The Catalyst is an undergraduate journal from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse that features art, prose, poetry, and other kinds of  artistic works from UWL students.  Submissions are currently being accepted for the Fall issue of the magazine until Dec. 11. For those who are interested in submitting written, visual, or musical art, or those who would like to read previous issues of The Catalyst, check out The Catalyst webpage.  

According to The Catalyst website, the journal has been in publication since September 1979. The journal started as the General Honors Program Newsletter and slowly evolved to feature more artistic pieces. 

In an interview with The Racquet Press, faculty advisor William Stobb said, “It’s kind of a repository of work that students are producing in art and creative writing. And we are open to other things too, like music and other varieties of creative expression. We just don’t get as many submissions in that mode.”  

Stobb said that students who are interested in submitting work that may be considered outside of the box or different from the typical format of the magazine should contact him or The Catalyst team.  

Because of the magazine’s long history, Stobb said he enjoys looking through the names of past students and remembering their time at UWL. “I can go back to the 2013 issue and see pieces by people that I remember really fondly,” he said.  

Stobb said that preparing a piece for publication, submitting it, and being accepted to a legitimate publication like The Catalyst is a fulfilling and worthwhile process for both personal and professional reasons. “That’s something you can put on your resume. That’s something you can be proud of at a time in your life when there aren’t always that many opportunities to create accomplishments,” he said.  

Promotions editor for The Catalyst Kaitlyn Dempsey said the professional development aspect of submitting to the Catalyst is a big perk. “It’s the easiest way for a student to get published right off the bat, and it’s going to look great on a resume,” she said.  

Dempsey said she was drawn to the editor position with The Catalyst because she was excited to see the student art and literary submissions. She said that being a promotions editor has been a new and exciting challenge as well. “I really have enjoyed doing the promotion stuff and trying to brainstorm how to get the community active,” she said.  

One of the promotional ideas Dempsey said she has enjoyed most was, “Throwback Thursdays.” Each week on Thursday The Catalyst Facebook page shares a piece of writing or art originally published in an archived issue of The Catalyst.  

Promotions editor and UWL senior Blake McCoy said she also has enjoyed working on the social media presence for The Catalyst. “We’re so looking forward to building more engagement with UWL artists and with readers of The Catalyst. Our social media team is posting several times a week, so keep an eye out for us,” she said.  

McCoy said she is excited to be part of The catalyst team because it offers the chance to interact with the UWL community. She said working with campus artists is especially exciting.” I am really interested in local art and being part of the editing process at a creative magazine. I love that at The Catalyst we get to publish, preserve, and promote student art,” she said.  

“The Catalyst is the creative-outlet gem of UWL. The content is fresh and real and the artists are students. If you’re looking to become part of a creative community, The Catalyst is the perfect opportunity,” said McCoy.  

McCoy said that those students who want to submit pieces to the magazine should do so before Dec. 11. The original Nov. deadline has been extended to allow students another opportunity to submit work this semester.  

Students are also able to submit work for the Spring issue of the magazine. More information about The Catalyst, submission guidelines, and past issues of The Catalyst are available at the magazine’s website or Facebook page.