Transylvania University’s historic literary and arts magazine has launched a mini publication to spotlight short-form student work and expand its campus visibility.
The Transylvanian, founded in 1891 and recognized as the first literary arts magazine west of the Allegheny Mountains, has long served as a student-run showcase for creativity. Earlier this school year, it launched the biweekly Bat Bites zine to complement the traditional publication.
The glossy annual issue can feel intimidating to some students, so senior editor-in-chief Skye Struwig came up with a less formal outlet for their short poems, photography, handicrafts and other bite-sized works. “It’s like an aperitif or an amuse-bouche to our larger print piece,” said the psychology major and creative writing minor. Bat Bites helps keep The Transylvanian in students’ awareness throughout the yearly publication cycle.
First-year English major Annie Kunkel, who serves as Bat Bites lead, has enthusiastically supported the project — managing submissions, printing off the eight-page copies, folding them and more.
The response has been strong. Issues disappear quickly from distribution spots, and students display them on dorm walls, Kunkel noted. On the other end, they’ve caught the attention of campus creatives. “We’ve got a lot of submissions and it’s really exciting.” The team has tabled at campus events such as a zine fest and Makers Market, along with other outreach.
If they wish, students can submit under a pen name or anonymously, which allows for more vulnerable work without fear of judgment.
The zine also includes community notices, a QR code linking to submission forms and a back page highlighting the school’s history.
Both staffers stressed the entirely student-led nature of the project. The editorial team handles design, production and distribution independently of faculty.
The fourth Bat Bites issue is scheduled for release Jan. 21. Meanwhile, submissions are open for the Transylvanian, rebranded to reflect its inclusion of visual art alongside writing. “It’s really just an outlet for students to put their voice out there in any way that they would like,” Kunkel said.
The Transylvanian Literary & Arts Magazine typically launches during May term.
Struwig sees it as an important part of the school’s identity. “It allows students to leave a mark from their time here.” Archived issues in the library preserve campus thought and creativity across generations. (Check out some of the past issues.)
Additionally, working on The Transylvanian is a good way for staffers to get valuable experience for graduate school and their careers. For instance, it rounds out Struwig’s many campus literary activities and achievements including helping found the Transy Writers Circle, twice winning the Delcamp Creative Writing Award for fiction and serving as a course-embedded consultant for the Writing Center.
To showcase their own literary talents, students are encouraged to submit works for Bat Bites here and The Transylvanian here.
Contributions for Bat Bites are accepted in several categories, including flash fiction, poetry, recommendations and reviews, photos of art and handicrafts, and community advertisements. The Transylvanian also takes prose, poetry and visual art along with crafts, music and videos.
Now 135 years old, the publication lives on while evolving in innovative ways.
“I feel that it’s a record of campus creativity,” Struwig said.
