By GRANT JOHNSON The Breeze When Sunshine Brown visited JMU as a prospective Duke, the JMU Counseling Center promised help. Brown said the staff at the Center told her “you can come in any time and talk to someone if you need to.” They also spoke highly of its in-house psychiatry service. Brown gave a lot of weight to the Center, she said, because she was going through mental health struggles during her college selection process. Of the nine Virginia schools she applied to, JMU appeared to offer the best support. Now a sophomore at JMU, Brown is encouraging her cousin, an incoming freshman, to find a therapist outside of the Center after her experience with its services last“Whenyear. I got there and I tried to use the services, it was a really big shock,” Brown said, who wasn’t granted access to the Center’s psychiatry services but instead was given a list of 20 psychiatrists in the Harrisonburg area. None were accepting patients at the time, she said, and they weren’t reachable by bus. “I went through this struggle for two months where I was not receiving care, when that care was promised to me before I came to JMU.”
see KANGAROO, page 7
In addition to the electronic billboard, the NCLA set up a table outside of the JMU bookstore during freshman move-in Aug. 19, accompanied by an individual dressed as a kangaroo. The individual held a sign that read “guilty” and was pointing at people on campus.Thekangaroo is a reference to kangaroo courts, or an “unauthorized, mock court or legal proceeding … in which some or all of the accused’s due process rights are ignored and the outcome appears to be predetermined,” according to Cornell University. Richard Samp, the senior litigation counsel for the NCLA, said the group’s activities on campus are meant to raise awareness on how JMU is handling Title IX cases.
The Breeze
“College kangaroo courts ruin lives.” That’s what an electronic billboard — set up by a legal group appealing a Title IX case against JMU — read, parked outside the Starbucks near Newman Lake this past weekend.TheNew Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) first filed the Title IX lawsuit in May 2021 on behalf of Alyssa Reid, a former communications studies faculty member and debate coach. The NCLA is a “nonpartisan, nonprofit civil rights group” focused on limiting the “unlawful power of state and federal agencies,” according to its website.
By ASHLYN CAMPBELL
JMU’s award-winning newspaper since 1922
Title jumplawsuitIXmakestocampus
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The lawsuit stems from a Title IX case concerning a relationship between Reid and another former JMU student and employee, Kathryn Lese. According to Reid’s complaint, Reid first met Lese in 2012 when Lese was an undergraduate student. Following Lese’s 2014 graduation, she gained a graduate teaching position with the JMU forensics team. The two began dating while Lese was a graduate student on the team that Reid helped direct. Lese finished her graduate degree in 2016 and was subsequently hired full-time at JMU. That same year, according to Reid’s complaint, someone filed an anonymous Title IX allegation for the relationship. An investigation was held and concluded that “the environment on the team was not problematic.” The two moved in with each other in 2017 and dated until February 2018. Following the break up, the complaint alleges Lese sent abusive messages, stalked and harassed Reid.
“Our intent is not simply to call attention to the plight of our client but also to try and persuade people at James Madison that there’s something wrong with the procedures that are being used,” Samp said, “and that perhaps people who care about due process rights will do something to change them.”
JMU Counseling:
Student expectations vs. reality
Students who have walked into the Center did say its staff is transparent that it services most students for an average of 3-5 sessions as indicated on its website, or they said they already knew that quota. Technically, the Center doesn’t have a session limit, Katrina Simpson-McCleary, associate director for clinical services at the JMU Counseling Center, said. But, she said, most students end up being seen for around 3-5 to 3-6 sessions given the high student demand and JMU opting to keep appointment slots open for crisis-state walk-ins. However, other messaging from the Center — for example, that it “achieves client satisfaction above 90% as indicated on evaluations,” — can be problematic in any visit that doesn’t meet expectations, Liam McCormack, a former JMU student who went to the Counseling Center in spring 2017, said.
Disproved assumptions Frequently, students interviewed by The Breeze said their expectations for the Center didn’t align with what it offers — on either side of the spectrum. Some students, especially those who were seen by the Center, had their pre-visit expectations exceeded. Others, often those who went in expecting one-on-one therapy or long-term care, were underwhelmed or disappointed with a referral to other therapy options, like group counseling or off-campus treatment.
see COUNSELING, page 4 August 25, 2022 VOL. 101 NO.2 BREEZEJMU.ORG
Sophomore Emily Guin said her Counseling Center experience helped but wasn’t life-changing. Abi Middleton / The Breeze
2 202225,AugustThursday, reunited reunited AND IT TASTES SO GOOD FOCUS ON YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. LEAVE THE FOOD TO US.
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Emily Guin said she distinctly remembers the Center telling her last year as a freshman that, after her first Zoom counseling session in December 2021 that dealt with acclimating to college life as a first-generation student, the Center could see her again for additional appointments but that if she wanted long-term care, JMU “wasn’t the place for it.”
Counseling Center don’t always match expectations from COUNSELING, page 1
Patton said she ended up having almost a full year’s worth of weekly appointments at the Center in 2021-22. “I thought [trauma therapy] couldn’t really happen at the Counseling Center,” Patton said. “I always kind of thought the Counseling Center was just for, like, ‘Oh, yeah, if you’re depressed or struggling, and it’s like a short term [visit].
I mean, it was like full, pay-$250-a-session, real kind of therapy stuff for free at the Counseling Center.”
The Center offered to redirect Guin off-campus, she said, but that Zoom call ended up being her first and only therapy session. She said she felt better after it — good enough to not pursue off-campus help — but it wasn’t life-changing.Guinsaid she believes the Center could’ve been advertised better as an option to first-year students before last spring’s on-campus suicides at JMU. “I feel like at the start of the year, like it wasn’t really that well promoted that you can just go if you just need someone to talk to,” Guin said. “I went early in the day, so it was pretty quiet. Like, there wasn’t a lot of people there.”
JMU students rallied together in support of mental health on campus during the spring 2022 semester. Cambria Lee / The Breeze
EDITOR EMAIL 4NEWS Kasey Trapuzzano breezenews@gmail.com @BreezeNewsJMU 202225,AugustThursday, Combating outside noise
Other students, like senior Ella Patton — Sunshine Brown’s roommate — had expectations exceeded by the Center. Patton said she was given an automatic referral to the Center through Victim Advocacy Services (VAS) after a man in her dorm walked into her room unprovoked and sparked previously diagnosed PTSD.
Instead of being a solution to all of a students’ problems — which, McCormack said, he doesn’t think the Center was ever advertised that way — McCormack said the Center should be viewed by students as the first stepping stone to a problem’s eventual solution. “A lot of students see it as like, ‘This will be the endall-be-all,’ like, ‘I’ll get cured just by going to the JMU Counseling Center, and then when they don’t, they’re pissed off,” McCormack said, “but that’s not necessarily the JMU Counseling Center’s fault.”
Part II: Student experiences at university
“If I have a negative experience with the Counseling Center and all I’ve seen are good experiences, then it’s like, ‘Oh shoot, like, what’s wrong with me? Like, am I the problem? Am I the issue? What’s wrong with me that I can’t have a good experience with the Counseling Center like all these other people have?’” McCormack said.
“Somebody who’s already suffering from mental health issues and probably negative views on themselves, to have to see that as well, I mean, that’s just detrimental. That doesn’t help McCormackanybody.”walkedinto the Center as a freshman and said in hindsight, his expectations were higher than what they should’ve been. Upon being told up front by the Center that it offers short-term care, he said he doubted how it would help him. He gave up his remaining therapy appointments after three because he said they felt too generalized, but he said he doesn’t hold grudges against the Center for not receiving tailor-made treatment considering the Center’s student demand and resources to combat it.
It was a few therapists, counselors there who actually did specialize in trauma work and could do this kind of stuff.
Vila ended up having around 36 appointments at the Center — not including the psychiatry appointments — from September 2020 to December 2021.
NEWS Alexandra Vila, a junior, said her therapist at the Center initially told her that she’d be seen for about 10 sessions — roughly one semester’s worth — stemming from an abusive high school relationship; it had to be from the Center because her parents weren’t initially supportive of Vila receiving therapy, she said, so Vila didn’t think they’d pay for it. After 10 sessions, she started seeing a JMU psychiatrist as well, who Vila said officially diagnosed her with bipolar disorder and PTSD.
Grosch ended up staying well beyond 3-5 visits — weekly appointments with two therapists in separate periods from September to April 2021 to treat a mix of anxiety, depression and ADHD, Grosch said — but their stint soured after bargaining with a therapist for four hours, where Grosch tried to resist being sent away from the Center five weeks before finals. They ended up being referred to a partial hospitalization program (PHP) at Sentara Rockingham Memorial (RMH) Medical Center for one week, six hours a day. Grosch skipped all of their classes to make it work. They said their grades were “already in the garbage can from being mentally ill.”
5 202225,AugustThursday,
“When I got there and tried to use the services, it was a really big shock.”
Grosch said they don’t remember if the Center prefaced at their arrival that it primarily provides short-term care because their mind went blank during the initial assessment, which was, they said, anxiety inducing — the Center asked if they had harmful objects around their house and if they intended to kill themself, among other questions. When Amanda, a recent alumna who asked to be referred to by her first name only for privacy concerns, went to the Center as a sophomore in 2019, the Center initially pushed for her to join group therapy. At the time, she said, she was so overwhelmed that she settled for what the therapist recommended. But when she showed up to the group, she was the only one there. “It was just me and two counselors, and they would just target all their questions to me … They were really trying. It was really sweet,” Amanda said. “For someone that’s anxious and has really bad anxiety, to be the only one in the room and to feel like, you know, you’re not alone, except you are. There’s literally no one else here.” After that, the Center immediately agreed to give her individual sessions, which Amanda said were fine, but she didn’t match well with her therapist. At the start of every session, the therapist would ask what she wanted to talk about. If Amanda wasn’t sure, she said, the counselor would say, “Oh, it looks like things are going really well” and suggest ending the session early. “I’m, like, saying, ‘Wait a second. I don’t know how to lead this, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t need it,’” Amanda said.Awhile later, she tried another group session, which she said went better, and eventually tried individual counseling again in spring 2022 when her post-college plans fell through. She wasn’t going to classes and couldn’t get out of bed, she said.“Iwas really struggling. I was a mess,” Amanda said. “And so, I went in and I said, ‘Can I please get an appointment because I am, just, I am really, really struggling?’”
