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Dear Readers,
I would like to take a moment to thank you for taking the time to read *The Stanford Review *and for giving its content your consideration. To say that *The Review *is unanimously appreciated on this campus would be a gross misrepresentation of reality.
The truth is that in many cases, covering an issue with more depth and challenging common wisdom wins one few fans. But when it does, that is the ultimate victory, for those fans are of the utmost quality. They are unafraid to think, consider, reason, and engage—even when they disagree. They enter discourse poised to present one perspective and ready to listen to others. Those are the readers we seek to win as fans.
This publication’s staff strives to present images of this campus that are simultaneously thoughtful and underrepresented. We work to do more than deliver a simple report of what occurs on campus. You will receive coverage of campus events with related questions that often go unasked and with takes that often would be avoided otherwise.
Whether it is on in the print edition, web edition, or on our blog Fiat Lux, the stories and commentary that we present are meant to spark and sustain discourse. That is how thought dynamism survives at Stanford—when those who agree, disagree, and are forming opinions come together to challenge one another. Opinions that are never challenged and defended have far less value than those which we struggle to form. It is when we struggle with our opinions we truly own them.
Admittedly, not every story we cover will be of paramount importance and I would be shocked if any truly rocked the world. But on this campus, this publication can have significant impact. Naturally, at Stanford, some stories will be smaller and some will be larger. But sometimes, the actual significance is derived more from the exploration of their underlying principles and meaning. All of a sudden, those seemingly small stories seem more indicative of larger forces at work.
In this issue of *The Review, *you will have a window through which to explore some of those larger forces at work. You will find that Stanford’s institutional emphasis on developing our generation’s leadership is one common thread. That thread appears in discussions of Dormlink, ROTC, Teach for America, and the DREAM Act. Stanford’s endowment and how the University fosters a culture of giving to sustain it is also covered in two pieces. Overall, this issue will deliver content that explores larger overarching forces and how they impact our development and experiences as Stanford students and independent individuals. I hope you find that these pieces are not only relevant to you, but that they also offer an entry for discussion of a variety of topics—both those directly and indirectly related.
Again, I appreciate your consideration and I look forward to having you contribute to discourse on campus as well. I invite you to share your comments and feedback on our website, blog, and by email. Visit www.stanfordreview.org for content and contact information.
