lauren was like this all through her life as a softball player, according to Richele Hall, her coach at South Fayette High School in McDonald, Pennsylvania, and during travel softball before that. Just five days after JMU’s run in the WCWS, Lauren was back in her hometown, helping Hall coach her team at a tournament. This is what Hall will remember Lauren for, she said, no matter how good she was on the field. As Hall put it, Lauren was “a one-of-a-kind type of kid.” “There was just so many kids that looked up to her,” Hall said between sniffles and with a broken voice in a phone call with The Breeze on April 26. “She was just, like,
a once-in-a-lifetime kid to be able to coach and know, and my heart, my heart is broken.” Hall pointed to softball nationals during the summer of 2017 or 2018 when she said Lauren played catcher for five games over a weekend in 100-degree heat in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Hall’s team lost in the finals by one run, but it was Lauren who Hall said still stood out. Hall said there was no complaining, no saying she was tired at any point — “there’s just not a lot of kids like her,” she said. “That’s probably one of my best memories of her as a player,” Hall said, “not like a hit, not like — it’s just, like, her will and her grit to just always want to give her teammates everything and be the best, and I think that that moment just kind of portrayed that for me.” Lauren attended Hall’s wedding. Hall’s memories of Lauren, she said, were all happy — until April 26. “I just can’t believe you have to talk about her in the past tense,” Hall said. Later on April 26, the day after Lauren’s death, Hall said about six of her former teammates from Pennsylvania were meeting “because they don’t want to be alone.”
“I don’t think that I will ever meet anybody like her ever again in my life,” Hall said. She choked up as she said it, as she did the whole time she talked about Lauren. “I’m just thankful that, I mean, I had the time that I had with her. I just never thought when I saw her last month playing that would be the last time that I would get to hug her and see her in person again.” Lauren’s high school teammates took to Twitter to talk about her as a friend and person. Towson softball’s Emma Armstrong, who played with Lauren on Team Pennsylvania Fastpitch’s 18 years old and under team, a travel softball team, wrote, “Thanks for making me a better person on and off the field and for always being the life of the party … No one could make me laugh the way you did.” Lauren made people laugh. Her laughter was contagious, on her high school team and at JMU. Perhaps the one who laughed the most with her at college is sophomore pitcher Alissa Humphrey. see LAUREN BERNETT, page 4
Thursday, April 28, 2022
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Letter from the editors
The Breeze sends its love to the friends and family of Lauren Bernett
O
n Tuesday morning, we got a text — it didn’t say who, but just that a JMU softball player
had died. Less than an hour later, at 9:48 a.m., JMU softball broke the news on Twitter: Sophomore catcher Lauren Bernett had passed away. The tweet instantly went viral, and national news outlets began to pick it up. Former and current JMU softball players began to post memories of Lauren on Twitter and Instagram. Statements of support poured in from universities and athletes around the country. JMU was grieving, and the world was, too. The news editor, sports editors and leadership from the newspaper and Breeze TV were gathered in the Breeze office by 11 a.m. There were some tears, hushed voices. Soft laughter every now and then to ease the pain. When we learned she died by suicide,
it felt like a punch to the gut. With everything that happened earlier this semester — two on-campus suicides, the shooting at Bridgewater College and students’ outcry for mental support — Lauren’s passing hit that much harder. We’re tired, hurting. JMU is tired. JMU is hurting. When the world’s heart broke, so did ours. We, like the rest of JMU Nation, were at a loss for words. But after the initial wave of shock, we did not what we felt obligated to do, but what we felt privileged to do: Share who Lauren was and how she impacted the JMU community alongside so many others. One of our sports editors, Madison Hricik, talked to Lauren. One of our managing editors, Savannah Reger, has covered JMU softball for three years. She knew Lauren. She interviewed her, laughed with her. She watched her from the press box at the Women’s College World Series. Savannah knows JMU softball. She knows how close that team is. When
Editorial Staff
she saw the news, her heart ached for them. It hurt, she said, but she had to see them. She was a familiar face, one she believed they may have needed to see. So she picked up a camera and went to Tuesday’s flower drop memorial. Even though many of us didn’t know Lauren personally, the sorrow that follows her loss is palpable throughout the entire community. Reporting on loss is painful, arguably the hardest thing a journalist has to do. Especially when you see the people you work with, the ones you love, the ones you’re closest to, struggle with this pain. There is without a doubt a hole where Lauren’s smile once lit up the JMU community, one that we won’t be able to recover from any time soon. JMU has more than 20,000 students — 20,000 stories that weave together, each leaving an impact on each and every student. Stories that matter. Lauren’s story matters — her life matters. And yours does too. Mental health is an issue that’s not
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isolated to JMU, but we feel it deeply every day, especially on days like this. Schools across the world are grappling with a desperate need to support students, and no one is immune to the weight of a loss in their community — especially one as closely knit as JMU. Each and every student here deserves to know they are loved beyond measure, both by the people in their lives and the strangers they pass on the Quad. If you’re struggling, you aren’t alone. Know that there are people who need you here. Each life you touch leaves an indelible mark on the JMU community — just like Lauren did.
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Baseball teams honored Lauren Bernett at a Wednesday game, JMU on its hats and Virginia Tech on its wrists. Courtesy of JMU Athletics
‘She’s a light’ JMU, softball communities remember Lauren Bernett
Thursday, April 28, 2022
from LAUREN BERNETT , page 1
Humphrey put food in Lauren’s locker when she was hungry and didn’t eat. The two held hands at softball media day on Feb. 16, laughing. On Tuesday, Humphrey was the last softball player on the team to leave the flower drop; her cries could be heard across the otherwise hushed VMP. Later that night, the pitcher wrote about Lauren on Twitter. “She’s a light no matter where she is,” Humphrey said on her Twitter account with a video of the sunset attached. “You looked so good today. Keep shining. I love you Lauren.” Former JMU pitcher Odicci Alexander (2017-21) spoke about her former catcher on Twitter, too. Lauren was Alexander’s catcher during the entire postseason run. Alexander said on Twitter that she keeps checking her phone, looking to see if Lauren continues their Snapchat streak. It never comes. “Love you LB,” she wrote. Lauren jumped and screamed when Alexander made the infamous tag in the WCWS, a moment already widely recognized in the allure of Richele JMU softball.
Twitter how much she made an impact on their lives and mentioned her smile. Redshirt junior Hannah Shifflett posted a video of her and Lauren laughing before a game on TikTok. “Missing this smile so much,” Shifflett said in her TikTok caption. She changed her TikTok bio to say “fly high 22.” “Until we meet again sis,” former JMU outfielder Kate Short (2017-21) said on Twitter. Short stood at the flower drop ceremony with the team and said how broken her heart was over Lauren. Short put a broken heart emoji in her Tweet.
The broken heart emoji. Around JMU’s community, it was used countless times. The Breeze reached out to all softball programs in the CAA and head coaches from nearly every school returned with condolences in honor of Lauren — most sharing how she impacted the game and how she’ll be missed. The Sun Belt Conference (SBC) — JMU’s home next season — did the same. Louisiana Monroe wore purple ribbons in their hair against McNeese. Other SBC teams tweeted about Lauren, who she was and her legacy. Coastal Carolina tweeted a purple heart and a white bird. Even outside softball, other JMU coaches showed their support. Student-athletes came to the flower dropping gathering, and the same word popped up on Twitter over and over again: “devastating.” “Give your loved ones a hug any chance you get,” JMU women’s basketball head coach Sean O’Regan said on Twitter.
“I don’t think I will ever meet anybody like her ever again in my life.”
Most of the JMU community said on
Hall Lauren’s travel and high school softball coach
The outpouring of support for Lauren spread beyond JMU’s bubble. JMU baseball traveled to Virginia Tech on Wednesday. Both the Dukes and Hokies honored Lauren — JMU on its hats and Virginia Tech on its wrists. “We play for Lauren,” Virginia Tech baseball’s Twitter account said.
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Alissa Humphrey (left) and Lauren hold up the big ticket after JMU clinched a spot in the Women’s College World Series in 2021. Courtesy of JMU Athletics
statement to The Breeze. “Being in the same state and so close, our staffs and players are more connected than most programs. The softball world has lost a passionate and courageous young woman.” Over the weekend, JMU softball traveled to Drexel to face the Dragons — the only other team that saw Lauren before she passed. Her performance was capped off with a two-run home run, earning her Conference Player of the Week on Monday before her death. Drexel only spoke highly of Lauren, much like the rest of the conference. “I, along with everyone at Drexel Softball, was heartbroken to hear the news about Lauren Bernett,” Drexel head coach Katie Jansson said in an email statement to The Breeze. “She was truly the embodiment of a student-athlete and she will be deeply missed.” Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Keith Gill also sent a statement to The Breeze: “The entire Sun Belt family is heartbroken about the passing of Lauren Barnett. It is so tragic to suddenly lose a young person who has had such a positive impact on the world. Lauren, her family and friends, and the entire JMU community are in our thoughts and prayers. I hope fond memories of Lauren ease the grief of all those who knew and loved her.” It rained April 26. Around 2 p.m., it poured. At 2:30 p.m., the rain slowed for JMU to come together to remember Lauren and lay flowers in her honor. Almost as if the sky knew to stay clear. That night, Humphrey drove home on Neff Avenue, according to her Twitter. By the evening, the sky cleared and the sun’s rays beamed through the clouds. A sunny end to a tragic day for the JMU and softball communities. Humphrey, as she noted on her Instagram story, saw the clouds and thought of Lauren. “So my grandmother told me when you see a gap in the clouds or like sun rays beaming through the clouds it means an angel made to heaven or they got their wings,” the post read. She’d added an arrow graphic to her photo to show a small gap in the clouds. CONTACT Savannah Reger at thebreezeweb@ gmail.com. Contact Madison Hricik & Grant Johnson at breezesports@gmail.com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @ BreezeNewsJMU.
