"The fall 2021 issue of Utah State magazine addressed the theme of belonging. Our cover story, "Breaking Through," was 18 months in the making and described the experiences and challenges of the university's first Black athletes.
We got to tell this story one time and we wanted to make the cover count. Our art director utilized historical photography and quotes from archived material to grab readers from the beginning. This was in part because of travel challenges during COVID-19 and the limited photography we did have didn't meet the moment.
The cover sparked numerous letters to the editor and conversation on the university's social channels. While most of the feedback was appreciative about the university owning its past, the sight of a Black man alongside a quote about the need for a Black student union proved too much for some readers, who questioned the need for such an organization--then and today--and threatened to withhold donations in the future. It seems some things never change."
From the Judges
Great use of resources. This photo from the archives could've been taken yesterday, so the long quote providing context for the reader was a good choice. We liked the structure of the quote and the cover overall.