“The thought of, ‘I’m gonna have to leave the Counseling Center’ just completely disappeared from my mind,” Vila said. “Normally this isn’t how their process works, but I didn’t really question it. I was just really grateful that they were so supportive and helpful.”
The budget for 2022-23 is $3.75 million, with 33 full-time staff members — a tie for the largest department in Student Affairs, according to Mary-Hope Vass, executive director for communications and university spokesperson. Resources have risen since 2018-19, when it was $2.26 million with 22 full-time staff members. Despite this increase in funds, Miller said, JMU and most universities across the country are struggling with student demand and burdened therapists. The demand has caused Miller to call the Center a “mental health emergency room” in February and, more recently, turn to more telehealth offerings for 2022-23.
Vila stopped appointments on her own terms after seeing the therapy’s benefit at a party in fall 2021 — it was a rowdy party that, Vila said, could’ve easily conjured triggering high school memories. She said she never felt unsafe at it.
Senior Dakota Scott said his on-campus job works together to handle tough conversations on mental health. Abi Middleton / The Breeze
A week later, she started individual therapy again, this time with a different counselor who she “loved.” Instead of just letting her vent, Amanda said, he provided her with tools, tactics and information and tried to fit in as many sessions with her as possible before she graduated.
Sophomore Alyssa Grosch was initially trepidatious to go to the Center last year because they thought, ‘What’s the point?’ of 3-5 sessions. But, as therapy continued without improved symptoms, Grosch said, it was down to two options: keep trying or take their own life.
“I felt like it was pretty important to be transparent with that client of, ‘This isn’t your issue, and this isn’t your fault, but maybe more of a system issue, and this is how our system is working right now,’” Latorre said. “[It’s] telling them, ‘I’m not trying to push you away, but I want to find another way to try to help you.’”
Sunshine Brown Sophomore JMU student
“If I was someone who desperately needed that counseling … I probably would’ve given up hope pretty quickly,” Sparger said.Therapists at JMU strive to maintain the transparency many students grapple with. Chelsea Latorre worked at the JMU Counseling Center as a doctoral intern in 2019-20, the year JMU changed its policy to provide care dictated by its counselors’ professional judgment rather than the patients’ request due to increasing student demand. She said she thought the backlash the Center received for making its own judgment calls was valid, but she “hated” having the reputation that the Center would tell every student, “You can’t come” because it wasn’t true for everyone. Latorre said that idea materialized among students after the change, as well as the false notion that the Center’s budget got Likewise,slashed.Latorre said, she hated making a decision for the student. Frequently, she said, another staff member would back the therapist in telling the student, “This is what we can offer right now.”
Juno Sparger, a JMU senior, said she tried to go to the Center in spring 2021. It was a time when students were starting to come back in person, she said, so the Center was overrun and “a bit flooded.” After attending walk-in hours at the Center and seeing that there was a waitlist, she emailed the Center trying to find a better time since it was out of her“Iway.didn’t want to just wander in to get, kind of, rejected again,” Sparger said. The email she got back didn’t offer her a time to return, but rather told her to try again later, she said, so she went to JMU Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) — a counseling center aimed at helping students and community members access affordable care from JMU graduate students in the process of obtaining their degrees. Sparger said she’s thankful she had the patience and ability to wait and seek out other help after first getting waitlisted by the Center.
Amanda said people often walk into the Center with the misconception that they’ll get help right away, but that first visit is really about assessment and scheduling. Most of the time, students won’t start their therapy sessions until about a week later, according to multiple students who spoke to TheNotBreeze.allcomplaints come from people who have been to the Center, David Onestak, director of the JMU Counseling Center, said. He cautioned people from drawing conclusions about the Center based on stories they hear from others. Transparency wins out Both students who do and don’t get seen say, overwhelmingly, the Center’s staff is kind-hearted and wants to help every walk-in patient. However, in spite of the staff’s good nature, students said it can sting when the help they think — or in some cases, know — they need isn’t granted.
Tim Miller, JMU vice president for student affairs, said the Center’s decision to begin using professional judgment over a students’ request wasn’t because its budget tightened, nor were any staffing decisions — “[the budget’s] done nothing but go up, as it should.” That trend continues this year, as the Counseling Center’s budget increased by 34.92%, with an additional nearly $1 million allocated to the Center.
see COUNSELING, page 6
Walk in, then what? As long as there’s not a horde of crisis patients at the Center at once, Simpson-McCleary said a student will get seen at their first walk-in and then be evaluated via an initial assessment to determine the best course of action. First, the front desk staff greets the walk-in patient then asks for their student ID number after the student indicates they want to be seen. This is to see if they’re already a “student of concern” in crisis, Simpson-McCleary said. She added that the Center will see someone regardless of when they walk in if they’re in crisis — commonly, if the student has experienced recent sexual assault or is deemed a serious threat to harm themselves or others. The Center then asks for the student’s preferred name, Simpson-McCleary said, then they’re sent to review informed consent — meaning the service the Center provides is confidential. After that, the student fills out background information on a computer, “as much as they want,” Simpson-McCleary said, to share current and previous mental health struggles, different identities they have and substance use history, for example.
Sophomore Emily Guin said she believes the Center could’ve been better promoted at the start of last year.
In the meeting with a clinician, SimpsonMcCleary said, they ask about medication and mental health history, family information and caffeine intake, among other questions, in order to get an overall sense of who the student is. She said clinicians also evaluate “current risks to solve” — students’ thoughts of injuring or killing themselves, self injury, etc. If the student names or demonstrates additional risks after the background they initially filled out, then the clinician would ask more thorough questions than in a risk assessment. That questioning can determine what treatment a student gets, Simpson-McCleary said. “At that point, then that clinician is making a disposition recommendation based off of all of those factors,” Simpson-McCleary said. “So if a student means that they want longer term treatment and they have the ability to access services off campus, we’re going to help support them getting connected off campus. If they’re only looking for medication, we’re going to help them get connected with someone that provides medication services.”
“You could never staff a counseling center enough to meet every single student’s needs every day of the year for four years,” Miller said. “That is not a realistic thing to do. I can’t imagine what that would look like.”
“It is healing something rather than preventing it,” Scott said. He said there are better ways to prevent mental health crises before they get serious. He suggested hiring mental health professionals to serve each department — that way, students who frequent East Campus for science classes wouldn’t have to make the trek to the Student Success Center (SSC). He also advocated for further mental health training for faculty. At his job in the computer science department, he said he’s proud that his team is able to handle tough conversations.
At the bottom of the background information document, Simpson-McCleary said, students are asked to let the Center know what they’re coming in for and what they’re expecting or hoping for. There’s also a text box to type more about their presenting concern, she said. This all usually takes about 15 minutes for a student to complete, Simpson-McCleary said. Then, she said, students wait roughly 30 minutes before going into an office with one of the Center’s clinicians for a 20-90-minute meeting.
For students who can’t get seen long term in the Center but may still need therapy, they’re frequently referred off campus.
CONTACT Grant Johnson at breezesports@ gmail.com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.
McCormack said it can be scary for a student to tackle the next steps after finishing appointments at the Center without guidance.
Abi Middleton / The Breeze 32% 44% 28% 1522 1059 1801 Graphic by Shirin Zia Faqiri / The Breeze
It started with facing the reality of mental health at JMU head on.
Some students are appreciative of JMU’s newest initiatives — including 12 free counseling sessions available through TimelyCare, a telehealth provider, and multiple new hires in the Center — but some say it’s too little, too late. Dakota Scott, a junior computer science major, said he believes much of this could’ve been implemented sooner.
Stay tuned for the third part of this series at breezejmu.org.Charlotte Matherly and Ashlyn Campbell contributed to this report.
Ella Patton, the student who got longterm therapy through a referral from VAS, said a student can’t “finesse” a therapist into thinking long-term therapy is best off an initial assessment or by bluffing certain symptoms because the criteria gets determined as the therapist gets a good read on the student’s situation, sometimes over multiple appointments — “a very genuine process,” Patton called it.
Liam McCormack, the former JMU student who went to the Center in 2017, said he was given a referral sheet to off-campus therapists following his two Center visits but said it “was a little overwhelming” to digest it all, so he didn’t pursue off-campus help.
Steps after Center visit Longer-term care, something many students who spoke to The Breeze want more of at the Center, isn’t determined by a set criteria because each case is different, Simpson-McCleary said. However, she said, it can typically get triggered by students with “complex trauma histories” and those with limited financial resources to see an off-campus therapist.
“We constantly have meetings of how to deal with not just the content side of things, but also how to interact with others, especially in emotionally tense situations,” Scott said. “I know that it’s not standard … to the same level across the board.”
Latorre said students can schedule an appointment with a case manager, who can look up community providers who accept the student’s insurance and talk through copay options to prepare students for one-on-one, off-campus appointments.
Simpson-McCleary said if a student isn’t given a referral sheet, it means they didn’t want one.
Marcus Hotaling, the director of the Union College counseling center and president of The Association of College Counseling Center Directors, said if students have issues with university counseling centers, to discuss it with center staff to try and resolve the problem. “You go out and say, ‘They suck,’ you are now influencing one or more people from potentially coming in and getting help,” Hotaling said, “and it’s different, if you say, ‘They weren’t helpful to me,’ versus ‘They stink’ … because, again, student voices really carry — students listen to students.”
6 202225,AugustThursday, NEWS from COUNSELING, page 5
To help students transition from on- to off-campus therapy, the JMU Counseling Center employs two clinical case managers.
Following the lower court granting the motion to dismiss, the NCLA filed an appeal of the dismissal of the case against JMU in the 6th U.S. Court of Appeals in July. NCLA argued that the case isn’t outside the two year statute of limitations because the final decision was Coltman’s, on June 19, 2021. The district court, though, viewed Aguirre’s April 30, 2019, decision as final and dismissed the case. The lawsuit was filed May 3, 2021.
