A Student-Athlete's Perspective: Janae Dunchack

Dartmouth junior Janae Dunchack is multi-event competitor on the Big Green's women's track & field team and is a three-time winner in the pentathlon at the Ivy League Heptagonal Indoor Track & Field Championships (2011, 2012 and 2013).

1. When you think of the history and accomplishments of African-Americans in our country, what jumps out in your mind?
Dunchack: I tend to think of the African-Americans who were the first to show the world that they were capable of doing anything they put their minds to. The ones who through their actions gave encouragement to other African-Americans to pursue their dreams no matter how unattainable they may be. Jesse Owens is always a favorite. He not only dominated the Olympic games, but he also proved that just because you are a certain race that doesn’t make you better or worse than anyone else.

2. What do you enjoy and what are the challenges in your current experiences as an African-American student-athlete on an Ivy League campus?
Dunchack: I came from a very small town in which I was basically the only 'diversity' we had. I enjoy being on campus with people of the same race and discussing issues that I couldn’t previously talk about in the past. I also enjoy that I have the chance to be on such an intellectual campus where I am accepted for who I am and not for what my skin color is.

The challenges that usually arise are basically people assuming things about me that aren’t true, or even if they are it still isn’t okay for them to assume something just because of my race or the fact that I am a student-athlete.

3. As you reflect on Black History month, talk about one person who has influenced your life and why?
Dunchack: One person who has greatly influenced my life is my grandfather. Coming from a town where my family was the only minority group growing up, he always encouraged me to be the best I could so that I could prove race was not an obstacle, but a blessing. He never accepted less than my best and that challenged me to not only represent my race in a positive light, but it also it also pushed me enough to get me to Dartmouth.  

4. What do you feel is your role in being a leader or role model as African-American student-athlete on your campus and in your communities both at school and at home?
Dunchack: My role, both on campus and at home, is to set an example for others. I feel like the way I act is not only a reflection on me as a person, but also on the different groups that I represent. For some reason I always feel like I am constantly trying to prove myself in my classes and in my sport to be better than what I assume people think I am. Sadly, there are still stereotypes associated with being African-American and also with being a student-athlete and I try to change and confront those stereotypes through my actions.

I really want to be able to encourage others with leading by example and showing them that it is possible to be better. It doesn’t matter where you come from or what you were born into, hard work can make up for a lot.

5. Projecting forward, what is one thing you would like to achieve or be part of once you graduate to advance the African-American ideal for future generations?
Dunchack: My future plans are to continue on to medical school and become a neurosurgeon. I am aware that this is a pretty ambitious goal, but achieving it would provide hope and encouragement for many others who would want to follow in my footsteps. In graduate schools and also in everyday life there is still prejudice against African-Americans, and my hopes are that by achieving such a high goal I can help to dispel some of wrong assumptions about African-Americans. I also hope that this job will give me the freedom to take some time off and come back to contribute to the community I came from and offer advice about the struggles I faced.