Lori E. Varlotta, PhD. President | California Lutheran University
Lori E. Varlotta, PhD. President | California Lutheran University
Cal Lutheran senior Jazzy Colbert beautifully expressed the pain of feeling unnoticed in the poem “Lost, I Linger” featured in the 2023 edition of Morning Glory: “It hurts to be haunted when no one can notice.”
Jacqueline Lyons, Cal Lutheran professor of English and creative writing, emphasized the importance of recognition for artists, stating, “All artists, no matter the medium, want people to notice their work, especially when they are sharing their very souls in meticulously crafted words, sounds and visuals.”
Lyons, as the faculty adviser for Morning Glory, works with students to provide them with a platform to showcase their creative work. She highlighted the significance of being published in a literary journal for students, stating, “For students especially, the affirmation and recognition from being published in a literary journal is so meaningful.”
The success of Morning Glory was recognized when the 2023 issue received the rank of “Superior” in the Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines program from the National Council of Teachers of English. Lyons commended the student editors for their vision and energy in creating the themed issue “Renaissance.”
Reflecting on her own journey as a writer, Lyons shared her love for language and poetry, mentioning her experience of having her work published in her undergraduate years. She highlighted the importance of finding her voice through daily journals kept during her time in the Peace Corps in Lesotho.
Lyons, who is also the founder and director of Cal Lutheran’s Guest Writers Series and founding faculty adviser of the Write Club, expressed her deep connection to words in her essay “Down Into Open,” stating, “A sentence makes a shelter with its seven parts: interjection, pronoun, adverb, verb, adjective, noun, preposition.”
As a mentor to creative writing students and a prolific writer herself, Lyons continues to inspire and nurture a love for language and writing within the Cal Lutheran community.
For those interested in exploring Morning Glory or contributing to future issues, they can visit CalLutheran.edu/morningglory.
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