Nick Robie (Left) and Abby Fostveit (Right) are both Butler students and part of the creative team of The University Journal. The University Journal is a platform for students and professors to share their ideas online through short articles. Photo by Claire Runkel.
GRACE WORCESTER | STAFF REPORTER | gworcester@butler.edu
A new publication platform, The University Journal, aims to create a national space for collaboration and curiosity. Nick Robie, senior biology and Spanish double major, is the founder and editor-in-chief of the Journal. His goal is to create a thought-provoking publication where readers can have insightful take-aways from each read.
Writers and photographers of all ages and education levels can submit work to be reviewed and potentially published on the website. In addition to accepting submissions, staff journalists plan to interview and feature individuals who excel in their respective field.
The inaugural edition of the Journal is set to come out Feb. 15, 2022. The Journal will consist of personal essays, literature, art, photography, research and other works.
Robie said his inspiration for the Journal came from three professors he has had while at Butler — Brent Hege, Carmen Salsbury and William Johnston. Robie said that although the professors may not realize it, they have done a lot to shape The University Journal.
“Our goal is to have this journal be a collaborative space for growth and diverse perspectives,” Robie said. “Sharing rigorous good work from high schoolers, undergraduates, graduates and even professors creates a space where everyone’s work can be shared. The staff are firm believers in the liberal arts education approach which is why we publish works from many broad topics.”
Robie said the Journal is independently run by himself and 11 other staff members. Despite being started on campus, the Journal is not affiliated with Butler. There are currently no monetary incentives for writers, although the website states that they plan to do so in the future.
Robie said his staff consists of members who have strong reading and writing skills, experience and diverse perspectives.
Sophomore journalism major Abby Fostveit is the director of social media and outreach for the Journal. Fostveit said the staff is passionate about writers sharing their work.
“It is a very exciting thing to be a part of this journal because it is a safe space to share writers’ opinions and their work,” Fostveit said. “Engaging and having academic debate and discussion is something we are really excited to see take off in that aspect.”
Fostveit and Robie said they are hoping to reach writers through their Instagram, @theunivjournal, by posting frequently and trying to get the Journal’s name out there.
By submitting work, writers open themselves up for rebuttal and critiques. Once a piece is published, readers can comment back to writers directly in every section except for opinion. Rebuttals, however, will be considered for every section of the Journal.
If approved, comments will be posted under the original submission as a way to make the site interactive for readers.
Abby Jeffers, a senior journalism and strategic communication major at Ohio University, attended high school with Robie and helped him start the Journal.
“I am participating in this project as a staff journalist and was really interested in the collaborative aspect,” Jeffers said. “This project is not limited to Butler, as we have someone working for us from Lexington and Washington D.C, and I am working from Athens, Ohio. It is a really engaging and exciting project.”
Looking to expand, the Journal is currently accepting applications for web designers, editors and staff journalists. More information about the application process and requirements can be found here.
