The Breeze Family Weekend Special Section 9.29.22

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Family Weekend, usually the first weekend of October, marks a transition into autumn for JMU. Breeze file photo

Family fun

JMU hosts events for Family Weekend 2022

By ELLE HART contributing writer

This year’s Family Weekend is from Friday, Sept. 30, to Sunday, Oct. 2, featuring a fun-filled weekend of activities and events for students and visitors to campus. A full list of Family Weekend events and activities can be found on JMU’s Family Weekend website, but here are some highlights of the weekend’s events: The University Recreation Center (UREC) and the University Park (UPARK) will be open for students and their family members each day of Family Weekend: from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Students must accompany their family members and everyone must show a photo ID.

True Grit Exhibition

The Duke Hall Gallery of Fine Arts will host True Grit, an exhibition by D.C.-based mixed-media artist Nekisha Durrett. The event will be hosted on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Duke Hall room 1022 and admission is free.

FridayGeneral Education Student Conferences

General Education student conferences will be held throughout Friday afternoon from 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Rose Library and the Festival Conference and Student Center. This event is held for families to learn more about JMU’s General Education courses in the natural sciences, humanities and social sciences. Multiple sessions will be offered throughout the afternoon.

Let’s Play D-U-U-K-E-E-S

JMU Occupational Therapy Clinical Education Services (JMU-OTCES) is hosting a sensory-friendly event for students and family members: Let’s Play D-U-U-K-E-E-S. This event will include a number of competitive activities designed to show the value of occupational therapy and will take place from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 131 W. Grace Street.

Friday Night Flights

X-Labs Game Night

From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., JMU X-Labs will host a family game night in Lakeview Hall. Events include interactive games, virtual realty, mason jar etching and more, and admission is free. While supplies last, there will be a make-andtake for participants.

Women’s Soccer Game

For sports fans, JMU women’s soccer is playing Appalachian State at Sentara Park at 6 p.m. Admission is free.

At 7 p.m., Bridgeforth Stadium is hosting Friday Night Flights for attendees 21 and older. The event includes a beer and wine tasting. Registration is required, and tickets can be purchased on the JMU Athletics website, from $35 to $50. Each ticket includes one full-pour drink, five tastings and more.

Saturday

Honors College Open House

Hanson Field Picnic

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there’ll be a picnic on Hanson Field, with foods including pulled pork, hot dogs and vegan dogs, pasta and potato salads, and a dessert bar. Tickets must be purchased in advance on the JMU Athletics website and cost $16 for adults and $9 for children ages 6-12. Children under 5 eat free, and JMU students eat free with their meal plan. During the picnic, there’ll also be a family photobooth set up on Hanson Field.

The Honors College is hosting an open house at Hillcrest House with coffee and light breakfast foods. This is a casual opportunity for families to connect with Honors College faculty.

Univesity Outpost FanZone

The University Outpost FanZone will be set up from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. as a pre-game festival with fun for the whole family. Events include face painting, a bouncy house, music and more.

E-Hall “Fantastic Feast”

From 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. E-Hall will host a “Fantastic Feast,” with shrimp cocktail, pork loin, a chicken kabob station and more. Reservation is required, with early seating from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and late seating from 6:15 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased from the JMU Athletics website. Tickets cost $25.50 for adults, $16 for children and JMU students eat free with their meal plan.

JMU Football Game

The main event for Saturday will be the JMU football game against Texas State at Bridgeforth Stadium. Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m. and tickets for the game are sold out.

Planetarium Showings

The John C. Wells Planetarium is hosting multiple shows suited for children of all ages. At 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., the Planetarium will show “Magic Tree House: Space Mission,” a show based on the Magic Tree House series designed for children 4-8. At 2:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., the Planetarium will show “The Incredible Sun,” a show about “the true nature” of the sun according to JMU’s Family Weekend event schedule. This program is designed for middle and high schoolers.

D-Hall “Fan Favorites”

From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., D-Hall will host a “Fan Favorites’’ dinner, with BBQ ribs, Italian sandwiches, pasta salad and more. Reservation isn’t required, but tickets can be purchased beforehand from the JMU Athletics website. Tickets are $15.25. JMU students eat free with their meal plan, and children under 5 eat free.

