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UPCOMING EVENTS |
Ed says it's been way to long since he's seen his favorite mag-lovers, so Ed's pulling some strings to invite you to an afternoon coffee clatch with...
Author of the New York Times-bestselling Jessica Darling series, Megan McCafferty
Dream of becoming the next Judy Blume? Meg Cabot? Sarah Dessen? Don't miss Megan McCafferty. The author penned a series of six comic coming-of-age novels inspired by her 20-years-worth of personal diaries. Ed can't wait to hear the trials and tribulations writing six full-length novels and this writer's tips to find a fresh take on writing about adolescence. Learn McCafferty's tips for getting the stories in your head onto the page! As always, Ed's going to make time for McCafferty to answer your questions. And, snacks will be provided!
Who: YOU
When: Friday, March 5th, 3 - 5 pm
Where: TBA
THIS YEAR'S EVENTS 2009 - 2010 |
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Edsters heard first-hand why Anna Holmes left the world of the mainstream women’s mags to launch one of Gawker’s most successful spinoff blogs, Jezebel.com. She worked at Glamour, InStyle, Entertainment Weekly, and Star, and decided it wasn’t her thing. “I was asked to write stories I didn’t believe in,” she said. Writing sex and relationship columns just didn’t cut it.
So, Holmes packed her bags and published a book: an anthology of breakup letters, Hell Hath No Fury: Women’s Letters From the End of the Affair. And from there, the editors of Gawker asked her to launch Jezebel.com, a blog that covers celebrity culture in a way the women’s magazines don’t…with a little attitude and a lot of spunk.
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Building one of Gawker’s most popular blogs from the ground up gave Holmes a storehouse of Web tips to share with eager Edsters. The world of the Web is nonstop – don’t hesitate to make decisions and trust your gut, she said. The strongest blogs find a fresh angle. Most blogs reiterate a story that’s already been reported – add value by fleshing out an opinion, she said. Find balance. Keep your loyal audience in mind, but write for first-time readers, too, she said. And, don’t ignore Twitter and social media. In her words, “It’s a big deal.”
--Sarah DiGiulio
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Day 1: This year’s senior benchmark trip was one for the books. Ed & Co. traveled to NYC to check out a bunch of magazines and mingle with SU’s fabulous alumni. A select group of mag majors kicked off the trip to the Big Apple by heading downtown to New York Magazine. Ed’s BFF Sharon Clott showed us around and introduced us to some of Nymag.com’s MVP’s - including SU alum Aileen Gallagher. We then were luck enough to hear from an entire panel of editors - from EA's to EIC's. The 9-person panel (including SU Ed founder Cheryl Brody Franklin!!!) answered tons of questions. We talked about everything from freelancing to health benefits. To top off our amazing first day, the panelists and benchmarkers were treated to dinner at Osteria al Doge restaurant, where we ate Italian and talked magazines all night long! Ed would have been in heaven...
--Ashlee Davis
Day 2: We got day two off to a healthy start at Self Magazine in the Conde Nast Building. ‘Cuse grads Laura Kalehoff, Erin Hobday, Shira Gordon and Cynthia Hall Searight told us all about the feel good atmosphere at Self. Cynthia Hall Searight, creative director, let us in on all the secrets about shooting celebs for the covers and we heard about this year’s key word: superfood. We left Self feelin’ good and moved on to hang with the boys of GQ. SU’s own, Brendan Vaughn, told us about the redesign of the website and brought in a great variety of staffers give us the run down about life at GQ. Sarah Goldstein, an EA, talked to the room full of female students about what it’s like to be one of two women on the staff, it’s kind of like a boys’ club she said, but she doesn’t mind. Later that night, we caught up with some of our favorite alums for some food and chatting at the Lubin House, SU’s home in NYC. After a packed day of great mags, it was time for some zzz’s in our comfy beds at the Iroquois…
--Leah Goldman
DAY 3: Finishing the trip in style, the group spent their third morning in NYC in the 46-story glass and steel Hearst Tower, home to Esquire, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and many more. The girls heard a forward-minded perspective of the mag biz with Eric Gillin, Web director of Esquire.com, Cosmopolitan.com and three other Hearst sites. The ‘99 SU alum took his first job as a reporter for the Online financial news Website, TheStreet.com, launched a Website with two journalist pals and then jumped to the consumer mag world. Gillin spoke bluntly to the 15-journalist hopefuls – embracing Online is the way of the editorial future – and it’s going to take some tough love to make it work. Gillin reminded the crew hard work, good writing skills and a willingness to think with flexibility will always be key to good editing.
Three mag-focused days filled with dozens of editorial success stories left the students abuzz to trek ahead on the job search – open minds and eagerness in toe! A huge thank you to Professor Melissa Chessher, Professor Bill Glavin and Shelly Griffin for making the experience happen!
Sarah Digiulio
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Edsters were anything but unlucky on this November Friday the 13th. Ashley Parrish took us to the web and gave us the inside scoop of how the web really works at some of our favorite Hearst glossies.
Ashley had some tips for how we could work our way up to the top in the mag world. First: intern like crazy!! The more you can intern the better. And once you score the Editorial Assistant job, take on some extra work to show everyone you really want to work hard and help the magazine. As an Editorial Assistant at Harper’s Bazaar, Ashley took it on herself to better their website. She wrote up a memo including a competitive analysis to show her boss. Soon after she was offered a web editor position!
Parrish then moved over to Marie Claire to redesign their website. When it comes to websites, Parrish says the most important thing is the “one click theory.” Since there is only a .3 second time period to catch the viewers eye, there has to be a clean navigation so the reader knows what they are clicking and only has to click once to get what they want.
Now in her current position as content director for women’s and teen magazines at Hearst, her goal is to make the Hearst sites work together. Parrish also makes sure she keeps up with social networks to see all the latest trends.
Parrish had some tips for us too! First off all, if you want to pitch an article, pitch to a magazine you read. Just reading a magazine shows you are interested in its subject matter, and we all love to write about our interests. As for your own blog, get it out there. Join social networks and post links to your blog, search Google trends, and ask some of your blog competitors to guest write.
Parrish had words to help sooth us mag majors as well. She doesn’t think our print glossies are all head to web only. Phew! Magazines are a lot about the experience, she says, like the tactile flipping of the pages. While magazine websites are filled with loads of information, everyone still loves curling up with a magazine on the couch.
--Leah Goldman
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Christie Hefner graced us with her presence on Wednesday, kicking off the event with a quick background story. Publishing was expanding in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s when she climbed the ranks at Playboy. Once she became CEO, her biggest concern was “leveraging the brand and style of content in other forms of media.” Playboy was the first mag to successfully expand their brand online back then. Pretty impressive considering magazines are still struggling with it today!
From the start, Playboy created the website as a business opportunity, not just a promotion for their print version. Christie noted that magazines “that can live beyond their pages” are the only publications that can become brands.
She pointed out how the new challenge in the mag industry is packaging content in unique ways and to think about how people access information, especially on mobile devices. Magazine editors are also going to have to start deciding what content to charge for online. She compared online mags to games: Millions of people pay for free, but a percentage is willing to pay for the premium.
Christie’s prediction is that, in the future, there may be fewer magazines, but readers will end up paying more for a combination of print and online content. She has faith that people are bonded to the magazines they love so there is nothing to worry about!
Ed’s lovin’ Christie Hefner’s optimism! She thinks us journalism students will be entering the mag world at a very exciting time!
--By Ashlee Davis
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Holly Hays whipped out her red pen and started slashing. The Redbook entertainment editor dished out her inside tips on what magazine editors look for in cover letters and what makes the letters hit the trash bin after the first sentence.
Edsters looked at real cover letters as Hays weighed in on the good and the bad. Think of cover letters as "a mini-article about me," she said. Show personality and grab the reader's attention, but stay far away from flowery language. Show you know the magazine, but don't suck up. Highlight experiences that relate to the job or internship you're applying to. "Be bold and be yourself," Hays told Edsters.
She flew straight from her NYC office to talk to Ed. After the job-hunt advice she talked about her take on working at Marie Claire and then Redbook. She offered Edsters some profile-writing tips to bring the subject to life – that’s golden advice from the lips of someone who’s captured Meg Ryan, Gerald Butler, and Matthew Broderick on paper. The reader should feel like “a fly on the wall,” she said.
