Imagine sitting down in the cafeteria and instead of reading the news or looking at those triangle things on the table, a new, free, fashion magazine is staring back. Lauren and Julie Christopherson and Kerry Chereskin all came together in hopes of launching a new fashion magazine for MSU. The Vogue Project was their idea to bring a new spin on fashion, interior design and entertainment.

Fashion photography will be featured in the new magazine (photo credit: Abby Herber. Ethical note: this photo has been artistically altered.)

“I thought creating a fashion magazine here would be a great addition to MSU’s campus and would unite many students in different majors around a common interest,” Chereskin said. Chereskin and Christopherson are both advertising majors, but anyone who is interested in fashion can become a part of the magazine. “MSU students from a variety of majors are bringing many talents to the project and filling all the necessary positions,” Christopherson said.

Chereskin and Christopherson are learning that starting up a magazine is a lot of work. Organization is key. “To do this right and put out a magazine that is well-done, we have to be committed and put all of our efforts into it,” Chereskin said. They plan on teaming up with local stores and businesses to advertise, where a majority of the funding will come from until the magazine can be recognized as a student group. “We have definitely put in a lot of time in the beginning stages of this magazine!” Christopherson said. “We are still figuring logistics such as printing costs, advertising, etc. With the help of the staff, we can get this off to a good start and running smoothly!”

Chereskin, the editor-in-chief, said her inspiration for starting The Vogue Project came from her experience with a local campus fashion publication in Miami, Up Magazine. Her writing experience at Up, while the magazine was getting started, gave her great insight into how a magazine runs. With Up in her back pocket and knowledge she gained from attending Teen Vogue seminars, she is fully equipped to handle the start-up of the magazine.

Chereskin has high hopes that The Vogue Project will eventually be seen as an elite fashion magazine on campus. “I hope that the magazine will become a topic of conversation in the fashion community at Michigan State University, offering quality writing and photography that will highlight the latest trends in fashion,” she said. The Vogue Project wants to become a print magazine that is offered free to the students. “The overall goal of The Vogue Project is to inspire students to portray their individual styles in the way they think, act and live,” Christopherson said.

There is a small problem with the name, however. “Vogue” already has a strong affiliation with the current fashion magazine, and the new publication’s founders do not want to compete with that.  The Vogue Project got its name because Vogue meant “in style.” So, while the group will be called The Vogue Project the magazine is still trying to find a name, Christopherson explains. Currently their Facebook group is having a contest for the name and the winner receives a $25 gift card to Urban Outfitters.

Interdisciplinary studies in health senior, Cara Ruggeri is thrilled to have a fashion forward magazine coming to campus. “I’ve always had an interest in anything fashionable,” Ruggeri said. Advertising sophomore, Emily Misko, is also excited for the launch of the magazine. “[It’s] something that I would be very interested in. If I saw it on the racks in halls I would definitely pick it up,” Misko said. She is also excited about the fact that the magazine would be free; “Students are broke enough as it is, they probably wouldn’t pay to take their chances on a new magazine that they may or may not like,” Misko said.

Clothes and style will be a featured in the new magazine (photo credit: Emily Lawler).

The main part of the magazine is from a fashion view point, but it will also feature a section that showcases interior design and ideas for decorating dorm rooms and houses on campus. Ruggeri always enjoys looking at interior design layouts. “It inspires me to make my own house look nice,” Ruggeri said. Misko agreed, “I’m always looking for fun ways to make my apartment look decorated, especially since the Christmas lights just aren’t cutting it.”

Chereskin believes that MSU students would be interested in a fashion-oriented magazine, which she hopes can influence and inspire more students to dress creatively. Business general management sophomore Brody Coplai is excited about the different fashion perspectives he hopes the magazine will bring to the MSU community.  “I see a lot of different fashion types at MSU. Indie [the Urban Outfitters look] seems to always be in as of late, as well as the UGG, North Face and black leggings look for the females. I would be very interested if this magazine showed more creative fashions because people are always interested in finding out the newest trends,” Coplai said.

Misko thinks that most students like to look good and fashion forward while putting as little effort into it as possible. “I think more ideas on how to easily and cheaply, look put together would be beneficial for college students,” she said.
The feedback of a fashion oriented magazine on campus has gotten a lot of positive response from students. There are plenty of fashionable people at MSU who may take interest in this new magazine. As long as the magazine makes itself known, students are bound to show interest. “I have plenty of friends, especially in my sorority, who are always looking through various fashion magazines and I think The Vogue Project will be among those soon enough,” Ruggeri said.

