Flight | Vol. 4, Issue 1 | Hands of Change

Wright State Wright State

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ALEXIS LEWIS

MANAGING EDITORS

MONICA BRUTTO

AARON CLINE

STAFF ADVISOR

DEBBIE LAMP

WRITERS

AARON CLINE

ASHLEY HAINZER

ALEXIS LEWIS

EMILY MANCUSO

PHOTOGRAPHERS

ALEXIS LEWIS

BETHANY ALTHAUSER

MONICA BRUTTO

EMILY MANCUSO

ISAAC WARNECKE

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

EMILY WEIGANDT

EDITOR’S NOTE

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.

Table of

Adaptability and Agency

During the summer of 2023, Wright State University underwent multiple campus renovation projects, leaving student organizations and campus departments in new spaces and unfamiliar territory. Among multiple college moves, including the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Health, Education and Human Services, the Culture and Identity Centers also moved from Millett Hall to the basement of the Student Union.

The centers are home to the Asian and Native American Center, Bolinga Black Cultural Resources Center, Latino Center, LGBTQA Center, Women’s Center and the new Disability and Neurodivergence Culture Center.

Before the summer moves, Millett Hall housed the ANA Center, Bolinga Black Cultural Resources Center, the LGBTQA Center and the

Women’s Center. The Latino Center was located in the Student Union next to the Pathfinder Lounge. The creation of the Disability and Neurodivergence Culture Center, spurred on by collaboration between the Student Government Association and the Abilities group, was one of the largest changes to the centers.

The distance between many of these centers proved to inhibit communication and collaboration both internally among student organizations and with other centers. This inconvenience— though navigated and adapted to by every center— provided little to no possibility for intersectionality, accessibility or general community

By Alexis Lewis

gathering, on top of the lack of staff members.

Despite some initial difficulties in the moving process and what most people described as a “chaotic summer,” members and

leaders of these organizations express continued engagement and increased feelings of community in the new spaces they occupy.

Asian and Native American Center

“We need Joy as we need air. We need Love as we need water. We need each other as we need the earth we share.” —Maya Angelou

The ANA Center provides a space for multiple student organizations, including the Asian Student Association and the Indigenous American Cultural Student Association. These organizations host many campus events, such as Orange Shirt Day, Diverse Worlds of MesoAmerica, Lunar New Year and Asian Culture Nights. The center itself hosted a silent book club about “Ma and Me” throughout the spring semester before welcoming the book’s author, Putsata Reang, to campus for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Dr. Nicolyn

Woodcock is the assistant director of this center.

In the ANA Center, there

are portraits of important Indigenous figures, including Wilma Mankiller, Janine PeasePretty On Top and Joy Harjo, ambient lighting, traditional Asian board games and flags from different nations. There are also representative Asian flowers and a large white board for event organizing and team collaboration. The ANA Center is decorated in a way that communicates their six values: inclusion, education, advocacy, empowerment, community and social justice. “It’s been really nice to put up our own stuff,” Ryan Diaz, IACSA’s treasurer and the Student Government Association’s policy administrator, said. “The center is, I’d say, 50-50 Asian-

Native, which adequately reflects what this space should be.”

Bolinga Black Cultural Resources Center

In the Bolinga Center, visitors can find students from the many different Black student organizations on campus, including the Black Student Union, Black Men on the Move, Association of Black Business Students, African Student Union and African-American Residential Caucus. These groups hold events like Black Reality Talks, professional development series’, ‘know your rights’ workshops and the Heritage Ball. During a majority of the 2023-2024

academic year, there was no assistant director for this center. In collaboration with students, Dr. Matthew Chaney, WSU’s vice president for inclusive excellence, and Mia Honaker, the administrative assistant to Chaney, continue to conduct most of the center’s programming and events amidst the university’s search for a director.

In the Bolinga Center, students will find bean bag chairs, African artwork, including sculptures, paintings and cultural artifacts, uplifting notes from student

organizations and a map of the African continent, all of which provide geographical, historical, cultural and social information and awareness for visitors.

“Since I arrived two-and-a-half years ago, it’s been in such a transitional phase,” Chaney said. “A big part of Bolinga is to highlight special events and do programming not just for Black students, but programming that supports Black students but also educates the entire campus on culture.”

Disability and Neurodivergence Culture Center

The newly formed Disability and Neurodivergence Culture Center is a place where the Abilities club likes to gather. This organization hosts craft nights, self-care days, scavenger hunts and general meetings. The spacious area allows for

movement, collaboration and community-building, extending the campus’ accessibility and welcoming students with disabilities into the CIC. There is currently no director for this center, but the university is searching for one.

The Disability and Neurodivergence Culture Center houses different fidget and sensory items—sorted into different bins—as well as books and informational pieces. The center plans to offer support groups, educational workshops, social events and other cultural programming. Despite being in its early days, the center is made into a welcoming space by the friendly faces that frequent it.

“I feel like Abilities has a home now,” Lily Berkow, president of the Abilities club, said. “I think it is a family.”

Latino Center

The Latino Center provides an inviting space for people to gain cultural and historical education. With events like Latin dance classes, Latino wellness clinics, the Amigos Latinos Gala, La Comida and the service-oriented tutoring events at El Puente Learning Center, the Latino Center—

which acts as a hub and meeting space for the student-led Amigos Latinos organization—provides a space for community and fun.

Catherine Hernandez Hogan is the assistant director of the Latino Center.

The Latino Center features a large mural with different landmarks from each Latin American country and other culturally significant symbols, including the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil, Día de los Muertos, the Chichén Itzá in Mexico, Easter Island in Chile and other representative images. Along the wall hang flags and the occasional celebratory balloon.

“You don’t have to be a Latino to be an amigo,” Amy Walker, member of Amigos Latinos

and president of Christians on Campus, said. “This is literally just a space for anybody to come in and just have fun. We do support more Latino students because that is our goal, but at the end of the day, our goal is to just be here, be happy people and make friends.”