The legal group used kangaroos, in reference to kangaroo courts, to raise awareness on how JMU is handling Title IX cases. Photo illustartion by Abi Middleton / The Breeze
7NEWS $699 $699SANDWICHCHICKEN™ COMBO ‘Kangaroo court’ Legal group tables on campus, appeals Title IX case against JMU from KANGAROO, page 1
Lese’s complaint focused on a time period in 2015-16, during which JMU had Policy 1324, which “prohibits discrimination and harassment and provides procedures for bringing a complaint in place,” according to JMU’s motion to dismiss. Following Lese’s graduation from the graduate program in 2016, a new policy — Policy 1340, which “prohibits sexual harassment and sexual misconduct” — was implemented. The lawsuit argues that Reid was denied her due process rights during the case for several reasons, including JMU “refusing to enforce the correct JMU policy,” “failing to allow confrontation and cross-examination of Lese and her witnesses” and retroactively applying a policy that was implemented after the events occurred. Reid was ultimately found responsible for sexual misconduct, a non-consensual relationship violating JMU policy 1340 — a sexual misconduct policy. The hearing panel recommended Reid be reprimanded. Robert Aguirre, dean of the College of Arts and Letters and a JMU english professor, concluded Reid was responsible. Reid then appealed to Heather Coltman, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, who upheld his decision, according to both Reid’s complaint and JMU’s motion. The complaint said she was forced to resign because “it was simply not possible to continue her employment with the University considering that Lese was a full-time faculty member there.”
In an email response to The Breeze’s request for comment, MaryHope Vass, executive director of communications and university spokesperson, said JMU doesn’t comment on pending litigation.
Samp said the NCLA hopes the court will overturn JMU’s decision and Reid will be “exonerated.”
Reid and the NCLA named the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) and the Secretary Of Education in the suit. It also named JMU, President Jonathan Alger, Heather Coltman, Robert Aguirre and Amy Sirocky-Meck, the director of the Title IX office, in their individual and official capacities.
“Part of the problem is that she has been unable to get employment in her field of choice since this because of the stigma attached to James Madison’s decision,” Samp said.
In December 2018, Lese filed a Title IX complaint against Reid. Lese alleged that Reid, her supervisor, pursued her as a graduate student, had a sexual encounter during a schoolsponsored event and insisted the two keep their relationship a secret “out of fear that it would have negative consequences professionally.”
In a memo supporting JMU’s motion to dismiss, JMU said the lawsuit was “factually inaccurate and without legal merit,” brought forward by a “disgruntled ex-employee for timebarred claims.” The United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia granted the motions to dismiss from JMU and the DOE on the grounds that the lawsuit was past the two-year statute of limitations, and that Reid didn’t have standing to sue the DOE.
Both JMU and the Department of Education filed motions to dismiss the case. JMU argued that Reid didn’t allege due process violation, the lawsuit was past the statute of limitations and that the JMU defendants named can’t be sued in their official capacities. The DOE argued that the lawsuit was time barred, the court lacked subject jurisdiction and that Reid lacked standing to seek an order to stop the DOE from issuing rules in the future.
CONTACT Ashlyn Campbell at breezeinvestigations@gmail. com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.
For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU. Some SADAH students said they see both the pros and cons of NFTS. McKinley Mihailoff / The Breeze
“I don’t mind them either way,” Wood said. “If people want to use or make NFTs, go for it, and if you don’t, that’s OK too.”
Students and graduates pursuing graphic design careers are having to wrestle with whether NFTs are something they could support, or would want to create. Lindsey Guzzardo (’22), a recent graduate and graphic design major, said it bothers her that people without training can make so much money on NFTs. Guzzardo said it’s frustrating that people without training are making money on what she’s getting a degree for.
Alyssa Wood (’22), a recent graduate and graphic design major, said she feels good about people creating NFTs and making money from them.
At the root of the conversation lies a question of what makes art, art. Christian Arnder, an adjunct instructor of graphic design, said he thinks there’s artistic inspiration to be found in NFTs.
By MCKINLEY MIHAILOFF
Gish said an NFT is a digital licensing or ownership of an art piece that gives you full ownership to its rights and, if said in the contract, any recreations.
Dawn McCusker, the associate director of SADAH and a professor of graphic design, said the process of creating art on-and off-campus is important, but it can be difficult to strike a balance.“Ourstudents are bombarded through Pinterest and Instagram,” McCusker said. “Anybody can put their design out there and then they get influenced and they’re like, ‘Oh, I want to make it look like this.’” McCusker said SADAH is about more than learning digital art“Forprograms.[SADAH], it’s a bigger deal than that,” McCusker said. “We’re teaching a deep dive into it as a creative profession — not this surface of programs.” McCusker said SADAH tries to stay current with trends like NFTs, but “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” “We know what works,” McCusker said. “You have to have that balance between the design basics and how graphic design has been taught over the years with the current trends.” McCusker said the influence that trends have on students is worrying but unavoidable. “For me, it’s a scary time because there is so much influence out there,” McCusker said. “You really want the students to be able to build their own skills, but it’s so hard not to look.”
CONTACT McKinley Mihailoff at mihailmx@dukes.jmu.edu.
“I think at the end of the day, to me personally, it still ends up feeling a lot like false scarcity,” Arnder said. “It ends up feeling a lot like this approach to art that is still far too capitalistic.”
8 NEWS 202225,AugustThursday, T A Y L O R D O W N U N D E R R O O M 1 1 2 I N T H E U N I O N P L A C E A N A N O N Y M O U S O R D E R A N D P I C K U P E I T H E R C H E C K O U T M O R E R E S O U R C E S @ T H E S T U D E N T S U P P O R T H U B T H E P A N T R Y what to expect Shopin person Order on the app F L A S H Y O U R J A C C A R D W E I G H G R O C E R I E S @ G R A C E S T P A R K I N G D E C K S H O P OR what we offer F O O D B A S I C S C H O O L S U P P L I E HS Y G I E N E I T E M S S A F E R S E X C E N T E R O N T H E R A P I D P I C K U P S H E L F @ T H E P A N T R Y C U R B S I D EOR J M U . E D U / S S H Unavoidable influence JMU art students, faculty grapple with NFTs
Gish said while she understands the intention of NFTs to provide more overt copyright and ownership of art, she said she doesn’t think that reflects their real-world impact.
The Breeze Students and faculty in the School of Art, Design and Art History (SADAH) face the complex world of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and the discourse surrounding them — that some people are making money off of their art without getting a degree for it. According to the New York Times, NFTs are a $40 billion market of digital collectibles. These media pieces can be created by anyone and sold for millions of dollars. A debate has emerged on whether they devalue, or should be considered art.
“Even though it bothers me that artists are getting paid for it without going through the time I have, I can’t say I blame them for taking that route,” Guzzardo said. “If I had opportunities of being paid for my piece, or my art or digital art, I don’t think I would be too upset about it.”
“I think what trends lack a lot of the time, at least as they grow and evolve, is that human connection — they lack that emotional connection,” Arnder said. “I think if artists and designers and illustrators can find a way to truly connect emotionally with people, it far surpasses trends.”
Danielle Gish (’22), a recent graphic design graduate, said she and her roommates initially went on a “little YouTube rabbit hole” trying to figure out what NFTs were.
“I think a lot of people got revitalized in their creativity by having this new opportunity,” Arnder said. Arnder said he has friends doing interesting work through NFTs, but he finds personal hesitance in the topic.
“I don’t think it’s actually helping or actually defending people’s art,” Gish said. “It’s just making it so rich people can buy art but other people can’t have access to it.” She said there’s a presumption that graphic design is digital work anyone can do, like creating NFTs, so it isn’t as valuable as other skills. Gish disagrees with that. “Once you look at somebody’s work you can see that they’ve honed those skills more,” Gish said. The access to online content in everyday life has opened the door for careers in graphic art and design, but also presents new challenges.
Arnder said he doesn’t think trends are a bad thing, but to understand how to be successful, artists must look beyond them.
9 202225,AugustThursday,
There are many ways to include writing across all subjects, such as incorporating handwritten notes into one’s notetaking method. While many believe technology is the most efficient way to work, handwritten notes allow people to retain information better. This is due to several factors, including speed, incorporating personal style, an increase in brain activity, and stronger encoding and memory retrieval.
“I always use handwritten notes because I found that typing my notes does not help me remember information as well as writing it down would, and it’s more satisfying, in my opinion,” Ponce said. While learning the proper writing techniques helps students excel in their own field of study, it can also help with verbal communication skills. Writing stimulates the brain, boosts imagination and speeds up brain function, which fosters the ability to refine and explain ideas to others. Perfecting one’s writing format makes it easier to explain ideas to others in a professional, concise and understandable manner.
A “privileged-athlete” dart to the football players and coaches who park in the handicap spaces around D-Hall. From someone who hopes you never get injured and need a space occupied by someone who doesn’t.
On the other hand, Adrien Ponce, a senior, said writing can be hit or miss, depending on the class. He also said that the class he found to be the most beneficial, was his freshman year writing class, which allowed him to write topics he was passionate about. “The most helpful writing class I have taken was my freshman writing class because I was able to write about things that I cared about,” Ponce said. “One of these papers allowed me to write about a friend of mine that passed away a couple years back. With that, I don’t think that writing should be implemented across all majors because, in the case of being a CS major, it just seems that it’s more work and unnecessary.”
The 1598BreezeS.Main Harrisonburg,StreetVA22801
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. No matter a student’s major, there’s one essential skill that Accordingmemory:understandingimprovesandwriting.toa2020study, writing in all subjects enhances learning by improving the ability to recall information, make connections between concepts and analyze information. In the study, leader Steve Graham and his colleagues define the retrieval effect — how writing consolidates information into long-term memory — explaining why information can be quickly forgotten if not written down.
Take note
A going-to-stain”“this-is-definitelydart to a well-intentioned friend who spilled coffee on me.
In college, academic writing is most often taught in a series of introductory classes in order to enhance students’ critical thinking.
