Founded in 1933, the Ursinus Lantern is one of the longest running collegiate literary magazines in America. It has deep roots in the Ursinus community, roots that Editor-in-Chief Rach Wascoe ‘27 and Creative Writing Professor Shane Kowalski ‘11 are determined to unearth.
Rach joined the Lantern staff her junior year, while posting a submission her sophomore year. She says that she doesn’t like to confine herself to a box, opting to write through the lens of both creative non-fiction and poetry. The Lantern takes submissions from various mediums, including creative non-fiction, fiction, poetry, photography and art.
This year’s Lantern Lighting Ceremony is going to be a stepping stone for the future of the magazine. Last year’s edition will be unveiled and handed into students hands, and students who submitted will do a reading of their submission in the unveiled Lantern. The ceremony will emphasize writing and its positive effects on mental health, as the Lantern is collaborating with UCREW. It will also have mocktails, writing prompts for guests, and they will light a lantern to “get people excited and celebrate what came before us,” according to Wascoe.
When asked if submitting is daunting, Wascoe said, “When you’re a freshman it can be. Especially if you don’t know a lot about the Lantern. What we’re trying to do now is get rid of some of the stress. This is a unique opportunity. It’s a literary magazine that’s been going on for a while. Take advantage of your four years, submit.” Kowalski echoed her statement, having been a reader in his time at Ursinus, saying that the Lantern is a “vulnerable space, to send your work into a potential void. There’s a pleasure in that too. If it doesn’t give you some nerves it might not be worth it.”
Despite Ursinus being primarily known for its STEM majors, the Lantern has and continues to have strong roots in the community. Wascoe didn’t hesitate when asked about her favorite aspect of the magazine, “Talking to everybody who’s part of it. I get to spend time with those people, they really make the Lantern what it is. Although it’s a book at the end of the year, it’s the events in between that really make it fun.” As it is Kowalski’s first time working as a support chair for the Lantern, taking over for Dr. Katie Henson who is on sabbatical. He remarked that “It’s been fun watching Rach handle things for the future.”
Further changes made under Wascoe’s eye include creating a more structured system for editors of the Lantern. Aside from creating a specific description of each position, Wascoe has created new positions within the organization such as a Social Media Coordinator, an Events Coordinator, and a Firefighter, a new position which can take over other positions if those in charge are absent. She says that “Having so many roles and hands on deck has allowed us to focus on things more clearly.” Being a student-led magazine, it is important to have some structure as different students take lead roles. Kowalski says that by having this structure, the Lantern will have more stability and formality for future generations of editors. These changes will help shape the Lantern into a more coherent organization that still reflects the messages that the original founders want represented. The same Lantern, in a new light.
