“Illuminations” has been celebrating creativity with Southeast Community College for 15 years.
SCC will be publishing its 15th volume of “Illuminations” later this month or in March.
“Illuminations” will be featuring something new within their books this year, a video production. The link will be published in the book, and the video will be on the SCC YouTube Illuminations channel.
“Illuminations” has grown more and more since Kimberly Fangman and Kris Meek have collaborated over every detail to make Illuminations the perfect way to get students’ talent out there.
Kimberly Fangman was appointed by Carolee Ritter, the English chair, whom suggested that Fangman take over “Illuminations” from Teresa Beacom who was leaving that year.
Fangman had some experience in graphic design and a good amount of expertise on publication editing, so she accepted the position presented to her as chief editor of “Illuminations.”
“Illuminations” has grown 50 pages in the last five years.
“Illuminations” received 300 submissions last year, and they are expecting an even greater number this year. Illuminations will accept only 65 contributors out of the 300 which were submitted online.
“Our editorial team is comprised of arts and English instructors and (mostly) students who were previously published in the book,” Fangman says. “This year we have 11 people on the team.”
The editorial team views and reads the submissions and then votes whether to keep or remove the submission from the pool of candidates.
When the final contestants are voted on by the team members, Fangman will tally up the votes and make the final decisions based on space, similarity in content and her own evaluations of the entries.
Although Fangman usually follows her team’s recommendations, she decides whether or not a submission is accepted or not.
Whether a student, staff or faculty member submits it, he or she will all receive an e-mail from Fangman explaining that their work was accepted or non-accepted.
“Illuminations” accepts artwork of all forms, including video production, photography, collage, pencil drawings, computer produced graphic design, oil paintings, pastel work, scratch art, pottery and sculpture. This is in addition to 25 short stories and 30 poems.
“Illuminations” books and submission forms can be found in the LRC on all campuses or in Pat Underwood’s office at the Education Square campus in Lincoln.
Students may contact Kimberly Fangman at 402- 437-2844, or at kfangman@ southeast.edu.
Everyone is also welcomed to “like” Illuminations Facebook page.