This year, for the fourth time in a row, the editorial team of Univerzál, the student magazine of the Faculty of Arts at UPJŠ in Košice, took part in the national journalism competition Štúrovo pero.
Over two busy days (24–25 April 2026), we had the opportunity to receive valuable feedback—both praise and constructive criticism—from professional journalists. The jury, made up of Jozef Bednár, Andrea Šprochová and Katarína Sabová, evaluated our past issues, which focused on themes such as Time, Childhood, and How to Survive I & II.
Several key recommendations came up repeatedly during the feedback sessions:
– Don’t be afraid to conduct interviews respectfully, but also more critically.
– Follow up on your interviewees’ answers and, when appropriate, challenge them.
– Start in medias res—grab the reader’s attention right away instead of relying on long introductions.
– When using technical terms or new expressions, briefly explain them so the reader can easily follow the text.
As a playful, light-hearted, and distinctly student magazine, we usually enter this competition with modest expectations, hoping mainly to learn something new. This year, however, it turned out that our style resonates with others as well. The jury appreciated this quality and awarded us 3rd place in the university magazine category.
Another success came from our editor and graphic designer, Annamária Kekeľáková, who received a special award from TV Markíza, along with a summer internship at the television station.
Text and photos: Júlia Novotná
Student of Slovak and Media Studies
Department of Slovak Studies and Media Communication
Faculty of Arts, UPJŠ in Košice
Translation: Natália Rubeljová
