From the Nominator

We consider our alumni magazine an essential tool for showcasing the vibrancy of The Williston Northampton School to alumni and prospective families. We put together each issue with a scrappy four-person communication department, and a few regular freelance writers and photographers. We invest a great deal of time and effort into each issue, and push ourselves to think outside the conventions of alumni magazines. One of the main benefits is creating a positive halo effect for the school: when the magazine looks good, it makes alumni, trustees, and even faculty feel good about the school, and we've had many of them note: "The Williston alumni magazine looks better than my college alumni magazine." Our Admission Director also sends out each issue to our list of prospective new students, and we also reuse the materials created for print in many ways: in email newsletters, on social media, on our website, and more. Finally, the process of interviewing and photographing alumni has proven to be a successful form of stewardship in its own way. The experience of being carefully interviewed, photographed, and profiled by their school often causes alumni to get more involved or remember formative experiences from their time here. As one recent alumnus emailed us: "Super appreciate the profile on me and my company and the work we do here. The most fun, of course, is the memories of Williston coming back in waves through this engagement with you all."

From the Judges

We immediately connected with this publication’s scrapbook feel. A magazine that’s creative, fun, and full of energy. The editorial content features enjoyable faculty perspectives and relatable alumni profiles—we can tell the team knows their audience. The content drives the design and includes incredible photos that are used well through varying size and placement. We enjoyed lingering on every page.