D-Hall & E-Hall Family Brunch

Both D-Hall and E-Hall will host Family Brunch, which will cost $10 per person. JMU students can use their meal plan as normal and students with FLEX or dining dollars can pay for their family members. Hours will vary by location.

Study Abroad Reception

Sunday morning from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., students interested in JMU’s various study abroad programs can attend the Study Abroad Reception on the third floor of D-Hall in the Hall of Presidents. During this free drop-in event, students and families can get all their questions answered about studying abroad, and a small breakfast and coffee will be provided.

A Cappella Thon

The final event wrapping up this year’s Family Weekend is A Cappella Thon at 2 p.m., hosted in Memorial Hall’s auditorium. The concert will feature some of JMU’s award-winning a cappella groups. Tickets are $5 per person, cash or check only.

CONTACT Elle Hart at hart2ej@dukes. jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.

Worldly wonders

John C. Wells Planetarium to host events for Family Weekend

By LIZZIE STONE contributing writer

As JMU families flock to campus for Family Weekend, the John C. Wells Planetarium will welcome them with a selection of free educational programs Oct.1. Each event will take place in the planetarium’s dome theater and are first come, first served.

The 30-minute movie “Magic Tree House: Space Mission'' will have 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. showings on the dome screen. The movie follows siblings Jack and Annie as they explore space, using their Magic Tree House to go on a fantastical journey across the Universe.

The movie will be followed by a “star talk” using the Planetarium’s dome, where a speaker highlights stars, planets and constellations that are visible in the Shenandoah Valley night sky. Geary Albright, director of the planetarium, said this movie is an adventure story aimed at younger audiences, including siblings visiting older Dukes.

“I’m hoping we get a lot of JMU families to come [for Family] Weekend,” Albright said. “This is one of the nicest little planetariums on the whole East Coast, so it’s a pretty special place.”

Also on Saturday are 2:15 p.m. and 3 p.m. showings of “The Incredible Sun”, which is an informational presentation that uses real images from the Solar Dynamics observatory. It shows the “true nature of the sun,” he said,

which includes powerful solar flares, sunspots and coronal mass ejections which can affect technology on Earth from across the solar system. Albright said the presentation is also followed by a “star talk” from a planetarium staff member and a closer look at the night sky.

These events are the planetarium’s usual weekend events, Albright said. The same schedule happens every Saturday with different movies. Albright said he chooses the planetarium movies himself, trying to appeal to families and people of all ages. Two movies are offered at a time and rotate out monthly, he said. One is chosen for a broad audience, while the other is usually aimed at a younger audience.

“The planetarium gives people a good family outing for free, which is nice,” Albright said. “It helps to do something where they’re engaging their mind as well as enjoying themselves, which I think is a win-win.”

Free Saturday shows are being offered regularly this semester for the first time since the pandemic.

“When we started fall semester,” Albright said, “we still had full-on masking. I was hesitant to open. We didn’t have anybody trained, and then around March we couldn’t just immediately pivot.”

Albright said the planetarium has been presenting to JMU-sponsored groups since last spring, but this fall will be the reopening of the usual reservation system for school groups.

He’s training students to help give star talks and run events as the planetarium works to build back up to a full staff. Albright said he hopes to keep the planetarium engaging for JMU students, as well as the surrounding community.

“My goal is that any student or any person who grows up within an hour bus ride up here remembers coming to this Planetarium at some point,” Albright said.

Advertising for events like Family Weekend, Albright said, helps to raise student awareness of programs like the planetarium, and he said he wants to offer more open programs during weekdays to fit with different schedules.

Albright said he hopes to see JMU students filling up the audience and bringing their friends every week to see the stars. He said he believes the planetarium has a “universal appeal.”

“Almost everyone, if you go out on a really nice starry night, and you look up … that makes you wonder what’s out there. Where does this all fit in?” Albright said. “It’s exciting to be a part of something where there’s a real curiosity about it.”

CONTACT Lizzie Stone at stone3em@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on Twitter @BreezeNewsJMU.

