Berks Beat
Contact person: Keysha Whitaker, Lecturer, Professional Writing/English · [email protected] · 610-396-6134
Berks Beat is a news and lifestyle magazine produced by students at Penn State Berks. The full-color glossy mag is published six times during the academic year and printed by REP (formerly Reading Eagle Press), a collaboration that offers invaluable opportunities for students to develop working professional relationships with area newspaper staff members. Before assuming their positions, staff editors and reporters must successfully pass "Candidate School," a 15-week news writing and reporting curriculum modeled after training at The Daily Collegian, the award-winning independent paper published by Penn State University Park students.
Berks Beat accepts writing from contributing writers – faculty and staff – throughout the academic year. Students interested in becoming staff reporters or editors should register for the newswriting practicum (COMM 001/ENGL 110). Upon successful completion of the course, students are promoted to a staff position. The team of five editors and several staff writers meets independently weekly to produce the magazine, in addition to receiving in-service journalism workshops and special editorial projects from the magazine’s adviser, freelance journalist and former Darien News-Review staff reporter, Keysha Whitaker.
Like most student-run news publications, Berks Beat’s content, accuracy, and quality is the responsibility of the students – who though they are still learning and practicing their craft – strive for excellence in each issue. Berks Beat staff members also participate in networking and professional events. In the 2014-2015 year, students attended the College Media Conference in Philadelphia and a hands-on workshop with editors of The New York Times.
The magazine also offers on-campus internship opportunities. A business manager, ad sales rep, and managing editor may be appointed on a per-semester basis.
For more information about Berks Beat, contact Prof. Keysha Whitaker at (610) 396-6134 or [email protected].
Shadows of Birds Literary Magazine logo
Shadows of Birds
Contact person: Jayne Brown, English, [email protected] · 610-396-6041
Shadows of Birds is the student-founded, student-run, and student-supported literacy magazine of Penn State Berks. Established in 2012, Shadows of Birds has aimed to bring both student and faculty writing into the public sphere to celebrate the creativity and ingenuity of our peers.