In light of the spreading Delta variant of COVID-19, recognized student organizations (RSOs) currently await further notice from the University on the return of physical meetings on-campus.
Student publications at the University of Chicago are about as old as the University itself. What began with the creation of The Chicago Maroon in 1892 (the University was founded in 1890) has since ballooned into a long list of both archived and active publications on subjects ranging from music to politics to humor. Though not all great publications last—some honorable mentions from over the years include Whoopsilon (1921), a Delta Upsilon fraternity newsletter; Wild Onions (1974–75), a poetry magazine; and a collection of essays titled Man-hater (1897)—new publications are established every year and are eager for new writers and members. All history aside, whether you are looking for a creative outlet, an opportunity to write academically, or anything in between, here is a categorized list of the active student publications UChicago has to offer this fall.
Newspaper/Journalism Publications
The Chicago Maroon (what you’re reading right now!) is UChicago’s independent student-run newspaper and oldest publication. With articles published online daily and in print every Wednesday, The Maroon is the University’s one-stop shop for on-campus and local South Side news, student op-eds, long-form feature pieces, arts reviews, and sports updates. Students interested in writing for The Maroon can contribute to any one (or more!) of the newspaper’s five written sections: News, Viewpoints (opinion pieces), Sports, Arts (the best section), and Grey City (its “features” or magazine-like section). Not so keen on writing? The Maroon also has its own production, business, podcast, copyediting, photo, and video teams.
Additionally, for those interested in journalism and writing, the University Office of Career Advancement offers a special program geared toward helping students polish résumés, connect with employers in the industry, and find out in advance about internship or job opportunities in the field. In the past several years, the UChicago Careers in Journalism and Creative Writing program has hosted conversations with Michael Klingensmith, CEO and board member of the Star Tribune; journalist Sarah Koenig of Serial; author Samuel Freedman; and poet and journalist Ted Genoways. If interested, you can visit the UChicago Career Advancement website and sign up for the program’s listhost.
Creative Writing Publications
Perhaps you’re less interested in breaking news and more interested in breaking boundaries and writing creatively. Fortunately, UChicago has several publications that feature students’ creative essays, stories, poetry, and more. Founded in 2007, Sliced Bread Magazine features “a slice of the stuff of life, the crumbs of our meandering existence”—in other words, visual art, photography, poetry, short fiction, and “all other forms of two-dimensional art.” Issues are published once per quarter, while individual pieces are released regularly online. Any student at the University of Chicago is welcome to submit work with the option of remaining anonymous.
Alternatively, UChicago’s Euphony Journal is a semiannual student-run literary journal that features the poetry and prose of University students and accomplished writers alike. Formal issues are released in the winter and spring, while online content is published all year round.
Finally, Memoryhouse is a student-run literary magazine that features first-person narratives in all forms from University undergraduates, graduates, faculty, and staff. The only requirement for submissions is that they are written in first-person voice and “present a concrete narrative”; all literary genres, as well as art and photography, are welcome. Memoryhouse releases two to three issues per academic year in addition to posting regular content on its website.
Arts Publications
If The Maroon Arts section piqued your interest, you might also want to check out UChicago’s more niche art publications.
Interested in fashion? Recognized in 2013 by Teen Vogue as one of the best college fashion magazines in the country, MODA Magazine is a student-run, student-modeled, student-photographed, and student-written publication within the greater RSO MODA, which also boasts an online blog and a student-designed and -modeled fashion show. Since its recent revamp, MODA Magazine has published one 60–70 page issue each quarter featuring articles and images exploring the world of fashion in a socially conscious and deeply personal way.
More into music than fashion? Launched just this past year, Firebird Magazine is an online publication that features all things music. From interviews to must-listen lists to album reviews, Firebird is for anyone with a fiery passion for music and an eagerness to write (or podcast) about it.
Finally, if you somehow miraculously don’t wear clothes or listen to music (kidding!), you must eat in order to survive; therefore, you might be interested in Bite. Bite is a quarterly print culinary magazine and online blog that features recipes, cooking tips, food photography, local and on-campus restaurant reviews, student spotlights, and more!