LGBTQA Center

The LGBTQA Center is a meeting space and office for Rainbow Alliance, an advocacy and support group with a passion for the LGBTQA+ community, as well as a community gathering area to welcome everyone, no matter what identities they are. These groups hold a Coming Out Day celebration, Drag Show, Chosen Family Feast and Lavender Graduation Ceremony. Dr. Emily Yantis-

Houser is the assistant director of the LGBTQA Center.

The LGBTQA Center is decorated with pride flags that represent different identities. There is also a television with game consoles, and adorning the walls are quotes by influential figures, including French philosopher and writer Simone de Beauvoir, Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and American writer Jessica Valenti, about gender, sexuality and identity.

“[The LGBTQA Center] is for the students, by the students,” Yantis-Houser said. “Prior to this, we called it a community engagement room, and before that, it was the resource room, so it’s always been studentcentered.”

Women’s Center

After experiencing a myriad of challenges in its 30-year history, the Women’s Center underwent a revitalization and rebirth as a place for all people to gather, share ideas and be themselves. Sex Week, Vagina Monologues and Love/ Move Your Body Week are all programs that the Women’s Center has brought to Wright State’s campus this year. These educational initiatives allow the campus community to talk about sexual and reproductive advocacy, stigmatized topics, confidence and body image. The assistant director of the Women’s Center is Bobbie Szabo.

In the Women’s Center, there are large bean bag chairs, disco balls hanging from the ceiling and an affirmation mirror donning uplifting quotes, such as “I am loved” and “I am worthy.” Visitors will also notice diffusers for essential oils and soothing noise machines, all creating a calming environment.

“We’ve done a ton of really, really good programming, but also just being there for students to talk to everyday,” Szabo said regarding the environment of the center.

The New Community Space

The new Culture and Identity Centers are located in 023 Student Union, which comprises the different rooms that house each center. After passing the welcome desk and front lounge area, which have couches that students gather at, visitors are met with multiple rooms for each center.

“Just being around for people to sound off about their issues…I think the programs we’ve done are incredible, but I almost feel like the one-on-one interactions are even more important and powerful.”

Despite the doors that connect the spaces, Isabel Harney-Davila, graduate assistant to the Division of Inclusive Excellence and the Culture and Identity Centers, notes that the walls between the centers can feel like barriers.

“The biggest thing that I didn’t like about our new space is that there’s a lot more physical walls, so it doesn’t feel as coherent,” Harney-Davila said.

One way that people in the centers have mounted this barrier is by congregating in the main front area, which was something that the previous centers did not really have.

“The directors will come out with their laptops, and they will just do business

there, being visible and talking, socializing with the students, and it also just makes us more visible,” Harney-Davila said.

Harney-Davila explains that the students are able to still come together and hang out in different centers, not just the ones that correspond with their identities. One example of this is that Brad Kerry and Diaz, who are both involved with IACSA and ASA, often hang out in the Women’s and Latino centers as well as the ANA Center. Felipe Perez, president of Amigos Latinos, can often be seen in the Neurodivergence and Disability Cultural Center talking with Berkow.

Alex Stone, president of Rainbow Alliance, echoes similar sentiments about the centers’ new locations. For Stone, the space makes facilitating meetings and collaboration much easier.

The individual spaces have allowed each center to represent the identities and values of their respective organizations while also welcoming new people to learn more and become involved.

Fostering a Joyful Environment

On top of the professional and educational experiences that the Wright State community can gain from the centers, many students say that the space itself helps their mental, social and physical health.

Szabo loves that the centers spark joy among the students who visit. She explained that seeing students in the bean bag chairs or laughing and taking pictures in the affirmation mirror are rewarding aspects of the new Women’s Center space.

“I like when I walk into the Women’s Center and there are students on the beanbags, there are students on the couches, there are students at the tables, and

they are laughing,” Szabo said. “That is my favorite thing on the planet: to walk into the room as people are laughing. They walk into this center and they know that this is a place where

they can feel joy, and it is a place that brings joy.”

Woodcock shared a story about her experience in the centers that demonstrates its sense of inclusion. While eating kimchi one day in the centers, a student asked about the smell of the Korean side dish, which is made up of salted and fermented vegetables. Woodcock explained how many students and leaders in the centers know the feeling of bringing cultural dishes into school and being made fun of for an “unfamiliar” appearance, texture or smell.

“This is the Culture and Identity Centers, all smells are welcome here,” Woodcock said.

For Woodcock, this welcoming and open environment supports a more meaningful, broader mission of the CIC.

“Everyone is here to learn about everyone else’s backgrounds, cultures and experiences,” Woodcock said.

Students in the space share positive experiences of even the more passive interactions, like working on homework in

quiet areas, relaxing and catching up with friends, collaborating with other student organizations and listening to music while adding decorations to the space.

Tiffany Gil, a sophomore Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies major and Women’s Center intern, feels extremely comfortable in all of the spaces the centers offer.

“We can dance, we can sing, we can talk about the most outlandish things. We have the silliest conversations, and there’s some serious

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.”

—Coretta Scott King

conversations too, but I just feel like we’d all be okay crying or laughing,” Gil said. “I feel like we just have this sense of community and this sense of comfort with each other.”

Berkow highlighted the kindness and support that the directors and other students provide, explaining that the Abilities group and other students with disabilities did not have a designated space until now.

“I feel like I can go up to anybody and they will help me,” Berkow said.

Comfort and support are universal sentiments throughout the spaces. Many students will attend events from all of the centers to gain an understanding of another identity or culture while also supporting their friends and coworkers who are hosting the activities. Sometimes, a simple wave and a smile is all that is needed.

“It’s nice to be able to see other student leaders as they pass by and lean in and say ‘Hey, it’s good to see you,’” Stone said.

Roberta Amber CornistBordeneau likes to be one of those people, often walking around the centers to interact with other students and say ‘hello.’

“It’s really welcoming,” Cornist-Bordeneau said. “I didn’t even go to the other [CIC location] as much as I go to this one because it just seemed like it was so empty. Now, it feels more lively. It promotes community and is really, really welcoming.”

