With magazine, spotlight is on students

Ongoing budget cuts cause uncertainty with the future of ‘Direction’

Eduardo Razo / Roundup

Direction is a student-run magazine that has been providing the Pierce College campus with an arts and literary supplement for the past 52 years.

The magazine is compiled of poems, drawings, and photos, all of which are submitted by students.

However, with this being the last semester of the magazine, staff are also adding a DVD with the magazine for students who have dancing or music videos they want to submit.

“It’s going really well. There is a lot of excitement … and the staff this semester is really energetic,” said Instructor of English Maria Bates, who has been the magazine’s advisor for the last six years.

One of the students involved with the project is English major Nick Granger, 36, who had his work previously published in the magazine. This is his second semester as editor in chief of the magazine.

“Once students submit their work, the editors will choose which one will win ‘Editors’ Choice’ and a $50 prize,” said Granger.

Granger’s staff consists of the Art, Marketing, and Event editors that help him judge the meaning of the pictures and details for all the writings turned in. So far this semester the magazine has seen roughly 40 writings and 20 pictures turned in by students.

Open mic: Edwin Martinez and Leo Tolentino (L-R), part of the "Direction" program, team up to entertain the audience in the Great Hall during an open mic event Tuesday. The event, which was sponsored by students in the program, was organized in order to publicize the magazine.

Lynn Levitt / Roundup

“I didn’t even know that this was a magazine class,” said 19-year-old nursing major Crystal Garcia. “It’s a new experience [to be] looking at all the pictures and poems people have turned in.”

This semester the staff has held a bake sale to help fund their magazine. They also had an open mic event Tuesday to give Direction some publicity.

They also publicize by handing out flyers in the Mall.

Although students are working on the magazine this semester, it won’t be available for circulation around campus until Fall 2012.

Copies of the magazine, which comes out intermittently, depending on the budget situation, are free.

In addition, the effect of the budget cuts has forced Bates to no longer offer the magazine writing as a class.

“This will be the last Direction for several years,” she said.

Because of the uncertainty that comes with the district’s budget situation, Bates wants to try to make the staff class of Direction into a campus club.

“It’s really sad since it’s been around since 1959. It’s really been positive forum for people to express themselves since we get so many submissions per year,” said Bates.