If I learned one lesson during my first year at Ooligan Press, it is this: experience outside of the classroom is crucial to the comprehension and retention of what is learned inside the classroom. One of the (many) great things about Ooligan Press is the abundance of opportunities to do just that, and you couldn’t ask for a better literary scene than Portland to get your feet wet.

One of these incredible local opportunities is Portland State University’s Student Media, an umbrella group that oversees and assists seven student organizations focused on publishing in various media. These groups are student-staffed and united under the common goal of sharing important media with PSU’s student body. They serve as learning labs, or places where students can both express their creativity and grow as student leaders. This is an especially unique opportunity for Oolies to use their newly-acquired publishing skills: students involved with these groups are frequently tasked with editing, design, digital, and marketing projects for the benefit of their group.

I’ve been involved with Student Media in one form or another since my second term at PSU, and it has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I have gained valuable leadership experience, a killer addition to my resume, and professional relationships with both my peers and mentors. If there’s one thing I know about myself, it’s that I tend to learn things best the hard way, by diving straight in and figuring out the challenges as they come. Student Media gave me the chance to do just that, and I am a better student, a better artist, and a better leader because of it.

If you are a student or member of Portland’s creative community, I highly encourage you to check out Student Media and their efforts. They are, alphabetically:

• KPSU, Portland State’s student-run radio, has been making waves since 1994. They provide a voice for the student body and offer unique hands-on experience for those interested in airtime.
• Pathos Literary Magazine is more than just a lit mag. Featuring exclusively student work, Pathos accepts poetry, fiction, non-fiction, photography, graphic design work, short plays, music, and a variety of other creative formats.
• Portland Review is an established literary journal based out of Portland State University with an international audience. Students seeking publishing opportunities can submit their work or gain valuable publishing experience via a variety of student positions.
• Portland Spectrum, formerly the Portland Spectator, is a full-color magazine published once a month. It features everything from biting editorials about the latest political issues to reviews of the best places to eat on campus.
• PSU TV is your go-to source for interesting multimedia content on and around the Portland State campus. It provides the chance for students to get involved in reporting, marketing, editing, camera work, and much more.
• The Rearguard is a progressive publication that supports campus and community diversity. They publish predominantly alternative viewpoints and provide a voice for the underrepresented communities at PSU.
• The Vanguard is Portland State’s entirely student-run newspaper. Focusing on local campus news, it provides an opportunity to get the latest information about what’s happening on campus.