Ivory Tower

• The IT!Crowd Zine

  Ivory Tower 2009 is still available on campus (in the Lind Hall entryway) and on these pages (see navigation bar to the left). Unlike the Ivory Tower, which strives to promote University of Minnesota undergraduate art and creative writing (and does not publish staff submissions), the IT!Crowd zine was made for the heck of it (and does feature Ivory Tower staff art, poetry, and prose). The IT!Crowd is strictly an online creature and shy around ash borers. Enjoy.

  June 8th, 2009

• End:Beginning::Antlers:Deer

  Dearest Dearies,

  What a truly wonderful year. I can't help but sniffle a bit when I think that it is over for the 2009 staff. For the new staff coming in, welcome--you will have the time of your life. For all of you writers who were published, this is beginning of your long climb toward [sic] egotisticality. For those of you who submitted, but were not included in our print issue, I want to thank you for your submissions also. I have to say that the work we received this year was a really tough batch to decipher. There were a number of great submissions, and a few of us took to pouting when our favorites were not selected. Verdict: keep writing, keep submitting, don't stop--your words are inspiring. We really look forward to seeing your names again next year.

  As for you crazies out there, those of you who put some of that sweet greenback dollar bill lovin' into our Not-for-Profit account, I send a resounding THANK YOU! Because of people like you, who care about the future of our undergraduate literary community, more emerging writers will have a chance to get their foot in the door. What's more, students like me will get to experience and learn crucial skills that will really help them be active members of the professional community--this means even more than just the lit community, but a wider community that needs entry level employees who know how to fundraise, write letters, work in a team environment, and meet goals.
  This whole Ivory Tower thing is for you, too.

  I must also say that I have made many friends and enjoyed every minute of this process, even on those late nights scrambling to get designs in order, or pieces edited. We had a really good run, and I think that much is due to our fearless advisor, Terri Sutton. You will be missed. Thank you for being awesome.

  Finally, I want to send a shout to significant others, family, friends, readers, supporters, and even those few who felt compelled to start competing literary magazines. We could not have done this without you. Thank you.

  I am going to miss all of the warm and frustrating moments we had.

  Until next time, Ivory Tower, stay free and super-interesting to read and don't forget to wear your jacket on those rainy days and brush your teeth and don't let anyone tell you they don't think you're pretty and stay in school.

  Nostalgicallly,

  Dixon Bordiano
  Co-Editor in Chief

  P.S. Good luck Shantha!

  May 13th, 2009

• Ivory Tower on Radio K

  Ivory Tower managing editor Derek Swart and nonfiction/special content editor Jenna Beyer were guests of Radio K's Minnesota Notebook on May 10. Beyer and Swart talk about the process of selecting work from the 800 submissions of 2008-09 and about the year-long class which produces Ivory Tower, ENGL3711/3713. (Their segment begins about 33:41 into the show.)

  May 13th, 2009

• Launch Party

  Hey guys! To celebrate the release of this year's Ivory Tower, we're throwing a party!

  Saturday, May 9th
  7:00 pm, program begins at 7:30
  Mississippi Room, Coffman Memorial Union

  Come enjoy some food and Lucy Michelle will be playing! Hope to see you there!

  April 30th, 2009

• On The Edge

  It’s April now, and we’ve somehow finished most of what we set out to do as a literary magazine. We have edited the pants off of the rough copy of the Ivory Tower (multiple times) and given it a kiss and sent it off to the printer in Wisconsin. It looks great, and we now have to wait a few weeks to receive the copies we’ll distribute on campus. So we study literary magazines while we wait. It has been interesting to observe how literary magazines have changed (or in some cases, stayed the same) through the years, and how they can be barometers for the times during which they were published.

  We’re also working on planning our launch party. We’ve found a location in Coffman and are looking into finding some delicious food and décor for our shindig. Lucy Michelle (from Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapels) will be playing, and we’re excited to have her. It’s going to be an awesome event, and we’re hoping lots of people will show up for it! Hope to see YOU there!

  Kate Carpenter
  Poetry Editor

  April 7th, 2009