In October of the 2024 fall semester, WIU’s The Mirror & the Lamp moved up in the world. Literally.

Now, 2024 has been a big year for The Mirror & the Lamp. We sourced new production equipment, guaranteeing smoother layout operations for our annual print edition. We streamlined our use of mirrorandthelamp.org, the digital face of our magazine. We attended the Fall Student Organization Fair for the first time in our publication’s history, hosting a table that opened up a conversation between our staff and the wider student body. As a result of these efforts, we experienced an influx of student interest. Following the Organization Fair, our numbers more than doubled. Our host of undergraduate writers, editors, and designers is now bigger than ever! With this increase of student involvement though, we encountered a new problem. Space! We did not have enough of it.

In the past, The Mirror & the Lamp has worked out of various spaces in Simpkins Hall, the English building of WIU. Places like the Reading Lounge and Simpkins 027 were regular haunts of our staff members. While this has worked in the past, with our growing numbers, and other student organizations in need of these communal spaces in Simpkins, it became clear that we needed a place to call home.

With the help of the department chair, Dr. Marjorie Allison, and building manager, Amy Stoddard, a solution was proposed—an office of our very own, large enough for the needs of a growing publication.

On the third floor of Simpkins, at the very end of the West hallway, The Mirror & the Lamp now resides. After about two months, you can say that we are finally all moved in and done unpacking. The new office is spacious, with table space for everyone, and chairs to boot. We have really made it feel like home by moving in our collection of reference publications, decorating with houseplants and ambient lighting, and even bringing in board games. Whether at work, editing articles, or on break, playing a rousing game of chess, our new office is a comfortable place for it all.

As you can see, 2024 has been a big year for us. From the basement reading lounge to the widely windowed, third-floor office, you could definitely say that The Mirror & the Lamp is moving on up, and we are excited to continue doing so!