The Vogue Project has already tapped into technology with a Facebook group sporting more than 200 members, and they also update their Twitter account daily. The magazine also wants to offer an online issue letting people blog their thoughts. ‘It’d be nice to hear what students have to say about [the fashions], hopefully encouraging more students to share their opinion as well,” Misko said.

The publication just had its first meeting and organized a staff of over 50 people. Two among those staff include linguistics senior Jack Tarantino and packaging sophomore Alyssa Wisenbaugh. Jack is applying for the photo editor position, choosing which photos go into the magazine. “The magazine will be launched online and in print. Online media is the best way to do things nowadays but printed magazines are so much more fun. There will also be more interactive content online to keep people engaged,” he said.

Wisenbaugh hopes to take the position of women’s fashion director. “I have always loved anything to do with fashion and art, and have spent countless dollars on many magazines…The Vogue Project have set certain standards to follow in the footsteps of the elite high fashion publications,” Wisenbaugh said. Look for the first issue scheduled to come out in Fall 2010.

Once a week, giant bananas roam around campus giving out free goodies. They’re not out to promote fruit or make people think they’d smoked too much pot before class; they’re saving Africa.

SCOUT BANANA is a non-profit organization that works to raise awareness for health care in some of Africa’s neediest areas. Started by a former MSU student, the MSU chapter focuses on bettering South Africa, with chapters nationwide targeting Uganda as well.

While Africa’s need for health care may be clear, the way to improve its underdeveloped system is not so straightforward. “Before we take any action we have to at least first work to understand the problems we want to fix,” SCOUT BANANA Founder Alex Hill said. “Uninformed aid has the potential to have such a negative effect.”

(Photo credit: Brett Ekblad)

In an article from the SCOUT BANANA website, Ruth Berger, the Vice President of the MSU chapter, described the difference between an organization that informs and demands economic change and one such as Product (RED) which can create complacency. Berger wrote, “Product (RED) has the potential to raise awareness and make people think about global issues, but it also has the potential to make them feel satisfied with the way things are and the small part they are doing.”

SCOUT BANANA’s dedication to education is progressing to a new level. Launching in spring of 2012, its new project, Banana Tree Papers, will be written by graduate students. The working papers will connect communities with the latest research concerning their health care and development issues.

Hill, a recent graduate of MSU, sees potential in extending the movement past the undergraduate level, hoping that it will bring its education of members to a new level of depth and understanding. “This could have the potential to widen the knowledge base for members and others involved in our chapters,” Hill said.

In addition to Banana Tree Papers, SCOUT BANANA held it first National Summit in January 2010. Leadership from each of the chapters, including MSU, met with other SCOUT BANANA staff members to discuss the agenda for 2010. The team hopes that what started right here at MSU will spread to other college campuses, “increasing support for [its] projects, and launching a fellowship program,” Hill said.

In addition to the growth opportunities that SCOUT BANANA has created for itself, the organization also received publicity from its nomination for the 2008 “Do Something Awards.” Although the organization did not receive any funds for its projects, its story was featured on the Doritos bag along with Hill’s picture. “We’ve gotten a great deal of feedback and press from the Doritos bags,” Hill said.

Although Hill, two-year leader of MSU’s SCOUT BANANA chapter, has graduated from MSU, the work of its chapter has not slowed. The chapter holds weekly meetings, gathering recently to talk about upcoming events for MSU’s campus. Emily Jones, junior zoology major and MSU chapter coordinator, said that they hold weekly “Hug Days.” Dressed in banana suits, members give hugs and hand out key chains, brochures and flyers. “Most people who actually stop to hug us and talk are really interested in why we would dress up and act ridiculous,” Jones said.

In addition to weekly events, MSU’s chapter holds an annual Dance-a-thon in the spring to raise support. The MSU chapter also partners with an after-school program in South Africa. The program focuses on children who are affected by HIV/AIDS. The support raised through the chapter’s many events provides the after-school center with enough funds to feed the children one meal a day. This meal may be the only one a child receives for the day. Jones said, “Everyone in the community has a say in the after-school center, and that’s important because they know better than we do what needs to happen.” SCOUT BANANA’s commitment to informed aid allows all of the funds to be used in the best ways possible.

Over its nine years of existence, SCOUT BANANA has grown a considerable amount. Its chapters now include Tufts University, Central Michigan University and University of Michigan (U of M). In the fall, U of M and MSU held a competition to see which program could raise the most money through a 5K event. MSU won the contest, but together the chapters raised awareness and support for their individual projects.

Through growth and change, SCOUT BANANA continues to fight for better health care in Africa. Growing nationwide, its members continue to revolutionize modern thought and more banana suits may be popping up soon. “We believe that global health is everyone’s responsibility and that everyone has the potential to make a difference,” said junior member and comparative cultures and politics major Garrett Miller.