Warrior Pride

In this issue of Wayne State magazine, we highlight how the university is advancing health and well-being in Detroit and beyond. Guided by our mission and rooted in community, we’re reimagining what public health means — delivering services where they’re needed most, training future professionals to lead with purpose, and embedding ourselves in neighborhoods to deliver life-saving care. Across disciplines and in partnership with local organizations, we’re building a health ecosystem that serves our community, improves lives, and provides a model for advancing wellness across our nation and around the world.

This takes all of us — students and faculty, as well as partners in Michigan’s health systems and members of our local community — working together, sharing knowledge and building solutions that meet the needs of our city, our region and our state. If you’re interested in partnering with Wayne State to make a difference, connect with us at open.wayne.edu.

Learning by doing

“It was a great education, but it was just education,” Craig said. “It was just, ‘This looks good on paper.’ But when you go into the world, the first thing people ask is, ‘What experience have you had?’ And I came up extremely short.”

Now a student in Wayne State’s speech-language pathology program, Craig is getting that experience through the program’s student-run clinics. She isn’t alone. From speech therapy and diabetes care to legal aid and support for unhoused patients, the clinics provide real services to real people while offering hands-on career preparation. Under close faculty supervision, students deliver care, solve problems and make decisions they simply wouldn’t face in a classroom.

“These clinics give our students more than hands-on training — they give them purpose. Here, they develop the skills, empathy and adaptability that today’s health care workforce demands,” said Wayne State Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Laurie M. Lauzon Clabo. “They also meet a critical need for accessible care across Michigan. As part of our College to Career initiative, it’s a powerful model of learning that benefits our students and the communities they will one day lead.”

Qurgen’s breakthrough world-first transcription factor protein drug uses a proprietary protein delivery system to reprogram diseased cells into healthy tissue, targeting tumors without the toxicity of chemotherapy or radiation. The innovation has generated buzz for its clinical promise and earned international recognition: In 2025, Qurgen was named one of the world’s top 10 innovative biotech startups by Med Health Review.

“We invented a brand-new cancer therapy,” said Dr. JianJun Wang, co-founder and professor of biochemistry at Wayne State’s School of Medicine. “We call it a cell-converting cancer therapy instead of a cell-killing therapy.”

“Adding women’s soccer is a significant step forward for our department and our university,” said Erika Wallace, WSU director of athletics. “It allows us to serve a new group of Warriors and continue our mission of developing champions in the classroom, in competition and in the community.”

The new program will build on the core values that have long defined Warrior Athletics: academic achievement, community engagement and competitive grit. From initiatives like W Week community service to the continued success of student-athletes in the classroom, Wayne State remains focused on preparing well-rounded leaders and elevating the student experience.

Women’s soccer isn’t just an expansion — it’s the next chapter in a proud tradition of progress, perseverance and purpose.