The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s Cornerstone Press, one of five publishing houses in the United States staffed by undergraduate students, will mark 40 years with a gala event next month.
Open to alumni, students and community members, the free event will be held from 6:30-9 p.m. Friday, April 5, in the Alumni Room of the Dreyfus University Center, 1015 Reserve St., Stevens Point. Past directors, press alumni (including those who now work in publishing), past authors and university administrators will share remarks. Cornerstone Press books will be available for sale and there will be food and a cash bar.
Register to attend the event at www.uwsp.edu/event/cornerstone-press-40th-anniversary-gala/.
Over the years, Cornerstone Press has produced more than 100 titles in various genres, from short fiction to poetry collections, which have won awards and brought authors national and international recognition. It was established in 1984 as a part of the Department of English curriculum, with support from the School of Humanities and Global Studies and the College of Letters and Science. It was the first of its kind within the Universities of Wisconsin.
The press doesn’t just produce books – it also produces skilled, career-ready students with hands-on writing, editing, design, sales and marketing experience for jobs in the world of publishing and beyond.
“Cornerstone Press receives manuscripts from coast to coast,” said Ross Tangedal, associate professor of English and director and publisher of Cornerstone Press. “We do what we can to put out the best books possible, and we are proud of that. But my experiences with the students are number one.
“I’m most proud of the students who work with me and learn,” he said. “They build skills, such as how to collaborate with others. They learn how to work with authors from all different backgrounds and experiences. They do the work of editing, meeting deadlines, dealing with the variables that come up. Its real work experience.”
The press began as one Editing and Publishing course during fall semester in which students would publish a fiction book from a regional author. It currently runs with publishing-related courses every fall, spring and summer, and continuously publishes books of fiction, non-fiction and poetry by authors from around the world.