After a cold and gray Evanston winter, I wanted our spring magazine to embody the changing colors and fresh energy of the new season. Our fantastic staff spent six short weeks reporting on the ground, editing stories in the MFC and designing the beautiful pages you are (hopefully) about to flip through.

The Pregame section kicks off the issue with a look at some Northwestern students’ clever ways of making money on the side. We also highlight a local Evanston cat rescue shelter and undergraduate courses focusing on important current events. In Dance Floor, we reflect on the history of the storied Bobb Hall, set to undergo renovations next year. We also dive into the rules of intramural soccer that keep female players on the field. 

Our cover story is a retrospective on the history of Dillo Day, from the first countercultural festival to this year’s carnival. In the 1970s, students started the annual festival in response to tumult in international news. It’s hard not to draw parallels between this and our other Spotlight stories, which explore how the University is grappling with a similarly uncertain moment. 

This spring, $790 million dollars of federal funding to Northwestern were frozen. In Spotlight, we break down the implications of this freeze and reflect on broader conversations about higher education and academic freedom. 

I can’t thank my incredible staff enough for all of their hard work. They poured so much into these stories, going to far corners of campus and the surrounding community to bring new perspectives and ideas to the pages of our magazine. 

As we worked on this magazine, the color returned to Evanston. Like spring itself, this magazine is meant to be fun, uplifting and thoughtful. It focuses on stories of joy, resilience and action. I hope each of these pieces will feel encouraging to read, or teach you something new. Enjoy.

Sincerely, Eleanor Bergstein