For others, like Brad Kerry, the energetic and dynamic space offers an opportunity to connect with the community and other people from similar backgrounds.

“I really like the fact that I get to come in and support my community, especially with our newer students who maybe are not as in-tune with their cultures.

Showing them how to figure that out, making community connections with the local Indigenous

communities to help people learn, that’s my favorite part,” Kerry said.

Gary Neal, a president’s ambassador, BSU co-advisor and In His Presence Christian Ministries president, loves not only the resources available in the CIC but also the inclusive environment, like so many of his peers.

“The biggest thing with the CIC is also just the safe space and the inclusive environment and being able to bring likeminded and diverse minds together,” Neal said.

The Future of the CIC

future to their centers, the Bolinga and Disability and Neurodivergence centers.

“I hope that they have a staff person here to help students more permanently,” Berkow said. “I think we have to keep on changing.”

People who frequent the CIC hope that it continues to grow and be a welcoming environment for the entire campus community.

“I know it will be a positive and educational space for our students,” Chaney said. “[I hope the CIC] continues to provide quality services and programming for the campus community.”

For students like Neal, CornistBordeneau and Berkow, the hope for a more permanent staff person is a pillar of the

Diaz, Harney-Davila and Kerry also express the desire for additional funding for the CIC. “They want to create change because they know better, and now they want to do better. I hope that the CIC gets an increased operation budget, a reclassification of their titles to directors because they perform director duties, a permanent Graduate Assistant, money to buy new furniture and the recognition of active acknowledgement from the university,” HarneyDavila said. “The directors are very committed to change for the better.”

Yantis-Houser emphasized this point, explaining that the people who make up the centers are not only on the receiving end of change, but they are also agents of change for their peers and members of their communities. By noting the political climate in Ohio, Yantis-Houser underscored the importance of hope, perseverance and growth.

“It’s all about social change and justice and moving things for progress, so I

wholeheartedly believe that that’s what we’re here for,” Yantis-Houser said. “I hope that our collective sense of hope and renewal continues to push us forward. I hope that we continue to fight and advocate regardless of what sorts of things we’re up against.”

The loving, welcoming and beautiful environment that the students and leaders of each center have so earnestly created is evident upon visitors’ first step inside. This is something that did not come without trials and tribulations, but what the Wright State community will see is that it is actually formed quite easily. Why? Because all the people in the CIC, whether they are collaborating with each other for the next big event or doing homework in the library space, are at their core good, kind and compassionate humans.

These values seep into the CIC spaces and programming, making the centers a force of advocacy, social justice and change. They will continue to forge ahead with the tenacity and strength with which they have been brought to this place. Despite the physical changes and new challenges that the CIC has undergone, the power and connection of the voices and people that make up the spaces persist.

I came to the water when I was three. When water still hung itself on oxygen’s breath and held its wake on eroded rock. I tottled to shore and stared in its face. This was the smell of salt and wet, gentle waves made enormous by distant echoes. This must be the ocean.

I came to the doors when I was seven. Mini marshmallows floating in a cup of thin chocolate soup and blood in the shaving cream bold on the desk I bled. I spat out the numbers, one to a thousand, on a paper towel roll. This was the yellow card and goldbound books dusted in fish crackers.

This must be the school. …

I came to the boy when I was eleven. An acquaintance of mine who is the core of crabapples and the spines of Grendel’s mother. I stroked the fur of the beast and hid when it blistered my skin. This was the drumsticks on the bedroom door and the words tattooed on skin: ‘San Diego.’ This must be the brother. …

I came to the words when I was fifteen. Born of a cabin in the forest of Michigan I had never gone to but knew the cold through and through. I knocked on the

By Emily Mancuso

doors the year before and Ben told me the words had told him of my gift. This was the black compressed to ink, whispering the name of ocean blue. This must be story.

I came as a foreigner when I was nineteen. Midwestern child-thing of pencil stilts and rosy of eyes and name came for a fortnight. I walked again to the shore and stared in its face, prompting the monkeys to bring me the sword they found in eroded rock and so became Prince Arthur. This was the taste of Fresca on the lips and insecurity of Ingles. This must be the world.

Academic Metamorphosis: Transfer Students Explain Their Growth

By Ashley Hainzer

There is a profound amount of change that occurs when someone transfers to another college. When one transfers schools, not only is there the obvious shift from being thrown into a new environment, but academics and cultures among college campuses are vastly different.

In most cases, for people to make the decision to transfer, they would have large events happen in their lives to influence the decision. Some do not; for some, it is as simple as needing to complete their degree. There are many reasons a student may transfer from one school to another.

Hideo Tsuchida is the director of Articulation, Transfer and Institutional Partnerships at Wright State. He is part of one of the first offices that a potential transfer student will come into contact with at Wright State, as he is also head of the Transfer Center.

“There are a multitude of reasons why someone may transfer,” Tsuchida explains. “It is a psychological decision that isn’t made lightly. There are many fiscal and social factors that cause someone to [transfer].”

Wright State has many different services that are specifically designated for transfer students. One example is the Wright Path program for students coming to Wright State from local community colleges, including Clark State College and Sinclair Community College. Both are schools located in the Dayton and Springfield areas.

“Since the Transfer Center isn’t a physical place on campus, we try to have 24/7 communication with the students,” Tsuchida said. “Even if they decide that Wright State isn’t for them, we want every student to be well-informed with what the process of transferring is.”

In addition to the Transfer Center, Wright State has a Tau Sigma Honor Society Chapter, which was founded in 1999 for academically superior transfer students. To join the society, a Tau Sigma candidate has to earn a 3.5 Grade Point Average or higher in their first academic semester and be a full-time student. Wright State

has a new chapter as of 2022.

“Tau Sigma is small right now,” Tsuchida explained. “We are still trying to find our footing with that. Most transfer students are really busy, so we are still trying to iron out some kinks with it, but we are hopeful for it being successful.”

Wright State’s population is one-third transfer students, which showcases how popular transferring was amongst current Raiders. But everyone’s journey is different. Life carves out a path that none of us truly understand, yet Tsuchida explained that every student that transfers to Wright State is given the tools to succeed.

