ICView, Ithaca College’s alumni magazine, brought in a new senior editor this semester. Robin Roger, former editor of the UT Journal at the University of Tampa, joined ICView’s editorial board last June.

The magazine has come under increased scrutiny since the publication of a controversial account of an alumna’s experience in the West Bank. And Roger’s hire comes at a time of transition for the college with the implementation of the IC 20/20 vision plan and the institution-wide rebranding initiative.
Roger earned a master’s degree in journalism from UNC Chapel Hill where she received a Park Fellowship, an award that is similar to the college’s Park Scholar program.

Assistant News Editor Elma Gonzalez sat down with Roger to discuss her goals for the magazine.

Elma Gonzalez: How did you become involved with ICView?

Robin Roger: I saw the listing for the job position and it sounded like a really exciting place to be. There are going to be a lot of exciting changes going on, and I wanted to be a part of making the magazine even better than it already is.

EG: What do you bring to the magazine?

RR: I bring a lot of experience in not just alumni magazines, but journalism in general. I have worked as assistant editor previously at another publication, so when I came to my interview I had a lot of ideas about how to improve the magazine. I think we can improve it by adding bigger, better photos and taking on topics that are timely and relevant to our readers. I’d like to take on even more substantive topics that can attract a wider audience.

My philosophy is that a good alumni magazine or college magazine could stand against some of the best magazines on the newsstands and people would want to pick them up regardless if they come to school here or not.

EG: What are your duties as senior editor?

RR: Everything from concept creation to deciding what we are going to include in the magazine. Assigning features, writing some, editing content, assigning photos, looking at the proofs as they come through, getting direction on design and working with the printer at the back end. So it’s everything from beginning to end of putting together a magazine.

EG: You came in two months ago. How has it been so far?

RR: I stepped in toward the very end of the production process of the last magazine so I can’t take a lot of credit, but we have already gotten lots of great feedback for the last issue. So that was really gratifying to see. Then going forward into this next issue, there is a lot of excitement and enthusiasm carried over from that last issue. Also, because I am now in the position and bringing new ideas to the table, I think everyone is really geared up for this next issue.

EG: What are your personal goals for this year?

RR: We hope to publish this next issue at the end of the semester, beginning of December, so my goal would be to put together this next issue. It’s going to be the first one at ICView I’ll be working on beginning to end. My goal is to put together a strong issue that builds on what we have done in the past.