From the Nominator

These two issues illustrate our themed approach, designed to deliver visual impact and vivid writing. Our audience of about 100,000 includes all alumni, parents of current students and recent graduates, faculty, staff, and friends. The Creativity Issue includes a stunning mix of writing, design, and illustrations that explore myriad ways Wake Foresters are expressing their creativity—and the sometimes circuitous paths they have taken to do so. The Mentoring Issue—which we envisioned at a time when college rankings changed their criteria to prioritize research over student-professor ratios—underscores the value of mentors through personal stories. In both cases, the theme bubbled up naturally: The Creativity Issue got its start with a few class note submissions from alumni finding success as singer-songwriters in Nashville. The spark for The Mentoring Issue came through the death of philanthropist Chuck Feeney. We learned from a retired colleague that the billionaire had provided anonymous funding in the 1990s when Wake Forest issued a laptop to every student in the Class of 2000—and quickly realized it would need to hire a team of students to teach their teachers how to use email and the internet. We reconstructed that mentoring tale and more. These have been two of our most popular issues in recent memory. Our campus "newsstands" were emptied, and kind compliments poured in by email.

From the Judges

Outstanding photography and thought-provoking illustrations that beautifully mesh into the layout. Judges also praised the skillful typography and excellent use of white space. The engaging design and striking interplay between visual and editorial storytelling capture the reader’s attention.