Hays finished off answering Edsters’ questions, reminding the group one of the most important mag guidelines, whether pitching, applying, or writing, know the magazine.
--By Sarah DiGiulio
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Monday, November 2 :: Ed Happy Hour at Funk'n'Waffles
This year's kick off Happy Hour attracted enthusiastic newbies looking to break into the the magazine world. While munching on waffles, the E-board discussed how to write for everything from campus publications, local newspapers, to top notch magazines in the city. Edsters were encouraged to check out this site for descriptions of campus publications, and well as the national ED2010 site for available internships and Whisper Jobs. Ed loved seeing all the fresh faces!
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Monday, October 26 :: Sarah Rainone, author of Love Will Tear Us Apart
Ed just LOVED hanging out with Sarah Rainone and Markus Hoffman. Sarah, a ‘Cuse alumna and author of Love Will Tear Us Apart, told Edsters about the process of writing a book and working at a publishing house. She advised future novelists to make sure they loved their book topic because a book will consume its author’s life from writing, to editing, to promoting!
Markus, a literary agent with Regal Literacy, Inc, talked about how to score a great agent. He said often times agents and editors at publishing houses scan long form essays in glossies for potential book authors, so once again get those clips!
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Friday, October 9:: Christine Quinlan, Senior Editor of Food & Wine
Christine Quinlan actually came to magazines from an unlikely place: she started as a portfolio manager and equity analyst.
“I moved to NYC and no apartment and no job and I just hoped for the best,” she said. Quinlan took classes through MediaBistro to learn more about the communications industry and at Parsons. To support herself, she also worked as a florist and interned at two Italian food magazines.
She then started at Food & Wine as an editorial assistant to the managing editor. She explained that there are three different types of EAs: assistant to the EIC (kind of like a personal assistant), assistant to the managing editor (who focuses on the budget and staffing, and doesn’t write very much), and assistants in specific departments.
During her five years with the magazine, she has moved up to Senior Editor. Quinlan covers design, style, equipment, and increasingly beer, and deals with formulating issue themes, packaging stories, new editorial platforms, works with the ad sales team and on special sections for advertisers.
Food & Wineactually began as an insert in Playboy in 1978, but today it’s owned by American Express and has about seven million readers. In comparison with its late competitor, Gourmet, Food & Wine is aspirational, but there’s a lot of accessibility; the gift guide features a lot of items under $20. Gourmet didn’t make money, was too asipirational, didn’t change their formula with the times, and didn’t translate well online.
For those of us who are starting out as an editorial assistant, it’s important to speak up if you find something missing or a hole; make yourself available and raise your hand and volunteer to do it, she advised.
Fact Checker and Research Editor can also be entry-level positions, but first get a sense of the career track, talk to editors and emphasize where you want to go.
It’s important nowadays to be well versed in HTML, being able to complete a package and be online producers, have copyediting and fact checking skills, to be organized and deadline-oriented (this is very difficult with creative types), smart, trainable, and enthusiastic.
In terms of finding fresh ideas, she said F&W is always looking for new new new and the “and factor,” meaning there are a bunch of components for each story, new food products. The staffers will attend events and trade shows for inspiration also.
Among her favorite projects to work on, Quinlan most enjoys the May travel issue, the Trends issue (which forecasts upcoming trends), “Chefs Know Best,” and “big things that tend to scare other people.”
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October 2 :: Bartlett Room
Tanner Stransky, Entertainment Weekly correspondent and former Ed-on-Campus Director
Tanner Stransky joined the SU Ed Chapter for a little snackage, celebrity dishing, and helpful internship and career advice.
Tanner started the Ed-on-Campus chapter during his senior year at Drake University. He interned in Meredith Publishing’s (their HQ is in Iowa, where DU is located) custom publishing department, was an ASME intern for Teen People. Post grad, he started working hourly at OnDirectTV Magazine (akin to TV Guide). He simultaneously worked at the New York Post (a job he found through Ed2010!) in the dating (“Meet Market”) and weddings section.
Do you see a pattern yet? Tanner always knew he wanted to work for a celebrity/entertainment rag, so he continuously wrote pop culture-related articles to build a portfolio of clips. He was set on Entertainment Weekly from the beginning; he had a kick ass interview after senior year, but didn’t get the job. Undeterred, he found a reason to e-mail his contact at the mag every couple of months to touch base and keep himself fresh in her mind.
When he landed his dream job with EW, he started as an Editorial Assistant in the DVD section, and later became the TV Assistant. After two years of assistant-dom, he was promoted to TV correspondent, covering shows like The Real Housewives and Samantha Who? “Reality shows are fine, I love like, garbage (laughs),” he admits.
One of his favorite articles featured the 20th Anniversary of Rosanne, structured as an Oral History—Tanner conducted 27 separate interviews with the cast members, and then proceeded to put the quotes together like a conversation. He sat with Rosanne Barr herself for two hours at her fave restaurant in Vegas. “She’s scary as hell…but an interesting case study,” he said. Let’s just say, her publicist advised him to keep the wine flowing.
“People love nostalgia. 20 years later, there’s a different perspective to stories we’ve heard before.”
Another milestone was his interview with the Jonas Brothers: “They were kind of guarded and weird…there’s this weird teen pop world where they exist,” he remarked. They weren’t too thrilled to be asked about Miley either. Tanner is currently working on a profile of Julianna Marguiles for her show on CBS, The Good Wife.
He also wrote a regular Ugly Betty blog, and was approached by Kaplan to write a book entitled Find Your Inner Ugly Betty, a TV-based internship and career advice book for college students and grads. In the future, he’d like to write teen fiction.
What’s a typical day at EW like? It’s not glamorous, there are several interviews in a week, and he’s never met better people to work with. “It’s 80 pop culture nerds.” Now, everyone works for the print magazine and the web.
Tanner left us with five pieces of career advice to remember:
1) Internships: It’s about observing and doing. He’s also the intern coordinator at EW, so clearly he knows his stuff. He wants to see a resume with clips (don’t send more than five), “a cover letter that is like, poppin…then I’m like, hi.’” “The best intern is a go-getter, doesn’t complain, and has great ideas.”
2) Networking (hello, Ed!)
3) Do what you love.
4) Personal brand (his is entertainment, sassy, fun, snappy writing)
5) Go-getter sans cockiness
LAST YEAR'S EVENTS 2008 - 2009 |
April 24 :: Bartlett Room
Food, Fun, and Frenemies with Andrea Lavinthal and Jessica Rozler
Alums and authors of the best-selling The Hook-Up Handbook, Andrea Lavinthal (Cosmopolitan Beauty Web Editor) and Jessica Rozler (Allworth Publishing) returned to Syracuse to debut their latest best-seller, Friend or Frenemy. The ladies talked about their respective career paths in magazines and book publishing, providing TONS of job and internship advice, and spilled about what it takes to write a best-selling book.
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April 17 :: Miron Room
An Edlicious Homecoming with 'Cuse Ed Founder Cheryl Brody
Cheryl Brody, founder of Ed2010’s Syracuse Chapter, returned to campus on Friday, April 17, and brought with her an incredible package of tips on how to get an editorial assistant job. She assured Edsters that they have nothing to fear. EA positions ARE in fact available. Cheryl also told us about her experience in the mag industry, CosmoGirl! folding (RIP!), and her current work as a freelance writer. For those of you who missed out, here are her top 12 tips (that she collected from her mag editor friends!):
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1. Be proactive
2. Consider an internship
3. Network
4. Be open-minded
5. Be realistic
6. Nail your cover letter
7. Write two notes
8. Go overboard, but in a smart way
9. Know your tech
10. Believe that one day, you’ll be giving advice to students, too (because you will)
11. Give every job a chance
12. Remember to brag
For more details, ask your friends if you can check out Cheryl’s packet that she handed out to everyone at the event!
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CANDY PRATTS PRICE'S WORDS OF WISDOM
Edsters were in all of their fashion glory when legendary style icon and fashion editor Candy Pratts Price arrived on campus. Inclement weather and delayed flights almost forced the event to be cancelled, but luckily, with Ed's perseverance (and Ms. Price's patience) the talk went off without a hitch. Ed opted to open the event to the public, which proved to be a worthwhile decision - Newhouse's Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium was jam-packed with fashion enthusiasts and Candy-lovers alike. Price spoke to attendees about her rise to success, the future of fashion in new media, and provided tips for breaking into fashion and journalism. Below, a few of Candy Pratts Price's Words of Wisdom as written and reported by Syracuse Ed’s Prez, Lindsay Silberman.
