Two undergraduate students are teaming up to bring a campus-based women’s magazine to ASU.
The online magazine Her Campus, launched by three Harvard University students in 2009, focuses on collegiate life for women. It covers topics ranging from style, health and love to scholarships and career planning, according to the Her Campus website.
English sophomore Caroline Ortiz and journalism sophomore Alejandra Guillen are starting the ASU chapter of Her Campus.
“I wanted to start something for students at ASU that gives them an opportunity to write,” Ortiz said.
Ortiz searched extensively for a women’s magazine that focused on ASU campus life but could not find a publication that fit that description, she said. After stumbling across Her Campus, Ortiz said she decided to start an ASU chapter of the online magazine.
The ASU chapter will have its own page on the Her Campus website and will feature seven different categories, including a fashion blog, a weekly poll and a “Campus Cutie” blog that will profile unique students.
Guillen said she wanted ASU students to have access to a publication with more of a local feel compared with nationally focused magazines such as Seventeen.
“I want them to feel closer to home,” Guillen said.
Guillen, who is pursuing a career in radio broadcasting, said this will be her first experience working as an editor.
“Oh, it’s nerve-racking,” Guillen said. “I’m afraid I’ll mess something up.”
A corporate editor of Her Campus is editing the first batch of stories, but Guillen and Ortiz will be responsible for editing all subsequent issues, Guillen said.
The two are responsible for the organization, leadership and content of the new chapter.
Guillen has received 15 stories and is looking for as many contributing writers as possible.
Guillen and Ortiz plan to pass out fliers and use social media to get the word out about the launch of Her Campus at ASU.
Journalism sophomore Sepeedeh Hashemian said she is interested in writing articles for the fashion blog.
Hashemian created a Middle Eastern-themed beauty blog last semester for one of her courses and thought Her Campus would be a great outlet to continue writing on the topic.
“It’s fun,” Hashemian said. “It’s light-hearted. It gives writers a forum to do some fun writing.”
Hashemian said Her Campus would differ from some other ASU publications, such as the State Press and the Downtown Devil, which she said both focus more on news writing.
Evelyn Espinoza, a criminal justice sophomore, said it was Ortiz’s enthusiasm that convinced her to contribute stories to Her Campus.
“She wouldn’t stop talking about it,” Espinoza said. “Eventually I got interested.”
Espinoza said that though this will be her first experience writing feature stories, she is not nervous.
“We’re all just starting out,” Espinoza said.
Espinoza said the main reason she joined was so that she could get to know more people and be part of a community that shared the same interests.
Ortiz said the ASU chapter of Her Campus has 10 members. Students from any major are welcome to join. Anyone who is interested in contributing as a writer may contact Ortiz or Guillen by email.
The first batch of stories will be published Tuesday on the Her Campus website. ASU will be one of more than 200 participating chapters of Her Campus, Ortiz said.
Contact the reporter at jonathan.laflamme@asu.edu
