he U Scene student magazine serves to elevate student fashion and creativity on campus, granting a space for anyone to show off how they most authentically express themselves.
The U Scene is the University of Cincinnati’s (UC) student-run magazine that blends creative fashion with a unique layout. They plan on releasing a new issue this semester that centers around the double theme of chaos and transcendence.
Sabine Huhn, a second-year fashion design major, serves as The U Scene’s president. She describes The U Scene as “a completely student-run fashion centered magazine,” adding that they “focus on photo shoots that kind of have fashion at the center layout that’s creative and artistic in its own way.”
Huhn first began working with the U Scene during her first year, and it not only became a way for her to express herself, but also a way to network and socialize.
This year’s magazine is a double issue, something the club hasn’t done before. One half of the issue captures last year’s chaos, when a graduating executive board and competing priorities kept the magazine from being printed.
The theme rolled over into this year and was combined with transcendence to create “a kind of yin and yang,” Huhn said.
“The first half is going to be chaos and all of that energy, and then the second half is going to kind of contrast that with something more calm and peaceful,” Huhn added.
While the magazine’s annual issue is slated for release at the end of the spring 2026 semester, the work behind it begins months in advance. According to Huhn, the team prioritizes collaboration early on, starting with teambuilding before transitioning into brainstorming sessions that shape the issue’s theme. From there, staff members develop story concepts and storyboard photoshoots, interviews and articles — a process that underscores the creative and collective effort required to produce the final publication.
Once all the content is gathered, it is then up to the design team to blend articles with the layout to bring the final product to life. Huhn’s job as president means she is responsible for helping keep everyone on track throughout this long process.
She also handles setting meeting times, booking spaces and creating meeting agendas. Huhn says she leans on her executive board and club members to support her in areas she considers weaker, such as editing.
Improving accessibility is a key area Huhn hopes to strengthen within The U Scene. Because the magazine is printed using school funds, it cannot be sold and is primarily distributed in person at events like involvement fairs. Moving forward, Huhn hopes to expand the magazine’s reach by offering digital editions, making the publication more accessible to students beyond traditional distribution methods.
Huhn says she is excited for the upcoming issue and to see all the work the contributors and herself have done in print.
She looks forward to the special double-themed issue, especially since it is the first published issue she has worked on. She says the U Scene is a “great way to express yourself and make something to look back on.”
The club is also not as daunting a commitment as it might seem, according to Huhn. She encourages people to “come have conversations and build ideas,” because the creative process is part of what makes it fun. People can contribute ideas and work on the final layout no matter how many meetings they’ve attended or how experienced they are, and all perspectives are valued.
After reading the magazine, Huhn hopes that readers leave wanting more. She sees the upcoming issue as an opportunity for The U Scene to grow not only in visibility, but also in membership, encouraging current staffers to deepen their involvement while inviting new members to join and experience the creative process firsthand.
“I think so many people would benefit from being involved, or just even the creative outlet,” Huhn said.
In the end, The U Scene reflects their upcoming theme of chaos and transcendence in equal parts. Both the team and their issues burst with color and energy, and the frenzy of creative movement is matched by Huhn’s solid organization.
Meetings are held weekly on Tuesdays from 6 to 7 p.m. in Room 5480B of the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning Library.