On Monday, April 1, the Digressions Literary and Art Journal, sponsored by the department of writing and communication in the college of arts, humanities and social sciences, will publish the sixteenth volume of the journal.
Digressions, which according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is defined as the act or an instance of leaving the main subject in an extended written or verbal expression of thought. In terms of the journal, Digressions is seen as a way for undergraduate and graduate students to explore their creative writing skills aside from classwork.
“I think it is important that people actively utilized both hemispheres of our brain. I think so many of our students are in the physical and natural sciences, which encourages the left side of our brain. But creativity, social justice and humanities or any thought about the human condition encourage us to use the right side of our brain. I think what is nice about Digressions. It is something that students can contribute to and it doesn’t include a year-long or even semester-long commitment. It’s simply an outlet for their expression and an opportunity to be recognized for their talents,” said Molly Scanlon, co-faculty advisor for Digressions.
The publication is student-run with faculty guidance and the theme of each volume develops organically. According to Scanlon, once the reviewers have rated the material and it has met the quality threshold for the journal, managing editor Jenna Kopec, senior communication major and director Logan Stewart, senior art and design major, put the materials together and try to find the common theme already present throughout the works. These recurring ideas are shared with graphic design students who then design the cover that solidifies the nature of the theme through a contest.
“We don’t give a real theme to people when they are submitting to us. We let students submit what they want. I think what’s really special about this year’s issue is that it’s in sync with what’s happening in our society. It covers issues like gender inequity, abuse, gun violence, and even race in ways that are so honest. It’s really a result of what it means to be a young person in 2019,” said Kopec, senior communication major.
Digressions represents a diverse community of writers and student board members and reflects what the future of this magazine might look like. In Volume 16, there are 14 different majors represented across the contributors and 11 different majors represented from the reviewers of the journal, including graduate students.
“I hope the magazine continues to grow and garner excitement in our community. I always hear people describe NSU as a “science” school —and that’s great — but we also have so many talented artists and creatives. I want Digressions to continue to be a creative outlet for all of our students and an avenue to learn about each other,” said Kopec.
Digressions also provides student contributors and reviewers the opportunity to have their written works published, which may according to Scanlon, help students in their future careers and be a supplement to their resumes.
“A lot of students are interested in doing research and writing as they go through their careers and I think that this is a great experience in putting your work out there. It’s vulnerable and a little bit scary at times but when people appreciate it and see the value in it, that’s the reward,” said Scanlon.
Students interested in Digressions are welcome to attend the launch party from 4-6 p.m. which will be held in Gallery 217 on the second floor of the PVA in the UC. Students interested in learning more about Digressions are invited to visit www.nsuworks.nova.edu/digressions.
