Mercyhurst University’s official student arts magazine, Lumen, is again accepting submissions of student’s creative works for its upcoming annual publication. All works may be submitted in a Word document to lumen@mercyhurst.edu. The deadline for submissions this year is Dec. 12.

The magazine will come equipped with a flash drive in order to showcase a more diverse variety of student visual art, according to Kenneth Schiff, Ph.D., advisor for the Lumen.

“We started about four or five years ago including an interactive CD which has clips from the dance department, original student music compositions, moving graphics, art work and photographs,” Schiff said. “So it’s more than just a literary magazine.”

Prizes will also be awarded for the top three submissions to Lumen with first place earning $250, second $150, and third being $100.

“Students that participate in creating poems and short stories, who do creative work, ought to have their work recognized,” Schiff said, regarding the importance of having a college creative arts magazine. “It also is part of the general cultural atmosphere of the school.”

However, “Lumen is part of a larger undertaking,” said Schiff – that undertaking being the yearly Literary Festival.

For the past 12 years the Mercyhurst English Department has put together the Literary Festival, where accomplished authors and poets are invited to campus to discuss their work and experience with students. The festival is always capped off with the official unveiling of Lumen.

This year the festival will feature award-winning fiction author Karen Joy Fowler (April 3) and prominent poet Mohja Kahf (April 10). A student play directed by Professor Brett Johnson, PhD., will also go into production as part of the festival on April 24-27.

The grand finale of the festival will be the Lumen reception on May 1, when the top prize winners will also be announced. As is tradition, the unveiling will be followed by an open microphone “to celebrate the creative works of the students,” Schiff said.

Asked what kinds of qualities the staff of Lumen look for when accepting submissions, Schiff answered simply: “Good writing.”

For more information, contact Dr. Kenneth Schiff @ kschiff@mercyhurst.edu.