The Breeze
On the cover
As the nights get shorter and mornings get colder, there’s one thing for certain: the Dukes are back in town. The Breeze news section is here to update you on what you missed over the summer while culture preps you to return to campus and find your rhythm. And after a historic year, JMU Athletics is looking ahead to replicate its successes, even with its almost entirely new staff.
What’s inside...
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For more on tunes for Dukes, see page 10.
Editorial Staff
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ELEANOR SHAW breezeeditor@gmail.com
NEWS EDITORS
K. MAUSER & LIBBY ADDISON breezenews@gmail.com
COPY EDITORS
MALLORY EVANS & HANNAH KENNEDY breezecopy@gmail.com
Advertising Staff
PRINT MANAGING EDITOR MORGAN BLAIR breezepress@gmail.com
CULTURE EDITORS ABBY CAMP & SIXUAN WU thebreezeculture@gmail.com
PHOTO EDITORS KAILEY GARNER & LANDON SHACKELFORD breezephotography@gmail.com
ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR KASEY THOMPSON thebreezeweb@gmail.com
SPORTS EDITORS HAYDEN HUNDLEY & PRESTON COMER breezesports@gmail.com
AUDIENCE EDITORS MADALYN CORNWELL & MADELINE BUYNAK thebreezesocials@gmail.com
AD DESIGNERS TRISTAN GAONA
COVER BY: ELLA AUSTIN / THE BREEZE
COVER PHOTO: LANDON SHACKELFORD / THE BREEZE
OPINION EDITOR MAYA SKURSKI breezeopinion@gmail.com
ART DIRECTOR ELLA AUSTIN thebreezeartdirectors@gmail.com
TV NEWS DIRECTOR ALEXA BONILLA jmubreezetv@gmail.com
The Breeze
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The Breeze, the student-run newspaper of James Madison University, serves student, faculty and staff readership by reporting news involving the campus and local community. The Breeze strives to be impartial and fair in its reporting and firmly believes in First Amendment rights.
Published on Thursday mornings, The Breeze is distributed throughout James Madison University and the local Harrisonburg community. Single copies of The Breeze are distributed free of charge. Additional copies are available for 50 cents by contacting our business office. Comments and complaints should be addressed to Grant Johnson, editor.
Dukes have good taste. For every place, time and mood, check out the curated playlist for your JMU journey. Landon Shackelford / The Breeze
Protest, signage significantly limited in recent policy changes
Public expression policy tightens restrictions on locations students can gather and display postings
By LIBBY ADDISON & K. MAUSER The Breeze
In an early-August university policy change, JMU officials tightened access to university grounds, restricting protests and demonstrations to areas not owned or controlled by JMU, such as streets, lawns, green spaces (but not including The Quad), walkways and public parking lots.
The fast-tracked revision of Policy 1121: Public Expression on Campus states these individuals can no longer use The Quad for public expression, including the distribution of literature and any public speaking.
According to the changes, The Quad may be reserved in advance with Vice President for Student Affairs Tim Miller and Vice President for Administration and Finance Towana Moore.
spokesperson Mary-Hope Vass said this is meant to “ensure that our policies surrounding public expression, posting of materials and the process to reserve campus spaces are current as we prepare for the fall semester.” She added that the University Policy Committee intentionally waited to post these policies for review during the summer months “to allow for the greatest amount of input from the JMU community.”
Now that faculty and staff are returning to campus, Vass said these policies are being shared online for feedback from the JMU community via a comment period that will be open until Sept. 9.
In addition to the revisions surrounding areas where public expression is allowed, the University Policy Committee also established a stricter set of rules for printed postings.
doors, windows, walls, posts, trees, plants, trash or recycling containers, newsstands, vehicles or any other campus physical features.”
“Exceptions may be made for the display of JMU-related banners by seeking written approval from the Vice President for Administration and Finance,” the new policy states.
JMU’s policy on bulletin board use and posting public notices was also fast-tracked for revision to align with the changes reflected in the policy on public expression.
“Sanctions for violation of this policy will be commensurate with the severity and/or frequency of the offense and may include termination of employment, dismissal of a student, removal of affiliate or volunteer status and/
through the Office of Student Accountability and Restorative Practices (OSARP).”
Joseph Cohn, director of policy for the nonprofit Heterodox University (HxA) which focuses on viewpoint diversity in universities, said in an email to The Breeze that the policy changes “significantly restrict” campus postings.
“Universities must respect the free speech rights of students and faculty if they are to be the true ‘marketplace of ideas’ society needs them to be,” Cohn said.
JMU’s finalized policies should be “contentand viewpoint-neutral” and work to further a “significant institutional interest,” Cohn added, as well as leave ample alternatives for public expression.
“HxA would remind JMU that it has the burden of demonstrating that its restrictions are narrowly tailored in ‘furtherance of a significant interest’ and questions the need for these new limitations on campus expression,”
In the email announcing the changes, it's written that the university will be taking feedback. With this, the University Policy Committee could potentially update and republish “as a result
Libby Addison and com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the
JMU's updated public expression policies will restrict The Quad's accessibility to protesters — such as those pictured above who protested Liz Wheeler's on-campus lecture in spring 2023 — as well as limiting what can be posted in the external facing windows of all JMU buildings. Breeze file photo
Madison Center hopes to replicate 2020 successes through voting accessibility programs
By DRAKE MILLER The Breeze
As the fall semester and election day creep closer, JMU’s Madison Center for Civic Engagement has gotten to work involving students across campus in national and local politics.
“The Madison Center is the campus’s central hub for students, for faculty [and] for staff,” said Kara Dillard, the executive director for the Madison Center for Civic Engagement.
Dillard said that the center covers all areas of the voting process, including providing voters information, facilitating voting and delivering turnout information.
Replicating last election’s successes
Political involvement levels are above average on JMU’s campus, Dillard said, adding that JMU’s voter registration numbers are among the highest of all Commonwealth of Virginia universities.
“What I love to say is that Dukes are voters,” Dillard said. “The data from the 2020 election is that over 90-plus percent of JMU students are registered to vote.”
During said election, 92% of JMU students registered to vote and 75% of JMU students ended up voting.
“When we think about the kinds of ugly, difficult, polarizing speech which turns off people in politics — and it does — the antidote to that is building relationships,” Dillard said. “It’s having conversations and building a relationship with people who hold different perspectives and values as you.”
How will the Center engage Dukes?
One of the Madison Center’s program offerings is Dukes Vote, which highlights eight undergraduate students from a diverse range of backgrounds who serve as “essentially the college’s voting ambassadors,” Dillard said, adding that the ambassadors “are trained to register students in voting, not just Virginia students but students across the country.”
Throughout the fall semester, Madison Center’s democracy fellows will be sporting “Dukes Vote” t-shirts outside of Warner Commons while helping students register to vote, Dillard said. The Madison Center will also be hosting voter registration drives leading up to election day.
