Dear readers,
I could not be happier to release the Spring 2026 National Edition of The Tributary. This edition blew my expectations out of the water with the amazing work we received from not just all over the U.S., but worldwide. Sharing in greater experiences has been a leading philosophy this year, and while I cannot speak for you, I’m confident in saying this edition meets that standard. You can find the full list of contributors here.
This edition’s inclusions revolve around our chosen cover, submitted by Ryan Wagnecz. Many opposites find there place this time around, coming to mind for me isolation and community, where we draw the border between self and our communities, and examinations of what the act of existing means in context.
On a personal note, this will be my last edition as the Managing Editor, and last edition during my time at Lycoming College. As I look to the future for whatever pursuit is in store, I wonder what I could’ve done differently, especially with this journal. Luckily, I’m beyond grateful for the work my team of editors, all in their first year with The Tributary, who have stepped up and shown me that worrying about the development of this journal is something wholly unnecessary. I’d like to thank Eliza Flanigan, who will be graduating with me, Charlie Bach, Alexis Rockwell, and Maddie Kracker for their hard work this year and for working with me on this project, work that will inspire me for the rest of my life. Of course, I’d like to thank my faculty advisor Phoebe Wagner for her oversight, as well as all of our contributors that made this possible.
But enough about me, because this edition celebrates our submitter’s skill and will leave you with a stark impression. Please, enjoy The Tributary, Fall 2026, National Edition.
With all love,
Chase Bower, Managing Editor.
It is my absolute pleasure to present the Fall 2025 edition of The Tributary literary journal! As per tradition, our Fall edition consists of work submitted from only Lycoming College students and edited by Lycoming College students. Check out the list of contributions here.
The accepted pieces for this edition ranges in topic, but every piece deals with identity in a different way, from personal relationships with the divine to retrospectives on life to essays on how we create the art share.
This is my first edition serving as managing editor of The Tributary, having contributed in my freshman year at Lycoming and served as the nonfiction editor my junior year. I’d like to thank last year’s managing editor Aiden Brown for giving me the opportunity to organize something so dear to me as the spread of love through art. I’d also like to thank the entirely new roster of editors, without whom this edition would’ve been impossible. Finally, thank you to all who submitted and to all who take the time to see what is possible when we can share in art.
With all love,
Chase Bower
The Tributary 