Colson Thayer is a writer and journalist who has built his name through clear stories, local reporting, and digital media work. Many readers know him because of his work with PEOPLE and other media brands. His writing path is interesting because it shows how a young journalist can grow from local stories to national media. Colson Thayer first joined PEOPLE in 2024. He has worked on stories linked to lifestyle, home, travel, real estate, human interest, and entertainment.
He also has roots in Iowa media. Before his work with PEOPLE, he wrote for outlets in Des Moines and Iowa. His work appeared in CITYVIEW Magazine, Little Village Magazine, and Iowa Public Radio. This makes his career a good example for students, new writers, and readers who want to understand modern journalism. His story is not about fame. It is about skill, practice, local experience, and steady growth.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Colson Thayer |
| Known For | Writing and journalism |
| Main Field | Digital media and lifestyle journalism |
| PEOPLE Role | Editorial Assistant and lifestyle writer |
| PEOPLE Start | Joined PEOPLE in 2024 |
| Recent Role Note | Reported as Editorial Assistant, Lifestyle in 2026 |
| Main Topics | Home, travel, real estate, lifestyle, and human stories |
| Hometown Link | Waukee and Des Moines, Iowa |
| Education | Drake University |
| Degree Area | Journalism and media |
| Earlier Work | CITYVIEW Magazine, Little Village Magazine, Iowa Public Radio |
| Campus Media | Drake Mag |
Early Background and Iowa Roots
Colson Thayer has strong ties to Iowa. Midwest Living lists his location as Des Moines, Iowa, and says he is originally from Waukee, Iowa. The same profile says he studied journalism at Drake University in Des Moines. This local background matters because many good journalists learn by covering the places near them first. Local stories teach writers how to listen. They also teach them how to ask clear questions and explain real problems in simple ways. Colson’s Iowa roots also appear in his early writing work.
He wrote about local business, culture, and community topics before moving deeper into national media work. This kind of path is common in journalism. A writer may begin with city stories, student magazines, and public radio. Over time, those small steps can lead to bigger platforms and wider audiences. Colson Thayer’s career shows how local work can become a strong base for national writing.
Education at Drake University
Drake University played an important role in Colson Thayer’s media path. Midwest Living says he received two Bachelor of Arts degrees in journalism from Drake University. His majors were Multimedia Journalism and Brand and Magazine Media, with a minor in music. This mix helps explain his wide writing range. Multimedia journalism teaches reporting across many formats. Brand and magazine media teaches tone, reader interest, editing, and story shape.
A music minor can also help a writer notice rhythm, detail, and culture. During college, Colson worked with Drake Mag, the campus lifestyle magazine. Campus media gives young writers real practice. They learn deadlines, interviews, editing, layout, audience needs, and teamwork. For a writer like Colson Thayer, this training likely helped him move from student work to professional outlets. It also gave him a place to test ideas before writing for larger publications.
Work With Drake Mag
Drake Mag was one of Colson Thayer’s early creative spaces. He served in staff roles at the campus lifestyle magazine while studying at Drake University. Your supplied details say he was a first-year assistant editor and business and PR director for Drake Mag. That is useful because it shows he was not only writing. He was also learning how a magazine works from the inside. A campus magazine needs story planning, editing, audience care, promotion, and teamwork. These tasks are close to what writers later do in real newsrooms.
A writer must understand more than words. They must understand timing, readers, images, headlines, and the purpose of each story. Colson’s Drake Mag work likely helped him build those skills. It also gave him early proof that he could handle both creative and practical parts of media work. That is important in 2026, when many journalists work across several digital tasks.
Local Writing Before PEOPLE
Before PEOPLE, Colson Thayer worked with several Iowa-based publications. Midwest Living says he was a freelance writer for Des Moines CITYVIEW Magazine and wrote monthly business journal feature stories about small businesses in the Des Moines area. It also says his work was featured on Iowa Public Radio and in Little Village Magazine. These details show that his early career had a strong local focus. Local business stories can be very useful training for a journalist. They require clear facts, fair quotes, and a strong sense of place.
A writer must explain why a small business matters to the community. Public radio work can teach another skill: writing for the ear. A radio story needs simple wording and strong structure. Little Village and CITYVIEW also connect writers with culture, arts, business, and community life. Colson Thayer’s local work gave him a broad base before he moved into bigger lifestyle and entertainment coverage.
Recognition and Early Career Growth
One helpful public detail about Colson Thayer’s early growth comes from Drake University. In a 2023 School of Journalism and Mass Communication memo, Drake congratulated Colson for taking second place in the Best News/Editorial Original Feature Story category of the Midwest Free Community Papers Awards. The award was for his CITYVIEW piece, “The Return of Record Shops.” This is important because awards are not the whole story, but they can show early promise. They also show that a writer’s work reached judges outside the classroom.
