Editor’s Note: The Inaugural Digital Issue

One of the perks of working at a university is the feeling of renewal and reinvention that comes with the start of every new school year. Through the articles we write and the people that we interview, our communications staff learns something new almost every day. And in some cases, what we learn isn’t so much new in and of itself, but rather a new way of looking at something familiar.

For this issue of the magazine, we explore this sense of looking back and turning a critical eye on our own perception of history and current events, to see from a new perspective and perhaps bring to light new truths. Doing so seems especially meaningful in this mid-term election year where many life-altering policies and laws seem to be at stake. Our hope is that whichever way history turns, we’ll have learned something new about ourselves and each other and will learn to think critically about what is important to us and how we move forward.

Behind the scenes, the magazine staff experienced our own turning point as we re-examined how we’ve been telling stories these past few years and the new opportunities now available. While it was purely coincidence that a printer error with our last issue revealed the fallacy of relying heavily on hard-copy distribution methods, it also reassured us that our decision to explore the possibilities of a digital-only issue were the right way to go.

With this digital issue, we are able to reach any alumna/us, faculty member, student, or parent with access to the internet. For us, it’s more than finding new ways to talk about Wesleyan and our ever-expanding global community, it’s ensuring that everyone in our community has access to the magazine. By adding one digital-only issue alongside two print issues a year, we hope it will be one more way for us all to connect across the miles, across the globe. 

So whether this is your first time receiving an issue of Wesleyan magazine or your fiftieth, whether you are reading this from your desktop on campus or on your phone in Finland, we are excited to offer you the same in-depth storytelling you rely on in a more accessible multimedia format. And while we may never be able to completely encapsulate the Wesleyan spirit in words, with this digital issue we can at least bring you a little closer to the sights and sounds of Wes, to the people and voices that open our minds, expand our perspectives, and remind us to think a little differently.

Have a question or story idea? Email us at magazine@wesleyan.edu.