Learn more about the fall 2007 Needless cover

Learn more about the spring 2008 The Passage of Time cover

The Prairie Light Review is the Liberal Arts magazine for the College of DuPage. The magazine
has been published for over 20 years and is funded by Student Activities Fees. It is a free publication venue for their creative work in District 502. It is a partnership between Student Activities and the Liberal Arts Division.

The Prairie Light Review is a juried magazine that is produced twice a year by a class of student editors enrolled in English 2210, and it highlights creative works by students, faculty, and residents of our college district, District 502. The student editors participate in blind readings of poetry and prose, on themes/forms of many types, and blind viewings of art of many media—past magazines have published drawings, paintings, collages, sculptures, jewelry, graphic designs, etc. The editors strive to bring to the readership of the magazine engaging creative work being produced in District 502.

The magazine welcomes original fiction, poetry, drama, essays, photographs, and artwork from students, faculty, and community members of District 502 for consideration to be included in the biannual printing of the magazine.

Awards!
The Prairie Light Review entered the Spring/Summer 2001 issue
"Midsummer Muse" into the National 2001 Literary Magazine Competition
for the Community College Humanities Association and was judged one of
the top 6 in the nation (one national winner and 5 regional winners).

The Prairie Light Review won 1st Place in the central region! Editor-in-Chief Rita Puishes joined Adviser Gloria Golec to receive the award in Portland, Oregon at the association's conference, where they saw their competition. Our congratulations
to the student staff and their advisers!

The spring 2006 issue of the Prairie Light Review, "Open Minded", won 3rd place in the National 2006 Literary Magazine Competition for the Community College Humanities Association. Our congratulations to the Co-Editors-in-Chief Sarah Lensink and Ryan Brandys, Advisors Tammie Bob and Liz Whiteacre and all of the editors and artists who contributed to the magazine!

Please join us in congratulating the Prairie Light Review student editors and artists who participated in the creation of the Fall 2006 and Spring 2007 issues. These two issues, "Harvest" and "The Day Waits", have been awarded a first place by the American Scholastic Press Association!

We are proud to announce that the Prairie Light Review has been awarded a first place by the American Scholastic Press Association for its Fall 2007 and Spring 2008 issues. We congratulate everyone who contributed to "Needless" and "Passage of Time," making these such excellent issues.

The American Scholastic Press Association’s national magazine competition rates college literary magazines based on such variables as content, organization, design, presentation, and creativity. College of DuPage’s Prairie Light Review was in competition with community colleges across the nation with an enrollment of 2,501 or more and ranked with six colleges in first place. We would like to thank all of the contributors to the magazine. Without your support, the Prairie Light Review would not be among the best literary arts magazines in the country.

Announcements
Your submissions may be picked up during The Prairie Light Review's Publication Parties, Wednesdays between noon and 2:00 p.m. when English 2210 meets during fall or spring terms in SRC 1558, or you may contact the editors to arrange a time to pick up your work. The staff will store your work for a year before recycling it.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a pick-up appointment, feel free to email us at Prairie Light Review or call our office at (630) 942-2733.

Publication Party
You are invited to The Prairie Light Review's Publication Party to celebrate the Fall 2009 issue on Wednesday, December 9, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., SRC 1750. Published writers and artists will be invited to share and discuss their works, and an open mic will follow.

Submission Guidelines

Submitting is easy!

OPTION 1
• Download a Letter of Authenticity (submission form)
• Before filling out the Letter of Authenticity, check the submission guidelines for each
  specific category.
• The Letter of Authenticity must be fully completed and signed, and must accompany all submissions.
• All submissions will be reviewed anonymously. Please put your name on the back of each submission. Submissions
with names on the front will not be judged.
• Work may be submitted via mail at: Prairie Light Review, 425 Fawell Blvd., SRC 1558, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137 or slipped through the Prairie Light Review mail slot at room SRC 1558.

Need Acrobat Reader?

OPTION 2
• New! Now you can submit your entry online (no Letter of Authenticity required). Simply complete the on-line submission form and e-mail your submissions to plrsub@cod.edu

• Due to editing difficulties we do not accept posthumous submissions.
• A SASE (Stamped Self-addressed Envelope) is encouraged if submitted work is to be returned
  by mail. However, arrangements can be made to pick up work in the SRC 1558 after publication.
• All unclaimed material becomes the property of the Prairie Light Review one year
after publication, and after that date work will be recycled.
• All submissions will be reviewed anonymously. Please put your name on the back of each submission.
  Submissions with names on the front will not be judged.
• • Individuals may submit no more than four pieces per issue.
• The deadline for the fall issue is September 16, 2009.

