THE DESIRE TO GIVE THE WORLD A VOICE

Senior Cristina Gutierrez and her brother, Hector, together created Mud Magazine to give a voice to college students.

Mud Magazine was established to provide an opportunity for young people to express their ideas and to show the world their creative side. Mostly focused on the college experience and diversity, the first series of magazines emerged last year in early December on social media.

Cristina Gutierrez worked with the visual aspect of the magazine. Her love for photography began when she arrived at the university, pushing her to pursue a degree in digital art and design.

“I never thought I could [pursue] a major related to photography,” she said. “But coming to Lynn and learning about the different options was all it took for me to do it.” 

The magazine’s graphic designer feels her career at Lynn has helped her approach her goals and be successful in photography and digital art.

“Lynn helped me develop a style and learn to use all of the tools available to work,” she said. “It has been very helpful to attend photography class and be able to use softwares for post-production.” 

Aside from being the photographer for Mud, Cristina Gutierrez also helps her brother look for students who have a story to tell and help create ideas for the magazine. 

After volunteering in public schools in poor areas near Veracruz, Mexico, the Gutierrez siblings knew Mud was needed in the world.  The children at these schools did not have many resources – they barely had books, tables or chairs.

“We learned not many children have access to books, and if they do, it’s about people who don’t look, speak or act like them,” said Cristina Gutierrez. “In an effort to promote stories for people who are often voiceless, we created Mud.” 

With hard work and dedication, both siblings hope to obtain publicity and give others the opportunity to share their stories and let their voices be heard. Their inspiration is their desire to capture what occurs in the world and help others find comfort within the stories being shared. 

Shawn Johnson

Shawn Johnson, member of the 3.0 accelerated degree program, is a sophomore. Having grown up in Birmingham, Ala., Johnson established an unwavering love for college athletics in his youth. Wanting to connect his love for sports with his passion for writing, he has identified sports journalism as the ultimate goal of his academic endeavors at Lynn. As such, Johnson is a multimedia journalism major. Within his collegiate interests, he hopes to follow in the footsteps of former Fighting Knight and current ESPN reporter Lisa Kerney. Outside of iPulse, he was a contributing writer for the Palm Beach Post as well. In his second year, there is still much more in the tank for his career preparation at Lynn. All the while, he is immensely proud of the Alabama Crimson Tide for recently winning their 17th overall national championship. Thankful for the opportunities he has received thus far, Johnson is eager to grow alongside his peers in the College of Communication and Design.

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