The Wright State Guardian is the student-led media organization at Wright State University (WSU). The group has been on a steady path to improvement since October 2025, when Kylee Lairmore took charge as Editor-in-Chief (EIC) midway through the semester. Today, April 22, is Kylee’s 21st birthday, and she deserves to be celebrated by everyone who interacts with The Guardian’s content.
Backstory for readers: The G before Kylee, and how we met!
I have worked at The G for three years now, serving under four EICs, each with a unique vision for the group and an individualized style of leadership that suited the organization at the time. All of these were wonderful; however, as a leader in the organization myself, I had a front row seat to the slow breakdown in structure that once was.
Through no fault of any individual, The Guardian’s structure fell apart year by year until it reached a breaking point. When I learned that we needed a new EIC midway through the Fall 2025 semester, I immediately knew Kylee, a contributing writer at the time, would be perfect. When she applied, I was over the moon; even more so when I learned she officially got the job.
I first met Kylee in the Fall 2024 semester, when we had a class together, “Race and Gender in Romance Novels.” It was a great class, and though I barely spoke to Kylee until the end of it, I thought she had such a cool vibe. Her outfits were stylish, and whenever she shared her thoughts, I found them insightful; both of those things hold to this day.
When we started talking more, towards the end of that semester, I confirmed that we shared a sense of humor and ideologies about a lot of things. This was proven further when she started as a section editor alongside me in Spring 2025.
Kylee and I have spent an insane amount of time together between our shared classes and our time at The G, but it still is not enough. She is the first person I ever co-wrote a piece with, which was not something I thought I could ever do. Now, I feel like I could write a book series with this girl, and I hope that our friendship will last long enough to make that a possibility.
Everybody agrees: Kylee rocks!
While this piece is primarily based on my personal opinion, this organization is still a newspaper, so I decided to cite credible sources to back up my angle. To do this, I went behind Kylee’s back and created a group chat with every organization member, excluding her. This sounds mean, and it felt awful, too; however, it was definitely worthwhile, and the comments moved me.
Tabitha Gaier is a contributing writer at The G this semester.
“While I haven't known her for long, she has brought so much life and passion to The Guardian. It's been a pleasure to work alongside her and get to know such an amazing person,” Tabitha said.
Lauren Mount was an intern last semester and now contributes to The G when she is able to. She backed up my opinion about Kylee’s impeccable ability to put together a stunning outfit, as well as that Kylee improves the space.
“Working with Kylee truly enhanced my experience working with The Guardian! She’s always willing to work with her staff and has truly amazing fashion that I am always jealous of, and I wish I could have a magic thrift touch that she does,” Lauren said.
Seriously, we all want to know more about Kylee’s ability to find unique and practical pieces that go together so well. She truly has an eye for it.
Julia Kirk is the current News Editor for The Guardian, but after I graduate, she will be taking over as the Newsroom Managing Editor. This will mean working even closer with Kylee, which she seems to be looking forward to.
“Kylee has completely changed and revived The Guardian. She made a professional environment focused on real journalism, while still fostering friendships, comfortability and giving people a safe space to grow. She has been nothing but kind and understanding the whole time I've known her, and I couldn't pick anyone better to be my Editor-in-Chief,” Julia said.
In truth, I am jealous that she will get to do an entire Fall semester with Kylee as her EIC. Regardless, the two are going to make a fabulous editing pair next semester.
Sam Fletcher is a contributing writer for The G and the treasurer of The English Club, of which Kylee is also a key member. She creates graphics and logos as needed for the group, and is collaborating with them to revive Nexus, The G’s literary journal at WSU, which has been dormant for years. Sam eloquently expressed his thoughts on our media queen.
“There are special people in this world who bring out the good in those around them, who can brighten your day with little more than demeanor, but would gladly give more to help you succeed. Kylee is one of those people, and I’m very grateful to have met her,” Sam said.
No matter what language people use, this opinion is shared among the people who are impacted by Kylee’s constantly caring nature.
Zoey Blake was recently hired as the Wright Life Editor. She has been an active and positive light within The G since joining, and was recruited by Kylee and me through some classes that the three of us all shared.
