Students win national magazine contest

Students in the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media have won first place in the 2009 AEJMC student magazine contest for a start-up magazine project by a team.

The magazine – “Empty Nest” – was produced by students in assistant professor Don Wittekind’s Magazine Design and associate professor Bill Cloud’s Magazine Writing and Editing classes. Another student, Robin Hilmantel, created a business plan for the magazine.

Roger Tremblay, executive search consultant specializing in marketing communications for Allen Austin Global Executive Search / Advanced Leadership Communication in Dallas, judged the contest.

“I thought the cover design and execution were excellent,” Tremblay said. “The business plan was well thought out, especially the market research and the analysis of the competition. The market segment is growing … and I think this editorial concept truly serves a currently unfulfilled need. In fact, I read all the features and came away with a feeling of wanting more.”

The AEJMC magazine division – composed of journalism professors who teach courses in magazine writing, editing, management and design at U.S. colleges and universities and abroad – runs the competition.

Awards will be presented Aug. 7 at the AEJMC convention in Boston.