The Chestnut Burr's 1986 transition from yearbook to magazine proved smart for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, which by then had expanded significantly from the 16 students enrolled in the program almost six decades earlier.

Ann Schierhorn, a graduate of Northwestern University in Illinois, was appointed as advisor to the revamped publication, a role she has continued to assume for 19 years.

As a magazine, now simply coined The Burr, Schierhorn said it gave students the opportunity to "save the issues (one each semester) as a chronicle of what happened while they were here."

Featuring stories on everything from autopsies to Afghanistan, 10,000 copies of each issue are printed, double what was able to be produced in the 1950s. While free to the Kent State community, The Burr is sold for $4.95 at bookstores like Borders.

In 1996, students and staff added another dimension to The Burr: The Cyburr. In what Schierhorn called "a natural revolution," the magazine's online version has the potential to reach an audience of millions. It has twice won the honor of Best Online Student Magazine by The Society of Professional Journalists.

The print version has received even more recognition. In addition to many individual awards, The Burr has won first place five times since 1995 for Best Student Magazine in The Society of Journalists' national competition.

"I think it really speaks to the students here, how hard they work," Schierhorn said. "They set such high goals for themselves every year, and they just keep improving."

(Click here to hear advisor Ann Schierhorn discuss the future of The Burr.)

Click here to see old yearbook photos of the Burr staff.