Cowan, an award-winning designer at one of Oregon's largest newspaper discussed newspaper design at the Collegiate Day event at Oregon State University, May 8.  “As a designer, you are there to market the news. It’s a good idea, along with design, to be taking marketing classes, because that’s the way you ought to be thinking about it.” She game many other tips on design, as well as discuss the role of design in today's media. 

Cowan has worked for the Oregonian since 2000. Her experience stems from studying journalism in college at Washington State University and then working in Norfolk, Virginia at the Virginian Pilot 1996-2000 as the primary sports designer and occasional A1 designer. Since 2000 at the Oregonian she has worked as the designer for the Sports section of the Oregonian for seven years, and has been the A1 design for two and a half. Cowan has won various design awards including the Best of the West, SPJ and SND awards.

During the session she was helpful to students by telling them where to get ideas for content from various websites, as well as some practical ideas for taking original photos. Cowan showed slides concerning some of the work she had done for the Oregonian and gave tips about design for the A1 section of the paper.

Becca Martino, a student from Linn-Benton Community College, said, “One thing a reporter could gain out of this is that photographers and designers play just as large a role in the newspaper.” Mary Anne Turner, also a student from LBCC said, “You got to have fun with it, cause if your eyes aren’t having fun you aren’t having fun.”