Curio ‘Experiment’ Hits Right Formula
“I
would bet my brand new paycheck that Curio is what Students are largely in charge of Curio each year, selecting
got me my job as assistant editor at Washington Life and writing the articles, creating the design, and taking the
Magazine,” said Kelly Fisher, 2008 editor of Curio photographs.
magazine. “Just working on something that was so deadline-based
Fisher is just the latest in a constantly expanding line of really helped me prepare for the real-world production cycle
JMU students who used their experience with the student- of a magazine,” said Fisher.
produced magazine to impress employers and snag a job. In addition to the print publication, the Curio staff also
That was the primary goal for Professor David Wendelken maintains a Web site.
when he launched Curio in 1978 as an
experiment. He wanted to have students
produce a magazine about the Shenando-
ah Valley – not just JMU – and build their
portfolios in the process.
“I thought it would be helpful for stu-
dents to have some published clips when
they graduate,” Wendelken says.
Thirty years later, Curio has earned
multiple national and regional awards for
writing, photography and overall excel-
lence and has dozens of former staffers
working in the industry. Students still
rush to sign up for the class every spring.
From the start, Wendelken had a clear
vision for Curio. “I think of it as a celebra-
tion of community,” he said. “The central
Shenandoah Valley is characterized by a
sense of history, strong religious influenc-
es, and a tradition of community service,
and the magazine reflects the many ele-
ments that make this area unique.”
In its first edition, Curio scooped the
Mag-man: Professor Wendelken launched Curio in 1978 as a celebration of the Valley.
photo: Jaclyn Cole
nation’s sports media by featuring Ralph
Sampson, a Harrisonburg High basketball
player who, at 7’4”, became the most sought-after recruit in After 30 years Wendelken knows from the first-hand ac -
the nation for college teams. counts of former Curio staffers that his experiment turned out
In the years since, Curio articles have covered a wide span just the way he hoped.
of features in the valley: profiles of local celebrities and busi- “I think of the editors and staffers as part of an ever-
nesses; stories about JMU professors and students pursuing expanding family,” he said.
unique personal or academic interests; reviews of restaurants, “I keep in touch with many of them, and many say working
inns, and day-trip destinations; and others. on the magazine was one of the best experiences they had in
Curio hits the mark so well that each year people begin ask- college and it was a strong influence on their careers.”
ing about it at local businesses before it hits the newsstands. — Jaclyn Novak
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