Keiser University’s Academic Affairs Department recently released its first virtual literary publication. To promote and document contemporary culture and art in the global community, the River of Grass magazine provides opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and alumni to share original works of poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, and visual art.

Produced in digital format under the leadership of English, Humanities, and Speech Department faculty member and UDC Cynthia Watkins, the publication is designed as a creative tool to increase student understanding of the human condition and to accentuate the importance of the arts in defining a community.

“A humanities curriculum addresses the needs of the whole student, not merely the part of the individual who will join a profession upon graduation.  Appreciation of the arts is an intended outcome of college education, so taking some time out of students’ degree experience to develop an aesthetic appreciation for visual art, photography, poetry, and prose is a curricular, rather than extracurricular, activity,”  Michael Record, Chief of Staff and Associate Chancellor of Academic Affairs explains.

With system-wide submissions and authorship reaching as far as Keiser University’s Nicaraguan campus, feedback regarding the inaugural publication was positive with audiences embracing the magazine and several readers sharing their appreciation for its works. “Our editors and contributors deserve all the credit. The editors are all experienced writers, and all have edited other publications, so the idea for the literary magazine was enthusiastically received by faculty and staff,” said Watkins while also thanking departmental leaders for their support.

To learn more about the River of Grass publication and its submission guidelines, Keiser University students, faculty, staff, and alumni should email [email protected]