Digital
Volume 7 | Issue 1
who’s on staff? editorial EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Natalie Guisinger CREATIVE DIRECTOR Evan Parness PRINT FEATURES EDITOR Deirdre Lee DIGITAL FEATURES EDITOR Melina Schaefer PRINT FASHION EDITORS Nick Farrugia Juan Marquez DIGITAL FASHION EDITOR Jacob Ward DESIGN EDITORS Carly Lucas Mackenzie Schwedt PRINT PHOTO EDITORS Katie Corbett Ryan Little DIGITAL PHOTO EDITOR Rita Vega STREET STYLE EDITOR Lucy Carpenter MANAGING PHOTO EDITOR Alex Andersen VIDEO EDITOR Kendall Ka
business PUBLISHER Colleen Jones MARKETING DIRECTOR Kira Mintzer OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Drisha Gwalani FINANCE COORDINATORS Alex Chessare Deesha Shah EVENTS COORDINATOR Alex McMullen HUMAN RESOURCES COORDINATOR Julia Napiewocki
DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR Alex Sterchele
PUBLIC RELATIONS COORDINATORS Mackenzie Fleming Gillian Yang
SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Hannah Triester
SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Liz Haley
ILLUSTRATOR CARLY LUCAS
SHEI /’sh(ay)/ Magazine was founded in 1999 as an Asian Pop Culture Magazine and became affiliated with University of Michigan Student Publications in 2013. Our Digital Magazine, known as SHIFT at the time, was launched in 2015. Since then, SHEI has grown to campus wide recognition as a publication that students can come to for fashion, art, and culture commentary and inspiration.
in this issue
MASTH LETT TH
HEAD 02 TER FROM THE EDITOR 06 VOCALIZING YOUR POWER 08 HE SHEI COMMUNITY 10 2020-2021 SHEI BOARD 12
letter from the editor
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I’ve been staring at myself way too much lately. I look at myself when I’m waiting for zoom calls to start. Quickly patting down flyaways, fixing my middle part. With most of my classes going online and not having to commute to north campus as often, it seems like I have more time on my hands, more time for self-reflection. I stare at myself in the mirror. Scrutinizing my face, plucking out my chin hairs with tweezers, agonizing over the growing amount of acne along my jawline due to wearing a mask (apparently the term “maskne” now exists). But it’s just me. I’m in my bedroom (that has also transformed into my office and art studio) most of the day. I’m alone. By myself, with no company aside from my own thoughts. However, we are all well-aware that the notion of being alone is a collective feeling nowadays. As we’ve started the first few weeks of college amid a pandemic, we’ve been hit with a lot. Not only are we attempting to maintain relationships with friends and family in a safe way, but there is also so much unrest and doubt about our administration’s priorities regarding the safety of U of M’s community. Throughout the tumultuous beginning weeks of my senior year of college, I can confidently say that SHEI is a supportive asset in my life. Running the publication has made
me realize how much of a collaborative effort it is to make a magazine happen. Right now, collaboration is even more challenging. Leaning on the editors and business board teams, which are filled with such passionate, creative, and kind people makes participating in SHEI so fulfilling. In this Meet the Board Issue, we present the ways in which our 150+ member organization — with our business and editorial teams — operates. Each board member has their specialized area in which they lead and execute, and they provide insight on what it is like to be part of SHEI. Whether it be hosting thrifting events, video editing, or sourcing clothing for shoots, their specialization demonstrates our multifaceted complexity as a publication. When I joined SHEI as a sophomore, I recognized and appreciated SHEI prioritizing inclusivity and diversity. For me, it has always been a judgement-free space for creating editorial content. Because of the cherished friendships I’ve made through this organization, it has become a pillar in my college career — a pillar in which I can rely on its members for crafting such unique, brilliant content, while also supporting me with my own creative practice. Surrounding myself with people who can conceptualize out-of-thebox shoots, writing moving features, or hosting poppin’ launch parties will always leave me in awe and inspired.
