About This Issue

WMU Professor Sue Ellen Christian, center, meets with our team of student journalists, clockwise from bottom left, Jay Penny, Samantha May, Greyson Steele, Carolyn Diana and Samantha Marzke.
Why we let WMU students take over our May issue

We love potential.

In a time when journalism is under fire and people wonder about its future, Encore is proud to introduce you to the future. May’s issue of Encore has been written almost entirely by a team of junior and senior Western Michigan University journalism students taught by Professor Sue Ellen Christian.

These five aspiring journalists — Carolyn Diana, Samantha Marzke, Samantha May, Jay Penny and Greyson Steele — are a mighty team that conceptualized, reported, researched and wrote the feature articles that appear on these pages and even, in many cases, took photographs that accompany the articles.

Encore has a proud mission of showcasing the area’s best people, places and things, and with this issue we doubled down on that tradition. Not only do these young writers give us great stories about people and initiatives at their own university, but this issue spotlights their talents and the outstanding journalism training they are receiving through WMU’s School of Communication.

With stories on topics such as student hunger and economic need, modern dorm decor and how the digital world has changed the face of higher education and college life, these student journalists have created an issue that’s as informative, interesting and engaging as any Encore ever has been.

Enjoy, and know the future of journalism is in good hands.

Marie Lee

Marie is the editor of Encore Magazine and vice president of Encore Publications, Inc. She’s been at the helm of Encore since October 2011. Marie’s background covers the gamut; she’s a former newspaper reporter and editor, a public relations and marketing communications professional, and book editor and collaborator. As Encore’s editor, she is dedicated to bringing the best things about the greater Kalamazoo community to the magazine’s readers.

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The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by those interviewed and featured in our articles do not reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Encore Magazine or the official policies, owners or employees of Encore Publications.

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