Aurora McVey

Aurora McVey is a member of Tau Sigma. She is set to graduate in the spring of 2025

with her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education (Pre-K through 5th grade).

McVey started her studies at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. She studied at Sinclair for three years before she transferred to Wright State in the spring of 2023.

“Ultimately, I chose Wright State over any other college because of money,” McVey said. “I commute to class because it’s so close to my house, and if I were to go anywhere else, I’ll have to pay for room and board.”

McVey explained that Wright State is a lot bigger than Sinclair, so at first, she had a hard time with communication across campus.

“Things like financial aid are a lot more involved, whereas at Sinclair, there is one button, but at Wright State, there is

a whole process,” McVey said. “I understand there are more factors at play when it comes to these things [at Wright State], but the whole point is that there were a few things that I was lost on.”

McVey struggled for a while before she figured out how to find good communication outlets. Despite running into problems at the start, McVey was fine with the expanse of the school compared to Sinclair and was able to gain new perspectives.

“Wright State is bigger, so it is more diverse. I can appreciate that. I like that it seems like it is extremely open-minded here,” McVey said.

“At Wright State, you have to be purposeful about putting yourself out there and seeking friendships.”

McVey has been excelling in her classes and is looking to be on top of her 2025 graduation. She has worked very hard to get where she needs to be academically, participating in the community through various clubs and making friends along the way.

Cassie Busey

Cassie Busey is another member of the Tau Sigma transfer student honor society. When she graduates, she will earn her bachelor’s degree in Psychology. Busey explained that Wright State was not her first choice in transferring.

“I originally planned to transfer to the University of Dayton because I thought I was going to be a teacher of some sort; however, I realized that I did not like that plan at all and changed my major to Psychology,” Busey explained. “I then chose Wright State to transfer to because they

have a variety of Psychology options, and I heard great things about their classes.”

Busey stated that she is happy with her classes and Wright State as a whole, with the tuition for her program and the convenient location of campus being the main attractions for choosing Wright State.

“I am a commuter student, and it’s about a 25- to 30-minute drive depending on traffic for me,” Busey said.

A welcome surprise to Busey was the in-person classes that Wright State offered.

“All of my classes at Sinclair were either done through Zoom or completely online,” Busey said. “I was nervous that I would struggle with in-person lectures because I was so used to online school, but I transitioned well, and I have maintained pretty good grades.”

Another change that transfer students face that is more specific is the COVID-19 policies and changes in school structure. A lot of colleges maintained a mainly online class setting post-COVID.

Sinclair and Clark State kept a semi-online environment, with almost 80% of their classes still online. With years out of a physical classroom, anyone who has not taken in-person college classes might feel rattled.

There has been a lot of change in Busey’s college career, including the pandemic, but she has expressed that she has an open and supportive system both on and off campus.

“I do feel supported here at campus by my professors and peers,” Busey explained. “I have never once felt like an outsider or like I didn’t belong here.”

Hannah Nihart

Another Tau Sigma member is Hannah Nihart, a Psychology major. Unlike McVey and Busey, Nihart is a student that started at an out-of-state fouryear college.

Nihart started her college journey at Eastern Kentucky University studying Criminal Justice, but after her first semester, she decided that she wanted to switch majors. Wright State has one of the best Psychology majors, so Nihart chose WSU. Distance was another factor in her journey.

“EKU was over five hours away from my home, and I knew it would be smart financially to transfer somewhere closer and cheaper,” Nihart said. “WSU was only over two hours away from home, and it was smaller, which gave a stronger sense of community.”

Nihart noted that because of Wright State’s size, she felt more comfortable engaging with the community. She expressed her nervousness with the transfer, which occurred in the middle of the school year, meaning she was starting in the spring. This was not very advantageous when it came to joining the community and making friends.

“Living on campus with people you have never met is hard, and it is uncomfortable to go to events that get you out of your comfort zone,” Nihart said. “At Wright State, you have to be purposeful about putting yourself out there and seeking friendships. It was difficult to figure out where all of my classes were and go to people with questions, but it is all part of the process.”

Nihart had some difficulties getting accustomed to the Wright State community,

feeling like a small fish in a big pond.

“In the beginning of the transfer process, I did not feel super supported. It almost felt like I was the only one aware that I was a new student at Wright State, and I had to figure out everything on my own,” Nihart explained. “I didn’t get a student orientation, but I did visit the campus. It was a rough transition, but after being at WSU for a year-anda-half, I feel like I have support on campus.”

Though there were many ups and downs for Nihart when it came to navigating the school, she still maintains that Wright State feels like home to her now.

Ashley Hainzer

I started my personal transfer journey at Clark State in Springfield, Ohio. I am currently an Integrated Language Arts Education

major at Wright State and will graduate in the spring of 2025.

Clark State was never my first plan, but I had won the Champion City Scholarship when I was in the 8th grade, which paid for my tuition and books as long as I maintained good grades. I was a good student and I made good grades, so I decided out of necessity to go there and transfer.

Rebirth

There will be moments when You will bloom fully and then Wilt, only to bloom again. If we can learn anything from Flowers, it is that resilience is born Even when we feel like we are Dying.

The pandemic hit when I was in my first year in the spring of 2020, and everything went online. I had a rough time adjusting to the online classes and worked hard to make the grades. There were external factors, including the pandemic, several different family crises and factors that the school added, that did not help with my circumstances at the time.

When I finish with my degree, I want to go into high school English teaching. This has always been what I have gone to school for. During the process of enrollment at Clark State, they had me under what they call the Teacher Transfer Track, but the trick with this is that this program is only for students that want to teach Pre-K to 5th grade. They had put me in the wrong major, so I had to start pretty much from square one with all of these credits that I did not need, which pushed things back. I was furious and thought that things could not get any worse, and then they did.

~ Alex Elle

graduated from Clark State with an Associate of Arts degree in the spring of 2023, and it felt like my grandmother was with me the whole day.

