The 2009 edition of Transitions Magazine was awarded Best Orientation Publication by College Newspaper Business & Advertising Managers, Inc. Several editions of the magazine have also won awards, mostly for design. | Transitions magazine
The 2009 edition of Transitions magazine was awarded Best Orientation Publication at the College Newspaper Business & Advertising Managers, Inc., national convention in March.
Transitions is a freshman and transfer student orientation guide put together by the Department of Student Publications and distributed via direct mail in the summer.
The 2009 issue featured cover stories on the new Calhoun Lofts and the University’s movement towards flagship status, student organizations and a brief history of UH.
Matt Miller, who served as editor in chief of Transitions in 2009, said working on the magazine was a positive experience.
“Having six weeks to work on the magazine as opposed to the fast paced turn-around of the Daily Cougar really allowed for us to sink our teeth into the project,” Miller said.
The 2009 issue also included information about things to do and places to eat around Houston to supplement the regular admissions and parking stories.
Transitions, a full-color, 80-page spread, is not the average welcome-to-campus handbook. It is a detailed how-to guide with a variety of helpful hints on parking, campus safety, student services, and city life.
“(The goal of Transitions is) to make an interesting magazine,” Print Production Manager Matt Dulin said. “Not some handbook that you would toss out without a second glance.”
The magazine includes straightforward advice about beginning an academic career at UH from the student’s perspective, including where new Cougars are likely to run into headaches.
Dulin said allowing the staff to be more objective in their writing style helps to create an honest introduction to UH.
The challenge the staff faces each year is to find a new way to tell the same stories, since the content is generally the same from one edition to the next.
The team brainstorms about different page layouts, graphics, and cover stories in order to find a unique combination that makes their issue stand out from the rest.
Advertising in the magazine is equally important. Advertisers see the magazine as a great opportunity to reach both new students and parents. Ads range from local businesses and restaurants to ads for the Army.
Advertising sales are what drive the magazine, and students are responsible for the ad layout and design.
“It really helps when editors coordinate with advertising because it creates a more fluid product,” Advertising Manager Delores Crawford said.
The magazine is an opportunity for students to showcase the best of their writing, layout, design, and photography skills. The magazine has won a number of awards over the years, mostly for its design.
The staff of Transitions is made up mostly of writers, editors and photographers from the Daily Cougar, and the students have full control of everything from pictures and articles to ads and page design.
The editor in chief is chosen on a contract basis and given a budget and a timeline.
The magazine is currently looking for an editor in chief for the 2010 edition. Applications can be picked up at the Daily Cougar offices.
