“You should care,” senior Kelsey Hatley said enthusiastically. “CAMAS is a representation of Linfield and its creativity.”
Having worked as a staff editor for three years, and now holding the responsibilities of editor-in-chief, Hatley has seen the talent and work that goes into the annual student-run journal.
“Physically holding it in your hand after all that work is pretty awesome,” Hatley said.
CAMAS wants you to feel the same enthusiasm.
“CAMAS is a unique opportunity for many students,” sophomore editor Marit Berning said in an email. “It provides a platform for which aspiring writers, poets, artists and photographers can showcase their work.”
CAMAS hand-picks submitted poetry, prose, fiction and non-fiction, drama, graphic novels, art, photography and comics.
“We try to pick submissions that best reflect the talent at this school,” Hatley said.
Despite being well publicized through the English Department, CAMAS finds its biggest challenge attracting students that aren’t particularly involved in the department.
“The hardest thing is getting people to actually submit,” Hatley said. “I wish we could get out there more, but there’s only so much we can get across in emails.”
Just last year, CAMAS launched a website, www.linfield.edu/camas.html, to feature current work, in hopes of inspiring curiosity about the literary journal.
“Getting one’s piece into the final product is an achievement,” Berning said. “Personally, I feel like there is a lack of emphasis placed on what it means to have your work featured.”
CAMAS emphasizes that entering a piece of work doesn’t just give you the chance to show off your creative abilities, but it also is an accomplishment to be proud of.
“As far as resumes are concerned, CAMAS counts as having published work, and the end result is always a really beautifully presented anthology,” Berning said.
The staff of CAMAS works year round, putting submissions under a thorough screening and editing process in order to ensure the quality of the publication.
During the spring, the literary magazine class, taught by Professor Lex Runciman, designs the layout collaboratively.
“I really like watching it come together,” Hatley said.
CAMAS has extended its deadline to Nov. 16, and encourages students to submit their work to camas@linfield.edu. Students can submit an unlimited amount of pieces.
The next CAMAS will come out spring 2013. Students can find last year’s copies in the Writing Center in T.J. Day 321.
Chrissy Shane can be reached at linfieldreviewfeatures@gmail.com
Chrissy Shane/Features editor
From left; Senior Associate Editor Brittany Drost, senior Julia Cooper, sophomore Ian Franceschi, senior Editor-in-chief Kelsey Hatley, junior Kristi Castanera and sophomore Brittany Hamling.
