VOL . 124, ISSUE NO.
NEWSROOM
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Hannarose McGuinness
PRINT MANAGING EDITOR
Brandon Roth
DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR
Sarah Matlick
NEWS EDITORS
Alexis Weisend
Gavin Gamez
Caleb Barber
A&C EDITORS
Krista Kroiss
Evan Reynolds
SPORTS EDITORS
Aaron Heisen
Mojo Hill
OPINION EDITORS
Emma J Nelson
Sophia Cossette
PHOTO EDITOR Maddie Stellingwerf
SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Ian Enger
DESIGN EDITOR
Liz Blodgett
COPY CHIEF
Amanda Lurey
ASSOCIATE COPY EDITORS
Dylan Farrell Logan Robertson
VIDEO EDITOR Troy Munson
PODCAST EDITOR
Jamie Diep
SOCIALS EDITOR
Jennifer Singh
VISUALS EDITOR
Julia Stalnaker
BUSINESS
PUBLISHER & PRESIDENT
Bill Kunerth X317 bkunerth@dailyemerald.com
VP OPERATIONS Kathy Carbone X302 kcarbone@dailyemerald.com
DIRECTOR OF SALES & DIGITAL MARKETING
Shelly Rondestvedt X303 srondestvedt@dailyemerald.com
CREATIVE & TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Annie Smith X327 creative@dailyemerald.com
STUDENT SALES MANAGER
Amy Mendez
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Riley Valle
Keaton Roberts
Max Goldenberg
Josh Delapena
ON THE COVER (Erica Pahua/Emerald Archives)
Top viewed story in the past week: “City of Eugene approves plan for more than $310 million for infrastructure projects” by Alan Torres
(Courtesy of City of Eugene)
Second most read story in the past week: “Kavanagh: Uncalled-for Starbucks firing at EMU” by Emily Kavanagh
(Reilly Norgren/Emerald)
BOOK RECOMMENDATION:
BY KAREN JOY FOWLERSummary: In this novel, Rosemary Cooke tells the story of her childhood in Indiana with her parents; her brother, Lowell and sister, Fern. As a result of a traumatic experience within the family, Rosemary becomes silent. The book takes inspiration from a real 1930s experiment, weaving a fiction tale exploring the concept of family and ethical boundaries of scientific research.
Recommended by: Mollie Markey, senior studying environmental science. “It’s a really cool and fascinating book that explores one woman’s inner conflict,” Markey said.
Do you want your voice heard literally? Scan here to respond to our Voices of UO prompt with a brief voice message, and head to www. dailyemerald. com/ multimedia/ podcasts/ next week to listen to the replies!
We want to hear from you:
We want to hear from you: Email editor@dailyemerald. com to submit a tip or a letter to the editor. The ideal length for a letter is 200500 words, but we publish letters of various lengths online.
(Maisie Plew/Emerald)
For updated coverage of sports and digital-exclusive content, go to www.dailyemerald.com
“WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY BESIDE OURSELVES”(Krista Kroiss/Emerald)
A new cybersecurity major is to debut at the University of Oregon and be offered through the College of Arts and Sciences. It was presented to the UO Senate on March 1 and passed with 33 votes in favor and only one vote not in favor.
Professor Jun Li teaches in the Department of Computer and Information Science and was one of the presenters of this major to the senate. He said this degree would help “bridge the cybersecurity workforce gap.”
According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, cybersecurity is expected to see a 35% increase in employment from 2021-2031, which is much higher than averages for other occupations. It is also expected that there will be 19,500 openings for this job every year on average for the decade.
To meet the demand of careers, Jun Li, Joe Lie, and Reza Rejaie, professors of computer science and co-proposers of this major, have designed a Bachelor of Science degree in cybersecurity that has some overlap with the computer science degree, but focuses more heavily on classes about cybersecurity.
Students would work through various computer science, math, and programming classes to complete this degree. At the higher level of courses, students will have the opportunity to participate in either research or an internship.
“So we see the numbers.” Li said., “Demand from the market is strong for cybersecurity professionals.”
Li said this program hopes to see students learn essential knowledge, skills and up-todate technologies including hands-on skills in cybersecurity. The program will use an educational framework from the National Institute for Cybersecurity Education to design the courses that will be taught.
UO will join a group of other colleges in Oregon that offer a major in cybersecurity including Oregon State University, Western Oregon University, George Fox University and Eastern Oregon University.