“We will be at D-Hall [and] at E-Hall,” Dillard said. “So as students are going to dinner or going to lunch, they can stop by, ask to see if you’re registered to vote, and we’ll get you there.”
In a similar vein, the Madison Center hosts an “I Voted” sticker design competition in the time leading up to November. During election day, voting students will receive the unique winning sticker. Absentee voters are also able to receive this sticker upon request.
Dillard also said the Center will hold a debate in October in partnership with JMU’s Student Government Association (SGA). This debate, which will be moderated by The Breeze, involves students performing the roles of major party candidates.
“It’s a really wonderful event that gets students informed about what’s going on,” Dillard said.
Another of the Center’s programs is Dukes Discourse, through which democracy fellows interview students about their thoughts on current events and compile these into a video for social media. Sophomore Annika Thompson is one of the fellows who participates in Dukes Discourse. For students uncomfortable with being filmed, Thompson said fellows compile interviews and written feedback into pieces for the center’s website.
“Specifically with Dukes Discourse, we will ask questions about what is currently going on,” Thompson said. “I can’t say for sure what we’re going to talk about, but I’m sure that some topics around the election are definitely giong to come up.”
With the efforts of these programs combined, Thompson said she hopes to see her peers civically engaged during this year’s election cycle.
“We really want JMU students to be engaged,” she said. “We have a good past with students being civically engaged. We have a very high voter turnout at JMU and that’s something we want to keep going.”
Madison Center to introduce new initiatives
With support from the university, the Madison Center is introducing a program in Spring 2025 titled the Better Conversations Project, which will strive to help students “learn and build upon their civic dialogue skills,” according to its website.
“What we’re doing is providing these first-year students an opportunity to learn about their moral foundations and how those moral foundations undergird their own positions on different kinds of political issues and thoughts,” Dillard said.
First-year students will receive training on civil discourse and can participate in small group discussions with the Madison Center’s Facilitation Fellows. These conversations will involve a variety of real world issues. The aim, Dillard said, is to “hopefully find some common ground on difficult issues.”
“What JMU really brings to the national table is that focus on free speech as a way of embedding and bringing out the differences that we all have in our views, values, perspectives, and beliefs, realizing that those aren’t bad things, but those are good things that can really help us address difficult issues,” Dillard said.
Dillard said being civically engaged doesn’t just involve belonging to politically involved organizations. For example, Dillard recommended students involve themselves in interfaith groups, which often participate in advocacy and philanthropic work.
“It’s a really good way of thinking outside of the box of our political parties, that can also draw on values and beliefs that all of our JMU students deeply hold,” he said.
Drake Miller at mille8dl@dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X at @BreezeNewsJMU.
The Madison Center for Civic Engagement, pictured above, runs several programs throughout the year, including Dukes Vote, Dukes Discourse and the Better Coversations Project to increase political engagement among students. Landon Shackelford / The Breeze
New dining plans spark student upset
By LIBBY ADDISON
The Breeze
JMU’s proposed 2024-25 dining plan options have incited controversy among the student body, with the most notable changes including limitations on how many punches can be used per day.
The new plans
The new resident meal plans — which JMU Dining debuted in an April 12 Instagram post — include an All Access Plus plan providing unlimited dining hall meal swipes and up to three Duke Deals per day; an All Access plan providing unlimited dining hall meal swipes and up to two Duke Deals per day; and a 14 punch plan providing up to 14 dining hall meals or Duke Deals per week.
Dining hall meal swipes, also known as punches, can be used at D-Hall and E-Hall as well as other on-campus locations to purchase items that add up to be monetarily equivalent to a punch or $7. A Duke Deal is a specific entrée that can be selected at locations such as The Den, Panda Express and Freshens that is also monetarily equivalent to a punch.
The commuter meal plans consist of the 10 punch plan providing 10 dining hall meals or Duke Deals per week; the Block 100 meal plan providing 100 dining hall meals or Duke Deals per semester; the Block 75 meal plan providing 75 dining hall meals or Duke Deals per semester; and the Block 50 meal plan providing 50 dining hall meals or Duke Deals per semester.
Student outcry
IS THE FIVE PUNCH PLUS!!????” @ underscorebassicnerd replied to the comment and said, “Agree! As a commuter (over half an hour drive) I survive on my 5 punch plus.”
2023-24 Resident Advisor (RA) Dani Perry said many of her previous residents are living on campus again next semester and are “upset” about the changes in meal plans. Specifically, she said they expressed frustration over not being able to “punch out at the end of the week” and the decreased flexibility it will cause.
“Every single student that I've talked to seems to be very upset with this,” Perry said.
Some students also vocalized anger regarding the price discrepancies they found in the dining plans.
With the proposed meal plans, students can no longer “punch out” at the end of the week to spend their remaining punches. Junior Ally Pearson, who chose commuter plans during her two years at JMU, said punching out is a common practice for students to maximize their meal plan at the end of the week by not wasting leftover punches or Duke Deals.
As a freshman, Pearson punched out at Festival to ensure that all of her punches
Only students using the All Access Plus plan can punch three times a day. Students who purchase any other plan are limited to two Duke Deals per day.
were used. She said she did this because she “didn’t want to waste money” that went toward her plan.
Several Instagram users, many of whom are current JMU students, expressed their frustration in the comment section of JMU Dining’s aforementioned post. Multiple commenters also expressed their discontent over the loss of the 5 Punch and 5 Punch Plus plans, which were both popular commuter plans.
User @angelinajalali commented, “Bring back 5 punches a week,” and user @mayadelrosso_ commented, “WHERE
“Still kind of strange to me that punches can be used for $7 equivalency, yet a punch averages out to a cost of $16.08 for the block 50 plan,” @captaintiedye commented, later adding in another comment, “not to mention that instead of getting EXTRA punches in the form of guest punches, we would now have to use our own main punches to eat with friends / family that need to be punched in.”
Vice President of Hospitality Brent Beringer wrote in an emailed statement to The Breeze that the motivation for these changes lies in JMU’s decision to use student feedback “over the last 12 months” to study how to improve meal plan offers. JMU Dining then implemented this feedback in the proposed 2024-25 meal plan options, he said.
See DINING , page 8
One of two daily punches can go toward Dukes Deal meals, such as the eight-count nugget or sandwich meal from Chick-fil-A. Breeze file photo
Faculty collaboration to come from presidential search committee upset
By JOELLE MCKENZIE The Breeze
As the JMU presidential search continued over the summer, faculty members voiced their frustrations over the presence of only one faculty member on the search committee assembled by the Board of Visitors (BoV), to which the BoV announced it will collaborate on potential solutions.
Rector-Elect of the BoV Suzanne Obenshain alongside the board worked to form this search committee of 11: seven BoV members, the Student Representative to the Board of Visitors (SRBoV) and one faculty member, Roger Soenksen. In light of this, Faculty Senate passed a resolution in June concerning their limited representation on the committee. The resolution is ongoing.
