Hold on to your horses, there is a brand new publication coming to Drew University. The Drew Environmental Action League is launching their very first student publication, the DEAL Magazine.
This magazine will feature a collection of environmental news reports, opinion focused writing, a story submission section, a photography section and a highlight of local initiatives that focus on nature.
Unlike the other publications on campus such as The Acorn, which serves as the student newspaper, and Insanity’s Horse, which is a reviewed collection of literature and art, this magazine will be a different type of outlet for artists and writers alike. Kayla Kiernan (‘28), the creator of the magazine and a vice president of DEAL, wants to foster a different kind of community on campus for nature lovers who also happen to write. Kiernan stated that “I think that nature is something that deserves more attention and love, so the concept of a nature based magazine seemed very cool to me.”
A strong point for this new niche would be the story submissions section. Similarly to Insanity’s Horse, students will have the opportunity to submit their written works for a chance to share their stories with the community as a whole. There are no limits to genre for this magazine, Sci-Fi, non-fiction or fantasy are all welcomed, as long as there is a strong theme of nature.
Kiernan is looking forward to seeing the array of stories sent in. “People can also submit stories of any genre- fiction, science fiction, fantasy etc-on nature related concepts … I started this magazine because I wanted to give more opportunities to creatives on campus to have a platform where they can gain more experience and see their work be published.”
The main goal of the magazine is to open up more opportunities for students, and Kiernan is focused on making it happen. “I think this is a great way to explore creatively, and since this is in a magazine format, it can be formatted in many fun and non-restrictive ways.”
DEAL as a club is focused on taking action that will benefit the environment directly or indirectly, and this magazine will be a wonderful edition to the work they do to keep nature relevant in the daily life of students on campus.
“I hope the magazine will put a spotlight on nature, and I hope that the audience it does reach will really have that love of both nature and writing. I also hope it will inspire some to start taking an interest in nature, and even an interest in writing,” said Kiernan.
DEAL is looking for writers, artists, photographers and anyone else interested in the magazine to help get it up and running, so if you or anyone you know is interested, find the QR code posted around campus or email Kayla Kiernan kkiernan1@drew.edu to get involved.
Allison Cannon is a sophomore who is majoring in psychology and double minoring in Spanish and law, justice and society.