Natalie Guisinger Editor-In-Chief
Now, more than ever, is the time for folks to express themselves. Whether that be through interpretive dance, personal essays, architectural photography, an eclectic fashion style, or whatever beats your drum, you, as a human being, have that intrinsic right, and ought to exist and express your individuality. Let’s be real, first. It can be extremely hard to accomplish this, especially with so much hate swirling around like an oppressive tornado. There aren’t strong enough words to describe the destructive nature of our sociopolitical climate and its effect on our identities, environments, and beings, but this doesn’t mean every space is misogynistic, racist, fascist, or bigoted. While no space can be perfect, there are those that encourage and foster diversity, equity, inclusion, respect, and unity — this is what SHEI values and upholds. Every member has a unique voice to amplify, and through our publication, they are heard. Now, you may be wondering, “What do you mean by voice? How is this relevant?” Voice doesn’t merely involve words, which is what the Features and Social Media sections focus on. Rather, this word’s definition expands to describe the manifestation of an attitude, belief, or opinion. If you’re unsure of what I mean, the work of the Photo, Fashion, Video, and Design teams showcase their visual voices, and this is just one different example. Here is where the freedom and creativity begins, since everyone expresses themselves through various creative outlets.
WRITER DEIRDRE LEE GRAPHIC DESIGNER CARLY LUCAS
While we can’t cover every creative channel, our different sections are meant for folks to leverage their medium in order to manifest their voices. Let’s also be clear here: we aren’t experts, and don’t expect anyone to be an expert. The purpose of a student organization is to help students build and grow their skills, but also grow as a person. Being a young adult is a challenging, but exciting time, and while you’re navigating yourself and the world around you, odds are you’re exploring different life paths that interest you, and SHEI is here to be one of those paths. Our space cultivates an open learning environment where you have the choice to figure out what you’d like to be a part of, regardless of “prior experience”, because student organizations are the place for folks to gain that enriching experience. So, that’s what we’re here for: to help everyone learn new skills, hone their pre-existing ones, grow into themselves, and expand our SHEI family. With that said, though, an important part of maturation is developing and defining your voice how you envision it. Everyone is equally important and deserves to listen and be listened to. While it unfortunately isn’t the reality for everyone, we at SHEI have the privilege to showcase our voices, and we want you to likewise express yours with us, not only for you to be heard but also to uplift those who have been stifled and silenced. If there’s ever a time to use your voice, it’s now. We cannot understand everyone’s perspective, so in order to better empathize with others, we encourage folks to engage in student organizations like SHEI. We want to know you, your voice, and be the platform for you to use it. We will not silence you. We will not put you down. We will not censor you. Spreading awareness, love, and kindness, among a myriad of others, is what we strive to accomplish, and we would be remiss to turn away anyone who wishes to use their voice. We will uplift you. We will respect you. We will encourage you, and push you beyond your limits to achieve more than you think is possible because we believe in you. We have the privilege of expressing ourselves, and we want you to express yourself and grow with us in our SHEI community.
THE
COMMUN ITY It’s such a strange thing when a fact of our lives changes to fiction. Last year, there were so many aspects of my future I took as fact. I knew I’d spend my second semester on campus, I knew I could always grab dinner with my friends, and I knew that I could walk outside my door and feel safe. After the university shut down from the pandemic, all the things I had thought to be concrete crumbled so easily it made me wonder if they were ever there at all. I look back after months of dashed hopes and think about how silly I was to be so certain of what was to come. It feels now as though I live every moment unsure of the next. After innumerable disappointments, it seems safer to hope for nothing at all. I see this everywhere. People waiting for classes or sports or friends or an end to this insanity. I feel like we’re all waiting for a time when we can hope again, when we can look at the world and our life and feel like things are possible. I know this was my attitude.
