After eight years at Collegian Media Group as a member of the Royal Purple Yearbook staff and the publications adviser for K-State’s historic yearbook and Manhappenin’ Magazine, Hallie Everett will step away from her publications adviser role on Friday, July 17.
During her time as a staffer for the Royal Purple, Everett helped the yearbook team win three Pacemakers for the 2019, 2021 and 2022 renditions of the book. She quickly rose through the ranks as a staff writer and became editor-in-chief of the yearbook her junior and senior year on campus.
Current CMG director Spencer O’Daniel served as Hallie’s yearbook adviser in the fall semester of 2018. He was quickly impressed with Hallie’s yearbook knowledge and how dependable she was as a freshman staffer.
“There’s always a handful of freshmen that stand out in the crowd for any staff the first couple months of the school year,” said O’Daniel. “Hallie’s maturity, quality of work and how dependable she was told me very early on that she would eventually be the editor-in-chief of the Royal Purple during her time at K-State.”
Shortly after her graduation, Everett was named CMG’s new publications adviser to guide the RP and Manhappenin’ Magazine in fall 2023. During her time as adviser, the Royal Purple and Manhappenin’ Magazine won several All-Kansas awards from Kansas Collegiate Media, in addition to the final CMA Apple Award for Best Yearbook Cover for the 2025 Royal Purple.
While Hallie has created and advised over a dozen yearbooks over the past decade, she’s equally enjoyed her time advising Manhappenin’ Magazine while witnessing their supreme creativity and orchestrating jam-packed Thursday night release parties in Aggieville.
“Manhappenin’ has been such a fun publication to advise. I’ve never met a group of students more creative than this staff,” said Everett. “They are always finding new design techniques, testing the boundaries with what they can do and thinking outside the box. I’m inspired by them every day. Of course, the release parties are always a highlight. We always have so much fun at these events and it has always made my heart happy seeing the how excited the staff is to show off their product at each one.”
One of Hallie’s favorite memories comes from finding her college best friend, Katie Harbert, as the two were leaders together on staff their sophomore year. Their friendship blossomed — including building a yearbook through the COVID-19 pandemic with limited opportunities to work together on the book as a staff in person.
“We became attached at the hip my sophomore year with the Royal Purple when she was Design Editor and I was Copy Editor. We ran as Co-Editors and were hired for the 2021 Royal Purple,” said Everett. “It was the COVID year and we worked so hard to produce a book with limited in person time with our staff and limited opportunities to cover various topics on campus. Nevertheless, we had an amazing time creating that yearbook. We are still best friends to this day and she will be standing by my side as a bridesmaid in my wedding on July 31.”
Associate Director Daren Lee Lewis has worked with Everett since her first year advising for CMG. He has seen the student leadership improve under her leadership from the first year to her last year.
“Hallie’s ability to communicate with her students has always been one of her strong suits. As an adviser, she developed close relationships and bonds with many of her students,” said Lewis. “Her empathy and close working relationships helped her publications and student leadership growth over the last several years.”
For returning Royal Purple editor-in-chief Kendra Kemp, Everett’s attention to all staffers, regardless of title and position on the team is what stands out most about her advising abilities.
“Hallie’s passion and dedication to Royal Purple is something I’ve always admired. Between being an editor and an adviser for the yearbook, her passion always shone through her work, the staff and any book she helped create,” said Kemp. “Hallie was always invested in the success of not just the Royal Purple, but every staff member who joined.”
Through her work as an award-winning Royal Purple staffer that led to her full-time adviser role, Everett believes that CMG continues to provide significant growth opportunities for the students that step into the north side of Kedzie Hall.
“My journey with CMG was very unique since I went straight from being a student to being an adviser. I learned a lot about myself in the process and grew a lot in my first year as adviser, but one thing that stayed constant is putting the students first,” said Everett.
“I always thought about the experience for the students first, because I had just been a student. I knew exactly what it was like to be in their shoes and knew I had to advocate for them and their experience with CMG. The students make CMG what it is and their growth and experience here is more important than most people understand. We may be just a stepping stone for them as they make their way through college onto a career, but the skills and memories they get here last them a lifetime — I know mine will.”
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