While it’s crucial that these classes are being taught, the importance of them is often glanced over, as some students ride out the course with minimal effort. Junior Josh Kuesters, expressed his experience with college writing and how major-focused writing has helped him.
From someone who had to rush home and put their new shirt in the wash. An professor”“I-wish-I-was-adart to JMU parking decks for having so many faculty spots. From someone who had to drive around the parking deck for thirty minutes. Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? Darts & Pats is the place to do it. Submit your own at Editorial Policies
A “how-is-this-possible” dart to my roommate’s professor for failing him before class starts. From someone who doesn’t believe in graded pre-tests.
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.
Analysis and writing skills can make a student more likely to be more proficient on a topic over someone who relies solely on memorization, according to Arkansas State University — in addition, if a student uses writing in a math class and sees improvement in that field, they may be more motivated to bring that skill to other subjects.
Writing is an essential skill and facilitates better information recall
CONTACT Oriana Lukas at lukasok@dukes. jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and Twitter @Breeze_Opinion.
Benefits of physical note taking
10OPINION Evan Weaver breezeopinion@gmail.comEDITOR EMAIL 202225,AugustThursday, @Breeze_Opinion
JMU offers a series of General Education courses such as Rhetorical Reading and Writing and Human Communications, which teach students the general skills used for critical thinking and writing formats.
“I think that it is beneficial to know the structure of the basic paper, especially research papers, but papers for English class haven’t really helped me all that much in comparison to my computer science-based papers,” Kuesters said. “I think different types of writing classes should be used based on your major.”
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.
One study at the University of Tokyo found that the volunteers who completed paper notes were 25% quicker at completing their notetaking than those who used digital devices, neuroscientist and professor Kuniyoshi L. Sakai said. “Actually, paper is more advanced and useful compared to electronic documents because paper contains more one-of-a-kind information for stronger memory recall,” SakaiPapersaid.itself allows for the writer to incorporate personal queues for writers to remember the crucial information, whether it’s a fold on the paper or an indentation. Handwritten notes are also tangible while digital notes disappear with one click. Ponce added that typing doesn’t produce that same desired effect.
ORIANA LUKAS opinions with oriana While some students have adopted digital notetaking techniques others use more traditional methods. Breeze file photo
Ivy League schools are incredibly difficult to get into. In 2020, the average acceptance rate for Ivy League schools was 7.3%. Considering these schools require uncommon academic talent to be admitted, many of their alumni go on to successful careers including high office in the U.S. government, with half of all college-educated presidents graduating from an Ivy League school. The success of Ivy League alumni, however, more likely relies on the connections at these universities, the university’s reputation and the discipline and talent that’s already evident in them as prospective students.
Prestigious schools attract students of high intellectual capability with the promise of connecting students with desirable employers. There’s little evidence though, to suggest the education students receive at Ivy League schools is significantly superior to that of others. Prestigious schools, therefore, serve as a middleman between unique talent and powerful or lucrative careers. By demonstrating their ability to successfully do this, prestigious schools solidify their reputation and attract more students and, more importantly, donors. Consequently, the largest university endowment in the world belongs to Harvard at $53.2 billion, approximately 344 times as large as JMU’s endowment in 2021, $154.6 million. The remaining Ivy League schools and other prestigious universities have comparable endowments numbering in the double-digit billions. The age of Ivy League schools primarily accounts for their reputation. Ivy League schools are among the oldest in the U.S. Harvard, arguably the most prominent, was founded in 1636 and was the first university in the country. Over the years this developed their reputation and network while simultaneously attracting more high-caliber students.
hyper-elitismCombatinginacademia
11OPINION 202225,AugustThursday,
Not all universities are Schoolsequal. focus their resources in different areas and programs, and universities also receive various amounts in government funding and in endowments. The discrepancy in the amount of funding a university receives from external sources can often reflect the quality of the education a student can expect to receive there. These factors contribute to how prospective students and employers perceive the prestige of a university.
Prestigious schools, especially those that constitute the Ivy League, a collection of schools concentrated in the Northeast U.S. and founded in 1954 — including Harvard, Princeton, Yale and others — provide unique access to highly credentialed faculty and desirable research opportunities. However, their perceived prestige inflates their value. These perceptions have negatively affected the American higher education system in a way that removes opportunities from those who can’t afford the high price tags that come with prestige, ultimately perpetuating income inequality and feeding elitism.
Harvard University, a school in the Ivy League, has the largest endowment of any university in the world. Courtesy of Tribune News Service
see PRESTIGE , page 12 EVAN WEAVER twenty four sevan
ofPerceptionprestige
Prestigious monopolizeschoolsexternal funding and make it difficult for less prestigious schools to compete
W. Val Larsen, a marketing professor at JMU, said less prestigious schools can combat the unrealistic perceptions they have to compete with. Comparing prestigious universities to name-brand products and other colleges to generic brands, Larsen noted that in the same way generic brands compete with name brands by meeting a similar level of quality and selling at a cheaper price, less prestigious universities can be competitive with the likes of Ivy League schools and others.
“If employers stop caring about university prestige and care only about employee competence, that will help universities that have less prestige but provide a good education at a lower price,” Larsen said. Some students are unable to pay the cost of attending prestigious universities and, upon graduation, lack the connections and reputation required to land a job that would pay higher just because they attended a prestigious school. Since some employers value prestigious education, some students are unable to advance financially because of the circumstance in which they grew up while others are able to simply maintain a privileged financial situation for the same reason.While prestigious universities are able to provide more scholarships for underprivileged students than other universities because of their large endowments, they largely operate on a system that serves the wealthy. The entire network from wealthy donors to elite universities and connected employers exchanges money for status and promotes exclusivity.
12 OPINION 202225,AugustThursday,
from PRESTIGE, page 11
“Not everyone is looking for the same thing, so there is room in the market for both kinds of brands, and probably always will be,” Larsen said. Larsen also said attending a less prestigious school can be an advantage for graduating students seeking employment. Alumni of prestigious schools tend to come with a higher price tag for employers. If an employer recognizes a similar quality of education between two job candidates but one attended an Ivy League school and another attended a school like JMU, they’re more likely to pick the latter. Without deeply rooted connections with prestigious employers, Ivy League schools have little competitive advantage over other schools, especially considering their premium prices. A pragmatic approach to hiring and selecting an education levels the playing field and broadens the opportunities that are available to people of lower socioeconomic status.
CONTACT Evan Weaver at breezeopinion@ gmail.com. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and Twitter @Breeze_Opinion.
Today, this cycle results in nearly unattainable admittance and inflated tuition prices. For example, in 2020, the average cost of tuition at an Ivy League school was Prestigious$56,746.schools are supported by a positive feedback loop of intelligence, money and reputation. It can be difficult for less prestigious schools to break this cycle and recruit elite students to attend their universities. These schools then implement numerous strategies to communicate their value to prospective students.
202225,AugustThursday 13 This week in JMU history...
Roderick said McQuillian came up with the name, and due to his background in psychology, Roderick knew that people who visited the business would appreciate the name.
Beards & Broads originally opened in 2019 in Harrisonburg with a positive reception from locals, McQuillian said. While the name “Beards & Broads” may sound like it’s referring to men and women, it actually refers to the types of axes people throw at the shop. Bearded axes have a longer bladed section that extends below the butt of the axe and broad axes have a large flared blade.
By MORGAN VUKNIC The Breeze Co-founders and owners of a local axe throwing business — Beards & Broads — Kyle McQuillian and Jay Roderick opened their second location in Broadway on Saturday, Aug. 13 with a lifelong ambition and a desire to return home.
“In psychology, if you can create a negative emotion that you turn into a positive one, it’s twice as memorable,” Roderick said. “For the people that love [the name], they’ll love it, and the people that don’t, maybe once we explain it to them, they will. So, we went with it and of course, the axe throwing community loved it.”
According to Shvonne Youngman, the new Beards & Broads location in Broadway will have a large focus on food and drinks. McQuillian
Savannah Reger / The Breeze The second location of Beards & Broads opened Saturday, Aug. 13. Photo courtesy of Kyle
The main difference with the Broadway location is the services it offers. In Harrisonburg, Beards & Broads is mainly focused on axe throwing and event hosting, such as socials and formals, with limited food and drink options, but in Broadway, the food’s the main attraction.
“I thrive for the culture we’ve created,” Roderick said. “I take $0 per month out of my business because I want it all to go back to my team, and I want it to be reinvested into the culture we’re creating here. There is just something so unique about what we’ve created among our team that has turned into an atmosphere that our guests get to experience.”
BeardsBroads&
Although Beards & Broads has been successful, the local’s trajectory was hurt during the height of the pandemic in 2020. McQuillian said that at the time, the business was solely entertainment and didn’t offer food or beer like they do now and was forced to shut down. But, with support from friends, family and other local businesses, McQuillian said Beards & Broads was able to pull through.
With McQuillian marrying Roderick’s sister, Roderick said sticking together as a family helped them make it through the pandemic. Roderick also works full time in the biotechnology field outside of Beards & Broads, so he was able to push that money back into the business while they were struggling. Along with family, Beards & Broads heavily relied on other small businesses during the pandemic. McQuillian said he always wanted to work with other businesses when starting Beards & Broads, but during the pandemic, it became a necessity. Most recently, they’ve been working with the Wounded Warrior Project and the Living Waters Freedom Initiative. McQuillian said it’s been exciting to host benefits and watch people learn about their business while also giving back to local charities.
“In Harrisonburg, college students have been adamant about wanting activities, and it’s the same thing in Broadway,” McQuillian said. “We went out and asked the community, ‘What do you want to see?’ and ‘What do you want to engage with?’”
Michael Russo
14 EDITORSCULTUREEMAIL
& Avery Goodstine thebreezeculture@gmail.com 202225,AugustThursday, @Breeze_Culture
When it comes to the atmosphere at Beards & Broads, McQuillian said it can all be traced back to the people who come to the shop. He said he and Roderick constantly ask people who come in exactly what they want to see and then they shift their business to match people’s suggestions.
