American University's flagship publication is produced in-house by a small but mighty team of three full-time staffers. Our budget has always been more modest than magazines of similar caliber, especially those that are designed by outside firms. However, amid the pandemic—as AU instituted a weeklong furlough for all faculty and staff, and froze retirement contributions for a year—it was imperative that we tighten the purse strings even more. For example, 89 percent of our budget for the fall 2020 issue went to printing and mailing costs; we only spent $10,000 on illustration, freelance writing, photography, and miscellaneous expenses.
By tapping the talents of others in our Office of University Communications and Marketing (UCM) and looking to our city for (free!) inspiration, we were able to produce a robust, thoughtful, and timely issue that looks expensive but was anything but.
From the Judges
Powerful opening spread. Creative mix of photos and illustrations throughout. Good variety of stories and styles.