Lauren pointed high as she hit a home run against Liberty in the Knoxville Regional Finals in 2021. Courtesy of JMU Athletics
Lauren’s former travel teammate, Emma Armstrong, hugs Lauren after a tournament. Screengrab from Emma Armstrong’s Twitter
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Now, many softball programs from across the country have come together to share thoughts of her, with multiple teams tying purple ribbons in their hair. Liberty and Tennessee held a moment of silence prior to its game Wednesday afternoon. The Flames — along with Florida and Texas A&M — painted Lauren’s No. 22 on the field. George Mason wore purple eye black underneath their eyes and sharpied “It’s more than a game” across their visors with Lauren’s initials. Liberty softball head coach Dot Richardson sent a statement to The Breeze: “We lift up Lauren, her family, friends and her JMU family in prayer. We pray that God provides peace and comfort that only He can give at this time of great loss. Know that we share in your extreme sadness and heavy hearts. We will honor Lauren and her memory tomorrow at our game and continue to lift up her coaches and teammates to the Lord. God be with you today and ALWAYS! Liberty Softball - Sisters in Christ.” Liberty and Tennessee both took on Lauren and the Dukes during JMU’s run in the Women’s College World Series last season, and JMU and Liberty played each other again on March 6. It wasn’t just Regionals foes that showed their appreciation for Lauren. Oklahoma softball head coach Patty Gasso said that JMU “made our sport better,” highlighting the Dukes’ three-game showdown in Oklahoma City in the WCWS semifinals. The Sooners’ head coach also said her team felt impacted by Lauren, even if it was only the first time the teams truly met. “It is hard to comprehend the pain the JMU softball family and Bernett family has to be feeling at this time,” Gasso said in a statement to The Breeze. “As an outsider looking in, our softball program is extremely affected by the loss of a member of the college softball community. Playing some intense games in the World Series versus JMU makes this hit even closer to home for our team … It is important that we keep our fingers on the pulse of our teams. Our prayers go out to the JMU family.” U.Va. head coach Joanna Hardin shared her thoughts on Lauren, sharing how despite the in-state rivalry the two teams may share, Lauren’s smile and heart is a part of each player she came across. “We are heartbroken hearing about Lauren’s passing,” Hardin said in an email
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Malika Carter presented on April 25. Photos by Abi Middleton / The Breeze
Arthur Dean presented on April 26.
Prospective hires Candidates for VP for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion present to JMU community By ASHLYN CAMPBELL The Breeze
Two of the four candidates for the inaugural position of Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) presented to students, faculty and staff earlier this week, where they discussed retention and recruitment for students, faculty and staff and challenges the university could face. According to an email sent by President Jonathan Alger in January, the person chosen for the position will be in charge of “strategic leadership, innovation, and vision to advance and foster diversity, equity, and inclusive (DEI) excellence for faculty, students, and staff.” Towana Moore, interim vice president of administration and finance, is serving as the chairperson for the search committee. Moore said public presentations are an option for search committees when hiring a new candidate for administration. At JMU, it’s happened before, including when Tim Miller, vice president for student affairs, was hired. This new position will report directly to Alger. According to the job posting in January, duties include contributing to university leadership, building community, adding to recruitment and retention and supervising the Office of Equal Opportunity and other staff. Both candidates presented for 30 minutes, followed by a 30-minute Q&A session.
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Malika Carter
Malika Carter, chief diversity officer of the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), presented on April 25. Carter focused on initiatives she’s put in place at other institutions. Prior to working at SUNY-ESF, Carter was the former chief diversity officer (CDO) for the city of Worcester, Massachusetts, and director of multicultural student services at the University of North Dakota. Carter started her presentation by acknowledging the indigenous land JMU resides on and asking the audience to take part in coming up with and singing songs — allowing the entire audience to join in. When some members of the audience didn’t know all of the words, Carter related this to DEI work. “Now, how many times do we do the
work of inclusion and diversity and equity and we kind of don’t know all the words,” Carter asked, “but luckily, we have some people around us to be able to assist us.” Carter introduced the blog she runs for SUNY-ESF, “In the know with the CDO,” where she said she helps keep the community informed and raise funds. Carter highlighted student programs she’s worked on, like a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) program bringing Black and brown students into the field. Carter also highlighted initiatives raising awareness for resources, like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), or churches of all religions in the area, both inside and outside SUNY-ESF. She said providing the resources was a “smashing hit” and connecting it to admissions pages worked as a recruitment and retention tool. “The more that we put out information, the more funders that I saw coming our way because we were basically telling people what we wanted them to know and really publicizing things that will seem small to us, but that were big to alumni,” Carter said. Carter said when approaching pushback on DEI initiatives, it’s important to recognize that everyone is a collective beneficiary of non-discrimination laws. “It is beholden for us to make sure that we as a community keep those things in mind and try to uplift them for the collective,” Carter said. “People push back, yes, but every single person, and I don’t even know you that well, is in a protected class.” Carter also said it’s important to acknowledge differing positions and opinions, as long as people are kept physically safe. She said college was a place to discuss challenging ideas and isn’t based on “intellectual safety.” Ultimately, after an audience member asked about professors’ autonomy in the classroom, Carter said explaining why DEI is important and backing it up with established work in the field is important to address differing opinions on DEI. “When you reason with people about why things make sense, and you brought them along for the intellectual journey, then it’s harder to fight against,” Carter said. “But then again, I need to listen to you, too.
I need to understand so we can repair and connect and then when there’s something that doesn’t need to be done, I can back off because maybe it’s not necessary.” Carter ended the presentation and Q&A session by emphasizing the importance of taking care of oneself and the surrounding community. “It can be highly controversial … It can be highly divisive, sometimes for some people,” Carter said. “There’s no way that we can continue on doing this and we fall flat because we don’t have the energy or the talent or if we’re literally mentally or physically ill.”
Arthur Dean
Arthur Dean, executive director of campus and community access and inclusion at JMU, presented on April 26. Dean is a “double Duke” and has worked at the university for 29 years. Dean highlighted that he’s worked with former presidents at JMU, Ronald Carrier and Linwood Rose, both as a student and employee. “I’ve had the opportunity for the last 15 years … to work alongside the senior leadership team and also part of the President’s Cabinet,” Dean said. “So in those aspects, I’ve had a chance to see JMU and admire the different opportunities, admire the different ways to experience the culture.” For student recruitment and retention, Dean said, JMU has to change the narrative and make JMU more accessible to marginalized students. Dean said prior to attending a track & field competition at JMU, he’d never heard of the school, while students of other ethnic backgrounds did. “We need to be bold and be direct, and let people know who we want here, how we want to help them and others, and that they’re valued parts of our JMU community,” Dean said. Dean said creating networks and programs to bring students to the JMU campus. He pointed to an example of a program the office of access and inclusion did to bring blind and visually impaired students to JMU. Dean said JMU has to establish a “culture of support.” For faculty recruitment and retention, Dean said attending conferences, making the pathway to join faculty clearer and keeping connections open would help bring in individuals of all different backgrounds. Throughout his presentation, Dean emphasized the need to embed DEI work
into the cultural framework of JMU. Dean said this issue was the No. 1 challenge as DEI initiatives restart because of lost momentum after people who champion the project leave or lose motivation. “There needs to be a footprint there for somebody to follow [so] that when somebody leaves, somebody can pick up the mantle and keep moving,” Dean said. “That must be a part of JMU or JMU will continue to find itself repeating things that we started versus moving forward and being progressive and making changes.” Another challenge Dean addressed was political polarization and pushback against DEI initiatives. Dean said JMU needs to set the tone and make it clear it values DEI to continue to enact change. “This work is about people,” Dean said. “This is not about a particular political agenda to get elected or not get elected. This work is designed to create space for individuals to be their best selves.” An audience member asked Dean what prevented him from enacting more change in his time at JMU to prevent the slow down of DEI efforts and the need for students to engage in activism to be heard. Dean said he’s done the best he can in the position he’s in. “I can’t make space when I don’t have the village to make space,” Dean said. “I can’t bring connections, whether or not it’s some of the things we’re talking about today.” Dean said it will take alignment and partnership in the upper levels of administration to create change at JMU. In concluding his presentation, Dean established short-term, medium-term and long-term goals. Among those were creating listening tours, a DEI committee for the Board of Visitors (BoV), taking inventory of DEI efforts and expanding community partnerships. “DEI should not be on the sidelines, it should be on the forefront,” Dean said. The final two candidates for the vice president position will present May 4 and 11 in the Union Ballroom. CONTACT Ashlyn Campbell at breezeinvestigations@gmail.com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @ BreezeNewsJMU.
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JMU goes green Student organizations celebrate Earth Week
By VICTORIA WRAY contributing writer
To celebrate Earth Week the week of April 18, JMU student organizations planned several on-campus events to raise student awareness about sustainability, how to become more environmentally conscious and ways to get involved at JMU. Organizations such as the Environmental Management Club (EMC), JMGrew, Madison Recycling, JMU Seed Library, GIVE, Food for Thought, Alternative Spring Break Program and the Sustainable Innovation Club participated in Earth Week events on campus. EMC President Lizzie Emch, a senior integrated science and technology (ISAT) major, has been involved with the organization since fall 2019. EMC enables students to further their understanding of environmental management and provides opportunities for students to participate in both environmental management and educational programs in the field. Emch said the idea for creating Earth Week on campus began back in February after she and Elena Finelli, vice president of EMC and a sophomore geography major, attended a meeting run by the JMU Community Service Learning Center. Emch said several stakeholders and organizations from Harrisonburg, JMU, Staunton and Rockingham County attended the meeting to discuss the different plans for Earth Week. Following the meeting, Emch and Finelli said they became inspired as to how JMU could celebrate Earth Week. “Instead of us just making one event, we just created Earth Week,” Emch said. In honor of celebrating Earth Week, EMC, along with other JMU environmental organizations, collaborated by tabling — table displays where students could come and learn more about the organizations — at Warner Commons on April 18, 19 and 21, creating a space for fun facts, trivia and ways to get involved at JMU to help spread awareness. These events and activities were all advertised to students on an Earth Week flyer. Emch said tabling across campus would allow students
to become more informed on the different organizations on campus and the ways in which they can become involved. “We thought tabling would be the easiest and most beneficial because people are always outside,” Emch said. On April 20, JMU students could also check out the JMU Farmers Market on the Union patio — another event advertised on the Earth Week flyer. Finelli said that while using reusable water bottles and walking instead of driving are good examples of practicing sustainability, one of the best ways for students to learn about sustainability is to get involved on campus. “The best way [to get involved] is joining all these organizations because you learn from other people,” Finelli said. “Seeing from your peers is the easiest and the best way to do it because you learn from other students.” The events of Earth Week also extended into the weekend with ISAT Capstone presentations, gardening at Keister Elementary School and Staunton Earth Day Festival. Many students attended the Staunton Earth Day Festival on April 23 to participate in environmental activities, such as making seed bombs and bracelets from plastic bags. In a written statement to The Breeze, fifth-year Zoya Kirchner, vice president of Madison Recycling, said he believes it’s important to raise awareness during Earth Week. “Each person produces a large amount of waste throughout their lifetime,” Kirchner said. “Any changes are meaningful and can make an enormous difference. This planet is our only home; it treats us with love and cares for us. It is important that we do the same.” Madison Recycling is a student organization that works to spread awareness and education of recycling across campus. Members collect, sort and transport recyclables on JMU’s campus. The organization seeks to have members create a more sustainable campus by encouraging students to follow the three Rs of recycling: reduce, reuse and recycle. “It is well known throughout campus that JMU is terrible about recycling,” Kirchner said. “That was one of the reasons
why our organization was created.” According to the JMU Recycling and Waste Management website, JMU Facilities Management uses the 6Rs — rethink, reduce, reuse, repair or restore, redistribute and recycle — as a guiding principle towards waste. Kirchner, Finelli and Emch all said they believe there’s still hope for the planet and that talking about climate change and raising awareness can bring attention to the global issue. “It’s a very scary topic,” Emch said. “If things don’t happen, and if we continue the things we are doing now, I don’t think there is going to be much of a future for us. But it does seem that our generation is pushing for a lot of change, and hopefully there is going to be even more push for it in the future.” CONTACT Victoria Wray at wrayvh@dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.
