Polytech magazine wins awards

By Lethbridge Herald on November 19, 2025.

Nathan Reiter
Lethbridge Herald
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

It was a tremendous year for Wider Horizons.

The campus magazine produced by Lethbridge Polytechnic took home several industry awards for its publications in 2024 and 2025.

Wider Horizons was awarded a silver award from the international Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) circle of excellence award. The magazine was also named Magazine of the Year by the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association while taking home the top honour in the Photograph: People and Portraiture category. 

The magazine was also a finalist for seven other award categories at the Alberta Magazine Awards

Tina Karst, the senior writer and editor of Wider Horizons, says it was incredible to receive the recognition.

“It’s always an honour when Wider Horizons is celebrated on any level. It’s certainly a special feeling knowing that the hard work our team puts in, we’re a small but mighty team. The hard work that our team puts in is resonating with our readers and also within the post secondary and Alberta magazine landscapes.”

Karst is relatively new to the editor’s role for Wider Horizons. She took over the chair from Lisa Kozleski, who had done the job since September of 2011. Kozleski currently serves as the editor of Arches, the alumni magazine of the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington.

Karst and Kozleski served as co-editors for the Fall 2024 edition of Wider Horizons. Prior to her time at Lethbridge Polytechnic, Karst worked in radio news for nearly 15 years. She credits Kozleski for helping her learn the ins and outs of writing for a magazine.

“Lisa was, up until last July, the driving force for Wider Horizons and she was its biggest advocate. Early on in my time at the Polytechnic, she took on a mentorship role for me as far as long form writing. I come from radio, so I was used to writing very short, concise 30 second stories for air. Taking on long form stories for me was something completely foreign to me. I’d never really done it before, but I showed interest in it. She supported me, mentored me and showed me basically how to form a story that’s going to engage people and get them interested and keep their attention. I just fell in love with it, so she’s a huge reason why I’m even in the editor’s role right now.”

Wider Horizons was launched in 2007 as part of the 50th anniversary of Lethbridge Polytechnic. Copies are mailed to alumni and distributed in the community of Lethbridge and on campus twice annually in May and October.