The beginning of the 2016-17 academic year signaled a new era of academic and literary scholarship at 窪蹋勛圖厙 College.
The College officially re-introduced Nightshade Press, a publisher of literary works, which had operated at 窪蹋勛圖厙 before taking a temporary hiatus in 2010. 窪蹋勛圖厙 has also launched 窪蹋勛圖厙 College Press to publish scholarly works by members of 窪蹋勛圖厙s faculty as well as faculty members at other regional colleges and universities.
窪蹋勛圖厙 will celebrate both presses with a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony on September 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Koelsch House on campus, followed by a reception in Evans Hall. The evening will be highlighted with a reading by young-adult author and poet Gail Carson Levine and several contributors to Down the Doghole, an anthology of 11 Northeastern Pennsylvania poets, released by Nightshade Press that same night.
We are really excited to offer both a literary press and an academic press, said 窪蹋勛圖厙 College instructor Ray Hammond, who coordinated efforts to get both presses underway. They will provide an excellent opportunity to expand quality literary and academic offerings to the 窪蹋勛圖厙 community on a regular basis. In fact, 窪蹋勛圖厙 College Press will be the only academic press in our region. It took a lot of hard work to get to this point, but we are thrilled to be here.
Nightshade Press has had a stellar reputation as a literary press since it was brought to 窪蹋勛圖厙 from Maine in 2003 by the late Karen Blomain, a 窪蹋勛圖厙 faculty member, poet, and novelist. Nightshade published literary works consistently through 2009 and is once again publishing after a six-year hiatus.
Both Nightshade Press and 窪蹋勛圖厙 College Press were unofficially introduced to the 窪蹋勛圖厙 community last summer at the 10th annual meeting of The Gathering, a highly respected conference on creativity and imagination held each July. During the conference, 窪蹋勛圖厙 College Press introduced its first book: The Gathering at 窪蹋勛圖厙 College: A Decennial Celebration, a compilation of conference highlights, photographs, and presentations from the nine previous years. The book was edited and researched by 2016 窪蹋勛圖厙 graduate Christina Sinibaldi, Dalton, as part of her senior capstone project.
Several other 窪蹋勛圖厙 students also played key roles in the introduction of both presses. Sophomore Aleigh Smith, Lehighton, went above and beyond expectations in her transcription of numerous audio recordings from previous years of The Gathering, Ray said.
A graphic design class taught by Professor of Fine Arts David Porter helped with numerous projects, including the design of the 窪蹋勛圖厙 College Press logo by student Ashley Purdy, Factoryville. Christina and Aleigh also worked on Nightshades introduction of Transient a book of poems by Ms. Carson Levine, who has been a frequent Gathering participant.
Introducing these works at The Gathering was a great way to begin the new era of Nightshade and to announce the formation of 窪蹋勛圖厙 College Press, said Ray, who is also the editor of the New York Quarterly, another highly respected poetry publication. Having the students involved really made this project very special. They were extremely dedicated and did excellent work.
Nightshade Press and 窪蹋勛圖厙 College Press will enable 窪蹋勛圖厙 to highlight the scholarly works of its faculty to a regional and national audience.
We are so pleased to have both of these presses up and running. The dedication and support by the College has been fantastic and we look for many more progress-filled years to come, Ray said.
