Third-year Journalism students at the University of Roehampton earned high praise from a panel of magazine experts when they pitched their final-year magazine journalism projects this month.
The panel featured Nikki Simpson, founder of the International Magazine Centre and the Operations Director for the global magazine association FIPP, together with Joanna Cummings, the editor of The Grub Street Journal. They heard presentations by two teams of students who had developed original ideas for new magazines.
One group, consisting of Aita Njie, Jethro Nobel, and Mya Hamilton, presented Beyond the Thames, a publication designed for young readers seeking unique, fun, and affordable things to do in London. Their magazine aims to highlight experiences often overlooked by mainstream listings publications like Time Out and Secret London.
Meanwhile, Amel Saleh, Ashub Jamamezhad, and Michelle Serrato Fajardo introduced Daddy Issues, a magazine that seeks to address the needs of an underserved demographic—single fathers. The team’s pitch focused on providing useful resources and support for this often-neglected group.
Joanna Cummings shared her appreciation for the students' work, commenting, “It’s always exciting to see what new magazines Roehampton Journalism students have come up with. I’m always hugely impressed by the thought, creativity, and passion they show both in conceptualising a publication and presenting it to an audience.”
Both teams presented mock covers, media packs, business strategies, social media campaigns and editorial agendas. In the spring, they will create the first issues of their magazines and present them to another panel of industry professionals.
The magazine pitch presentations are a key component of the University of Roehampton’s Journalism Programme, which is accredited by the Professional Publishers Association. This helps students connect with the industry, providing valuable insight into the publishing world and preparing them for the job market while also giving them the opportunity to showcase their creativity.
Nikki Simpson highlighted the importance of such initiatives for the future of the industry. “Connecting with and encouraging the next generation of magazine publishers is essential to the longevity of the industry. It was a joy to hear the presentations from the University of Roehampton students. Their ideas, enthusiasm, and lateral thinking were exciting to see, and we look forward to watching their magazine publishing careers unfold,” she said.
To find out more about this programme please visit BA Journalism | University of Roehampton, London.