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Home Arts & Culture 51st Edition of “Potpourri” Features Student Art and Literature

by Abigail Wisniewski

 

Concordia’s chapter of Sigma Tau Delta will release the 51st edition of “Potpourri,” its creative writing journal featuring works of poetry, fiction and art by Concordia students and faculty, in late April.

“I think on its own terms it’s worth reading, but also as…part of the Concordia community. It’s put out by students here and worth reading for that reason,” Sigma Tau adviser Gabriel Haley said.

Over sixty submissions were sent in by students and faculty to be reviewed by Sigma Tau members and Haley.

Sigma Tau is a chapter of the international English honor society Sigma Tau Delta. It is made up of students who meet the requirements of at least a 3.0 GPA and three semesters of college coursework, including a minimum of two English classes beyond Experiences in Writing and Introduction to Literature. Sigma Tau has 10 members who read through submissions and selected pieces for publication in “Potpourri.”

“Narrowing down submissions is hard,” said sophomore Karle Embretson, a Sigma Tau member.  “It’s great to realize the amount of talent walking around campus.”

In addition to selecting the pieces that will be published, Sigma Tau members also produce “Potpourri” by editing and designing the journal before sending it off to be printed.

Three of the poems selected for “Potpourri” were written by senior Laura Wiederrich. Her poems covered diverse content matter including dementia, libraries and the influence of literature.

“Having never been published before, I am super excited,” Wiederrich said in an email interview. “It’s both thrilling and nerve-wracking that others are going to be reading my work, but in the end I’m so happy for this opportunity and honor.”

Each year, a guest reader selects a few of the submissions that stood out to them and occasionally writes a review of why they chose those pieces. This year, professor James Bockelman is serving as the guest reader and will choose his favorites of the submissions Sigma Tau selected for “Potpourri.”

“It’s an opportunity to hear some of the issues and ideas and things that Concordia students are interested in,” Bockelman said. “You might go to Janzow and talk over a conversation at lunch or dinner, and you’re going to hear a certain kind of story and a certain way of telling it. A poem has a way of condensing; it has a way of making those ideas succinct.”

The cover of the 50th edition of “Potpourri” was printed in full color, which Haley hopes to do again with this edition in order to attract interest and enhance the popularity of the journal.

“I want it to be an item that people like to have, a physical object that is aesthetically pleasing as an object and also contains a lot of great literature,” Haley said.

This year’s cover art was submitted by freshman Anika Borger. Borger submitted her work after being encouraged by friends to share her talents.

Wiederrich submitted her poems after taking Haley’s poetry class during the fall semester and then deciding to at least attempt being published.

“My biggest hope is that my pieces will make readers think about things in a different way than maybe they have before,” Wiederrich said. “I think the greatest success for a writer is to have their work, whether in whole or in part, stick in someone’s mind, so I hope that my work affects someone else the way other writers have affected me.”

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