Paths of Inquiry
YOU’RE LOOKING AT THE FUTURE, BOTH LITERALLY AND figuratively. What you will find in the following pages are theories, ideas, insights, images, concerns, and hopes about the future. What brings them all to you is the Denison Magazine of the future.
But you have doubtlessly figured that last part out already. By now you’re trying to determine whether you like the change, and wondering why we made it. That’s good. We want you to question. We want you to ponder. And we hope that, ultimately, you’ll understand why we felt it was time for this step. Because as Denison evolves to its fullest potential, so should the publication that serves to illustrate that evolution.
This issue results from two years of discussions about if and how the magazine could better serve our readers. How could we reflect the experience and impact of today’s campus community? Could we tell more stories about alumni, even as we move from being an alumni magazine to a college magazine? Could we better represent the sophistication of our audience and Denison’s ascending status in the higher education landscape? Could we mesh it all together in a way that illustrates Denison’s relevance in the world beyond Granville?
We talked it over in staff meetings here on campus, and with faculty, trustees, the Alumni Council, and the President’s Leadership Council. Each discussion added a little more to the formula – new ideas, additional viewpoints, tough questions, and even a few challenges.
Some ideas we gradually employed over the last several issues. But we felt in order to profoundly advance the magazine, we needed to reconsider the total package. Then, about this time last year, I met DJ Stout, a former art director at the award-winning Texas Monthly Magazine and now a partner at Pentagram Design. I heard him talk about the “experience” of a magazine and the power of strong editorial design. I sensed right away that DJ was the expert we needed to help us get to the next level.
As he soaked in all he could about Denison, DJ led us through more discussions about our goals. (“Good design,” he said, “goes far beyond an attractive mix of colors, images and typefaces. It has to have purpose.”) We quickly came around to the actual function of magazines, which are typically produced to appeal to the common interests of specific audiences. Consider the Denison community’s range of age, lifestyles, professional interests, political ideologies, spiritual beliefs, artistic tastes; there is very little in common. We do share, however, a bond to Denison traditions like the free and open exchange of ideas, critical inquiry, lifelong learning, respect for all individuals, and engagement in the issues of our time. This was a good start.
The 35,000 people who receive Denison Magazine share something else: the experience of that moment when a connection is made, when a solution to a tough problem is stumbled upon, when the big picture becomes clear (the Aha! moment, as Jim Pletcher, associate professor of political science, called it in the Summer 2004 Denison Magazine). Could we actually recreate moments like these for our readers? Quite a challenge, we agreed, but definitely worth a shot.
In the magazine’s new direction, each issue will be based on a particular theme – an intersection, a place where paths cross and new roads are taken. At times, the junctions will be well-marked; at others, we may challenge you to watch for the turns. The theme will weave through the first pages of each issue, as you just witnessed in the previous spreads. It will carry on to a new section called Uncommon Ground, and throughout the features.
Other sections may reveal the theme too, but we intend to save some space for items of more timely interest. Another new addition, The Columns, will present stories about key Denison ideals like scholarship, innovation, artistry, humanity and so on. You’ll also find many of the previous format’s mainstays: Sports, Denison Clubs, Continuum, First Person, In Memoriam, and, of course, Class Notes (which we know will always be the first place you turn).
Beyond that, you may notice subtle, “evolutionary” changes, which will be spawned by your feedback and the unique challenges each issue poses. Remember, evolution is what brought us to this point and is nothing more than our attempt to make this magazine more enjoyable for you.
One last line of inquiry: Will the new Denison Magazine reflect the rich tradition and contemporary relevance of Denison University? Will it earn more than a few minutes of your busy time, or a spot on your coffee table? Will it in any way “refresh” the role of Denison University in your life? Will it engage, educate, and entertain you? Will it at least persuade you to remain on the mailing list?
Only the future will tell.