Gordon State College Students Introduce The Highlander Podyssey, The Tartan Journal
By Karolina Philmon, GSC marketing manager
The collaborative efforts of 21 Gordon State College students have resulted in the creation and successful launch of two new publications. The Highlander Podyssey and The Tartan Journal, representing both traditional and non-traditional media formats, out of English courses taught by Professor Dr. David A. Janssen.
Contributing student and humanities major, Elizabeth R. Hill, reflected on her experience of engaging in projects such as video essays, a podcast, and a digital literary journal. “These extensive and intricate tasks demand significant focus and dedication,” Hill said. “Perhaps this class and our projects can be an example of what we mean when we say, ‘Highlanders, Forward!’”
The Highlander Podyssey is a podcast that was created in the Writing for New Media course last fall. Its name draws inspiration from Odysseus, the heroic figure in Homer's Greek mythological poem. Hill said the class used the podcast as their vessel to showcase their skills as humanities majors. Each available episode is unique to the student(s) who wrote and recorded them. The microphone saw a variety of subjects as everyone shared their own unique topic.
The Tartan Journal began in the spring of 2023, during Janssen’s Advanced Composition course. The students were tasked with crafting compositions that defied the conventions of essay writing, finding inspiration in the words of Edgar Lawrence Doctorow, an American novelist and editor. In the following fall semester, students from Writing for New Media were tasked with editing and organizing the texts and essays to develop a digital literary journal.
“The content of our journal is much like that of a Tartan: diverse elements woven together to form a strong unified tapestry,” Hill said.
Hill added that her experience in the course and the skills she gained from working on the two projects have brought career opportunities and helped her secure a summer internship.
“I can say that [the course and its projects] have made waves in my little pool. Dr. Janssen led our team through these new territories, and ultimately, we owe our journey’s success to him,” Hill said.
For more information on GSC’s The Highlander Podyssey and The Tartan Journal, contact Dr. Janssen at Djanssen@gordonstate.edu.