About Us

Portal: Where imagination meets the page.

“Words of the fragrant portals, dimly-starred/and of ourselves and our origins.”

- Wallace Stevens

 

Prime words. Compelling art. Momentous beginnings. Portal is your gateway to accomplished short fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, scripts, interviews, art and photography by Vancouver Island University students. Enter Portal‘s literary universe and discover worlds and futures ready to unfold, language and images—provocative, passionate, or playful. What makes Portal so portentous? It is “of ourselves

and our origins”—a contemporary portrait of literary talent in the making, a portable guide to the VIU from here. First published in 1991, Portal celebrates 19 years as a self–sufficient publication through the generous support of advertisers, donors, and  student fundraising. The 2011 edition of Portal will feature an interview with Canadian poet Don McKay, who was the 2010 Ralph and Betty Gustafson Chair of Poetry. He delivered two inspiring poetry readings at the University in October 2010. It will also feature the winner of our postcard prose contest. Portal 2011 is now available at the University bookstore and hopefully soon online. The magazine will also be available at the arts office reception desk on the second floor in building 340 at VIU’s Nanaimo campus, or by emailing portalmagazine@viu.ca.

Be a part of the Portal Alumni Web Archives Project.

Masthead

The Portal 2012 staff includes the following

Managing Editor – Kaitlyn Till

Acquisitions Editor – Melanie Godel

Short Fiction Editors – Jacqueline Yeo, Liz Laidlaw, Sheena Gnos

Poetry Editors – Shaleeta Harper, Renée Masur, Kristy O’Regan

Non-Fiction Editors – Jennifer Fink, Sherry Wota, Brady Tighe

Script Editors – Erica Tarasoff, Sophie Lyle

Art & Web Production – Emily Olesen, Fiona Southworth

Production Manager – Zoe Lauckner

Assistant Production Manager – Renée Masur

Marketing Manager – Tamu Miles

Publicity – Kristy O’Regan

Launch Co-ordinator – Brittany Douglas

Fundraising/Events Co-ordinator – Sophie Lyle

Designer – Sarah Sandford

Cover Photographer & Designer – Jordan Wende

Web Writer – Sheena Gnos, Emily Olesen

Sound Editor – Zoe Lauckner

Social Media & Contest Co-ordinator – Brady Tighe

Copy Editors – Liz Laidlaw, Jennifer Fink, Erica Tarasoff, Melanie Godel

Business Manager – Liz Laidlaw

Advertising Manager – Danielle Gamble

Publisher – Joy Gugeler

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Portal has long had a website; the first was designed by Cheryl Taylor over a decade ago.  Our website was updated yearly by each new class and redesigned by a work-op graphic designer, including Herman Leung, Tonia Laird, and Liliana Gaete who each contributed significant updates. The look has changed annually to reflect each year’s cover and content. The current site is a shared effort by Courtney Fantinito, Rachelle Stein-Wotten, and Joy Gugeler with the help of VIU’s Media Research Lab and faculty.