"Are the loudest alumni voices the most representative? We’ve been asking that question a lot lately at the University of Virginia Alumni Association because the loudest voices seem to be getting louder on a range of political and cultural issues in higher ed. That's true at other institutions, too.
Beyond asking the question, we set out to answer it. Thus was born Vox Alumni, a sweeping initiative aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of alumni views--all voices, regardless of decibel level. Vox Alumni’s inaugural project is the Virginia Magazine Special Report. The work is groundbreaking and eye-opening, the methodology rock-solid, the execution a template for other institutions, and the exposition balanced and compelling. It is an important undertaking and good read.
In addition to being one of our most popular recent pieces, the special report continues to have impact. It has prompted a series of briefings with the university’s senior leadership, including the governing board chair and the university president, and all of his direct reports. Our findings about UVA's storied honor system drove a UVA board discussion that culminated in a request that we help with student orientation on the subject. That's all the more remarkable because we're a self-governed foundation, almost as old as the university, but constitutionally and editorially independent of it.
Last, the special report has made us a better magazine. It has given us a truer, more textured understanding of the audience we serve."
From the Judges
Compelling story that presents the reader with strong infographics. Tremendous achievement presenting data!