1. She encourages students to push themselves: “Be curious. Have passion. It’s a cliché but it’s true. If you want something really badly, go out and get it. Find what you want to do with your life, and throw yourself into it 110 percent.”
2. Socialize with the key people in the field you want to be in. Go out, and hang out. People within the same industry stick together. Find your watering hole, and figure out a way to stand out from the crowd. Come up with an idea that becomes contagious.”
3. She wants you to go global: “Learn at least two languages. If I were 20 years younger, I’d leave town. I’d live in Europe for at least two months. The only way to know how they live, how they eat, and what they drink is by going.”
[*Candy is currently in the process of learning Russian, and she even studies on her iPhone while riding in cabs.]
4. She doesn’t believe that print is dying!: “I love paper and I am not going to try and predict the end of that. I do not see the disappearance of print. I see it becoming more precious.”
--Lindsay Silberman
Ed brought student mag lovers from around the country to NYC for his first ever national conference. Young Edsters were blown away by the meet and greets, magazine tours, workshops, and persona mock interviews and resume critiques. Of course, Syracuse Ed was representin'! SU Ed exec boarders Patty and Yelena share some of their experiences at the extravaganza below.
--Ashlee Davis
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During the Ed2010 conference we met with editors from four of the major publishing houses in New York: Hearst Corporation, Conde Nast, Meredith Corporation and Time Inc.
My small tour group of five girls set off across the city on a subway-sprint through the pouring rain, and arrived just in time for some pre-tour mingling in the lobby. We shook out our dripping umbrellas, much to the security guard's displeasure, in Hearst’s giant glass atrium.
At Hearst, we toured Good Housekeeping. Many people know Good Housekeeping best for its seal of approval, which it puts on all products it tests to see if the producers have indeed met federal guidelines. We met editors and web designers and had a brief Q & A session in the editorial section. Then we toured the Good Housekeeping testing labs where engineers do their thing: the magazine has a beautiful dining room where almost every single president except Bush and Clinton has eaten before. Walking around the lab floor, we saw all of their testing labs: electronics, beauty, textiles, kitchen and several others. All of the equipment was spotless and state of the art.
We booked it to Time Inc. and visited People. This was interesting because we got to talk about celebrity reporting. The editor showed us pages from upcoming issues and explained the process of going to print a magazine like People that has a very short lead time.
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We zipped over to Conde Nast, where we visited GQ. What impressed me most about GQ is that we got a chance to sit down with deputy editor Michael Hainey--a stylish, soft-spoken magazine legend who exudes intelligence. He was great, he gave us a ton of advice about how to break into the industry in such a crap economy. Then we got a chance to visit with some editorial assistants who were in our shoes just a few years ago.
Finally, we visited Ladies Home Journal at Meredith Corporation. The mag has been around for so long (126 years) that we talked a lot with its head designer about maintaining a fresh look and feel to the pub without losing that character and history. His best advice: if you can hang a single page of a magazine on a wall, and can tell what magazine it is simply by looking at the design/layout/look of the page, that magazine has a really well defined and developed character.
What a day. I was walking the halls that magazine guru's, legendary journalists, had edited, wrote, typed, and designed for years. Thanks Ed!
--Patty Hodapp
How to Break Into Lifestyle/Food Mags
This class had a strong focus on Food magazines, and consequently we started off by discussing ingredients we couldn’t live without. Ingredients such as sugar, salt, and olive oil immediately came to mind. But to become a Food writer, one has to be able to take these simple ingredients and pitch a story in such an original way, so that the reader wont mind reading about the simple essentials they have lying around their cupboards. Here are a couple tips Deb Puchalla, editor of FoodNetwork.com and Miranda Van Gelder, Features Editor of Martha Stewart Living Magazine gave us about Food mags!
Making Money Freelancing in a Crap Economy
Melissa Walker, a successful freelancer and founder of Iheartdaily.com gave us some encouraging advice on freelancing in these tough times. She explained to those of us who weren’t familiar, that freelancing involves always thinking: Where could I be writing? A few ideas for stories that appeal to editors are: things youth are involved it, stuff going on locally, and noticeable trends. Before pitching a story, you have to do some research— ideas have to be perfect. Make sure you’re very familiar with the structure of the magazine and what type of stories they’re looking for. Most importantly of all, don’t be a snob. Be open to what comes along in the beginning. Accept any pay, and consider the unconventional— airline magazines for example. Here are some tips on pitching stories and breaking through as a freelancer:
How to Ace an Edit Test
The edit test is possibly one of the most dreaded and time consuming things we go through on the job search, but mastering it is crucial. Jennifer Goldstein, Beauty and Fashion News Editor at Health Magazine, and Emily Kate Warren, freelance writer, cleared up a few misconceptions about the edit test for us. First of all, the edit test usually is given at the end of the interview (if they like you!) and consists of three parts: ideas for the mag, pitches for stories, and a small article to edit. You’re competing against others who are taking the same test as you, so do more than they ask, never less. Don’t forget to follow these tips for completing an edit test:
--Yelena Galstyan
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Ed got in touch with his inner rap superstar on Tuesday, February 24th when he hosted an exclusive Q&A with Kim Osorio, the first female Editor-in-Chief of The Source Magazine and author of “Straight From the Source: An Expose From the Former Editor-in-Chief of the Hip-Hop Bible.” DJ Ed-Money (that’s Ed’s hip-hop alter ego) was all ears for Osorio’s tales of celebrity run-ins and A-list escapades.
A few highlights for Osorio: throwing spitballs at Method Man during a photo shoot, horseback riding with Suge Night and Hulk Hogan, and a number of high-profile relationships. But Osorio admitted that not everything about being an EIC was glamorous. She talked about not being able to see her daughter for days at a time, and staying at the office until the sun came up. “The interesting thing about magazine these days is that it seems so fabulous on the outside, but on the inside it’s draining,” she said. For eager Edsters, Osorio recommended finding the one person on staff that is trying to nurture young talent, and above all, she believes that success comes with letting your work speak for itself.
--Lindsay Silberman
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Although Chuck's didn't work out, Edsters had fun munching on waffles and talking about the mag world in Funk'N'Waffles on Marshall Street. They swapped their favorite mags and chatted about whats happening in their personal/professional lives. Ed members shared their excitement about the Ed Conference in NYC coming up in April. Happy Hours truly are the best way to get to know the Ed crew and mingle with your fellow magazine lovers.
--Yelena Galstyan
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Off in the Big Apple for the last five years, but on Friday it was as if Marisa Bardach never left the gray skies of Syracuse. The SU alum welcomed Edsters with a presentation offered in the lecture hall she claims to have fallen asleep in during many Com 107 classes. Bardach gave a quick roundup of what it takes to be a web editor, offering the sage advice for soon to be college grads, "People in the industry are relying on young minds to keep pulse on what's going on." After laying out the steps of her own career, the Prevention.com , Health Editor wowed the group with a short resume workshop where Ed learned it helps to be a tease. Ed missed MB, as he can't wait for her return!
--Marissa Broe
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“I never could have predicted my career path,” SU grad Holly Corbett said as she sat alongside her two girlfriends, Amanda Pressner and Jennifer Baggett, who both nodded their heads in agreement. The three ladies spilled their stories as to why they spontaneously left their powerful jobs in the media industry to travel around the world. As if hearing about their impressive journeys to some of the biggest magazines and television stations wasn’t enough to drop jaws, learning of their fortuitous fame that came from the travel blog they created simply blew us away. Holly, Amanda, and Jennifer also flooded us with excellent tips on how to stand out of the crowd of all the ravenous job-hunters. The three ladies left us motivated and travel hungry, and even offered us the opportunity to write for their blog, lostgirlsworld.com.