UO’s curriculum requires 104 total credits for a Bachelor of Science degree in cybersecurity.
Rejaie said UO is working with OSU, Portland
State University and Oregon legislators to propose a bill that would see the creation of a Cybersecurity Center of Excellence that would “address a wide range of issues related to cybersecurity from workforce, training, awareness and technical support.”
This Cybersecurity Center would have a branch in each of the major universities in Oregon. The bill states that Oregon’s government and schools have a shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals and that educational programs lack the funding to create those professionals. The bill would establish a fund to support the center’s programs and distribute those funds to PSU, OSU and UO for cybersecurity education.
If the bill is passed, Rejaie expects there to be resources from the state that will support the degree.
The cybersecurity major is planned to begin in fall 2023 and has an anticipated headcount of 25 students enrolled at the beginning of that term.
Opinion: I am a pretty quiet person. That doesn’t always translate in an academic environment. I think classrooms should equally cater to all students, regardless of their speaking preferences.
Speaking in a classroom has never been my forte. In fact, at the end of my preschool year, I won the award for “Classroom Mouse” because my teacher said I was so quiet, she often forgot I was there. It wasn’t exactly the thing I was most proud of at that age.
Yes, I was quiet. But I cut a killer triangle. Many of my louder peers were recognized for things such as their comedic skills or interpersonal connections. This showed me, for the first time, the ways in which quiet and observational individuals are often ignored.
While my presence in an academic setting is not often completely forgotten, I still have to spend a lot of time mentally preparing myself for group discussions, and I hold my breath when the grade labeled “participation” drops.
Participation— for most classrooms— refers to some form of speaking during class, and is often stated on the syllabi next to the word “engagement.”
To me, it seems like an oversimplification to state that engagement equates to speaking. I feel plenty engaged during my classes regardless of if I have raised my hand or not. Speaking during class follows a very traditional path of learning. One in which materials are presented, students memorize them and lectures are given and received. But greater attention needs to be given to observational learning.
Observational learning is a model of learning in which a student gathers information by observing others and utilizing the information they receive through watching someone else. This type of learning is important to draw attention
BY BEATRICE BYRDto, especially for children, because it envelopes a type of social learning that is personal and does not require reinforcement.
While it is often only applied to younger individuals in support of strengthening one’s social model, I have found that this term resonates with me as I consider my ideal classroom environment.
By watching others discuss, I take in opposing points of view and compare that to my original understanding of a certain material. When professors explain how a certain style or method of writing was achieved, I observe the specific techniques they point out. And once again, I use an introspective learning method when deciding how to apply it to my own skill set.
These skills have been vital to my educational career thus far, but they
have been hugely underappreciated due to the reliance on traditional approaches to education.
Part of this ties into my introverted tendencies. I would much prefer to watch TV with my cats than talk to a group of people about the shows I’ve been watching. In the book “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking” by Susan Cain, she talks about the power of introverts, and how they are often overlooked and compared to extroverts in their abilities to be transformative leaders. She talks about how we lose a lot through our tendency to neglect the thoughtful nature of introverts.
This can also be applied to classroom settings. So much expectation is set on the idea that individuals should speak up more
often. But if we begin to value those who may sit in silence for the duration of a class period, we could end up hearing incredibly developed and thoughtful responses that many class discussions don’t allow the opportunity for.
I like not speaking in class; my shy tendencies keep me away from the center of attention. Even though I am much older and more confident in academic settings now, I am still okay with being the classroom mouse. No participation grade will change that.
Fostering a successful community environment is no easy feat, but when it’s achieved, those involved will have the desire to come gather in the space every time they have the opportunity. That’s been the success of the Grove Community Garden at UO. The space is a student-led community garden that allows students to get their hands dirty — so to speak — and learn how to sow and grow fruits and vegetables.
Becca Daughtery is a third-year at the UO and a current Grove Garden coordinator. In her role, she’s made an effort to make the garden as inclusive as possible, welcoming students with all different kinds of experiences with gardening. A big part of the position for her is being as supportive and hands-on as her peers need her to be.
“I will be there for every step of the way, holding their hand from sowing the seeds to harvesting their plants,” Daughtery said. “Or if they feel more confident, I can just be there for the occasional question about fertilizer and then just let them do their thing.”
