This article was originally written for the sixth issue in the Advent 2025 semester of The Sewanee Purple and has been reproduced digitally.
Cate Traywick
Arts & Entertainment Editor
After a hundred years on the Mountain, The Mountain Goat Journal is moving into a new era, which highlights creativity and student voice. The Mountain Goat Journal (TMGJ) is Sewanee’s oldest student-run literary journal, and this semester the organization has worked to create opportunities for writers, readers, and creatives across campus.
“The Sewanee community really is rooted in creative writing,” Marin Poleshek, editor-in-chief of TMGJ told The Purple, “Beyond the journal we have The Sewanee Review, the School of Letters, and the Sewanee Writing Conference…I want the Journal to help inform undergraduate students about the diversity of opportunities there are for Sewanee writers.”
Over the course of the semester TMGJ has hosted three open mic style readings that invite both Journal-published and newcomers to perform their original work. These readings offer students a space where their work can be freely shared, a niche that hasn’t been filled by another organization, and offer participants a chance to submit their writing if they haven’t already.
Founded in 1925, The Mountain Goat Journal is celebrating its hundredth year on campus. “”Over the century, the content of our publications has also changed a lot.” Poleshek continued, “Earlier versions of the Journal served as a cross between student newspaper and writing magazine, including lots of satirical pieces about campus culture and even some of national events. Today, the Journal leans heavily onto creative writers, as we have sort of naturally transitioned away from satire and toward poetry, prose, and translations.” The Journal now contains a selection of work that best represents the work done by students on Sewanee’s campus, “we exist to highlight student creativity, and that can look very different depending on the culture and focus of the college.” Marin finished.
On Thursday, December 4, The Mountain Goat Journal hosted Editors of The Sewanee Review, Luke Gair, Kate Bailey and Brighid Griffin on a panel discussing the publishing industry, MFA programs, the editing process, and more. Led and moderated by Marin Poleshek, the event was well attended by creatives across campus and provided valuable insight into what it takes to have a career in publishing, editing, or creative writing.
With its hundredth year underway, The Mountain Goat Journal continues to uplift student voice and exist as a unique organization within Sewanee’s creative community. Submissions for the Spring issue are now open, check out themountaingoatjournal.org to read past issues and even submit!