About
“Synaptic” will expand upon the success of Central’s former publication, “The Writing Anthology,” which has been published for more than 40 years. It will build upon the best parts of the former publication, taking into account the ways in which print, visual and audio media have changed across the first two decades of the 21st century. “Synaptic” seeks to showcase outstanding writing by students, as well as outstanding multimedia and multimodal student work that doesn’t fit easily under the heading of “writing,” such as audio, video and visual projects of any kind.
“Synaptic” is a descriptive word that evokes “synapse,” or “the junction … between two neurons or nerve-cells.” Etymologically, the word comes from the Greek for “to join,” and, for us at Synaptic, the term evokes the spark that comes from intellectual and/or creative connection. It is also connected to the word “synapsis,” which, in the 17th century, meant “connection” broadly speaking and, in a more modern scientific definition, signifies “chromosomal pairing during the zygotene stage of meiosis.” Synaptic brings together analytical writing and creative work from across the college and features work that is making the kinds of connections we so much value here at our liberal arts college. The biological definition foregrounds our commitment to featuring writing across the college, and it relates to the early stages of reproduction; we invite you, our authors, artists and readers, to think of this publication as an origin point for the students featured here. At Synaptic, Central students come into being as published writers, artists, designers, podcasters and filmmakers.
Source: The Oxford English Dictionary Online (2022)