Twenty students at the University of Central Florida have pooled their talents and created the university\u2019s first student-produced magazine.<\/p>\n
Centric was founded this spring by students enrolled in the Magazine Editing and Production course offered by the Nicholson School of Communication. The magazine was created under the mentorship of Instructor Rick Brunson.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is very much a student-produced effort,\u201d Brunson said. \u201cI was the advisor, mentor and coach, but all the story ideas, execution and choice of design came from the students.\u201d<\/p>\n
With Centric, the students aimed to unite the university community by embracing UCF\u2019s unique programs and opportunities. The magazine showcases stories that capture the heart of UCF through sharing the lives of past, present and future generations of students.<\/p>\n
Stories in the first issue include a behind-the-scenes look at the life of Knightro, UCF\u2019s mascot; a student report from a once-in-a-lifetime ride in a Goodyear Blimp; and the story of Kyle Coon, a freshman wrestler who is legally blind.<\/p>\n
The idea to create a student-produced magazine was presented to Brunson by Bob Chandler, director of the Nicholson School. The school provided funding for the first issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been really inspiring just experiencing the level of freedom and trust that we\u2019ve received as students to create a product to the absolute best of our ability, not only from Professor Brunson, but also from the department,\u201d said Kelli Ordonia, a student who served as the magazine\u2019s managing editor.<\/p>\n
Typically, Magazine Editing and Production has been taught as a lecture class by industry professionals serving as adjunct professors. In transforming the class into a hands-on course, Brunson worked to figure out each student\u2019s strength, organize teams and help the students remain focused.<\/p>\n
According to Brunson, having a mixture of talents was essential to successfully producing the magazine. He credits the class\u2019 diverse mix of writers, editors and designers with helping the magazine get off the ground.<\/p>\n
When choosing topics to cover, he encouraged students to focus on innovative stories about inspiring people that haven\u2019t been shared before.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were a lot of hours dedicated to the magazine outside of the classroom, but it was worth it because we had so much fun,\u201d said Chelsea St. John, Centric\u2019s art director.<\/p>\n
Production of Centric is planned to continue when the course is taught each spring. To ensure that the class has all of the talents needed for the magazine\u2019s production, students will need the instructor\u2019s permission to enroll.<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope the magazine becomes a spring tradition at UCF,\u201d Brunson said.<\/p>\n