‘All about the community’
Local axe throwing business opens new location in Broadway, VA
“With my family growing up in Broadway, it’s a nostalgic thing,” McQuillian said. “Coming here to Broadway has been a childhood dream come true. I used to walk around thinking ‘Oh, I wish I owned a business here.’ To be able to come here and do that has been a surreal experience.”
“By helping support local businesses, we’re able to then turn around and get that same support back and lean on each other,” McQuillian said. “We’re able to share ideas and create friendly competition and mutual support when it comes to operating and learning from each other.” Beards & Broads has had its fair share of challenges, but McQuillian and Roderick said opening both the Harrisonburg and Broadway locations has been a major learning experience. One thing the business prides itself on is being open to all people and not having a specific audience. McQuillian said at both locations, there are often many different types of people, from college students having a night out, to families spending time together to adults relaxing after work. Roderick said his favorite part of creating Beards & Broads has been creating an environment where everyone can feel comfortable.
For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on Twitter and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.
Originally, the Broadway location was supposed to open in June, but due to labor shortages, supply chain issues and increasing equipment prices, the opening was delayed. Although Beards & Broads was struggling to open, Roderick said it’s been fulfilling to watch patrons visit and have a great time. With so many people coming in, Roderick said he hopes to see the building expand — Beards & Broads — doesn’t fully utilize the entire space it’s in yet, and offer even more food and game options.
While most may assume the name “Beards & Broads” is referencing men and women, it’s actually a reference to the two types of axes used for axe throwing, according to McQuillian. Photos by Savannah Reger / The Breeze
15CULTURE 202225,AugustThursday,
In her memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” Jennette McCurdy, known primarily from her role as Sam Puckett on Nickelodeon’s “iCarly,” speaks out about her childhood experiences and how they affected her life. This must-read has gained popularity on TikTok and Instagram and is selling out everywhere, not even two weeks after its release. If you’re looking for a true story of growth and healing, this is for you. McCurdy provides an authenticity that reads like a friend telling you a story and, like a friend, you’ll cry and laugh just as she does. It’s relatable, it’s heartbreaking, but it’s so worth it. McCurdy’s main audience are those who previously watched her on T.V. as children. While it’s still devastating to learn of her personal struggles throughout her life, McCurdy adds a comedic tone throughout the book to provide some levity. She retells some aspects of working as a child actor and dealing with fame from a young age, but the majority of the book centers on her relationship with her mother, DebraMcCurdyMcCurdy.said her mother dreamed of being an actress, and after failing that dream, she forced Jennette into the profession at a young age. The book reveals that her mother controlled every aspect of Jennette’s life, such as monitoring her calorie intake, bathing her well into her teens and moving into Jennette’s studio as an adult. This control didn’t end until Debra passed in 2013; only then could McCurdy finally heal, she writes. She writes about a character she calls “The Creator.” He created the show “iCarly,” and he’s a recurring character when McCurdy talks of her time at the network. He emotionally abused many of the actors, and often made those working with him highly uncomfortable, McCurdy reveals. This abuse at work and at home led McCurdy to feel a loss of her identity until more McCurdy’srecently.vulnerability shines through like no other. In other memoirs, authors will often leave out intrusive thoughts or gritty details, but McCurdy doesn’t. She takes on the hard topics most wouldn’t be eager to talk about. “I’m Glad My Mom Died” is hard to read without tearing up, but it’s worth every second. McCurdy’s decision to tell this story is brave, and readers are sure to feel her courage within the pages. Read the full article at breezejmu.org.
CONTACT Morgan Vuknic at vuknicma@dukes.jmu.edu.
Review | Jennette McCurdy opens up about her childhood in new memoir
Graphic by Shirin Zia Faqiri / The Breeze
BY ABIGAIL ELIA contributing writer
“The higher the challenge, the bigger the reward,” Roderick said. “We’re feeling a big breather right now and we’re taking a break … but very quickly, we want to go out and expand into the full building and bring on even more stuff.”
Because collaborating with other businesses and community engagement are so important to the mission of Beards & Broads, Youngman said, she’s enjoyed watching people come in and make new connections. She said that the other day, she watched someone who’s been living in the area but hasn’t had a place to go come and meet new people and leave with two new friends. “It’s all about the community for me,” Youngman said. “I hope there’s more community involvement, and I hope that people are going to come and engage and bring the community together. Broadway is an up-and-coming spot, and I feel like we’re going to grow with the community, bring more things to Broadway and get more people out andAlongabout.”with expanding the building in Broadway, McQuillian said he hopes to open up even more Beards & Broads locations in the future. While he and Roderick are taking a bit of a break right now, they want to grow their business all the way from Winchester to Lexington. “We’re definitely not done yet,” McQuillian said. “We have a lot more to offer the Valley and the people in it. We’re going to keep trucking along and try to keep bringing fun and interesting places to go and provide the best quality that we can.”
Youngman hopes the new Beards & Broads location will become a space for community events and gatherings.
Shvonne Youngman, general manager at the Broadway location, said along with a full food and drink menu, the location also offers shuffle board, foosball and other games in addition to axe throwing so that people from all walks of life can enjoy it. “There’s all types of people coming in; we provide fun and games for everyone,” Youngman said. “You can be a veteran, you can be six years old, you can be 92 and you’re going to be welcomed through the doors with the same smile.”
Java City Java City, the coffee shop located in Market 64 on the first floor of D-Hall, is taking over the space previously occupied by Qdoba. The menu has changed to include “specialty beverages” and new breakfast items according to an email from Mary-Hope Vass, JMU’s executive director of communications and university spokesperson. Java City offers breakfast and lunch Duke Deals that consist of a breakfast sandwich, hashbrown or fruit and a small drink or a lunch sandwich with fruit or chips and a small drink. Delivery is offered through the Starship Robots.
Burgers & Fries Burgers & Fries is replacing Burger Studio in Festival Food Court. Vass said Burgers & Fries is “all about the sauces and toppings and will bring burgers to a new level.” Duke Deals include a three-piece chicken tender combo, a classic burger combo and a black bean burger combo. It’s safe to say that while the mac bowl station will be missed in Market 64, these new additions offered by JMU are creating excitement with the start of a new semester, and the inclusion of gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options opens access for more students.
The Grill in Market 64 will be taking on a new Mediterranean flavor with pitas, falafel, shawarma chicken and gyros. New Duke Deals include a falafel, chicken or gyro pita with a salad and a fountain drink. Other dishes offered are tabbouleh, hummus, babaganoush and za’atar seasoned fries. Vass said the gyro is Halal certified. Tacodillo “Tacodillo is our new home grown Tex-Mex station at Dukes,” Vass said. Located upstairs at Dukes Dining, this brand new addition is reminiscent of an upscale Taco Bell. Tacos, nachos and quesadillas are offered with a protein choice of chicken, beef, black beans or pork. Duke deals consist of a choice of one of the three main entrees with chips, salsa and a drink. Gluten-free options are available and delivery will be offered through the Starship Robots.
ID. Valid for college students and faculty only. Offer valid on one regular priced item. May not be combined with any Grand Coupon, Rebate, Discount, Sales Tax offer or Financing offer. Not redeemable for cash nor can it be applied to an account balance or prior purchase. Limit one discount per household. Cannot be applied to special orders, advertised Sale Prices, Room Groups, Multi-Room Packages and products from Hekman, Howard Miller, Ekornes Stressless, I Love Pillow, Serta iComfort, Beautyrest Black and Harmony Lux, Sealy Hybrid, Stearns & Foster, Tempur-Pedic, Nectar, AWARA, DreamCloud, and Level Sleep, Gascho, Caperton/Greenbrier Craftsman, Cozzia, Era Nouveau and Ultra Comfort. Excluded products subject to change without notice. Offer not valid at Outlet Stores or Clearance Departments. Discount offer valid through 12/31/22. Coupon Code: PERKS HARRISONBURG • 2080 Evelyn Byrd Avenue • (540) 434-7619 Open Everyday except Wednesdays Visit Us Online 24/7 at www.GrandHF.com PROUD SPONSOR
By AVERY GOODSTINE
The Breeze
The Grill
CONTACT Avery Goodstine at thebreezeculture@gmail. com. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on Twitter and Instagram @Breeze_Culture
Dukes Scoops Dukes Scoops, a new ice cream place, has taken over Java City’s previous location in Market 64. It will feature “premium hand dipped ice cream and sundaes,” according to Vass in her email. Dukes Scoops does not currently offer any Duke Deals, but the menu features a choice of one or two scoops of ice cream, a sundae or a duke paw sundae, which costs $7, the equivalent of a punch. Some flavors offered are chocolate, vanilla and cookies and cream, and you can add on various sauces and toppings.
202225,August,Thursday 16 CULTURE
or
New dining options arrive across campus refreshrestaurant
With the start of a new semester comes an exciting time: visiting the dining halls. Students begin to count down the days until their new meal plan begins and conversation about where to get the best Duke Deals circulates around campus. However, this year is bringing more than your traditional E-Hall brunch or D-Hall buffalo mash. There’s some new changes happening all around campus, some possibly more anticipated than others.
*With student school OF
Employees at Tacodillo, Dukes Dining’s latest offering, serve up tacos, nachos and quesadillas. Abi Middleton / The Breeze
“As he continued with [TOPSoccer] he progressed with his mobility [and] he completely walks on his own now,” Boss said. The mentors and kids aren’t the only ones establishing strong relationships through the program. Davis, Boss and Schlenker all made a point during their respective interviews to mention how great the other two are to work with. Schlenker described Boss and Davis as a “dynamic duo.” One of TOPSoccer’s main appeals is its consistent affordability. Families with disabled children often have lots of costs to juggle — therapies, surgeries, etc. — which can often make specialized recreational programs too expensive to afford. Virginia Skyline, a local youth soccer club, has partnered with the Harrisonburg TOPSoccer chapter to help provide equipment and practice spaces. This helps reduce the cost for families and helps the club maintain operation. While a registration fee of $25 is required this fall, Davis said, TOPSoccer plans to reduce fees with the ultimate goal of making it free once they’re able to acquire more local donors; Davis said negotiations are in the works.