The Planetarium will be hosting multiple events for Family Weekend including a movie night, “star talk” and a showing of “The Incredible Sun.” Ryan Sauer / The Breeze

First time for everythingFirst time for everything

First-gen students reflect on personal highs and lows of Family Weekend

By MICHAEL RUSSO The Breeze

For first-generation students, the tradition of Family Weekend can present more obstacles than reunions. While the annual event is typically a time to see parents, siblings and other relatives for the first time since the school year began, and it can provide a much-needed change of pace as students’ workloads grow as the semester goes on, Family Weekend doesn’t have the same impact for first-gen Dukes.

First-generation students — those who are the first in their family to go to college and/or whose parents did not complete a four-year degree — often have family backgrounds that include low incomes, according to Psychology Today, which makes the cost of planning a visit to campus and the inevitable expenses spent on gas, food and lodging add up quickly.

“A lot of us first-gen students, we’re not going to ask our parents to come,” Signira Chisley-Strickler, a senior justice studies major, said. “We know that they can’t afford it, or they just don’t have the time.”

As of Sept. 25, hotels were either sold out, expensive, far from campus or a combination of such factors. In a search on Hotels. com for one room in Harrisonburg for a two-night stay, the cheapest lodging result is a room for Econo Lodge Woodstock for $100 per night, or $221 total, and it’s nearly 40 miles away from campus. When searching for the closest hotels to downtown Harrisonburg, the best option presented is Red Roof Inn Staunton,

which is 21.1 miles away and costs $149 per night at $334 total for Family Weekend.

With prices like these, visiting campus for Family Weekend could be a strain, one Chisley-Strickler said her family of nine try to avoid by staying with her in her off-campus housing. Nevertheless, she said, that’s a lot of people to fit in one place, not even including her roommates.

An ‘isolating’ experience

Despite this, Chisley-Strickler said she was determined to have her family visit this year, as they’ve never attended Family Weekend before — this is her senior year and final opportunity to participate in the festivities as a student. As a Centennial Scholar and member of the Honors College, Chisley-Strickler said she plans to bring her family to events hosted by the two programs but doesn’t understand the purpose of the annual tradition as a whole — that’s why she hasn’t told her relatives about it in years past.

“I don’t know what Family Weekend is for,” Chisley-Strickler said. “This would be our first Family Weekend together and … other than Centennial and Honors, I don’t know what we are supposed to do.”

Sunshine Brown, a sophomore elementary education major, said it’s often easier for her to go home to visit her tribe — the Upper Mattaponi, one of the original Native American Powhatan tribes, is “the most important thing” to her — in Richmond than it is for them to see her in Harrisonburg. Her loved ones would rather come on a less crowded weekend when lodging in the area

isn’t as expensive or filled up, she added.

Brown’s friends included her in last year’s Family Weekend events, so she said she hasn’t experienced any negative impact on her mental health from not having people from home visit. However, she did say being a first-gen student can be “isolating” and tiresome while balancing academics, clubs and employment to maintain scholarships and support herself when that may not be the case for other students.

Furthermore, Brown said she wasn’t able to return home as frequently as her peers during her freshman year.

“All of my friends, they would go home all the time, and I was here because I wanted to stay here,” Brown said. “I wanted to adjust because college was just so new to me, but it seemed like everybody else was constantly with their families and constantly going home … I guess college wasn’t as big of [an] adjustment for them, because they had parents who had gone through it before and siblings, but for me, it was a whole new experience.”

Brown said she plans on going home to Richmond to visit her tribe for this year’s Family Weekend. She now has a car on campus that she was able to afford by working throughout high school, though that means the cost of transportation back and forth falls on her. Chisley-Strickler expressed similar sentiments, saying first-gen students like her and Brown “make the time and we drive home” when it’s not as feasible for their families.

Signira Chisley-Strickler, right, will have her relatives visit for Family Weekend for the first time during her final year at JMU. Courtesy of Signira Chisley-Strickler

from FIRST-GEN, page 9

Mixed emotions

On the other hand, Madison Roakes, a freshman psychology major, said her mother’s visiting her this weekend. As a firstgen student, Roakes said there have been times when parental guidance or resources would’ve helped, but no one in her family has finished college and she hasn’t had time to find support on campus due to her time commitment with the Marching Royal Dukes (MRDs).

“This is like the freshman thing anyway, to feel like you don’t know what you’re doing but everyone else does. As a firstgeneration student, that’s 10 times amplified,” Roakes said. “There’s a bunch of traditions that colleges do or a bunch of terms that are universally used at college, and I don’t know any … It’s very much been just a trying-to-figure-out-everything-on-myown kind of thing, and it’s been very overwhelming.”

