Congratulations to the Publications Student of the Month for February... Skylar Holm-Martinez from Daytona State College! Skylar was nominated by her advisor, Dr. Harun Karim Thomas! Here is what Dr. Thomas shared with us about Skylar:

"Skylar Holm-Martinez is a talented student who has a genuine thirst for knowledge and a desire to improve her own artistry and DSC’s literary magazine. When she arrived at Student Life about two years ago, looking for a way to get involved, her passion was journalism, but she had an interest in graphic design. Our newspaper had plenty of writers at the time but no graphic designer on staff, so she agreed to serve as the graphic designer for Aeolus. Her impact was immediate, and it seemed that all of her ideas were grand, no matter what she did. It was clear that she had an attention to detail that many students have not yet developed. After working with her for about two months, I realized that I would be most fortunate if she stayed for two years to work on the magazine. By November 2024, the result of Skylar’s work had been made clear: her contributions were responsible for seven awards that the magazine won at the annual conference, and her work specifically led to 1st place for two-page spread design, 2nd place for design, and 2nd place for General Excellence. She was excited to have won the awards but determined to return and achieve similar results. Skylar’s talent extends beyond the digital arts. Her poetry and fiction writing has won at both the college and state level. She earned second prize for poetry in DSC’s Outstanding Student Writing Awards, and her flash fiction placed first at the FCSPA conference in Ocala in November 2024.

Skylar is a natural leader. On more than one occasion, just after the end of the 2023-2024 academic year, I was inclined to appoint her editor-in-chief of Aeolus, but the job demands a bit more than I think she can afford as both an editor and a graphic designer. Instead, Skylar assists me with various projects that both challenge and improve her time management; she wants to (and possibly could) do everything. At conferences—I’ve taken her to the College Media Association’s in NYC and two FCSPA conferences-- she is an attentive participant, absorbing knowledge and engaging content. I think her most impressive feat to date is the internship she began in fall 2024. What’s most impressive is not that she earned it, but that, prior to her work on the Aeolus staff, the internship never existed. The printing company that publishes Aeolus annually was so moved by her commitment, attitude, and determination that they created an internship specifically for her. It should almost go without saying that she’s been enjoying it ever since she began in August. I will miss her dearly when she graduates this spring!"

Congratulations, Skylar! Thank you to Dr. Thomas for nominating her for this recognition!