<gazine, an independent magazine of politics and culture run by students of Carleton College, recently received the Gold Medalist ranking from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Founded in 1925, the CSPA is owned by Columbia University as a program associated with its Graduate School of Journalism.
The association unites student publications from high schools, colleges and universities throughout the United States. The CSPA also conducts yearly contests to encourage improvements in undergraduate literary publications. The Lens garnered 995 out of 1000 points in the CSPA’s evaluation this year.
The award is very significant to the students who work on The Lens, co-chief content editor Anna Losacano ’10 said.
“Being an independent student run publication, The Lens requires a lot of work by many people and it’s very rewarding for us to know that we are doing something right. The critiques help us think about our strengths and our shortcomings which we continue to work on improving,” Losacano said.
The Lens is an interdisciplinary magazine published bi-annually, featuring the works of over 85 Carleton students. The magazine started as a brainchild of Anna Duchon ’08 and Taylor Valore ’06. In fall of 2005, they conceptualized starting a magazine of politics and culture that would be staffed and run entirely by students, with alumni serving as members of an informal advisory board. Their vision became a reality in winter 2006 when the first issue was published. Each issue of The Lens has an overriding theme and features articles that are of interest to undergraduate students and faculty at colleges and universities nationally.
“The Lens strives to be the most professional of campus publications, which is reflected not only in the great deal of work put into it, but also a massive amount of revision,” Alex Gibson ’10, a content editor said.
The Lens has received a number of other accolades, including First Class title from the Associated Collegiate Press, a Silver Crown Award from the CSPA, and Second Place Newspaper of the Year Award presented by the National College Newspaper Convention.
Ellie Camlin ’10, co-chief editor of the magazine, said the magazine serves as an outlet to showcase some of the immense talent on Carleton‘s campus.
“As a student publication, we try to publish articles that are evocative and that provide a fresh perspective on contemporary issues. There is a tremendous amount of talent on Carleton’s campus, and we are lucky to have a dedicated and inventive team working to put together a strong magazine. Our business, content, and design teams work together to make the magazine a success,” Camlin said.
Lisa Otto ’10, chief design editor, and Susan Blaylock ’10, chief business editor, are working to get more coverage to The Lens, which is internationally distributed. Past issues have featured the themes, “Empire”, “Ethnicity”, “Neighborhoods”, and “Behind Closed Doors.” The next issue “Vice” is set for publication in the winter of 2009.
Subscribers, Carleton Students, and Advisory Board Members have access to The Lens Magazine archives, through which one can view all published issues of the magazine. Those interested in subscribing can go to the publication’s website at http://orgs.carleton.edu/TheLens/index.html.