A story about record shops is also a good example of culture writing. It can include business, music, history, local voices, and change over time. That kind of topic fits a journalist who can blend human detail with useful reporting. For readers, this makes Colson Thayer more than a name on a byline. It shows a writer building trust through real work.
Joining PEOPLE in 2024
Colson Thayer joined PEOPLE in 2024, according to the information you provided. This was a major step in his career. PEOPLE is a widely known American media brand. It covers celebrity news, human interest stories, lifestyle, food, travel, home, real estate, and culture. PEOPLE says its lifestyle leadership includes coverage of food, travel, and home. That makes Colson’s topic area fit well with the brand’s larger reader focus. Moving from local Iowa media to PEOPLE also shows how digital journalism works today.
Writers may start with smaller stories, then move into national platforms where each article can reach many readers. At PEOPLE, Colson Thayer has been connected with lifestyle coverage, including home, travel, and real estate. These topics need careful writing because they mix facts with reader interest. A good story must be useful, clear, and easy to read.
His 2026 Role and Lifestyle Coverage
A 2026 industry update from DIARY directory reported that Colson Thayer changed role from Travel Writer to Editorial Assistant, Lifestyle at PEOPLE. The same update said he would continue to cover home and travel. This is useful recent information because it gives readers a clearer view of his current media path. Lifestyle journalism may sound light, but it still needs strong reporting. A travel story may need location details, prices, rules, timing, and expert comments.
A home story may include design facts, property details, renovation notes, and real estate context. A real estate story may need careful wording because homes, sales, and public figures can involve sensitive information. Colson Thayer’s work in these areas shows a mix of news sense and lifestyle interest. It also shows how modern editorial assistants often do more than office support. They may research, write, update, and help shape digital stories.
Work at Midwest Living
Colson Thayer is also listed by Midwest Living as a digital editor focused mainly on travel content. That profile describes him as a writer and editor who specializes in digital content. It also names his areas of expertise as biking, city travel, and reality TV. This gives readers a fuller picture of his writing interests. Travel writing can be very practical. Readers may want ideas for trips, small towns, parks, rivers, cities, or weekend plans.
A digital editor must think about what readers need first. Clear headings, fresh angles, useful details, and clean structure matter. Midwest Living also says Colson has spent his life in Iowa and enjoys visiting other Midwest states. This helps explain why Midwest travel fits his voice. He is not just writing about faraway places. He is also connected to the region he covers. That can make travel stories feel more personal and more useful.
What Makes His Career Useful for New Writers
Colson Thayer’s career can teach new writers several simple lessons. First, local work matters. A writer does not need to start at a national brand to build skill. City magazines, student media, public radio, and local features can be strong training grounds. Second, range matters. Colson has worked across business, lifestyle, travel, home, culture, and human stories. This kind of range can help a journalist stay useful in a changing media world. Third, education and practice work best together.
A journalism degree can teach core skills, but real bylines help build confidence. Fourth, clear writing matters more than big words. Readers want stories they can understand fast. In 2026, digital readers often scan first, then read deeply if the story feels useful. Colson Thayer’s path shows how a writer can grow by staying active, learning different formats, and taking each writing step seriously.
Final Thoughts
Colson Thayer is a good example of a modern writer who grew through steady work. His story begins with Iowa roots, student media, local publications, and public radio. It then moves into national lifestyle journalism with PEOPLE and regional travel work with Midwest Living. The most useful point is simple. A strong media career is built step by step. Colson Thayer did not become known through loud claims.
He built his name through writing, editing, reporting, and learning different parts of journalism. His path is helpful for readers who want to understand how young journalists grow in 2026. It is also useful for students who hope to write for magazines, websites, or media brands. His career shows that clear writing, local experience, and real practice can open bigger doors.
FAQs
Who is Colson Thayer?
Colson Thayer is a writer and journalist with experience in digital media, lifestyle writing, travel content, home stories, and local reporting. He is linked with PEOPLE, Midwest Living, CITYVIEW Magazine, Little Village Magazine, Iowa Public Radio, and Drake Mag.
When did Colson Thayer join PEOPLE?
Colson Thayer first joined PEOPLE in 2024, based on the details you provided. A 2026 media industry update later reported that he moved from Travel Writer to Editorial Assistant, Lifestyle at PEOPLE, where he would continue covering home and travel.
What topics does Colson Thayer write about?
Colson Thayer has written about lifestyle, travel, home, real estate, local business, culture, and human interest. His Midwest Living profile also connects him with city travel, biking, and reality TV.
Where did Colson Thayer study?
Colson Thayer studied at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Midwest Living says he earned two journalism degrees there, with majors in Multimedia Journalism and Brand and Magazine Media, plus a minor in music.
Why are people searching for Colson Thayer?
Many people search for Colson Thayer because they see his byline on articles from well-known media brands. Others may be interested in his path from Iowa-based journalism to national lifestyle and entertainment media.