--Talia Pollock
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Day 1: An ever-worsening economy didn't keep Ed and his peeps from enjoying three days of magazine mayhem on this year's Senior Benchmark trip. Sixteen highly talented mag majors braved the winter cold to visit a host of Newhouse alums in the Big Apple. Ed spent his first day with count-em, THREE, Cuse grads at Self, where he learned that a little determination and a great interview really does pay off. Next he taxied over to Park Ave to catch up with his recently graduated girls. He almost couldn't contain himself when he saw his BFFs Sharon, Jess, Allie and Julianne. Despite being new to the industry, the women—whose jobs ranged from freelancing at CNN Money to editorial assistant at Penguin Books—made Ed and his posse a little more confident in the post-grad job search. But then he went on to day two…
--Marissa Broe
Day 2: After a night of reminiscing with recent alums, eating the most decadent passion fruit sorbet, and sleeping comfy cozy, the seniors started the benchmark’s second day with a bang. First stop—Condé Nast to shmooze with Lene Dahl, who discussed the ins and outs of being Copy Chief at Teen Vogue. We soaked up our fair dose of fashion and then headed to GQ magazine for a dose of testosterone. Brendan Vaughan, GQ’s Senior Articles Editor, talked to us about his position with the magazine and introduced us to several other staffers. One of GQ’s few females Raha Naddaf discussed becoming “one of the guys” and her new found passion for constant cursing and fist pounds. The seniors ended the day with an information-packed panel discussion with past alums and left ready to conquer the job hunt (terrible economy aside).
--Kat Kondracki
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Day 3: The grand FINALE! The crew headed to the breathtaking Hearst towers where they were greeted by the Web Editor of both Esquire.com and Cosmopolitan.com, Eric Gillin (who also happens to be a Newhouse alum!) Gillin encouraged the students not to be afraid of taking risks: he took his first job as a staff writer for TheStreet.com, a financial website, with ZERO prior knowledge of finance. He also emphasized the necessity of online experience, and its ability to give our generation a leg up on the competition in years to come. According to Gillin, the hardest workers will always rise to the top. By 12:00pm the students were free to frolic around chilly NYC. Special thanks to Professor Chessher, Professor Glavin, and Shelly Griffin for orchestrating the trip!
--Lindsay Silberman
The sweet 16 were: Lindsay Silberman, Kat Kondracki, Marissa Broe, Anna Brand, Briana Palma, Kate Pennington, Jaimie Dalessio, Michelle Toglia, Kaitlin Ahern, Jen Williams, Shilpa Prabhakar, Michelle Halpern, Hallie Stiller, Kate Law, Marisha Kelly, and Taylor Engler.
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Edsters gathered together to shmooze with Ed’s first Editor-in-Chief of the year—Diana Lind of Next American City, a magazine focused on environmental sustainability and improving cities. The EIC chatted about living in Philadelphia, writing for a non-profit, and the perks of working at a niche publication. Lind walked us through the different sections of the magazine and discussed the quarterly’s focus and themes. Edsters left the event with a better understanding of the daily duties and responsibilities of being an EIC (and free magazines!).
--Kat Kondracki
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With over eight years in the mag industry, Glamour's Sunny Sea Gold, gave Ed members more than a few helpful tidbits at his brunch on Friday. As one half of the first Ed-produced marriage, Gold has only good things to say about the man we all adore. The former Ed editor brought sample pitches and cover letters to teach Cuse Edsters the real way to land an internship or even a job. When it comes to grabbing an editor's attention, Gold says be yourself and really know the magazine you are targeting. If the mag's voice comes through, it's clear you belong there!
In an effort to calm Edsters' worries about the current state of the industry, Gold explained that yes, you are constantly looking, and even when jobs fall through, it is important to keep going! It all works out, and in the apparent personal mantra of Gold, things you wouldn't expect to work, often end up for the best!
--Marissa Broe
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If Ed had a Match.com profile, it would say, “Must love magazines, meeting new people, and Lindsey Pollak.” The career expert, professional speaker, and author of Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before you Join the Real World is an SU Ed favorite. With indispensable networking and career tips to offer, it’s no wonder we keep bringing her back again, and again, and again.
Nearly 50 Edsters gathered together to discuss the job market, interview dos and don’ts, and networking skills. Despite students’ fears of the current economy, Pollak stayed positive encouraging us with tips like “Cast a wide net” and “Don’t time the job market; time your life.”
If you’re like Ed and just can’t get enough of Pollak, check out her blog at LindseyPollak.com/blog for even more professional tips and insider advice. As Pollak would say, “Always keep one arm in the digital world.”
--Kat Kondracki
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Ed learned how to mix it up with Jeannie Ralston this past sunny Friday afternoon. With 20 years of experience, Ralston brought Edsters tips on how to dabble in every corner of the magazine industry. Writing for Glamour, National Geographic, Time, and Travel and Leisure and editing for Allure and Parenting, name just a few stops in Ralston’s mag career. Ralston suggests that having a natural curiosity and knowing how to write for your audience keeps the doors open to writing for all different types of magazines. Build a network, use your clips to get jobs, and always bring enthusiasm to your work were also some of Ralston's tips. “Work your relationships and don’t ever burn a bridge.”
Ralston shared the perks of freelancing for magazines: “You can live where you want to live,” she said. Magazines like an outside perspective and want to find stories from other places besides New York. Ralston also spoke about moving to Texas, starting a lavender farm and business, and writing a book. “Don’t think there’s only one way to measure your success,” she told Edsters.
--Sarah Digiulio
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Maggie's on Marshall Street was filled to the brim with enthusiastic Edsters on Tuesday night. At the 100+ Member Happy Hour Celebration, Ed's peeps munched on pizza and appetizers while exchanging internship stories and resume advice. After an hour of shmoozing, Ed's execsters held a Q&A session about everything from interning at a local mag, to inquiries about Ed2010 chapters at other campuses. All in all, the night was a success, and Ed's posse left with full minds and even fuller stomaches.
--Lindsay Silberman
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"Don't be too picky about your first job" was just one of the insightful career tips Prevention fitness editor Natalie Gingerich entertained Edsters with at last night's event, the first of the year. A packed Bartlett Room listened while Gingerich outlined her six points to make it from college to career. As someone who took a somewhat alternative route, beginning at her university's alumni magazine, Gingerich says your first job can be anything, and that your second job is where you really begin planning for your career. Finding a specialty, such as fitness or health, Gingerich says, is the reason why she made it from editorial assistant to assistant editor in less than two years. Ed learned so much while he munched on Prevention-worthy fruits and veggies in the back. Ed was so impressed with the awesome questions his peeps asked the young editor. Judging by the success of the first event, Ed cannot wait to see what's in store for the rest of the year--Stay tuned!
--Marissa Broe
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There is just one thing Ed loves as much as magazines—meeting new friends. And that is just what he did at this year’s Juice Jam at Skytop Field on South Campus. Over 100 guys and gals stopped by to chat it up with Ed himself and learn about his connection in the magazine industry. While getting down with Ra Ra Riot, Talib Kweli, and Bloc Party, he made his best pitch to any interested Edster about his networking skills and involvement on campus. Meeting so many new faces, Ed felt like the most popular guy on campus. But then again, Ed’s got so much to offer, who wouldn’t want to be his friend?
--Kat Kondracki
LAST YEARS EVENTS 2007 - 2008 |
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Ed was so psyched to finally meet Sally Koslow, author of Little Pink Slips. It was funny to hear how her publisher made her change the description of one of the characters in her book because it was too close to the real thing! Koslow spoke about life after being an EIC, the wacky world of publishing, and co-writing a screenplay with her son.
--Malaka Gharib and Ashlee Davis
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It's always a good thing to hear that there are people out there that obsess over magazines just as much as Edsters do! Edsters chatted with Marisa Meltzer and Kara Jesella, the authors of How Sassy Changed My Life, a book about how one earth-shattering alterna-teen magazine from the early 90s shaped their fashion and music tastes, inspired their magazine careers and influenced their writing style. Meltzer and Jesella gave Edsters some insight about the book publishing process. Meltzer says that anyone can do it, as long as you have something to write about. Jesella also warned Edsters of the evil Gawker.com crew, the "Big Brother" of the magazine industry. Gawker makes writers afraid to publish their work for fear of it getting made fun of, says Jesella. And some good news: Jesella and Meltzer swear that mag journalists will have a rocking social life in the Big Apple!
--Malaka Gharib
Edsters met at the Jab to discuss Sally Koslow's book in depth over donuts and coffee. Let's just say we're a bit freaked out about potential career drama, i.e. overnight magazine takeovers, scary celebrities and evil corporate advertisers. Can't wait to meet Koslow in real life!