WRITER MELINA SCHAEFER GRAPHIC DESIGNER CARLY LUCAS
The thing is, time doesn’t wait for you. Time pushes on and pushes on you, even if you keep your head down and your eyes closed. I was brought swiftly to the future, even though I wish my life could just pause. SHEI gave me the opportunity to stop waiting. As a creative group navigating these times and the future of our publication, the realization struck me how important it is to keep writing and exploring the world of fashion, and this was just another aspect of my life I had placed on hold. By collaborating with others, I was able to be excited about what laid before me. I felt like some of the agency over my own life was returned to me, because no matter what tomorrow looked like, at least I knew that I could speak on it through art and could see what others had to say as well. Even before COVID-19, America was experiencing a loneliness epidemic. Social capital was on a steep decline, and membership to many community organizations had been steadily decreasing for years. Adding the pandemic to the mix and we have 35.7 million Americans living alone with no form of meaningful social interaction. The most insidious thing about loneliness isn’t the sadness of it, but rather the way it makes you complacent. Being away from other perspectives
and voices is maddening, yet quietly so. I didn’t even realize how others enriched my life until after I lacked it and regained it again. This is why it’s so important to keep trying. Against every barrier we need to ask ourselves, “What else?”. What else can I do to put myself in the presence of others, to hear their experiences and perspectives? We need to strive and fight and push ourselves despite it all to do more. We do the zoom calls and the FaceTime photoshoots and the socially distant meetups not because they’re ideal, but because the alternative is waiting to live our lives and do the things we love. So much of being human is the way we interact with each other. My life is defined by the experiences I share with friends, family, classmates and even strangers. It’s not in a vacuum, and the meaning I derive is not from my achievements but from the way I touch the lives of the people I love. Although it’s difficult right now, we need to fight for this. We need to fight to reflect creatively, to understand others and seek to be understood ourselves. I’m so excited for SHEI to provide a voice and a platform for these kinds of reflections. I hope that through it we can feel closer to each other, have our perspectives widened and make sense of a time that seems so senseless.
2020-
MEET THE
This year we took favorite SHEI pro
-2021
E BOARD
a look back on our ojects and events.
EDITORIAL Natalie Guisinger Editor-in-Chief
Future of Fashion - I, Enigma Last year I was Managing Photo Editor for SHEI, and I organized the first Collaborative Project in our print issue, Future of Fashion. This afforded our staff members the opportunity to conceptualize and execute their own shoot with an accompanying feature. What I appreciate most about this shoot is the photographers’ abilities to create such dynamic images while utilizing the linear interior of the Biomedical Science Research Building.
Psyche - Chapter 3: Self I had so much fun participating in this shoot. Given that I brought my bluetooth speaker and we had a surplus of photographers, the atmosphere was frankly a bit chaotic, but we were all able to enjoy some Shakira and my eclectic music collection to balance the atmosphere. In addition, I believe Evan Parness and Nick Farrugia crafting a custom-made frame for the shoot demonstrated how dedicated SHEI members are to creating such unique and amazing content.
Evan Parness Creative Director
Future of Fashion - Distortion When I was Print Photo Editor, this shoot provided us an interesting opportunity to conceptualize a shoot for both the physical and digital outcomes by understanding the interplay between the distorted reality we were aiming to create. It gave us a chance to think about the shoot in multiple phases and focus on bringing the best out in the models, the fashion, and the design of the shoot before manipulating what we created into a new way. Distortion let us play with so many crazy ideas, and the team had such a fun time conceptualizing, shooting, and editing it.
Street Style 2018 Back when I started with SHEI as a freshman, I was a photographer on the Street Style team. Then, I became editor of Street Style my sophomore year, and our team collectively pushed our content so far and became extremely passionate about the fashion-oriented photojournalism we were embarking on. It was a great experience to be out and meeting complete strangers and getting to know them through shared connection and appreciation of fashion and the arts.
Deirdre Lee
Print Features Editor Self Consciousness Project I really enjoyed writing for this project because I was wrestling with my concept of self and my relationship to the world, while studying abroad in Singapore. Then, when this project manifested, it became the perfect chance for me to sort through my thoughts. While writing the piece, I was on the top of a mountain off an island of Vietnam and found this project to be cathartic and ultimately help me connect myself back together through the medium of writing.
Future of Fashion - I, Enigma I loved writing this piece because it was my first opportunity to write for SHEI. With the collaborative aspect, it opened my eyes to see all the intricacies of SHEI and learn how to weave together the story from a holistic perspective of attending the shoot and speaking with everyone involved. Not only did I get to know more SHEI members, but I also realized how every section in SHEI is equally important in creating the entire issue in order for us to properly highlight the theme of the issue.
Melina Schaefer Digital Features Editor “Home is a Funny Thing” This was the first piece I wrote in which I was truly vulnerable about my experiences, and it took a lot of courage to do so. I was struggling with the concept of a home that felt foreign to me and grappling with an identity not totally recognized by my family. Though written just before the COVID pandemic, its publication coincided with the chaos of the university closing down and leaving many students to return home semi-permanently. I remember being so moved by the number of people that related to the article and felt seen by it. I don’t think I realized prior to writing this piece that the power of writing can be very empowering and comforting to others.
