The WITT graduate behind locally founded magazine

Ingrid van Amsterdam graduated from WITT in 2015 with the New Zealand Diploma in Creative Technologies and is now the proud founder of the locally produced magazine, BiograView.

The BiograView magazine began online in 2019 and is New Zealand’s first and only multicultural magazine. Produced locally in New Plymouth, the idea was born after Ingrid wrote a book about migrants on behalf of Migrant Connections Taranaki, called HOMELANDS THEN & NOW.

“Every article in BiograView relates to culture, whether historical or current. I want to share positive cultural awareness; we have so many different cultures in New Zealand. You never know who could be walking by you with such different life experiences or perspectives on the world around them,” she said.

As a migrant herself, it was important to Ingrid to share these stories of migrants and refugees in New Zealand, and she was able to use the skills she learned studying at WITT. “I couldn’t have imagined doing the job I am now without what I learned at WITT. I learnt so many things, from Photoshop and InDesign to web media, and continue to use these skills daily with BiograView,” she said.

Studying part-time and working full-time as a mature student, juggling responsibilities was not always easy. Being one of only a handful of other mature students, studying with students of a similar age as her children was fun but it could be a challenge sometimes during Collaboration (course within the programme) as they were full-time students who often had other priorities, needing to finish other projects they were working on.”

Now, with a multicultural and diverse team of nine comprising high calibre writers, a cartoonist, and an Associate Professor from Massey University, “I am collaborating all the time now,” she said. “The skills I learnt from these projects at WITT I still use every day and continue to develop when producing our magazine.” 

Ingrid’s advice to anyone who is considering studying is: “Just do it, especially if you’re a mature student. You will never know whether it is going to succeed if you don’t try and it’s another string to your bow.”

Check out the Biographview magazine here