KOKOMO, Ind. — When Skylar Anthony chose to major in English, her friends and family assumed teaching was her obvious career option.
As an intern with Indiana University Kokomo’s Field: A Journal of Arts and Sciences, she’s experiencing one additional career possibility with her degree, as she leads efforts to publish the spring 2023 edition.
“It’s interesting to see that there is a lot you can do with an English major,” she said. “Editorial work is just a small portion of what you might do.”
Anthony, a senior from Kokomo, is one of six Field interns, who serve in roles including managing editor, associate and copy editor, art director, or on the art, prose, or poetry board. They advertise for students to submit their research papers, artwork, poetry, creative writing, essays, reviews, and more; then review the submissions to narrow down to what is included in the final edition, before designing and creating the journal to send to the printer.
Advisor Jim Coby, assistant professor of English, said the internship is a full academic year, starting with soliciting submissions, developing a rubric to assess them, creating a cover, and deciding typeface, collating the journal, planning events to celebrate the release, and distributing the completed publication.
“They gain a wide array of skills in this internship that will benefit them in future pursuits,” he said. “It’s not only validating to them, to see their name in print, but to be able to speak to future employers or graduate school committees and show them this piece you played a part in creating.”
Christian Lewis, an English major, said the internship provides leadership training.
“You get to work with other people who have similar interests and are critical thinkers,” he said. “You learn a lot from it. It’s exciting to engage with other students’ work.”
It’s also a chance to practice the technical writing and editing skills learned in classes.
“To apply it in a professional way, reaching out to other professionals, that’s a really good experience.”
He appreciates that the journal gives students a chance to showcase their work.
“Otherwise, you write all these things and turn them in, and it’s over,” he said. “This helps them get their work to a wider audience.”
New media, art, and technology (NMAT) major Elizabeth Byrum said it gives a sense of accomplishment to see their work in print — and is a resume builder. She’s creating the cover and will have that to include in her professional portfolio.
“I like having a tangible example of my work, that I can share with people,” she said. “It’s a great feeling.”
Anthony said having her work selected for the 2022 edition was a gratifying experience.
“It was a great feeling of accomplishment,” she said. “It’s nice to see your work in print, and for others to see it. I was able to present one of my pieces at the campus research symposium last year too. It brings about a lot of good opportunities.”
Field Volume 8 is now accepting submissions of poetry, short fiction, research, podcasts, art and design, music, video and digital work, comics, creative nonfiction, and interviews. The deadline is Friday, November 4.
Submissions may be sent to fieldpub@iu.edu. For more information go to iuk.edu/field.
Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.
