The Southern University Officeof Student Media is urging the students of Southern University to vote for institutinga student-run magazine. Although the students on the campus have a newspaper,there are many issues that need to be explored but cannot because of timeconstraints and length.
The magazine, which wouldhighlight all aspects of campus life, would include in-dept coverage of thediverse student body.
In short, the purpose of themagazine would create an outlet for creative and artistic students on campuswhose talents would better be appreciated in a magazine.
Lawrence Labee IV, a freshmanpublic relations/political science major from Hammond said, “As an artist, Iwould be very excited to have my art showcased in the student magazine.”
Magazines use less technicallanguage, use attractive pictures, are geared toward a set audience and containlengthier articles. Tanya Caldwell, managing editor of Florida A&MUniversity magazine Journey, said, “I think the biggest difference between astudent magazine and a student newspaper is that the stories dig much deeperthan newspaper articles can.”
Mixing the latest fashion, entertainment, politics,health, and local features, the magazinewon’t be the usual magazine most expect.
“We are acollege magazine that serves mostly black college students. Most of the storieswe write could relate to any college student,” Caldwell said.
Unlikemagazines, newspapers cover daily events, local stories, and are geared towardsa general audience.
“It’sabout presentation. Newspapers are ‘now,’ straightforward, and to the facts.They require a time frame. That’s why many people keep magazines for years andthrow newspapers out within a matter of days,” said Derick S. Hackett, Directorof the Office of Student Media at Southern.
Themagazine, currently unnamed, would go into effect the fall of 2006 and would becomposed of new writers, artists, poets, and other creative minds. It wouldembody the same journalist style of the DIGEST, but with a fresh face.
If thestudents pass the DIGEST referendum proposal on April 11, they will follow inthe footsteps of other award winning HBCU’s like Florida A&M, Morehouse,Texas Southern University and Spelman University.
Accordingto Russell Nichols, editor of Journey, magazines are valuable not only to thewriters, but to those people who read them.
“Writingfor Journey is a tremendous experience,” said Russell Nichols, editor ofJourney magazine. “We are bringing the world to the campus and vice versa-thewar in Iraq, voting rights, the lives of ex-cons, anything imaginable.”
