Executive Director of Academic Operations Discusses Her Digital Magazine with Students

Tseday Alehegn, Ed.D., Executive Director of Academic Operations, was the guest speaker in Tuesday’s Freelance Writing course, where she spoke with students about Tadias, her digital magazine.

Dean Alehegn is the co-founder and editor of Tadias, a digital magazine focused on the Ethiopian-American and Diaspora community. She launched Tadias in 2003, and has grown readership to 33,000 unique visitors a month, in addition to extending the Tadias brand into events and merchandise. 

In talking with students, Alehegn shared what it takes to launch and run a successful and expanding news site (in her free time!). She offered students several important lessons: the first, knowing your audience. Tadias, for example, fills a need in the Ethiopian-American community for news and information. By promoting the voices of the community, Tadias also promotes civic engagement and press freedom.

Alehegn also advised students interested in the industry to get engaged in all aspects of a publication—from analytics and sales to marketing and event planning. Mastering each of these areas leads to a better understanding of audience needs, which, in turn, enhances story-telling and engagement.

Published: April 26, 2019