--Malaka Gharib
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Edsters spent a snowy afternoon getting to know a journalist with a love for traveling, playing guitar and the Spice Girls. On Tuesday, February 26, Chuck Thompson, travel writer and author of Smile When You're Lying: Confessions of a Rogue Travel Writer, talked about his life as a freelance writer and his new book, which he described as everything he really wanted to write in his magazine stories. Thompson shared it all with Edeven the reasons he doesn't like the Caribbean.
Later in the evening, Thompson entertained an intimate crowd of students and faculty with tales of his travels to China, Malayasia, Brazil, and London to name a few. Thompson wrote for Maxim, the Atlantic, Esquire, National Geographic Explorer and Escape. The hour flew by with Thompson's sarcasm, occasional rant and genuine advice. He explained his 13 months as Editor-in-Chief of Travelocity Magazine, his typical day as a freelance writer and what it takes for him to write the first draftfour hours and his computer, and he hates it. His advice? Rewritethere are no good writers, only good rewriters.
--Sarah DiGiulio
Ed got the facts straight with Sarah Harrison Smith, managing editor of The New York Times Magazine, on Monday, February 11th. Smith mingled and chatted with curious Edsters and later spoke to large student audience. She landed her first gig as a freelance fact checker at The New Yorker. A few years later, Smith authored The Fact Checkers Bible, a guide book to the world of accurate fact checking. She even signed copies! There is something strangely powerful about the position of a fact checker, says Smith.
Her advice for fact checkers everywhere is to be skeptical and go straight to a primary source. Smith prides herself on her skeptical eye and reads all copy for The New York Times Magazine before it goes to print. Her job is full of challenges, but she says the biggest is finding a new web identity that is consistent with the print magazine.
--Jessica Prince
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In honor of our newly formed Ed Book Club, the Ed Board put together a list of their favorite books just for YOU! Be sure to check them out...and don't make excuses! There's always time to read -- in between classes, before bed and on those lazy Sunday mornings!
Basic Black by Cathie Black: Cathie Black, the uber-successful president of Hearst Magazines, dishes her advice on succeeding in the magazine industry.
The Joys of Much Too Much by Bonnie Fuller: The high-powered magazine editor tells us how to have the great career, marriage, and family - all at the same time.
The Best American Magazine Writing 2007: This book, put out annually by the American Society of Magazine Editors, showcases some of the best recent articles. Selections are varied in tone and subject; they come from everywhere from Esquire to The Atlantic Monthly.
The Fabulist by Stephen Glass: Some say it's Stephen Glass' thinly-veiled autobiography; he was The New Republic's version of Jayson Blair.
Fair Game by Valerie Plame: The former CIA agent was in Judith Miller scandal; the CIA forced her to redact parts of the book
How Sassy Changed My Life by Kara Jesella and Marisa Meltzer: A behind-the-scenes look at the Sassy magazine's office culture, including sections on the glossy' coverage of feminism, celebrity and girl culture.
The Art of the Interview by Lawrence Grobel: For anyone who is still dying to know the secret to conducting a good interview, Lawrence Grobel (who has written for Rolling Stone and the New York Times) offers some advice and recounts many colorful interviews with stars such as Mel Gibson, Drew Barrymore and Al Pacino.
The Awakening by Kate Chopin: A quick read at only 150-pages, but very vibrant. At her summer cottage in the late 1800's, a wealthy young wife and mother discovers herself through a romantic seduction--an easy-to-read story of self-discovery.
Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich: Heard from a friend it was good, but I'm not sure!
Almost Moon by Alice Sebold: The follow-up novel to The Lovely Bones
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri: A beautiful, heartfelt story of an Indian boy searching for his identity after his father's death.
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez: Read this and then watch it on the big screen! Garcia Marquez has a knack for description that's out of this world
--The Ed Board
The third annual Magazine Benchmark Trip to New York City hosted by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications rocked this year. Students visited tons of editors and SU alums at titles including Print, Field and Stream, CosmoGIRL!, Popular Mechanics, Teen Vogue, Esquire, and SELF.
Students dined at the delicious Osteria al Doge Restaurant in Times Square and met up with recent grads to learn all about their job search experiences and post-college lives. Everyone left very full and extremely motivated for the future!
The fourteen lucky and talented magazine journalism seniors were Allison Baker, Marisa Bevilacqua, Jen Carmona, Gabrielle Frank, Malaka Gharib, Jennifer Horvath, Meghan Loftus, Andrea Morabito, Julianne Pepitone, Jessica Prince, Mallory Rubin, Ashley Stites, Shannon Sweeney, and Jamie Wilson. --Jessica Prince, Ed2010 SU Chapter, President
Despite the winter wonderland in Syracuse, Edsters enjoyed a year-end pizza party with Michael Haederle, a former Deputy Bureau chief of People Magazine. Haederle talked about how he initially got involved in reporting for People (he started out working for newspapers) and also gave a brief overview of the mag's history. His coverage has ranged from topics such as the Oklahoma City Bombing, Jon Benet Ramsey's murder and Hurricane Katrina, to interviewing celebs such as Britney Spears, Tim McGraw, and Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20. Haederle schooled Edsters on the craft of interviewing celebrities and talked about the difficulties of having a "normal" life as a reporter and journalist. Thanks to all of the Edsters for braving the winter elements! We wish you all a happy holiday and a safe and healthy 2008! --Lindsay Silberman
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Edsters partied in HBC Wednesday night in honor of two special occasions--100+ members AND Professor Glavin's birthday! Vanilla-frosted cake and tons of candy made the celebration especially sweet. Ed even bought Professor Glavin a new pair of brown fleece Crocs to keep warm this winter. Ed knew Glavin would love them.
Thank you to everyone who attended.
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| Now if only we could get Carrie Underwood to come... |
Entertainment Weekly Senior Writer Steve Daly (who's been with the mag for 17 years!) lit up the room with his sense of humor and colorful personality at Ed2010's A (Steve) Daly Dose of Entertainment Weekly. From his accounts of crazy celebrities, to his traumatic experience of being called Stephanie Daly in kindergarten, Daly had Edsters laughing their a**es off all night. Daly took Ed through a day in the life of a senior writer and told the group the challenges of writing lengthy feature stories on a short deadline. Despite that fact that he was in the middle of closing the most recent EW cover story about Johnny Depp (the star of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street), Daly gave Edsters his undivided attention and ton of valuable advice along the way. Check out some memorable quotes below that definitely had everyone on the edge of their seats:
1. Mastering the college experience is the best preparation you can get for the journalism world (in reference to late hours and time management skills).
2. If you think the world of entertainment journalism is glamorous, I'm here to wipe the cobwebs from your eyes.
3. [Today], at least one third of your life is about how to `extend your brand' into the internet world.
4. The harder I work, the luckier I am (the aphorism Daly has always lived by).
After some good old-fashioned shmoozin', delicious Mediterranean snacks and an inspirational lecture, Daly left the room what one solid piece of advice: You gotta do what you love, and you gotta do it 100%.--Lindsay Silberman
A series of un-fortune-ate travel delays led to the cancellation of the Ed2010 event with Roger Parloff of FortuneMagazine. Shout outs to the Edsters who stuck around for some coffee talk and Dunkin' Donuts anyway - you guys rock Ed's world! --Lindsay Silberman
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| "Thanks for inviting me to Syracuse"...Aww! |
Edsters chatted with Mr. David Friend in one of the Newhouse school's rockin' new hotspots on October 16th. The Editor of Creative Development for Vanity Fair shared his background from college days at Amherst to the two-year story, which revealed Mark Felt's identity as Deep Throat. Friend also stressed the power of images in a story. The hardest person he ever interviewed was former President Bill Clinton. Friend said he was able use images in the interview to help Clinton open up. Ed also had the chance to purchase David Friend's book, Watching the World Change: The Stories Behind the Images of 9/11 and even get it autographed! He hasn't been able to put it down... --Jessica Prince
Ed dished some major internship advice (and yummy pizza) to his favorite juniors and sophomores. Two of his exec gals, Julianne Pepitone and Allie Baker, talked the truth about ASME. Their number one tip: dont not freak out if youre assigned to a magazine about power tools or old women. Eds friends shared their internship experiences at such diverse pubs as Vogue, Sports Illustrated, and Latina magazine. Eds favorite guy, Professor Glavin, stopped by to make the event even more awesome.
