The fountain is finally back on, and it officially feels like spring on Marshall’s campus.

With the semester and school year coming to a close, nostalgia seems to fill the air, just like pollen, bees and flower buds blowing in the wind. Many Marshall students are leaving this campus in May, but many more will fill their shoes in the fall. Throughout the year, Marshall certainly has experienced changes, and there will be many more changes this upcoming school year. We’ll have the first female student body president and vice president, who will begin their term soon enough. New dining options and restaurants will be available next semester. There is so much to look forward to and so much to reflect on. 

We’ve experienced protests, speeches, new technology, donations and history this year.

One thing is certain. No matter how much the outside world may change or get worse, Marshall has always been and always will be a remarkable place. 

But we cannot ignore what happens outside of our university. We are not immune. And that is why we do what we can for our university and this community while we are here, and we learn how to care for the outside world once we step off that stage at graduation.

Take time to reflect on all the impressive, noteworthy and superb Marshall alumni, including, especially, our athletes. Think about all the good they’ve done for the world around them and for Marshall. Realize that can and will be you, either this May, next May or any time in the future. Brad D. Smith does so much for the Lewis College of Business, and many others do what they can for their respective colleges on campus too. Someday that may also include you. 

Don’t forgot about those who have attended our university but for various reasons may not have graduated. It’s okay to know that college isn’t for everyone, just think about Billy Crystal and Randy Moss, two of many people who went here but did not actually graduate. They benefitted from their time here, just as we all do. Sometimes we’re just here for different amounts of time, and that’s okay. What matters is what we do during our time here. Whether it’s supporting causes we believe in, helping others or spreading the messages of Marshall, no one thing goes unnoticed or is unimportant. 

We are more than just a university…we are Marshall.