35 A Reflection

By: Sarah Vandermolen Editor-in-Chief A Reflection

Piecing together this issue has been one of the best things that I’ve been able to do during my time on the Encounter. I’ve never been a history lover, but I never knew it could be this fun.

The idea for this issue came to me last semester. As I was cleaning up some of the old issues of the Encounter, I began flipping through them and comparing the articles and designs to what we were doing. It was then that I came across a piece that would serve as inspiration for this entire issue.

In the “Centennial Edition” of the Encounter, published in December 2019, then Editor-in-Chief, Katie Wozniak, wrote a piece titled “Exploring the USF Archives.” The article consisted of snapshots and documents that showcased the history of the University of St. Francis (USF).

Immediately, I imagined doing a spread like this in one of our upcoming publications. However, after taking some time to think, I thought about how much more beneficial it would be to dedicate an entire issue to the idea.

From there, the ball just started rolling. I talked to my Assistant Editor, Jessica Scroppo, and our club advisor, Dr. Scott Marshall, and they both loved the idea. We knew it would take more work than a regular issue, but we didn’t care. The outcome of this potential issue was too exciting to pass up.

Jessica and I began looking through past issues that we had access to in the Encounter office. We were amazed to find pieces dating back to the 1990s. Being able to see the development of the university in print was astounding. From co-ed dorms to the smoking ban on campus, we were able to see the university transforming into what we know it as today.

Some other pieces that astounded us were a dedication to Vietnam Veterans and the edition of the Encounter that was published a couple days after 911. To be able to see what mattered to the Encounter staff and the student body at the time of each publication was such a fulfilling experience. I instantly thought about what students in the future would think if they decided to look back at our issues.

Although the 90s may seem dated, we decided we had to dig deeper. We headed to the LaVerne & Dorothy Brown Library on campus to look through the USF Archives. Jessica and I spent hours sifting through issue after issue. It was like looking through our own little Smithsonian. All of the pieces were so old, and if you looked at them the wrong way they would rip. Inside the old copies of the Interlude from the 50s and 60s, we found such beautiful artwork and poetry. The “Yearbook Editions” were filled with images of the all-female student body, each portrait more stunning than the next. It was so fascinating to hold this piece of history in our hands and imagine the Interlude staff doing what we do.

When the Interlude transitioned into the Encounter in 1969, a lot changed. A magazine became a classic newspaper, poetry became hard hitting news and artwork became comics.

It was interesting to see the transformation happen right before our eyes. My Assistant Editor, Jessica Scroppo, describes how she felt about the transition, stating:

"When looking at the Interlude, I felt that the material inside was extremely heartfelt. As the Layout Designer and Assistant Editor, I was able to appreciate the work and effort they put into each page. Compared to now, graphics and illustrations had to be hand-drawn, cut and pasted. Stories had to be researched in a book. It was so interesting to see how the writings and graphics developed with the times."

We gathered the pieces that we felt would be the best fit for this issue and went to work. We put in three times the amount of effort, spent twice as much time designing as we normally would and delivered one hell of an issue.

Overall, I’m extremely pleased with how this issue turned out, and I feel that it pays a well deserved homage to past Encounters and Interludes. I really do hope that one day, whether it be ten years from now or thirty, another Editorin-Chief has the same idea to take a walk down memory lane. They’ll include pieces that they believe are relevant and important, and maybe they’ll be similar to ours. Maybe they won’t. Either way, we’ll be able to see just how much we have changed and just how much more room we have to grow.