GW students brought together 73 peers, faculty, and publishing professionals from across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. for the second Student Journal Symposium, creating a space where collaboration, publishing practice and shared passion for student-led journals could thrive.
As John Warren, GW’s Publishing Program Director and founder of the Symposium, notes in his event reflection, student-led journals often face great challenges, from sustaining leadership across graduating classes to ensuring continuity of editorial practices, but rarely have the chance to connect.
The 2025 Student Journal Symposium, co-organized by GW undergraduate students Breanna Crossman and Amelia Nason, and Publishing graduate students Jessica Irving and Maiya Norwood, changed that by convening 34 journals from 28 universities in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
The 2nd symposium built on the success of the inaugural 2024 event. The student organizers partnered with peers at institutions worldwide to exchange ideas on sustainability, peer review and leadership.
This collaborative model not only strengthened individual student-led journals, but also fostered a lasting network of student publishers, underscoring why the Symposium was recognized as a winner for the Society for Scholarly Publishing’s EPIC Awards.
The result was a collaborative forum where students could exchange strategies, share best practices, and build a lasting community that extends far beyond their campuses.
The third Student Journal Symposium is planned for April 23-24, 2026, and a call for presentations and panelists will be available later this Fall.