This week, Her Campus Leeds chats to our brand new Senior Editor, Kelan Mahon to find out how she’s finding the role along with her year in industry!
Hey Kelan, thanks for talking to us! First of all, how did you first get involved with Her Campus?
I’ve been keen to get involved with Her Campus since first year but was too shy, to so this year I decided to go for it. I love to write and edit (I’m a bit obsessed with grammar) but the main reason I wanted to get involved with HC as opposed to other magazine societies within the uni is that I really love the content, it’s got a great range of relaxed articles but it’s not afraid to be a bit more serious and political.
What made you decide to go for the Senior Editor position?
Well, I started writing and copy-editing for HC at the beginning of the term and really enjoyed it. I knew I wanted to get more involved in the society and meet new people so it was a great opportunity to do so! However, in the future I hope to work in media doing writing and editing so the more experience I have- the better!
Are you finding any challenges with the role, if so how do you overcome them?
Honestly, it’s been fine so far! Most of the tasks are on the computer which is handy cause it can all be done quickly and everyone has been so helpful which has made it really easy. There aren’t really challenges apart from the fact I can be pretty ditzy and items on my mental ‘to-do list’ often just slip my mind.
What do you like most about Her Campus?
I really like the society as a whole, it’s small which I really like and everyone has been so welcoming! I love Her Campus itself because it gives people an opportunity to write, but unlike many online platforms these days there is an editing team which ensures the content is of a high standard! There’s little worse than reading badly written or punctuated articles, so I really like that there is a more professional aspect to Her Campus.
You’re currently doing a year in industry, tell us a bit about that?
This year I’m working as part of the fundraising team at Marie Curie. I’ve always wanted to do some work in a charity and Marie Curie is an amazing charity so I love being involved. The placement itself is so varied, I’m really involved in the press side of things which is such great experience but I’m also working in marketing, advertising and fundraising too!
What do you think has been most beneficial so far in working at the company?
Definitely my experience with the press. I’m handling most of the press for my team as well as being a lead on a bi-annual Marie Curie magazine. It’s so useful practicing writing in a new style and for a different audience, but also the fact that I’m responsible for getting in touch with editors of newspapers and magazines either to publish a press release or enquire about us publishing with them in the future.
How are you balancing work with HC editing duties?
The balance has been absolutely fine; because I really enjoy what I’m doing for Her Campus it doesn’t feel like a chore meaning I don’t feel like I have to balance the two. The only time it gets a bit stressful is if I don’t have access to a computer because the Gmail app isn’t great!
Are you excited to get back to University life?
YES! As much as I’m enjoying being on placement and not having to stress about deadlines or exams I miss being able to sleep in past 8, I miss Tuesday’s at HiFi and I miss Bakery 164.
And finally, have you got anything coming up that you’re excited about and would like to share?
Not really…I guess it’s my birthday on Sunday and I’ll be over half way to 40- how scary!