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New year, new name
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Students express frustration with name change of geographic science major By ELLE HART contributing writer
Thursday, April 28, 2022
JMU’s geographic science major was renamed to “geography” and while there are no new course requirements, some students have expressed frustration with the change. The major used to be known as geography. In 2000, the name was changed to geographic science — now it’s changed back. This change came into effect in summer 2021 and has affected everyone currently enrolled in the program, from incoming freshmen to graduating seniors. Kimberly Robinson, academic advisor for geography majors and intelligence analysis majors, said that this semester, there’s 209 geography majors and 92 minors. In an email to The Breeze, Zachary Bortolot, the director of the geography program, said that in summer 2021, he and other professors in the program discovered that “proper procedures were not followed” — a name change request form was not filed in 2000. Because of that, the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) required JMU to revert to the geography name. Now, Bortolot said, JMU is currently working with the SCHEV to change the name back so the program
name can accurately reflect everything that its students learn. “I personally prefer the name geographic science to geography for our program,” Bortolot said. “I know many students have felt confusion and disappointment about the name change and I feel bad about this.” Elena Finelli, a sophomore who describes herself as a geographic science major, said she thinks the major’s name change will affect how its graduates will be perceived when they apply for jobs after college. “It’s upsetting to have the ‘science’ portion taken out, as it doesn’t fully encompass all that we do,” Finelli said. “It’s the same courses and structure so we’re doing the same work, but it doesn’t feel like we receive the same recognition.” The major, according to the geography program website, is a bridge between the social sciences of human geography and the natural sciences of physical geography. Bortolot said that following the name change, the program will still emphasize environmental science, information science — such as mapping technology and satellites — and human geography. Wyatt Leary, a junior who describes himself as a geography major, said he believes the name change will affect his diploma. He said that the change to the term
“geography” will get “lost in translation” for people who don’t know much about JMU’s geography program or all that it involves. “‘Geographic science’ is a unique name for a unique program we have here,” Leary said. “‘Geography’ is more of a shoehorned term. It’s going to put another name on my diploma, which is kind of upsetting. I was looking forward to graduating with ‘geographic science’ in the name.” Matthew Kane, a sophomore who described himself as a geography major, said he hadn’t heard about the name change until about three days before being interviewed by The Breeze. Kane said he believes it’d be better and more reputable to keep the name “geographic science.” “Geographic science … sounds a lot more modernized,” Kane said. “It stands out more, rather than just geography.” Abby Smith, a senior who described herself as a geographic science major, said the name change doesn’t fully reflect everything that geography encompasses and makes the program sound broader than it actually is. “It is a little disappointing,” Smith said. “To change it to geography undercuts and undermines a lot of the work that we do.” Smith said the program involves fieldwork and “hands-on” activities. These
activities include fieldwork in the local community, like conservation efforts in local forests and parks, according to the program’s website. While the geography students have been vocal about their frustrations and concerns, Leary said that some professors were also “upset by the name change.” Bortolot, who’s a professor as well as being the program director, said he was surprised when he learned about the need to change the program name. Despite Bortolot’s assertion that the program will still “maintain a strong science focus,” he said that he hopes to return to the geographic science name for the program. “ The geography program and JMU understand and appreciate the concerns many students and faculty have about the name change,” Bortolot said. “We hope that we are able to return to using the geographic science name soon.” CONTACT Elle Hart at hart2ej@dukes. jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.
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OPINION EDITOR Evan Weaver
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EMAIL breezeopinion@gmail.com
@Breeze_Opinion
Testing the system 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 “bad-timing” dart to myself for forgetting my umbrella on the day it rains. From someone who was wet the rest of the day.
A “spring-cleaning” pat to myself for finally cleaning my room. From someone who only cleans once a year.
Standardized tests fail to meaningfully capture student learning MIA HAZELDINE-ROSS | mia’s ideas Standardized testing has been a core component of the American school system since the mid19th century. Students today are required to take a range of exams from state-sponsored tests, which vary on a state-by-state basis, to the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) for undergraduates hoping to get a higher degree. These tests are meant to determine a student’s relative academic proficiency compared to their colleagues and provide a general understanding of the American education system nationwide — but are they really as accurate as some make them out to be? Students' scores don’t always accurately represent their level of academic knowledge as they may be skilled in topics not covered on the exam. Because there’s such a wide range of topics and exams can only include so much, many students may find that a test only covers their weaknesses or that they studied the “wrong” material. This isn’t the fault of students, teachers or even those writing exam questions. The problem is with the concept of standardized testing itself.
JMU education professor Laura Desportes also noted that knowing a lot of content and facts doesn't necessarily translate into problem-solving skills and critical thinking. According to an article by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), there’s a discrepancy between the material covered on exams and in classrooms. Exam writers rarely communicate with teachers to determine what should be included in future exams. Even if that were to change, teaching styles and educational objectives differ from classroom to classroom, making it difficult to accurately represent every student’s range of knowledge. “The actual items that comprise the test are just a sample of all of the possible items that exist,” Desportes said. “People make huge decisions based on this tiny sample of behavior.” Standardized tests also put certain groups at a disadvantage. Those who can’t afford to prepare for tests outside of class or have other responsibilities preventing them from doing so will likely get lower scores than other students. Non-English speakers may appear to struggle in
An “efficiency” pat to the room transfer form for taking me 12 minutes to complete. From someone who doesn't need another time consuming activity.
The American system of standardized testing puts certain students at a disadvantage and fails to accurately assess and break down student capabilities, but they remain a large factor in determining a person’s future. Multiple choice questions and short essays can’t accurately determine how a student will fare in an undergraduate or graduate program, and these scores often don’t reflect a student’s true experience. Universities should take a student's scores with a grain of salt.
Thursday, April 28, 2022
An “I-hear-everything” dart to my roommates for talking about me behind my back. From someone who is looking for new roommates. Students are subjected to countless standardized tests throughout their education. Abi Middleton / The Breeze
Editorial Policies The Breeze 1598 S. Main Street Harrisonburg, VA 22801
a certain subject, but in reality, there might be a language barrier preventing them from showing their true capabilities. “What if you’re a kid who’s a whizz in math but you’re a struggling reader?" Desportes said. "Then your score is gonna be low. It’s gonna be misinterpreted that the kid can’t solve word problems when it’s really the kid can’t read the word problems effectively.” If standardized tests aren’t working, then why is America still using them? In short, they’re easier to grade. A multiple choice question takes seconds to grade while an in-depth paper, portfolio or oneon-one evaluation could take much longer. But convenience isn’t the only reason standardized testing is here to stay — it’s also highly profitable. The testing industry is worth an estimated $400 million to $700 million and has seen significant growth during the pandemic as schools went online, leaving students less prepared for standardized tests. Many companies, like Pearson, make money off both tests and preparation materials, like textbooks. Because only these companies can make accurate preparation materials for the tests they make, as long as standardized testing continues, they'll have a monopoly over the entire testing process. “What we’re trying to do with the standardized test is, it’s a quick and dirty way to predict some kind of future criterion performance,” Desportes said. “We test what’s easy and efficient to test and we make tons of money on it … We convince ourselves that we’re testing something valuable and most of the time we are not.”
The Breeze welcomes and encourages readers to voice their opinions through letters and guest columns. Letters must be no longer than 250 words. Guest columns must be no more than 650 words.
The Breeze reserves the right to edit submissions for length, grammar and if material is libelous, factually inaccurate or unclear. The Breeze assumes the rights to any published work. Opinions expressed in this page, with the exception of editorials, are not necessarily those of The Breeze or its staff.
CONTACT Mia Hazeldine-Ross at hazeldmg@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and Twitter @Breeze_Opinion.
Letters and guest columns should be submitted in print or via e-mail and must include name, phone number, major/year if author is a current student (or year of graduation), professional title (if applicable) and place of residence if author is not a JMU student.
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OPINION
Feel the heat Volatility in Harrisonburg weather is linked to global warming Harrisonburg industries, including food processing, contribute to climate change. Cambria Lee / The Breeze
EMMA SELI | compromising controversy Harrisonburg, is a tremendous contributor to climate change. Food systems — which include food processing, transportation, waste, etc. — emit over a third of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions according to Forbes. In recent decades, temperatures in Virginia have been gradually rising. During the 1930s Virginia experienced extremely hot temperatures, but recent average summer temperatures now exceed those of the 30s, according to the North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies. “Temperatures in Virginia have risen more than 1.5F since the beginning of the 20th century. Under a higher emissions pathway, historically unprecedented warming is projected during this century,” the article reads. JMU biology professor Bruce Wiggins explains that there have “definitely” been changes in average temperatures. “All of our human activities that are involved
in using the energy that’s not a renewable source is a source of CO2 to the atmosphere,” Wiggins said. These CO2 emissions are greenhouse gasses that get trapped in the atmosphere and contribute to the increasingly warm climate. In 2020, a Yale program on climate change communication conducted a survey among Harrisonburg residents. Over 68% believe climate change is happening, and over 50% believe it’s caused by human activity. JMU has taken a strong stance on climate change, in fact JMU established the Environmental Stewardship Action Plan and signed the Talloires Declaration, along with hundreds of universities and countries around the world. The Talloires Declaration was signed in 1990 at a conference in France and it lays out a 10 step plan for “incorporating sustainability and environmental literacy in teaching, research,
operations and outreach at colleges and universities.” Currently, JMU incorporates green energy into their electric grid through the use of solar panels. These panels, the ISAT Solar Energy Array, produce 11.25 kW of energy according to JMU’s website. They can be found on the Hillside of East Campus. It is impossible to ignore the evidence presented for global warming — our planet is undoubtedly undergoing a significant change in climate due to human activity and development. Countries and cities around the world are feeling the effects of global warming, and Harrisonburg is no exception. CONTACT Emma Seli at seliek@dukes.jmu.
edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and Twitter @ Breeze_Opinion.