“We were all surprised,” Faculty Senate Speaker Kathleen Ott-Walter said of the committee’s composition. “We were expecting more than one faculty member on the search committee.”
The Senate’s resolution stated that the last JMU presidential search committee had “3 faculty members, 1 current BOV member, and 2 former BOV members,” as opposed to only one faculty member. The resolution also stated that Soenksen was “not selected by the faculty.”
“The search committee was formed according to best practices in academia and in conversation with our academic search firm,” Obenshain said in an email statement to The Breeze.
A July email from the JMU chapter of the American Association of University Professors (JMU-AAUP), directed to faculty and faculty alumni, advised faculty on what to do about the lack of faculty representation, such as to send letters or emails to Obenshain.
JMU-AAUP also wrote that the inclusion of only one faculty member alongside a majority of BoV members “violates fundamental principles of shared governance, as spelled out in both AAUP and Association of Governing Boards (AGB) guidelines.”
Faculty Senate Speaker Kathleen OttWalter, right, said she was “surprised” that there wasn’t more faculty representation on the presidential search committee.
Landon Shackelford / The Breeze
“I think it’s going to be hard to get that true faculty voice within that committee,” OttWalter said.
Obenshain also said the search committee will work with Ott-Walter “on the timing and structure of future faculty sessions in September” in her email statement.
“While the search committee will bring forth presidential recommendations to the JMU Board of Visitors, it is the board’s role to select and hire the next president,” Obenshain wrote. “I want to reaffirm that the speaker of the faculty senate will play a role and serve as a voting member with the Board of Visitors, which adds yet another layer of faculty representation into selecting the next president.”
CONTACT Joelle McKenzie at mckenzjl@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.
Landon Shackelford / The Breeze
The feedback data was pulled from student comments on surveys, focus groups and Voice of the Consumer responses, which is a marketing term describing customer feedback, as well as through student purchasing and use patterns, which “provided extensive opportunities for change,” Beringer said.
Regarding the student backlash on JMU Dining’s Instagram, Beringer said there are “always those who would prefer that things remain the same,” and added he believes the new dining plan options are “on the right path” based on the research provided by voluntary meal plan enrollment data from students during the fall semester.
JMU Dining has responded to various dissatisfied users through comments under its Instagram post. In these replies, JMU Dining recommended anyone interested was welcome to join a virtual forum held on April 17 to express their frustrations about the new plans, which Perry attended.
“We constantly take feedback on all aspects of the program,” Beringer said. “We have been doing additional outreach to ensure that students understand the changes.”
In an emailed statement to The Breeze Wednesday, Beringer said, “student feedback has been tremendous on the new plans, and
we have enrolled 500 more students to date this year than last year. No changes have been contemplated to the new plans.”
Contrary to the majority of online responses, Pearson said the new dining plans will work better for her schedule.
“As a nursing major, I only have to come on campus two days a week because I’m at clinicals most days, so I didn’t really want a big dining plan,” Pearson said.
She likes the new “block” plans because she can be flexible with when she eats — “I [can] decide one week I’m going eat 10 times on campus, and then the next week I can have two meals on campus and not waste a bunch of punches,” Pearson said. She added that if she were a freshman, she would be “really mad” that the new plans wouldn’t allow her to punch out.
Beringer said he hopes JMU Dining will continue to keep dining plans “current, relevant and of value” to all university students
CONTACT Libby Addison at breezenews@ gmail.com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.
June: Coltman steps down as provost
By NEWS DESK The Breeze
Heather Coltman stepped down from the office of provost on June 30, according to an email sent from the Office of the President May 16.
Coltman, current provost and senior vice president for the Academic Affairs Division, as well as professor in the School of Music, has been involved in the community since arriving at JMU in 2017. Her tenure was marked by launching a comprehensive Academic Affairs Strategic Plan, working to reclassify JMU as an R2 High Research Activity institution and establishing the division’s first Anti-Racist/ Anti-Discrimination Agenda, according to
a page on JMU’s School of Music website. University President Jonathan Alger commemorated Coltman’s work with faculty and administration to “maintain the institution’s strong commitment to excellence in teaching,” while also emphasizing the importance of faculty research and scholarship.
“I am grateful to Heather for significantly enhancing the academic mission of the university and leading our transition to being a national research university,” Alger wrote in the email. “Her strategic planning and keen operational oversight have raised the bar at JMU .”
CONTACT the news desk at breezenews@gmail. com. For more JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.
from DINING, page 6
Limitations on punches used per day will make it so students can no longer “punch out” at the end of the week. Breeze file photo
CULTURE
Abby Camp & Sixuan Wu
Tunes for Dukes: The album guide for your time back in Harrisonburg
By EVAN MOODY
The Breeze
Being a Duke not only means receiving an education, but also living out your college experience in the Shenandoah Valley. To get the most out of each moment, here are the best albums to accompany you from day one to graduation.
Say hi to Harrisonburg: “Shenandoah” - Palmyra
When crossing over the blueridges to enter the Valley, nothing can complete the experience more than the final harmony of “Shenandoah,” the title track of Harrisonburg-based band Palmyra’s debut album.
The group met while taking a songwriting class at JMU, making the folk trio’s project the perfect introduction to Harrisonburg. Sonically, it’s influenced by Appalachian folk garnished with elements of banjo, guitar and upright bass.
It’s the layers of each member’s voice on another, however, that’ll keep you looking for their next nearby show. Driving through winding I-81, new students can find comfort in other tracks in the album like “Taxidermy” and “Caught Up,” both of which discuss themes of growing up and moving on from the past.
Personal favorites of the album, “Saratoga” and “Park Bench,” touch on loss and uncertainty in case any homesickness should come. Once through the project, however, they’ll recognize the Shenandoah Valley as the home that’s waited for them all along.
Campus casual listening:
“Titanic Rising” - Weyes Blood
When taking the ICS and looking out the window to watch passersby, listeners can find comfort in everyday life with Weyes Blood. The folk-pop artist delivered her ethereal and critically acclaimed project “Titanic Rising” in 2019, which provides all tempos needed for getting through a day of classes and work.
With the opening track “A Lot’s Gonna Change,” listeners are introduced to heavenly synths,
incredible vocal talent and the theme of settling into a new experience. Think of the track as a first day of classes go-to, and the following song “Andromeda” as a guide to the otherworldly bustle of schedules and caffeine pick-me-ups.
“Everyday,” “Something to Believe” and the title track are accessible tunes for quick class changes, and “Movies” can provide gravitas to any eyeopening lecture. Complete with a symphonic bridge, the song makes any typical morning into a movie itself.
On the album’s latter half, “Wild Time” is the perfect progressive mix that’ll leave listeners feeling satisfied with their day, and “Picture Me Better” is a perfect cooldown when heading toward home with a stripped back, acoustic sound.
Getting hype for game day:
“TESTING” - A$AP Rocky
On a crisp, fall Saturday morning, there are few things more exciting than watching the Dukes battle in Bridgeforth stadium. Whether it’s an in-state rivalry game or College Gameday, living up to the hype is key, and nothing’s better for doing so than A$AP Rocky’s 2018 project “TESTING.”
