About

A bit about us

Started in 2002, Avalon Literature & Arts Magazine takes its name from the legendary island of Arthurian myth. It is a place, in the words of two former editors, “to indulge your fantasies” and a place that “engages your imagination.”

The magazine began publishing as an all-volunteer student organization. It was originally created, edited, and published by Shenandoah students and for Shenandoah students under the sponsorship of the English Department and faculty advisor Dr. Jack Balcer.

Avalon continued as a volunteer project through 2012 when it went on hiatus. Dr. Sarah Canfield revived the magazine in Spring 2016 and, in Fall 2016, began offering the first credit-bearing courses for work on the magazine. Since then, Avalon has continued to provide both an imaginative space for students to express themselves and a practical environment for them to learn the management of magazine editing and publishing.

Having taken the reigns from Dr. Canfield in Spring 2023, Dr. Jon Udelson is the latest faculty advisor for the magazine. With his guidance, the publication seeks to raise its online profile and, in the near future, open submissions to students beyond Shenandoah University, hopefully (someday) turning Avalon into a national hub of student literature and arts.

The Avalon crew is reachable at avalon@su.edu. Feel free to drop us a query, or regale us with a tale.