“Even though I've only known her this semester, I know that Kylee is an extremely dedicated and caring person. She does her best to give everyone the best opportunities possible, all while being optimistic and outgoing. She's one of the main reasons that I've been able to find a whole new community of people dedicated to writing and exploring different perspectives. I wish her the best birthday ever! I hope she has as many happy wishes as there are stars in the sky,” Zoey said.
It seems that not just me, but everyone wants Kylee’s birthday to be just as special as she is.
Ciarah Jenkins, the Staff Videographer for The G.
“Kylee has made The Guardian so much more fun and inclusive since she's been the Editor-in-Chief. I'm glad that she was able to take charge with such grace and charisma while making everyone feel heard and seen. She's incredibly understanding and creative, and I know she'll go far in her career as a journalist and author. Happy birthday, Kylee,” Ciarah said.
Kylee’s leadership is a testament to her character, both of which deserve to be celebrated. To do so, I dedicated an entire section of the article to sharing all she has accomplished.
The accolades and leadership of Kylee Lairmore!
In her time as EIC, Kylee has accomplished more than I ever thought possible. She restarted and rebranded The Guardian’s podcast, now called “Off The Record,” (OTR) which is streamed on WWSU 106.9 on Fridays and uploaded to YouTube on Mondays. Kylee has also overseen various projects, including Flight Magazine and a “Meet The Team” page of our website.
This project was primarily undertaken by Samir Husen, the Web Designer at The Guardian.
“Kylee is someone you can always count on at The Guardian. She keeps everything running smoothly and supports everyone around her, and she is truly the backbone of The G,” Samir said. “Working with her has always been a great experience. She is supportive, easy to work with, and always ready to help whenever needed. She brings a really positive energy that makes everything feel easier.”
Hannah Edwards was hired this semester as the Wright Life Reporter. She agreed that Kylee’s friendly leadership style makes her a great person to go to with questions.
“When I first joined The Guardian, I never thought I would feel as supported as I do now; Kylee is a huge part of that. She's compassionate, dependable and charismatic, but most importantly, she's my friend, in a boss,” Hannah said.
Surya Sireesha Akula is The G’s Staff Photographer, who is also a fan of Kylee’s supportive leadership style, and provides a different angle, sharing how Kylee graciously reacted whenever Surya made missteps.
“Kylee has truly been an incredible mentor to me. As a staff photographer, I’ve learned so much under her guidance– not just about photography, but about responsibility, consistency and what it means to represent an organization with integrity. She has always been patient and supportive, giving me multiple opportunities to learn from my mistakes and grow into a better version of myself. Her belief in me, even when I was still figuring things out, has made a lasting impact, and I’m genuinely grateful for everything she’s done for me and for all of us,” Surya said.
These attributes have all led Kylee to win one of only ten Emerging Leader Awards from WSU’s Student Involvement and Leadership office.
Ashley Hainzer, the News Reporter for The G, has started a radio show, “The Guardian on Air,” since Kylee started as EIC. This is another example of one of the diverse and exciting new projects that she has overseen. The show airs on Monday nights from 5 to 6 p.m.
“She is a hardworking, caring person who has made The Guardian a great place to work,” Ashley said.
Ashley has also taken on a weekly beat of WSU crime logs, which gets a lot of interest and has provided a lot of consistency to The Guardian.
Kylee provides stability, even as she faced difficulties with previous gaps in staff or members leaving. She was able to cover those roles in the interim and fill them all within the semester.
Ella Hassman, the Digital Managing Editor for The G, started earlier this semester and shared her love for Kylee’s leadership style.
“Kylee is a light to the workspace and never hesitates to help me out despite the millions of questions I ask. Her patience is unwavering, and she is an incredible leader. She always makes sure we are appreciated for our accomplishments and holds us together when we're busy. I couldn't imagine The G without her kind, guiding hand,” Hassman said.
Kylee’s guiding hands have also worked to rebuild the training materials for The Guardian staff. This project was a long process, lasting over winter break, but it paid off this semester with clear, vast improvement in content quality.
She has also overseen the restart of social media efforts, with each member creating professional Instagram accounts to post their work. This has increased traffic to the website and The Guardian’s overall reach by a lot.
Samantha Dreier is a social media contributor and reliable presence at The G.
“Kylee is such a powerhouse of a woman. Since stepping into the role of Editor-in-Chief, she has grown so much as a leader and a person, and I am so proud to know and love her,” Samantha said.
