Magazine Design. (more updates from Orbital).



I have been editor of the student magazine since February now.

The latest issue went quite well, and here are some pictures of the cover and the aspects of design that we did, that I liked best:










I got the editor position through a sort-of bi-election at the very end of January.
However, now it is the official election season, so I have to run for the position again.
I am running unopposed, so unless people vote for a 're-run' (if they really really hate me), I will get the position again.
Here is my manifesto infographic:








Full manifesto here:

Catriona O’Sullivan for Orbital Editor
Royal Holloway University of London Student’s Union


My vision for Orbital is:

1.    A more student focused publication.
An acknowledgement of the fact that students are intellectually curious and engaged.  I have a strong background in journalism, as a mature student, and have written, and continue to write for national and international publications such as The Independent and The Guardian. This experience would undoubtedly be helpful in achieving this goal of a serious, yet cutting-edge tone.

2.    Develop the re-design that has already begun.
I would like to re-design the publication so that it reflects the student population and appeals to as many students as possible. Having worked in design across various contexts, I have a strong belief that the design is just as important in conveying messages as the content itself. The kinds of publications that would be ideal to draw inspiration from design-wise would be print magazines such as Dazed & Confused, Suitcase, Cereal, Kinfolk, and National Geographic. Of course, however, it is of paramount importance that the team of student journalists, and as many people in the wider student population are involved in this decision as possible.

3.    Champion student achievement.
This would be central to my vision for Orbital.

4.    New sections in the magazine.
Such as Humans of Holloway to engage with students further and get stories from the diverse range of people attending university here.

5.     Increased events.
Something similar to the highly successful ‘careers in journalism’ event of last term, which was fully-booked, and even required another room for the event to be live-streamed in. This shows that there is real demand for this kind of event in the future.

6.      Co-operation with the other student media outlets.
This would be key to boosting the reach and engagement. Creating inter-media outlet events or articles, as well as cross-outlet projects would be an exciting way to make use of the new media-suite, and create new kinds of content in this new era of digital innovation. 

7.       A continued and stronger social media outreach activity.
This is key to engaging students across media. We could employ an array of social media such as Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr and so on to create excitement around the publication, but perhaps more importantly, to allow the wider student population to stay updated on the activities of Orbital.

8.    A democratic style of managing the team.
In order to create a healthy and co-operative working environment, this is crucial. Weekly e-mail updates and posts to the Facebook page for the student journalists. Meetings with the editorial team on a weekly basis, or where appropriate.  Good incentives for being on the team, such as industry networking opportunities or journalism training days. A real feeling that the team are actively involved and part of the creative process, and use feedback sessions to ensure that members are finding it a useful and enjoyable experience for further development in the field.

So far, as editor, I have achieved:
Having only been editor since the beginning of February, I have already made some changes-

-          A slight re-design to create a different aesthetic, perhaps more appealing to a greater number of students
-          A cover page with an inspirational alumni, who represents minorities and oppressed groups. (Female and disabled).
-          Good-communication with section editors

Vote Catriona O’Sullivan for Orbital Editor if you would like to see some of these ideas become a reality!


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