Jacob Tyler Creative Group Partners with College Magazine

San Diego, CA - March 30, 2008 Les Kollegian, founder of Jacob Tyler Creative Group in San Diego, has partnered with entrepreneur and publisher Amanda Nachman to become Creative Director for the Washington D.C. based College Magazine. Unlike many campus related magazines of the past, College Magazine is not the brainchild of a marketing firm or a group of investors looking to tap into a market: College Magazine is a labor of love created, written, edited, and directed by students, for students.

Nachman, a University Of Maryland graduate, first conceptualized the magazine while taking a course in entrepreneurship in the Spring of 2007. In that same semester, she pitched the idea to the University of Maryland's Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship group who decided to invest in the project. "When I was going to college, I had a lot of questions such as 'should I study abroad?,' 'Should I double major?,' 'Should I go Greek?,'" Nachman explains. "The list went on and on: 'What are some good sports that I can get involved with that don't take up all of my time?,' 'Can I still be in a play even if I'm not a theatre major?' I think that this magazine is for the students who are looking to get involved and make the most of their college experience."

But College Magazine is far more than just a "how to" guide for students. Each issue is divided into five sections, College Life, NIghtlife, Sports, Entertainment, and Fashion, encompassing all aspects of college life with an eye toward keeping the balance between the social and academic aspects of life on campus. In edition, each issue's cover story features college students who are making the grade outside of classes. The spring 2008 edition, for example, spotlights Francis Murray and Mohit Shah, two George Washington University sophomores who started a business that will handle the logistics and operations of building a solar power plant in India. "If that doesn't motivate you to do something with your life, what does?" Nachman says enthusiastically. "Our first edition had a student who wasn't even majoring in theater but was pursuing an acting career," She adds. "She landed an agent, and had a speaking line in the movie National Treasure. It's good to hear those stories and to know that students are working hard and succeeding."

It appears students have responded to such stories as well. The first issue of College Magazine boasted a circulation of 5,000 issues at the University of Maryland in the spring of 2007. Response to the magazine was overwhelming, and the circulation for the second edition doubled to 10,000 copies and expanded to include the Georgetown University and George Washington University campuses.

The partnership of College Magazine with Jacob Tyler Creative Group is a major boon according to Nachman. "The partnership gives College Magazine a professional design team behind our brand," she elaborates, "And also, financially, an opportunity to grow at a faster pace. Jacob Tyler has done a great job designing our website, and they were very careful in thinking out all of the ways in which the site can be used from an interactive standpoint. Their input and faith in the project will undoubtedly help us grow exponentially."

In the era of the Internet, a new magazine directed toward net-savvy youths may seem a risky proposition, however Nachman elaborates that the print edition is only one dimension of the magazine, and that Jacob Tyler Creative Group's web design is the next phase in the development of the brand. "The print edition of College Magazine is really only a fourth of the equation. What it is moving toward is online, e-newsletters, and eventually sponsoring events such as lectures and concerts. The online component is going to offer students the opportunity to get involved and develop a community around the magazine."

Les Kollegian is the owner and Creative Director for Jacob Tyler Creative Group. He holds a Masters in Communication Design from the University of Baltimore and has more that 15 years of experience designing marketing campaigns. Kollegian is a member of the AIGA and speaks regularly at design conferences and universities on the topics of Web Design, Creative Strategy, Marketing, and Usability. His clients have ranged from start-up companies to Fortune 500 firms, including America Online, Intel, Gateway, and Qualcomm. His list of satisfied customers also includes U.S. Playing Cards, Fox Television, Chili's Restaurants, and The American Fertility Association.

Contacts: Denise Dorman
Phone: (630) 845-4694

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