Alli Taylor, Managing Editor
On September 29, 2023, Matthew Das asked me if I would consider helping start a student-run academic journal. I was immediately fascinated by the idea and agreed to help set up and run The Initiative, joining the team as managing editor. I had noticed a void in the academic experience at Regent University. Students write excellent essays for their classes, but only their professors actually read them. The Initiative was founded to encourage intellectual discourse, give students a chance to share their work, and allow students to experience the process of academic publication. For every student involved, The Initiative provides the opportunity to increase different skills in the conservative publishing tradition. I look forward to publishing future editions, getting to know ambitious students, and learning new things from their work.
I want to extend my deep gratitude and appreciation to everyone involved in publishing this first edition. For the past three months, the editorial team and I have worked incredibly hard to turn a dream into reality. I am incredibly proud of Bennett Bauer, Malena Bendik, and Michaila Shahan. They took time out of their busy schedules to ensure we hit all our deadlines. I want to thank our authors for devoting so much of their free time to fine-tuning their essays and submitting them to be included in this first issue of The Initiative. Without them, this would not have been possible. Finally, I must also extend my gratitude to the professors who recommended essays and helped our student contributors perfect their work, and especially a thank-you to Dr. John Bauer who proofread the entire issue before publication.