From the Nominator

Housed within the University of Iowa (UI) Center for Advancement, Iowa Magazine recently celebrated 120 years as the university’s flagship publication. The magazine explores the essence of what it means to be a Hawkeye, harnessing the power of storytelling to strengthen readers’ bonds with the UI community. Through engaging writing and design, the publication invites readers to join a global Hawkeye family driving positive change. Iowa Magazine purposefully includes a diverse range of voices and stories to reflect the university’s culture and values. The staff also teams with campus partners on multimedia storytelling that helps build the university’s reputation in areas such as health care, research, and the arts. Our stories even help reconnect alumni like John Irving to the university, leading to opportunities for students to benefit from their returns to campus. The best testament to Iowa Magazine’s success may be its reader engagement, including alumni periodically contacting us about stories they remember reading in our publication up to 20 years ago. Reader surveys indicate that the magazine has made an indelible impression, and it consistently ranks as one of the top methods alumni prefer to stay connected with the university. One reader with an extensive communications background told us, “I want to congratulate you on the latest edition. I think it’s one of the finest journalistic works I’ve seen in a long time.” Another alum wrote, “Even though I haven’t been to Iowa City for years, I stay connected to the UI through your magazine.”

From the Judges

An outstanding magazine with eye-catching covers, excellent stories, and a commitment to the Iowa brand. The school’s personality and strength as a writing institution shine through.