“Lies of Four Walls” Writing for the quarantine edition was so powerful for me because it showed me that despite the physical distances between us, we have the power to create something special. By not only making do with the situation but also seeing an opportunity in it, everyone who worked on this edition was able to connect with others and find a common experience. I love this piece not only because of the truth that it unveiled to myself, but because it was my contribution to a project that seemed almost impossible.
Nick Farrugia
Print Fashion Editor Epochalypse This was one of the first outdoor shoots from my first semester of being a Print Fashion Editor on SHEI, and I just love how the photos turned out. We had found a really neat location, which really elevated the shoot. We had two great models in Favour and Yuwen, and both Co-Print Fashion Editor Jenny and I were excited about the outfits we had chosen to style each model. The shoot went so smoothly and the pictures turned out so crisp — we even got our cover photo that day! Overall a fantastic experience.
Double Take This was a shoot that I directed when I was a member of the Digital Fashion Team on SHEI, and it was one of the main reasons I even applied to the Print Fashion Editor position. It was a beautiful day at the arb, and the outfits we had picked matched the weather perfectly. We used mirrors to refract light and photograph through reflection, and it turned out extremely well. It gave me a huge confidence boost and was the moment I realized that I loved directing photoshoots.
Juan Marquez Print Fashion Editor Me and My Shadow After being on the fashion teams for three years by this point, I wanted to take my creative direction to another level. Having a vision of a very specific dress, I designed and sewed the first garment I have ever created. The whole narrative of the photoshoot was exactly what I had envisioned.
Reduce, Reuse, Rebel This photoshoot has a special place in my heart because it was the first time I ever got the cover shot for SHEI. Featuring a student fashion designer in STAMPS, my team and I were able to create a set of images that felt refreshing and new.
Jacob Ward
Digital Fashion Editor Collective Conscious During the second semester of my sophomore year, I was asked to participate in the collaborative project for that semester’s print issue, Psyche. After being involved in the last collaborative project, and getting a taste of the best parts of SHEI, I wanted to make a point to get more involved this time around. Overall, this ended up being my favorite shoot in SHEI thus far, because it reflected the essence of a real editorial shoot. The cramming, idea writing, time, and money spent to get this shoot off the ground reminded me of why I’m doing fashion: because I love it. Seeing the final shots almost made me cry because I was so happy with the final result of the shoot. It goes to show that a little extra elbow grease and amazing minds can create something astounding.
The Viennesian This is my second favorite shoot ever done with SHEI, specifically, because it’s an example of how we saw an idea, did our best to execute it, and nailed it. The goal was to do something inspired by Marie Antoinette, as this was for the “Indulgence” issue, and the last Queen of France was infamously known for indulging herself due to her enormous wealth. The headdress, designed by Stamps Alumna Sophie Hochwald, was the crown piece (no pun intended). Thankfully, our team of makeup enthusiasts and the photographers came together to capture the essence of the moment. It ended up becoming a perfectly executed beauty shoot.
Mackenzie Schwedt Design Editor
Future of Fashion - Distortion This was my first print design as an editor, so it holds a special place in my heart. My intent as designer was to follow the theme of “Distortion�, as well as indicate to the viewer that they were going to see a series of distorted photos through the title. I used colored blocks on the side of each page, so when flipping through the magazine, the bright colors would stick out to the viewer and pull their eye into the spread to look at the amazing photography.
The Viennesian The imagery in this shoot was absolutely stunning, but that leaves a difficult challenge as a designer: How do I not distract from the beauty of the photos while creating layouts that are interesting as well as useful? This shoot consisted of primarily headshots with the model always looking different ways. I played with the idea of looking to lead the viewer throughout each spread. I went very minimalistic for credits and text in order to keep the fascination on the photography. Likewise, by organizing the photos by the two distinct looks, they complimented each other, rather than distracted from each other, when shown in the same spread.
Carly Lucas Design Editor
Future of Fashion - I, Enigma As a design team member of SHEI, I often felt a little disconnected from other members of the publication because we work solely with the design team, except for the editors. Through this project I had the opportunity to work with members from the other editorial teams of SHEI. This was also the biggest project I had worked on at SHEI, by combining both my skills in article and photo layout and telling the story and vision of what our team envisioned as the future of fashion.
