Mountains and Minds magazine is Montana State University's flagship magazine Montana State is a land-grant university located in Bozeman, Montana, with an enrollment of about 17,000 students. The magazine's objective is to tell the story of MSU's people, programs, and community to members of the university's family, as well as readers outside the MSU family in a way that will positively resonate with the reader. It is the favored tool for MSU Foundation development officers (a separate entity from the university) as well as the primary outreach piece for state legislators and opinion makers who set our university system budget. While it is usually published twice a year, in 2020 COVID restrictions resulted in canceling the spring issue. Its only publication last year was in fall 2020.
From the Judges
Montana State University pivoted for COVID-19 by creating a time capsule for the pandemic, including student diaries to mark what was happening on campus and off during 2020. We liked the look back at the campus and students during 1918 and appreciate the desire to create something for the next 100 years. The photojournalism throughout the magazine was attractive to read, and the magazine did well at telling their student and faculty/staff stories visually.
