Literary magazine Echoes reflects a diverse student voice

Echoes, Barnard’s literary magazine, was founded in Fall 2006 with the goal of encouraging fresh student literary and artistic talent. The magazine now occupies a vital place on campus as a forum for new voices and a multiplicity of talents.
As a college that prides itself on the strength of its literary and creative writing programs, it is perhaps surprising that Barnard did not have a general literary magazine before Echoes’ arrival.

Though Echoes fulfilled a need for self-expression on Barnard’s campus, the magazine began with minimal funding, hand-stapled editions, and a small staff. Within two years, however, it has become well-established on campus as an evocative, thoughtful publication.

According to the magazine’s founder, Alexandra Loizzo, BC ’09, Echoes seeks to inspire creativity through theoretical inclusivity. “As a Barnard publication, many of the works are written in a female voice, but expressing femininity is not the sole object of Echoes,” said Loizzo.

Loizzo explained that the publication accepts a range of works, from “high-school poetry to very polished pieces, clearly written for a college-level creative writing class.”
Leslie Ribovich, BC ’11, the magazine’s publicity director, added that because the magazine accepts “all types of writing, ... it creates a space for voices on campus.”

Indeed, while it is Barnard-based, Echoes encourages submissions from both sides of Broadway. And because of popular demand and some exceptional submissions, the magazine may begin accepting works from beyond Morningside’s campus.

According to Echoes’ editors, the results of this inclusivity have been fruitful. Echoes has an exceptionally high submission rate compared to other on-campus magazines. It also publishes a diverse group of submissions, ranging from photographs of tribal women in the Serengeti to poignant poetry about self-identity and comical short stories about high school nights at the beach.

In addition to publishing the magazine, the Echoes staff seeks to foster a literary community. “A voice for writers can be shown in a variety of ways,” Loizzo said. To this end, she and her fellow editors have organized social events on campus with the Barnard Bulletin, as well as a literary careers panel with Barnard graduates in the publishing field.

Each year, the group also hosts a student-alumnae reading. This year, the event featured Mary-Beth Keane, BC ’99, who read from her forthcoming novel titled The Walking People and gave students the chance to learn more about the experience of working as a writer.

As a publication that seeks to encourage creative thought on campus, Echoes hopes to remain both an outlet for expression and an entertaining read. With each upcoming issue, Echoes will expose a greater and greater number of new voices. The next issue of Echoes will be published during reading week.