In the midst of football season’s craze, Rocky’s experimental album has all the sounds necessary to keep school spirit high beginning with the psychedelic “Distorted Records.” From then on, fans are hit with Kid Cudi’s remix of the hit “A$AP Forever” and thrown into another banger, “Praise The Lord (Da Shine) (feat. Skepta).” The tracks are necessary to queue at any tailgate to get things jumping.
From there on, listeners can chill out with tamer, superb tracks and then go bar-for-bar with “OG Beeper” before entering the gates. Once purple and gold streamers have flown and the Dukes secure their win, lower tempo tracks like “Changes” and “Purity (feat. Frank Ocean)” can soundtrack a post-game nap before taking the party into the night.
While the project doesn’t have the level of rapping we’ve seen from Rocky before, it’s sure to pair well with the fall fun and prepare listeners for the artist’s next release.
Dial up downtown: “Otis
Blue” - Otis Redding
Whether grabbing a cold brew at Coffee Hound, picking up a knick knack at Agora Downtown Market or partying at the Block Party in the ’Burg, downtown has a variety of options to fill up a day. Enriched with history by the buildings’ foundations, the perfect album to soundtrack an outing is “Otis Blue,” a 1965 release from soul legend, Otis Redding. With a mix of familiar covers — “A Change Is Gonna Come,” “My Girl” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” — and original tracks, the project blends emotional peaks with the lowest of lows.
One can trod along the sidewalks to “Down In The Valley,” or have their gut wretched by “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” underneath the snowy street lights of Court Square.
Redding’s vocals are sensational throughout the project and he has powerful backing by horns throughout. Concluding with the ballad “You Don’t Miss Your Water,” this timeless album is reliable for every downtown occasion.
Sonic study sesh:
“Talk Memory” - BADBADNOTGOOD
Known for the group’s collaborations with Daniel Caesar and Charlotte Day Wilson as well as the success of its song “Time Moves Slow,” BADBADNOTGOOD has been a force in the progressive jazz scene since 2016.
Despite its slew of success with vocal accompaniment work, the band returned to its instrumental roots with maturity on the 2021 album “Talk Memory.” The project is sophisticated, multifaceted and is an incredible soundscape to pair with any study session.
Season 3 Reviews
“Bridgerton” Season 3 follows the love story between the third Bridgerton brother, Colin (Luke Newton), and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), otherwise known as Lady Whistledown.
ego,ChildishGambinoreleased World,”thealbum“BandoStoneandTheNew aone-hoursoundtrackforthe unreleasedfilm“BandoStone&TheNewWorld.”
Horan’s performance featured a full band, a theater-like stage, dynamic lights and, finally, everyone’s favorite Irishman.
Niall Horan Concert
Dukes have a range of musical tastes and plenty of time to set the backtrack to their college memories.
Photo illustration by Landon Shackelford / The Breeze
Opinion|5 things I wish I knew before coming to college
By SIXUAN WU
The Breeze
Ah, college: the first taste of freedom that so many high schoolers long for. For me, leaving my parents for the first time was as daunting as it was exciting, because even after countless serious talks, casual chats and random Reddit searches, the thought of having to navigate every life choice on my own still scared the heck out of me.
Now, looking back at my first year of college, with all the laughter and the tears (believe me, there was a lot of both in the beginning), there are a few things I wish I realized sooner. And if I had, perhaps my journey of adapting to college would have been just a bit smoother.
It’s not what you think it is
Let’s face it: no amount of shows or parental advice, or even Googling, can fully prepare you for what college truly looks like, because everyone’s experience is different. For me, challenges arose in the smallest of things: learning to use my meal punches at kiosks, navigating the ICS bus and figuring out how to take a hot shower in my residence hall (and failing abysmally — I took a cold shower on my first day). It was as frustrating as it sounds, and I kept thinking it was because I wasn’t competent enough to figure it out.
The thing is, it wasn’t my fault. The environment was new and different — that’s all there is to it — and I wish I could’ve realized that everyone around me was also adapting to something they were all experiencing for the first time. I wish I had the humility to accept that as the truth. I wish I had also been kinder to myself; just because I’m a grown-up who was finally able to live away from my parents didn’t mean I was knowledgeable enough to figure everything out on my own, and definitely not on the first day of school.
there’s
Ask for support;
nothing shameful about it
Those first few days were the hardest, but once I realized there was nothing shameful about admitting that to people, I felt a lot better. Late-night chats with other girls in my residence hall helped me see that everyone was struggling, but it was that first confession of feeling overwhelmed with all these new challenges that led to honest heart-to-hearts and, eventually, new friendships.
I’ve found that having a supportive ear is often the solution to my doubts, as long as I’m brave enough to take the initiative to ask for help. Sharing my feelings with friends — both new and old — helped me feel less alone, and talking to trusted adults at home reminded me that there will always be loved ones rooting for me from afar.
Exploring various resources at school also helped me cope with new challenges. Wanting to take better care of myself emotionally prompted my first visit to the Counseling Center — something I’d always wanted to try but never found the courage to do. Once I learned the first step to battling fears is to admit them, I found there are many helpful resources and people who were glad to lend me a hand at school.
Branch out — but also hold your ground
One of the most exciting things about college is the new opportunities and people of different backgrounds you’ll meet. People often talk about the importance of getting out of your comfort zone, but something equally important, although easily overlooked, is holding your ground.
There will be exciting and tempting offerings — many of them. Know when and where to draw the line. There’s nothing wrong with
letting go and enjoying a few wild nights, but it’s all about balance. Think about your limit. Think about your other responsibilities, too (should I go on that midnight sleigh ride on the eve of final exams?). Also, remember to maintain a healthy sleep schedule — something that many people tend to forget.
It’s the same with friendships: there’s nothing wrong with making new acquaintances, but as my friend puts it, not everyone makes “good company.” Good friends mean more than hanging out and having fun together; it’s also about supporting each other through ups and downs. If someone isn’t making you feel comfortable about the person you are, it’s okay to walk away.
Do your work in the process
If your professor tells you to take notes on the reading before lectures, do it. Seriously. Time and time again, I was reminded of how much future effort it had saved me, especially before exams. From my personal experience, taking pen-and-paper notes — whether for readings, videos or lectures — is the best way to help me remember the material as I learned it. This rescued me from the horror of cramming before finals week. If you’re a computer or iPad person who likes to take digital notes, that’s alright too! The key is to find the learning method that suits you best and, of course, to remember studying in the first place.
Something I wished I had utilized more often is study groups; studying with peers is a great way to brush up on the material you don’t understand or something you didn’t even know you missed from class. I’ve always found that I’m more engaged at a study session with friends than being cooped up with notes in my room. Not to mention, tallying correctly answered Quizlet questions in exchange for treats at dinner can be a fun competition!
