East Lansing’s only full-color arts and culture magazine, The Current, which is developed for and by Michigan State University students, has received a 2024 MarCom Gold Award for its June/July 2024 edition. This international recognition celebrates excellence in marketing and communication and recognizes the outstanding work of The Current staff.

Kathryn Houghton, Academic Specialist in the Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and Cultures (WRAC) at MSU, is the Senior Editor of The Current and leads the magazine through the Publication Management (WRA 480) course. The Current is published bimonthly with weekly online exclusives that spotlight diverse voices and experiences within the MSU community and beyond.

“To the students, I’m both their supervisor and their instructor,” Houghton said. “My job is to balance the professional and learning experiences for the students to make sure we produce a strong magazine but to also recognize and respect the fact that this is a new experience for many of my students.”

The Current originated from ing magazine, which was founded over a decade ago by an MSU student. It now operates as a collaborative effort involving MSU’s Department of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures; M3 Group; and the MSU Federal Credit Union (MSUFCU). The magazine is owned by MSUFCU and distributed by M3 Group, a structure that allows students to focus on creative and editorial development.

“The fact that we have a close relationship with these other local partners means that my staff can observe and learn about these processes and see the bigger picture of what it takes to publish a magazine while not being bogged down in those more business-oriented details,” Houghton said.

Student-Centered Approach

At its core, The Current thrives on student creativity by giving them a platform to highlight their passions and perspectives on topics ranging from local arts and culture to global issues. Houghton believes this focus on authentic, student-driven content was central to the magazine’s recognition as a Gold Award winner.

“One thing I love about The Current, and which I think the award committee recognized, is that it allows the students to bring their passions to their work,” Houghton said. “Students pitch the article ideas, find and conduct interviews, and both write and edit all the content. We create a majority of the visuals ourselves, too.”

The award-winning June/July issue, produced by Houghton’s Spring 2024 WRA 480 class, exemplifies The Current‘s commitment to excellence.

“Kathryn Houghton is a spectacular teacher, mentor, writer, and editor,” said Dànielle Nicole DeVoss, Chair of WRAC. “The skills she brings to the classroom and shares with students well-equips them to do this sort of award-winning work in the classroom and beyond.” 

“Working with The Current has been a major highlight of my time at MSU. I have grown so much personally and professionally during my time with the magazine.”

Claire Hornkohl, Professional and Public Writing senior

Claire Hornkohl, a Professional and Public Writing senior, submitted a freelance piece for the award-winning June/July edition and is now a member of WRA 480 in which she has seen her writing and editing skills improve, gained firsthand knowledge of the publishing process, and produced multiple articles to fill her portfolio. 

“Working with The Current has been a major highlight of my time at MSU. I have grown so much personally and professionally during my time with the magazine,” Hornkohl said. “M3 and all of the directors of the magazine, especially the current director, Kathryn Houghton, have fostered an incredibly supportive space for students to write about our fun and often important ideas. I am very proud to be a part of The Current. Writing and editing for a student-run magazine that won an internationally recognized award has made me incredibly grateful to be a part of such an awesome program at MSU.”

The MarCom Awards, administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, celebrate creativity and excellence in communication across various industries. Entries are judged against specific scoring criteria, allowing multiple recipients to earn recognition in each category. Receiving a MarCom Gold Award places The Current among leading industry professionals worldwide.

“The award was a big surprise. I knew my students were producing good, solid work — that part wasn’t the surprise — but I didn’t realize M3 had nominated us for the award, which is open for international entries,” Houghton said. “One huge impact is that this is an award for ‘industry professionals,’ and my hope is that this recognition helps my staff view themselves as professionals, which they are!”

The Current’s December/January issue is set to be released in early December.