Black Hills State University's student-run magazine “Ponder” has been named runner-up in the design category of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) 2024 National Student Magazine Competition.
The inaugural issue of “Ponder,” overseen by the BHSU Communications Department, was published in the spring of 2024 and showcases the talent of BHSU students who contributed stories, photographs, and designed the layout.
The BHSU student staff of the magazine includes Editor-in-Chief Bridget Schneller, Lead Graphic Designer Ashley Beguin, and Chief Photographer Hope Schumacker, as well as students Zied Ben Aich, Grace Boe, Rylan Bruns, Alec Butterfield, Nathan Feller, Austin Graft, Kate Kenton, Kendra Mitchell, Sophie Neiman, Taylor SanFilippo, Annalina Scalise, and Noah Westergaard. BHSU Professors Justin Bergh, Skott Chandler, and Allen Morris serve as faculty advisors for the publication.
"My colleagues and I couldn't be more pleased with the work the students put into launching a magazine last semester,” said Bergh. “Our goal is to provide them with professional-quality skills and opportunities, and this magazine is a product of that. The national recognition is great for our students and hopefully will prove to be an asset in recruiting future students to our program and BHSU."
This year’s AEJMC Student Magazine Competition saw an impressive 137 entries from 21 colleges and universities across the nation. The judging panel consisted of 13 working journalists who evaluated each submission.
"I found it really inspiring to read all the great work being done by student journalists across the country," said Richard Just, who served on this year’s judging panel. "To see the effort and talent on display in these publications gives me a lot of hope for the future of our profession."
“Ponder” will be published each semester by the BHSU Communications Department. For more information on the publication, visit the “Ponder” Instagram page at Instagram.com/Ponder.Mag.