And lastly, go to class, even when no attendance is taken. I cannot emphasize the importance of this enough. Sometimes, you just have to sit through the lecture to know what something means (not to mention that some professors sprinkle extra credit opportunities and exam spoilers throughout class), and it’s a great way to nip questions in the bud.
It’s all about YOU!
No matter what you read, research or what others tell you, in the end, college is all about you; it’s built on your experiences and the choices you make. It can be very scary and overwhelming; there are even days when you might cry. Remember that it’s normal, and you’re not alone in this.
In those moments, seek out the things that might make you feel better: talk to someone, try out a few new hobbies, switch over to a different class or even a different major if what you’re doing really starts bothering you. And if you don’t like some of the choices you’ve made, that’s okay too. College is an adventure; there’s always room for mistakes, just like there’s always something new to explore. Everyone makes different choices, but only you can carve your own path.
If I’m to offer only one takeaway from my first year of college, it’s that you’re more capable than you think you are. From nailing the most cost-efficient way to do laundry to acing final exams, we all have the ability to triumph over hardships. So remember to be brave, confident and excited about the new potentials you’re about to unlock. And when you come home, look back, smile and don’t forget to tell yourself, “Hey, I’ve done a good job after all.”
CONTACT Sixuan Wu at thebreezeculture@gmail.com. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.
A WEALTH OF HEALTH A WEALTH OF HEALTH
Tips for
the
transition to college
By GRACE SAWYER The Breeze
Whether you’re a new or returning student, the first week back at school is a hurricane-esque mix of both excitement and nervousness.
As you arrive back on campus and classes begin, it’s only normal for life to increase to a lightningfast pace. However, there are many ways to combat this overwhelming change, both on your own and through JMU’s resources.
Your first priority should be to head into the first day of classes with a healthy sleep schedule. For most Dukes’ age group, it’s important to start going to sleep around 10 p.m. to get the 7-9 hours recommended by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
By getting the advised amount of sleep a collegeaged adult needs, you’re setting yourself up for a much easier morning and more energy for the day ahead.
Next up in a typical Duke’s day is breakfast. So, of course, another step to become school-ready is to start adjusting your diet to include a wellbalanced meal.
Very few college students meet the recommended nutritional guidelines according to the Journal of American College Health, which can lead to an increased risk of many chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, digestive issues and poor weight maintenance. These first few hours of your day can be spent setting the next years of your life up for success.
For college students, national dietary recommendations outline a diet consisting of 10-35% of calories from protein, 20-35% from fats and 45-65% from carbohydrates. Starting out your day with plenty of fruits, some sort of carbohydrate and a protein of your choice will get you on the right foot.
JMU offers multiple on-campus dining options that cater to a wide range of diets and nutrition options in all its locations. Students can take advantage of this variety at the True Balance section of both dining halls, make-your-own pasta stations, fresh fruit bars and many more. Healthy options can even be found at on-campus chain eateries, such as Panera’s wide selections and Chick-fil-A’s menus.
Going away to college for the first time can be a scary thing, but remember to hang in there; try your best and have faith in yourself, and all will be better. Landon Shackelford / The Breeze
from DUKE TUNES, page 10
Whether it’s a ten-minute cram before a quiz or a night-long book bender before a final, “Talk Memory” has every mean to alleviate stress and cue adrenaline. Opening track “Signal from the Noise” is a nine minute progression, building tension as it continues. Immediately, sonic themes can be noted, which occur throughout the project with electric chaos being smoothed by piano backing.
“Unfolding (Momentum 73)” provides a perfect, repetitive melody that can accompany tedious Quizlet flashcards. Leading into the peaks of the project, “Beside April” and “Love Proceeding,” students can crank out a multipage essay without having their minds fleet. Rounding out the album, “Talk Memory” can either be the perfect confidence booster, or the ultimate unwind track to cap off the project’s 42-minute runtime.
Sweet music for the mountains: “The Head And The Heart”The Head And The Heart
When the coursework picks up and running across campus loses its allure, the mountains of the Shenandoah Valley are the best destination to rest and reset. Whether it’s a short few tunes while traveling out to a trail or a mix to throw in while hiking, The Head And The Heart’s selftitled project is sure to bring out even more natural beauty.
As a staple of the indie-folk genre, the album’s theme of moving forward pairs well with the fast paced college landscape. Beginning the album off are three piano-based uptempo tunes “Cats and Dogs,” “Coeur D’Alene” and “Ghosts,” set to start off excursions on a high note.
Once reaching a summit or viewing point of the Blue Ridge, acoustic tracks “Down in the Valley” and “Rivers and Roads” can isolate listeners and allow them to feel the silence and
beauty of nature. On colder days in the Valley, “Winter Song” can be the warm cider to keep you moving, and “Lost in My Mind” is just the quick paced track needed to finish up a longer trail. Once headed back to the ’Burg, closing song “Heaven Go Easy on Me” is the reassurance needed that all will be okay, and that listeners are on their way to greatness.
Morning of graduation jam: “Coloring Book”Chance The Rapper
Just as we all once arrived at JMU for the first time, there will come a time to receive the degrees we’ve worked so hard for. While this may be bittersweet, Chance The Rapper ensures we can get the most out of this moment with his 2016 mixtape “Coloring Book.” Bounded by themes of nostalgia, there’s no better soundtrack for looking back over time spent in the ’Burg.
The celebratory track “All We Got” first greets listeners on the project, leading them into
the perfect tune to go out with a bang in “No Problem.” From there on, “Summer Friends” and “Same Drugs” are slower, heartbreaking tunes to accept the fleeting days with friends and letting go of a time with a special someone. Once the period of loss is through, emotions can evolve into appreciation for having them in the first place. “Blessings” (both versions) and “How Great (feat. Jay Electronica and My cousin Nicole)” are the perfect tracks for this appreciation. To end Chance’s most mature and highly praised album yet is closer “Finish Line / Drown (feat. T-Pain, Kirk Franklin, Eryn Allen Kane, Noname),” the perfect track for saying goodbye to JMU.
CONTACT Evan Moody at moodyte@dukes.jmu. edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @BreezeJMU
Music
JMU experience, starting from
one up
day on campus. Photo illustration by Landon Shackelford / The Breeze
SPORTS
EDITORS Hayden Hundley & Preston Comer
Opinion | How Roan, Chesney and Spradlin can find success this year
By JACKSON HEPHNER The Breeze
With baseball’s elimination from the NCAA Tournament after a 5-3 loss to No. 10-seeded NC State on June 2, JMU athletics’ wildly successful 2023-24 officially concluded.
The Dukes’ successes from this past year have been nothing short of unprecedented. Ten of the department’s 17 programs participated in their respective NCAA Tournaments, with football reaching a bowl game in just its second year in the FBS following an 11-1 season. Adding to the success on the men’s side, basketball, soccer, baseball and football all reached their respective postseasons for the first time.