On August 14, 2022, my grandmother passed away. We were very close, and I was devastated. I was entering the last year at Clark State, feeling like I was drowning and at rock bottom. It was to the point where I was done with school—I did not want to go anymore. I had seriously thought about dropping out, but halfway through my fall 2022 semester, I suddenly felt like I needed to keep going. I

Like most of the students here, I mainly came to Wright State for the affordability. Wright State was my cheapest option for my degree and what I needed to accomplish. Wright State has been challenging, and I faced very similar problems that others have. I did not really know what to do going into Wright State or how to make friends, but I have been able to learn the ropes and get involved with my community through The Guardian, and I have never been happier.

Blooming Flowers in a Garden of Community

Change itself can be profound. We never quite know where the wind is going to take us. This can apply to transferring from one college to another, too. People come from many different walks of life. The stories of myself and these students’ journeys through this process is one of hard work and dedication. In all of these stories, there were moments of confusion and frustration, times we wanted to give up—but like a flower growing from cracks in concrete, we persevere and keep moving forward.

“I’ve found my community now,” Nihart said. “I’m comfortable and feel like I truly have a place to thrive.”

Greek Life

What really is Greek Life?

Most people have heard about sororities and fraternities from the media, such as movies

thousands of dollars are raised for these organizations.

Gina Keucher, program director for Fraternity and Sorority Life at Wright State, estimates that pre-COVID, the combined efforts of roughly 500 Greek Life members managed to raise $30,000 for their philanthropies, and they also did 25,000 hours of

by fall 2021, according to Keucher.

As they progress through the changes caused by COVID-19, however, these organizations have been making a comeback. This past school year has been the most successful for Greek Life since pre-pandemic times.

Greek Life also prides itself on focusing on the people within; being a member of a sorority or fraternity offers students a group of people who strive to uphold important values and make each other better

Donnell Smith is the president of the Fraternity and Sorority Council on campus and is also a member of Phi Kappa Tau. His fraternity focuses on developing leadership and emotional intelligence in its “I’m always excited to get new members. New members from the fall have already stepped up into leadership

Unfortunately, the past few years have proven to be a challenging time for Greek organizations, with fewer members being recruited. In fall 2019, there were roughly 450 Greek Life members, though this number dropped to a staggering 200 members

The Pandemic and its Effect on Greek Life

Keucher is one of many people who was watching Greek Life recruitment and membership change over the past few years. From the peak of membership in 2018 to the sudden drop in 2020, the number of students participating in Greek Life has had many drastic changes. The worst time for Greek Life, as well as many organizations on campus, was the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. As students were told to stay at home, Greek Life began to transition to online events and change their recruitment process to happen completely online. This was a struggle for new students, as they were not comfortable or happy with the shift.

Members of Greek Life prior to the 2020 pandemic witnessed the downfalls of online recruitment.

Paige Benson, a Media Studies major with a minor in Organizational Leadership, is the current president of the College Panhellenic Council, which oversees the sororities on campus. She mentions how recruiting during the pandemic was a more difficult time.

“We did recruit people [through] an online process, which of course is harder to find that connection with somebody through a computer,” Benson said.

Many students fresh from highschool also lacked the so-called “highschool experience.” Attending school virtually robbed students of the opportunity to have meaningful social connections and interactions with their peers. This affects many

college students now, as their lack of interpersonal skills can make joining clubs or other organizations even harder.

In a study in the Educational Considerations journal comparing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Greek Life members, Matthew R. Johnson found that 80.5% of Interfraternity Council members, 84.9% of National Panhellenic Conference members and 75.2% of Multicultural Council members struggled to interact or communicate with other students during COVID-19.

Before the pandemic, sororities would have anywhere between 30 to 50 members; now, most have 30 or fewer.

On the contrary, this past school year has shown promising improvements, as the incoming freshmen are ready and eager to join social clubs.

This past school year has shown promising improvements, as the incoming freshmen are ready and eager to join social clubs.

“We have finally hit the spot where the students are coming to campus are not the students who didn’t have a highschool experience. These are students who have enough social experience in highschool that they’re looking for that when they come here,” Keucher said.

This has led to many positive changes within Greek Life, such as introducing more groups on campus. The Eta Psi Chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi, a campus fraternity that closed due to a lack of members during the pandemic, has

made drastic improvements to reopen this semester.

Smith’s fraternity has also made a comeback in the past few semesters and has recruited roughly 15 new members in the past year alone.

Harmful Clichés and Expectations

Students who have only seen examples of Greek Life in the media tend to believe there are heavy expectations to joining a sorority or fraternity. Television, movies and other stories, whether fiction or nonfiction, can leave skewed beliefs about Greek Life that may leave them disappointed once they become involved.

Joining a sorority or fraternity can also be quite expensive. Each sorority and fraternity has dues that must be paid over time once a student has officially joined the group, with prices averaging between $350 to $500 a semester.

Dues are used to support each sorority and fraternity in a variety of ways. The money goes towards the national liability insurance fee, educational programs and leadership consults who visit each chapter to provide support, according to Keucher.

“I’m always excited to get new members.”

It also goes towards social events and merchandise, such as shirts or pins.

“If I paid for my friends, it was the best investment I ever made,” Keucher said.

Partying is also a common stereotype for Greek Life, something that has also been a major issue for universities over the past few decades.

Thanks to WSU’s smaller campus—and, by extension, smaller sororities and fraternities—partying and drinking have been less of a problem on this campus.

Of course, just because it is less of a problem does not mean it is nonexistent on campus.

“Realistically, we can’t always stop [drinking], but it’s [about] being more safe with how you do it,” Benson said.

Despite harmful stereotypes and costly expenses, joining a sorority or fraternity is a life-changing decision that helps improve each individual involved, whether it be through philanthropy, selfimprovement methods each group offers or simply the

long-lasting friendships that are forged over each student’s academic career.

Lifelong Friendships and Personal Growth

Greek Life is all about connections.

Finding those special people that you can connect to and bond with allows students to become the best versions of themselves.

“[In] Greek organizations—any organizations—the values are really important, and people join people. They want to meet someone that they felt like they had a connection to, that they feel like they want to be friends with,” Keucher said.

