I have been involved with The Vermilion and L’Acadien for only a little over a year, but my experience working here has been definitive. Up until January 2023, I worked as a sculpture studio monitor for the Visual Arts program. Throughout my sophomore and junior years, I have heard about Student Publications through my friends, Julia McDow and Meg Norwood, who worked together and later became the Editor-in-Chief of L’Acadien and Illustrations Editor.
Hearing about this organization, I contemplated joining because I was always interested in making graphics for the newspaper, but I always stopped myself because of the anxiety of not having consistent paychecks. It was also just really hard to make such a personal change because I was afraid that I wouldn’t last there for as long as I wanted to.
It wasn’t until the 2023 Spring Semester, and some personal life changes and experiences, that I decided that along with the incoming spring semester and the new year, I was going to make changes. One of those changes was to finally join both The Vermilion and L’Acadien.
I started out creating graphics for The Vermilion, as I initially intended, and I learned how to complete layout pages for the newspaper through Julia, who was juggling being layout editor of the newspaper and design editor for the yearbook. Even though I was a visual arts major for nearly three years at that time, it still was a learning curve for me; I would not consider my first graphic my best!
I would say that along with the learning experiences through animation from my major, I also learned a lot about illustrations through working with Student Publications. Along with that, I have gained a bit of knowledge about some basics of journalism as well. I always struggled with learning how to love the art that I created, feeling like it wasn’t good enough for what I wanted it to be. I was fairly new to working digitally, but I didn’t necessarily consider that at the time.
I truly believe that had I not joined this organization, working alongside other artists and collaborating with writers and layout designers alike, I would not have gone through those growing pains of learning to be nicer to myself, just a bit, pertaining to my art and myself. Although I knew that my art was “good”, the imposter syndrome would have prevailed had I not been here alongside others, inside and outside of the art field.
When people think of Student Publications, their first thought may be that it consists of journalism majors. While we do have people belonging to that concentration, it is far more concentrated with a multitude of people from differing concentrations, coming with them their different backgrounds and variety of talents that is shown in our paper issues and yearbooks.
I feel that I have definitely grown as a person through this organization: as an artist, as a young adult and as a person in general. I have been able to meet people of varying backgrounds and belonging to various concentrations, all meeting in one place to create the newspapers and yearbooks that are released for students and faculty to read alike: Guillory Hall.
Of course, not everything is perfect. Let’s be honest, what job is absolutely perfect, especially in this capitalist economy. While working here, I have learned how to manage having a job while also being a full-time student, which is exceptionally hard to do as an art student.
However, this organization is student-led, and everyone understands that school is the first priority. I will attest that it has been advantageous to work here on campus with my coworkers and Mr. Tarver, our big boss. The support and wisdom given to me by Mr. Tarver is always appreciated!
Throughout my time here, I have learned a lot about the ins and outs of what it takes to make what we do. During the fall semester of my senior year, I was chosen to be design editor of L’Acadien yearbook, meaning I would help Julia, the editor-in-chief, with certain design aspects of the yearbook as well as managing our layout team. Although a small group, we are constantly pushing to create what we envision for the yearbook, and as far as I see it is paying off.
When I was asked to be in this position, I felt uneasy and very nervous; I only worked there for a semester. It was a bit rough at first to see how I was actually contributing to our team. Looking back though, I am glad that I was able to be in this position. I was able to strengthen the skills I had already possessed.
I will say I had it a bit easier managing a small group of mainly seniors who also happened to be in the arts as well. We all understood what it meant to handle being a student and working not only for L’Acadien but The Vermilion as well. We also have been working together for a while, knowing how important the deadlines for the yearbook are.
While I was only here for a relatively short time, I have seen this organization grow in a multitude of ways. More students were interested in working and learning here. We created different things, like the crossword which Julia and I pitched and it became “my thing” for a while. We even made cute little stickers of our alligator, Allan, and many other things. These experiences are going to be those that I cherish.
I’d like to thank the staff of the organizations because I obviously am not doing any of this by myself! It was a pleasure to be able to collaborate and work with you. I would also like to thank Andre Broussard, Malik Jones, Lena Foster, Adhamm Safford, Julia McDow, Kay Padilla, Sarah Guidry and Meg Norwood for inviting me into this organization with open arms and minds.
I would also like to thank Morgan Courville, Morgan Parker and Alyus Dick for really being such huge steppers with L’Acadien. If I haven’t already mentioned him enough, if it wasn’t for Mr. Tarver, I don’t think I would have stayed and pushed as long and hard as I did. Thank you, for hearing us, supporting us, supporting me and giving me the opportunity to work alongside everyone.
I will be graduating this May with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Computer Art and Animation. I am so amazed at what I was able to accomplish throughout the four years being here, from the pivotal year that was 2020 to the pivotal year that is 2024.
I am really happy that I was able to meet the people I met here at Student Publications, and the opportunities that I have been able to take, thanks to Mr. Tarver. I am hopeful that whatever path I take, that I am content and make the best of it.