UC Merced’s Vernal Pools and Grassland Reserve has become a hallmark of the campus — acres of preserved lands that contribute to the university’s mission of environmental conservation and while offering unique research opportunities to students and faculty.
One of the campus’s best-kept secrets, though, might be The Vernal Pool, a scholarly journal for undergraduate students’ creative writings, from poetry to plays.
Founded by UC Merced instructor Paul Gibbons, the journal gives students the opportunity to publish their creative works in a formal way that can benefit them when applying for graduate school or jobs. It’s also an outlet for them to express themselves through creative work, editorial board member John Hundley said.
The journal only accepts submissions from UC Merced undergraduates, and is published twice a year on the eScholarship platform, which allows UC affiliates and departments to have direct control over the creation and dissemination of their work. Gibbons had to apply to be allowed to publish the journal and had to ensure a strict review policy for all submissions.
“They publish in perpetuity,” he said, “so they want to make sure these journals are sustainable.”