The Grove Community Garden serves as more than just a place to grow your veggies by hosting events for the broader Eugene community and student population, not strictly limiting access to students with garden plots. The Grove Community Garden offers one of the few opportunities specifically designated for students in Eugene where they have the opportunity to grow their own food, helping students combat food insecurity and practice food appreciation.
Hosting work parties in the garden welcomes individuals who want to learn more about the garden and are seeking ways to be involved with their
community. Though there were work parties held every other Saturday in the winter term, the program had some volunteer opportunities over the summer as well.
One instance, in particular, stood out to Megan Schneider, the program coordinator at the Student Sustainability Center. She remembers the end of the summer of 2022 when several UO law students came out to volunteer due to their academic term beginning earlier than the rest of the student population.
“They were coming out every week, Wednesday mornings, to volunteer, and one of them just loved to weed. And he was so efficient and good and just worked really hard every time he came out,” Schneider said.
She said she remembered this student expressing gratitude to be able to do physical work outside, using the rest of the sunny weather to spend time with his peers in a setting outside of the classroom.
Daughtery recalled one instance in which she left pleasantly surprised about the use of the garden despite the fact there were no formal events planned that day. She mentioned there were two different student clubs present, individuals playing guitar, some laying in hammocks and others gardening together.
“It was such a simple moment in terms of just people connecting and being in the space together, but I think it also added an essence of life to [the garden], like this is what it’s here for,” Daughterty said. “I just thought [it] was really beautiful to see people just engage and commune.”
The Grove Community Garden is located on the outskirts of campus on Moss Street, near East 19th
Avenue. The location is a mostly residential area, prompting many curious community members to engage with the garden. While community members are welcome to use the space as a gathering area and are more than welcome to pick plums from the several plum trees in the garden, the planting plots are reserved for students.
When Daughterty has had to regretfully inform community members that the plots are reserved for students, she typically points them to the other community gardens around the Eugene area and to Food for Lane County. She welcomes them to still use the
garden as a place to relax and gather. Above all, it’s the goal of the garden to connect students with an inclusive, community environment where it’s okay for them to make mistakes and try new things, Daughterty said. It’s her hope that students will be able to utilize the space to build skills that are transferable to their own gardens later in life.
In the cold Winter months, there is not much growing at the Grove Community Garden, but with Spring around the corner, Eugenians can expect a lush garden in the coming months. The Grove Garden is a student-run, community space created to bring those together who have a passion for gardening. (Emerald/Ian Enger)
While attending university, students make one of the most important decisions of their lives. Some of us have reached this decision already while others drag their feet in anticipation of the fork in the road. The profession we plan to enter after graduation will determine how much money we make, the lifestyle we can afford and whether we pay off the debt we’ve accrued while attending university. When making our decision, we have to also consider elements of a career that are arguably more important, such as the impact our work will have on our community. Increasingly, however, it seems that the desire to be paid adequately for our work and contribute positively to the world are at odds.
In a just society, workers should be paid in accordance with the utility of their work. Yet while the wealthiest individuals contribute the least to society, it is the overworked and underpaid that
run the world. Shouldn’t the workers that provide the most utility be paid the most as well? Why is there a seemingly inverse relationship between the amount someone is paid and the importance of the work that they do?
It is difficult to study the amount of social utility that a worker provides. Different people will have different perspectives on who is helping the world or harming it. While social utility is important, it is also important to pay workers based on the difficulty of the work that they do, as well as the time and education they dedicate to their profession. Despite these caveats, economists are able to use existing research to evaluate the externalities (social costs) and spillover effects (social benefits) associated with a given profession. In a 2017 study out of the University of Chicago, American economists calculated the average social value of various professions after reviewing the
literature on the externalities and spillover effects of each profession.
The study found that the lowest paid workers tend to contribute the most positively to society. Medical researchers and teachers had some of the most positive contributions while those in advertising and the financial sector were associated with the most negative externalities. A study carried out by the New Economic Foundation in the United Kingdom found similar results. City bankers, who averaged the equivalent of $7 million in salary, destroyed $7 of social value for every one dollar they earned; advertising executives destroyed $11.50; and tax accountants destroyed $60. Hospital cleaners and recycling workers, on the other hand, generated an estimated $10 to $12 of value for every one dollar they were paid.