Ed wishes his peeps good luck on their ASME applications! --Allie Baker
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| Crazy Chris is so hot right now. |
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| Mag girls at Maggie's! |
Ed filled up on fried food at Wednesday night's Happy Hour and now his trainer's mad. Whatever! All those fries were worth all the new faces Ed met. Nothing goes better with FOB and internship talk than onion rings and chicken tenders. Right? Ed's first happy hour went as smooth as a glossy cover. Mag's owner, Crazy Chris even photographed Ed and his peeps for the Maggie's slideshow. Check it out next time you're bumpin and shakin on that dancefloor. --Marissa Broe
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| Matters autographed a Money cover just for Ed. |
Ed's newest friend is the money-man Craig Matters, who came to mingle with Edsters at an exclusive reception on September 20. Craig, the executive editor of Money magazine, left the print world in 2001 to launch CNNMoney.com,the third most popular financial destination on the Web!
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| Craig and the fabulous ED staff! |
Craig told Edsters the greatest way to get a foot in the door is to be Web
savvy and technologically skilled. While Craig stressed the importance of
creating a personal Web site, learning to take quality photos, and even
carrying around a video camera during interviews, he's a traditionalist at
heart: "Nixon will always be my president," he said, "and Bob Woodward and
Carl Bernstein will always be the only journalists who matter." --Julianne
Pepitone
:: General Interest Meeting, September 12
Ed met so many new faces at the general interest meeting, he cant take the smile of his face! More than 100 magazine lovers gathered together in Newhouse II to learn about the campus networking club and how to become future Edsters. Ed hopes to remain the most popular guy on campus, and it looks like he is off to a good start.Kat Kondracki
**SPECIAL EVENT RECAP** |
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Ed's reps at Syracuse University flipped out (in a good way) when they met Gloria Steinem on March 20! The legendary feminist, journalist, and Ms. Magazine founder visited the university for a special lecture "An Evening With Gloria Steinem," hosted by yours truly, the Ed-on-Campus chapter at Syracuse University, and the Women in Communications chapter. Ed was so nervous that he nearly broke a sweat going to meet her, though. But, Steinem welcomed all of the Edsters with an open heart and mind, answering questions about starting a magazine, the publishing industry, and feminism. The lecture and the up-close-and-personal session rocked Ed's socks off. Seriously.
Here are six kickin' things, as written and reported by Ed-on-Campus President Sharon Clott, she shared about the magazine industry:
1. She wants more: "The economy of magazines has changed since I started Ms. Women's magazines can't get ads unless they write favorably. It's all for advertisers. I like Bitch and Bust. We should have many more. I wish there were more feminist magazines-a fiction and poetry feminist magazine, a health one, or one that pulls feminist pieces from all over the world. But, by definition, we can't because we don't want to comply with advertisers."
2. She doesn't pick sides in the print vs. online battle: "If the Internet came first, people would be welcoming print magazines and newspapers. They'd say, 'Oh, look it's portable. I can take it places.' Meaning, just because the Internet's such a new medium, doesn't make it better."
3. She prefers reading online and reads all of her news online, except for the Sunday New York Times, as she always gets a paper copy of that. But, she doesn't read blogs (and doesn't plan on writing one of her own any time soon).
4. She's a hope-a-holic for magazines: "Ms. started with a group of women. We were all working as editors at magazines we wouldn't read. And all we wanted to do was make a magazine we would read. The magazines weren't integrated. It was difficult. I am a hope-a-holic and I don't mean to discourage you, but it's difficult to start a magazine." [Ed note: Luckily, she succeeded! One student even came with the very first issue of Ms. Steinem signed it. It was a moment.]
5. She once made buttons that said "The truth will set you free. But first, it will piss you off." This came up in her discussion about the current administration's policies.
6. She wants you to tell your stories: "Our stories are narratives. Narratives are crucial. Our minds are organized around narratives. They always talk about the 'Oprahfication' of the news and I think if only. The 'serious' journalism lacks narratives. Perhaps we won't be as hungry and starved for celebrity journalism just because we want to read a story about another human being. Feminism is about selling your memories."
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2006 - 2007 |
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| SMILE SENIORS. You're graduating and jobless and we love you! |
Ed's April 25th happy hour marked a bittersweet occasion where old and new members gathered to say a final farewell to the graduates. Legal Edsters toasted to four wonderful years of hard work, magazines, and memories. Ed is sad to see his seniors go, but on behalf of the entire chapter, we wish the senior class much luck and success in the future. A special thanks to President Sharon Clott, Developmental Director Carly Migliori and Project Coordinator Christine Mattheis for their outstanding efforts in making this year so successful. Ed is pumped for the upcoming 2007-08 year with a great E-board ready to go!
Congrats to all incoming executive board members and to the Class of 2007. May all your dreams come true. *tear* Jessica Prince
The Edsters teamed up with Women in Communication members for some pizza and valuable networking advice from a power team of professionals, including:
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| The guests, Ed, and WIC groups pose for a pic. Way cool. |
-- Lindsey Pollak, the networking queen herself and author of "Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World"
-- Melissa Chessher, Chair and Professor of the magazine department at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
-- Monica Roberts, Director of the Newhouse Career Development Center
-- Ryann Acton, Staff Writer for the Central New York Business Journal
-- Susan Filkins, Alumni Coordinator for the Syracuse University Center for Career Services
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| Ryann Acton shares her business journalism knowledge with Ed members Mina Markham, Shavon Greene, and Matt Allyn. |
Ed hosted a "mock" career fair in which 'Cusers "speed networked" spending 10 minutes with each of the five representatives set up at individual tables. Topics discussed included marketing yourself to a potential employer, important questions to ask at career fairs, the best places to network, and the importance of keeping in touch and following up with previous contacts. Ed2010 and WIC members were net-WORKED out by the end of the session, and will undoubtedly be working it at the Communications Career Fair the following week. Hopefully, they'll take some of these lessons to work the room and "get their asses some work!"Lindsay Silberman
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Ed's buddy, Lindsey Pollak, stopped in the 'Cuse on April 5 for The Best Job Workshop EVER.
With her new book in tow called "Getting from College to Career"
Lindsey offered Syracuse University's Ed chapter a batch of tips to make the job and internship search a success.
We learned how to present ourselves like professionals, how to network effectively, the best ways to prepare for interviews,
and much more. Lindsey also gave Ed the inside scoop on the biggest mistake in career prep and job hunting (pssst if you
want to know what it is, pick up her book!). Christine Mattheis
Ed partied it up with friends at Maggies Tavern, where Edsters gathered to chow down and catch up on all their great internship news and upcoming summer plans. Between munches and chats, everyone relished in the spring issues of several campus publications that launched that week: Equal Time, Jerk, and What the Health. And the Ed E-board made a big announcement: three positions will be open for the 2007-2008 Syracuse Chapter Executive BoardTreasurer, Webmaster, and Project Coordinator. Time for Edsters at SU to show Ed some love and jump on the opportunity to add to the current amazing team. Jessica Prince
The Syracuse Ed Chapter was graciously invited by the top editors in New York City at magazines like Jane, Glamour, Entertainment Weekly, CosmoGirl!, and more -- to send in our resumes so they can see what does or doesnt make the cut. They offered CONSTRUCTIVE criticism on our resumes that will help us land a job or internship! Thanks Ed!
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| Lindsay models a T-shirt. Lookin' fine! |
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| Vice President Jessica Prince and Treasurer Lindsay Silberman display the program from the show. |
Be STRONG. Be BOLD. Be SASSE! Ed2010 at Syracuse proudly announces that it will be co-sponsoring the sixth annual benefit production of "The Vagina Monologues" hosted by Students Advancing Sexual Safety and Empowerment (SASSE). All proceeds of the show will go to four local women's organizations: Vera House, SU Rape Center, Planned Parenthood of Rochester/Syracuse Region, and the Chadwick Residence. So far, SASSE has raised over $40,000 for these impressive organizations. Ed is happy to help out! If you want to join Ed at the performances of this amazing show, they will be February 16 and 17 at 8 p.m. Additionally-for the first time ever-women in the sorority and fraternity community will compose their own show on March 4th at 4 p.m. So, if you're not busy and up to support a good cause, join Ed and his posse for what is sure to be some amazing performances!Lindsay Silberman
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Try cramming 50 cheese cubes in your mouth at once.
