From the Nominator

Exchange magazine, at just 24 pages, is the most concise of the three alumni magazines our editorial team produces for the Tippie College of Business. We know the majority of our finance alumni are in the thick of demanding careers, so we tailor the publication to be an informative, visually appealing, yet quick read for busy professionals. We had the pleasure of working with a new department chair who likes to "push the limits.” He encouraged us to be big and bold and opted out of a letter from the chair page (don’t have to tell us twice!). Our answer to all this was “Hot Topics,” a package of stories ripped from the headlines. These included pieces about questionable pharma mergers, college sports in the NIL (name, image, likeness) era, a look at AI’s appetite for energy, and the deadly consequences of private equity taking over ambulance services. To tie it all together, we punched up the headlines and used an illustrator for visual continuity across the stories. It isn’t all serious business, however. Other parts of this issue aim for a bit of whimsy, like our golf tips from an alum/professional golfer, a back page photo of the “pancake man” who launches flapjacks onto students’ plates during finals week, and a spread about favorite movies produced by a prominent alum. And we are connecting—as evidenced by the fact that finance alums give back to the college at a rate eight times higher than they did prior to the magazine’s launch in 2013.

From the Judges

Exchange scooped a silver award by delivering on its promise to be a "quick read for busy professionals." The magazine has a fresh, fun, and very scannable layout enhanced by its typography; a strategy of selectively bolding text; and a compelling illustrative theme. The brevity of the piece was its strength (and the cherry on top was omitting the chair’s opening letter!). It is clear that this publication was absolutely written with the reader in mind.