BY OLIVIA MURRELL – STAFF WRITER
Being published in Centre’s literary magazine, Vantage Point, can be a transformative experience. “I like to write as a way of processing and coping with things. Having work published gives me the opportunity to extend to an audience who I hope can have a similar helpful and gratifying experience reading my work, as I do creating it,” first-year writer Annemieke Buis said.
Vantage Point is edited, written, and illustrated completely by students, and is released once each semester, with occasional CentreTerm issues that feature faculty- and staff-written pieces and illustrations. This year, the Spring Term issue will feature some faculty- and staff-written and illustrated pieces in lieu of a Centre Term issue.
Vantage Point accepts poetry, fictional short stories, or creative non-fiction pieces from students. This term, Vantage Point will also be accepting faculty and staff pieces from these same categories. Once the submission deadline has passed, the team of student editors and a team of general readers then select the pieces that will be featured in the magazine from the pool of submissions. Student illustrators and the Art Editor then illustrate each piece, as well as the covers. Vantage Point has a release party each semester to celebrate the launch of the semester’s edition.
Emily Innes, a senior and the Editor-In-Chief of Vantage Point, talks about her experience and how she became involved. “I originally joined Vantage Point as a general reader because I really liked how the organization was completely student-run. Students are in charge of putting the magazine together and are also the primary contributors to the content of the magazine. The more I became involved in Vantage Point, the more I appreciated its role in the campus community and decided I wanted to become a staff member and eventually an editor.”
If you want to get involved in Vantage Point, there are many ways to do so. With the Spring edition coming up quickly, you can submit a piece of writing to vantage.point@centre.edu by March 25. You can submit as many pieces as you wish, though it is usually recommended that you only send your strongest works. If you are interested in illustrating, send an email declaring your interest by March 25. Innes and the rest of the editing team are always impressed by the quality of the work received. “As Editor-in-Chief, I’m always amazed at the submissions we receive from students. The talent they display is truly remarkable, and I love seeing the wide variety of creativity we have on campus,” Innes said.
If the editing side interests you, contact Vantage Point and you can become a general reader. The position of a general reader does not require a large time commitment; you will read all of the submissions and help to choose which ones are accepted. General readers tend to become editors as editors shift around and graduate. If any of these opportunities interest you or if you have any questions, send an email to Vantage Point.
Keep your eye out for Cowan banners alerting you to the deadlines, as well as the release party later in April! There are usually Burke’s doughnuts, and students read their pieces that have been published.
Vantage Point can be a wonderful outlet and means of putting your voice out to the campus community and connecting with others in a meaningful way. As Innes said, “Vantage Point is an opportunity for students across academic disciplines to express themselves through writing and/or art, and I believe this is extremely valuable on Centre’s campus.”