History

 Since 1957, The Reflector has published Shippensburg University’s undergraduate students’ original, creative works—fiction, poetry, and non-fiction to graphic art, photography, and more. Our organization is dedicated to supporting and encouraging the growth and preservation of Shippensburg’s literary community.

Membership is open to all undergraduate students of Shippensburg University, and members of the staff are given the opportunity to design and produce a literary magazine from step one. The process begins with advertising and soliciting for submissions and then moves on to actually designing the publication itself. Led by the Senior and Associate Editors, members can choose between the fiction, poetry, artwork, and design/production staffs. Temporary volunteers for additional projects (for example, chalk ninjas and archivalists) are always welcome.

In 2007, our staff organized a series of writing workshops, which allowed students to meet other writers on campus and share their work in a constructive, friendly environment of fellow authors. From these workshops, the new writer’s group, Cerebrate, was born—an organization on campus that works closely with The Reflector. We hope to sponsor similar writing workshops in the future. Submissions for publication range from the conventional (short fiction, creative non fiction, and poetry) to the unconventional (screenplays and comic book panels) are accepted throughout the fall semester, and final selections are made in the early Spring. We encourage all undergraduate students to submit, and multiple submissions are encouraged.

Last year, The Reflector celebrated its 50th anniversary as an independent student publication (in 1957 the student newspaper split into The Slate and The Reflector). It’s been a rich 50 years. Some of Dean Koontz’s earliest works were published in Shippensburg University’s very own literary magazine in an issue archived in the Ezra Lehman Memorial library. Traditionally, students on the staff have also have the opportunity to conduct and publish interviews with visiting writers. Previous interviews have included Allen Ginsberg, Mark Wunderlich, Sonia Sanchez, and Lydia Davis.