Distortion This was my first issue as a design editor. The Isolation Issue really reaffirmed every reason for why I joined SHEI and why I am so proud of this publication. Rather than halt our work during quarantine amid the pandemic, we all worked together to show how much SHEI values creativity and growth even through these difficult times. I specifically liked this shoot and spread because I think the images really speak to what many of us were going through during the creation of this issue: how to still find creativity and new forms/mediums of exploration while experiencing physical isolation.
Ryan Little
Print Photo Editor Future of Fashion - Distortion As my first print photo shoot last year, distortion really made me realize that I wanted to try and take more photos in studios. I loved the control that studio lighting gave us over the photos and being able to shoot with a plain background to minimize distractions from the models. The outfits were super vibrant and looked awesome, and on top of all that, the photoshop techniques used afterward made the pictures look really cool and unique.
Street Style January 2019 It was my first issue of Street Style as co-editor and was a lot of hard, but exciting, work. Getting together with other SHEI members and collaborating is one of the best parts of being on the magazine, and producing an issue of Street Style requires a team of hardworking people. Having some more creative freedom with the edits was really fun and let me put my own personal spin on this issue.
Katie Corbett Print Photo Editor
Psyche - Chapter 3: Self This was one of the most collaborative shoots that we’ve done for SHEI Print with both general members and the e-board on set. It was great having so many creatives collaborating and contributing to the shoot, which turned out super unique and well done. There was definitely some chaotic yet creative energy on set, and we channeled it pretty well through Natalie’s dance playlist. Also, shoutout to Nick and Evan for building a transparent frame for us to shoot through!
Tired This shoot took place mid-quarantine and definitely presented some new challenges, such as collaborating with the fashion team via FaceTime, but I think that this type of correspondence allowed us to be more experimental with our location. Our model, Maddy, went to my high-school, and it was great to work on a non-school related project together. I also loved exploring different locations in the Cincinnati area, as it was my first time shooting fashion in my hometown!
Rita Vega
Digital Photo Editor Psyche - Chapter 3: Self Psyche was the second time I participated in a SHEI print shoot and the Print board never fails to amaze me. This photo shoot has been my favorite by far just because of the amount of thought that was put into the production. I was able to capture some behindthe-scenes for this shoot because I wanted people to see how amazing the whole experience was.
Me and My Shadow Me and my shadow was definitely one of the most thought out shoots I’ve been part of. I really love working with Juan, our Print Fashion Editor, and I was already excited to be creating something with him. His vision and my vision align very well. He planned out each outfit, and it was really fun to see my friend try all these crazy outfits on. We had many laughs and funny moments- I loved everything about this photoshoot.
Lucy Carpenter Street Style Editor
Street Style: The Gameday Edition (September) This was one of my favorite projects because it was my first big issue with SHEI as Street Style Editor. Not only that, but it was SHEI’s first game day Street Style issue ever published. Coming out with a separate issue for game day fashion was something that I was thinking about for a while before stepping into the role of editor, and it was amazing to be able to see it come to life. I loved being able to collaborate with so many other SHEI coordinators and general members to make the issue happen. The energy in Ann Arbor on a home game Saturday is absolutely unmatched, and it was great to see students get creative with their fashion choices as the football season progressed.
Street Style: November 2019 This was one of my favorite Street Style issues that we published during the 2019 Fall semester. Our team was able to meet and get to know so many different people around campus by making it a priority to go out on weekly shoots together. Street Style borders on a photojournalistic (and very spontaneous) style of shooting, and the November 2019 issue exemplified that. The wide range of people we met, styles we shot, and quotes we collected were just a glimpse into all of the unique personalities living in and around Ann Arbor.
Alex Andersen
Managing Photo Editor Head in the Clouds Everyone on the team was so excited to collaborate and construct this photoshoot, so the whole ideation to execution process was really exciting. During the shoot itself we had so many moments when everything just clicked, and the shots turned out absolutely amazing. I really enjoyed manipulating the props and experimenting with different angles on this shoot!
Western Renaissance This shoot was really fun because of the styling. Neither of the models normally wore Western clothing or accessories so they kind of felt like they were taking on new personas. I think the shoot’s concept was also pretty different from what other teams were shooting, which made it even more special.
Kendall Ka Video Editor Pop I loved the vibrant colors that were used on set and the effects from the LED lights and bubbles. Given that mirrors were set up all around the room, it was really interesting to film the models without also capturing the entire crew and the rest of the set. I also compensated the lack of more dynamic movement within the space by using more stylized editing and cuts.
