By Professor Melody Gilbert

Department of New Media, Journalism and Communication Arts

 

NATCHITOCHES – After a semester spent writing stories about college culture and identity, Northwestern State University students in Professor Melody Gilbert’s COMM4230 class shared Kulture Magazine with NSU, the Natchitoches community and beyond.

Students in the class distributed copies of the magazine on campus April 18. The digital version is available to the public at https://kulturemagazine.my.canva.site/home. Readers can also scan the QR code below.

The magazine reveals stories written by NSU students who share a variety of experiences including the culture of hair, food, frats, makeup and social media. Other stories include culture shock, complicated love, abandoning home, becoming glam, embracing glitter and living between two worlds.

Editor-in-Chief Lia Portillo said she suggested the theme because culture is a fascinating word and concept.

“Through this theme we were able to explore and write personal anecdotes that describe our identities and how NSU has played a role in our own personal growth,” she said.

Editor, writer and designer Kevin Thomas said he fell in love with magazines and fashion and when he went to New York for a student media convention and met people who work at Vogue Magazine.

“That really solidified what I wanted to do for my future,” he said. “By being in this class, I learned that working on a magazine takes lots of time and a team. And finishing and seeing the end result is so rewarding and beautiful.”

Gilbert said she is proud to have seen the class progress through all stages of magazine production in just one short semester.

“These talented aspiring journalists produced Kulture Magazine from concept to completion, including writing the stories, designing the magazine, producing podcasts, social media and creating a website,” Gilbert said. “It’s quite an accomplishment to do all of that in such a short time.”

Students were also coached by writer, guest editor and NSU 1977 graduate Denise Lewis Patrick.

“This is a very bright group of students, and it was a wonderful experience to advise the class on their stories,” Patrick said. “I was so happy that I had the opportunity to visit my alma mater in person from New Jersey, and I appreciated the opportunity to help shape and edit their stories.”

“Miss Denise was an amazing coach,” Dominque Lewis said. “She was so patient with me and understanding as I kept rewriting and starting over.” The fact that Patrick is an NSU grad from Natchitoches “made me feel connected to her in a special way. Through her coaching and being in this class, I have learned how to express myself better and boosted my confidence in my writing skills.”

Portillo said taking the class gave her the opportunity to expand her writing skills and to work in a different style of writing.

“It also pushed me to send out my long-form story to other professionals for feedback, which was a great experience,” she said. Her story was reviewed by an editor at the Associated Press.

COMM4230 Magazine Production is a course offered in the Department of New Media, Journalism and Communication Arts.  Students in the class include Micah Ballard of Benton, Kolbe Burrell of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Ayden Butler of Natchitoches, Logan Bordelon of Mansura, Alessa Coneo of Cartagena, Colombia; Brooklyn Guerra of Natchitoches, Mariah Kador of Oscar, Kai Kirk of Alexandria, Michan Lacey of Zwolle, Destin Lopez of Natchitoches, Dominique Lewis of Edgard, Lia Portillo of Galliano, Madeline Simpson of Alexandria, and Kevin Thomas of Pineville.

For more info contact Professor Melody Gilbert at gilbertm@nsula.edu.

Pictured:  The Kulture Magazine Cover designed by Mariah Kador.

Click the QR code below to read the online version of the magazine: