The University of Dayton's oldest student-run organization will celebrate another semester of success this week.

Orpheus will showcase the talent and work of members and contributors of its fall 2009 art and literary magazine with an end-of-semester gala.

All UD students, faculty and staff members are invited to attend the Orpheus Fall 2009 Gala from 8 to 10 p.m. Wednesday in ArtStreet Studio D. Authors and artists published in this fall's issue will present their work.

"The galas at the end of each semester are a way to present the new magazine and to celebrate the hard work and talent of Orpheus members," said senior English and French major Meghan McDevitt, Orpheus' editor.

McDevitt said her favorite part of the gala is handing out the new magazines to the authors and artists.

"They are always so excited to see the finished product and see their work professionally published," McDevitt said.

Founded in 1903, Orpheus was originally titled "The Exponent." It is where the well-known writer Erma Bombeck got her start.

"Each magazine is a recording of history - what students were writing, making and expressing at a specific time," McDevitt said. "It is fascinating to look back at old issues of Orpheus and see what students were writing and creating 20, 30 years ago."

Orpheus holds what McDevitt called "a literary roundtable" in order to select submissions for the semester's magazine, the organization's main venture.

Submissions are accepted through the first half of each semester, McDevitt said.

Junior Ben Murad, an English major, submitted his work for the first time this year.

"As an aspiring writer, I decided that Orpheus would be a good outlet for me to have some of my works read [and] edited and to get some feedback," Murad said.

The fall 2009 issue of Orpheus will be will be distributed to many of the campus buildings and residence halls this week. This issue will contain six short stories, eight poems and art in various mediums, McDevitt said. Students from each academic year and from a variety of majors, including psychology, English, mechanical engineering, education and Spanish, are published.

"I think it is incredibly important to create a space on campus for students to develop and share their creative talents," said senior English and human rights major Caitlin Jacob, Orpheus' co-activities director. "The magazine gives many students their first opportunity to get work published, which can be important in encouraging them to continue in their efforts and in giving them confidence. Also, students really enjoy reading the work of others on campus; it is work that they can relate to about the issues that they face in their lives."

According to McDevitt, Orpheus' mission is to promote cultural and artistic endeavors in UD's community.

"The mission of the magazine is two-fold," McDevitt said. "It is a service for the students who have their works published in it, enabling them to share it with an audience of their peers; and second, it is an artifact made available to the University of Dayton family. As an artifact, it serves as an object for discussion and as a limited record of the quality and nature of creative expression that takes place at the University of Dayton."

As the staff members work to produce the magazine, they get practice for futures in editing, publishing, design and production, McDevitt said.

"It [Orpheus] provides real life experience that cannot be taught in any classroom," Murad said.

In addition to publishing the magazine once each semester, the organization also sponsors events including movie showings, open-mike poetry readings, art workshops and a book swap.

"Orpheus provides a student-run outlet in order to give other students a chance to have their work published and enjoyed," Murad said. "The arts are an expression of the artist, but they are also meant for the enjoyment of others, to give a brief look into something more extravagant in the hopes to teach, entertain and provide wisdom to those that seek its endeavors."