Photo Credit: WNMU Editors of the WNMU student-led journal “The Maverick” are looking to publish a fourth volume this year. (L-R, Front row: Anais Orantez Middleton, Laisha Vargas Garcia, Marian Valle Angulo. Back row: Arielle Certosimo, Heather Franklin
DEMING – A new team of student editors at Western New Mexico University is preparing to publish the fourth volume of The Maverick, the university’s annual student-run journal. Published by the Mimbres Press, the journal showcases a range of creative and academic works.
Leading this year’s efforts is Editor-in-Chief Anais Middleton, an English major who has been involved with The Maverick since its second volume. She sees editing as a valuable skill and a path to a career in publishing.
Joining her are new editors Laisha Vargas Garcia and Arielle Certosimo, along with graduate assistant Marian Valle Angulo, who will handle layout and promotion. Valle Angulo emphasized that this year’s edition will be more than a compilation of student work—it will be a call to action.
“In today’s age, we are actively fighting against censorship,” said Middleton. “So we want more than ever to have students share their feelings.”
Faculty advisor Heather Frankland said the team is planning a release event in the fall, something new for The Maverick. She noted strong momentum behind the project, with efforts to establish a lasting structure for the journal.
This year, the editors are also encouraging bilingual submissions to reflect WNMU’s role as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Students interested in having their work published—whether academic papers, art, poetry, fiction, nonfiction, music, or plays—must submit by March 28. More details can be found on the WNMU website.