Since 2021, the Coordinated Arts Program’s student-run journal The Capsule has provided CAP students with the opportunity to submit their work for publication, bringing together the program’s five streams, and celebrating scholarship by the CAP community. The publication of the journal’s annual issues would not be possible without the editorial board, which consists of current CAP students, and CAP alumni. In this Inside the Capsule series, we interview various members of the editorial board for more insight on The Capsule as a journal, and the members’ specific roles in the editorial process.
In this instalment, we spoke to Mackenzie Campbell, a member of the 2022-23 Design and Layout team for The Capsule. Mackenzie recounts her past experience working on The Capsule editorial board, highlighting her start as a section editor, and also reflects on what she enjoyed and what she found challenging about working on design and layout for the journal.
When did you start becoming involved with The Capsule? Why did you decide to join The Capsule editorial board?
I became involved in The Capsule in semester 2 of 2022, being part of both brainstorming and the editorial team for the very first edition of The Capsule. In my first year, I was in the CAP program media studies, and one of my instructors brought up the opportunity to join the editorial team and write work for the emerging paper. I was interested in seeing what an editorial team was like while getting to function with the guidance of professors and alumni.
I understand that you were responsible for the journal’s design and layout last year. Could you tell us a bit more about your role?
During my first year working on the journal, I was a section editor, which I enjoyed. This year I wanted to branch out to a totally new section to get a more robust look at what journal work was like. For me, design and layout seemed like a great option. In this role, I worked with a team that took charge of contacting authors for biography, creative planning, cover design, and layout input. We also sat in on other editorial meetings to discuss The Capsule as a whole and what our goals as an editorial board were. My biggest contributions were insight into this year’s title and subtitle, as well as layout design and input.
What do you enjoy most about working on design and layout for The Capsule?
I enjoyed the teamwork and creative atmosphere of the work.
“This role, unlike some others, encourages creative thought and expansion beyond what we’ve already done. I found it very rewarding to try and transfer the essence of what we spoke about as an editorial team into a real, tangible result.”
In your opinion, what are some of the most challenging aspects of your role?
The most challenging aspect was the online communication style. Everyone did their best, but the team was all in different places, with different time zones and schedules as a result of the time of year. I, for one, was also balancing a full-time internship while I worked on this edition of The Capsule.
How did your time with The Capsule help you grow — academically and/or personally? What specific skills did you pick up during your time on the editorial board?
It provided me with a sense of trust in my ability to apply academic skills to a real life scenario. In university, we do so much reading, writing, and discussing, but this is all solely in a classroom setting, with the intention of a passing grade. Applying skills learned so far to a completely different end result – a complete journal – was very fulfilling. I found that my communication and confidence were also aided just as a result of editorial and team meetings, allowing a space to share ideas and progress where everyone’s input is valued.
For more information on The Capsule, please visit the journal website.
