Potpourri, which runs from March to March each year, has served as the official yearbook of Northwestern State University since 1909, its staff dedicated to elevating the voices of students, faculty, staff and campus organizations each year.
Sharye Belcher, a junior nursing major, has served on the staff since her freshman year, and now, as Editor-in-Chief, she has continued her passion for creating a yearbook with this year’s theme, “Purple Reign.” The book’s cover features the iconic playbill design, matching the Broadway theme of this year’s homecoming, and the pages seek to emulate a homemade scrapbook feel.
“It’s Purple Reign, but we’re also doing a play on the word because all of our page numbers are purple raindrops, like the song ‘Purple Rain’ by Prince,” Belcher said. “There’s also little nods to Broadway throughout the book as well.”
The production of the yearbook is not possible without the staff’s editors, writers, photographers, public relations managers and designers. “I am eager for this book to be released and for students and faculty to see the outstanding work the staff has accomplished this semester,” Belcher said.
Vy Bui, a junior fine and graphic arts major and Potpourri’s lead designer, originally did not apply to the Potpourri staff, but didn’t want to miss the opportunity when she saw it. “The knowledge I have accumulated from this job will become a stepping stone to help me develop further in the future,” Bui said. “Looking back, I am proud that I overcame my doubts and took the chance to interview—it marked the beginning of a journey that has truly shaped my growth.”
Designing a yearbook can be a fun but detailed process. Bui explained that the stories are written and photos taken before the design process can begin, then the design team chooses a theme and style based on the available story and images.
“Choosing a clear theme and visual style before designing each page of a yearbook is important because it creates consistency and helps every page look like it belongs to the story,” Bui said. “A theme guides us in color choices, fonts, layout style and graphic elements, so we don’t have to redesign from scratch for every section. This helps us save more time and work much more efficiently.”
Before NSU, Caitlin Davis, a freshman liberal arts major, began contributing to her yearbook club in eighth grade. She decided to join Potpourri to continue growing her writing skills, and as a first-year writer, she’s been able to practice Associated Press Style and gain insight into often-overlooked article details.
“I’ve also been able to practice thinking of questions and conducting an interview, as well as working with a team of people to get a common goal met,” Davis said. “Even though I’ve only been here for one semester, I feel like I’ve learned a lot and hope I have many more semesters with them.”
Potpourri spends an entire year working to create a unique book that represents those two semesters at NSU, the staff working each year to produce yearbooks that are even better than the last, and they put all of their drive and skill into ensuring that this year’s is the best thus far.