Collective Conscious I liked the open-air space of the skate park and how close together the shoot felt. The tone of collectivism came through strongly, despite the emphasis on individuality. This was especially true when I was filming the models as groups and pairs. I loved how each model complemented the other in every frame; if one model was missing from a shot, then the entire piece would seem unbalanced. The composition of the whole shoot was one of my favorites to work with in terms of videography.
Alex Sterchele
Digital Content Editor About Page (website) I am drawn to this page because of the photo collage of the various cover pages linked together within one piece. I think this illustrates the key message of SHEI: fashion, pop culture, and diversity. When a member of my team created a mockup of this design, I knew it had to be on the SHEI website, and worked with the design team to make it come to life. This coming year I’d like to work more with the design team to make similar collage pieces to display on our platforms.
Homepage (website) The home page for the SHEI website is the hub for all of our viewership. Over the year, I’ve changed around the display of the website while sticking to a theme often described as raw linen. I’ve been able to explore in-depth into website design and also user experience. As viewers come to this page, I want them to be able to interact and feel a part of the SHEI experience, while also getting a sense of who we are and what we do. The looping videos, street style gallery, features articles, most recent digital/print issues, and display of Instagram posts also gives a peek into our other editorial positions, collaborating to come to a final, successful design.
Hannah Triester
Social Media Coordinator Giving Blue Day 2020 This was one of the most memorable moments of full team collaboration for social media. It was super cool to combine creative and business-oriented strategies to make the most of the financial opportunity for the organization, and further promotion of our magazine and message. I got a unique glimpse into the business side of SHEI during a multi-team, collaborative brainstorming session before the event. It finally clicked how many minds it takes to create our amazing product, and my appreciation and awe for the org I was already a part of grew!
Psyche Print Issue Winter 2020 In my first year as a SHEI member, the release of this issue represented the culmination of my participation on both features (editorial) and social media (business). It also showed the power of collaboration in a relatively large student org, considering features and photo worked harder to coordinate their projects, and social media was promoting the efforts of both the whole time. It was so special to have a role behind the scenes, in addition to seeing my writing in print. The issue was so magical from start to finish, and I felt so lucky to be involved in more than one way!
BUSINESS
Colleen Jones Publisher
My first consignment My first big moment on SHEI was getting the UMMA Store to carry our magazine. At the time I joined SHEI as a shy freshman, our magazine was only carried in one store. Back then, we needed to convince businesses to sign a consignment contract which held them liable for any magazines stolen or lost over their six month consignment period, which meant consignment was a tough sell. My first few weeks on the Distribution team were filled with a lot of “no’s,” but I will never forget the first “yes.” The feeling of sharing SHEI with others and growing our organization was exhilarating. In every role I’ve had on SHEI, I think back to that initial excitement and the admiration I had for our little publication. As a senior, I could not be more proud of how far we have come as a publication and a community!
Kira Mintzer
Marketing Director Restructuring our media kit Because the structure of our magazine had changed over time, some of our advertising packages no longer fit the structure and layout of the publication, nor were the packages fully upto-date. Julia Napiewocki’s sale with Terms and Conditions presented our organization with various challenges because she was able to sell a platinum package that has not been sold in years. To achieve the goal of updating our media kit and streamlining future communication processes, I worked with the editorial team to align the changes with both the business and editorial teams’ needs. I enjoyed working on this because it allowed me to rethink the way in which our organization works and exercise project management skills. My favorite projects are those that present the greatest challenges but result in solutions that make SHEI stronger as a whole.
Drisha Gwalani Operations Director SHEI Thrift Shop The SHEI Thrift Shop has been one of the highlights of my SHEI experience as I was able to lead the fundraiser alongside the rest of the finance team, promote sustainability and thrifting on Michigan’s campus, and raise more than $400 for the publication. As finance coordinator, my goal was to create innovative fundraisers that aligned with the mission and values of SHEI. Joining SHEI has made me think a lot about my role as a consumer, as I’ve learned more about the impact fast fashion has on our planet. This is one of the reasons I wanted to design a SHEI thrift shop, as thrifting is a more sustainable alternative to buying from fast fashion companies. Although there were many challenges, the thrift shop was a huge success and a testament to the hard work of my finance team members and the rest of the business board.