Obviously not every profession fits this pattern,
with physicians and dentists as an example of a profession that pays well and is also very socially valuable. Still, the trend exists. There is no one reason that explains this pattern. Some might point to the amount of education or schooling a job requires as being more indicative of worker
rather than greed. But is it truly greedy to want to make a fair wage? Does it make sense to punish those who help others while rewarding those who do not?
While janitors, customer service workers and caregivers may be paid the least out of everyone, they can leave work knowing that they contributed positively to society. Around a quarter of Americans do not believe their job makes a meaningful contribution to the world. Even the lowest paid customer service workers have something that these people do not: the knowledge that their labor is important and necessary. While those participating in the lowest paid work are exhausted, underpaid, and may even dislike their jobs, their jobs are important to the functioning of society. Can those in the finance sector say that? Can the advertisers who manufacture fake problems with false solutions say that? While perverse, it makes a peculiar sort of sense that those who contribute the least to the world would need to be paid the most. There’s a burden that comes with being an investment banker or a corporate lawyer and knowing that the world might be a better place if you walked out of the office.
There are a few proposed solutions to this problem, such as raising the minimum wage, a federal maximum wage and allocating more government spending towards paying teachers and social workers. Economists have proposed other creative solutions, such as a tax system that taxes those in socially useful jobs at a lower tax rate. Hopefully these proposals will gain more traction.
uostudentwrkers on Twitter for updates on how to get involved. You can also donate to the Solidarity and Relief Fund to support the unionization campaign. Lastly, if you are a student worker, there are still a few more days to sign a union card. If unionization efforts succeed, it is likely student workers at UO will make up the largest undergraduate student union at a public university.
pay than worker utility. While positions that require a college degree tend to pay more than those without a college degree, this still does not explain why teachers, nurses and public defenders are paid so much less than corporate lawyers, bankers and executives with the former examples generally requiring as much if not more education than the latter.
There are several other factors at play. Some of the most useful and helpful workers are paid by the government or nonprofits, although not all of them. Supply and demand also plays into why some people are paid more than others. If that adequately described pay disparities, we would expect nurses and public defenders to be some of the highest paid workers.
Misogyny likely plays a role as to why workers in some of the most useful and helpful professions are paid the least. The mere presence of women in a given field can cause the wages of everyone in that profession, including men, to go down. Female socialization may lead women to pursue work that is more beneficial to society as a whole, hence why workers in these professions tend to make the least. According to Labor Department data, of the 30 highest paying jobs, 26 are male-dominated and of the 30 lowest paying jobs, 23 are female-dominated. It is also a common sentiment that those who do good should do so from a place of love or altruism
While we as college students can advocate for the world we want to see, we have limited power within the federal government. However, we can more effectively advocate for workers rights within our own community. Upwards of 3,000 student workers make the University of Oregon what it is by cooking and serving food, participating in research and maintaining the buildings around campus. The university cannot function without them, yet student workers still have to fight the administration for a two week pay period, adequate pay and workplace antiharassment measures.
I spoke with Will Garrahan, formerly a student worker at the university until he was fired in February, a move he believes was retaliation due to his participation in the effort to unionize student workers. “It would be against their interests for us to have a union. The university tries to cut costs as much as possible, pay us as little as possible, and work us as hard as they possibly can.”
Garrahan believes that low pay, a lack of training, and poor treatment has led to a high turnover rate, something he noticed while working in dining. “As new workers, it can be easy to take advantage of us. The turnover rate is so high, the university has decided to leave their student workforce behind. They understand that student workers are not going to be there for a long time because of the conditions they’ve established.”
Support UO student workers in their unionization efforts by following @ uostudentworkers on Instagram and @
When choosing a profession, I would urge anyone reading this to pick a career that they believe will contribute positively to society. However, substantial progress will not be made until all workers are properly compensated. University students shouldn’t have to choose between making a positive change and an income. Instead, our economic system should be one that values the workers that are necessary to a functioning society.
“BUT IS IT TRULY GREEDY TO WANT TO MAKE A FAIR WAGE? DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO PUNISH THOSE WHO HELP OTHERS WHILE REWARDING THOSE WHO DO NOT?”
“IF UNIONIZATION EFFORTS SUCCEED, IT IS LIKELY STUDENT WORKERS AT UO WILL MAKE UP THE LARGEST UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT UNION AT A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY.”
