P'an Ku

P'an Ku is Broward College's Award-Winning Literary and Arts Magazine. The magazine publishes student poetry, fiction, non-fiction, photography, and art in all its forms.

Our Mission Statement: P'an Ku exists to represent the evolving artistic community at Broward College. Our mission is to publish the best work submitted by the Broward College student body.

Spring 2022 Issue  Fall 2021 Issue  Spring 2021 Issue Fall 2020 Issue

News and Updates

P’an Ku is celebrating 60 years of publishing student works, and YOU are invited to participate!

Here’s how: (1) submit your own, original work and/or (2) visit the archives and nominate work for inclusion in the 60th Anniversary Issue!

For your own work, view the submission guidelines below. The deadline for the Fall Semester is November 1. You must be a current BC student to submit your own work.

To nominate work from the archives, select one to three works from past publications. Screenshot your selection(s), and send each as a separate file. Name each file as the title of the work and the year and edition where you found the work. For instance, if you select a poem called “Love” from Spring 1994, screenshot the poem and save the file as LoveSpring1994. Nominating works from the archives is open to EVERYONE: current students, past students, faculty, staff, and community members. You can access the archives.The deadline for nominations is November 1, 2023. (And yes, you can nominate your own, previously published work!)

Submissions

How to Submit Your Own, Original Work

P'an Ku only accepts works from currently enrolled Broward College Students. For your work to be considered, you must include a cover page with the following information. Emails without cover pages will not be considered. The cover page can be any format (Word, PDF, or written in the email).

  • Name
  • Email address (one that you check regularly)
  • Telephone number
  • Number of credits you are taking this semester
  • Campus where you take most of your classes
  • Title of work(s) submitted. P’an Ku will not consider works without titles. “Untitled” is not a title.
  • Medium (for art)
  • Brief Bio telling us about yourself. For examples, see a recent issue of P'an Ku. (Max 30 words)
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

  • ALL SUBMISSIONS must include a cover page.
  • ALL WORKS must be titled, including art and photography. “Untitled” is not a title.
  • Submissions cannot be revised once sent. Make certain the work you send is the work you want published.
  • NO AI GENERATED ART OR LIT.
  • POETS: Submit up to 10 poems as Word or PDF attachments. Submit each poem in its own, individual file. Do not submit multiple poems in a single file. Name each file the title of the poem. DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME ON YOUR WORKS.
  • FICTION WRITERS: Submit up to 3 short stories, no more than 2,000 words each. Fiction must be double-spaced. Submit each short story in its own, individual file. Do not submit multiple short stories in a single file. Name each file the title of the short story. DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME ON YOUR WORKS.
  • ESSAYISTS: Submit up to 3 essays, no more than 2,000 words each. Essays must be double-spaced. Submit each essay in its own, individual file. Do not submit multiple essays in a single file. Name each file the title of the essay. DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR NAME ON YOUR WORKS.
  • PHOTOGRAPHERS: Submit up to 10 photographs, with each photograph in its own, individual file. Name files the title of the photograph. Untitled photographs will not be considered. JPEG submissions—at least 300 DPI export, sRGB color space, and Standard Aspect Ratios (1:1, 3:2, 4X5, etc.) preferred. If you have a RAW file, please retain it in the event your work is accepted for publication. If the image was made on film, be prepared to rescan for publication.
  • ARTISTS: Submit up to 10 works, each in its own, individual file. Name files the title of the artwork. Untitled artwork will not be considered. Include medium for each submission. Include dimensions of art and ceramic pieces. Artists can scan or photograph work. If selected and if necessary, your work will be professionally rescanned or photographed. Sculpture artists are encouraged to submit multiple photos from noticeably different perspectives. Note that P’an Ku generally does not publish fan art (portraits of celebrities, manga/anime style, copied characters).
  • FILMMAKERS: Send file and/or link.
  • MUSICIANS: Send SoundCloud files.
  • Yes, you can submit in multiple categories.


If your work is selected for publication, we will notify you within five weeks after the submission deadline. P’an Ku does not send rejection notices, nor do we provide critiques of your work.

Email your submission to pankumag@gmail.com

ADVICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHING YOUR WORK

  • Zoom in as much as you can but do not crop image.
  • Image should be in focus.
  • Do NOT show drawing board, easel, etc. Crop!
  • Try to shoot in natural light/outdoors in shade to avoid glare.
  • If using any kind of black & white media, desaturate the image.
  • For sculpture: Background should NOT be busy (people, furniture, other art works, etc.).

History

P'an Ku is the Broward College student literary & arts magazine. P'an Ku strives to promote and encourage the creative efforts of BC students in the literary and visual arts. It also serves as a training ground for students interested in careers in editing, publishing, graphic design, advertising, filmmaking, and other aspects of the collaborative creative process.

Published twice yearly, in each of the two major terms, P'an Ku is a member of the Florida College System Press Association (FCSPA). P'an Ku routinely receives recognition at the annual FCSPA Awards banquet as one of the best literary & arts magazines among the state college system in Florida.

  • The first issue appeared in 1964.
  • The first advisor of the magazine was Helen Anne Easterly.
  • The first issue contained a variety of work, including work by faculty as well as students.
  • One of the highlights of the issue was a short story, "It Reminds One of the Opera," by Harry Crews, who was a faculty member at BCC during the sixties and early seventies.

P'an Ku, on the verge of ceasing to exist, was saved when a new faculty member, Betty Owen, agreed to be the advisor.

For more than two decades, Betty was the driving force behind P'an Ku and creative writing at the College. Known as the "Patron Saint of Literary Magazines," Betty was involved in all aspects of student writing at both the local and state level.

Betty is a member of the Florida College System Press Association's (FCSPA) Hall of Fame. At the annual convention, Betty's magazine critiques were the highlight of the presentations. Betty was also elected to the Florida Community College Activities Association's Hall of Fame, the first publications advisor to be so honored.

The issues of the magazine during the sixties, seventies, and early eighties reflect the diverse nature of the students and the nurturing and encouragement that Betty gives to everyone who comes in contact with her. Her ideals are reflected in the magazine today.

Archives

P'an Ku Archives

Contact Info

P'an Ku Advisor | Marjetta Geerling | 954-201-7842 | mgeerlin@broward.edu