From the Nominator

In 2020, rapid response to constantly changing news and events was paramount. Three Stanford Magazine online-only stories took stellar advantage of the moment, used the speed and flexibility of an online presentation to our readers' benefit, and were able to connect with our alumni readers in a new way.  

“On Lockdown, From Milan” is a phone conversation with an alumni couple temporarily living in Italy, as told to our editor. Our alumni shared their experiences under lockdown at a moment when there were growing indications that many Americans might soon be in a similar situation. The only meaningful way to get this story to readers quickly was online. It was widely circulated on social media after it went live on March 12, and had thousands of views in a single weekend. 

“When Did This Become a Project?” was a new type of story for Stanford. Editors Kathy Zonana and Summer Batte, both Stanford alumnae, turned their Slack instant messages about the oddities of lockdown life into a banter-filled serial column. Over five “episodes,” readers are invited into self-deprecating conversations about pandemic preparation, popular lockdown hobbies . . . and bidets. 

“A Note to the Dumb” is an op-ed from an alumnus and hip-hop artist in response to the killing of George Floyd. The topic and the story's nontraditional format were likely to appeal to our younger readers, who engage with us online. In addition, the online presentation allowed us to embed video of a related work by the author.

From the Judges

We thought this series of submissions was very well edited, and captured attention in unanticipated ways. We liked the humor in “When Did This Become a Project?” and the immediacy of the as-told-to approach of “On Lockdown, From Milan,” in particular.