Her Campus at Georgia State is hoping to take a new approach to journalism this semester by using their digital only format and showcase bold articles, according to their editor-in-chief Sierra Jenkins.
The student-run journalism organization is the local campus chapter of a national organization founded at Harvard University by three women who branched off into creating chapters around the world. Students at Her Campus can write articles on a wide range of topics, including sex and relationships, culture, lifestyle, style and career.
“We are allowed to talk about a number of things that drive our members, because our members are what drives and creates our content,” Jenkins said.
In addition to blogging, Her Campus also produces digital journalism that is posted on their social media pages and YouTube channel. Recently, digital producer Deanna Griffin created a homecoming lookbook for the YouTube page.
This semester, the organization is trying to improve on their organization’s digital presence, as well as leadership to prepare current staff for the leadership roles they’ll have to fill when the seniors graduate.
“As an editor just in general, we have these things called writer’s workshops and we’re trying to not just help with writing, grammar [or] ideas and stuff like that, but real world application,” Dymand Moore, senior editor at Her Campus, said.
Outside of creating content for their blog and social media, Her Campus also hosts events. Past events include a drive for feminine products to donate, and last year, they had a panel of influential women in Atlanta, such as Windsor Western, one of the founders of the national chapter of Her Campus, come and discuss entrepreneurship, according to Moore.
The organization is hosting their “Pink Week,” which is a semesterly event where they collaborate with other student organizations on campus during the week of Oct. 20.
Her Campus will be tabling in collaboration with Period GSU in Unity Plaza for women’s health on Oct. 22 as well as volunteering at their Rebecca Tent on Oct. 24.
“I feel like it is our responsibility as college women and [as the] younger and thriving future generations to really kind of speak out and have this celebratory moment for our members and Georgia State at large and beyond Georgia State’s campus, this is about women overall,” Jenkins said.
Not all of the staff at Her Campus are journalism majors; many of them, such as Stella Evans, use Her Campus as a creative outlet to discuss topics they care about on a larger scale. Evans writes short stories and is currently working on a novel, but she finds it easier to express herself when she has a deadline to work towards.
Evans found out about Her Campus last semester through a friend. She previously wanted to be a journalism major but found that she was very passionate about exercise and health and changed her major to exercise science. As part of Her Campus staff, Evans writes about topics such as meal prepping and dealing with going into college as a freshman.
“I kind of see it as just helping me grow overall as a person,” Evans said. “Being around … these confident women who do what they want and get their stuff done … that’s encouraging for me even if I’m not in the same career that they’re in.”
Application season from Her Campus opens typically before every semester and closes about three or four weeks into the semester. After applications close, members are no longer accepted due to the high influx of applicants.
According to Jenkins, a student saying they want to join is not simply enough, providing work samples is an easy way to show interest in becoming a member at Her Campus.
“I really want members to utilize Her Campus as a … beginning to their profession,” Jenkins said. “We don’t get paid for this, we’re here because we want to be here.”
Although Her Campus is a women led organization, everyone is welcome to join.
“Her Campus is for everybody,” Moore said.
Leadership
Sierra Jenkins, Editor-in-Chief
Deanna Griffin, Digital Producer
Kelsey Crawford, Digital Producer
Jessice Louis, Editor
Olivia Hancock, Editor
Dymond Moore, Editor
Autumn Buffalo, Editor
Robin Johnson, Events Committee
Gina Walters, Events Committee
