The cover for the 2026 edition of Sea Change, showcasing creative work from 4Cs students, faculty, and staff. (Provided by Leanne McLaughlin)
By Chris Bixby and Bruce Bowen
For decades, 4Cs students have showcased their creativity through Sea Change, the college’s annual literary and arts magazine. Produced each spring, the publication features student work across mediums, including art, photography and poetry.
With this year’s edition approaching, 4Cs students Chris Bixby and Bruce Bowen recorded a WKKL interview with professor Daven McQueen and student editor-in-chief Leanne McLaughlin about the magazine’s impact and what readers can expect.
“Ideally, it’s working as a word-of-mouth sort of thing, as well as a social media thing,” McLaughlin said. “There’s usually flyers around campus, so people know when the window to submit is. I think it connects to the audience because peers want to see what their other peers are doing. And it’s exciting, too, if your work is published in the magazine. It’s in print for people to see.”
McQueen emphasized the opportunity the publication provides. “I think it’s a great opportunity for writers and artists on campus to showcase their work, whether that’s poetry, prose, or physical art.”
Beyond its current reach, both highlighted the magazine’s lasting legacy.
“It’s really exciting to be able to carry on this tradition so many years after it started,” McQueen said. “In the Wilkens Library archives, you can see past issues from the early 2000s, ’90s, ’80s. It’s cool to be part of a literary and art tradition and continue to shape it.”
McLaughlin said the magazine’s permanence sets it apart in a fast-moving digital landscape.
“I think to be a part of something that actually has a form and is going to live for a very long time is really cool. Especially with social media, where trends are changing constantly, to have something that’s like, this was published in 2015, and you can’t alter it. I think there’s something cool about that.”
Submissions for this year’s issue open in the summer at seachangecapecod.wordpress.com. Students, faculty and staff are eligible to submit. Copies will be available around campus upon publication.