It is 2:30 p.m. in the Block weight room. The curtains are drawn, gymshark leggings are hiked up thighs and the air is devoid of testosterone and unnecessary grunting. Women’s weightlifting hours are from 1:30-2:30 p.m. every weekday at the University of Oregon’s Student Recreation Center.
Social media has largely bolstered the presence of women in weight rooms. While the 2010s encouraged the Victoria’s Secret model physique, the gym influencers of the 2020s have dictated that it’s “in” to be strong. Jordyn Hicks, a freshman business marketing student, said when she first started lifting, she got most of her workouts from gym influencers.
“People are starting to see more and more people talking about weightlifting on social media, which spikes their interest,” Corrine Bell, a women’s weightlifting instructor at UO, said. “I do think there’s a shift in the culture where people who identify as women want to be strong. And I love it. I love watching a student walk into the weight room for the first time, and by the end of the 10-week class, they walk like they own the room.”
But with the trendiness of having a muscular physique as a woman comes a spike in self-esteem issues. This is often brought on by a constant comparison to gym influencers. Many popular social media creators have the luxury of revolving their entire lives around their diet and exercise routine. Because they are making a living off of having the “perfect physique,” they have time to prioritize obsessively perfect health.
Hicks said that the media tends to depict the perfect female physique as “a flat stomach and the perfect butt and thin arms.” Many women will strive for this figure when in reality it is not attainable genetically. Hicks said she used to strive for this physique, but is now making more realistic, personal fitness goals for herself that are centralized around strength and functionality.
While strong women are becoming more popular in the media, there are extremely specific criteria surrounding what type of muscle composition is considered attractive.
“I do think that there is definitely pressure on women to not get too bulky and that definitely does deter women away from lifting in general,” Taylor
Evans, a sophomore product design major, said. “It’s expected that if your lower body is bigger the rest of your body should somehow be small. But it is really difficult to put on muscle in just one area.”
Bell said she often falls into the trap of comparing herself to those on social media. But when she does, Bell reminds herself that, “more often than not, what is posted is people’s best. It’s rare that people post their worst.” What is being depicted on the screen isn’t representative of what that person actually looks like so it’s unfair to compare yourself to them.
This issue is not exclusive to the women’s weightlifting community, as men also struggle with the self esteem issues that come with gym culture. But there are discrepancies between the experiences of the two groups.
“Men are more focused on gaining muscle and mass, where I feel like with women, the focus is definitely being smaller,” Evans said.
Evans said she has gained a lot of confidence now that she has experience within those spaces. “Doing workouts that make me feel strong and might not be targeted for women has made me feel more entitled to the space I take up because I’m able to do the same things that men are doing,” Evans said. “It kind of feels like why would I not be able to take that space?”
For other women hoping to achieve this same level of comfort within the gym, it’s important to feel a sense of comradery with other women in the weight room. Hicks said she focuses on complimenting one girl at the gym everyday to boost this sense of community.
“I’ve made a lot of friends doing this; it makes me feel
BY JESS MCCOMBmore comfortable and makes other people more comfortable,” Hicks said. “It has created a more positive atmosphere in the rec center.”
But mostly, it’s important for women to feel entitled to belonging in the gym.
“This is your place; when you come to my classes or to the gym, it should be a break from the world to just focus on yourself,” Bell said. “It helps to find a community that’s supporting the healthy side of exercise –– not necessarily to look a certain way but to be my best self, mentally and physically.”
Gym culture is shaping women’s relationships with their bodies and each other.(Michael Koval/Emerald Archives)
From a freshman star to a much needed leader on the court. In three years at Oregon, Paopao has found her place.
BY EMMA LOGAN • TWITTER @EMMMALOGANOregon guard Te-Hina Papao has made a name for herself on the court, providing a sense of comfort to those around her. The composure and confidence she exemplifies on the floor has led her to a successful season this winter for the Oregon women’s basketball team.
Paopao shows a high level of basketball IQ, and when paired with her calm attitude, has allowed her to get herself on the Oregon all-time leaderboards. She proved herself to be comfortable from a distance, making many shots from behind the three-point line while also maintaining accuracy at the free throw line.
With a free throw percentage of 88% in a season, Paopao sits in fifth place all-time.
In the third round of the WNIT game, she shot comfortably from the threepoint line (6-of-7), which gave her the fifth-best three point accuracy in a game at 85.7% in school history.
To continue her trend in three-point shots, she totaled 81 on the year, putting her in a four-way tie for sixth place all time in three pointers made.