Note: The magazine takes great care in receiving and holding submissions, but it cannot be responsible for lost or damaged items. Additionally, the Prairie Light Review editors and staff retain the right to display work in a manner consistent with spatial and stylistic content of the magazine.

Art Guidelines
• No framed work accepted.
• All subjects will be considered.
• The Prairie Light Review accepts drawings, etchings, charcoal drawings, painting, graphics, mural, collage, sculpture, pottery, cartoons, and is open to new media that can be photographed or scanned.
• Art may be considered for the cover.
• Any art which does not lay flat* may be photographed and submitted with the medium clearly
stated on the letter of authenticity.
• Please submit your work digitally (on a labeled floppy disk or CD) or in a labeled envelope/portfolio, so your work will be protected while it is stored in SRC 1558.
• If you have questions about how to submit your artwork digitally, please contact the editors at plre@cod.edu or
(630) 942-2733.

*This includes oversize art and 3D work, including original sculpture and pottery.

Poetry and Prose Guidelines
• All subjects will be considered.
• The Prairie Light Review accepts fiction, poetry, drama, and essays.
• All submissions must be typed and should not exceed 5,000 words in length.
• Double space fiction, drama, and essay submissions.
• PLEASE USE ONLY STANDARD FONTS such as Courier or Times New Roman. The decorative
fonts may look attractive, but are difficult to read.
• We also encourage digital submissions (on a labeled floppy disk, CD, or via email—see guidelines above).
• If you have questions about how to submit your artwork digitally, please contact the editors at plre@cod.edu or
(630) 942-2733.

Photography
• No framed work or slides accepted.
• All subjects will be considered.
• Prints up to 11 x 14, matted or unmatted, with the mat size not to exceed 16 x 20.
• Prints may be considered for the cover.
• Photos may be cropped, reduced, or enlarged for publication.
• Color and black and white photos will be considered.
• Please submit your work digitally (on a labeled floppy disk or CD) or in a labeled envelope/portfolio, so your work will be protected while it is stored in SRC 1558.
• If you have questions about how to submit your artwork digitally, please contact the editors at plre@cod.edu or
(630) 942-2733.

Foreign Language
We began, with the Spring/Summer 2001 issue of the Prairie Light Review, to contemplate the
addition of foreign language poetry where English translations would appear beside poems
in authors' native languages. Although grammar and punctuation of foreign work will not be judged,
the Prairie Light Review editors and staff do review English translations for content and, at their discretion,
may verify content of submitted work with foreign language authorities.

In addition to the standard submission guidelines (as listed above) specific requirements for foreign works include:

• Only one foreign language poem may be submitted by an author per issue.
• Language of the poem must be indicated.
• Poetry requiring characters not usual to standard computer fonts must be submitted in clean, unblemished condition (no creases please) in case photo reproduction is necessary.
• A full and accurate English translation must accompany all poems written in an author's native language. Poems submitted without an accompanying English translation will not be considered.

.

How can you join the staff of the Prairie Light Review?
You can join the staff of this award-wining magazine by enrolling in C.O.D.’s English 2210 course fall or spring term. The class is one credit hour and meets on Wednesday afternoons from 12:00-1:50 p.m. No previous experience with publishing is required.

English 2210 is a unique course, because it serves as both a course on literary magazine publishing and as home to the COD organization and school literary magazine, The Prairie Light Review. By enrolling in this class, you become an editor of the magazine, which is an exciting and rewarding experience as the staff works together as a team to produce the next issue of The Prairie Light Review. This is not a traditional English course in which you will be producing formal written assignments that will be evaluated individually; instead, your grade in the course will be largely based on participation and preparation for class. As a member of the staff, you will experience many different publication techniques, including tracking submissions, content selection, layout decisions, copy editing, distribution, office management, marketing, fundraising, and coordinating special events like open mics.

To learn more, you can contact the advisor or current editorial team. To sign up for the course, you can visit the C.O.D. class schedule.

.

Adviser
Jackie McGrath, Ph.D.
Berg Instructional Center (IC), Room 3098
(630) 942-2709
E-mail Adviser

Editor
Kimberly Steele
Student Resource Center (SRC), Room 1558
(630) 942-2733
E-mail Editor