University of St. Thomas students have a new avenue on which to express their creativity. Echoing the style of The New Yorker, Thoroughfare, a student feature magazine published by the English Department, aims to offer readers a little bit of everything. The publication made its debut on May 1.

Thoroughfare comprises primarily feature articles about students, alumni, faculty, travel, academic programs, UST’s outreach to the community and beyond. The magazine is also interspersed with student reflections and free verse poetry.

A nod to the University’s location in the heart of the city on a main thoroughfare, and to the publication’s mission, Editor-In-Chief Andrew Baron, a Master of Liberal Arts student, explained the publication’s title in its first editorial. The magazine continues the street theme and takes the reader on a tour of sections entitled, Faith Crossing, Link Lane, HOV, Off the Beaten Path and Sidewalk Views.

“Thoroughfare was chosen as the magazine’s title for its obvious relevance to the journal’s neighborhood motif. But more importantly, the title works as a pun that reinforces our initial panoramic vision: to offer ‘fare,” which is ‘thorough.’ As a result, the content of Thoroughfare spans the gamut of departmental, academic and public interests – approached with comprehensive research and absolute sincerity,” Baron wrote. “The ultimate aim of the publication is to feature topics that compliment the University’s diverse student body as well as its most cherished principles.”

The magazine, which is published once a semester, was first conceptualized in the fall of 2007 by English Professor Janet Lowery. Visiting Assistant Professor Dr. B. Lee Ligon serves as faculty advisor, and the editorial board consists entirely of UST students: Baron, Michele Murphey Coffield, Kate Janse van Rensburg and Lisa Llano. In addition to the editorial board, the magazine’s content was contributed by Jimmy Nguyen, Joseph Colvin, Johnny Huynh, Audrey Orda, Thomas Mendez, Mollie Baron and Leslie Roberts.

“We have a literary magazine, and we have a student newspaper,” Lowery said. “We didn’t have a feature magazine, and I thought this would fill a gap.”

Thoroughfare was in part intended to be a writing vehicle for students in the new English writing concentration, an option within the English major. The writing concentration involves choosing 15 hours from classes such as creative writing, professional writing, technical writing and advanced composition in addition to several hours of classes traditionally required of English majors. Students who have taken the professional and technical writing courses are candidates for serving on the editorial board.
Students from any department on campus can contribute articles to Thoroughfare.

“We wanted this magazine to provide a venue for publishing students’ writing on matters of interest to them, including their involvement in events and organizations on campus, their concerns with social and ethical matters, and personal reflections,” Ligon explained.

Lowery and Ligon said the first issue was received well with a lot of campus interest, and a successful distribution among faculty, staff and students. Remaining copies are available for free in the English Department in Malloy Hall.

“The first issue turned out really well,” Lowery said. “The students are creative and talented, and I learned something new from every story, whether it was about the surrounding community or a program here on campus.”

Ligon echoed Lowery’s comments and added that the students had done a beautiful job of designing and formatting the magazine, incorporating skills they learned in the two writing classes.