My capstone project is the completion of two issues of The Outcrowd, a student run lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally magazine at Syracuse University. I served as editor-in-chief of the publication from fall 2009 to spring 2010. As a magazine journalism major, my leadership position on t this campus magazine helped improve my editorial skills, and taught me to become a more effective leader. Both issues were published toward the end of both semesters and were distributed across Syracuse University’s campus.
My reflective essay discusses the editorial vision behind the publication. Since its creation, The Outcrowd has transformed from an entertainment-driven magazine to a publication that features art and alternative content. It also outlines the magazines that helped influence The Outcrowd’s design and editorial content. Anthem, Butt and Out magazines helped shaped my vision of The Outcrowd.
The process of putting the magazine together took over three months each semester. It included the creation and editing of stories, managing the magazine’s budget, and distributing the publication across campus. As to be expected,I II I f I faced many challenges and I had to adapt to them in order to get each issue out on time.
I also had to make tough calls regarding what should and should not be published, and this spring, I had to pull a piece of art from the issue to ensure that the magazine remained responsible. Lastly, my essay touches on what I’ve learned from the experience of being an editor of a campus magazine.
Overall, this project tested my patience and my skills as an editor, but I believe it prepared me for a future career in journalism, if I choose to continue working in the field.