Data from a 2020 survey of Harrisonburg residents conducted by Yale University
>50% of respondents believe climate change is caused by humanity
68% of Harrisonburg respondents believe that climate change is happening
Thursday, April 28, 2022
It’s difficult to deny that the climate is changing around the world — and causing significant damage. Despite worldwide efforts to combat it, wildfires still rage through forests and towns, glaciers continue to melt and sea levels continue to rise. With its recent inconsistent weather, Harrisonburg is feeling the effects of global warming as well. Climate change has existed all throughout history, largely due to slight changes in the Earth’s orbit causing variations in solar energy reaching the planet, according to NASA. There have been seven climate cycles in the past 650,000 years — these cycles are measured through glacial advances and retreats, with the last ice age ending approximately 11,700 years ago. However, the major contributor to climate change nowadays isn’t the placement of Earth’s orbit — it’s the human race. The evidence of global warming is overwhelming and continues to prove that human activity and development is the main cause of the current changes in the climate. If it weren’t for humans, the Earth would currently be naturally cooling, according to NASA. Increasing human activity has caused global temperatures to rise, oceans to warm and acidify, glaciers and ice sheets to melt and extreme weather events to increase. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), humans are responsible for the majority of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere over the last 150 years. In the U.S., the largest source of these emissions comes from burning fossil fuels for electricity, heat and transportation. Agriculture is a significant contributor to the emission of greenhouse gasses as well, which come from livestock, agricultural soils and rice production, among other sources. Harrisonburg’s major industries include manufacturing, food processing, technology, transportation, distribution and logistics. Manufacturing, specifically, is considered central to Harrisonburg and is a primary industry in the region, including food and beverage, industrial and miscellaneous and manufacturing companies. Manufacturing is also considered to be a major contributor to climate change due to the significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by manufacturers. Food processing, another staple industry in
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OPINION
The lasting lakers legacy HBO’s “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” raises concerns over harmful representation of players and coaches By JACKSON HEPHNER The Breeze
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Throughout his professional career as an NBA player, coach and executive, Jerry West has gone head-to-head against opponents like the Celtics, Knicks and Sixers. Now, he’s going against HBO. Last week, ESPN reported that Jerry West’s legal team had sent a letter to HBO, demanding an apology and retraction over HBO’s portrayal of West in its new show, “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.” When asked for comment on the letter by Fox News Digital, HBO responded by emphasizing that the show is “not a documentary and has not been presented
as such.” Jerry West himself doubled down on Monday via comments made to The Los Angeles Times, threatening to “take this all the way to the Supreme Court.” Some may call this public feud an overreaction. However, Jerry West has a point about HBO’s overdramatized account of the Lakers in the 1980s. Many of the show’s plot points are either partly or completely fabricated for the sake of drama to the detriment of the show’s reallife subjects. HBO’s defense in this feud has been short and simple, “Winning Time’’ is a drama, not a documentary. After all, a disclaimer flashes the screen before every episode, making it clear to the audience
that what they are about to see is a “dramatization of certain facts and events.” However, while HBO may believe this onesecond frame relieves them of any claim of defamation, it goes against everything else HBO has advertised about the show. After all, the title of the show itself claims this depiction of the events is, “The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.” This direct reference to the real-life Lakers dynasty implies that this is the story of how the dynasty came to be, not a fictionalization of that story. It goes beyond just subtitles, though. The main complaint coming from Jerry West and others is the show’s portrayal of real-life people. The vast majority of characters in the show are based off of
actual people, but many have expressed disappointment in how they’re portrayed, including Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and the aforementioned West. Jason Clarke’s portrayal of Jerry West is a perfect example. The man that former Lakers employee Mitch Kupchak described in West’s letter as “even-keeled and soft-spoken,” is portrayed in “Winning Time” as a bitter, temperamental jerk, prone to lashing out and always lamenting over his inability to beat the Boston Celtics as a player. This characterization is at best an overdramatization and at worst a complete fabrication — and West isn’t the only one upset. NBA legend, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar is
HBO’s dramatization of the Los Angeles Lakers dominance in the NBA during the 1980s has resulted in some featured players and coaches to express their discontent regarding the representation of their likeness. Courtesy of Tribune News Service
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OPINION also caught in the crossfires of “Winning Time.” The show portrays him as cold and even cruel toward many of his teammates. Abdul-Jabaar himself actually reviewed “Winning Time” in his personal newsletter, criticizing the show: “Each character is reduced to a single bold trait as if the writers were afraid anything more complex would tax the viewers’ comprehension. Jerry Buss is Egomaniac Entrepreneur, Jerry West is Crazed Coach, Magic Johnson is Sexual Simpleton, I’m Pompous Prick.” [sic] Then there’s Earvin “Magic” Johnson. The show’s portrayal of Johnson is arguably more positive than most. He’s portrayed as a naive 22-year-old, always smiling but confused as to who he wants to be. His character is definitely deeper than most in the show, but there’s a chance some of the character’s actions may rub his real-life counterpart the wrong way. For example, in Episode 8 of “Winning Time,” titled “California Dreaming,” it’s revealed that Johnson had cheated on his girlfriend, Cookie, with one of her friends, Rhonda, who got pregnant. Upon further research however, it becomes apparent that this whole plotline is fabricated. It’s never been confirmed that Johnson cheated on his future wife, yet alone with a mutual friend, and the character of Rhonda seems to be loosely based on Melissa Mitchell, a woman Johnson dated for a brief period from 1980-81 and who’s the mother of his first child. However, claiming that Johnson, a reallife public figure, had an affair and child with another woman while dating his future wife is misleading and could hurt Johnson’s image. Speaking to Variety, Johnson said
he hasn’t watched the show himself, but he criticized HBO for not consulting the reallife subjects of their new show, saying, “You can’t do a story about the Lakers without the Lakers.” That’s ultimately the biggest problem with “Winning Time” — it’s not really about the Lakers Dynasty. The true story of the “Showtime” Lakers of the ’80s is the story of how two electric stars and their eccentric owner managed to propel basketball into the mainstream and dominated the NBA for over a decade. Ultimately, due to a desire from HBO to fictionalize history at the expense of those involved, “Winning Time” is not that story, and HBO should stop pretending like it is. CONTACT Jackson Hephner at hephnejt@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and Twitter @Breeze_Opinion.
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Thursday, April 28, 2022
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OPINION
JILLIAN CAREY | jillian cares
Positive queer representation “Our Flag Means Death” tastefully features queer and non-binary characters and outperfoms contemporary releases
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People of the LGBTQ community are used to perpetuate sad and unflattering representations of queer characters. There are countless examples of queer-coded characters who talk like a “stereotypical” gay person, gay characters who are overly sexual and, of course, queer characters who inevitably die at the end. When queer people start a new TV show or movie surrounding queer characters, the immediate expectation is that they’re going to be presented with characters facing discrimination, coming-out storylines or some sort of otherwise tragic storyline. Finding media that depicts light-hearted stories that have plots and storylines other than queer characters being queer is hard to find. While there are plenty of stories that contain and even focus on queer characters, like “Love Simon,”’ “Brokeback Mountain” and “Queer as Folk,” the premise of these stories is usually about these characters coming to terms with the fact that they’re “different.” There are also an abundance of stories that include queerbaiting, where the media appears to be including characters that will be a part of the LGBTQ community in some way, but who end up being cisgender and heterosexual. “Looking at how people were kind of afraid to let themselves believe that we were [depicting a queer relationship] was a surprise to me, and it’s heartbreaking,” David Jenkins, creator and executive
producer of “Our Flag Means Death,” said in an interview with The Verge. What makes “Our Flag Means Death” such monumental queer representation is the fact that these characters are inconsequentially queer. The main character, a high-class middle-aged manturned-pirate named Stede (Rhys Darby), appears to be coming to terms with the fact that he’s attracted to men for the first time. Rather than spending valuable minutes of the show’s running-time on a coming out scene, the show instead allows the viewers and Stede to have this realization alongside one another, and for Stede’s subsequent revelation and love confession scene to happen without any fanfare — as queer love deserves to be viewed. This isn’t the only queer representation in the show, though, which is another failure that often comes across in media. While having one or two queer characters is better than none, this show has several — and none of them subscribe to the normal tropes one might expect. There’s a gay couple, a queer relationship including a nonbinary character named Jim (Vico Ortiz), and several characters who subvert gender norms in the way they dress and act. Despite this cast of characters that appeals to queer viewers, it’s still a show that cisgender, heterosexual viewers can relate to. Part of the show’s success comes from having an intriguing plot besides its
see OUR FLAG, page 16
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OPINION
CONTACT Jillian Carey at careyjc@
cs
by
Ev an
W ea ve r
/
dukes.jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and Twitter @Breeze_Opinion.
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Thursday, April 28, 2022
character-driven storylines. While the characters and their stories are an integral part of the show that keeps viewers invested, the story itself is intriguing. It begins with Stede, the inexperienced captain of a band of pirates, and follows his adventure as he gains their trust and runs into the terrifying and intimidating “Blackbeard” (Taika Waititi), who teaches him how to be more pirate-like. Much of the TV show’s success, especially in relation to its representation, can be attributed to its writer room. In creating the show, Jenkins made sure that there were the correct voices to depict these characters and experiences, especially since many of the characters are queer and/or people of color. “I think you have to try to staff a room where people have lived-in experiences that they can bring to the story, and we have to talk about things we’re experiencing now because these stories are timeless,” Jenkins told The Verge. Users on Instagram attributed the show’s relatability to its having different body types, representations of gender and diversity overall. Users also said the show is enjoyable because of its humor, the differing personalities of the characters and Jim in particular. “Our Flag Means Death” also ranked
above other shows being released at the same time. The show surpassed “Moon Knight,” a Marvel miniseries, which couldn’t beat out the media attention for “Our Flag” on websites like Twitter and TikTok. Another reason why this show was so successful in viewership was because of its humor. Much of the show was improvised, with comedy geniuses like Taika Waititi and Rhys Darby contributing to many of its comedic scenes. Absurd scenarios are often played completely straight-faced, which only adds to the humor. This is a recognizable aspect in the works that Waititi has contributed to, who often incorporates the “comedy of the mundane” — or the funny, uninteresting aspects of life — into the stories he creates This show fills a much-needed gap in today’s available media by giving viewers queer representation that doesn’t overly focus on every miniscule aspect of being queer. Other forms of media would do well to follow in this show’s footsteps to gain an equally passionate audience. “Our Flag Means Death” faces a single drawback: The fact that it’s yet to be renewed for a second season.
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from OUR FLAG, page 14
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BUSINESS EDITOR Filip De Mott
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Aftershock
Valley restaurant forced to close branches during pandemic
The restaurant experienced a 70%-80% decrease in sales. Photos by Abi Middleton
Engel opened Greens & Grains in 2009. Photos by Abi Middleton
By SARAH ECCLESTON The Madison Business Review
employees at Greens & Grains has decreased from 10 to three, Breitbeil said customer support and understanding has been helpful. Breitbeil said that one customer gave $20 and said “bless your heart” when she saw her sweating behind the counter. “Supporting small businesses, goes a really really long way. I knew it but I didn’t know it that much. It’s a lot of energy but it’s worth it,” Breitbeil said. Engel said sales are still at about 80% of what they used to be prepandemic, and he thinks this plateau may be due to students. Prepandemic, many repeat customers were upperclassmen who’d bring underclassmen in and introduce them to Greens & Grains. Two years later, those upperclassmen have graduated and moved on, in turn not bringing any new students in. Engel said there are now less current upperclassmen eating at Greens & Grains. To bring in more customers, Engel has been working on changing around the menu and adding new items. “It’s literally like starting all over again,” Engel said. CONTACT Sarah at ecclessk@dukes. jmu.edu. She is a junior media arts and design major.