But with the conclusion of such a monumental year comes a dose of reality. JMU’s Director of Athletics for the past 25 years, Jeff Bourne, officially retired April 30, handing over his position to Eastern Kentucky University’s former AD Matt Roan.
Earlier in the athletic year, ESPN reported that football head coach Curt Cignetti was leaving for the same position at Indiana on Nov. 30. Later on March 25, men’s basketball head coach Mark Byington’s departure for the same position at Vanderbilt was announced by JMU, just one day after the Dukes’ first March Madness run since 2013 ended at the hands of Duke.
In what became an eventful final year, Bourne replaced Cignetti with Holy Cross’ Bob Chesney, then filled men’s basketball’s vacancy with Morehead State’s Preston Spradlin. Both men enter their new jobs with plenty of experience and championships from previous schools.
Still, the sudden departures have left the athletics department with plenty of questions ahead for this upcoming athletic year. Will football finally be able to compete for the Sun Belt Championship despite changing rosters? Will men’s basketball regress after its first major postseason success in over a decade?
Only time will tell what the 2024-25 year will bring for the Dukes. With insight from national reporters, as well as the men themselves, here’s how Roan, Chesney and Spradlin can find success during their first years in the ’Burg.
Director
of Athletics Matt Roan:
look, learn, listen
At Roan’s introductory press conference on April 30, Bourne sat beside his successor, enjoying his final day on the job before officially handing over the “keys to the castle,” as he called them, to Roan. In his remarks, Bourne acknowledged how rare that sight is in his line of work.
“Normally in our world, most people get fired or they shoo us out the door,” he joked.
He’s not wrong. Chris Vannini, a senior college football writer for The Athletic, said Bourne is a part of a “dying breed of administrators,” especially at lower levels where volatility tends to be the norm.
“A lot of people come into these jobs now knowing they’re not going to be there for a long time for whatever reason,” Vannini told The Breeze. “Whether they want to refresh something or they’ve been fired or they want to move up. It is becoming more and more rare for Athletic Directors to stay in those jobs for so long.”
It’s anyone’s guess how long Roan will stay at JMU, but he’s admired the university from afar for years. What sealed the deal was JMU’s culture.
“I think culture matters,” Roan said during his introductory press conference. “That’s a word we keep going back to because it’s real. It exists here and there’s an incredible culture here at JMU.”
It’s the culture that has inspired confidence in Roan, Bourne and former JMU President Jonathan Alger, that the transition can go smoothly while the university will be under the watch of Interim President Charlie King next year, with Alger’s permanent successor still being searched for.
For what it’s worth, Roan said he never asked about the presidency during his interviews. With such a strong faith in what has already been built at JMU, Roan’s first priority is to not rock the boat, a smart move given JMU’s recent momentum.
“I’d be a fool if I came in and changed for the sake of change,” Roan said. “For me, I want to look, I want to listen and I want to learn.”
Of course, change will come for all college athletics soon. With recent court decisions and new Virginia state laws regarding NIL, as well as the fallout of conference realignment still settling, Roan will need to be adaptable.
When asked, Roan spoke briefly about NIL during his introductory press conference, mentioning both EKU and JMU’s collectives, as well as the law signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin on April 18 — allowing universities to directly provide their athletes with NIL compensation deals.
“We want to make sure we’re good with the Sun Belt Conference,” Roan said. “We want to make sure we’re good with the NCAA, but Virginia has been progressive in allowing us to step out and do things that other states are not and that could give us a competitive advantage, so I look forward to learning more.”
But taking advantage of the law while staying on the NCAA’s and Sun Belt’s good side is easier said than done. The law overrides current NCAA rules, and on the same day of the law’s signing, the Sun Belt sent a letter to its member schools, as reported on by the Daily News-Record, emphasizing that it expects them to follow that rulebook, regardless of state laws.
This is in addition to major lawsuits like House vs. NCAA, which are expected to further force the NCAA into rethinking and reshaping how revenue is shared within all of College Athletics, with signs indicating that smaller schools are the most at-risk financially due to their smaller budgets.
This is just one issue that will impact JMU and all college athletic departments moving forward, and it will be a tough task to tackle the ever-changing state of college athletics. But after Roan’s introductory press conference, Bourne vocalized confidence in his successor’s composure.
“You watch how people navigate the abyss,” Bourne said, “how they deal with the difficulties in the job and the challenges of turnover and how do they stay focused and stay positive and he’s that kind of guy. That’s why he’s a great fit for us.”
Football
head coach Bob Chesney: finish the rebuild fast
Hiring a new Director of Athletics isn’t something JMU is used to doing. Roan is only the fourth person to fill the role at the university full-time, and Bourne served in the position for 25 years. Football head coach is a completely different story.
Since JMU fired head coach Mickey Matthews following the 2013 season — his 15th in Harrisonburg — the Dukes have gone through three head coaches. Of the three, Cignetti lasted the longest, holding the position for four seasons before his departure.
The Dukes have finished first in the Sun Belt East Division for the past two seasons, but have been unable to compete in the Sun Belt Championship Game due to the NCAA’s transition rules. Those same rules also prevented JMU from competing for the Group of Five’s New Year Six Bowl spot despite the fact its 11-1 record could’ve provided the Dukes with an outside chance.
This year, JMU will be fully bowl-eligible. Couple that with the fact that the top Group of Five Champion will earn a spot in the now-expanded College Football Playoff rather than a New Year Six Bowl, and the pressure will be on the Dukes to stay competitive.
It will be easier said than done. Fifty-five total players from last season’s squad are gone, as well as every member of Cignetti’s coaching staff except for cornerbacks coach Eddie Whitley Jr.
JMU hired former EKU AD Matt Roan to take over after Jeff Bourne retired. Kailey Garner / The Breeze
JMU football head coach Bob Chesney and his staff were introduced at halftime of men’s basketball’s Jan. 20 win over Marshall. Breeze file photo
The Dukes’ transformation this off-season has resembled a rebuild much more than a reload. That’s not to say there’s no hope for JMU this season. As of Aug. 12, Chesney has added 26 transfers and five high school prospects, in addition to the twelve already committed before his arrival, according to 247Sports. Chesney himself had already drawn the attention of national reporters before coming to JMU, with some even suggesting he could jump straight from Holy Cross to a high major.
“He was a guy who always felt like he would be a natural fit for the Boston College job whenever that opened,” Vannini said, “so for JMU to get him is huge.”
But make no mistake: the expectation for Chesney in year one shouldn’t be 11-1 or a conference championship. Given how much of the program has changed in such little time, just making another bowl game should be considerable enough. But within the next five years or so, JMU should begin to push for a Sun Belt Championship and a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Men’s basketball head coach Preston Spradlin: prove last year wasn’t a fluke
In contrast to football, men’s basketball’s history of coaching changes has been much rockier.
Byington left JMU with a winning percentage higher than any of his predecessors (69.5%). He went 82-36 across his four seasons with the Dukes, an achievement even more impressive considering he was taking over for Louis Rowe, who was just 43-85 (33.6%) in his four seasons.