Greek Life gives students the opportunity to find a family amongst their brothers or sisters. This found family will be there for the rest of your life, even outside of college. There are many heart-wrenching stories of graduates being supported by their brothers or sisters after college, whether it be at a wedding or a funeral.

For example, Keucher had many of her sisters attend her wedding.

“My big sister brought the guy I had a crush on in college, which I thought was hilarious,” she said. “It was the best. I have had people be really shocked, but she knows me. I thought it was great.”

Close bonds and friendships can be found between all members of Greek Life, not just those in your sorority or fraternity.

With each group’s chosen philanthropy, raising money and doing community service is an important part of being a brother or sister. Whether this is through sales, promotions, public events, informational sessions, creative or other various events, students will dedicate much of their time to improving their community.

The philanthropies vary in theme. For example, Alpha Xi Delta raises money for the group For Love of Children, which works to support those in the foster care system. Delta Zeta supports the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Both Delta Zeta and the fraternity Phi Kappa Tau also raise money for SeriousFun Children’s Network, an organization dedicated to providing camp opportunities

for children with lifelong illnesses.

Beyond the philanthropies, each organization works to promote self-improvement in each of its members. In Smith’s fraternity, there is heavy importance on aspects such as academics, leadership development, personal/ professional growth and emotional intelligence. On campus, there are also National Pan-Hellenic Council groups, which are historically African American-based and include slightly different recruitment methods. These groups try to do more hands-on events, such as volunteering off-campus in food pantries.

“I think people should go Greek because not only do

we offer those lifelong memories and friendships, but we develop you as people personally, professionally, and it’s nice to have someone who can help you understand what life is,” Smith said.

Change Through Greek Life

Change is an important aspect in all of our lives, especially as we transition into the college experience. Participating in organizations on campus

is one of the best things a student can do, but thanks to the pandemic, it was difficult for many of us to find our place while conversing through online video calls.

Greek Life suffered heavy losses as a result of this difficult period, but this past year has luckily shown improvement for

on-campus organizations. With more students joining Greek Life and participating in events for their philanthropies, student organizations have been given a great opportunity to support the local and national communities and make a positive change.

A New Roof

By Aaron cline

the wood is weathered from years

gone by, stained with lives long past. we start our ascent alongside your static existence, when leaves settle upon your roof in displays of amber and bronze, we observe in silence your fade into the white downy snow, when we wrap ourselves in warmth, you embrace the cold, we sit beneath your wing as the rain and snow and hail pelt down on you, but you do not mind.

you do not mind when we leave, either, content to sit and wait.

and wait you do. we return with the stress of finals gone from our shoulders and we enjoy the gathering place you provide until the ice begins to melt and you shine renewed against the green grass. we will come and we will go but you and your brothers remain watching each and every one of us, always offering, always waiting, always comforting as we embrace our new homes.

THE COORDINATING ORGANIZATIONS

Conquering and Promoting Change

By Emily Mancuso

Purpose Beyond the Surface

The coordinating organizations are defined by three criteria: a large membership, a huge impact on campus and the numerous events and activities they coordinate. On a deeper level, they are defined by their advocacy, diversity and community-building. The organizations advocate for students and their interests, providing a space for students that they may not have otherwise.

Budding politicians may find their passions through passing resolutions in student government, or members of the LGBTQA+ community may find a home in Rainbow

Alliance. Student journalists gather at The Wright State Guardian. Advocates for Black student rights get together in the Black Student Union. CPH strives for a sisterhood in Greek Life under the umbrella of the coordinating organization: the Fraternity and Sorority Council. The Residential Community Association provides a place for the residents—a smaller population than commuters—at WSU. The Asian and Indigenous Council allows for a cultural and community space for the university’s growing population of Asian students. The WWSU 106.9 FM radio station connects all students through music.

Amigos Latinos is where anyone can be an amigo, even if they are not Latino.

All of these organizations adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic and various other changes as they continue to grow and develop into the future.

Rainbow Alliance

Alex Stone, president of Rainbow Alliance, answers emails, makes connections and generally reaches out and connects with the organization members.

Rainbow Alliance defines itself as a “space for students who are in the queer community to come together and make connections and build that sense of community with other students,” Stone explained.

Since the pandemic, Rainbow Alliance is working to increase membership numbers back up. To remedy this, Stone and other leadership go to freshmen events and have promoted more tabling efforts.

“I think we’ve had pretty good results with [tabling and events]. We’re getting a lot more people just showing up and people who may not be queer themselves but are interested in participating in the community,” Stone said. Stone hopes that in the near future of the organization, students will feel comfortable coming into Rainbow Alliance’s space. In addition to this, Stone wants Rainbow Alliance to be more wellknown on campus and engage in a greater connection with students.

RCA

RCA works to create a similar connection with residential students.

Senior Public Health major Ashonti

Nixon is the activities director for RCA. Nixon

organizes activities for oncampus students, often to remedy boredom in the residential

communities. Nixon joined the organization after wanting to be a part of all the great events she saw on campus.

“RCA basically builds a great community for residents. It also builds and advocates for residents on campus as well, and then we also work with RAs and community directors to provide a better quality of campus life for residents on campus,” Nixon said.

RCA’s new advisor, Nickole Watson, assistant director for residential student development, provides new inspiration to RCA, expanding their purpose beyond just traditional residential events.

“I hope that from now, RCA will better advocate for its students and that no residents complain about no events on campus. They always have something to do, they always know what to do on campus,” Nixon said.

For the future of the organization, Nixon hopes that RCA will have better activities for its students and a community that is truly built around residents. Nixon also hopes that marketing will have more of a

positive impact on students, as it currently does not pay off well with attendance to the organization’s events.

WWSU 106.9 FM

WWSU strives to create a positive impact within their organization. WWSU is the radio station for all things media broadcasting, such as podcasts, talk radio, sports, music, live interviews with local artists and more. It functions as a free speech organization for all students with the guidelines of the Federal Communications Commission.

