Moody Alumni & Friends Wins Awards

The redesigned Moody Alumni & Friends magazine recently won two Award of Merit citations from the Evangelical Press Association, in the Higher Education (Print) and Most Improved (Print) categories.

Judges commended the magazine’s “classic look,” “nice pacing of features,” “strong ideas bolstered by engaging design,” and “nice mix of compelling stories about people and issues, service, news, and columns.”

After many years as a digest-size publication, the long-running Moody Alumni magazine expanded to full-size pages with the Fall 2019 issue, including a new name and focus as Moody Alumni & Friends. Judges called the transition “a powerful change” with “new attention to page architecture, generous white space, good use of color.”

“We are working hard to be creative and relevant to our readers,” says Linda Piepenbrink, managing editor of the magazine. “And according to the judges, we are hitting the mark. We wanted our redesign to be seen as a clear improvement, and the judges agreed.”

Eight years ago, Piepenbrink arrived at Moody with a long history as managing editor of Today’s Christian Woman, Virtue, Clubhouse, and Clubhouse Jr. In addition to her role with Moody Alumni & Friends, she also serves as a senior editor for Moody’s Marketing and Communications department.

Much of the magazine’s new look comes from Doug Fleener, senior graphic designer, who has previously won EPA awards while working with Leadership Journal, Campus Life, Christianity Today, and Focus on the Family’s Citizen. “When I started working here, I had no idea of Moody’s worldwide reach,” Doug says. “Now that the magazine has a wider focus, we can do a better job of connecting all of these people and ministries.”

Darwill, Inc. of Hillside, Illinois, handles the magazine production. Troy Van Dyke, co-CEO of Darwill, is a rare printing executive with a seminary degree, having graduated from MTS in 2014. Greg Hampton serves as Moody’s account executive. Both have worked tirelessly to solve Moody’s complicated printing and fulfillment needs.

Are magazines obsolete in a digital world? Not according to Piepenbrink, who calls print magazines “the gold standard, even today. It’s a great way to show Moody’s heart for people and the nations. It shows how alumni are living out their faith and their education, with longterm impact around the globe. These are stories worth telling—stories with staying power—stories that you can share with friends.”

Nancy (Andersen ’80) Hastings offered a tribute on behalf of the Moody Alumni Association, thanking “the marketing team and everyone involved in the production of the Moody Alumni & Friends magazine for their creative and diligent efforts in making this redesign a reality.”

The Evangelical Press Association is a professional body serving the Christian periodical industry, representing more than 200 magazines, newspapers, newsletters, and web publications. The annual EPA awards recognize excellence in Christian publications. This year’s ceremony, scheduled for Colorado Springs, was held online.