Wider Horizons editor wins provincial award
By Jensen, Randy on June 5, 2020.
Greg Bobinec
Lethbridge Herald
The editor of Lethbridge College’s award-winning Wider Horizons alumni magazine, Lisa Kozleski, was named Editor of the Year by the Alberta Magazine Publishers Association (AMPA) on Monday.
Kozleski has edited Wider Horizons since 2013, and her work was exemplified as Wider Horizons was named a finalist by AMPA in five additional categories, including being one of three finalists for Magazine of the Year. Winners of those awards will be announced on June 25 in an online celebration.
“Lisa has taken our magazine to unexpected levels, always embracing her role with unmatched enthusiasm and vigour,” says Sandra Dufresne, executive director of Advancement. “Her years working as a journalist and instructing at the post-secondary level has served Lethbridge College well, and she is a respected colleague to all. One of the more admirable qualities Lisa possesses is her ability to take chances. She never sticks to a formula – even a winning one.”
AMPA recognized Kozleski’s risk taking and innovative approach to storytelling and development in selecting her as Editor of the Year, stating, “Kozleski’s knack for finding and writing stories that capture the energy of Lethbridge College, supporting the institution’s goals without shying away from complex subject matter, has made the magazine a must-read for an audience that extends beyond the alumni community.”
Kozleski, senior writer and editor at Lethbridge College, brought the magazine to new heights in 2019, with two special issues that earned industry acclaim. The winter issued centred around the opioid crisis and how it changed the working world of Lethbridge College grads, while the spring issue celebrated the stories of inspiring Indigenous women at the college.
Industry groups have often recognized Wider Horizons, including the recent honours from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, as the magazine won four Best of Case VIII awards in January. Wider Horizons has also won 18 Case VIII awards since 2008 as well as earned numerous honours from the CASE Circle of Excellence, AMPA, and the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations.
“For someone who makes a living with words, I am having a hard time finding the right ones to fully express the gratitude, surprise and pride I am feeling right now,” says Kozleski. “I am so grateful to my colleagues and the community partners who put forward the nomination, to the college and its leaders for understanding the value of an engaging alumni and community magazine and supporting it for 13 years, and to AMPA for the years of learning opportunities that have made Wider Horizons better and better. But most of all, I want to thank the Lethbridge College people who have been so generous in letting us share their stories, and the readers who are the reason we all do what we do.”
In addition to the Editor of the Year honour, Wider Horizons has been named a finalist in five categories, including Alberta Magazine of the Year, Alberta Story, Editorial Package Print, Cover, and Profile. The finalists move forward to the AMPA awards ceremony, which will be held virtually on June 15.
“The stories and photos we shared in the 2019 issues of Wider Horizons showcase the very best of Lethbridge College,” says Kozleski. “They have been created by unbelievably talented people, and they focus on the meaningful, diverse and powerful ways our alumni are making a difference in their communities.”
Wider Horizons is published each January, May and September and goes out to more than 26,000 alumni and community members. To read the latest issue, visit lethbridgecollege.ca.
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