Senior Psychology major Jedd Rismiller is the director of music for the station. Rismiller manages the automation of WWSU’s music library, schedules interviews with

artists and musicians and oversees all DJs.

Currently, the biggest change for WWSU is the influx of new members, including a new sports director and engineer. Rismiller is confident the new team can deal with recent software issues and is looking at redoing a lot of current WWSU processes. Rismiller hopes this new group can create less of a learning curve for new members in the future. “I hope that radio broadcasting doesn’t go away in the future,” Rismiller said. “I don’t think that things such as broadcasting, especially with the rise of podcasts and things like that, is ever going to go away, so I just really want to see the new directors be on top of the changing times and know how to do things.”

Black Student Union

BSU is no stranger to changing times.

India Hector is the secretary for BSU. Hector attends meetings, takes notes, records attendance, communicates with other organizations and sends out important messages relevant to the organization. Overall, Hector is in charge of keeping members of BSU in the loop.

“We’re here to reunite within the orgs, just to bring the Black community together and also help others around us strive to come out and engage with the community and the school and also to just try to help them with their basic needs, like trying to be a mentor to tutor them,” Hector said.

Hector noticed that despite a low last year, students have really started to come out to BSU to join and attend events. Hector feels that BSU has made a lot of progress with involvement.

Hector hopes that BSU can recruit and unite with other organizations, build itself up more and make more of a name for itself as it strives to bring out more of the Black community.

Asian Student Association

The Asian and Indigenous Council, which oversees the Asian Student Association and the Indigenous American Culture Student Association, creates a community within another minority group.

Sophomore Medical Lab Science major Ayumi Enorme is the president of ASA. As president, Enorme manages ASA’s executive and minor boards, does event planning and outreaches to other

places and organizations on campus, such as the Indian Student Association and the University Center for International Education.

“ASA works to spread inclusion for Asian Americans all around campus. You don’t have to be Asian to join us, you just have to have a general interest, and we do events to build a stronger community of Asian students here on campus and just building strong relationships and trying to build a community of students here on campus,” Enorme said.

ASA saw a large increase in the amount of freshmen joining and a very large increase in the amount of general interest in the organization. Enorme comments that the large size is slightly hard to deal with but also very fun to see so many new faces.

Overall, Enorme would like to see ASA have a more established reputation on campus and be more involved with larger organizations, such as RCA, and continue seeing the growth they experienced this year.

University Activities Board

One of the largest organizations on campus is UAB.

Senior Organizational

Leadership and Psychology

major Lexi Ricker is the president of UAB. Ricker oversees UAB and all its events, collaborates with other big and small organizations and works with UAB to enhance the college experience.

“The mission of the University Activities Board is to program innovative and fun events that promote an inclusive campus culture and offer Wright State students experiences that strengthen Raider Pride,” the organization’s web page reads. “UAB also provides opportunities for student involvement on campus and strives to equip our members with the tools and skills needed to be successful leaders and professionals.”

Ricker reported that the biggest change that happened to UAB in the past year was the expansion of the eSports club into the previous coordinating organization meeting area in the Student Union—which left the organizations with no offices. This resulted in a restructuring of the UAB executive board to work more efficiently. In the future, Ricker hopes to

regain a designated meeting space to continue planning events for the campus community.

“I hope UAB just continues to grow in members and everything. We have a decent-sized membership now, but there’s always room for improvement there and just being more innovative and creative with our events because we kind of repeat some of them, but we also recognize that some repetitive events are worth repeating,” Ricker said.

The Wright State Guardian

The Guardian is a frequent reporter of such events.

Senior English and French major Alexis Lewis is the Editor-in-Chief of The Wright State Guardian Media Group.

Lewis leads the newsroom of approximately 10 to 12 writers, oversees digital content production, edits all stories on a weekly basis and strives to guide the Guardian in terms of their mission, vision and goals.

“The Guardian is a student-led newspaper on campus. We have three different sections,” Lewis said. “But really what we are here for is just to inform the campus community about what’s happening at Wright State and magnify either silenced or unheard voices on campus.”

A major change to the Guardian in the last year was a shift in

leadership style. The Guardian now leans more toward education and experience, growing into a more personable working environment than before.

Lewis reports that this creates better content and a more supportive and positive environment and hopes that it continues into the near future.

“For this organization, I just hope that it continues to foster that positive environment. I think that it’s really easy in an organization like this to get caught up in the work, but I really hope that all of the members are able to build relationships with each other,” Lewis said. “I would just hope that while maintaining our professional standards and adhering to the tenets of professional journalism, we’re still able to have fun.”

Fraternity and Sorority Council

The Fraternity and Sorority Council—alongside the College Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council and National Panhellenic Council—combines fun, education and responsibility.

Paige Benson is the president of CPH, which oversees all sororities on campus. Within her position, Benson

organizes meetings, events, speakerships and formal recruitment, especially in the fall semester when recruitment season is at its height.

CPH joins together the six national sororities on campus: Alpha Omicron Pi, Alpha Xi Delta, Delta Zeta, Kappa Delta, Kappa Phi Lambda and Zeta Tau Alpha.

“We are kind of a community of people that all support each other and help each other in times of need,” Benson said. “We try and educate everybody but also unify our organization together.”

Benson joined CPH because of its strong community aspect. The COVID-19 pandemic also had CPH in a bind. Now, CPH’s main goal is building the organization back up to what it once was.

“We were a very big group. We had maybe 50 people in every sorority, and now we usually only get about 30 people, and we’re still trying to build off of that from COVID,” Benson said. “[The sororities] would love to see some growth through the years, and we’re hoping to become more united. Sometimes, we get caught up within our own sororities.”

Benson reiterates this same philosophy with Wright State:

it is a growing community.

Despite being a commuter college, it is a university with a sense of connection.

“I hope Wright State is a place where people don’t look at it as a place to go through to get somewhere better, they look at it as a great place to go to and they find their community here,” Benson said.

Student Government Association

A staple since the founding of WSU, SGA works towards representing student voices on campus.

