From the Nominator

In October 2023, the University of Iowa (UI) launched its Together Hawkeyes campaign, which involves raising $3 billion and engaging 300,000 alumni and friends. Iowa Magazine aimed to announce the campaign in an creative way that would be meaningful to the average reader, so we created a special issue. After learning campaign priorities from the President’s Office, UI Center for Advancement leadership, and the campaign manager, we worked to make the internal messaging accessible to an external audience. Much like a viewbook sells prospective students on a college experience, we used authentic storytelling, heavily supported by visuals, to capture readers’ attention. Our designer redesigned the magazine for the project. Instead of our traditional news departments, we used the campaign’s strategic focal points for section dividers. We identified moving UI stories to reflect the campaign’s themes and inspire giving. Those themes were “excellence in teaching and learning” (which we translated as “Lead the Way”), “innovative research and creative discovery” (“Fuel Discoveries”), “welcoming and inclusive environment” (“Bring It Home”), and “holistic well-being and success” (“Change Lives”). We also added an introduction and a call to action (“Forge Ahead”). The result was an evergreen issue that generates Hawkeye pride and invites UI alumni and friends to be part of something bigger than themselves through giving and engagement. Our development, alumni engagement, and stewardship teams, as well as campus partners, are actively using this magazine to raise campaign awareness, and readers are already expressing interest in getting involved.

From the Judges

We loved the use of photography throughout this issue. The organization is impressive, with each section cohesively arranged by theme and each opening spread including a mini-contents at the bottom. The editorial choices are strong, and the visuals and photography are very attractive. A well-executed and visually appealing issue.