Dear Readers,

I have always enjoyed watching the sunrise and sunset. Some of my favorite memories include driving out to the beach at the break of dawn to see the first sunrise of the year, or sitting in the back of my dad’s bright yellow pickup truck to watch the last sunset on New Year’s Eve. But these fleeting moments where the sky lights up in an array of pink, purple and orange, took on a new meaning for me this past year, as my life, and many others, halted to a sudden standstill.

Just last summer, as COVID-19 cases began to spread rapidly across the globe, and the heartbreaking news of protests, riots, brush fires and more took over our lives, I remember feeling like the world was spinning out of control. And there was nothing I could do about it. 

The one constant and uplifting part of my day became watching the sunrise from my bedroom window almost every morning. Regardless of how dark and uncertain the world felt at times, the sun rose again every single day. Even when thousands of people became sick each day, health care workers did their best to find a cure, and we found ways to help prevent the spread. Even when we became separated from our loved ones, we found a way to stay connected. And even after some of our darkest days, the sun still rose again.

I wanted to step into my new role as managing editor of the Marquette Journal with something new, exciting and hopeful. While the pandemic is far from over, we have just begun to see a light at the end of the tunnel again, and I wanted to capture little glimpses of hope as Milwaukee and Marquette slowly transition back to normalcy this summer.

DAY is the first issue of our Marquette Zines, a smaller, online version of our student-run print magazines, which are typically published once a semester. In this issue, we have included stories about cultural festivals returning to the city, what it’s like to be a working college student and a sneak peek at summer training for Marquette athletes. Being fully digital, we were also able to experiment with design and multimedia, incorporating new graphics and a Spotify playlist to our Zine.

Whether you are starting your day off with a cup of coffee, getting ready for a day out with friends or maybe heading to the gym just like some of our student athletes, I hope this Zines is able to add just a little more light to your day.

Sincerely,

Skyler Chun

Managing Editor of the Marquette Journal