Columbia's students created the main feature for New York magazine. This is how they accomplished it:

Columbia student journalists created New York magazine's cover feature. Learn their process.

Nick Summers, an editor, decided not to send his own staff writers to Columbia University's Morningside Heights campus. Instead, he sent an email to Isabella Ramirez, the editor-in-chief of the Columbia Daily Spectator. The Spectator, founded in 1877, had been covering the story extensively, so Summers hoped to leverage their sources, in-depth knowledge of the campus community, and trust they've established among students and faculty.

In a phone conversation with CNN, Summers stated, "It was apparent from the beginning that The Spectator was spearheading the coverage. That's when the idea came up to ask them, 'Want to create the next cover package?'"

The result, released on Monday, is a special report on the campus unrest, produced in collaboration with The Spectator. It includes an oral history of the encampments and Hamilton Hall occupation, portraits of pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protesters, and a survey of 700 participants from the campus community.

It's noteworthy that the entire report, including text, edits, and photography, was done by student journalists. While the article's style and structure were dictated by New York magazine, it was entirely written by The Spectator's staff. Isabella Ramirez, the editor-in-chief, worked closely with Summers and another features editor, Rye Spaeth, as they prepared the issue.

New York's photo director, Jody Quon, oversaw the photography aspect. The magazine also allowed student photographers to contribute. One example is freshman Stella Ragas, who shot the cover image for the special report. A separate photo director, Juliana Horowitz, provided additional guidance on the project.

"They provided a level of detail in their reporting that surpassed our expectations," Summers remarked.

Collaborating with New York magazine meant student journalists learned from industry veterans. Quon disclosed that these experts delighted in sharing their knowledge with the younger generation of journalists. She recounted a story where she supported the photography team and introduced some students to seasoned photojournalists.

"I was incredibly touched by that," Quon said.

As the students worked on the report, they had to deal with the unique challenges that came with the protests. Though the Spectator's staff was entirely composed of students, most student protesters were skeptical of the media and hesitant to engage with them. This made The Spectator an attractive option. The students sensed the protesters were more comfortable speaking with their classmates rather than with reporters from major news organizations.

"There's a lot more trust directed toward us than national or international outlets parachuting in," Ramirez explained to CNN. "We have been covering this since October 7, during the escalation, and will be here after. So, we formed close relationships with the organizers and have been involved since the beginning."

The high level of trust between the Spectator and the campus community allowed them to provide reliable, up-to-date coverage on the situation. The agility of their work and tireless efforts earned them an undeniable reputation during a tense, politically polarizing time at the university. Within a few days following the beginning of the encampments on campus, the Spectator staff remained on site without hesitation until they established a rotating schedule, ensuring continuous updates on the events.

"Someone has to be the historian, to document everything." Ramirez emphasized. "We'll leave a legacy we can be proud of, and we hope our community will cherish it forever."