From the Nominator

In 2023, we began the process of refocusing and redesigning The Lawrentian, an 80-page magazine published three or four times per year by The Lawrenceville School, an independent 9-12 boarding and day school in central New Jersey. Though The Lawrentian had gradually evolved over the years, through adding and subtracting editorial sections and changing designs in a piecemeal way, its title banner was the same that had graced its cover for 20 years. After gathering useful data through the CASE Magazine Readership Survey, we engaged Landesberg Design of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to execute a full redesign, but also take a good look at our editorial approach. We put everything under the microscope. Through a discovery process that included a focus group of various constituent groups, they determined that our overall approach was rather strong, but recommended reconsidering a few of the departments to more closely align with readers' expectations, adding some engaging new sections, and altering the look of the publication. We've created more opportunities for students voices, made space for more news from the classroom and our residential houses, and included more room for interactive dialog with alumni readers with our "Big Question" at the end of the magazine. In the end, what emerged was a magazine that truly reflects Lawrenceville and its people, something easy for them to recognize easily, presented in a way that is attractive, engaging, and informative, all in a human voice that is often humorous. We have published two issues since the spring 2024 launch.

From the Judges

A beautiful redesign featuring engaging visuals and photography. An incredible effort put forth by an independent school. The team was smart about responding to readers’ insights to restructure and add sections to the magazine and used resources wisely to increase circulation.