From Idea to Cover: The Making of the Project COURAGE Cover Story

In this behind the cover look of the September/October 2024 issue, editor Heather Hartmann remembers the day she first heard about Project COURAGE, an initiative designed to confront inequities in the campus recreation industry. It started with a phone call from Tiffany Lomax, who was working at North Carolina Central University at the time. Lomax shared details about the initiative and a panel formed to bring awareness to the effort. She hoped Hartmann would feature it in Campus Rec Magazine through a small web story or perhaps a print article. However, as Lomax explained the project’s goals and ambitions, Hartmann could envision something far bigger than a modest article. As such, the cover of the September/October issue of Campus Rec Magazine ended up diverging from its usual format. Typically, the magazine highlights a single campus recreation department and its specific accomplishments. This time, however, the focus shifted to something different — the impact of Project COURAGE on the entire industry. In the above video, Hartmann admits the project came with its own unique set of challenges. Rather than profiling one department, she found herself working with nearly a dozen sources, sifting through a wide array of quotes, insights and ideas. The pressure was palpable, as this marked the first major public unveiling of the initiative, and she was determined to do the story justice. Thankfully, with the enthusiastic support of Lomax and Rebecca Peoples from Matrix — who were both integral in coordinating the process — Hartmann felt confident she had crafted a narrative worthy of Project COURAGE. Together, they ensured the story would shine a much-needed spotlight on the initiative’s efforts to address inequities in campus recreation. You can check out the entire digital issue of the September/October 2024 edition here.