From the Editor

Celebrating 50 Years of La Verne Magazine:
A look back at five decades of student journalism and storytelling

Rebecca Keeler, editor-in-chief / photo by Liberty Belle

When I walk past the 172 editor portraits of La Verne Magazine, Campus Times and Lambda editors that line the walls leading to the newsroom in the University of La Verne’s Arts and Communications Building, I reflect on the faces of these student leaders and the remarkable 50-year legacy they have left in the Communications Department. More than half of those portraits are of La Verne Magazine editors-in-chief, starting with my father, George Keeler, Ph.D., the first editor-in-chief of the magazine who continues as a University of La Verne journalism professor and is the longtime La Verne Magazine chief adviser. His legacy, like so many others on those walls, is part of the foundation that has sustained the publication for five decades.

The newsroom in the Arts and Communications Building is more than just a workspace. It serves as an archive of excellence, with walls that display awards and honors earned over the years, including Gold Medal Crown Awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, national and regional awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, multiple All-American and Five-Star honors from the Associated Collegiate Press, and best in California awards from the California Press Association. The magazine has earned best in the nation awards many times from many collegiate press associations. These accolades reflect the dedication of the student editors, writers and photographers. The behind-the-scenes production support of the chief adviser, photography adviser and designers are part of the magazine’s continuing push to excellence. For a couple decades, Eric Borer, ULV journalism operations manager, has put his keen design skills forward supporting the publication’s design. For the past five years, Eric has led as the photography adviser after the retirement of long-time photography adviser Professor Emeritus Gary Colby. All have kept La Verne Magazine running as a champion without missing a publication beat for 50 years.

I am part of this chain of excellence. I have served as editor-in-chief for two magazines. One of my magazines won the Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Crown Award, which is awarded by an organization related to the one that names the Pulitzer Prizes, the most prestigious awards in journalism. This honor ranks La Verne Magazine as one of the top three magazines in the nation. If this were sports, this would be a Division I honor. I personally won the prestigious SPJ Mark of Excellence National Award for feature writing, which gave me bragging rights as being one of the best student journalists in the nation.

La Verne Magazine, from its start, was conceived as a city magazine, which allowed students to choose from a diverse palette of story ideas. When La Verne Magazine started in 1976, orange groves were in existence. The magazine documented the city’s rapid transformation from being an agricultural community to what it is today. And while the magazine covers the University, it has always been a true city magazine, covering city of La Verne and neighboring city stories that relate to the University community.

It is noteworthy that the Magazine’s articles and photography are produced by Journalism and Photography Department students. It is heady to know that prestigious libraries hold on-going subscriptions: Honnold Library, the Huntington Library, Cal Poly Pomona, the L.A. County Library.

Looking back on 50 years of La Verne Magazine, I see a legacy built by dedicated individuals that is sustained by those who continue to tell prize-winning stories. As the magazine embarks on the next 50 years, each new issue will continue to honor its past while reflecting its growth and connection to the La Verne community.