CLUTCH Team overcomes Pandemic Challenges

BY MAKAYLA HINEMAN, 2020 EDITOR IN CHIEF

CLUTCH magazine, faced with a declared pandemic, chose to adapt and evolve like many organizations determined to succeed during a restrictive climate. Under the leadership of Makayla Hineman (EIC) and Isaac Quillet (CD), staff was personally selected with a goal of providing an outlet for creativity while also fostering much needed personal connections. Interviews, brainstorming sessions, and photoshoots, all required an appreciation for safety protocols without diminishing the overall integrity of the publication. A sense of camaraderie developed between likeminded individuals embracing a vision to create a visual respite from outside worldly chaos. The Media Team, featuring Macy Kissel, Lizzy Zarello, and Jessica Wilsey (to name a few) grew exponentially due to their ingenuity and acute awareness for the increasing need by readers for more social engagement. The Public Relations team, headed by Julia Padavona and Saviana Calderon, expanded connections with various local businesses, as well as national, when it partnered with Bacardi, who generously provided goodie bags for the Fall ‘20 and Spring ‘21 release parties. Issues 28 and 29 were not produced without challenges in the shadow of a pandemic, but the Clutch team embraced them and laid the foundation that assures those who follow have solid ground to build upon.