Ascent is an American literary magazine

Literary magazine

A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...

 that publishes stories, poems, essays and reviews, many of which are later reprinted in annual anthologies. The journal is based at Concordia College

Concordia College, Moorhead

Concordia College is a private liberal arts school located in Moorhead, Minnesota, United States. It is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and offers bachelors' degrees in the arts and music, as well as a master's degree in education. The college was founded by Norwegian...

 in Moorhead, Minnesota

Moorhead, Minnesota

Moorhead is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States, and the largest city in northwest Minnesota. The population was 38,065 at the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Clay County....

.

The journal was originally founded at the University of Illinois by Audrey Curley. As of 2009, English scholar W. Scott Olsen is the editor-in-chief. The journal moved to an online format in 2010, where it will reach a wider audience for its award-winning authors.

Recent notable contributors include Victoria Anderson, Jacob M. Appel

Jacob M. Appel

Jacob M. Appel is an American author, bioethicist and social critic. He is best known for his short stories, his work as a playwright, and his writing in the fields of reproductive ethics, organ donation, neuroethics and euthanasia....

, Karen Brown

Karen Brown

Karen Maree Brown captained the Australia national women's cricket team in a One Day International. She was born in 1962 in Upfield, Victoria and played 9 Test matches in all, scoring 132 runs as a right-handed batswoman and taking 22 wickets at just 15.72 with her right arm medium pace...

, Peter Chilson, Leo Damrosch

Leo Damrosch

Leo Damrosch is an American author and professor. In 2001, he was named the Ernest Bernbaum Professor of Literature at Harvard University. He received a B.A. from Yale University, an M.A. from Cambridge University, where he was a Marshall Scholar, and a Ph.D. from Princeton University. His areas...

, Philip Heldrich

Philip Heldrich

Philip Heldrich was an award-winning American author of poetry, essays, short stories, and literary criticism, including , winner of the ] Poetry Prize] and , winner of the First Series Award for Creative Nonfiction....

, Michael Martone

Michael Martone

Michael Martone may refer to:* Michael A. Martone , director of the creative writing program at the University of Alabama; author, usually under "Michael Martone"* Mike Martone , ice hockey player, see 1996 NHL Entry Draft...

, Sarah Baker Michalak and Marjorie Stelmach.