11/17 INSIDE NEWS A3 To Iraq and back Alumni couple face war together.
OPINION A7 Give me a break Not having a fall vacation helps us appreciate weeklong � anksgiving Break.
LIFE A7 Split-second cinema Student club hosts screening of minute-long � lms.
SPORTS A9 First since 2005 Men’s soccer makes the NCAA tournament as a -seed for the � rst time since .
JMU NATIONVol. 88, No. 24
Thursday, November 17, 2011Showers 45°/ 25°chance of precipitation: 50%
Serving James Madison University Since 1922
Community mourns loss of seven Dukes in one semester
Freshman admired for love of dance, positive spirit
By GEORGINA BUCKLEYThe Breeze
W h e n F re s h m a n Ja n e Hwang danced, everyone watched.
Senior Kendra Burek said that although Hwang didn’t join the Mozaic Dance Club, Burek would never forget how well Hwang danced during her audition.
“She was such a lively per-son,” said Burek, a member of Mozaic.
Hwang died Tuesday night at the intersection of Carri-er and Bluestone drives after being hit by a bus, according to Sgt. F.L. Tyler of the Virginia State Police.
Hwang was a member of Visual Distortions Dance Crew. Reza Mina, a senior and Moza-ic president, is an adviser of the group.
Hwang “was like a crazy bubble, always happy,” Mina said.
Mina said Hwang used to stay
overnight at her house frequently and that she always tried to cheer up everyone around her.
“She was just this crazy, sassy, energetic, gorgeous girl,” Mina said.
Junior Tien Nguyen, an inte-grated science and technology major, is one of the co-founders of Visual Distortions.
Nguyen said Hwang’s danc-ing was exceptional and that he had never seen her unhappy.
“Being around her gave you a good feeling,” Nguyen said.
Burek spoke on behalf of the team when she said the members expressed their con-dolences to Hwang’s friends and family.
“This is truly a devastating loss for the JMU dance com-munity,” Burek said.
Bryan Do, a freshman at Virginia Commonwealth Uni-versity, went to middle school and W.T. Woodson High School with Hwang. Do said in an email that Hwang was one of the � rst
friends he made in middle school.
see HWANG, page A4
By KELSEY BECKETTcontributing writer
JMU lost another Duke on Tuesday night after Jane Hwang, , was struck by a bus at the intersection between Carrier and Bluestone drives.
� is is the sixth prominent death the JMU community has experienced this semester: alumnus Rob � roo, students Katie Mausteller, Nicholas Keatts, Kristen Edwards and Vice Provost John Noftsing-er have all died this semester.
Despite the tragic losses the commu-nity has endured, some students focus on a more hopeful message through the
devastation that has hit campus.Hundreds of students attended a
Nov. memorial service that was held for Keatts, a � fth-year senior known for his compassion and school spirit on the JMU cheerleading team. Tuesday night, a crowd of JMU students showed up to the steps at Godwin Hall holding candles and � owers in honor of Hwang.
Students arranged these, along with JMU memorabilia and candles in a makeshift memorial for Hwang. A hand-made wooden cross bearing a JMU sticker was placed with the memorial.
see DUKES, page A4
Fallen Duke, rising hope
Jane Hwang’s death shocks already grieving community
Jane Hwang was a freshman and member of the Visual Distortions Dance Crew.
Hundreds of students gather in front of Godwin Hall Tuesday night, just yards away from where freshman Jane Hwang was struck and killed by a bus earlier that night.
GRIFFIN HARRINGTON / THE BREEZE
COURTESY OF FACEBOOK
LEFT Students hold up their cellphones in a moment of silence last night at the “Forever All Together One” memorial service, held at the Convocation Center by SGA. RIGHT Students in the Visual Distortions Dance Crew, who sat at the front of the center during the event, mourn the loss of freshman member Jane Hwang.
PAUL JONES / THE BREEZE
LAURA WEEKS / THE BREEZE
<< For continuous coverage on recent events, visit BREEZEJMU.ORG >>
@TheBreezeJMUfacebook.com/TheBreezeJMU
By TORIE FOSTER andRACHEL DOZIERThe Breeze
Only the truest of friends would brave breakdancing on wet pave-ment after p.m. on a Tuesday night.
Jane Hwang’s friends would. A group of cheering and chanting
members of the JMU breakdancing community gathered outside the Convocation Center after last night’s SGA event.
� e memorial was held in honor of the death of freshman Hwang as well as past and present students Katie Mausteller, Jackson Hazard, Nick Keatts, Kristen Edwards and Rob � roo. John Noftsinger, a former vice provost, was also commemo-rated. (� e Breeze couldn’t con� rm Hazard was a student.)
“We de� nitely appreciate every-one coming out,” said junior Tyler
Van Parys, president of the Break-dance Club and member of the Visual Distortions Dance Crew, of which Hwang was a member. “� is is really beautiful. Jane was beauti-ful. She danced pure and reminded all of us of why we dance in the � rst place. She’s an inspiration to us all … she lives on with us in our dance.”
Students in Visual Distortions sat at the front of the center, heads bowed, eyes tearful and arms around one another.
“We dance for her, and we know that she will always be with us,” Van Parys said.
SGA organized last night’s event in less than hours, and more than , people � lled the center’s seats.
“I think the theme that kept sur-facing during this evening’s event — that we’re all in this together, we’re all together one, that we’re here to help one another, to be there for one another,” said University
Spokesman Don Egle last night. “I think that came through loud and clear tonight.”
Student organizations, including several a capella groups and volun-teer members of the trumpet section of the Marching Royal Dukes, par-ticipated in the event. � e trumpet players dedicated their performance of “Band of Brothers” to those lost. It was a song “that unites us all as a family,” said junior Alex Zuber, who directed the piece.
In his speech, President Linwood Rose lamented being unable to meet Hwang.
“Every student is special here,” he said after the event, “but to lose somebody in their first semester who really has not had the opportu-nity to really make her mark is very unfortunate.”
He said he hoped JMU could be positively involved in Hwang’s fam-ily’s future.
“Jane’s family and friends will now have a new life, a di� erent life for sure,” he said. “But it will be one that includes this university, and I hope that you will make it so.”
� ough acknowledging the fragil-ity of life, Rose encouraged listeners not to fear their grief.
“Face it, confront it, even embrace it, as those who know you have embraced you,” he said.
Some students who danced with Hwang are coping with their grief in the way they know she would have wanted them to.
“She’s the only reason I dance right now,” said Joseph Jin-oh Chung, one of Jane’s “bigs” in Visual Distortions.
Still, there were some smiles seen among the tears.
“She’s laughing at us right now because she’s up there dancing with Michael Jackson,” Van Parys said before the group broke out into dance.
Garnering weary chuckles, Art Dean’s impassioned speech urged the audience to appreciate the pres-ent moment.
“Take the time to listen to some-body,” said the special assistant to the president for diversity. “Never stop caring and never stop loving those around you.”
At the request of senior Pat Watral, SGA student body president, people held a moment of silence. With arms outstretched, audience members lifted glow sticks and cellphones, illuminating the crowd.
SGA also had JMU banners on tables in the center for people to sign and to share thoughts and support.
“Our community knows no true obstacles,” Watral said, “only things to build bridges over and tunnels under.”
CONTACT Torie Foster and Rachel Dozier at [email protected].
>> For video and photos of this event, visit BREEZEJMU.ORG.
SAMANTHA McDONALD / THE BREEZE
Students, groups off er ways to cope with tragedies
Recommended