Pride in Kylee’s personal development through her time at WSU is not unique to any one member. I have witnessed her bloom into a more confident version of herself since meeting her, and it has been such an honor to get to see this. It is clear, even to those outside of The G.
I already mentioned that I contacted all members of The Guardian, but I have yet to mention the handful of others whom I also reached out to for comment on the lovely Kylee.
Bree Montgomery is one of Kylee’s best friends, having met her in the Fall 2024 semester. The two have since spent a lot of time together, developing a close bond.
“Kylee is one of the most important people in my life! She came into my life at the perfect time and quickly became my best friend. One thing I love about her is her drive and determination. I’ve seen that grow in her over the last two years, and seeing how non-confrontational she used to be, to now being the Editor-in-Chief and running The Guardian has made me so, so, so proud,” Bree said. “It’s hard to pick one favorite memory, but we used to do dinners and watch a show every Wednesday back in the fall of 2024! This was one of my favorite traditions with her and was so special for me!”
Kylee has this impact on people, whether she means to or not.
Did you think that was it? Nope! More gushing about our EIC!
I find it unlikely that anyone aside from Kylee has read this far, simply because it has gotten so long, so the rest of this will be addressed directly to her. Still, if you are not Kylee, please keep reading! I broke the “inverted pyramid” structure, along with a lot of AP Style rules–primarily using first names for sources–for this “article,” so the best stuff is still up ahead.
Nasir Simmons is a digital intern for The G and will officially be joining the staff next semester as a part of the multimedia team. He spends a lot of time listening to you talk, since he shoots and edits OTR every week.
“Thank you for welcoming me into The Guardian family! Hope you have a great birthday and many more,” Nasir said.
The Guardian is definitely able to feel like a family, with Kylee as the cool, wise sister who leads everyone with a lot of grace and love.
Brooklyn Woods is the Sports Reporter at The G. She went on an overnight road trip with Kylee to see WSU play in March Madness, in a story detailed on OTR.
“Happy Birthday, Kylee! We appreciate you so much and all you do at The G. I can't even begin to express how much you have done for me as a writer and even just being a great friend all around! Can't imagine a world without Kylee Larimore, we love you!!” Brooklyn said.
I agree with all of that. Truly, nothing would be the same without our magical EIC.
Macie Allen is the Social Media Manager at The G and cohosts OTR with Kylee every week. She has grown very close to our EIC throughout her two semesters with our organization.
“Happy Birthday to the best boss, co-host, and friend!!! Kylee, I am forever grateful that you took a chance on me when I came to the Guardian. You believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself, and you’re constantly building me up to be the best version of myself! I’m so thankful for the opportunities you have given me and the kindness you have shown me throughout my time at The Guardian! You truly are one of the best people I know, and your friendship means the absolute world to me! I love all of our many memories together, from endless laughs filming the podcast to snowstorm chaos and everything in between! Your passion and love for the Guardian and our staff are truly admirable, and nothing I could say would ever truly be able to encapsulate the gratitude and love I have for you. I hope you have the absolute best birthday yet. I love you so very much! Love, Macie.”
The staff and Bree were not the only people I contacted, since I also took the number for Alayna Kemmeter, who is your roommate, in case you forgot. She also wrote a statement about how much she loves you.
“Kylee is the type of person that you want to always be around. I am extremely grateful that she is my best friend. Every memory I have from our read-a-thons together to setting the smoke detectors off means so much to me. I will always cherish our thrifting trips together and bringing home boatloads of clothes and decorations that we have absolutely no room for. Kylee is the most hardworking person I know. She is so determined and dedicated to her work, it’s inspiring. I couldn’t ask for a better person to be spending almost all my time with. Happy birthday, Kylee! I love you so much!” Alayna said.
These were only the people whom I could easily contact to ask about you. There are so many more who do not have Slack, or whose phone numbers I do not have, but look at how many people love you that I could contact without really trying. You are so, so loved, Kylee, and for so many great reasons.
While the fact that we will no longer see one another almost every day makes me want to cry, I cannot wait to go get margaritas together many times in the future. I am also so excited to see what more you do at The Guardian next semester, and past that.
I feel like I could write a bunch more words, but this article is already insanely long. Happy birthday to my boss and bestie! Love you lots.