In just a three-year career at Oregon, Paopao has put herself at the top of the list for best free throw accuracy. From the beginning of the 2020 to to the end of the 2023 season, she has maintained an 86.8% accuracy.
While the final game of the Pac-12 tournament ended in a quarterfinal loss to Stanford on March 2, Paopao had herself a historical night. She set a career high, scoring 28 total points.
A few weeks later, Oregon had a chance to keep its season alive after accepting its invite to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. The Ducks looked at that opportunity with a positive attitude, and they continued to play well.
Paopao opened up the WNIT nearing her career high she had set in the previous game with 24 points. She always carries herself as a team player and never fails to credit her teammates when mentioning any successes she has had.
“My teammates were finding me, and that tells me they were trusting me to shoot the shot,” Paopao said following the first round of the WNIT game. “And I did, so I am very happy about that.”
While she went through some low points in the middle of the season in terms of scoring, she was still able to have trust in her teammates, handing the ball off to them in order to get much needed shots.
“I am a pass-first type of guard,” Paopao said. “Whoever has got the hot hands
I pass it to them.”
This type of team-oriented attitude was seen in the final home game of the season against San Diego during the third round of the WNIT. Paopao only attempted four shots before the fourth quarter, but ended the game with 10 assists.
“She is a mature, smart player who is going to do whatever it takes, and tonight it was working by letting others shoot,” head coach Kelly Graves said with a smile.
Paopao has proved this season that she can have an immense impact on the success of her team, not just in terms of her personal achievements and scoring, but the trust she has in the rest of her team to carry their weight, especially on nights when shots aren’t falling. As a veteran leader on this team, newer members of the Oregon squad have looked up to her.. Following some tough losses this season, she used her experience to guide them through the rough stretches.
“Always bring a great attitude, no matter what life brings you,” Paopao said. “Basketball is just part of life. But you have to also be grateful and blessed to have opportunities like that.”
Basketball is just part of life. But you have to also be grateful and blessed to have opportunities like that.”
TE-HINA PAOPAOTe-Hina Paopao dribbles the ball into the offensive zone. The Oregon Womens Basketball team host North Dakota State at Matthew Knight Arena for the first round of the NIT in Eugene, Ore., on March 17th, 2023. (Jonathan Suni, Emerald)
Oregon softball was down two runs during its Pac-12 opener on March 10 at the University of Washington.
Vallery Wong stepped up to the plate with two outs on the board and a runner on base. Wong, who came on as a pinch hitter for Alyssa Daniell in the second inning, blasted the softball beyond the left field wall into Lake Washington. The homer scored two runs to tie the game.
In the seventh inning of that game, Wong had her third run batted in of the night — a season high that she would tie in the next matchup against the Huskies. That was the beginning of a fourrun inning that delivered the Ducks their first conference win of the season.
Wong never shies away from the big moments, as she showed in the series against Washington. She makes the most of her time on the diamond, whether she’s starting or coming on as a pinch hitter.
In 2022, Wong had a career year. She had 29 RBIs and 10 home runs. She’s on track to equal those totals this season as a senior. She has 12 RBIs and four home runs through three weeks of conference play.
Wong has started in every game since coming off the bench in the first game against Washington. She’s played various roles, including right field, center field and catcher.
While Wong said she’d prefer to be a starter, she’s embraced the unpredictability of her role. She knows the value of having a player come off the bench and change the game with one swing of the bat.
“If my role is to be a pinch hitter in a game, then I’m going to take that role and I’m going to run with it,” Wong said. “My at-bat is going to be the best at-bat you see all day because that is my one opportunity. Having us remember that those opportunities are big for our team and they’re necessary.”
Wong’s enthusiasm, and obvious love of the game, are contagious for an Oregon dugout full of veteran leaders. Whether she just hit a home run or is stepping behind the plate for the first time all day, she always wears a big smile across her face.
“I just want to have fun because I’m here with my teammates,” Wong said. “I have five years. Most people only have four and time is ticking. I just want to make the most of it.”
Wong said that sometimes the team “can get lost in trying a little too hard to win.” She doesn’t take the game for granted knowing that her time playing college softball is limited.
“I tried to never let it get farther than just being a game. I still have an identity outside of softball, but also softball is my escape to have fun,” she said.
