Foreword from 2021 “In Other Words” Ebook:

A writer, I think, is someone who pays attention to the world. ―Susan Sontag

On April 9, the “In Other Words: Celebrating Student Writing” highlighted and honored the myriad ways that Cornish students write. Students from all departments/areas were represented. The 2021 celebration was both in-person and digital, featuring live performances and readings, films, songs, plays, poetry, and more.

In Other Words: Celebrating Student Writing

By Bella Verducci, (Design, ‘22)

Words—they are informational, communicative, playful, serious, sharp, soft, long, and short. They are here on this page and will be waiting for you when you step outside. Words are everywhere; they’re something we all share. The power of words to transcend departmental boundaries at Cornish is again exemplified in this year’s “In Other Words: Celebrating Student Writing” exhibition.

Now in its fourth year, this event (organized by the Writing Across the Curriculum Committee) welcomes writing by students from all departments at Cornish, who write in a wide variety of forms including songs, scripts, annotated sketchbooks, poems, and text-based art.

Bringing together three different components—a physical exhibition, ebook, and live zoom performance—this year’s celebration gracefully rises to the challenge of accessibility during COVID-19.

Moving through the physical exhibition—in the hallways surrounding Cornish’s library and Writing Center—I was struck by how electrifying and alive the space felt. Between walls of words, I smiled, I grimaced, I re-considered, I realized, and I related. The variety of submissions allows one to consider the vast applications words have, both within our classes and personal lives. “In Other Words” showcases the power of words to enact change, to educate, and to bring together our eight different departments.

It is this transcendence of departmental boundaries that I personally love most about this event. “In Other Words” unites students from across all departments to illuminate their writing, with very little limitation. Because students are invited to share everything from plays and visual art with words/letters, to personal essays and podcasts, the humanity that we all share shines through. Regardless of which department you fall into, we all share the practice of writing, of speaking, of communicating through language. We are all human, and words are central to this. “In Other Words” invites us to swim in this humanity, to appreciate the strength language holds, and most importantly, celebrate our writing.

Since 2018, the Writing Across the Curriculum Committee at Cornish College of the Arts has hosted an annual spring event, In Other Words: Celebrating Student Writing. This event was conceptualized as a way to realize part of our mission: to promote a culture of writing and research at Cornish amongst students, faculty, and staff. Our definition of “writing” is intentionally broad, and the pieces featured in this anthology demonstrate some of the many ways words can be crafted, embodied, or used to pay attention.

Thank you, Cornish writers, for sharing your words. We’re honored to work, write, and create amongst you.