Last season, the Dukes won their first conference title since 2013 and advanced to the Round of 32 in March Madness for the first time since 1983.
But like Cignetti, Byington left the program he built for a higherprofile position. JMU is used to successful coaches leaving, but not when it comes to men’s basketball.
Thankfully for JMU, Spradlin has the experience needed for this challenge.
Starting his career tucked away in Kentucky’s film room as a graduate assistant for John Calipari from 2009-11, Spradlin spent three additional years as director of operations for the Wildcats before becoming an assistant at Morehead State, where he was eventually elevated to head coach in 2017.
After a rocky start to his tenure, the Eagles rose to consistent contention in the past four seasons, winning two Ohio Valley
Conference Championships in 2021 and 2024 and also a pair of regular season championships in 2023 and 2024.
“He’s always been a grinder,” Mid-Major Madness contributor Sam Federman said. “He worked his way up from the lowest of the low-level jobs in college athletics and is just a really smart guy who recruits well and has won a lot of ball games with a lot of different circumstances.”
Now, Spradlin hopes to keep that energy for JMU.
“I think that consistently competing at the very top of the Sun Belt should be the goal for JMU regardless of who the coach is at this point,” Federman said, “especially with a guy like Spradlin.”
Like Chesney, Spradlin had to rebuild most of his roster but made some big splashes, bringing over 11 transfers, including redshirt senior guard Mark Freeman, one of Morehead State’s top players and last season’s Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year; and Syracuse’s junior guard Justin Taylor, a Charlottesville native.
Still, it will be challenging for the program to keep up the momentum. A repeat of last season, or even a second straight NCAA Tournament appearance, is unlikely. However, Spradlin knows how to win consistently, and in his April 2 introductory press conference, he welcomed the expectations.
“We want all the pressure,” Spradlin said. “We want all of those things because there are so many great things going on, not just within the basketball program at JMU, within athletics and at the university that we want to be a part of, and we want to be able to come in and capitalize on all of that momentum, the support that’s there right now.”
Thus, JMU looks ahead to the next year and beyond, hoping that 2023-24’s highs can once again be reached somehow. Fans can only hope and speculate about the future, but one thing seems certain: come the fall, the pressure will be on Roan, Chesney and Spradlin.
CONTACT Jackson Hephner at hephnejt@dukes.jmu.edu. For more football coverage, follow the news desk on X @TheBreezeSports
New JMU men’s basketball head coach Preston Spradlin at the Board of Visitors meeting. Kailey Garner / The Breeze
After losing 55 players in the offseason, Chesney added 58 new players to the Dukes roster. Kimberly Aikens / The Breeze
A ‘calming’ voice: redshirt senior Ryan Hanson steps up as key leader, exceeds expectations
By JACKSON HEPHNER
The Breeze
After JMU football’s 20-9 win at Marshall on Oct. 19, then-redshirt junior punter Ryan Hanson sat down for his first-ever postgame press conference.
“I never thought I’d be in a postgame press conference,” he said at the time. “I’m absolutely just blown away by it. It’s awesome.”
But after setting a new career-high in punts inside the 20 with seven, including six inside the 10 and three downed at the one, the consensus among spectators was that his recognition was more than earned.
JMU’s starting punter was in his first season with the Dukes after spending three at Arkansas State. But while Hanson has always played one of the most unsung positions in football, his career has been full of highlights.
Hanson finished the 2023 season with 29 punts inside the 20 while averaging 40.6 yards on 59 attempts. He was also one of 18 punters in the FBS with two or fewer touchbacks. At Arkansas State, Hanson averaged 43.1 yards on 157 punts over his three seasons. He’s been named Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week twice — once in 2020 with the Red Wolves and again last season following his performance against Marshall.
Now, Hanson is spending his mornings back in Bridgeforth Stadium preparing for his fifth collegiate season.
“If you get here at 9 [a.m.], he’s out there,” special teams coordinator Drew Canan said post-practice on Aug. 2. “He’s working on his drops. He’s working on his leg motion. It’s just so important to him.”
Hanson shared a bit of the specialists’ routine, which he said starts 45 minutes before the scheduled practice. He said the extra reps not only help him adapt to preferences and playstyle of his fellow specialists, but also builds comradery.
This summer, the unit’s bonding has involved knocking letters off of Bridgeforth’s scoreboard. So far, redshirt sophomore kicker Cristiano Rosa has managed to kick the ball high enough to knock the C off of the “National Champions” signage.
“We’re playing hangman with [the scoreboard] right now,” Hanson said.
But even amidst the constant drills and friendly competition, Hanson has received other accolades. This preseason, he has been named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List for the fifth time in his career, becoming just the fourth player to be named to the list every year of their respective playing careers.
Hanson was also named College Football Network’s Preseason Punter of the Year, and made their first team All-American Preseason Team.
This is just another example of why the Dukes are confident in Hanson’s abilities to put pressure on returners. Canan said the Dukes have “great team speed” and with Hanson’s hangtime that can set up the gunners in a great position to make a play.
“To be able to put the ball in the same spot every single time consistently, it’s just such a weapon for us,” Canan said.
Not only has Hanson become a key starter for the Dukes on special teams; he’s also become a leader within the unit. Canan noted how Hanson has energized the Dukes’ practices in the fall compared to the spring.
“He’s the leader of that group and one of the leaders on this team,” Canan said. “He’s got a nice voice in the locker room. What I mean by that is when he says something, that's going to carry some weight.”
Head coach Bob Chesney said that what Hanson can do with the ball in his hands is “absolutely amazing,” but he’s also asserted himself as a “calming voice” for the rest of the special teams unit.
Hanson also impressed without the ball in his hands as a leader by example. You wouldn't know Hanson is the starting punter by his work ethic, Canan said. He added that the Preseason First Team All-Sun Belt punter has been involved in summer workouts “every single day.”
When it comes to on-the-field prowess, Chesney highlighted Hanson’s ability to change the field position in a game.
“The ball and field position are the program,” Chesney said, “and ultimately, what he can do with that is change that field position. It’s impressive.”
Between his on-field abilities and off-the-field leadership, Hanson looks to be a crucial piece of the Dukes’ special teams unit this season, which he called the “heartbeat” of the program. Canan sounded more than grateful to have him.
“We’re glad he’s in purple,” he said while grinning ear-to-ear
CONTACT Jackson Hephner at hephnejt@dukes.jmu.edu. For more football coverage, follow the sports desk on X @TheBreezeSports.
Redshirt senior punter Ryan Hanson was named College Football Network's 2024 Preseason Punter of the Year on Aug. 5.
Kimberly Aikens / The Breeze
The best place for banking isn’t a bank at all!
CommonWealth One is JMU’s trusted, full-service credit union, and student banking is better here. We’re conveniently located on campus and offer everything you might need financially as a student. What we don’t have? Excessive and unnecessary fees.