@LILYCRANE23Besides wanting to make the most of the pressure moments, Wong said her confidence in her teammates takes away from the stress.
“I know if I don’t get it done, my teammate behind me will, or the teammate ahead of me or someone off the bench,” Wong said. “Like I know our whole offense will get it done, I don’t ever have a doubt, so I feel like that makes me comfortable and doesn’t put too much pressure on me so I feel like I can just relax in the box and just do my thing and whatever happens happens.”
Oregon has a lineup full of players more than capable of having a game-changing at-bat. It takes the calmness and joy that Wong plays with to prevent those pressure moments from becoming overwhelming.
Last year’s Ducks team may have hung their heads after falling behind, as they did in the first game against Washington. Not this iteration, though. Their ability to come back from a deficit against a high-ranked team is what gives Oregon fans hope that it can go further this postseason. Players like Wong who stay ready and keep the mood light are the difference.
Jo-Yee Chan took a deep breath while grasping her racquet in one hand and caressing the fuzz of the ball in another. Buzz has surrounded Chan’s mind recently as she’s been labeled the newest face of the Oregon women’s tennis team in 2023.
At that moment, though, she was focused on the far side of the court in front of her. Then, she threw the ball up, and as it briefly floated she slammed down her racquet and served.
The freshman from Sugar Hill, Georgia, was a highly-ranked high school recruit. Her flashy debut before the spring season began foregrounded her talent and placed her at the forefront of the Ducks women’s tennis community.
Along with Japanese international student Misaki Kobayashi, Chan is also notable in regard to her Asian American identity in a majority-white team. Although Chan is not the first Asian American to play at Oregon, her performance serves as a cipher for raising racial consciousness within the tennis community.
As the face of her team, Chan’s role shares resemblances to past players who attempted to revolutionize women’s tennis and the increased effort of uplifting minorities within the larger international narrative.
University of Oregon’s women’s tennis is historically a white-dominated sport. This is not a surprise due to Oregon’s 86.2% white population. Although there has been the representation of international players, it is often two players on average who are women of color.
As a result of this history, one of the common experiences minority players deal with are the uncomfortable sensations of navigating themselves within a white-dominated space.
Chan first became cognizant of this specific feeling when she started her journey in the South around Georgia. She described it as a “tension in the air” that accompanied her in her matches.
“I started playing tennis because of my brother,” Chan said. “But once I started growing older, I knew there were mostly white people around me. And it was difficult sometimes because I would be around all my tennis friends, and I did not feel included.”
Chan thinks that the reasons for this lack of representation in tennis could be explained within the context of class.
“Although tennis is now pretty well-known in the world, it’s not something that girls would easily pick up,” Chan said. “Tennis has always kinda been known as a ‘country club sport.’ I feel like girls pick up soccer or other sports instead.”
Junior Uxia Martinez Moral from Spain feels that the lack of representation in her specific country derives from the absence of structural support in sports.
“I honestly appreciate how much the United States values sports,” Martinez Moral said. “I feel like when I was a kid in high school, back home, I didn’t have a lot of opportunities. If you want to do it in a higher level and you want to travel a little. It’s more difficult.”
In the context of women’s tennis internationally, Li Na was the pioneer for burgeoning the representation of Asian women in tennis. Li was born and raised in Wuhan, China. She won the French Open in 2011 and became the first Asian player — woman or man — to win a Grand Slam singles title.
Shortly after Li, was the emergence of Venus and Serena Williams who were unabashed about their Black identities on the courts. They rejected tennis social
norms and instead chose activism to progress social justice within the Women’s Tennis Association.
Efforts like Li’s, Venus’ and Serena’s elucidated the need for uplifting inclusivity and diversity in tennis. Chan said she started to feel this change after her junior year of high school.
“There’s like a lot of camps around my area, in Georgia, that [are] advocating for inclusivity, and I’ve actually done some of those camps too. So it’s been really nice to see different races picked up like tennis because I know it’s just predominantly in white.”
Chan feels that Asian Americans are overall well represented in college tennis, but “there’s not a lot of exposure around Asian Americans communities specifically.”
Chan and the other women of color players featured on this year’s team will hopefully inspire diverse junior players hoping to represent their own communities in college. This uplifting of inclusivity and diversity will continue to change the future of the Oregon women’s tennis history. She’s one of many who are trying to raise awareness of these greater structural issues within her sport’s industry and uplift social justice.
