221 W. Saginaw St., Lansing, MI 48933 Phone: 517.203.0123 Fax: 517.203.3334 Publisher Tiffany Dowling Account Managers Megan Fleming Liz Reno-Hayes Melissa DeMott John Tripolsky Senior Editors Kate Birdsall Mary Gajda Graphic Designer Grace Houdek Content Manager Shelby Smith Project Coordinator Mitch Carr Writers Jenna Merony, Jennifer Bell, Lacie Kunselman, Laura Westcott, Lucas Polack, Lucy VanRegenmorter, Peyton Fredrickson, Rachel Huculak Editors Aleaha Reneé, Alec Parr, C Rose Widmann, Iliana Cosme-Brooks, Mai Vang, Peter Morrison, Shelby Smith
02 FALL 2021
A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR By Lacie Kunselman Dear Reader, In our last issue, the hot-button topic was the anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic and how it was wearing on our minds and spirits. The spring semester, when this issue was crafted, was a race to escape never-ending screen time. Every writer and editor was wearing ankle weights of fatigue and burnout as they crawled to the finish line. Now we’re past the 1.5 year mark of the pandemic, and things are returning to a new type of normal. The fall semester is chalking up to be a cross between track and dodgeball as we keep trudging on while trying to avoid any more unprecedented events. Many of us are probably feeling like we missed some practice. But what is a sport if not a team effort? Just like a relay, The Current team passed the baton of our magazine from writer to editor to publication team and then ran to the finish line. We carried each other through every mental muscle cramp, benched ourselves when we needed a break and walked on the field whenever needed. Why? Because that’s what a team does. During a time when there is inclement weather, hurdles of all sizes and the rules of the sport change on a whim, The Current takes another lap. And we’ll do it again, all the way to the finish line of the semester. In this issue of The Current, we invite you to sit in the virtual stands, grab some popcorn, and watch these stories unfold like a sporting event. Our athlete writers and editors have worked hard on content that drew them to the metaphorical track of magazine publishing in the first place, taking advice from our coach, Dr. Birdsall, who supports us through every race. Sporting events need spectators, and this past year has proven that many things can weather the pandemic if their audience participates virtually. We thank you for supporting your home team at The Current. So now, rest and refuel your mind with our stories. The finish line is just around the corner. C. Rose Widmann C. Rose Widmann (they/them) is a first-year M.A. student in arts & cultural management at Michigan State University and a graduate assistant at The Cube. This is their second semester with The Current; their earlier article “Creating Something Out Of Nothing [...]” inspired further interviews on creativity during COVID, produced as a selection for the 2021 CAL CREATE Grants (going live fall 2021). When not writing grant proposals or playing Planetside 2, C is competing for both the MSU club fencing and club gymnastics teams. Insta: @C.rosewidmann
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