Creative collaboration brings honors student’s literary vision to three-dimensional life

At the May 5 launch event of kYOU Magazine, a new student-created literary publication, energy permeates the Spencer Museum of Art’s Ingrid & J.K. Lee Study Center. On either side of the space, attendees peer curiously at a series of collage pieces, assembled storyboard-style, that make up the magazine’s flagship issue. 

Following the pieces from left to right, visitors uncover stories of quilters, punk rock bands, and other KU student creatives. They’re rendered in such vibrant, tactile fashion, viewers would not be blamed if they reached out and touched the pieces. Luckily, physical copies are available to take home, which members of kYOU’s staff distribute as they mingle around the study center.  

For Rachel Paese, an honors student and editor-in-chief of kYOU, this event was the culmination of a year-long creative process shared with her fellow staffers.  

“There were so many times during the semester where it felt like, ‘I wonder if we’re really going to get it done,’” said Paese. “So it’s nice to have this moment to celebrate everyone’s work, because it was so collaborative.” 

kYOU and its inclusive inception were shaped by experiences Paese had throughout her undergraduate career. A 2024 KU graduate who double majored in English and Spanish, Paese appropriately sought study abroad opportunities in the United Kingdom and Spain that fueled her academic passions while also providing a stronger appreciation of cultural differences.  

“The world felt smaller after those two experiences,” Paese said. “Having time to devote my attention to culture, literature, and art in a new country brought that feeling to a new level.” 

Paese brought this interest in diverse, multifaceted perspectives back to KU and her development of kYOU. Its production, funded in part by an Honors Opportunity Award, spanned her senior year and included a staff of fifteen students who shared in the magazine’s mission “to be a spotlight on identity [and] an homage to creativity,” according to the magazine’s website.  

To capture a wide breadth of student experiences, Paese assembled an eclectic staff of writers, editors, and graphic designers, including Jake Makela. A fellow honors student and English major with an interest in visual art, Makela served as a staff writer and designer. 

“Rachel prioritizes perspectives outside her own,” Makela said. “I felt welcomed and appreciated at meetings, with a staff I was really able to connect with in part because of Rachel’s incredible leadership along with her genuinely kind and curious spirit.” 

Paese’s vision for kYOU was two-fold. First, she wanted to “spotlight community artists and different aspects of student culture,” which began in the fall semester as staff worked individually, conducting interviews and taking photos of their story subjects.  

The second goal — “actually making kYOU into an art piece,” in Paese’s words — didn't fully come together until the staff united for collage creation Wednesday nights during the spring semester. 

“The whole environment of the club became totally different when we started making collages,” Paese said. “There would always be music playing, and everything became so much more vibrant and creative, which was really what I wanted to do [with kYOU] from the beginning.”

The warm reception at the magazine’s launch event is likely to fuel excitement for kYOU’s continuation into next year, which Paese confirmed will happen under the leadership of two non-graduating staff members.  

“It’s hard to say what the vision will be, but I’m excited to see how it will morph and evolve,” Paese said.  

Paese, meanwhile, will soon return to Spain, where she’ll spend a year teaching English as a second language. Though she’ll be far from KU, the successful launch of kYOU ensures that Paese has left behind a new canvas upon which bold visions of the KU student experience can continue to take shape.