Photos by Ali Meizels ‘23. Left: Danyah Shaikh ‘25 reads a poem about her senior skip day in high school, published in the Mount Holyoke Review’s latest edition. Right: Morgan Sammut ‘22 performs their newly published writing, an interactive prose piece in the format of a personality quiz, with audience participation.
By Sammi Craig ’23
Staff Writer
On April 25, students gathered in the New York room of Mary Lyon Hall to celebrate the third publication of the Mount Holyoke Review, the College’s student-run literary magazine. Hard copies of the Review were distributed for personal ownership and for attendees to follow along with while contributors read poems, short stories and other written works aloud.
The Review is an organization whose “mission is to provide a platform for Mount Holyoke College’s diverse voices through creative writing in the form of an annually printed quality literary magazine that will be compiled by the org,” according to their website. The organization works on each publication throughout the year before hosting an end-of-year launch party celebration.
The event started with introductions from the Review’s editors-in-chief, Kylie Gellatly FP ’23 and Ella White ’22, before the floor opened for writers to perform their work aloud. From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., contributors to the publication were called up by name to present their work, while attendees followed along with their hard copies of the Review. Following the readings, some guests socialized while members of the Review congratulated one another.
““It was really special for all the members of the org, especially for the seniors who have been with it from the start.””
“I loved it. I’ve been a reader of the Review for two years now, so seeing it be published in a physical book was really satisfying. It was really special for all the members of the org, especially for the seniors who have been with it from the start,” Sage Sanderspree ’24, an audience member, said.
The Review was founded at the beginning of the spring of 2020, with their first publication cycle interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. After publishing two online-only editions throughout the 2020-2021 school year, this was the first in-person publication launch party. Excited to finally convene in person for an end-of-year event, several presenters thanked the founders of the organization and the publication’s contributors.
A virtual copy of the first two issues of the Mount Holyoke Review can be found on the organization’s website under the Issues section, with the new third publication scheduled to upload shortly.