BrainChild was born and raised in the Honors College at Kent State University. As a literary magazine, BrainChild offers undergraduate honors students in the Mid-East Honors Association (MEHA) an opportunity to share their art with others around the region. The different features include pieces such as art, creative writing, and photography. When discussing BrainChild, Charlie Malone (He/Him), who is the current advisor for the publication of the magazine, highlights the project and the need to feature the multitude of creators. On the subject of who is included in the magazine, Malone says, “We’re able to celebrate people’s creativity who may not be Art majors or English majors. You may be a Pre-Med student who loves to write, or a Psychology student who is really interested in photography!” 
Offered as a 1-credit hour elective for honors students at Kent State, BrainChild is a year-long project within the community of students who are involved. “I love to see the students build a community by doing something,” says Malone when asked about what the best part about being the advisor to the group is. Another large benefit outside of community building is professional development. When they are not hard at work on creating and editing, the team of students are looking at art museums, visiting advertising spaces, and networking within the community.
The current BrainChild team consists of 12 students ranging from sophomores to seniors, including two members who have been working on this year's volume, Bella Kaufman (She/Her) and Emma Greathouse (She/They). Both members are passionate about the project and it holds a special place in their hearts. For Bella, she has been working with BrainChild for the past two years and currently serves as the Editor-In-Chief. On the opposite side, Emma recently joined as a new member this past fall semester and they are a designer for the magazine.
Coming in as a first-time editor and member to the group, Emma is excited for what is to follow. She is currently a Visual Communication Design major, with a minor in User Experience Design. In applying their skills from their major and when asked about leaving a legacy later down the road, they said, “I hope to be as innovative with BrainChild as possible. I think the Honors College deserves a voice that truly represents its student body, and our staff this year all wants to be a part of that through our magazine and showcasing the diversity of art and writing that comes from honors students.”
Both Bella and Emma encourage everyone to try and be involved with BrainChild. In their time with the magazine, they have made some fond memories. Recalling what she has enjoyed, Bella expressed that she has a couple favorites, “Last year during the pandemic, the editing team had to meet virtually to choose and edit pieces. We would always meet at night, outside of a normal class time. We just had a lot of fun. We would joke and laugh and collaborate; it really kept me sane amidst all the chaos. This year, I would have to say it was our poetry reading at Last Exit. Hearing everyone read in person again was so refreshing. It’s important to engage with this kind of work, both for your own sanity and for the community. It was also the first time I read a poem of my own publicly, so it was a milestone in many ways!”
Emma shared a similar favorite memory about Last Exit, “Our first poetry reading of the year at Last Exit Books was such a beautiful and fun experience. I loved seeing everyone come together and share their art, especially hearing some of our own share their poetry!”
The team and the advisor both work together in order to produce a magazine that encompasses art. Real and passionate art. Each volume has anywhere from 50 to 60 pages from cover to cover. With so many great submissions and the amount of space they have, they evidently have to turn pieces down. A statement Malone repeated consistently during our talk was that, “If we’re doing this (picking from submissions) right, we’re turning away good pieces.”
The submission period for BrainChild has ended for this academic year. Be prepared to submit in the 2022-2023 school year, as Malone and his team are excited to see everyone’s work! When asked about any advice for those who have submitted pieces and did not get chosen this year, he encourages students to continue to work on their selected medium and stating resubmit, “We have to respect our own growth. If people don’t get in the first time, that’s normal. If your piece does not get selected or you don’t get on the team the first time, people should keep us in mind. Brainchild at its best is a place to celebrate that growth.”
Visit the BrainChild website for more information and details on how to submit your work. Visit the Honors College website for more information about the Honors College student experience.
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PHOTO CAPTION 1: BrainChild teaming working on printing
PHOTO CAPTION 2: Members of BrainChild attending an event at the Akron Civic Theater
PHOTO CAPTION 3: Headshot of Bella Kaufman
Media Contact: Stephanie Moskal, smoskal@kent.edu, 330-672-2312