Graphic
CONTACT Luke Freisner at freisnlx@ 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
by Shirin ZiaFaqiri/ TheBreeze
“I thought, ‘Gosh, I can bring TOPSoccer to Harrisonburg. Why don’t I go ahead and do it?’” DavisJessicasaid.Boss is a senior special education major and has been a TOPSoccer volunteer for eight years. Boss was looking for a place to volunteer when her mother introduced her to TOPSoccer and she met Schlenker. Boss said from her very first day, she “fell in love with the program.” When she arrived at college, Boss said, she was feeling that same void because there was no TOPSoccer club to volunteer with in Harrisonburg — until she met Davis. The two students said they’ve been spending the last few months preparing for TOPSoccer’s arrival in the Harrisonburg area by securing equipment, finding partners and creating social media pages to spread community awareness.
GOAL!
Soccer outreach program for children with disabilities rolls to Harrisonburg
Alex Davis, a junior kinesiology major, has volunteered with the Great Falls Reston TOPSoccer club since middle school until becoming the head coach and coordinator three years ago. After two years of attending JMU and living in the Shenandoah Valley, she said she would still look back and miss volunteering with TOPSoccer. Over the summer, she decided to do something about it.
TOPSoccer chair John Schlenker said the organization is truly inclusive for children in the program.
17 202225,AugustThursday, CULTURE
Davis shared her excitement for carrying on this program and introducing soccer to a whole new group of kids. “I love soccer, and it’s opened so many doors for me throughout my life,” Davis said. “It really makes me happy to continue to open doors for new players and to give back to a greater community that has enriched my own life.”
Alex Davis, left, is a TOPSoccer volunteer and coach who worked to bring the outreach program to Harrisonburg with fellow JMU student Jessica Boss. Photos courtesy of TOPSoccer
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Dukes with a
TOPSoccer now has roughly 80 athletes with the help of over 100 volunteers at times.
BRINGING IT TO THE ‘BURG
Boss explained that coaches and athletes grow strong bonds over the years that help athletes feel more confident and comfortable socially. Boss said watching the kids learn and grow through the program is the best part about what she does. Boss remembers one athlete in particular who used a walker when first entering the program.
By LUKE FREISNER The Breeze
“Every child who wishes to play soccer deserves the right to participate!” One sentence from the TOPSoccer website says it all. Also known as The Outreach Program for Soccer, TOPSoccer, a nonprofit organization introducing young athletes with disabilities to soccer throughout Virginia. Thanks to Alex Davis and Jessica Boss, two JMU students who both have a history working with children through the program, TOPSoccer is now in TwentyHarrisonburg.yearsago, John Schlenker, TOPSoccer chair and head coach of two clubs, was searching for a program where his daughter, Katie, could play soccer that had accommodations for Katie’s Down syndrome. Virginia is home to multiple programs for young athletes with disabilities, but none of these organizations seemed to be the right fit. Some sports organizations specialized in athletes with physical disabilities while others focused on cognitive disabilities. What made TOPSoccer stand out was their inclusion of any athlete, no matter their level of mobility or where they may fall on the spectrum.
JMU’s connections with the Harrisonburg area played a part in helping Davis and Boss establish a strong foundation. Having not grown up in the area, Davis said JMU was vital in introducing her to local services such as the Harrisonburg Parks and Recreation Department to lay the groundwork for establishing a club. Boss and Davis both started playing soccer at a very young age and described how special it can be. Boss said she enjoyed playing the sport to begin with but truly developed a passion for it the longer she volunteered and coached. Davis stressed the importance of giving every child the space and opportunity to be included.
“It can be really hard to see your sibling playing soccer and always have to watch from the sidelines,” Davis said.
TOPSoccer has seen volunteers from many clubs and even other colleges like George Mason University. Boss said the Valley was home to a wide variety of volunteers, due to the student population from all over the country making the college town a perfect place to establish a club. With an abundance of student organizations at JMU — including a plethora of Greek life groups that volunteer and participate in philanthropy. Practices are once a week for an hour, Boss said, and it’s free to volunteer, making it a viable position for students to hold.
Learning to play the game is important to the coaches, but that’s only part of the impact volunteers make on a weekly basis. According to Schlenker, team building and strengthening communication skills are elements focused and practiced through drills and playing against other teams. “A volunteer may run into an athlete in the cafeteria and will invite that athlete to join their table,” Schlenker said. “You have no idea the impact that can make.”
Davis said athletes often join because their older siblings play sports and they’re eager to do the same.
By MADISON HRICIK The Breeze The JMU football fanbase has seen ups and downs throughout its 51-year history. Even with varied opinions on whether the university’s jump to the Sun Belt Conference was good or not, there’s one common ground fans have agreed on: Fans can’t leave at halftime anymore. “It's not a JMU thing,” Kevin Warner, JMU assistant athletic director of communications, said, adding that Alabama deals with it as well. “It’s a culture issue. It's college students.”
somebody else again.” Part 1: JMU tickets as compared to the Sun Belt
JMU single game ticket sales were available to the general public on July 1, 2022. Breeze file photo
Abi Middleton / The Breeze
Warner and Burgess said JMU’s season ticket sales are higher overall at this point than in previous years, and numbers are approaching the JMU Athletics all-time record, with roughly 7,500 season ticket packages sold. Neither specified when the record could be broken, but that it could be “soon.”“We're starting to see people think and consider a season ticket over a single game,” Burgess said. “And I think that was one of the reasons why our season ticket number increased and increased earlier on in the year.”The newest element in ticket sales is the game time announcements. As a part of the Sun Belt’s ESPN deal, JMU game times won’t be announced until 12 days out, with the exception of Middle Tennessee, beginning at 6 p.m., Norfolk State at 4 p.m. and Georgia Southern at 4 p.m., according to the Eagles’ website.Warner and Burgess said they expect an increase in single ticket sales after each game time is announced, but nothing drastic. As of Aug. 23, single game ticket sales are approximately 50% higher than in previous seasons.Since game days won’t change, single game tickets are moving at a steady, “normal” pace, according to Burgess. Once each respective game time is announced by ESPN, the increase will mostly affect fans with potentially busy schedules and need a start time to decide on purchasing a ticket. “Roughly, I would say approximately 8,000 is what we hold them for that first game,” Warner said. “And then really, the number fluctuates in large part based upon what we've observed over the years in terms of student behavior.”
18 @TheBreezeSportsEDITORSSPORTSEMAIL breezesports@gmail.comMadison Hricik & Grant Johnson
Around the conference, ticket sales have been on the rise — particularly with JMU’s closest peers. Old Dominion University and Appalachian State have both reported increased ticket sales over the last few seasons, dating back to 2019. The data doesn’t include the 2020 season, since ODU opted out of the 2020 season and Appalachian State didn’t have fans in stands.
Talks about tickets
Part 2: How is JMU preparing for the increaseddemand?
JMU prepares for historic uncertainty for football tickets
But with the move to the Sun Belt, JMU ticketing services have reported an upward trend in this football season’s sales, in both single and student tickets. Many schools around the conference have also reported an overall upward trend in their ticket sales as teams take on new conference members. The reason behind the conference’s increasing ticket sales mostly stems from the positive reactions from fans on what the conference has grown into recently. While football is one of the only sports that can quantify this increase, the desire to attend Sun Belt football games has grown and could break school records by Week“There's1. definitely a higher demand,” Brad Burgess, associate athletic director for ticketing and strategic revenue, said. “Our fans are reacting to this and reacting by purchasing tickets earlier.”Warner knows this is becoming the case, and said it opens a lot of possibilities for the program — both short- and longterm. On the other side, football and basketball programs are facing even higher expectations from their respective fan bases.Ticket numbers may not faze an athlete or coach, but racing onto the field and court to a packed stadium can bring out the adrenaline a team needs to take on an unpredictable tothat“It’sTonyyear,”likecoming“Everything’syear.downtobeanormalschoolredshirtjuniorThurstonsaid.amixbetweenand…wantinggooutthereandhit
For the time being, JMU ticketing is focused on single and season tickets like the other schools around the conference. With only a week until kickoff against Middle Tennessee, season tickets are still on sale. In most cases, season ticket packages will go off the market once the season begins, and fans focus more on the single game tickets that tailor to their individual schedules. JMU ticketing still accepts season ticket orders once the season begins, but the majority of those purchased are done so before July 1, when single game tickets go on sale to the general public.
An ODU spokesman told The Breeze that its football stadium — S.B. Ballard Stadium — has sold 11,500 season tickets ahead of this season. Last year, it didn’t reach 10,000. Appalachian State sold out its season tickets this year at 11,048, announced by the school on July 19. The Mountaineers’ first game against UNC is also confirmed to be sold out. A spokesperson for the university said Appalachian State has averaged an increase of 2,000 season tickets per year. Both schools are still in the process of selling single game tickets for this season, so both schools didn’t give those numbers to TheODU,Breeze.Appalachian State and JMU have filled at least 30% of its stadium capacity with season tickets, and numbers can still climb for the Monarchs and the Dukes. ODU has an estimated 52% of its stadium capacity filled with season ticket holders, compared with Appalachian State’s 36% and JMU’s 30%. Of the three schools, the Mountaineers have the largest capacity at 30,000 persons.
One additional element JMU is experiencing now is the student ticket process. Any JMU student could begin purchasing their free ticket to Week 1 on Monday at 9 a.m., with Student Duke Club members receiving early access on Sunday at 9 Burgessa.m. said ticket numbers are “constantly updating,” but as of Aug. 24 approximately 4,500 student tickets had been purchased — a number he said was impressive for 36 hours into the tickets going live.
This brings on two solutions ticketing series has been trying to implement: engaging the Harrisonburg community and capitalizing on the ESPN market. “Young people might not be in Harrisonburg, but we do have a fair amount of community members in the Valley,” Burgess said. “and stretching all the way up and down [I-81] that want to draw into JMU athletics and JMU sports, and I think it’s extremely important to never forget that group.”Theticketing department regularly works for fan engagement and the Harrisonburg community for opportunities for residents to enjoy JMU football as much as students and alumni may. In basketball, typically this involves a Community Day game, held during winter break. Football’s Community Day game is against Norfolk State on Sept. 10 this “We’reseason.pushing out a ton of promotions just to get people in … Bridgeforth,” Burgess said. “We’re hoping that they come back and they bring more family and they spread the word and allow for that to grow and sort of paint the valley purple.”
