Wider Horizons

What is the frequency of the publication?
Three issues per year

What is the per issue circulation?
26,000

What is the date of first issue?
09/01/2007

Summarize the magazine’s achievements during the past year and how it has served the needs of its readers
We are pleased to submit our spring 2024 and fall 2024 issues of Wider Horizons, Lethbridge Polytechnic’s alumni and community magazine, for consideration.

The spring issue – “Where the heart is” – is a celebration of the places we call home, and the people who make it so special. The cover story details the perilous journey from Colombia to Canada made by three English language learners and the ways Lethbridge and the polytechnic quickly came to feel like home for them.

The fall issue – “It costs nothing to be kind” – is as uplifting and colourful as its cover with two inspiring profiles inside. The first, our cover story, focuses on a Campus Recreation manager who has not only spent the past 27 years organizing sports leagues, tournaments, drop-in activities and outings for students, but who has also served as a support system and a confidant for all who know him. The second is the story of an Agriculture Sciences – Animal Science grad who left her city roots behind in Calgary to pursue an education and subsequent career in the cattle industry, proving you don’t need to grow up on a farm to be successful in agriculture.

Both issues use beautiful images and excellent storytelling to appeal, not only to alumni and current students, but to anyone who picks up a copy of the magazine.

Wider Horizons is unique for an alumni magazine in that it is distributed both to alumni (about 22,000/issue) and to community members (about 4,000/issue). Magazines can be picked up in racks around the city (and are mailed to alumni and donors as well); we keep our two audiences – our alumni and our community members – in mind with each issue. We ensure that every story and photo has a Lethbridge Polytechnic angle, and we have found that sharing stories with a broad appeal resonates well with our alumni readers as well as with the community.

With that in mind, the goal when planning, writing, illustrating and editing Wider Horizons is to tell great stories. Because of our diverse audience, we strive to make sure that even if someone picks up the magazine and has no connection to the polytechnic, they are still drawn in to read it. We hear from our readers — in emails, through conversations in the community, and on social media — that we are achieving this goal.

The community’s embrace of the magazine as a source of general interest news and features has been strong. Each issue we receive unsolicited feedback from readers about how they feel connected to the polytechnic and how they appreciate the stories we’ve produced. Readers also consistently remark on the magazine’s use of beautiful photography, illustrations and design that perfectly compliment the storytelling.

When our president spoke at a recent community forum, we took a small stack of magazines for attendees. The audience took all the magazines and requested a rack on a regular basis at the facility.

Creating such a celebrated publication three times each year and doing it with such small team of dedicated people (who contribute to the magazine in addition to their other roles at the polytechnic), also makes Wider Horizons special.

Thank you for considering Wider Horizons for the AMPA Magazine of the Year award.