Top Story
November 23, 2011
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Student-run literary magazine receives top national award
Metrosphere, Metropolitan State College of Denver’s literary magazine, has received a Pacemaker Award, a top national honor likened to a Pulitzer Prize for student publications.
Metrosphere’s Pacemaker Award in the literary category was announced during the Associated Collegiate Press’ annual conference Oct. 26-30 in Orlando, Fla. Student co-editors, Jo Gerlick and Kelsey McMaster, along with Kathleen Jewby, the Office of Student Media’s production manager, are credited with the overall success of the magazine.
The award-winning edition, inspired by graphic novels, split the literary content and art into separate, but cohesive books with one spine.
“When we were thinking up themes for the edition, I thought about in what ways literature and art came together and graphic novels were one of the first things that came to mind,” McMaster says.
Metrosphere was chosen as the winner because of the “amazing concept of having two books in one, where art and literature each received their own presentation but packaged together with a uniting concept,” according to the judges’ remarks on the ACP website.
Metro State students submit their poetry, prose, dramatic works, photos and art to the magazine.
“Metrosphere is a celebration of Metro student and alumni works of art and literature and every year it’s totally different. It's exciting to see people's creative ideas come to life in this beautiful publication,” McMaster says.
The award, which is a reflection of the team’s hard work, is also a resume builder for contributors, Jewby says. “Your work is now in a book that is known nationwide.”
When Gerlick and McMaster set out to create the 2010-11 edition, winning a Pacemaker wasn’t their top goal. Gerlick, who comes from a literary background and has worked on the magazine for the past three years, says she knew teaming up with McMaster, who has a visual background, and Jewby, a graphic designer, meant being able to push the magazine to new heights.
“Award aside, it was absolutely worth all the late nights,” Gerlick says.
