Former Harding student success on the other side Epitomizes almost every wide-eyed freshman entered college with grand post-graduation dreams. But after four long years of studying and several majors had passed, students found something scarier than 20 page term papers on the other side of their cap and gown: the real world. However, some students, such as 2007 graduate Austin Light, found unexpected success and enjoyment when his tassel was turned. Light,who graduated fromHarding with a master of science in education, had already accomplished much in the short time he had been out of school. Light was the senior editor of TC (Teen Christian) Magazine, the recruiter for Harding’s Distance Delivery Bible program and an adjunct instructor in the communication department. But his journey to success actually started much earlier, when he was a junior at Harding. “In the summer after my junior year, I worked as the editorial intern for Arkansas Business Publishing Group in Little Rock,”Light said. “The drive to and from Little Rock every day wasn’t fun, but I learned a lot about the publication world, and I got to write for several well-known Little Rock publications like Arkansas Business, Little Rock Soiree, Arkansas Next Career Edition and more.” During his junior and senior year, Light served as the student life editor and copy editor for the Petit Jean. His job on the yearbook staff helped open the door for another job with TC Magazine. “As we were finishing up the yearbook, Renee Lewis, who was the student publications adviser at the time, was given the opportunity through the Institute for Church and Family to work on TC magazine,” Light said. “Tasked with coming up with a magazine staff in a matter of days, Renee recruited a handful of Petit Jean editors, myself included. The friendly writing style of TC was right up my alley, [and] from that moment on, I was hooked on magazines.” The newness of TC made for interesting times.The staff, having never worked on a magazine, had to figure it out as they went along. “The best thing about TC was that none of us knew what were doing,” Light said. “We had shiny new degrees and tons of ambition but little practical experience.We relied on the support of the excellent faculty and staff at Harding to help us along.Though it was tough at times, we often had to ‘learn by doing.’” Aside from his job at TC Magazine, Austin also used his talents in creating Web comics. “I have a web comic called ‘Learning to Swim,’”Light said. “The comic stars Parker White, a young college professor and his best friend Jack Owens, a Navy SEAL in training/office temp.” For Light, it did not matter if he was successful, but he did wish to have a creative outlet in whatever he did. “I wouldn’t say that my life after college is amazing, but I am richly blessed,”Light said. “I would go crazy if I didn’t do something creative for a living and my job gives me plenty of opportunities to let my creativity shine.Whether it’s writing, teaching, designing a magazine page or coming up with new ways to spread the word about Church & Family, I’m always doing something creative.” [Jodi Jordan and Jennifer Harris] [staff] 159 Senior editor for TCMagazineAustin Light sits at his desk Nov. 13 working on what may soon become the new mascot for The Day of Encouragement. Light was also the creator of the cartoon “Learning to Swim,” a comic he produced in his spare time. [Jonathan Lindsay]
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==