When it comes to handling your finances as a student, we’ve got your back with:
The secret is out – CommonWealth One is here to help you thrive financially at JMU.
To open an account or learn more about JMU Student Perks, which include special events, free food and prizes, visit cofcu.org/DUKES or stop by our branch in The Union (next to the post office)
The Union (Next to the Post Office) Monday – Friday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
OPINION
Skurski
Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? Darts & Pats is the place to do it. Submit your own at breezejmu.org.
An “extremely-grateful” pat to Blue Stone Hills Dentisry for the kindness they showed me while having a breakdown.
From a student who's just trying to learn how to be an adult.
A “hurry-up” dart to Sabrina Carpenter for not releasing her 'Short n' Sweet' album yet.
From a patient but excited fan who has been waiting all summer.
A “ruined-my-morning” dart to the Port Republic Dunkin' for forgetting to toast my bagel this morning.
From an avid iced coffee drinker who just wanted a warm breakfast.
A “bittersweet” pat to my roommates for finally coming home.
From a senior who is lucky to start her last year living with her best friends.
Editorial Policies
J.D. Vance: Appalachia’s paradoxical prodigy
LILLYANNE DAY
CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST
In the intricate tapestry of American politics, few narratives are as compelling as the rise of J.D. Vance — a man whose political career is as entangled in his Appalachian roots as it is with the paradoxes of modern conservatism.
Vance grew up between the Rust Belt city of Middletown, Ohio with ties to the Appalachian town of Jackson, Kentucky. He’s best known for his memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy,” and has crafted a persona as the voice of Appalachia, purporting to represent the region’s struggles and values. Yet, the contradictions in his portrayal of Appalachian life and his political takes create a complex and contradictory relationship with his roots.
“Hillbilly Elegy” offered an undeniably evocative, deeply personal and occasionally painful look at life in Appalachia. Through a blend of autobiography and social commentary, Vance illustrated Appalachia — a region encompassing parts of 13 states from New York to Mississippi — as an environment with economic hardship, addiction and a profound sense of disenfranchisement.
Vance’s memoir chronicles a tumultuous upbringing in a working-class family. By many, it’s been lauded for its candid, personal reflection on the social and economic challenges facing the region. His narrative, although vulnerable, resonates with a broader, often grim depiction of the area. However, his embrace of this narrative, especially in the context of his political career, introduces an intriguing dissonance.
As Vance stepped into the governmental arena, questions arose about the consistency between his personal narrative and his political stance. While serving as
a United States Senator from Ohio, his policy positions aligned with traditional conservative values, including tax cuts, deregulation and a hardline stance on immigration. Vance’s embrace of freemarket principles contrasts sharply with his memoir’s focus on systemic issues impacting working-class communities.
This raises a compelling question: Does Vance’s political alignment reflect a genuine commitment to the values he’s portrayed in his memoir, or does it reveal a departure from the systemic issues he’s once highlighted? Critics argue this alignment might exacerbate the very problems Vance once chronicled, such as poverty and lack of access to essential services.
One of the most glaring contradictions is the mismatch between Vance’s conservative ideology and the socioeconomic needs of Appalachia. The region’s persistent issues — economic stagnation, inadequate healthcare and limited educational opportunities — might require robust government intervention and social safety nets. Vance’s conservative policies favor reducing government spending and cutting taxes, potentially undermining efforts to address these systemic problems.
According to Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) data from 2022, the poverty rate in Appalachia is approximately 16.2% compared to 12.8% in the rest of the U.S., suggesting a higher level of economic hardship. ARC also found that the median household income in Appalachia is approximately $52,000, compared to the nation’s $72,000. This disparity reflects significant economic challenges in the Appalachian region.
The Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, D.C., suggests that although
Vance supports free-market principles, Appalachia requires targeted economic development and support for job growth, which may be undermined by reduced government spending on infrastructure and local development.
Vance's support for reducing government intervention also exacerbates healthcare access issues in Appalachia, where higher rates of uninsured individuals and chronic health conditions are prevalent. Reduced healthcare funding could worsen these disparities, according to The Brookings Institution’s data.
While his memoir is praised for its raw honesty, it’s also been accused of portraying Appalachians in a reductive, monolithic manner — emphasizing dysfunction over resilience.
Vance’s public persona oscillates between exploiting these stereotypes and distancing himself from them for political gain. On one hand, he’s capitalized on his Appalachian background to appeal to voters that feel alienated by urban elites, but on the other
“While
his memoir is praised for its raw honesty, it's also been accused of portraying Applachians in a reductive, monoloithic manner — emphasizing dysfunction over resilience.”
LillyAnne Day
An abandoned gas station located in Scottsville, VA, which is overgrown, tattered and rusting, provides a visual example of the cultural climate commonly found in Appalachia. Landon Shackelford / The Breeze
hand, his criticisms of Appalachian culture reflect a broader conservative disdain for the very cultural traits he once highlighted.
Elizabeth Catte’s memoir “What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia” provides a counter narrative to Vance’s, emphasizing the diversity and resilience of Appalachian communities while critiquing the oversimplified portrayal of the region.
Catte writes, “Appalachia is not a region of hicks, hillbillies, rednecks or savages. It’s not populated exclusively by white people of Scotch-Irish descent, poor people, ignorant people or people who lack an attachment to modernity.”
She goes on to challenge the notion that the problems of Appalachia aren’t self-inflicted, as Vance’s narrative suggests, and instead points to the region’s political manipulation.
Vance’s personal economic success also raises questions about his representation of Appalachia. His rise from a workingclass background to successful author and politician might seem like a triumph of individual grit; however, it also risks obscuring the broader structural issues that affect many others in the region.
Vance’s journey from Appalachia to national prominence is often framed as a rags-toriches tale, which can serve to undermine the collective issues faced by less fortunate individuals in the region. This narrative can perpetuate the myth of meritocracy, where
individual success is seen as evidence of personal failings rather than structural inequalities.
His career presents a compelling study in the intersection of personal narrative, political ideology and regional identity. Vance’s portrayal of Appalachia in “Hillbilly Elegy” highlighted important issues, yet his political positions and cultural commentary reflect a complicated and often contrary homeland relationship.
In this paradoxical landscape, Vance’s story is a potent reminder of the complexities inherent in representing and addressing regional identities within the broader political arena.
Vance’s journey from a memoirist detailing Appalachian struggles to a politician advocating for conservative policies, raises critical questions about the authenticity and consistency in the representation of his homeland. As he continues to shape the discourse around Appalachia, the impact of his narrative will undoubtedly remain a subject of scrutiny and debate.
The question remains: Can one truly advocate for a region while simultaneously endorsing policies that may exacerbate its challenges?
CONTACT LillyAnne Day at lillydaymiller@ gmail.com. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram @BreezeJMU.
Vice presidential candidate and Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance delivers speech during campaign rally at Liberty High School in Nevada on July 30. Tribune News Service
Patti Varol
By Seth Weitberg
“__ arigato”:
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