Run entirely by a team of undergraduate students, “Shards of Light” is JBU’s literature and creative art journal created to showcase poetry, prose and visual art by students, alumni, and current and former faculty and staff. The journal is both a platform for artistic expression and a community-wide celebration of creativity.
Founded in 2018 by Claire Carriere ’19, Alena (Logan) Ducett ’18, Sam Cross-Meredith ’18 and Austin Ellis ’18, the journal emerged from a desire to create something lasting and meaningful. “We ended up choosing the name ‘Shards of Light’ to really embody the beauty that can come in the midst of brokenness, especially with art that doesn’t shy away from hard things but attempts to shine light in it,” Carriere said.
Since publishing its inaugural issue, “Shards of Light” has grown in both ambition and reach. Staff released its ninth edition in the spring, marking the first time two volumes were published in a single academic year.
More than an extracurricular, the literary magazine is also part of the English department’s Publishing Practicum course. Students enrolled in the course earn academic credit while taking on real publishing roles, from submission review to design and promotion and launch events. With each issue, students collaborate and develop practical publishing experiences to bring the journal to life.
“‘Shards of Light’ gives students the experience of working on a team and publishing a magazine: publicity, call for submissions, selection, editing, layout, design, etc.,” said Jake Stratman, Ph.D., professor of English and dean of the College of Bible, Humanities and Arts. “My job as faculty supervisor is simply to help guide and support the editors as they guide and support the staff. What you see is completely student-led and student-produced.”
Editor-in-Chief Ellie Nelson, who helped lead both editions this year, says that while each editor brings a unique vision, the journal’s core mission remains the same.
“Our main objective is to craft a body of work that best represents artistic intentionality, originality, creative risk and understanding of the craft,” Nelson said. “‘Shards of Light’ exists to showcase the best work of our community and create harmony between written and visual pieces through layout and aesthetics.”
That harmony is made visible through the journal’s design, led by senior Graphic Designer Ellie Irving.
“Designing for ‘Shards of Light’ has given me the opportunity to be expressive and exploratory,” Irving said. “It’s rewarding to create something that honors student creatives and makes them proud to see their work in print.”
Irving has also helped rebrand the journal with updated posters and stickers to boost campus visibility.
“We’ve built separate committees for prose, poetry and visual art,” she added. “It’s inspiring to watch these teams come together to curate exceptional work.”
“Shards of Light” recently expanded its reach to include submissions from students at other Arkansas colleges, connecting JBU students with a broader creative community. Whether in poetry, prose or visual art, each volume reflects what’s possible when students come together to elevate one another’s work, creating something beautiful in the process.
“‘Shards of Light’ was — and still is — such a gift,” Carriere said. “It’s become something far more beautiful and self-sustaining than any of us ever could have imagined. We’re really proud of the students and the way they continue to innovate.”
To purchase or read Shards of Light,
visit jbu.edu/majors/english/shards-of-light.
