The Gown: A Year in The Life
By Head Editor Fleur Howe
As the academic year draws to a close, and with it The Gown’s 2023-24 reign comes to an end it feels appropriate to compile the years successes and celebrate our achievements before saying goodbye. I, as Head Editor, could not be more grateful for the talented and passionate team I have had the privilege to work with. It has undoubtably been a hugely successful year for our newspaper and I cannot thank all of our contributors and editor enough.
Our year began with a huge refresh of our team, newly headed by myself and deputy Laura Ward. Together, we worked to repave and regenerate the newspaper which had taken a hit of inactivity in the previous year. With the assistance of our new brilliant Web Editor Chloe Jacob we were able to successfully produce 6 issues over the academic year.
In this year we have broadened our horizons and built connections within Queens. We interviewed Dara McWade from The Apiary and were able to attend the launch of their magazine. Their yearly literary magazine it a collection of student art, writing, and photography. The Gown was able to offer them publicity and forge a new – and hopefully long-lasting relationship between our respective publications.
This year I am proud to assert The Gown has affirmed its voice within student journalism. Our talented writer Rebecca Carlin wrote as representative of The Gown in an article in The Face Magazine alongside The Glasgow Guardian, Newcastle’s The Courier, Bristol’s Epigram and Mouth of the Ystwyth from Aberystwyth exploring the effects of the cost-of-living crisis on students. It was an honour to be selected and so proud that as a newspaper we are able to provide opportunities for our team within larger publications.
Alongside this, The Gown was nominated for two major awards this year. Firstly, our travel writer Aarushi Ganguli was shortlisted for the NI Media Student Journalist of the Year Award. We are so proud to have had one of our team place in the top four of this award. Additionally, The Gown made its return to the SMEDIA awards, nominated for Newspaper of the Year. Whilst it was the well-earned Limerick Voice who won, it was an honour to be nominated and a great experience to go. The Gown has previously attended the SMEDIA’s in 2022 under editorship of Aiden Lomas, our return this year proves as testament to all we have been able to achieve.
Additionally, for the first time The Gown was successfully awarded a grant by the Queen’s Annual Fund. We are beyond grateful and excited for what this grant poses for the development of The Gown. Our aim with this grant is to fund the development of a new website, to elevate, and expand our potential as a newspaper. The Gown would like to say a huge thank you to the Queen’s Annual Fund.
My time as editor is drawing to a close, my career in The Gown began in 2021 as the Environmental Editor, becoming Head Editor in my final year. My goal for The Gown this year was to reinstate a regular publication schedule, grow a committed and talented team and set up the following year for success. I am happy to confirm that all of my goals were not only reached but exceeded. I’d like to announce and congratulate the succession of Chloe Jacob as the new Head Editor of The Gown. Chloe’s talent and intelligence continually amazes me and I can truly thank her for The Gown’s success this year. I have no doubt she will continue to amaze me and be greatly successful.
This is farewell from the 2023/24 team; we will see you again in September!
https://www.instagram.com/theapiarymag/
The SMEDIAS are back!
https://www.qub.ac.uk/alumni/QueensUniversityofBelfastFoundation/AnnualFund/
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