PRISM says farewell after 25 years

photo by Jason Cortez

Reading his poem “Harvest,” Kent H. Badger participates in the 25th anniversary party for PRISM magazine. Badger, a professor of health services management at the University of La Verne, is no stranger to PRISM. Many of his poems are found in past editions.

by Bailey Porter
Managing Editor

It was a bittersweet 25th anniversary for one of the University’s two literary magazines as PRISM held a poetry reading and celebration May 4 in the President’s Dining Room.

The magazine’s adviser Janice Johnson and many staff members, including editor Toni Rodriguez, who are leaving the magazine this semester.

“It’s sad,” Rodriguez said. “I’m going to miss being able to create something so many people contribute to.”

Rodriguez, who has held the editorial position for three years and has been contributing for four, graduates in May and plans to become a high school English teacher.

Co-editor Dan Tucciarone is also graduating this spring and found working on PRISM as a chance to see how people apply what they learn on a platform that allows students to attempt to express themselves and learn their craft.

Johnson, associate professor of ESL, is leaving the magazine after five years and the school after 11 years.

She has accepted a position as the director of the English language school at Concordia University in Irvine.

Introducing the evening, Johnson paid tribute to her mentor and friend, Carol Fetty with a poem titled “Indomitable Majesty.” Fetty headed PRISM and contributed to the publication for more than 20 years and turned it over to Johnson when illness took her away from her work at ULV where she was an English instructor.

“She devoted her life to language. She played with language and taught it and was a writer in her own regard,” Johnson said.

The 25th edition features new poetry, prose, drawings and photography from students, faculty and alumni as well as staff favorites from previous editions.

“It gives people an idea of how PRISM has progressed over 25 years,” Johnson said.

Contributing writers and artists are invited to the annual event to share their work in front of an audience.

The PDR is transformed into a venue for the arts as each year’s theme is expressed in the decorations that fill the room. This year, board member Michael Ramsey’s cover art was the inspiration for a jungle setting complete with columns of ivy reaching down from the ceiling and soft pink flowers as centerpieces.

Ramsey, a sophomore computer science major, has been drawing his whole life, he said, and was flattered that his art was chosen for the cover.

Each year the staff collects submissions from October to early March and meets as a group to critique the work based on a number scale.

Submissions are kept anonymous during the reading, Johnson said.

Jennifer Wray, senior English major, said she looks for submissions that reflect a sense of purpose from the writer.

“When people have a strong voice that comes through,” she said.

Johnson said the board also considers choosing a fair representation of the varying subject matter that is submitted.

She said that the board never decides on a theme beforehand but allows the work to dictate the direction that each issue takes.

Those present at the reading seemed to agree with the board’s decisions on what pieces to publish this year.

“It’s very powerful and moving,” said senior liberal studies major Angela Torres. “And I don’t know if that’s enough to capture it.”
Torres attended the event to fulfill a class requirement and was familiar with the magazine from reading copies displayed in Miller Hall. She said hearing the poetry out loud made an even greater impact and she is considering submitting in the future.

“To hear it is, Wow! It adds so much and brings it to life,” she said.

For Brian Armstrong, leadership development and transition program director at the University, this was his first time contributing to the magazine with a poem titled “Poetry Genesis.”

“I have gone through a lot of growth this past year and I decided to go public with my poetry and share it with the La Verne community,” he said.

Armstrong has been writing poetry for 15 years and usually draws from five categories for his work: love, lost love, darkness or his “venting,” nature and life, he said.

“I’m honored and glad to be included,” he said.

With only one board member who is not graduating or leaving the school, PRISM will not continue in the future in its current format. However, “It has been a wonderful adventure,” Johnson said, “And part of the history of ULV.”

“It’s not like it could be a continuation of this staff, but it has been 25 years and it’s not like it belongs to me,” she said. “Even though the format keeps changing, the need for an outlet for students and staff to create should always exist.

“It would be nice for the tradition and history of the University to continue to be PRISM, but that will be up to those who come afterwards.”

Tucciarone encouraged contributors to take part in whatever “incarnation” the magazine takes in the future. He said that if another group were to take over, it would be the death of one and the chance for PRISM to continue on and become something new.

“It will be a great college memory,” said Shannon Nicholas, a senior English major who has been a board member and contributor for four years.

“A prism reflects; it takes on many forms from many angles and that’s what PRISM does,” Johnson said. “It represents the many facets of how we can view creativity.”