While Roakes said her mom would like to visit her more often, that means requesting time off work and spending money on gas — two things she can’t afford often as the sole source of income for the family. However, Roakes plays the flute in the MRDs, and the Oct. 1 football game will be a chance for her mom to see her perform in the band, and she said she’s looking forward to spending more time with her mom over the course of the weekend.

“I hope that even though I’ve only been here for a month and some change, I can really feel myself growing as a person already,” Roakes said. “I just really hope that my mom can kind of see that [and] that I’m kind of doing well being able to be on my own, even though as a first-generation [student], it’s all a lot.”

With football being such a big event for Family Weekend, Chisley-Strickler said she encouraged

her mom to buy tickets for the game, but that’s something she’ll have to miss out on.

“Sometimes it’d be a little sad seeing everybody else with their parents and everybody’s parents [are] all in JMU apparel, and they’re gonna go watch the football game together and they’re gonna do all this nice stuff,” Chisley-Strickler said. “Football tickets are $30. I told my mom … how much the tickets were and she was like, ‘I’m not paying $30 for a football ticket for each of us’” — an estimated expense of over $200 when including ChisleyStrickler’s whole family.

More resources

For first-gen students, Family Weekend brings a variety of emotions and circumstances, though one thing rings true for all about their experience at JMU: more resources and guidance are needed.

“When you don’t have a family member who already knows what’s going on, that’s a huge, impactful thing to go through on your own,” Brown said. “It’s helped me become more independent, I would say, than my peers and more suited for adult life, but it’s exhausting.”

As of this fall, the Student Success Center houses the Center for First-Generation Students, a lounge space where TORCH (Together Obtaining Resources for College Help) — a studentrun organization to help first-generation, low-income students — holds its meetings and first-gen students can relax with their peers, Chisley-Strickler said. Additionally, JMU announced Sept. 14 that a $1.4 million grant will “provide financial and other support” for 22 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) majors from first-gen, low-income backgrounds beginning in 2023.

Brown suggested JMU create tutorials for first-gen students to navigate filing for financial aid or completing a housing contract and that the university should implement a committee or group of peer representatives to assist them as they transition to college.

Chisley-Strickler said she had four first-gen friends from her freshman year drop out due to a lack of resources and support and has been working to improve the first-gen student experience on campus through TORCH. She hopes to make change on a national level in the U.S. Senate one day, she said.

“I think that it’s really great that everybody wants to know about first-gen … I love what the faculty and staff are doing on campus to learn more,” Chisley-Strickler said. “I think it’s very important that student voices are shared … I feel like if you want change, and you want to know what’s going on and how to help first-gen, you got to start with the students.”

Avery Goodstine contributed to this report.

CONTACT Michael Russo 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.

Madison Roakes, left, said she’s excited for her mom to see her perform in the Marching Royal Dukes at the Family Weekend football game. Courtesy of Madison Roakes

The Center for First-Generation Students opened this fall on the second floor of the Student Success Center, providing a lounge space for first-gen students. Daria Auren / The Breeze

“There’s a bunch of traditions that colleges do or a bunch of terms that are universally used at college, and I don’t know any.”

Graphics by Evan Weaver / The Breeze

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Wine and dineWine and dine

Experience drinks, food and views at local vineyards for Family Weekend

By GRAYSON BANNING contributing writer

With the immaculate scenery around the Harrisonburg area, visiting a local vineyard is a great way to experience the Shenandoah Valley’s natural surroundings. Family Weekend is a wonderful time of year for families to reconnect — so why not spend it going to one of these beautiful local vineyards?

CrossKeys Vineyards

With its breathtaking views of the Valley, this 125-acre estate of CrossKeys Vineyards in Mt. Crawford offers a scenic getaway. The owners, the Bakhtiar family, purchased the farm in 1999, and the first grape vines were planted two years later. CrossKeys has experienced significant growth since then as the property contains more than 30 acres of vines, with plans to plant more vines in the future. According to its website, the CrossKeys logo — two skeleton keys forming an X — symbolizes “hospitality, excellence, and a place of prestige.”

