Print edition marks Humber Et Cetera's annual launch

Humber journalism students filled the halls of Humber last week, handing out the first printed issue of Humber Et Cetera for this school year along with chocolates, pins and a call to read your local campus newspaper.

This launch marks the return of Humber Et Cetera, which connects students, staff and other faculty to the work of the Journalism Advanced Diploma program.

“This is a great opportunity for students to let to community know that they’re out here," said Lara King, program coordinator for Humber’s Journalism Advanced Diploma program.

“We have a digital platform that people are starting to recognize, but lots of new students and staff don’t know that we actually have a campus newspaper,” King said.

For many journalism students, this event is a chance to see and celebrate their first bylines and see their work in a real printed newspaper.

“I’m pretty excited because this is the first time we’ve actually printed our newspaper this semester,” said Reet Arora, Humber Et Cetera’s Editor in Chief. “Some of our second years are seeing their stories in the paper for the first time. It’s exciting for them.”

Arora said students have been busy covering major campus events like the recent support staff strike and sports coverage, while experimenting with new tools like drone footage to expand their capabilities.

King said these real-life experiences help prepare students for the fast-paced journalism industry.

“Our students are award winners,” she said. “They’ve been covering the strike that's happening, working live and different events. It’s a great opportunity to do some on-the-ground reporting, and this launch showcases all their hard work.”

The launch aims to strengthen Et Cetera’s presence and encourage students to subscribe to their website and newsletter.

“We want to raise awareness and tell people we exist,” Arora said. “People have been signing up, talking to us and even pitching stories, and we want to make sure everyone knows Humber Et Cetera does exist and it's for them.”

King said that Et Cetera plays an important role in informing the Humber community about events and services they might otherwise not know about.

“Lots of students don’t get a chance to read everything in their inbox,” she said. “We hope with this newspaper and newsletter, we can get that information out there to them.”

Kristy Jaglal, a University of Guelph-Humber student, said she would like to see Et Cetera focus more on campus coverage.

“The stories that I would like to see covered by Humber students are definitely more campus events, and I say campus issues,” Jaglal said. “I feel like, because it is called Humber Et Cetera, we should be focusing a lot on the Humber and less on the Et Cetera, if you get what I mean.

“I come here almost every day of the week,” she said. “I would like to know what’s going on at my school. I totally think student journalism is important.

“I think that we live in a time where everyone thinks they’re a journalist,” Jaglal said.

Humber Et Cetera hopes to keep amplifying student voices and Humber stories with the first print issue going around campus and a growing digital audience.