I didn't, but one grown man did at this year's Society for News Design 28th Best of Newspaper Design competition. The sight of it fascinated me. By the time I finished helping with the judging Sunday night I began to understand how this guy's mouth must have felt. My brain felt the same way. Trying to see all the entries at SND was like trying to get through Disney World in a day.
As a student facilitator, my job was to make sure the judges were comfortable at all times and to set up and take down each category of entries. The judging process is complicated to explain, but basically there are very long tables with pages from newspapers laying upon them. Judges come by and vote if the entry deserves an Award of Excellence, a Silver or Gold Medal, or a Judges' Special Recognition award. During the judging, I had the opportunity to walk around the rooms of the Drumlins Country Club and see the entries for the different categories. I facilitated on the Graphics team. This category includes infographics, charts, and maps. Some of the most creative entries were in the Features category, which is quite large. I got to see quite a bit of the features, and was blown away by the talent of the designers and artists.
The best part for me was getting to know my team, an incredibly diverse and charming group of individuals. All the judges are professionals in the field and other facilitators besides students also work in graphic arts as well. As I am about to begin my career in design, I realized that newspaper may not always be as glamorous as the magazine industry seems. It takes a ton of hard work and critical thinking, but I can make just as big of a career in this industry as I can in magazine. This was my second year helping at the competition, and I appreciated it so much more this year.
After going from 8 a.m. to about 10:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 17 and 18, my head was ready to explode. I was not able to make it to Monday's judging, because of my classes. The event went on without me, however. To check out the results of the judging and to research the organization, head to www.snd.org. A blog, including video of the cheese cube cram-fest, has been posted as well at http://snd28.blogspot.com/. A special thanks must go to Marshall Matlock, Shamus Walker, and Sean McNaughton, for hooking us students up with a really kick ass experience.Carly Migliori
Edsters kept warm on Tuesday night during the Meet, Greet, And Eat with Ed event. Everyone munched on chips and chatted about their past internships, favorite magazines, and future summer plans. Eds awesome E-board gave the run-down for this semesters rockin event schedule, which includes exciting guests and opportunities: a professional virtual resume critique, a niche-internship workshop, returning freelancer and author Lindsey Pollak, happy hours galore and much more! Newcomers learned the mission behind Ed2010, and not one could resist joining the Syracuse chapter. Membership now stands at 87 members and growing. Go Ed! Jessica Prince
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| Edsters take a break from learning to pose for a pic at CondeNast Traveler. L to R: Lauren Shopp, Sharon Clott, Assistant Editor Annemarie Kropf, Christine Mattheis, and Matt Allyn. |
Ed canoodled with lots of cool editors in New York City for three big days. As part of the senior Benchmark trip sponsored by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, the magazine journalism department takes 12 senior students on the trip of a lifetime. The talented 12 were: Matt Allyn, Brooke Carey, Sarah Christensen, Sharon Clott, Abigail Cuffey, Krystle Davis, Jennifer Gong, Christine Mattheis, Carly Migliori, Rachel Lear, Lauren Shopp, and Courtney Woods.
One day was dedicated entirely to Hearst, where the crew visited editors from CosmoGirl!, Marie Claire, and Seventeen, as well as munched and mingled with editors from O, the Oprah Magazine and Diversions over lunch at the infamous Hearst cafeteria. The next day the posse rolled over to Conde Nast (holler at the Newhouse-owned company) and visited editors at Jane, Details, Glamour, CondeNast Traveler, and TeenVogue. Then on the final night, Ed went to the craziest magazine part-ay EVER and introduced himself to more than 30 editors. Way to work the room, Ed!
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| Professor Glavin at TeenVogue with (OMG!) Harry Potter cover girl Hermione, played by Emma Watson. |
Big shout out to the kickin' magazine department hosts Professor and Chair Melissa Chesser and Professor Bill Glavin. It was quite a treat, and quite a featso many fabulous editors and all from the magazine major. Ed left inspired for the future! Sharon Clott
For the last hurrah of 2006, Ed's hosted one last fiesta before the fall semester ended. Ed lovers gathered in the Newhouse Lounge to vent about finals, dish about reality TV, and of course peruse magazines while chowing down on Domino's. Ed was so happy to make so many new friends this year (83!). But, he'll miss those who are leaving to study abroad as well as a few December grads. With the success of fall 2006, Ed can't wait to see what 2007 will bring! Jessica Prince
Ed members joined PRINT magazines editor-in-chief Joyce Rutter Kaye for an intimate discussion about the direction of the magazine industry and design-oriented journalism jobs. PRINT is the bimonthly magazine about graphic design and visual culture, and she has served as EIC for the magazine since 2003. The groups discussion talked about specific issues in the magazine and how to transition from a trade magazines into consumer niche publications.
Kaye is an alumnus from the Newhouse magazine journalism program. During her tenure at PRINT, the magazine has been named a finalist for three National Magazine Awards, winning the Ellie for General Excellence in 2005. Before joining the magazine as managing editor in 1998, Kaye was managing editor of U&lc, a reporter for Crains Advertising Age/Creativity, and a freelance writer covering design and consumer culture. Carly Migliori
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| Gillin autographed an Esquire cover just for Ed. With Eds ambitious spirits fresh in his mind, he wrote: Dear Ed, Rainbows and unicorns 4eva! --E. |
Ed welcomed his boy Eric Gillin to town on November 9 to chat about mens magazines, Esquire, and the synergy between print and Web. Gillin plans to introduce a new design structure and interactive features to Esquire.com, taking the site to whole new Interweb levels. He plans to launch the site in February or March with the aim to make Esquire.com the go-to site for men across the country.
Before becoming the online editor, Gillin worked for TheStreet.com, founded the online magazine BlackTable.com, and worked as senior editor at Maxim magazine.
Eds favorite G-man moment: reading all of his hilarious material on BlackTable.com. Check out the site and prepare to spend at least 20 minutes praising the virtual magazine. (Start by reading the women writers in 'Waxing Off' or the quirks of the country in 'Things You Didnt Know About America.' That'll keep you busy, for sure.) Sharon Clott
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While Eds beloved members chowed down some of Cuses finest pizza (Augies), Monica Roberts of the Newhouse Career Development Center presented an informational résumé workshop tailored for students seeking internship and job opportunities in the magazine industry. Words and phrases editors look for in a résumé, how much info is too much, résumé and cover letter dos and donts, and the importance of proofreading, were just some of the topics she covered in the workshop. Members also received sample résumés and cover letters and left eager to restyle, reword, and revamp their own. Lindsay Silberman
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| After chatting about the state of the magazine industry and how magazines will last forever, she posed for this great pic with the SU Edsters. Left to Right: Shavon Greene, Kat Kondracki, Sharon Clott, Susan L. Taylor, Carly Migliori, and Jen Gong. Courtesy of Kiana Cornish, Black Communications Society president |
Students, admirers, and Syracuses community gathered to listen to Susan L. Taylor, media innovator and ESSENCE magazines editorial director. Syracuse Universitys Black Communications Society hosted Taylor as their keynote fall speaker event in Studio A of Newhouse II.
Each month in the magazine, she writes the well-known monthly column In the Spirit. Taylor carried her spirit to the crowd that night, keeping the audience engaged and encouraged with phrases like, When you start loving you, everything else falls into the perfect place. Her motivating speech on self-love, the community, and our nations schools captivated the hearts of everyone.
Taylor explained the launch of ESSENCEs 2006 Call to Action for the majority of her address. With this initiative, she hopes the nation and its leaders will unite to form one of the largest mentoring campaigns to support African-American youth and the reformation of the public school system.
A reception followed, giving enthusiasts, including Ed, an opportunity to get up close and personal with Taylor. After speaking with Taylor, getting a magazine autographed, and munching down on some amazing brownies, Ed left inspired and ready to take the magazine world with a lot more spirit.
