When Emily McCathran joined the Penn State Blue Band last August, she didn't expect that it would lead to a photo shoot in an international fashion magazine.

But last month, that's exactly what happened.

McCathran (freshman-astronomy and astrophysics) and about 30 other Penn State students were featured in a photo shoot for this month's issue of W Magazine.

The 47-page portfolio features a diverse variety of Penn State representatives, including football players, cheerleaders, Blue Band members, actors, everyday students, and University officials, like Penn State President Graham Spanier and Nittany Lions coach Joe Paterno. The portfolio also depicts football games, dorms, and the local landscape.

Dennis Freedman, creative director of W Magazine and Penn State alumnus from the class of 1975, said he wanted to do the photo shoot because it presented a view of the world that fashion magazines rarely show.

"Fashion magazines, in my opinion, I feel need to be more relevant ... they continue to present the same kinds of imagery that have been presented for the last 20 years," he said. "One of the real reasons I wanted to do Penn State was how, in a way, untouched it is by the world."

Penn State spokesman Tysen Kendig said the university was happy to accommodate the magazine because the spread would increase Penn State's international visibility.

"You can't buy that kind of publicity," he said.

Penn State Marketing Director Cindy Hall said W Magazine approached Penn State with the idea for the photo shoot and assumed all the expenses for the shoot.

Freedman chose British photographer David Sims for the project, because of his talent for shooting people outside of the fashion industry.

"He was one of the first photographers to do memorable photographs of real people," Freedman said.

Freedman said he sent a casting crew to take photos of potential models in late October with instructions to "find a cross-section of students."

Freedman said the photo shoot took place in the Blue Band Building from Nov. 10 to Nov. 13. He said photographing each student took from 45 to 90 minutes -- a relatively short time for a fashion shoot.

"It was surprising how comfortable [the students] were, how natural they were, how responsive they were," he said.

McCathran said the photo shoot was often confusing and she was never instructed to look in any particular direction.

"Half the time I didn't even know they were taking pictures," she said. "[Sims] wanted everything to be really natural."

Some students in the pictorial are dressed in real designer clothing selected by W Magazine fashion director Alex White, and others wore their activity uniform.

"They're all clothes we would have shot on a fashion model," Freedman said.

Kim Merriman (senior-crime, law and justice), who appears in the magazine, said that many of the students, including Michael Robinson, were covered in Vaseline.

"It gives you that sheen," she said.

McCathran said her parents and friends were very excited about the photo shoot.

"My parents haven't put the magazine down since," she said.

Abby Perschon (freshman-business), whose picture appears in a shot of the Alpha Sigma Alpha message board, said she thought the magazine had increased the visibility of her sorority and herself.

"I've gotten a lot of random Facebooks," she said.

Freedman said the issue was well received in the fashion world.

"I've gotten so much positive feedback," he said.

Dana Gidney, publicist for W Magazine, said the issue will be available until January 24, but some local stores may carry the issue longer.