Central College published the 2025 “Synaptic,” the college’s annual publication of outstanding student work, on April 22. “Synaptic” is a collaboration between the English and art programs that showcases the best creative, analytical, research and multimedia work from across campus.
This year’s issue features creative writing in the form of poetry and memoir; visual art from pottery to blown glass to metalsmithing and crocheted masks; research essays analyzing literature, television and film; a multimedia project combining research, poetry and photography; and two audio/visual projects in the form of a podcast and a video.
The 2025 winner of the John Allen Award for best piece of student writing is Keilah Brewer. Her essay titled “Feminist Theory and ‘Lady Bird’’ offers an incisive analysis of Greta Gerwig’s 2017 film “Lady Bird” that demonstrates how feminist theory helps us better understand the contradictory expectations placed on adolescent girls, both in the film and in life.
This year’s “Synaptic” student editors include Amelia Brown, Class of 2025, Eva Hoch, Class of 2025, Fynn Wadsworth, Class of 2025, and Elyse Shaw, Class of 2027. Valerie Billing, associate professor of English, serves as faculty editor, and Mary Donato, lecturer of communication studies, serves as guest faculty editor. The 2025 issue of “Synaptic” is available online at https://central.edu/writing-anthology/.
