Student journalist selected by national online magazine

By Sara Riddle ('10)

As a journalism major, Cassie Potler ('10) is always looking for new and innovative opportunities to help her grow and expand her portfolio. When she saw a job posting for the online magazine Her Campus at Ed2010.com, a Web site that lists jobs and internships in the magazine industry, Potler didn’t let the opportunity pass her by.

"I loved the idea and the approach the founders were taking, and I immediately applied," says Potler.

After working for the national Her Campus online magazine for six months, Cassie Potler ('10) launched a JMU edition.

HerCampus.com is an online magazine founded by three female Harvard University students. The e-magazine informs college women on everything they need to know about style, health, love, dorm life, careers and world events. College journalists from 25 schools across the country contribute to the site.

Totler applied to the Her Campus staff last summer. "The two-part application process lasted a few weeks, and I found out that I officially had the position in August 2009," says Potler, who not only writes for the national Her Campus magazine, but she also launched a JMU edition: www.hercampus.com/school/jmu.

On Feb. 2, Potler launched the JMU edition. Articles featured on the JMU site are similar to those of HerCampus.com but have an added "local flair and campus relevance," she explains. "I’m open to have anyone write for me as long as their stories are written in the Her Campus 'voice' and are relevant to the JMU campus and community."

JMU InDesign professor Lynda Ramsey says, "I'm not surprised that Cassie was chosen for the national magazine. What is exceptional is that she was chosen among the elites of Harvard and 1,000 other U.S. colleges and universities."

Potler draws inspiration for her stories from everyday conversations. "I try to create stories that focus on what college students talk about, think about, dream about, worry about," she says. "When I hear my friends discussing something, the first thing I do is think about how that could be turned into a story."

One of Potler's favorite Her Campus stories is "The Hunger Project" about a nonprofit organization that aims to solve world hunger through the empowerment of women. "Writing the article was enlightening," says Potler, who enjoys writing stories that allow her to learn. "I saw how important it is not to give charity to those in need, but to give them their own means to become self-sustainable.

In addition to writing for Her Campus, Potler is a review editor for the James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal and a photographer for "PictureIt! JMU." When asked about the difficulty of balancing schoolwork with her other responsibilities, she says, "Life as a college student is always hectic, but I function better with a lot going on in my life."

Learn more about Potler and read her articles.