Zaida Martin, Writing and Literary Studies ’25
As the Spring 2023 semester slowly starts up, so does the production of the Gleaner.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) Weed, class of 2025, has been a part of the Gleaner staff since the Fall 2022 semester. She is a Wildlife and Conservation student, writing tutor, Rambassador, and more! Her role in production stems from a love of graphic design, and as such her designs will be featured on both the cover and inside pages of the 2022-2023 edition of the Gleaner. This year’s theme, “Dream On”, will feature many mystical and fantastical aspects, brainstormed by members of staff and brought to life by both the team and submissions alike.
When asked about her inspiration for her designs, Lizzie was in dreamland;
“I wanted it to be dreamy and trippy, almost 70s but with an ethereal aspect,” said Lizzie, “It’s hard to describe but like there but not there, like a dream. Then we settled on a city with a forest parallel and came up with what we have now. Obviously, a city In the sky is impossible, but it is made possible in this publication.”
She went on to describe more of her process, playing around with color and design. Her final creation for the inside pages of the publication saves her time while also allowing for a unique feel to each turn.
“I’m happy with the master pages, we decided on an inception aspect of it and it can be flipped, and color can be taken or added. I didn’t need to create five different designs because the design is so versatile.”
In addition to her role, Lizzie will be helping to evaluate both art and photography submissions for the upcoming publication. She enjoys graphic design in her free time, which she hopes to learn more about with her Media and Communication minor.
When asked about her future with the Gleaner, Lizzie expressed hopes to be further involved in the process, saying, “I would love to be part of actual submissions and assist with formatting. Maybe even a member of marketing. There’s a lot I don’t know about all of the jobs but I am so excited to see what else I could do.”