Every spring, Nicholls State University students turn imagination into art. They blend writing, photography and other creative mediums into Mosaic, the university’s annual showcase of student expression. 

The publication began in 1949 as Pencil Tracks, a student literary magazine. Student editors renamed it Mosaic in 1966, and after a brief hiatus, it returned in 1979. Today, Mosaic remains one of Louisiana’s oldest college publications, sustained by the creativity and dedication of Nicholls students. 

That legacy continues under Alex Boudreaux, editor-in-chief of Mosaic and a senior English major. 

“This is my second year working for Mosaic,” Boudreaux said. “As an English major, being an editor for the magazine always interested me, but some close friends who were already on staff convinced me to join.” 

Boudreaux first served as an editor before taking on the editor-in-chief role last spring. The position offered both leadership experience and a chance to contribute creatively. 

“I submitted my first piece of writing last year after a professor encouraged me,” Boudreaux said. “It’s been a really rewarding experience—both as a writer and as an editor.” 

The 2025 edition of Mosaic, released each spring around the end of April, features poetry, short and flash fiction, nonfiction, photography and visual artwork from students across all majors. 

“We get work from all types of students on campus,” Boudreaux said. “We’ve had submissions from students majoring in business, art and everything in between. We love seeing the variety of what different students create.” 

Boudreaux described this year’s staff as especially energetic and creative.

“I have some of the most hard-working, fun people on staff this year,” Boudreaux said. “They’ve been offering some really interesting ideas to make this year’s Mosaic one of the best.” 

Recent highlights include “First Blood,” a short story by a former editor-in-chief that won the fiction contest, and “The Ducks” by Amy Eastwood.

“That poem made all of the staff cry when we reviewed it,” Boudreaux said. 

Mosaic staff members spend the full academic year creating each edition. They review submissions in the fall, then edit, proof and design the layout in the spring. 

“It takes a full year of work from our entire staff to make each edition come together,” Boudreaux said. “But it’s always worth it to see the finished product and the creativity our students bring.” 

Beyond the annual print edition, Mosaic maintains a digital archive of past issues dating back decades. The archive, available on the magazine’s official website, showcases how student creativity has evolved while preserving an important part of campus culture. 

Submissions for the 2026 edition open in fall 2025, continuing a creative tradition more than 75 years in the making. 

To explore past editions or learn how to submit work, visit nicholls.edu/mosaic.