Oregon East 75th Edition Gala Feb. 26 Features Readings, Live Music

Oregon East, the student-run literary journal at Eastern Oregon University, will celebrate its 75th edition with a gala Thursday, Feb. 26, from 7–9 p.m. in Hoke Union Building 339 on the La Grande campus. The evening will include readings from the new edition, live music by 45th Parallel and refreshments, and is open to EOU students, faculty, staff and community members.

The 75th edition compiles submissions from the 2024–2025 academic year and runs about 100 pages. The journal’s middle section features full-color glossy pages showcasing submitted artwork, and the cover art for this anniversary issue was created by EOU student Andrea Grigg. Copies will be distributed around campus and will be available for purchase for $5.

Editorial production on Oregon East is organized year-round; the staff aims to complete the editorial work in spring and send the journal to print in the fall. Simon Johnson, managing editor and an English major graduating this year, said the staff “really encourage submissions from everyone.” Johnson has described Oregon East as “the longest-running collegiate journal in Oregon,” a characterization readers can compare with campus archives that show some gaps dating to the mid-20th century.

Student involvement drives the journal’s current workflow. Eliot Treichel serves as advisor, four practicum students assist with production, and a roster of student editors and contributors prepared the 75th edition. Eastern Oregon University named online student Tyson Johnson its 2025 Presidential Scholar; the Draper, Utah, student has also served as a staff editor for Oregon East, helped coordinate the journal’s first live reading event in several years, and worked as the journal’s first blog editor establishing editorial workflows and new content. Tyson Johnson has a short story included in the anniversary issue, and he reflected on his development in creative work: “I was nervous about poetry, but I was inspired.”

Oregon East’s archive at Eastern Oregon University is not continuous; the collection is missing the 1950 edition while holdings are most complete for the 1990s and 2000s. The journal began as a venue for English-class portfolios and, in the last three years, has depended entirely on student submissions, reflecting a shift in how EOU cultivates campus creativity and publication experience.

The Feb. 26 gala offers La Grande and Baker County residents a chance to hear pieces from the anniversary issue ahead of the journal’s planned production cycle. With readings, a local music act and campus distribution of a roughly 100-page volume priced at $5, the event underscores Oregon East’s student-led approach to publishing and the university’s commitment to showcasing student writing and art.