WORD Magazine was created in the fall of 2007 as a way to redefine what it meant to be a college student living in Isla Vista. By balancing its coverage of Isla Vista with the numerous cultural and innovative aspects of student life, WORD drew attention to this vibrant community.

With guidance from IV Arts Director Anna Jensen and Graphic Arts Adviser Paula Schaefer, students learn the ins and outs of magazine publication. As a student-driven publication, each story, photograph, and illustration was created by someone who knows and loves Isla Vista in a way that only a local can.

Today, WORD’s mission remains the same as when it first started:

• Provide an inclusive and supportive environment for budding writers and artists to learn and grow

• Maintain journalistic objectivity and commitment to the truth

• Showcase Isla Vista and UCSB students in new ways that emphasize originality, creativity, and community

• Tell the stories of the Isla Vista community