Stephens Life Magazine

A national award-winning feature magazine run by Stephens students.
Stephens Life is produced by students as part of a practicum class open (by application) to any major. The practicum simulates a real-world publishing environment where students take on the roles of creative director, art director, graphic designer, photographer or writer, and work together to produce a high quality magazine publication. From pitching articles to selling ad space to final production and public issue launch, magazine staffers earn essential experience for the world of professional publishing.
And we're good at it.
Stephens Life consistently brings home top national student awards. Most recently, the Spring 2019 Voyage Issue earned Best of Show at the Fall 2019 National College Media Convention in Washington, D.C.
“I was so nervous, I was shaking,” said Hannah Kueck, who attended the convention and received second place for Story of the Year for her column about life with scoliosis (Fall 2018 issue). “When I heard the news, I immediately started crying. I couldn’t believe this was actually happening.”
Her award-winning story was inspired by her own struggle with scoliosis, including two surgeries.
“I wanted to write to make people feel more powerful,” Kueck said. “People think we can’t function, but we can still live and have a great life.” Since the win, Kueck has gone on to serve as copy editor for Stephens Life. She also earned an internship with COMO Magazine.
Select Awards
Associated Collegiate Press
- Finalist: Pacemaker Award - Fall 2019 issue
- Second place: 2020 Story of the Year by Jules Graebner '20, "The Ghost of Your Hands," Fall 2019 issue
- First place: Best of Show, feature magazine - Fall 2019 National College Media Convention for the Spring 2019 issue
- Winner: Pacemaker Award - Fall 2018 issue
- Second place: 2019 Story of the Year: column by Hannah Kueck '21 in the Fall 2018 issue
- Second place: 2019 Advertisement of the Year in the Spring 2019 issue
- Fourth place: 2019 Design of the Year: magazine page/spread by writer Meca Brown-Sanders '19 and photographer Anna Tripolitis '19 in the Spring 2019 issue
- Second place: Best of Show, feature magazine (2017-2018 academic year)
- Fourth place: 2018 Design of the Year: Best Magazine/Special Section Cover. Alexandra Martin ’18 created the winning design for the Fall 2017 issue
- Honorable Mention: 2018 Story of the Year: Best Diversity Series. Recognized stories were “Love, etc.” by Mary Kate Hafner ’18 in the Fall 2017 issue and “The A-Team: Navigating Nonexistence” by Erika Westhoff ’18 in the Spring 2018 issue
- Finalist: Pacemaker Award - 2017-2018 academic year
- Winner: Pacemaker Award - 2016-2017 academic year
College Media Association Pinnacle Awards
- Finalist: Best Rate Card/Media Kit, 2019-2020
- Honorable mention: Best Feature Photo - "Being a Fat Girl" by Anna Tripolitis '19 in the Spring 2019 issue
- Second place: Best Magazine Contents Page/Spread - Table of contents in the Spring 2017 issue
- Third place: Best Magazine News Page/Spread - “Men and Feminism” in the Spring 2017 issue
- Second place: Best Magazine Entertainment Page/Spread - “Eat” in the Fall 2016 issue
- First place: Best Magazine Entertainment Page/Spread - “I Like Fashion and Naps” in the Spring 2016 issue