Junior Political Science major Stephanie Buettner is the president of SGA, functioning as the liaison between the student body and administration. Students contact Buettner with concerns, and she then tries to provide resolution to these issues. Buettner became president just under a year ago.

Student government meets every week, bringing up students issues and possibly passing resolutions to work towards resolving those issues. Administration is then made aware of students’ opinions. SGA comprises the executive board, cabinet and senate. These positions are up for election each year but

often do not see much voting engagement from the student body.

“I definitely think the biggest change this year has just been interest in SGA. After the pandemic, SGA really took a hard hit. No one was really interested in being a part of SGA, and after I took over, it seemed like there was a lot more interest in participating in SGA,” Buettner said. Buettner’s hopes for SGA rest on support for the students of Wright State, reiterating the main purpose of the organization.

Buettner adds that another goal is to increase SGA’s community service and community-oriented events.

Wright in Flight

A common thread among students, especially among seniors, is the change that they have seen before and after the pandemic at WSU. There was a loss of campus culture, and the sense of loss created by the pandemic lost years of potential progress. WWSU’s Rismiller started at WSU in 2019.

“In just the four years I’ve been here, it’s changed a lot,” Rismiller said. “I saw the change of what it used to be like pre-COVID, during COVID, and now I’m kind of seeing this regrowth,

“My hope is that we just continue to be there for the student body. I would really hope that we can grow the outreach that we have to the student body.

I think a lot of times, students don’t realize they can come to us with their concerns or don’t know how to reach out to us,” Buettner said.

a kind of renaissance of Wright State, if you will, of it turning into something new

I don’t think that we’ll ever go back to what we were exactly pre-COVID, but I think we’re going to turn into something different completely.”

And while Stone hopes WSU has not changed too much, he hopes that more resources funnel into necessary areas.

“I hope Wright State is able to rebound from some of the stuff that they were dealing with and have more resources to give to [Counseling and Wellness Services] or to the student [organizations] or just for places for students to hang out,” Stone said.

As for Wright State, Nixon desires a more active campus in the future with weekend events, as many organizations currently do not host weekend events due to low attendance. BSU hopes attendance rises as well.

“As for Wright State, I just hope that we can be more diverse, get more people to come, get our recruitment up, make the campus bigger and make more students come out of their shell more because it’s become like a dead campus almost, not a lot of students want to come out to just be involved,” Hector said.

Enorme also stated a wish for more diversity on campus.

“I’d like to see Wright State definitely more diverse. I know we have a community of Asian students here, but they’re not very, I guess, inclined to be involved with organizations, like ASA or Korean Club or [the Muslim Student Association] or things like that, so I’d really like to see us become more involved and have Wright State be more diverse,” Enorme said.

Just like the organizations, Wright State continues to grow and change.

“I hope that it becomes and starts to be more innovative, that it keeps scaling. We keep changing and remodeling and doing everything, so I think it gives a really good look, but I also hope that we start to grow and be more inclusive and we recognize that we’re not as inclusive as some other universities, but we could be,” Ricker said.

Like WSU’s journalism, Lewis hopes that WSU itself will be a vector for growth and a space for unheard voices.

“I hope that Wright State is able to be that spot and that location for students to come grow, find their community and feel like they are seen and heard at the administrative and executive level,” Lewis said.

“A lot of times, I think that it’s the students that put in the work to make it a good university.”

Buettner also wishes for a better environment for students, which she believes will help the administration’s goals of a higher retention rate.

“I think student affairs have really struggled since COVID,” Buettner said. “I think when we have a student affairs department that has a lot of things going on on campus, students are more likely to stay on campus and feel engaged.”

Lewis remarks that it would be nicer for students to gain recognition on campus, not just athletics and STEM programs. Administration could collaborate more to see all colleges get the recognition they deserve.

“I think the student community at Wright State is very resilient, and they are the faces of change,” Lewis said.

The World Unfurled

As the eSports space absorbed almost all coordinating organization offices in the Student Union, students have felt the lack of space and a feeling of being shut out. This happened over the summer of 2023 when the university ordered the

organizations to evacuate the space.

This shut-out feeling does not only apply to Wright State, but some student organizations, such as Rainbow Alliance, deal with sensitive world topics and controversial national issues.

“There’s been a big push by certain groups to try and villainize trans people and make it harder for us to exist. I’ve seen some positive pushback against that ideology,” Stone said.

Nixon echoes this, hoping for peace, equality and understanding in the future of the world. Benson looks inward to the issues of the world and their effect on students.

“I feel like we all get in our social bubbles and worry about what’s going on, and we’re so fast-paced. We don’t just slow down and think about other people sometimes, so I hope the world becomes more accepting of other people and open-minded to other people and more aware that we’re all going through something and that we need to be supportive of one another,” Benson said.

Rismiller wishes the

world would “calm down” more and mentioned that COVID-19 taught how big, unexpected changes can come about.

Hector’s current hope for the world is an improvement of the foster care system, as Hector was a foster kid. Hector is working towards reviving WSU’s old organization for helping previous foster kids, a program that phased out when Hector was a new student.

“I just want the system to be better so they can feel safe, so they can feel like they can achieve more and have a better education. I feel Wright State did a good job at the beginning,” Hector said. “They had that program, but since that’s over, I don’t really see any support anywhere else or anybody helping out, so I hope that the world takes foster kids seriously, like everything else.”

In combination with diversity and inclusion, Enorme would like to see more cooperation on global issues. As a student journalist, Lewis recognizes this need and the need for journalism across the world.

“I think that more clarity and more transparency is

something that’s necessary for the work to be done but also for the entire community, whether it is a campus, institution or an Air Force base, whatever it is, I think that everybody should know what is going on and should be informed to stay informed citizens but also so that people know the types of things they’re supporting,” Lewis said.

This idea often bleeds into politics, which Buettner is very familiar with.

“I really hope that the partisan politics that are going on in our country right now resolve and we can better understand each other,” Buettner said.

“Don’t worry so much about what party people are but how they are as individual people.” All of the coordinating organizations wish for growth, peace and collaboration as they face change in their organizations, university and the world.