Editor of Elle Magazine will inspire Uni of Glos journalism students

Published by

Nicky Godding

Award-winning women’s magazine Editor Farrah Storr has been unveiled as the University of Gloucestershire’s new Magazine Journalism and Production ‘Course Associate’.

In a new partnership with the BA Magazine Journalism and Production degree, the current Editor-in-Chief of ELLE will deploy her experience and expertise to a new generation of journalists, offering students unique insights into latest industry practice.

Farrah has been at the sharp end of women’s magazine publishing for many years, having been Editor at Cosmopolitan and Women’s Health, as well as working at Glamour and Good Housekeeping. Committed to making the world of magazines more accessible to young, up-and-coming journalists from all backgrounds, her connection to the University of Gloucestershire’s respected Media School will offer students rare access to Hearst UK, one of the most prolific media companies in the world.

Farrah will be involved with student mentoring, Q&As and practical sessions on and off the Cheltenham campus, judging projects and enabling work placements and visits. Kicking off the collaboration, Farrah will also help welcome the new cohort of Magazine Journalism & Production students during Induction Week in September 2020.

Widely respected within the publishing industry, Farrah won 'Editor of the Year' in both the Professional Publishers Association (PPA) Awards and the British Society of Magazine Editors (BSME) Awards in 2018. She has also been named as one of the most powerful change-makers in British media, and is a best-selling author.

Farrah said:“I'm thrilled to be playing a role in helping to nurture the next generation of magazine journalists and Editors. With one of the few courses in the country dedicated to the craft of magazine journalism, the University of Gloucestershire is the perfect place to share what I have learned along the way.”

Anna Pointer, Course Leader for Magazine Journalism & Production at the University of Gloucestershire, added:“It's hugely exciting for us to bring in an Editor who has so much day-to-day experience of editing the UK's most successful glossy magazines – including ELLE and Cosmo – and we believe our students will reap great rewards from Farrah's involvement. It will mean our students can enjoy one-to-one mentoring, hear the very latest industry practice, and crucially, enjoy rare access to one of the world's biggest magazine publishers.”

Anne Dawson, Head of the School of Media at the University of Gloucestershire, said: “To have Farrah Storr join us to share her experience is incredibly exciting for us all; I know that having her as a mentor and guide will give our students the edge when it comes to finding their perfect graduate job in the magazine industry. Our close links with the media industry are so important in what we do – helping guide our curriculum and ensure our studios and newsrooms are up to the minute as well as providing opportunities for our students that money just can't buy.”

Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe. After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts. She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.