Give us a Round of Applause: A Letter/Plea from the Editors

Hello wonderful Macalester English and Creative Writing (ENCW) community, and welcome to a new and exciting year of The Words!

We are Peyton Williamson ’27 (she/her) and Paul Wallace ’27 (he/him), and we are your 2026-2027 Senior Newsletter Editors! Joining us as Associate Editors are Sarah Tachau ’27 (she/her) and Laurence Jacobian ’28 (she/her). We look forward to covering all things English and Creative Writing, from events like coffee houses and literary salons to news from alums, professors, and current students.

Normally, each monthly issue also includes a list of “Accolades” or awards received and feats accomplished by members of the ENCW community. However, since everyone is too busy this fall writing the Next Great American Novel, we have decided to list our own (not independently verified) accolades.

Peyton completed both a half marathon and a triathlon this month, both on very little sleep (read: 25 minutes) through complete fault of her own. Maybe one day she’ll sign up for a race and actually show up prepared, but today is not that day.

Paul signed up for his very own CVS CareCard, establishing a strong, enduring, and not-at-all-relucant relationship with his local Consumer Value Store.

Sarah stocked more jars of peanut butter than you did.

Laurence has successfully gone down to drinking only one cup of coffee a day.

Before the publication of our next issue, we look forward to hearing the serious and legitimate accolades of our very deserving peers. Please feel free to email news of your accolades to [email protected] or respond to the accolades form which department coordinator Jan Beebe will send out in the upcoming weeks before each month’s publication. Once you finish giving us a round of applause, let us know what’s going on in your world so we can give you a round too.

All of us on The Words team are very passionate about what we do here in the department, and we hope to be able to share that with you all as well! We’re looking forward to upholding The Words’ tradition of both serious and cheery, but always community-oriented, stories that inspire, celebrate, and uplift. And if we do a good enough job, maybe we can stay employed here forever (ahem please please please don’t let us graduate! We don’t wanna go!).

Enjoy this sneak peek of the upcoming year, and we will see you all in future editions!

With much love (and bagels),

Peyton and Paul, Senior Newsletter Editors