Owner David Engel said the pandemic pressured the restaurant’s other branches to close. Photos by Abi Middleton
Thursday, April 28, 2022
A customer grabs the door handle and pulls. He tries the other; both appear to be locked. He peers through the clear glass doors into Greens & Grains Cafe, where he sees no one inside. He shrugs and walks off. That day, David Engel, JMU alumnus and the cafe’s owner, wasn’t able to work: With his daughter sick and only three employees — all of whom couldn’t come that day — he was unable to open the store. Greens & Grains is a quickservice restaurant that opened in 2009. Engel originally planned on opening a large chain of restaurants called Salad Creations but (due to the financial crisis) he ended up opening Greens & Grains in the three locations instead. Most of the ingredients are locally sourced from 10 other small businesses. Engel said the pandemic led his Stafford and Fredericksburg locations to eventually close in the fall 2021, but the Harrisonburg location remains open. As Engel is a Harrisonburg local it was easiest to manage, he said. Now, Greens & Grains is feeling the aftershock of COVID-19 along with the debt and labor shortage that followed. “I have to pick up all the slack cause it’s my business,” Engel said. “If I’m not here and somebody else isn’t here, the restaurant doesn’t open.”
After Greens & Grains opened back up, Engel said, it saw about a 70%-80% decrease in sales. “They say, well, your business should have been stronger, maybe you should have sold french fries, maybe you should have sold beer,” Engel said. They received a $3,500 Payroll Protection Program loan, a loan to help small businesses keep their employees and a $4,500 Economic Injury Disaster Loan, which helps to keep small businesses afloat and help with operating costs. Nevertheless, with $250,000 leases to pay and no rental assistance from landlords, government aid only made so much of a difference. “[I put] 10 years of my life into driving two hours to and from businesses, putting relationships and family on hold — just for America to be like, ‘Eh, sorry about your business,’” Engel said. Although two Greens & Grains locations have now closed, Lilly Breitbeil, Greens & Grains server and JMU sophomore, said that she sees a lot of repeat customers. One customer and JMU professor, Janet Peterson, comes to Greens & Grains every Friday to have lunch and play Bridge with her “girls.” She estimates she’s been doing this for 10 years. “We like it cause it’s such a nice healthy variety,” Peterson said. Although the number of
CULTURE
EDITORS
Amy Needham Michael Russo && Avery Charlotte Goodstine Matherly
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EMAIL thebreezeculture@gmail.com
Bullseye on the brain By SARAH FOSTER The Breeze
Twenty seconds to shoot a perfect arrow. Anna Miscione, a current JMU fifth-year geology major, stands on a stage, surrounded by bleachers with cameras televising her every shot. Glancing up at a monitor, she said she saw herself on TV, holding her recurve bow as its long, thin frame makes a shallow curve away from her body. Her goal? Score as many points as possible by hitting as many bullseyes as possible, he said. Miscione and her partner, Brady Ellison, are in the bronze medal match of the 2017 Hyundai Archery World Cup in Turkey. Miscione said she and Ellison must alternate shooting arrows every 20 seconds for at least three rounds, maybe up to five, all the while hoping they can shoot better than the other team. At the height of her career, Miscione estimated 90% of her shots to be bullseyes. “It’s a big mental mindset you have to be in … it’s very repetitious,” Miscione said. “You have to be okay with … being boring.” At age 24, with an archery career spanning national archery
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World-stage archer takes a step back due to brain tumor
tournaments, international world-stage competitions and Olympic trials, “boring” may not be an accurate description of Miscione’s life thus far. No matter the soil — American, Colombian, Turkish — Miscione made sure her mindset didn’t waver. “You have to steel yourself,” Miscione said. “It’s very mentally taxing of a sport.”
‘Haybales and dinky bows’
Miscione’s first real experience with archery was at church summer camp when she was 8 years old. Even though the setup was haybales and “dinky bows,” she said she came home and told her dad she enjoyed the sport. “When you’re 8, you’re in that stage of life where you want to do something for about a month, and then you’re done,” Miscione said, “but it didn’t stop … I just loved it.” From there, the sport slowly bled into her life — other extracurricular activities like ballet and Irish dancing fell away, and by the beginning of middle school, archery was it. During high school, Miscione spent four hours practicing on a school day and six to seven hours on a weekend day, all the while shooting at targets that stood 18 meters away for indoor shooting and 70 meters away for outdoor. “When I was in high school … I would wake up, go to school, go to practice, go home,” Miscione said. “That was my life.” Archery quickly spilled into the lives of Miscione’s parents as well. Her father, Mark, became her equipment manager and supplemental coach. Miscione described her mother, Lisa, as an “archery mom.” “Once she started shooting tournaments and that kind of thing, I did all the travel organization,” Lisa said. “I got really involved learning the rules, learning the setup.” Soon, all of the practice hours, missed time with friends, and family work paid off. In 2013, Anna made the United States Archery Team (USAT) with the top archers in the nation. She moved up the team’s ranks, eventually making it to the senior women’s recurve team in just two years. Lisa attributed Anna’s success to self-competition. “She’s ver y goal-or iented and challenge-oriented,” Lisa said. “A lot of it wasn’t necessarily just breaking records. It was breaking personal bests.”
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Unexpected challenges
Miscione said she first experienced archery when she was 8 years.
In summer 2019, Miscione was gearing up for her junior year of college and getting ready to begin an internship at JMU when she noticed the slightest changes in her vision, she said. Her eyes wouldn’t focus on some days, or she’d get headaches from her regular glasses. Her optometrist sent her to a neurologist. The neurologist sent her to get an MRI. Seven hours to remove a strawberrysized brain tumor. Medical staff told her it was a close call.
After getting surgery to remove her brain tumor, Miscione said she encountered many barriers as she tried to get back into the sport. Photos by Sarah Handel / The Breeze
“I could have started having pressure headaches, and” — she snapped her fingers — “dropped like a fly,” Miscione said. Lisa recalled her daughter’s sense of calm before entering surgery. “She just accepted it … It was just another challenge that she was going to face,” Lisa said. “Us, not so much. We were very anxious.” After hours on the operating table, Miscione said, she spent five days in the ICU and 12 days in in-patient rehabilitation. She lost hearing in her left ear, experienced total facial paralysis for a year and relearned how to walk. “I never felt insecure about [any] of this, because to me, what is there to feel insecure about?” Miscione said. “It’s just part of life to me.” Miscione said her return to archery was met with communication barriers between her brain and her body as she tried to switch her shooting hand and style. “It doesn’t totally transfer,” Miscione said. “I don’t know how I don’t know.” Miscione said she hasn’t “truly shot” at her competitive level since the surgery, but she’s trying to get back into the sport. She’s still an active part of the JMU club archery team and attends competitions in support of her teammates. “Moral support — that is the name of the game now,” Miscione said, laughing. Miscione’s JMU teammate and friend of five years, Caroline McCracken, said she tried to find the balance between giving Miscione space and offering her support when she returned to archery. “It’s really frustrating to be an elite athlete and be so good at what you do and have that taken from you,” McCracken said. “But once she started getting stronger, it was almost like she just put her foot down from an outsider’s perspective … [She] was like, ‘I’m still going to do this, and I’m going to enjoy it.’” McCracken said she admires Miscione’s “fighting spirit” and her ability to balance a competition mindset with laughing and enjoying her time on the archery range. Miscione said she knows unchecked emotions can grow and affect an archer’s game. “The ones that would get angry, they never lasted long because you can’t get angry,” Miscione said. “You just kind of have to let it go. You can’t keep dwelling on it.” In archery and in brain surgery, her mindset prevailed. CONTACT Sarah Foster at foste4fc@dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on Twitter and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.
CULTURE
Below the bar
Deborwah Faulk, a DEI faculty fellow for the College of Arts and Letters (CAL), said CAL’s recent cluster hires have brought in more people of color, but more steps could be taken to improve diversity on campus. Courtesy of Logan & Co.
By MORGAN VUKNIC The Breeze
Beginning with the 2020-21 school year, JMU adopted its Anti-Racist and Anti-Discrimination Agenda. The adoption of this agenda appointed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) leaders who work with Heather Coltman, provost and senior vice president for student affairs, to specify goals and initiatives within their college or program. Along with this agenda, JMU publishes a yearly factbook, which has been published since 1973, that breaks down the demographics of students and faculty members. JMU is classified as a primarily white institution (PWI), and the numbers in these factbooks reflect that. In fall 2019, the year before the anti-racism agenda was adopted, out of 1,714 instructional, library, administrative and professional faculty members, 247 — 14.4% — were people of color (POC). The recently released fall 2021 factbook revealed the number of faculty members who are POC increased to 251 instructional, library, administrative and professional faculty members out of 1,689, a slightly increased proportion at 14.9%. Also in 2019, University Studies, the College of Health and Behavioral Studies (CHBS) and the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) had the lowest rate of POC faculty members
with 15.2%, 11.6% and 19.2% of faculty members being POC, respectively. The colleges with the highest rates of diversity were the College of Arts and Letters (CAL) and the College of Business (COB) with 25.7% and 24.5% of faculty members, respectively, being POC. Compared to 2019, the data in the fall 2021 factbook shows that diversity at JMU has slightly improved. The colleges with the lowest rates of diversity are still University Studies, CHBS and CVPA but the numbers have gone up with 19.2%, 14.5% and 19.6% of faculty members being POC, respectively. The colleges with the highest rates of diversity also stayed the same with 27% of CAL’s faculty members being POC and 23% of COB’s faculty members being POC. While these numbers show change from previous years, DEI Faculty Fellow for CAL Deborwah Faulk and Special Adviser to the Dean for Equity Initiatives Yasmeen Shorish agreed there’s still progress to be made when it comes to diversity efforts at JMU.
Room for growth
Diversity, equity and inclusion staff reflects on 2021 factbook findings
Yasmeen Shorish, special adviser to the dean for equity initiatives, said the factbook and other instances of JMU’s diversity efforts should be more transparent and accessible to the community. Cambria Lee / The Breeze
these numbers from the 2021 factbook show that students of color aren’t as represented on campus as white students with POC making up less than a quarter of the undergraduate student population at JMU. Shorish said another way to improve diversity is through having conversations about it. She believes that by having conversations about diversity and explaining exactly which diversity initiatives are taking place around campus, JMU can become a more diverse campus. “I feel like the phrase ‘diversity initiatives’ conjures up a reactive response for people, like they already have a predisposition to what it means,” Shorish said. “I think we can provide more fruitful conversation if we’re thinking about how our campus best reflects the population of the country. History shows that without intentionality behind these conversations, things revert to the status quo.” Agreeing with Faulk, Shorish said the best way to visually show diversity at JMU is through hiring more faculty members who are POC. She said appointing DEI leaders has been a step in the right direction but, as the factbook shows, there still needs to be a more proportional balance between faculty members who are POC and those who aren’t.