Even with the current demand for season and single game tickets, there’s no telling what this season will play out to be just yet. There are multiple factors at play every game that can increase or decrease attendance, but Burgess and Warner said they believe the immediate reactions toward purchasing these tickets — whether season or single — is a good sign. Until then, JMU Nation will have to sit tight and roll with the punches. Grant Johnson contributed to this report.
“It’s been, what, two and a half days, and we’re already at 4,500 students for the first game,” Burgess said. “That’s a great number to have, and those are the kinds of things that we want to continue to see grow.”
Friday, August 26 5 p.m. Field Hockey vs. Richmond 7 Volleyballp.m.vs.Albany
JMU has currently sold 7,500 season tickets for football games. Breeze file photo
Warner said the current Bridgeforth Stadium was designed with plans in place for an expansion when there was an “observed need.” So, while JMU won’t activate any expansion plans in the middle of the season, it’s ready to go whenever the time comes. “Historically, when we built the stadium, we had designs from day one, where if we were hitting capacity, there were drawings that we could expand the stadium,” Warner said. “It is built in such a way that those designs could be pursued pretty quickly, they can [be] called into action pretty quickly.”
Using the ESPN market, on the other hand, could go either way for in-person attendance, according to Warner. On the positive side, having the game on ESPN could drive fans to pack the stadium and make Bridgeforth look like an intimidating environment to those watching at home. On the downside, having ESPN likely means fans could choose to put the game on TV back home instead of making the trip. “I think the fact that those are two attractive opponents helps,” Warner said. “There’s also the potential they get picked up for TV, and that could help because it could add some further interest to the game.”
Monday, August 29 None Tuesday, August 30 None Wednesday, August 31 None
202225,AugustThursday, 19SPORTS
“I don’t think we’re quite there yet [with] Middle Tennessee, but like Family Weekend or Homecoming, we will announce a sellout if we’re pretty confident that the number we’ve reserved on the student side is going to be filled — which I think is pretty reasonable.”
Part 3: What if JMU isn’t a top performer anddemand decreases? With the excitement around how JMU will play this year comes some worry — worry that fans have already expressed. If the Dukes struggle during their first season in the Sun Belt, how will fan attendance and ticketing be addressed then? In previous history, JMU has performed with lower-capacity crowds — but not just because of COVID-19. While the pandemic forced schools to play without fans, it isn’t the lower capacity crowds ticketing has used in their planning process.
During last year’s Family Weekend game against Villanova on Oct. 9, 2021, some students complained they were unable to get their free ticket due to the high demand — the game sold out nearly a week in advance. Students turned to JMU Ticket Exchange and their respective class Facebook groups to sell and exchange tickets in hopes of attending theWarnergame. and Burgess said there can be fewer tickets available during Family Weekend, but the process of getting a student ticket doesn’t change. Instead, students should plan to purchase their tickets as soon as they become available to avoid missing a sold out game. “We would announce a sellout if we are confident that the student reservation number is going to be built,” Warner said.
The final two games of the regular season, Georgia State on Nov. 19 and Coastal Carolina on Nov. 26, fall around Thanksgiving weekend.“Thanksgiving week games are going to be really interesting from a student perspective,” Warner said, “and whether or not students are willing to change or alter their plans for Thanksgiving break around attending those games.”Football games near Thanksgiving weekend have traditionally low capacity numbers, according to both Warner and Burgess. The number of students on campus exponentially decreases during that time with Thanksgiving Break going on in between the two final games. While Georgia State and Coastal Carolina might be JMU’s toughest home games of the season, many students may not be aware of these games’ importance. Considering the familiarity of teams earlier in the season like Appalachian State and ODU, topped with the two games happening over a weeklong holiday, JMU’s overall and conference record may be the biggest indicator for who checks into Bridgeforth Stadium later this season.“You could argue those are two of our bigger home games [against] Georgia State and Coastal Carolina,” Warner said. “I think it’ll be telling how quickly students are paying attention in the Sun Belt, paying attention to the quality of the opponents and the storylines and all of that, and whether or not they choose to attend those games.”
The big question JMU fans have asked for years: When is Bridgeforth getting expanded? It’s not something on JMU Athletics’ radar just yet, but this first season in the FBS could be a small indicator for when those plans could be activated. The move to the FBS won’t be a plausible reason on its own to expand the stadium, it’ll take multiple seasons of consistent sellouts for JMU Athletics to break ground.
CONTACT Madison Hricik at breezesports@ gmail.com. For more sports coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @TheBreezeSports.
Thursday, August 25 7:30 p.m. Men’s soccer vs. Binghamton
Saturday, August 27 10 a.m. Volleyball vs. Robert Morris 7 p.m. Volleyball vs. Kent State Sunday, August 28 1 p.m. Field Hockey vs. Bucknell 3 p.m. Men’s Soccer vs. NJIT 6 p.m. Women’s Soccer at La Salle
Aside from Family Weekend and Homecoming, the season opener is typically the most attended football game for students. With Family Weekend, JMU ticketing sells its student and general admission seats differently than during other games. Because students often want to sit with their families, the ticketing office offers general admission seating in the student section — the north end zone — to allow families a chance to sit there rather than having to pay for their student.“There’s some unique circumstances around Family Weekend,” Burgess said. “On that game alone, we allow families to buy tickets and then add their free student ticket so that they can all sit in the section. So that’s where it sort of fluctuates, because depending on how many parents or family members you’re bringing, the student number itself may fluctuate.”
AUGUST 25 - AUGUST 31
After playing together for two years, winning a CAA championship and a plethora of awards together, JMU men’s soccer returns its two starting center backs for another year. Entering their third season as a center back-partnership, redshirt seniors Melker Anshelm and Tyler Clegg lead JMU men’s soccer’s back line into 2022. Everything the two have garnered in those past three seasons, both individually and as part of the Dukes, has built toward all the excitement surrounding the move to the Sun Belt Conference.
By CRAIG MATHIAS
Being on Zazenski’s side since his first season, Anshelm was on the 2018 team that advanced all the way to the NCAA quarterfinals. Anshelm was named to the AllCAA Rookie Team that year. As he enters 2022, Anshelm said the same message Zazenski preached to the team in 2018 has carried over to today, and it’s the driver for JMU’s sustained success. “The group is confident,” Anshelm said. “There is a good spirit in the team and I’m really excited going into the season with this group. It’s always been a staple of this program to be solid defensively, and that goes back to my freshman year when we were a top team in the country … That mentality has carried over to the new players.” Anshelm and Clegg both were named to the All-CAA first team, VaSID All-State first team and All-Atlantic Region Second Team, with Clegg also winning VaSID All-State Defensive Player of the Year. In the three seasons they’ve started together, the Dukes won the CAA twice (2019, 2020-21) and won 11 games last season before the team was barred from postseason conference play. On top of everything Anshelm’s accomplished in the past, he was selected to TopDrawerSoccer’s Preseason Best XI Third Team, JMU announced in a press release. JMU’s mentality through Zazenski’s tenure is simple — to keep a clean sheet, or “the zero,” Clegg said. The approach stays consistent, even if the schedule is more challenging than years past. “Get a clean sheet each and every game, and when the strikers can finish off their chances, we can create chances for them and pile up the goals,” Clegg said. “From the beginning, our job is to keep a clean sheet and you can’t lose games doing that.”
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In eight of the team’s 11 wins last season, the Dukes kept a clean sheet, including a 0-0 (2OT) draw against American University. The hope is that this type of defensive play is sustainable in 2022, both Zazenski and Clegg said.With the move to the Sun Belt that includes high-level teams, such as 2020-21 national champion and preseason No. 14 Marshall, No. 8 Kentucky and No. 6 West Virginia, among others, Zazenski said nothing changes in his coaching with how he’ll attack the schedule this season. The prestige within JMU men’s soccer calls for success no matter the“Weopponent.always want to be relevant on the national scene and contend for national championships,” Zazenski said. “Just because we know that we have a couple big time programs on the schedule doesn’t mean any of that changes. I think it should only excite us more about the opportunity to have exposure from playing those big games.”
JMU matches up with NJIT on Aug. 28 at 3 p.m. and Sun Belt play kicks off when it hosts Georgia State on Sept. 17. In preparing for both the opening weekend and the entire season, Zazenski said he’s confident in his entire team because the leadership from Anshelm and Clegg sets the precedent for what’s expected of JMU men’s soccer.“It’sa really good group,” Zazenski said.
20 SPORTS 202225,Augustsday,Thur
Head coach Paul Zazenski — entering his fifth season at the helm — said having Anshelm and Clegg back this year is significant for what the team needed to accomplish in the preseason leading up to the season opener against Binghamton.
CONTACT Craig Mathias at mathiack@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more men’s soccer coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter
The Dukes’ season begins Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. with the Fairfield by Marriott Invitational at Sentara Park when they host Binghamton.
The dynamic created between these two started before last season. Clegg said becoming close with Anshelm off the field made their relationship on the field as strong as it is today. “[Anshelm] and I have been good friends ever since we got here,” Clegg said, “so we built that connection off the field and that translates onto the field in so many ways having this be our third year playing together at center back. We just continue to grow together.”
Two men’s soccer defenders look to take on Sun Belt full steam ahead
Clegg heads the ball in March 2021 versus Elon. Breeze file photo
“The continuity, competitiveness and camaraderie from the center backs is massive,” Zazenski said. “We’re cramming in a month or two’s worth of work into six or seven days in the preseason. If we don’t have those leaders who are vital and organized, guys like [Clegg] and [Anshelm], you’re starting from scratch.”
