Each term, one of our college enterprise classes has the exciting responsibility of producing a full edition of the College Magazine. This project gives students a real taste of what it is like to work in publishing—developing workplace skills, building teamwork and celebrating their own interests and talents.
Applying for real roles
At the start of the project, students apply for a chosen magazine role just as they would for a real job. They write a covering letter explaining which position they are interested in and the skills and attributes they feel would make them successful in that role.
After the applications are reviewed, the class tutor allocates roles. The Student Editor works closely with the tutor to help manage the whole team, and together they guide the class through the 8‑week publication process.
Working as a magazine team
Once roles are assigned, students get straight to work. They take on responsibilities linked to their positions—editing articles, capturing photographs, gathering news, designing pages or writing reviews.
Every student also contributes content to the magazine. Previous editions have included:
- Crosswords and quizzes
- Recipes
- Artwork and illustrations
- Articles on politics, holidays or world events
- Poetry and creative writing
- Interviews with staff and students
- Reviews of films, music, books and television
Students choose topics based on their own interests, giving each edition of the magazine a unique and personal flavour.
Toward the end of the project, the whole class works together to publish the final magazine. This involves placing their articles, images and designs into a PowerPoint document that follows the college magazine design guidelines. The result is a professional, creative publication they can all be proud of.
Magazine roles explained
Below are the roles students can apply for as part of the magazine team:
Student Editor
The Student Editor oversees what goes into the magazine and is responsible for everything that is published. They make sure that everyone has a role, assign tasks when the team is quiet, and help guide the direction of each issue. The role requires organisation, multitasking, good people skills and regular availability at the beginning and end of each session.
Sub‑editor
Sub‑editors check that all text is grammatically correct, factual and legally appropriate. They may shorten or expand articles to fit the page and work closely with the design team so that words and images fit well together. A sharp eye for detail is essential—especially for spelling, grammar, and spacing.
Entertainment Editors
These editors write and request reviews on music, books, sports and films. They should have strong communication skills and feel confident using email, Word and PowerPoint. A passion for at least one area of entertainment is key.
Picture Editors / Photographers / Desktop Publishing Designer
This creative team ensures that all images used in the magazine are high quality, correctly cropped, and placed in the right areas on the page. They help design the overall layout and maintain a consistent magazine style. Knowledge of PowerPoint or editing tools like Photoshop is helpful, but training is available.
Treloar’s ‘Hot Off the Press’ Editor
This editor keeps track of what’s happening across Treloar’s by connecting with marketing, fundraising, staff and students. Their job is to shine a light on events and celebrations within the community. Strong communication and interview skills are important.
Contributors
Contributors submit ideas and content regularly, even if they’re not part of the core magazine team. Creativity and the ability to generate interesting topics are essential.
This magazine project not only helps students develop communication, digital, and organisational skills—it also gives them a voice and a platform to express their passions. Each edition reflects the creativity and individuality of our students, and we look forward to seeing the new team’s work this term.