A first step
Shorish said these DEI leadership positions — like her own — are a great first step in making JMU more diverse but that the DEI leaders’ actions could be more public. She said that a lot of the time, people are unaware of the DEI initiatives JMU is trying to implement because they aren’t always public knowledge. By being more open with students about its diversity efforts, Shorish said, JMU could show the work it’s trying to accomplish. “I think [the appointment of the DEI leaders] has helped with creating a shared understanding within and across units as we learn from one another,” Shorish said, “but these things aren’t
always visible because it’s a lot of conversations and relationship building and those things don’t always have a public figure at the front of them.” When it comes to the statistics in the 2021 factbook, Faulk said JMU could make them more accessible. She said many students may not realize the gap between faculty members who are white and POC because they don’t know how to access the factbook or other diversity resources. She said while the factbook is available online, many students aren’t aware of it in the first place. “It’s tough to look at these numbers, so I’m not sure what JMU could do better,” Faulk said. “I think having sessions around diversity at the orientation level would be a great first step. We need to have continuing conversations with students as well as being transparent with new students during orientation about DEI initiatives that are currently in progress.” Although these numbers in the 2021 factbook are difficult to digest, Faulk said the conversation about diversity at JMU needs to continue to happen if the university hopes to become a more diverse space. “The world has always been diverse and colleges have a responsibility to reflect that diversity,” Faulk said. “I think that it’s important to put DEI at the forefront because it’s already a part of our world. I think it’s important to improve inequality in our society and we can do that by addressing it. If we want JMU to be a great place, we have to embrace the diversity of the world around us.” The Breeze requested comment from JMU but did not receive information before deadline. The online version of this article will be updated upon reciept of JMU’s comments. CONTACT Morgan Vuknic at vuknicma@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on Twitter and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Since Faulk came to JMU in 2021, she said there have been many efforts to make the school more diverse such as the appointment of DEI leaders and the future vice president for DEI position as well as a cluster hire in CAL that appointed diverse faculty members. While this is a great step, Faulk said there is always more that can be done in regard to diversity. Faulk alluded that cluster hires aren’t happening in other colleges, but CAL recently announced the hiring of a Latinx cohort. The cohort will bring six scholars to JMU in the fall. Faulk said these cluster hires are a step in the right direction when it comes to making JMU more diverse. She said these hires allow students of color to be taught by someone who looks like them and, she hopes, makes JMU seem more welcoming. “I think hiring groups of faculty is going to be really useful for not only quickly visually diversifying the faculty here but also for providing support for those faculty once they arrive on campus,” Faulk said. “If you’re arriving in a group, then you have a lot more connections and people who are starting at the same level as you, and I think that could be a really powerful move in the future.” Arthur Dean, a candidate for the vice president for DEI position, presented to audience members from the community on April 26. In his presentation, Dean emphasized recruitment of people of color from conferences and national organizations. “We need to take advantage of that and be present,” Dean said. “If we can’t recruit faculty from those spaces, we can meet experts, bring those experts to our campus [and] allow them to speak and present on our campus. And when those experts leave, they are the mentors and coaches of the future generation of faculty.” When it comes to undergraduate students at JMU, out of 19,743; 4,860 — 24.6% — are POC. While this is higher than the faculty rate of 14.4%,
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CULTURE
Members of the Video Adventures Club take trips to locales like High Knob and Shenandoah National Park to put their videography skills to the test. Courtesy of the Video Adventures Club
Expeditions on film JMU Video Adventures Club records travels near and far When Sugerman started the club, there were only about six or seven members, he said, but it’s since grown to more than 30. The club currently has no skill level requirement, Boredom gives birth to many things. For junior media so members’ experience and knowledge base varies from arts and design (SMAD) major Austin Sugerman, boredom avid videographers to amateurs just looking to learn. To led to his creation of the Video Adventures Club — a club prospective members, Sugerman said, the club “would love dedicated to going on trips to remote and nearby wilderness to have” newcomers join. The club’s helped its members discover or rekindle their and camping areas and filming their adventures. Sugerman began to formulate his plan for the club last year, but it wasn’t interest in videography while also helping them make connections with others who have similar interests. Lately, until this past fall that he founded it. “I never really had any friends who were also interested [in the club has begun experimenting with recording using a videography], and with [COVID-19] being so socially isolating, member’s drone, bringing a whole new array of skills to the I wanted to bring people together with a similar interest,” club and many of its members. Sugerman said. Recently, the Video Adventures Club went on its first overnight camping trip to High Knob, West Virginia, and Sugerman made it clear they hope to go on more overnight camping trips i n t h e f u t u re, though they mainly stick to spontaneity. Kris Neou, a freshman SMAD major and club member, said this adventure was his favorite so far. “Someone can just mention a trip idea and next thing you know you’re in the car on the way there,” In addition to recording video of their adventures, club members also collaborate on story-based videos to Neou said. “I only develop their skills.
Thursday, April 28, 2022
By MORGAN BLAIR contributing writer
joined this semester, but everything we’ve done so far has been a lot of fun … Through the club, I’ve made new friends and got my spark back for making videos and taking pictures.” The club’s gone to campgrounds, national parks and more locales all around Virginia, filming their adventures as they happen. Multiple members said they agreed the club’s allowed them to have fun and make friends while also giving them an opportunity to exercise their creativity. Sydney Marvin, a freshman marketing major and club member, said she enjoyed visiting Shenandoah National Park with the group because “it was such a fun time and a good bonding experience.” The community the club’s built around itself is a very welcoming and spontaneous one, Ryan Prostejousky, a sophomore SMAD major and member, said. He added that members sometimes don’t plan trips until 20 minutes before they leave. Prostejousky and Neou both made it clear that the club and its members pride themselves on not taking life too seriously and being very easygoing. “This is a really great group of people,” Prostejousky said. “Definitely a little crazy, but still a great group of people. We’re very loose and fun-oriented. There’s always a lot of smiling and a lot of joking.” Members said they pride themselves not only on their fun environment but on how judgment-free and supportive the club is. They said they have a variety of skill sets and are very willing to share their knowledge with others. “There’s no judgment,” Marvin said. “Everyone has different hobbies and interests, but we’re united by our interest in videography. Everyone is so cool; it’s just a fun group of people to be around.” For some members, like Marvin, the club has given them an opportunity to flex their creative skills while also getting to go outside. Prostejousky said it’s also given many members memories they’ll never forget. “I remember one sunrise hike we went on to High Knob,” Prostejousky said. “We were at the top of this tower and it was really cold. I turned and looked over at one of the other members and his eyelashes were frozen, like, they actually had
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CULTURE little ice crystals on them, yet he still had the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on anyone’s face, it was awesome.” The club’s relatively new so they still have some things to figure out, but they’re working on developing a more concrete plan for how their adventures will happen. “Obviously being a new club we’re still working on figuring things out,” Sugerman said. “We had a rough trip calendar planned out, but now someone just has the idea and we take it from there, although we are working on figuring out how to be more organized with trips.” Through the club, members have been able to gain experience making videos for brands, like a mock promo Sugerman mentioned they made for a local slack-lining brand. Some members like Sugerman have also been able to make videos for JMU using skills they’ve learned while being in the club. Beyond this, the videographers have made short story-based videos and creative edits. “[Sugerman] did a really cool short story video in the fall,” Prostejousky said. “I also really liked a lot of the edits some of the members made in the fall.” Members not only make videos as a club but also on their own. Yet even when working on solo projects, Marvin said, members often find themselves getting help from other club members when they need it.
“There’s a lot of independent work that we do,” Marvin said. “We even work on that stuff together, though, which makes it a lot more fun.” Sugerman and the other club members have big plans for the future of the club. They said they even want to expand their adventures to other parts of the country. “[Sugerman] and I have this dream of filming all throughout the Pacific Northwest,” Prostejousky said. “That wouldn’t be till after we graduated, but I know there’s already a lot of members going on really cool trips this summer.” One thing the members said they all agree on is that the club has given themselves something they were missing. “I’ve learned perseverance through this club,” Prostejousky said. “Making videos can be frustrating but this club has helped me to learn to be more patient when it comes to things like that … It sounds kind of cliche, but this club has taught me a lot.” CONTACT Morgan Blair at blairml@dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on Twitter and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.
Club members said they appreciate the community and friends they’ve made within the group.
Founder Austin Sugerman hopes to expand the club next year.
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Thursday, April 28, 2022
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CULTURE
Fun in the sun
The Edith J. Carrier Arboretum is an idyllic outdoor space easily accessible to students who live on campus. Abi Middleton / The Breeze
Six warm weather activities to enjoy in Harrisonburg By JAKE DODOHARA The Breeze
After a brutal winter followed by lingering snow storms, Harrisonburg is finally getting some warmer weather. As the balmy climate continues, students may want to leave their apartments and dorms to spend more time outdoors. Thankfully, there are plenty of enjoyable activities in the Shenandoah Valley area. Here are six things you can do with friends in the JMU area while the weather is still warm.
Flying Rabbit Sporting Clays A fun activity for JMU students is a public shooting range, Flying Rabbits Sporting Clays, famously referred to as “golf with a shotgun.” During the game, clay targets are thrown in the air, replicating a flying bird. Players, equipped with shotguns, shoot at these flying targets in a variety of terrains and elevations, simulating an actual hunting trip. The range is open for novice, intermediate and expert shooters every Friday through Sunday, and no booking appointment is required. The family-owned business also offers a student discount to JMU students.
Lake Shenandoah
Beards & Broads Axe Throwing Bar & Grill
Although the warm weather provides a great opportunity to convene with friends outdoors, there are still many options for those who prefer to have their fun inside. Affiliated with the World Axe Throwing League, Beards & Broads is a full bar and restaurant where patrons can throw axes at targets. You can book an axe throwing session for up to 12 “throwers” at a time, with discounts provided for veterans and civil servants. Prior to arriving at the establishment, Beards & Broads suggests you dress in closed-toe shoes, a loose T-shirt and pants or shorts in lieu of a skirt. When you arrive, an axe throwing expert will teach you the basics of axe throwing. Ideal for those wanting to try something new, Beards & Broads is an invigorating pit stop in Harrisonburg.
Fountain Cave Adventure Tour
Fountain Cave, included in the Grand Caverns, has recently reopened for the first time in 100 years. The typical Grand Caverns tour features walking through the titular cave, equipped with overhead lights and a walkway. However, Fountain Cave hasn’t been renovated, allowing it to remain in its untouched, natural state. Touring the cave takes approximately two hours, with a guide facilitating the expedition. Explorers must wear a headlamp, helmet, knee pads and boots. Gloves are also required to prevent the natural stone from being damaged by oils from patrons’ skin. The tour is intense, with the cave’s webpage asserting that you’ll get “down and dirty” while having an “authentic caving experience.”
Gap View Ranch & Kennel
Now known as a JMU staple, Gap View Ranch & Kennel is a wonderful day trip for students. The ranch is home to a plethora of animals — horses, alpacas, donkeys and most famously: puppies. The ranch breeds golden retriever puppies, and is currently prepping for four new litters to be born. JMU students are permitted to visit with the puppies and additional animals, with visitations scheduled over the phone. The ranch is open seven days a week, with the establishment closing at 5:30 p.m. Prior to visiting the kennel, make sure to consult Gap View’s website to go over the various protocols when interacting with the puppies.
Edith J. Carrier Arboretum
If you live on campus and are looking for an outdoor excursion nearby, the Edith J. Arboretum is a classic for students. The arboretum is a public space featuring a expansive forest and botanical garden. Its idyllic scenery is perfect for thoughtful walks alone or with friends, and the greenery will clear your head. The space even has a small labyrinth that visitors are encouraged to follow, allowing them to disconnect and relax. JMU hosts a variety of events at the arboretum, most recently featuring a sound healer who utilizes cr ystal and tibetan bowls to de-stress the audience. To find more of JMU’s scheduled events, consult the arboretum’s programming webpage. Although students may be busy preparing for finals, it’s still important to take time for yourself to let loose. By supporting unique Harrisonburg businesses while you unwind, you’re not only helping yourself, but helping the local community as well. CONTACT Jake Dodohara at dodohajh@dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on Twitter and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.
Thursday, April 28, 2022
For those looking to connect with nature, Lake Shenandoah is the perfect opportunity to have some fun in the sun. The lake is located a few miles east of Harrisonburg, making it a quick and easy drive for any JMU student. The lake has several walking trails and is home to a variety of wildlife, with migration patterns allowing an abundance of fluctuating bird species to reside at the lake. Students who fish will be pleased, as the lake has bass, catfish and panfish present as well. To visit the lake, the Virginia Department of Wildlife
Resources (DWR) requires an access permit or a valid Virginia hunting license. To purchase an access permit, visit the Virginia DWR website.
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EDITORS Madison Hricik & Grant Johnson
EMAIL breezesports@gmail.com
@TheBreezeSports
Courtesy of Richele Hall
Trevor Cockburn / The Breeze
Courtesy of JMU Althetics
Courtesy of JMU Althetics
Courtesy of JMU Althetics
Savannah Reger / The Breeze
Cambria Lee / The Breeze
Courtesy of JMU Althetics
Courtesy of Richele Hall
Thursday, April 28, 2022
Courtesy of Richele Hall
Screengrab from Twitter
Trevor Cockburn/ The Breeze
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SPORTS
ABOVE
AND BEYOND
Lacrosse senior’s project looks to destigmatize JMU’s Honors College for student-athletes By GRANT JOHNSON
never a barrier in her getting
TheBreezeSports.
Thursday, April 28, 2022
and off. “I was really proud that she The Breeze came to us and said, ‘This is the kind of project that I want to JMU lacrosse is riding a nine-game win write,’ because it was very much streak. But its future may be molded by a player — it’s clearly about her passion,” who’s started just one game in four years — Montoya said. “Sometimes we through academics. can be intimidating — like, I’m Senior defender Lilly Byrne is finishing up a the associate dean of Honors synthetic reflection paper that crafts a model — but for her, just, she took a for JMU’s Honors College to better work with step forward and she’s willing and attract more student-athletes. Within it, to put herself out there and she’s attempting to break stigmas about what willing to be able to say, ‘This is Byrne said she thinks more student-athletes could take on the the Honors College really is, that it’s a place where things went well, this is Honors College than its numbers suggest. Courtesy of JMU Athletics fellow student-athletes and prospective ones where things didn’t and this is can thrive in. my suggestions on changes.’ And being brave everything done. Other Honors students have “This is something that JMU offers that can enough to critique us, I think that’s — I don’t produced guides for improving departments help them, and it’s a big selling point,” Byrne want to call it critiquing, but in a way, it is. It’s before, Davis said, but they weren’t Honors said, adding that JMU’s Honors College, in its saying, ‘This is how Honors can do better.’” student-athletes. purest form, can pull recruits away from Ivy Byrne found several areas for improvement: Now, after what Byrne produced in the Leagues and U.Va. “They’re willing to work Montoya said they included, among others, Honors College, Montoya said, it gives her an with you. Whether it comes to your thesis or Critiques with purpose more Honors seminar courses during non- additional leg-up in job searches above other completing the credits or anything, I think they All senior Honors students have to write conflicting times for basketball players and Division I athletes who are already appealing to want athletes in the Honors College, and I don’t either a 35- to 50-page thesis or develop a spring-sport athletes and providing Honors hirers because of their time management skills think people realize that.” comprehensive portfolio of 12-15 artifacts courses before 3 p.m. for greater leniency with and mental and physical health balance. Byrne Simply the name “honors college” has spanning disciplines but linked to one central practice schedules. Montoya also said that the said she’s getting her master’s in accounting gotten Byrne backhanded compliments from topic. What makes Byrne’s project novel, Honors student-athlete experience needs to be from U.Va. after graduation and will work at teammates — “Ooh, Honors College,” her Montoya said, is that Byrne approached Alysia woven in more during open-house events and PwC accounting firm this summer. teammates would say — but in reality, the Davis, director of student engagement in the CHOICES, and that Honors needs to be better “When someone comes back and says, ‘OK, college isn’t meant to be academically superior JMU Honors College and Byrne’s thesis advisor, about communicating with JMU coaches. Lilly needs an academic reference,’ well, who from the rest of JMU. Rather, it consists of with an idea already fleshed out for it: Byrne Byrne’s head coach, Shelley Klaes, said is it? It’s the director of student engagement smaller, discussion-based classes mostly wanted to focus on student-athlete experiences Byrne’s willingness to help the lacrosse for an honors college or associate dean of absent from traditional exams, Byrne said. in the Honors College, including her own, and program pay it forward through her Honors an honors college, and so then that elevates “You’re putting in that work on the field combine them with projects from her Honors project depicts how unselfish she is — that experience even more,” Montoya said. and you’re practicing every day, and you’re courses. potentially putting JMU in position to snag “Coaches are great, but sometimes people gonna lift in the morning and you’re doing Davis said one of the included artifacts was more recruits, even after she leaves. Many of the want to know, can they read and write? Do they the extra work and all that stuff,” Byrne said. President Jonathan Alger’s leadership seminar, top women’s lacrosse programs are prestigious show up to class every single day?” “It translates to the classroom: That work ethic where Byrne had to learn how to give and academic schools: The average acceptance Going forward, Byrne is making an that you got from your sport, the reason you receive constructive feedback, which Byrne rate for the general student body among all infographic of her findings that Davis said were recruited to play at JMU, you have that said has helped her both on the lacrosse field programs who’ve won a national title since can be printed and kept in Hillcrest — JMU’s same thing within you. I think Honors College 2000 — UNC, Northwestern, Honors College building — for prospective Maryland, Princeton, U.Va., and admitted student-athletes to make sure Boston College and JMU — is they’re aware of how faculty can best help them 31.34% as of 2019-20. achieve success in Honors. Montoya said she JMU accepted 82% of its hopes Byrne’s results and critiques will be used applicants in fall 2021. each subsequent year by the Honors College to “For us to be able to bridge better serve its student-athletes. that gap on what it takes to be All of Byrne’s project and off-field obligations a champion on the lacrosse — being the leader of JMU lacrosse’s field but also that we can community service initiatives; starting the afford these families and these Morgan’s Message game, an annual game strong student-athletes the best played to raise awareness about mental health possible quality education as stigma; serving as an Honors Ambassador; and well, that’s literally what we’re a teaching fellow for HON 100, a class led by trying to sell every day, every non-freshman Honors students — have come year in the recruiting plan,” from finding her purpose at JMU and on the Klaes said. “If [Byrne] can lacrosse team: being there to get her degree help us with that process, it’s and, above all, being herself. a testament to her legacy that “It’s just about finding your role,” Byrne said. she’s leaving this program.” “I’ve never been this crazy athlete, like I was the But being on the lacrosse academically driven one … and I think when I team meant Byrne didn’t have realized the impact that I was having on other time for filler or busy work in people in the classroom and recruiting younger girls to help with community service and stuff her project. Montoya, whose — it was pretty seamless, and I think I’ve been main role was to offer critique preaching it so much to younger girls this year, and feedback during Byrne’s like, ‘Find your niche and what you can do, and project, said she had to respect own it.’” Disclaimer: Grant Johnson is in the Honors College. her time by saying, “This is exactly what we needed from you,” with clear deadlines. CONTACT Grant Johnson at breezesports@ Even so, Montoya said Byrne gmail.com. For more lacrosse coverage, being a student-athlete was follow the sports desk on Twitter @ Senior defender Lilly Byrne serves as an Honors Ambassador, where she said she strengthened her communication shills. Courtesy of Alysia Davis
pulls it out of you … They dig deeper and dive into those discussions.” Fawn-Amber Montoya, JMU Honors College’s associate dean for diversity, inclusion and external engagement and the reader and grader of Byrne’s project, said there’s also an impression that students have to “do more” in the Honors College. This may be a barrier in getting more student-athletes into the college, she said, but the barrier might also just come from the name: “honors college.” Montoya said the number of Honors studentathletes isn’t tracked, but she’d guess they make up about 2% — roughly 20 students — of the college. The Honors College usually admits incoming students with an unweighted 3.7 GPA, Montoya said, or current students above 3.3 or through a nomination by two faculty members in the student’s home department who “think you’re doing really well.”
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Fire on all cylinders JMU lacrosse has one final game before finding out if they play in the NCAA tournament. Cambria Lee / The Breeze
JMU lacrosse’s offensive mindset aids 9-game win streak
Thursday, April 28, 2022
By ZACH MENDENHALL contributing writer
Scoring above 10 goals in nine straight games isn’t easy in lacrosse. However, the Dukes have made it seem so seem recently. The Dukes have played 16 games this season, scoring 84 goals in the first half of the season and 135 in the second. As they’re scoring more and more, JMU’s offense has looked unstoppable as of the last month and a half, with the Dukes currently sporting a nine-game win streak, beating teams like Maryland and U.Va. in the process. JMU’s current offensive trend is headed in a positive direction, but what spurred this change to happen? “I think we were still getting used to each other’s play,” redshirt sophomore attacker Isabella Peterson said. “The more games that we’ve played we’ve been able to get more practice and I think it’s allowed us to really build connections to other attackers and video on the field.” Peterson has scored 63 goals this season, with as many as eight coming in one game. She also sports 12 assists and has been a crucial factor to JMU’s offense this season, taking more shots than anyone on the team, and placing second in game-winning goals with three. Only the team’s secondbest top scorer, redshirt junior attacker Kacey Knobloch, has more with four. “There was obviously a lot of pressure,
especially with not being able to compete for the conference championship,” redshirt senior attacker Katie Chekosky said. “I think at the beginning of the season, the defense was carrying a lot of the weight.” Chekosky is currently the team’s leading assist maker, as she has 36 assists in the 16 games she’s played. Chekosky is able to show that offense is more about scoring and shooting, and that keen playmaking ability is just as important. The Dukes had a 3-3 record after their first six games of the season, but quickly turned it around, winning nine of their last 10. This has put the team and the players into the realization of playing in the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship. “We’re thinking about the end of the season, and we realized we needed to focus on one game at a time. I think being able to walk in and focus on each game as a contest kind of led us to offensive success in the past few games,” Chekosky said. Head coach Shelley Klaes described the offense as “balanced,” and that the team feeds off one another to generate different scenarios that allow more than one player to score in any given situation. “You have players like [Isabella Peterson] and Kacey Knobloch who are producing three to five points a game,” Klaes said, “but then you have players like Tai Jankowski who are able to come in and generate those big points as well.” When asked how the defense contributes
to the offense, Klaes said, “Right now, for the defense to be feeling the pressure at practice every day. That might be a tad damaging in the preseason but it’s only going to make us better.” The Dukes scored 60 goals in a threegame stretch from April 9-16 of this season. They scored 18 goals against Elon, 22 against Liberty and 21 against William & Mary. “We’re thinking about the end of the season,” Chekosky said. “Being able to walk in and focus on each game as a contest kind of led us to offensive success in the past few games.” Chekosky also said the connection she has with her teammates and how it’s impacted the offense is a factor in their connection. The team regularly practices different schemes to work on passing, formations and becoming an open man on the field. “Right now it’s like we have each other’s backs on both sides, the ball and we’re just connected on all three cylinders,” Chekosky said. “Knowing that we have a back-up, we’ll get a draw and we’ll put a label on the next possession.” For each individual player, the majority of practice for them is details of their game. “We knew that the little things like focusing on getting better at each practice,” Cheksosky said. “Walking and doing extra work outside of practice … can make a huge difference in our play.”