Deesha Shah
Finance Coordinator SHEI Thrift Shop This was a really fun and easy way to get non-SHEI members involved in SHEI related fundraising. Holding this in a really easily accessible building and having a huge variety of clothes made it easy to meet new people, for people to stop by and contribute to the sale quickly, and was a great opportunity for people to drop in to learn more about SHEI. It was also nice because we had a DEPOP stand with some campus reps, so people were able to buy something from the thrift shop and get free merch from the DEPOP stand. I think it worked out really well in the end and could maybe inspire something like an online thrift shop this year.
Alex Chessare Finance Coordinator Work It Fall ‘19 I loved every minute of the “Work It” event last year because the guest speakers were incredibly interesting and relevant to the field of fashion, media and publication. The questions were purposeful and the answers poignant. As a student, the speakers seemed to have appreciation for where we are in our professional careers and offered excellently tailored advice.
Alex McMullen Events Coordinator Launch Fall ‘19 At every launch party we work really hard to have all of the details come together, and I feel like this particular party everything really came together in the perfect way. The icing on the cake was that people brought a lot of non-SHEI guests which really filled out the space and made it feel over the top and luxurious.
Julia Napiewocki
Human Resources Coordinator Sale of Platinum package with Terms and Conditions Clothing Brand (Fall 19) Working on the logistics of this sale gave me a very realistic and accurate description of professional sales. Also from working on this sale, I learned a lot about how important communication and being flexible is so that the client is pleased while adhering to SHEI’s standards. I loved representing SHEI while also gaining valuable connections with local Ann Arbor businesses!
Virtual Recruitment (Fall 20) Through Festifall, I was able to discuss different aspects of SHEI to prospective members. This was a very rewarding experience because I sat in the seat of the prospective applicants last year and I can see how much growth SHEI and myself has had since. In addition, setting up recruitment was like sharing one of my favorite parts of my Michigan experience to new people so that they can have an experience as great as mine!
Gillian Yang
Public Relations Coordinator SHEI Collaboration with Maize Collective Last year SHEI was able to participate in a Maize Collective event where we promoted and handed out our most recent print issue, Psyche. This was a great event because it allowed for us, the (then called) Outreach team, to personally interact with the students and advertise SHEI! Seeing the amazement and interest that crossed students’ faces as we told them that every issue released was created by an all student-run fashion publication is one that I will always remember!
Mackenzie Fleming
Public Relations Coordinator Launch Party in December 2019 The Events Team worked super hard to incorporate the theme of our issue, the Future of Fashion, into our Launch Party with props from our shoots displayed all over. We also wanted to give a nod to our 20th anniversary as a publication, with a photo backdrop showing the covers of every past issue. My favorite part was how popular our backdrop was and the insane number of posts I saw the next day with people using it!
Liz Haley
Social Media Coordinator SHEI Digital: Volume 4 Issue 6 The Force of Nature shoot in the SHEI Digital: Volume 4 Issue 6 was the first shoot I worked on as a Fashion Team member that made the cover. We put a lot of thought and effort into sourcing clothing, jewelry, location, etc. and had so much fun styling the shoot while on location. Jenny and Melody were such great models and willing to do any pose we threw at them! Seeing that shoot make cover was twice as gratifying because we really let our creativity drive us to get the best shots. This shoot showed me that the best outcomes happen when you are passionate about what you are doing, and that when you have people working with you that feel the same way not only will you have fun, but also make something incredible.
Social Promotion of the SHEI Print: Future of Fashion The SHEI Print: Future of Fashion issue release and launch party was my first print launch as the Social Media Coordinator. We really tried to push our marketing efforts and try things we had never done before on social, like Jenny and Juan’s “Get Ready With Me” videos, and it was kind of a culmination of all the effort that had gone into rebuilding/revamping our social media platforms. While it was definitely stressful (we were going back to back with GivingBlue Day, our Digital issue, and Print release/launch) and we were spending 20+ hours a week gathering content, writing copy, and coordinating efforts with other editors, our social media page views grew by 500%, which sounds crazy, I know, and we more than doubled the social engagement on our page! Seeing that all the long hours and hard work actually made a difference and increased our metrics opened my eyes to really see where our social media could go. I think this event, and the 2019 fall semester, really marked a change in SHEI’s social efforts, and I am very excited to see it continue to grow!
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