Magazine

They’ll Take Manhattan:
Magazine majors from the Class of 2011 explore the city on the annual benchmark trip

By Megan Hess



This year, the magazine department’s annual Benchmark Trip was renamed the Bill Glavin Magazine Trip, in memory of the talented and beloved professor and editor. During the three-day excursion to New York City, students and alumni chatted about Glavin’s profound impact, and reminisced about him while grabbing breakfast at the Red Flame Coffee Shop, one of his favorite spots for eggs and bacon, right around the corner from the group’s hotel

On the annual trip in mid-January, 16 magazine journalism seniors and two faculty members met with staffers from a wide array of publications, including Health.com, People, Essence, Self, Allure.com, Wired, Inc., NYMag.com, Marie Claire, and Hearst Digital. Stacey Okun Mindich, a Newhouse alumna and one of Glavin’s favorite students, funded the trip for the fifth consecutive year with her husband, Eric.

Across the board, editors focused on brand distinction. Magazines and websites find success in identifying what attracts consumers specifically to them – in other words, the unique elements of their brand. For example, staffers at People work to make hard news stories appealing – much like “pouring cheddar on broccoli,” according to executive managing editor Larry Hackett.



Other magazine editors stressed the importance of digital skills. With endless digital and online opportunities, students can – and should – create their own opportunities. Eric Gillin, G’99, launched TheBlackTable.com with a few friends so they could report and write about pop culture. The site exploded within a year, landing him a job at Maxim and, eventually, his current position at Hearst Digital Media as director of Esquire.com and PopularMechanics.com. “Your career takes care of itself if you work hard and do well at your first job,” he said.

While the web has transformed the job landscape, some elements remain timeless: hand-written thank-you notes, a firm handshake, and a smile. “If you can get an editor to do most of the talking in an interview, they’ll think you’re great,” said Jane Berentson, the editor-in-chief of Inc.

Students also enjoyed opportunities outside the office. On Monday, a panel of recent graduates discussed landing their first jobs and offered advice on breaking into the business, including post-graduate internships, temp jobs, and “permalancing.” On Tuesday night, current and former Syracusians mingled at a meet-and-greet at Stout NYC, a bar in midtown Manhattan.

Magazine professors Melissa Chessher and Harriet Brown led the group of seniors, which included Kirsten Acuna, Daniel Bortz, Abram Brown, Kathleen Corlett, Caitlin Dewey, Nina Elias, Alyssa Grossman, Megan Hess, Diana Martin, Gregory Miller, Kasey Panetta, Meredith Popolo, Maria Qualtere, Jordan Walker, Joanna Weinstein, and Rebecca Wreski.

“The trip showed me that Syracuse is blessed to have tons of helpful alumni who are willing to meet with students to show you how to make it in the magazine field,” said Diana Martin. Hailing from Lancaster, Penn., Martin has never interned in the city. “New York City is the heart of the publishing industry, and being able to form connections with writers and editors at such diverse publications is one of the huge benefits to being in the Newhouse school,” she said.

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