What Our Students Say
Laura Clayton
Art Director, BC Outdoors
www.bcoutdoorsmagazine.com
I came to the Magazine Publishing Program at Capilano University with a background in graphic design. I wanted to stay within print design but enter the magazine industry. The program gave me the additional skills and knowledge I needed to advance my career. Very shortly after graduation, I became the Art Director at BC Outdoors magazine, producing 10 issues per year, as well as designing ads and marketing material. I would definitely recommend the Magazine Publishing Program to anyone looking to jump start his or her career. You learn from well-rounded industry professionals, and the internship component is a great way to add real-life publishing experience to your resume.
Alex Barrow
Liaison, Youthink Magazine
www.canadawide.com
I was originally drawn to the Magazine Publishing Program because it was a short and intense program taught by industry professionals. It seemed the ideal stepping stone to learning all aspects of the industry while making invaluable connections in the process. In the end, the Magazine Publishing Program turned out to be the step into the industry, as I was hired by Canada Wide not long after I completed my internship there. On a daily basis I use the skills that I learned in the program, from factchecking to navigating pages using InDesign, to writing a proper invoice. Most importantly, thanks to the program's excellent guest speaker series and its internship component, I met and continue to be in contact with a number of respected individuals in the magazine industry, and I learned how to work in the world of magazines.
Rhona MacInnes
"I took the Magazine Publishing Certificate program at Capilano in 2006, and it literally changed my life. I came to the program with a background in communications, marketing and design; however, it had been some time since I had been predominately employed in these areas. I was looking to consolidate and update my knowledge and skills in these areas, and find work in publishing, something that I had thought was a pipe-dream.
I found the program to be just what I was looking for. It gave me great skills and confidence in a competitive arena, and I was able land a good internship placement – key for making those all-important industry contacts.
Since graduation I have worked as a freelance writer, writing profiles, features, front-of-book items, sidebars, advertorials, sections and short features for Alberta Home, Appeal, BC Home, BC Restaurant News, GardenWise, Grocer Today, Just Business, Soar, TV Week, Vancouver Magazine Eating & Drinking Guide, Western Living, Western Living Condo and Westworld. I have also been contracted to perform editorial work for GardenWise, Grocer Today, TV Week, Western Living, and Western Living Condo.
I recommend the program highly. The content and delivery really hit the mark and the instructors have a wealth of real-world knowledge to share which proved invaluable when I entered the industry. If you love magazines and want to work in a fast-paced, creative environment, you need to take this course!
Nat Jay, Vancouver, B.C.
“The Magazine Publishing Program at Capilano was the best way I could have spent the summer of 2007. Not only was I able to fine-tune my writing skills, I also gained a solid foundation of editing skills, an understanding of the magazine industry and a new love for design.
As someone with a degree and varied work and writing experiences, I was searching for a program that could provide me with a crash course in magazine publishing and, most importantly, connect me to key individuals within the industry. Without the MPP, I would not have been able to jump right into magazine writing and assume an editorial role.
Since finishing the program at Capilano I have been able to combine my two passions, music and writing, and have begun to build a reputation locally as a music journalist. My freelance articles have appeared in various publications, including the Georgia Straight, Xtra West and BC Musician magazine. I am also the editor of Discorder, which just celebrated its 25th anniversary. This magazine supports local and independent music in Vancouver and beyond, and as part of my job I have interviewed George Stroumboulopoulos, Corb Lund, Raine Maida, Sweatshop Union, Jay Brannan, the Editors and many other up-and-coming artists.
These experiences have certainly helped my own career as a recording artist. I am constantly learning from established artists (a luxury not many developing artists have) and networking within the music industry by connecting with a wealth of other musicians and publicists nationwide.
I would recommend this program to anyone who has developed his or her skills in other areas and wants to channel them into a fascinating and flexible industry. The MPP at Capilano will give you an all-encompassing education and a jumpstart into the magazine world.”