SPORTS 21 202225,AugustThursday,
Senior Danielle Nathan is expected to play her first full season for JMU since 2019. Savannah Reger / The Breeze
Since falling to Towson in the CAA championship in 2019, volleyball faced a spring season shortened by COVID-19 in 2021 and then went immediately back into grind mode for the fall season. After 10 hard months, the CAA banned the team from the conference tournament and the Dukes fell short of an at-large bid. But volleyball rallied against Towson at home with an injury-ridden squad, taking a game from the Tigers. Now, with a healthy lineup, Steinbrecher said the Dukes are in an ideal position to make a run at a Sun Belt title in its inaugural season.
“[We] certainly had our share of adversity as everyone in the country,” Steinbrecher said. “You know, a young group that learned resiliency and through adversity is now a mature group that is much more stable. So, I think all that just worked to our benefit now that we're in a good place.”
JMU returns 12 players this season, most of whom experienced roadblocks on the quest for a title — the puzzle pieces are still being placed in regard to who will start where, Steinbrecher said. Savannah Marshall, a libero, left in the offseason, with sophomores Jayden Clemmer and Madilyn O’Toole looking to fill her role. Outside of libero, familiar faces are deep in the depth chart, all of whom want a shot at a successful first Sun Belt year and to wrap it up with a title. “I think that the last two seasons with adversity, we may have been our best — hopefully with less adversity, our best will be better,” Steinbrecher said. “Kind of maximizing and seeing how great we can be, keep everyone healthy and compete.”
By SAVANNAH REGER
CONTACT Savannah Reger at thebreezeweb@ gmail.com. For more volleyball coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @TheBreezeSports.
JMU football announces 12 nonconference games
A big part of that stability is injured Dukes returning to the lineup. Nathan’s set to play her first full season since 2019, and junior right-side hitter Elizabeth Helmich is ready after open hip Steinbrechersurgery.saidthat after last season, the team learned about themselves and gained veteran knowledge about pushing through hard moments. JMU now gets back two upperclassmen who've had their fair share of adversity and are ready to be back on the court.“My mindset has completely changed after I had surgery,” Helmich said. “[I] take every opportunity to be grateful that I get to do this and I'm so excited for this team. So no matter who's on the floor, I know we're gonna have a greatDuringseason.”her recovery, Nathan said, she had to learn the basics again: Walking, running and everyday activities were the focus last year, and even though she made progress, she couldn’t play as a junior. Getting back to the basics is what Nathan and the Dukes have done all summer. Preseason Sun Belt honoree Miëtte Veldman added that’s what the team needs to do in its first Sun Belt season. While exciting, the junior outside hitter believes JMU has something to prove — whether it’s being in the Sun Belt or winning a championship despite the last two years’ roadblocks.“[Wehave to] prove that we want to be here and like that we just earned our spot,” Veldman, who was the first Duke with over 300 kills since 2018, said. “It’s been exciting. Working really hard. A lot of awesome teammates. [It] keeps me motivated.” Steinbrecher said she’s excited to face new teams in the Sun Belt and Helmich’s ready to get back on the court and compete for the title. While the Dukes tied Coastal Carolina for first in the Sun Belt East Division, Veldman’s take is that there has been a lead up to this moment — the first Sun Belt game.
“Breaking everything down to the basics was really helpful,” Nathan, who had 215 kills in 2019, said. “I think, now, I'm loving it.” Nathan’s return to the court is one of many moving pieces for JMU, which finished 2021 with 17 wins. The Dukes, like all but three other teams at JMU, is set for its inaugural Sun Belt Conference season, but the final one in Godwin Hall.
CONTACT the sports desk at breezesports@ gmail.com. For more football coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @
The Breeze Danielle Nathan had to learn how to walk again.The senior — who made the CAA AllRookie Team in 2019 — spent the last two seasons recovering from a torn ACL and has only played in four sets since her freshman year.Yet, Nathan said the last two years were good because even with her injury, her team had her back. Now, she’s ready to step onto the court and have theirs.
From injuries to COVID-19 cases, it’s been one of the Dukes’ internal battles throughout the last two years. For some players, the last two years haven’t felt real. Nathan is one of them. “I'm just excited to play,” Nathan said. “I'm excited to have a real season.”
Multiple Dukes overcome injuries ahead of JMU's volleyball's opening weekend Set int the Sun
The Breeze
JMU football announced 12 future nonconference games spanning the next 12 years Wednesday morning. Notable games include a home-and-home series with UCONN in 2023 and 2026 and a matchup with Maryland in 2027. A smattering of other Group of 5 and FCS opponents make up the rest of the newly released games. The Dukes will open 2023 at home versus Bucknell, an FCS program, on Sept. 2. JMU will also visit Miami (OH) on Sept. 23 and host UCONN on Nov. 11 next fall. JMU in 2024 will travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, to face UNC Charlotte in its first game of the season Aug. 31. The Dukes then host Gardner-Webb on Sept. 7 and Ball State three weeks later. Two years later, JMU's home-and-home series with Miami (OH) has the Red Hawks going to Harrisonburg on Sept. 26. JMU will then travel to UCONN to face the Huskies on Nov. 14, the second of four home-and-home series' in the 12 new matchups. The Dukes in 2027 will face its first and only Power 5 program in the new batch of teams, Maryland, on Sept. 4. JMU hosts Charlotte two years later on Sept. 22. Four years later in 2033, JMU will travel to Lynchburg, Virginia, to face Liberty on Sept. 17. The following year, the Flames trek across the Shenandoah Valley to Bridgeforth Stadium to play JMU on Sept. 16. These matchups join other nonconference games that have already been announced. JMU will play U.Va. next year on Sept. 9; North Car olina on Sept. 21, 2024, and Sept. 23, 2028; and Virginia Tech on Sept. 20, 2025. The Dukes also host Norfolk State on Aug. 30, 2025, three years after this September’s matchup.
By SPORTS DESK
TheBreezeSports
And even though volleyball couldn’t compete in the conference tournament last year, head coach Lauren Steinbrecher said the group ended on a positive note and full of energy — something she hopes carries over to “I2022.think last year, we showed moments of greatness,” Steinbrecher, entering her 13th season as JMU’s head coach, said. “I think, hopefully, what we're gonna see this year is just a more veteran, mature team that will obviously have those moments of greatness, just more consistently.”
Savannah Reger / The Breeze
Up newnext,teams
22 Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis FOR RELEASE AUGUST 22, 2022 ACROSS 1 Ongoing drama 5 Sounds revelationof 9 __ bean 13 Cereal coveted by a silly rabbit 14 Garlic piece 15 Baaing mamas 16 *Playfulsemiaquaticmammal 18 Merit 19 “__ the Force, Luke” 20 Looked over 21 Green namedshadeforafruit 22 Electric car maker 24 *Seafood served on the half shell 27 Flower starter 28 Thompson of “Thor: Love and Thunder” 29 Parcel of land 31 Mammal with elephant and leopard varieties 32 Chiding sounds 36 *Really get down to the music 38 *Floral ingredientperfume 40 Black as night 41 Sail the seven __ 43 Spiteful, as gossip 44 Baseball Hall of Famer Stengel 46 Campfire residue 47 *Request with a tight timeline 51 Broadcast again 54 Incredible bargain 55 Verdi opera 57 Hotel at JFK named for a defunct airline 58 Turn sharply 59 *“Only Lonely”thesinger 62 Stiffly proper 63 Helps in a heist 64 “Do you __?” 65 Moral lapses 66 Fail to notice 67 Miranda “Homeland”of DOWN 1 Walk like a peacock 2 Pop up 3 Volunteers in the sayonecommunitygrewupin, 4 Cord cutter? 5 Take in or let out 6 Reason to get all gussied up 7 “__ Maria” 8 Spanish verb similar to “estar” 9 Is comfortablecompletely 10 Anticipate 11 Vivacity 12 Ed who played Lou Grant 14 Playfully shy 17 Share a bedtime story with 21 Kvetching cries 23 “Magicallydelicious”cereal 25 Has on 26 Norwegian city with a Viking Ship Museum 29 Prefix athletewith 30 “Apollo 13” director Howard 31 Fine equine 33 “Really? There’s no more?” 34 Tool set 35 Wily 37 Cold War initials 39 Egyptian beetle 42 Long-fingeredlemursofMadagascar 45 “You’ve got mail” ISP 47 Politely declines, maybe 48 Developmentsites 49 Greet and seat 50 Very funny folks 52 Terse refusal 53 Total stranger, or a three-word hint to the answers to the starred clues 56 Rx writers, often 59 Animal logo on a Dodge truck 60 __-Wan Kenobi 61 Caveat in a text By Rebecca Goldstein 8/22/22 find the answers online www.breezejmu.org/ site/crossword answers/
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202225,AugustThursday, 23 MADISON MARKETPLACE Madison Marketplace is open for business, and all text-only listings are FREE ! Post job listings, announcements, rentals and more using our online placement tool. Ads run two weeks online and in two print editions. Post your ad BreezeJMU.org/classifiedsat JOBS Part-Time Job OpportunityCustodian Senior Do you want a job with the City that helps project a friendly image to our citizens, employees and others? If so, the Custodian Senior position in the City’s Parks and Recreation Department may be the right opportunity for you! Preferred Hiring Range: $12.03/hr.$13.83/hr. EOE. Dance & Company - Hip Hop Teacher Hip-Hop Teacher Position open for qualified applicants for 2022-2023 academic year at established studio. Interview required. Call 540-810-3631 to inquire. Career Opportunity - Public Utilities Departments Technician Do you want to make a direct impact in the local community by utilizing your technical skills in a variety of installation, maintenance, and repair projects? If so, apply to the Public Utilities Department’s Technician position! Find out more/apply employment.https://www.harrisonburgva.gov/online:EOE.. Advertising and Marketing Intern needed. Interested in learning about and working in student media advertising and promotions. Get real experience and even SMAD internship credit. Send resume and inquiries to thebreezeads@gmail.com Part time Home Health Aide Part-Time Home Health Aide needed for myself near JMU campus! I am wheelchair bound due to Parkinson’s and need another part time nursing assistant to fill in during the week! Contact me at 540 271 0439 with serious inquiries only!
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