Change happens all around us every single day. As little obstacles pop up and block our way, we are forced to readjust, whether it be as simple as a schedule change or a huge life shift. One constant about change is that it is never going to go away; the ability to morph and grow as different events and seasons of life come is part of the journey. I have seen Wright State itself change throughout my four years here, and every time a transition occurs, I notice that it is the students who persevere and continue to push the university to be better in all its aspects: Greek life, student organizations, transfer portals and Culture and Identity. Change holds a profound place in everyone’s world since the COVID-19 pandemic, but even four years since the lockdown (I know—crazy), humanity is constantly being forced to grapple with new world events, personal struggles and daily occurrences that seem to set us back. Here at WSU, however, we embrace change as an opportunity for renewal. 

Sometimes, it is hard to see change as a good thing. A lot of people say, “I do not like change.” Over the course of this year’s Flight Magazine production, one thing stands out very clearly: change can be such a beautiful thing. What we are calling “hands of change” and “faces of change” are really the building blocks to not only receive change, but also to be agents of change. In each of the stories through this edition, readers can see the immense impact that new challenges and opportunities present. The Wright State community is persistent, strong, resilient and hopeful. Through a lens of past, present and future, students from many areas of campus have proven this fact time and time again. We hope that in these pages, readers will glean this sense of renewal and be hopeful about our future society. 

I feel so honored to have worked with so many wonderful people at Wright State. Thank you to everyone who has made this edition possible, from the interviewees to the writers, photographers, graphic designer, editors and printers. There are so many hands involved in a process like this, and we would not be able to do it without the amazing team and legacy of the Guardian supporting and sustaining us through the creation of “Hands of Change: Stories of Renewal.” I would also like to thank family, friends and other personal community members who comfort, guide and encourage myself and fellow Guardian staff. These people portray a steadfast sense of kindness, remembrance, compassion and strength in all things past and all things to come. May we all become vectors of change and see to a better future in our own personal bubbles and in the world around us. Change happens now, and it starts with us. 

Editor-in-Chief, Alexis Lewis