Klaes also made clear that JMU doesn’t play the same against every team they face. Every opponent has a different playing style, and the Dukes have to know how to adjust to that. Despite that, Klaes said she’s confident in her team’s ability to read, analyze and make any changes to exploit the opposition. “This offensive unit has a really strong understanding of what we’re trying to do,” Klaes said. “We’ve been able to keep the focus on us by the different styles of coming out and that shows their maturity, to be able to win.” Not only training, but a positive mindset entering the game has been Klaes’s key emphasis to what the Dukes need to secure their at-large bid this May. “As importantly, we try to encourage people to start to see the little things come together in the game,“ Klaes said. “Which is why we’ve been able to put up so many, so many points.” With just one regular season game remaining, the Dukes look to continue their upward trend in offense as they play Drexel on Saturday at noon. Madison Hricik contributed to this report.
CONTACT Zach Mendenhall at mendenzl@ dukes.jmu.edu.
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Draftable Dukes? Analysis | These former JMU football players could be called at the NFL Draft
By GRAHAM SKINKER The Breeze
The 2022 NFL draft will begin this Thursday, April 28, at 8 p.m. and will wrap up this Saturday. While it’s highly unlikely any JMU players will hear their names called on the first two days of the draft, there are a few former Dukes who could be day-three picks or sign as undrafted free agents. Every draft, there are some players drafted in the later rounds or picked up as undrafted free agents that turn into real contributors for NFL teams, often referred to as “diamonds in the rough.” Here’s a few JMU players who could fit this mold.
Cole Johnson (Quarterback)
Johnson enters the draft after six stellar years in the JMU program. He finishes his tenure with the Dukes as one of the school’s best quarterbacks in program history. Johnson ranks second in JMU history in career passing yards with 6,511 and 58 passing touchdowns. A large portion of these came in Johnson’s outstanding 2021 season, and he set multiple single-season program records this past fall, including passing touchdowns with 41, passing yards with 3,779 and completions with 287. Not only is Johnson an accurate passer but he’s also an above-average athlete for the quarterback position. In the 2021
season, Johnson rushed for 271 yards and six touchdowns, including a 58-yard burst. NFL teams love athletic passers, so this bodes well for Johnson’s chances this weekend.
Ethan Ratke (Kicker)
Of all the Dukes hoping for an NFL opportunity, Ratke might have the most realistic shot. Throughout his time with the Dukes, Ratke was nothing short of excellent: He set the JMU, FCS and NCAA record for most career field goals with 101 and is the all-time leader in scoring for a kicker. Ratke has also set multiple JMU single-season records. In 2021, he set the JMU single-season record for field goals with 29, as well as setting the single-season scoring record in 2019 with 160 points. Ratke has a career field goal percentage of 86%, as well as having a full season with no misses. Ratke also capped off an impressive pro day by hitting a 52-yard field goal with room to spare. Kicking in the NFL isn’t a very big adjustment from college to the NFL. The biggest difference is that it’s just on a bigger stage, but ultimately, if a player can kick in college, it’s likely that they’ll be able to kick in the NFL. The FCS also has a history of producing productive NFL kickers, including the great former Patriots and Colts Adam Vinateri and Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowl kicker Jason Meyers. Even if Ratke doesn’t hear his name called
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at the draft, he could get a shot in the NFL.
Mike Greene (Defensive Lineman)
Greene spent five years with the Dukes and was a stud on the defensive line throughout his tenure. This past season, Greene tallied 56 total tackles and five sacks. Greene’s also astute at getting his hands in the quarterbacks’ throwing Quarterback Ben DiNucci (2018-19) was the latest JMU player to lanes as he tallied two be drafted. Trevor Cockburn / The Breeze passes batted down from his defensive tackle spot. Carroll has good size for a corner, standing Along with having an impressive final 6 feet tall and weighing 188 pounds, and season with JMU, Greene showed out impressed at JMU’s pro day. He led Dukes at JMU’s pro day this spring. He tied for in the vertical jump at 34 inches and the first in bench press with 27 reps and was broad jump at 10 feet 4 inches. the third-highest in vertical jump at 30.5 As the draft kicks off Thursday night inches, highly impressive for an interior these players, like many others, will wait defensive lineman. In his preparations for patiently to see if their name is called. If the draft, Greene slimmed down to roughly not, they’ll look to latch on with teams 280 pounds in hopes of further impressing through the free agent market. NFL scouts. But, for now, they’ll just have to wait and see.
Taurus Carroll (Cornerback)
Carroll was a staple in JMU’s secondary in 2021. Carroll played in all 14 games, making 13 starts. He notched 25 tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss along with two interceptions and seven passes defended.
CONTACT Graham Skinker at skinkegm@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more football coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @ TheBreezeSports.
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Dual-position specialist Travis Reifsnider transitions to outfield following Chase DeLauter injury By WILL MORAN contributing writer
Redshirt junior Travis Reifsnider was the starting catcher before moving to center field to replace Chase DeLauter. Valerie Chenault / The Breeze
Redshirt junior Travis Reifsnider’s performance Friday night at Veterans Memorial Park wasn’t his best. The center fielder was 0-for-5, flying out three times and striking out twice. One of those strikeouts came in the bottom of the eighth down one run with bases loaded. But none of that mattered anymore. “He had terrible at-bats all day until that last one,” JMU head coach Marlin Ikenberry said. In the 10th inning with two men on base, a 2-1 pitch from William & Mary’s graduate right-hander Randy Prosperi was sent to deep right field off the wall and brought home junior second baseman Nick Zona to take game one of the weekend series against William & Mary on April 22. “[I’m] pretty pumped up,” Reifsnider said postgame. “I love this team. I love doing anything I can to help the team.” It hasn’t just been this weekend for Reifsnider: Ikenberry recognizes he’s been a contributing factor for the Diamond Dukes all season long. After redshirt sophomore center fielder Chase DeLauter went down with an injury March 4 against Quinnipiac, the Dukes traveled to now-No. 1 Tennessee for a twogame series. In this series, Reifsnider filled in for DeLauter in center field. “At first when he was playing center field we
were a little nervous,” Ikenberry said postgame against William & Mary on April 23. After returning to the lineup March 15 against Virginia Tech, DeLauter suffered a broken foot April 9 in game two of a series against College of Charleston. After this, Reifsnider again got the call to play center field, and he said he was prepared. “Since I have been really young, I’ve just wanted to play whatever position would get me in the lineup,” Reifsnider said. “When coach Ike came up to me before [Tennessee] to play center field, I was pumped up and ready to go.” Reifsnider did his fair share of helping this weekend. In Saturday’s matchup against William & Mary, Reifsnider contributed two home runs with three RBIs and no strikeouts in a 4-1 victory against the Tribe, sealing the series win, and is something that his teammates recognize and appreciate. “He can stroke it,” freshman left fielder Fenwick Trimble said. “Him being in front of me in the lineup makes my life a little easier … He’s just a great player.” Reifsnider’s arm has contributed to his success, an important element to being a catcher. If someone is attempting to steal second, the catcher needs to react and quickly get the ball there. His arm strength is something JMU baseball assistant coach Alex Guerra said he believes has helped Reifsnider in center tremendously.
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“He’s performed, he’s gotten some big time hits. It doesn’t really matter how he’s been pitched.” Alex Guerra
JMU baseball assistant coach “His arm, it’s the best outfield arm of any player I have ever coached, between him and Chase,” Guerra said. “It’s big-time arm strength … Guys aren’t going first to third, their coaches are holding them up.” Guerra said this helps the team out tremendously — and it shows. In the 12 games Reifsnider has played center field, the Dukes are 6-6 with three of the games decided by one run, and Reifsnider’s play in the field has been efficient. Among the 10 Dukes with over 60 fielding chances, he’s second on the team in fielding percentage, boasting a .989, while recording only one error on the season. Reifsnider’s play hasn’t gone unnoticed: Guerra recognizes the role he plays for the team. “Injuries happen, guys have to step up,” Guerra said. “A lot of times, it’s your older players who have to step up and rise to another level, and Reif has absolutely done that.” Besides just the play in the field, Reifsnider has been a consistent force for the Dukes’ offense. Among Dukes with over 100 atbats this season, Reifsnider is first in batting average, hitting .327, first in slugging percentage at .673 and first in OPS at 1.052, and he leads the team overall with 10 home runs. These numbers are also good enough
for eighth, first, first and first in the CAA, respectively. This is something that Guerra said is essential in the Dukes’ lineup. “He’s performed, he’s gotten some big time hits,” Guerra said. “It doesn’t really matter how he’s been pitched.” Moving Reifsnider around in the field might have had some of the coaches nervous, but his work in the batter’s box was never a question for Guerra. Moving a player around on the field and moving him up and down the lineup might be an issue for some, but Guerra said it’s not a problem for Reifsnider. “I think offensively nothing has changed there,” Guerra said. “That’s a testament for him mentally, just how dialed he is at the plate with his routine and the things that he does, and nothing changes for him from that standpoint as far as him playing another position.” Reifsnider’s season has been highlighted by a strong weekend versus William & Mary. Guerra said it all boils down to one thing. “When he is on the field,” Guerra said, “he is a game changer.” CONTACT Will Moran at moranwp@dukes.jmu. edu. For more baseball coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @TheBreezeSports.
Reifsnider has scored two home runs since starting in center field. Matt Young / The Breeze
Reifsnider slides on base against VMI. Trevor Cockburn / The Breeze
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