CrossKeys takes advantage of the Valley’s extraordinary landscape by hosting weddings on the property. With the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Tuscan-style villa, CrossKeys Vineyards is a picturesque place for prospective engaged couples.

The vineyard experience comes full circle as CrossKeys offers a bistro, pairing food to complement its award-winning wines.

On Family Weekend, CrossKeys is hosting an Italian dinner Friday, Sept. 30. Tickets must be bought prior to the event, and seating begins at 6:30 p.m. This experience offers a seven-course meal paired with CrossKeys’ estate-grown wine. All things considered, CrossKeys Vineyards provides a variety of activities for those who need some time away from the stresses of life.

Brix & Columns Vineyards

Brix & Columns is located within the serene surroundings of the Valley in McGaheysville. According to the website, back in 2003, Steve and Stephanie Pence found a beautiful plot of land near their childhood homes surrounded by the mesmeric Blue Ridge Mountains. The Pences started to plant their first grape vines in 2015 and finished construction of the wine tasting room in 2017. Brix & Columns grows seven varietal wines, including cabernet franc, chardonnay, Vidal and Viognier.

During Family Weekend, Brix & Columns is hosting the River Rock Band for its Appellation Music series. The event will be held Friday, Sept. 30, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and food is catered by Shenandoah Street Food.

With expansive green lawns and the spectacle of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Massanutten in the background, the passion for creating a special customer experience is shown through the Pences’ dedication to creating exquisite wine with their agricultural backgrounds, according to their website. Although this vineyard is relatively new, it has the potential to make a name for itself.

The landscape is sprawling with a gorgeous backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains and a sea of luscious green grass. The farm offers many things to do, including the wine tasting room, lavender shop, discovery area and audio-guided farm tours.

During Family Weekend, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 1, the farm is hosting live music performed by Chrome Tweed. Live music paired with a nice glass of wine is a wonderful way to spend a Saturday afternoon with the family. Set aside all worries and take in the fall season by enjoying a variety of wines made by winemaker Randy Phillips, who has more than 25 years of winemaking experience. The website lists a dozen wine options — six white and six red — with names like “Dragonfly” and “Pardon My Purple.” So, if you’re an adventurous type inclined to find a unique weekend experience, a visit to The Purple WOLF Vineyard might be right for you.

Bluestone Vineyard

Located in Bridgewater, the Bluestone Vineyard sits on a heavenly piece of land that shows its beauty from all angles. Since planting the first grapes in 2008, production’s gone from 500 cases of wine in 2010 to 5,000 cases today.

Curt Hartman, president of Bluestone Vineyard, said the winery’s quality is built on farming and wine-making. As a result of Bluestone’s focus on its craft, its wines have been critically acclaimed by places like the San Francisco Chronicle wine competition. As of right now, Bluestone offers 22 different wines on its wine list.

The Hartman family is local to the Valley, Hartman said, as they take the agricultural heritage very seriously. As a matter of fact, Bluestone Vineyard is currently in the middle of harvesting its grapes.

The Purple WOLF Vineyard

Also located in the midst of the Shenandoah Valley, White Oak Lavender Farm and The Purple WOLF Vineyard is owned and operated by the Haushalter family. Open to the public since 2008, the property includes 8,000 lavender plants and 3,000 grape vines. According to its website, Purple WOLF’s vision “is to be Virginia’s premier lavender destination, providing hospitality, hope, and encouragement through our high quality culinary, bath, body, and spa products.”

In addition to an immense collection of lavender products, the farm has 13 different wines and seasonal specialty wines.

For Family Weekend, Bluestone Vineyard will be sending a representative out to Friday Night Flights on JMU’s campus. The event will be held Sept. 30 at Bridgeforth Stadium and will start at 7 p.m. Bringing a variety of wines for people to try, Friday Night Flights is a great opportunity to not only learn about Bluestone Winery but other businesses in the Shenandoah Valley.

CONTACT Grayson Banning at banningj@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.

Bluestone Vineyard’s first grapes were planted in 2008 and originally produced 500 cases of wine in 2010. Now, the vineyard produces 5,000 cases and offers 22 different wines. Photos by Savannah Reger / The Breeze

Bluestone will be sending a representative to JMU’s Friday Night Flights event with wines for tasting.

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