The third edition of Crescent magazine highlights students from all walks of life, what Southern offers them, and what they offer Southern.
Every semester the process is honed; each edition seems to finish more quickly, more artfully. It is with confidence the editors will hand off our roles to a new staff in the fall. Not a single edition has come without its roadblocks, and this semester we succeeded despite a detrimental one.
It was with a heavy heart that the staff of Crescent magazine learned of the passing of Journalism Professor and Crescent Adviser Vern Williams over winter break. An adviser to the publication since its fruition, Williams was the backbone to its design. With passion and confidence, he would guide students in transforming layouts into artistic masterpieces. Williams had conquered the craft of photography, and taught many of us how to photograph, edit and layout. He taught the staff how to see the story as a vision, not just write it. Four of the main components of a newspaper or magazine—headlines, cutlines, photos and text—were no longer arbitrary or random. Rather, some of us learned from him how to make them connect and create the perfect visual package.
We were fortunate to have his talent guiding the first two editions of Crescent. Making the third edition, however, has been nothing short of a challenge. Not only did we lose a friend, but we lost a passionate adviser to the organization, with a vested interest in near-perfection. Our staff could not have put together such a visually unique and polished magazine as the first two editions without the lessons we all took from Williams. He was a mentor to many of us. We did not only look to him for photography advice, we confided in him seeking day-to-day guidance. His kindness, charisma and humor are components that will stay with us for the long-run.
His tendency to question the world around him, and vehemence to keep digging until the perfect photo was taken or the questions were answered wholly made him the journalist we hope to become.
–The editors
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Crescent magazine
Southern Connecticut State University
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