Launch of White Wall Review Issues 52 and 53

On Tuesday, November 12, 2024, Burdock Music Hall was filled with energy and excitement as students and community members gathered to celebrate the launch of Issues 52 and 53 of White Wall Review (external link) , the Department of English’s flagship creative writing journal. The event featured inspiring readings by seven student authors—Suad Alad, Marc Blanchard, Tara Costello, Lauren DiBenedetto, Liam McAvoy, Molly Samuel, and Caitie Zhang—highlighting their talents in prose, poetry, and creative non-fiction. For many, this event was the culmination of work that began in creative writing courses, serving as a rewarding celebration of creativity and achievement.

White Wall Review, founded in 1976, has grown into a nationally recognized, student-led literary journal sold in bookstores across Canada, with generous support from Penguin Random House, the Faculty of Arts, and the Department of English. Under the leadership of Faculty Editor Dr. Lauren Kirshner since 2017, the journal has provided over 150 students with hands-on experience in publishing, editing, marketing, and design. Issue 52 was edited by Alex MacIsaac, while Issue 53 was brought to life by Erica Armata, with editorial contributions from Zoe Gavin, Logan Donoghue, Sophie Charalambous, Matthew Hanick, Julia McGoldrick, Faye Hamidavi, Alicia Beggs-Holder, Melina Milkis, Jobanpreet Sihota, Trevor Wilkes, and Gurjot Suri. This year also marks the beginning of a leadership transition as Dr. Sarah Henstra steps into the Faculty Editor role, ensuring the journal continues to showcase the exceptional work of the Department of English’s writing community.