Students with creative minds have the opportunity to share their work.

Having work publicly acknowledged is an important part of the learning process, and Towers literary magazine offers that chance.

Towers was formed in 1939 by students as a way to self-publish within the community of the university, according to its website.

“Towers indicates that Northern is an active arts school and has many students across the disciplines that are endeavoring to express themselves artistically and thoughtfully in different genres,” said Joseph Bonomo, English professor and Towers faculty adviser.

Students, regardless of their major, can submit short stories, drama, non-fiction pieces, poetry, photography and artwork for publication. The submissions are then given anonymously to the editorial board.

“After Christmas break, we all come together and decide which pieces we enjoy based on originality and themes,” said Carl Nadig, senior English major and vice president and co-editor in chief of Towers.

The board looks at the collective body of submissions and determines what central theme or message appears to emerge.

“We think, ‘What are we hearing from the university? What is the student body saying with their work?’” Nadig said.

Towers also gives out a $100 prize to the winner of the Editor’s Choice Award in each category. The criteria are based upon quality, originality and student interest, Nadig said.

“If any student is interested that wants to be published, don’t hesitate to submit a draft,” Nadig said. “The editorial staff will work with the writer to make the publication possible.”

Fundraising and informational events will be announced as the semester goes on.

Students can learn about submission guidelines at www.engl.niu.edu/towers and submit work to [email protected] by Nov. 30.

“I would advise students who want to be published that they should feel strongly about their work, have worked on it for a while, have conceived of it thoughtfully and maturely and feel it’s their best work,” Bonomo said.