Welcome to LunchBox Mag, the new female-founded Magazine on Skidmore’s campus.
After a long two years of COVID-19 on campus, Zia Foxhall ‘25, Helen Branch ‘24, and Stella Engel-Werman ‘24 have stepped up to create a new art outlet for the Skidmore community. Their first meeting was held on Thursday, February 24th at 7 p.m. If you missed it, here's the rundown of who and what Lunchbox magazine is.
Stella Engel-Werman on Left, Helen Branch, and Zia Foxhall on right
Who are they?
This magazine is run and founded by Foxhall, Branch, and Engel-Werman. Foxhall is the editor of literary submissions; Engel-Werman is the editor of art submissions; Branch is the head of creative layout and social media.
When asked what kind of mediums they use as a creative outlet, Foxhall stated, “I do creative writing and am excited to meet other writers, to see their work, and to collaborate to make Lunchbox Mag.” Branch, an art history major, is a lover of art, and humorously commented, “I’ve tried a lot of different types of art, and was mediocre at most of them.” Branch says that she gets excited when “thinking about the way that writing pieces and art connect with each other and can exist in conversation especially when those pieces are created by different people and how those things contrast and coexist.” Engel-Werman is a sophomore transfer student and when asked about her creative mediums she stated, “I’ve been privileged to be able to take classes in a lot of different mediums of art, and I also love to read and I enjoy writing when I'm prompted to, like creative writing assignments or essays–class obviously can be grueling at times–but I often feel proud of what I create, so I'm hoping that participating in Lunchbox will also fuel my own writing.”
What was their inspiration?
Foxhall, Engle-Werman, and Branch all feel that Skidmore is missing a publication that gives a platform for self-expression, creativity, and art. There have been magazine publications at Skidmore in the past, but not since the COVID-19 pandemic began. They are diving headfirst into the publication world, as all three of them know little about how to run and publish a magazine. But, they believe that creating this platform will be a valuable experience and provide students with the opportunity to gain experience in creating an artistic publication.
Why the name Lunchbox?
“Lunchbox was essentially a spitball name,” they all said, they thought it fit well with the mission of the magazine. A platform for intimate and important conversations (ones that you may have sitting at Dhall), that connect to deeper issues that are reflected on campus. “The conversations you have at lunch at Dhall— that’s Lunchbox,” Engle-Werman laughed while trying to explain the name. Ultimately, Lunchbox is a platform for all kinds of artistic talent, and these women want to reflect and show off the immense talent and intellect of the Skidmore student body.
What will be in the Magazine?
Lunchbox Mag will contain creative writing, prose, fashion, drawings, and more. This club recognizes Skidmore's diverse body and thought, and wants a platform to admire the talent of students on campus. When speaking with Foxhall, Branch, and Engel-Werman, they emphasized that they want “anything and everything.” Whether it’s an old poem you wrote, a small doodle in your notebook, a hat you’ve crocheted, they want it all. Lunchbox is an art, culture, and literary magazine. They want to overlay and combine people's visual art with written works such as prose, poems, and personal essays. Foxhall, Branch, and Engel-Werman strive for Lunchbox magazine to be professional and meaningful, setting high expectations not only for themselves but for those contributing to the magazine.
The Mission
Foxhall, Engle-Werman, and Branch want to have an inclusive space for artists and creatives to share what they have been working on and what they are proud of-—and lift the voices and works of marginalized groups, and start conversations that are not typically held in public settings. They remarked on how many profound and important conversations they have had amongst their friends. However, these conversations have consistently remained small, and they want to make Lunchbox Mag a platform and a space to discuss important topics such as race, gender, and the injustices students may face today.
How will it work?
In their interview with Skidmore News, Foxhall, Branch, and Engel-Werman explained their process of how pieces are chosen and the path to publication. First off, they accept as many submissions as they can, (their emails are listed at the end of this article) and then hold workshops during club meetings. All submissions remain anonymous during workshops to allow privacy and to prevent biases. Foxhall, the editor of literary submissions, will work with club members as a team on editing their pieces. Foxhall remarks on how she wants the workshopping to feel collaborative and group-oriented – whether it’s to fix some grammar or to add some inspiration. This process applies to art submissions as well, run by Engel Werman. Lunchbox magazine will be themed differently every semester, and the theme for the spring is “Nostalgia.” Their goal is to do one print edition every semester as well as digital going into next year: four editions per academic year, and two editions a semester.
Important Club Info!
Meeting are in Ladd 206 at 7:00 PM on Thursdays
Writing submissions are open until April 8th, you can submit by emailing zfoxhall@skidmore.edu
Art submissions are open until April 15th, you can submit by emailing sengelwerman@skidmore.edu
After April 15th will be time to workshop!
May 6th is the (tentative) release date.
Stella Engel-Werman on Left, Helen Branch, and Zia Foxhall on right