Kat Kondracki
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| The Ed exec board is all smiles with Lindsey Pollak, after she offered great advice on landing your next big gig: take more risks! Left to Right: Sharon Clott, Lindsey Pollak, Lindsay Silberman, Julianne Pepitone, Carly Migliori. |
Led by Lindsey Pollak, this Ed-only workshop featured great tips on how networking leads to your next internship, writing gig, and possibly future job. Highlights included special tips on e-mail etiquette, reaching out to dream editors, the 15-second pitch, and strategies to reach your dream job or internship.
Pollak is a freelance writer for Marie Claire, New York Metro, New York Moves, and more. She also wrote several books, including Women for Hire: The Ultimate Guide to Getting a Job. Read more about Lindsey and her work at www.LindseyPollak.com.Sharon Clott
Ed lovers gathered at Chuck's for the first happy hour of the year to chat about the magazine industry, favorite magazines, and on-campus publications. Members shared past internship experiences, present editor responsibilities, and future dreams. Cheers to that!
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| Ed representatives Sharon Clott, president, and Lindsay Silberman, treasurer, at the Juice Jam Concert featuring the tunes of Motion City Soundtrack on September 3. |
:: Juice Jam, September 3
:: Student Involvement Fair, September 6
:: General Interest Meeting, September 19
Ed met so many new friends in the first month of school, he felt like he was a freshman again!
At Juice Jam and the Student Involvement Fair, Ed's reps spotted more than 150 students who shot Ed a double-take and signed up for more information about the organization. Ed felt so specialhe loves attention.
Then, at the general interest meeting, Ed made the best pitch he could to students who wanted to know more about Ed2010 and it's role on campus. And we love to love new members!
Interns braved the rain and united uptown from 6 to 8 p.m. to meet and chat about life as an intern. Students from across the country (literally Syracuses Ed rep met Iowans and Mississippians) to share fizzy drinks and their stories of coffee fetching, researching, and copy machines. Life as an intern rocks when you see a lot of people loving magazines as much as Ed does. CosmoGirl!, Ladies Home Journal, Popular Science, Seventeen, and more were representin. Oh the glory!
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Ed hosted the first annual SENIOR EVENT this year (Eds seniors always need to feel the undergrad mag love before heading off to their cubbie-holes in the newsroom real-world of magazines). Members discussed plans for after graduation, moves to major metro areas like New York City, Boston, Philly, and Los Angeles (or no plans of moving to those places), and the when and where logistics of moving. They shared excitement, anticipation, and trepidation of graduation. Oh yeah, and the job thing.
There is nothing like an ED happy hour to end a hectic day filled with classes. Edsters rendezvoused on M-Street for some good ole Varsity pizza and soda to chat about our love for mags, upcoming summer internships, fall professors and the all-consuming registration. On-campus magazines like Equal Time and Jerk, were also a topic of interest and we learned about which positions to take on to get the most valuable experience. Great way to end the year, thank you to 2005-06 President Jessica Girdwain for an oh-so-fab year with Ed. Good luck in all your future mag endeavors! JBP
So it turns out HR doesnt stand for Hotass Referrals like Ed thought. Rather, HR is the first-step barrier between you and your dream job. And as Stella Angelakos, of Astra-NY Consulting, former Condé Nast Human Resources Associate, told the Ed crew in this seminar, NO, just knowing someone wont cut it. Angelakos assured Edsters that HR is involved in every step of the hiring process. So all the whisper jobs you are tipped off on arent actually under the noses of HR. Though when a position becomes available, an editor may have someone in mind for a replacement, it is ultimately up to HR to approve the hire. She also delved into what HR really cares abouthow much you can fit in to the company. HR is about human resources (ohhhh), meaning they want to meet you as a human to see if they like you enough to fit into the company and drain their resources. Angelakos advised¬ the group that sending your resume to HR is always worth it.
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| Left to Right: Tammy Tibbetts (TCNJ Ed Chapter); Sharon Clott (Syracuse Ed Chapter); Jessica Girdwain (Syracuse Ed Chapter); Candida Francesca (TCNJ Ed Chapter); Diana Villibert (NYU student & Jane magazine editorial intern) |
If you arent interning for a magazine, access is rare. And even if interning, there are hardly moments between working for free and memorizing copier machine settings when the top editors give you a little sit-down one-on-one action. But on this special day, Ed got a little treat.
Ed schlepped all around town meeting some top editors at major magazines like CosmoGirl!, Cosmopolitan, and Jane. Speakers offered advice and shared stories on how to get your first job (understand the mags mission), make the move to New York City from out of town (get a realtor/stalk Craigs List), and the dos and donts of interviewing (know the masthead).
Lets break it down:
11 a.m. :: CosmoGirl! :: Visit and advice with Emily Kate Warren, assistant beauty editor
12 p.m. :: Cosmopolitan :: Visit and chat with Andrea Lavinthal, associate beauty editor
3 p.m. :: Jane :: Visit with 5 editors !! (in conjunction with The College of New Jersey Ed-on-Campus chapter) ...The group toured the fashion department, the book department, and generally the entire eighth floor of Condé Nasts hot spot. Then, we got the low-down on breaking in to the biz with Cheryl Brody (assistant editor/books editor), Julie Bloom (associate editor), Catherine Strawn (assistant to the editor-in-chief), Annemarie Conte (associate editor), and Nathan Gedde (assistant to the managing editor). One thing Ed learned: the editors keep it real. Stay in the know with the Jane editors and read their hilarious and helpful blogs at www.janemag.com/memos/blogs/editor.
Simply put, the day was fab. Even though Eds feet hurt and the trains out of New York were not running because of game traffic at Madison Square Garden (yeah, Ed almost shed tears), by the end of the day Edsters were still going gaga for the amazing advice they received and the igniting of passion via New York City magazine-world.
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| Left to Right: Sharon Clott; Cosmopolitan's Andrea Lavinthal; Lauren Sadowski; Allworth's Jessica Rozler; Heather Comak; Molly Murkett; and Jessica Girdwain. |
Ed got the real deal thanks to Cosmopolitan associate beauty editor Andrea Lavinthal and Allworth Publishing editorial assistant Jessica Rozler at the Landing Job in Publishing & Making a Book on the Side event. These two mastered two worlds of print: books and magazines.
Co-authors of The Hook-up Handbook: A Single Girls Guide to Living it Up, the ladies offered tips on the future of hook-ups and the subsequent death of relationships. Not only did Edsters learn how to manage dating faux pas, we also scored helpful (and inspirational) tips on publishing a book like what it takes to find an agent, pitch an idea and write a best-selling book. Then, Lavinthal and Rozler returned to the world of magazines, offering tips on how to angle a cover letter (keep it light and short, not too serious, remain professional) in order to get your hands on your dream internship.
They also shared personal anecdotes about achieving success after SU. Lavinthal transitioned from intern to editor at Cosmopolitan and Rozler found her job posted in The New York Times. As alumni of Newhouses magazine journalism program, this was their first return trip to SU. They reveled in memories of walking on Marshall Street, writing for the student publication The Student Voice, and going to Glavins classes. Their advice: No matter what, go after your dreams. JBP
click here for The Daily Orange review of the event.
A Chill-and-Spill night where members discussed magazines and life during winter break. Members chatted about figuring out strategies for summer internships and how to start figuring out early where you want to be and what kinds of tasks you want to be doing. Early to plan, better the chances!
Kristin Kane, a Newhouse Career Development Center staff member, magazine freelance writer, and former editor at Self, gave a detailed Ed-tailored workshop for members. She reviewed and edited member resumes. In addition, she focused on the importance of a strong resume (different for each publication) and the strength of the cover letter (if youre going for a writing/editing job then the cover letter needs to be PERFECT, she said). Some tips: spell-check doesnt cut it; have other people read over your materials; ask questions; do your research. For more information, the Newhouse Career Development Center is open Monday Friday. Check out the hours and career tips at http://newhouse.syr.edu/current/career/about.cfm.
In 2005, Joyce Rutter Kaye made Newhouse history. The Print magazine editor-in-chief became the first Newhouse alumnus to win the ASME Award for General Excellence (the TOP award) for her design and graphic arts magazine Print. She visited her alma mater for a school-sponsored lecture. For special insider access to aspiring magazine editors, Kaye sat down with Edsters before her lecture to share the secrets behind her and her magazines success. Kaye spoke about her start in the industry (she worked at smaller magazines and then moved to larger ones), balancing a work and family (has two children), and how to get started (find your niche and work your way up). See why Print is excellent: www.printmag.com.