Publications Uplifting Marginalized Voices
Although UChicago’s student publications are open to all students regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity, certain students’ voices, particularly those in traditionally marginalized groups, have been historically underrepresented. Exploring Race and Blacklight Magazine are two publications that aim to counter this underrepresentation by providing a media platform for the work of UChicago students who have felt their voices have been overlooked by other publications or who wish to explicitly write about race or racial issues.
Exploring Race is an online publication that features personal accounts written by students of color about their experiences as a members of marginalized groups on campus. In doing so, the publication hopes to shed light on these experiences for those who may not be aware of their existence and promote widespread dialogue about them among students of all backgrounds. While Exploring Race focuses more on firsthand stories and factual accounts, Blacklight Magazine, a literary and arts publication associated with the University’s Organization of Black Students (OBS), spotlights the work of underrepresented student writers and artists as well as other minority voices in the broader Chicago area.
Politics and Policy Publications
If you are interested in focusing solely on politics or policy, The Gate, The Chicago Journal of Foreign Policy, or the Paul Douglas Institute may be more your style.
Like The Maroon, The Gate is an undergraduate student-run news publication, albeit one that specifically covers politics and policy on the local, national, and international level. In order to encourage individuals from all corners of the political spectrum to broaden their political knowledge and debate their opinions in an informed manner, The Gate publishes nonpartisan news articles as well as student-written opinion pieces. In addition, The Gate also runs the Cook County Jail Program, which provides the opportunity for local detainees to participate in journalism and creative writing workshops run by UChicago students.
Founded in 2012, The Chicago Journal of Foreign Policy aims to provide a forum for students to explore various perspectives and strategies surrounding U.S.-international affairs by publishing articles that discuss “historical, economic, political, and cultural developments” within foreign nations. The Journal is published in print biannually, but content is uploaded regularly online.
Lastly, though less of a formal publication, the Paul Douglas Institute (PDI) is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit student-run think tank that, in addition to offering research services for outside organizations, publishes student-written policy reports. In order to write for PDI, you must apply to be a researcher in the spring or fall.
Economics and Finance Publications
The Intercollegiate Finance Journal and Promontory Investment Research are for those who find economics and finance to be more up their alley. Originally launched at Brown University in 2013, The Intercollegiate Finance Journal is now a multi-college publication run by students from Brown University; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Chicago; and the University of Pennsylvania. The publication features “fun” articles meant to educate the undergraduate community in various topics related to economics, business, politics, and finance.
Promontory Investment Research, on the other hand, has a mission “to democratize knowledge about investment research, to promote an intellectual approach for investing, and to equip [its] members with a strong analytical toolkit.” The group publishes equity reports once per quarter.
Other (Uncategorizable) Publications
Last, but certainly not least, are some of the most uniquely unique publications UChicago has to offer.
If you’re interested in Kant, Socrates, Plato, or any other famous philosophers, or perhaps you fancy yourself philosophically inclined, check out the University of Chicago Philosophy Review (UCPR), which posts biannual collections of philosophically driven essays from undergraduates around the world. In addition to student work, UCPR also publishes interviews and lectures that feature famous professors and philosophical thinkers.
Looking for something even more “classic” than the work of ancient philosophers (if that’s even possible)? Look no further than Animus, a new undergraduate journal that publishes what its members consider to be exceptional written work in the field of classics. In addition to academic papers, Animus also regularly shares translations, creative works, and visual art in its journal and on its online blog. The publication hopes to help “create a dialogue between traditional and reception-based approaches to scholarship on ancient cultures and the Classical world.”
For those with a sense of humor (or who think they have a sense of humor), UChicago’s only “intentional” humor publication, The Shady Dealer, is for you. The Dealer puts out three issues per quarter (nine each year), filled to the brim with satire and social commentary. Sometimes, The Dealer will also release special projects, perform stunts, and publish online-only content.
Finally, The Triple Helix, UChicago’s sole science-focused publication, showcases student-written articles and research reports on interdisciplinary topics in the natural, physical, and social sciences. The Triple Helix releases its journals, The Science in Society Review and Scientia, in print twice a year and its online journal, The Spectrum, once per quarter.
Interested in one or more of these publications? Be sure to visit their websites or find them on Blueprint to learn more about how you can get involved!
