Poetry, prose and awards punctuated the afternoon in CSC Comanche Thursday afternoon as staff and contributors put an exclamation point on the latest issue of Voices with a release party.

Voices is the university’s literature and art magazine, and the release party drew dozens of people. Students filled most of the chairs and stood around the room to listen as writers, artists and editors shared pieces from the publication.

Grace Ainsworth, art junior and one of six Voices editors, said it was encouraging to see the turnout for the release party.

“I think it’s really fun and kind of crazy to see. I really liked seeing that the room was almost full, or overfilling,” Ainsworth said.

This year’s cover featured a drawing Ainsworth did of geese.

English professor and Voices advisor John Schulze said Ainsworth created the cover image before the university euthanized the majority of the Sikes Lake geese, but that the publication does sometimes touch on current issues and events.

“This one is a little bit different because of the goose, for sure. We don’t try to be activists in that kind of sense. We like to talk about bigger issues. Campus issues are important, clearly, and what happened to the geese is awful, but we weren’t trying to stir the pot or anything,” Schulze said.

Voices editors said it is important for the publication to provide a platform for students and others who are concerned with the state of politics or the world.

“I think it’s important because people need that outlet, especially with so many laws being passed nowadays, we need something to express ourselves. So I think it’s really good to have a way that people can do that and be recognized for it,” said English junior and Voices editor Michaela Aleman.

Fellow editor and English senior Jean Marburg echoed Aleman’s sentiment.

“I think that it is a very good idea, because again, with different laws being passed, I think having a specific outlet, especially a creative one, that brings forth different perspectives is always beneficial,” Marburg said.

That outlet will be open to even more people next year, as the next issue will be open to submissions from anyone in the U.S. instead of only college students in Texas and Oklahoma.

Art junior Grace Ainsworth talks about the process in creating the Voices cover art “Birdwatching,” Sep.14. (Samantha Difiore)

English sophomore Gray Holman reads a work from the latest edition of Voices, Sep. 14. Holman was one of the six editors of Voices. (Samantha Difiore)

Students show support to their collegues by attending the Voices release party, Sep. 14. (Samantha Difiore)

Associate professor of English and Voices advisor John Schulze presents The Bryan L. Lawrence Creative Writing Award to English senior Jean Marburg for her poem “Please Tell Me Your Opinion of My Personal Bodily Autonomy, I’m Very Interested,” Sep. 14. (Samantha Difiore)