‘Smith Quarterly’ Takes Home the Gold—Make That Four Golds!

The Smith Quarterly won big at this year’s Society of Publication Designers (SPD) awards, besting the competition in four major categories. At the June 5 ceremony in New York City, the Quarterly received gold medals for

• cover (non-celebrity profile)
• entire issue (custom publishing/brand/corporate/institutional/educational)
• cover (custom publishing/brand/corporate/institutional/educational)
• redesign (entire issue). 

In each category, the Quarterly was up against leading consumer magazines, including Rolling Stone and New York, as well as other college, university, and nonprofit publications.

“It is an incredible honor to be recognized by leaders in the industry,” said Senior Editorial Director John MacMillan, who oversees the Quarterly. “The awards are reflective of the remarkable teamwork that it takes to produce each issue of the magazine and, especially, all the hard work and creativity that went into the Quarterly’s recent redesign. We have very high standards—we’re Smith, after all—and it’s so exciting to be honored by our peers.”

The Quarterly worked with the global design firm Pentagram on the magazine’s comprehensive redesign, its first in nearly 25 years. Renowned designer Matt Willey led the Pentagram team, which included graphic designer Bina Thorsen and project manager August Dine.

In reenvisioning the Quarterly, Editor Christina Barber-Just wanted to infuse the magazine with a contemporary boldness that better reflected Smith’s place in the world and the remarkable work students, faculty, staff, and alums do to uplift women’s lives and experiences and move the world forward. “This redesign was a team effort rooted in a shared vision: to make a magazine that not only reflects the strength of the Smith community but also sparks curiosity, connection, and pride.”

Recognizing that reader expectations have evolved, the Quarterly team, which also includes Associate Editor Megan Tkacy, developed an editorial approach that emphasizes deeper storytelling, highlighting the Smith people driving change and the ideas emerging from Smith classrooms that are shaping global conversations. Over the past year, the Quarterly has addressed topics including the impact of artificial intelligence, the continued value of the liberal arts, the rise in student activism, the leadership of women of color, and the impact of the work of national leaders including Senator Tammy Baldwin ’84, grassroots organizer Vanessa Priya Daniel ’00, and legendary food writer Florence Fabricant ’58.

Since the launch of the redesign last summer, readers have expressed their overwhelming appreciation for the magazine’s new direction and more contemporary approach. Of the 400-plus responses that came in from an invitation for feedback, more than 85% were positive, with readers calling the Quarterly the “coolest college magazine ever” and a “stunning reflection of the Smith I know and love.”

“This kind of feedback fuels us,” Barber-Just said. “It tells us we’re on the right track, and it pushes us to keep evolving and keep doing justice to the incredible stories coming out of Smith.”

The Quarterly’s next issue, out in August, will celebrate Smith College’s 150th anniversary.