It is not hyperbole for me to say the Chautauqua team is special. I don’t know of another project like Chautauqua that links a private institution and a public university. I don’t know of another editorial team that includes undergraduate students, graduate students, professors, and writers working in unison.
Our team changes on a regular rotation. Some team members are with us for a few months, others a few years, some longer. When it comes time to say farewell, it is not easy.
In May, we celebrated virtually with Matt Thies. He earned his MFA in poetry, and he passed on the role of managing editor to a new graduate student. Matt was a team member for three years, first as our designer and then as our managing editor. To say that he made an impression on people would be an understatement.
His colleague Chris Sturdy shares, “To some, he’s part pirate. To others, part Nordic demigod. Some have even spoken of nights he vanishes oceanside appearing the next morning, all salt and wavy hair. To them, he is part fish or shark or whatever aquatic essence they sense in him. To me, he is all these things, but most of all, he is family. Since my first week with Chautauqua, Matt made me believe in myself. As an outsider in a new world—the world of publishing—that was no easy task. I’ll never forget how Matt offered, persuaded, and eventually gave me the final nudge to be the proofreader of Chautauqua’s Moxie Issue. When I think of Matt, I think of his arm around my shoulder, asking me how I’m doing, inviting me over to his house. In short, I think of a brother. I’m excited for his next steps beyond UNCW and Chautauqua, and I feel fortunate that he’ll be in close proximity to me for at least one more year.”
Lindsay Lake is our current designer. Her tenure with the team overlapped Matt’s. She shares, “In addition to his unflagging dedication to Chautauqua, his students, and the entire team, Matt brought joy to the magazine. I was new to editing and publishing when I started with Chautauqua. Everything seemed intimidating and out-of-my-league. But Matt believed in me and continually rose to the challenge of being editor, teacher, mentor, and friend. You could always find him in the Pub Lab or in Kenan working hard to help and encourage his students and other colleagues. Chautauqua will always echo with his positivity, and I am so grateful for his friendship and leadership. Whether it's rocking out on stage or editing a magazine, Matt will bring with him the same passion and commitment that he brought to Chautauqua.”
From Chautauqua Institution, Sony Ton-Aime describes a dedicated designer and editor, a champion of the journal—and a fine poet and musician. In a few short weeks, a friendship found roots and flourished.
In Matt, our undergraduate team members discovered a mentor, who challenged them to work hard and who inspired them to believe in their abilities.
Philip Gerard, my husband and co-editor, says this about Matt: “He’s the rock-solid guy you want in your corner. His loyalty and dedication to the team and the journal have been absolute. He helps us all remember that this enterprise of reading and writing, at its best, is an occasion for joy. Matt has a big heart, a big sense of life, and a big sense of humor—all of us have been lucky to share all three.”
As for me, I found a colleague and friend who lifted my spirits, who challenged me to broaden my vision, who was endlessly patient as I worked to understand InDesign. For me, Matt was that team member who always said, “sure” or “what do you think of this?”
It is always bitter-sweet when May comes around. And here it is September, we are knee deep in our next issue, an issue that Matt helped to set up. Matt is a waterman. In this next issue, we explore, revel in, and celebrate water—and we send Matt off on his next adventure, knowing that he will find the current to carry him forward.
