The UWG alumni magazine, Perspective, has taken several steps towards a more branded and lifestyle feel over the last few years, especially since the campaign launch of “Go West.” The most recent enhancement was the debut of the magazine online. The magazine was once a bi-annual publication but is now available any time and updated almost daily.
“What we wanted was two-fold: one, we needed a clean press room where we could interact with the press,” said Maggie Worth, Director of Communications and Strategy. “The other piece is that we really wanted a space where we could bring all of University of West Georgia’s family members and groups together: alumni, faculty, staff, students, future students, graduate students, adult learners, parents, friends, donors, and academic peers, all of those many constituencies who are interested in what’s happening at UWG.”
Many national magazines have made the transition to interactive, online magazines, which run parallel with the original print versions. UWG saw the need to do the same. The online publication debuted Aug. 26 and is now up and running. The magazine is able to post smaller stories, give on-the-spot shout-outs when needed and also be able to allow students to interact and tell them about their story by clicking ‘Send Us Your Story’ link. “We really wanted a gathering place for everyone to come together and celebrate the UWG family successes,” said Worth. “That’s really it all boils down to.”
The “Top Story” changes daily, Monday through Friday. The “Video Spotlight” changes at least every two weeks. The “New Faces” section spotlights new faculty and staff around campus. The Perspective has a section for every college, including the Honor’s College and UWG Online and more. Worth said there is also a “Giving” section where corporations and other business entities can find out about what gifts they are receiving, what gifts and assistance they can offer UWG. To find out what is in the print edition, readers can find a click-flip PDF version online, as well.
Despite the recent debut, the online edition has received extremely positive feedback from all constituencies of UWG. They have not experienced any hiccups or kinks thus far and are happy with the way everything is going right now.
Perspective encouraged students to send in their stories if they had something big going on, whether it is an awarded scholarship, recognition of an award, going on a foreign exchange or anything else that may be significant. One of the goals of the magazine was to have as much press coverage and interest as possible. Perspective has been striving to find ways to get stories into the mainstream press. “And we’ve got some really exciting things happening with that over the next twelve months, that is sort of the next stage,” said Worth. Worth believed that the confidential plans for the near future should help increase their opportunities for press coverage.
“When we are able to share with the world at large, all the great things going on at West Georgia, that elevates the perceived value of a degree from West Georgia,” said Worth.
