For the summer theme issue of Iowa Magazine, our staff hungered for a fun and creative challenge and an appetizing topic for our alumni. We sunk our teeth into a food-themed issue, which mixes nostalgia for alumni’s favorite restaurants with an exploration of the University of Iowa’s culture and science contributions. Features include a mouth-watering tour of Iowa City’s food scene, profiles of alumni chefs and business owners, a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to keep UI students fed, and a story highlighting a medical professor’s journey back to health through the power of a research-backed diet. Every section of the magazine—from sports to arts to alumni engagement and philanthropy—delivered enriching stories and photos that supported the theme. We tied the issue together with a highly ambitious cover shoot featuring Iowa City’s most-craved foods, along with a table of contents and section openers that imitated menus. Stories like the history of the basketball arena’s Carver Cone and the game day diet of the Hawkeye offensive lineman became viral sensations. Many alumni and members of the university community gave the issue rave reviews, calling it our “best work ever.”
From the Judges
The Iowa Magazine Summer 2025 food theme issue earned recognition for transforming regional food culture into a visually rich storytelling experience rooted in nostalgia, community, and school pride.
