Excellence by Design is the title of the latest iteration of Illinois State’s strategic plan. It’s also a concept that is highly engrained in our staff throughout University Marketing and Communications. Whether it’s the Redbird Scholar publication, Redbird Buzz podcast, Homecoming video, University Facebook post, or Admissions postcard, we strive to make every piece representing the University the absolute best it can be.

This approach especially applies to State magazine, our primary communication vehicle to reach you, our alumni, donors, and friends. We know you value State—it ranked as the No. 1 way in which alumni prefer to hear from and engage with the University in a recent alumni survey—and we challenge ourselves to make each issue better than the last. 

We carefully select content to inform and inspire, from a profile and Q&A with our new president to a nostalgia-inducing history of campus concerts to a deep dive on artificial intelligence with input from faculty and staff experts. We’ll continue to tell these stories, and we’ll deliver them in new and unique formats. We’ll present them with the compelling writing, design, photography, and illustrations that are the hallmarks of our award-winning publication.

More than a year ago, we began work on a larger-scale reimagining of the magazine. Internally, we’ve called it a “refresh,” but really, it’s just a set of improvements aimed to make this publication even better. We’re combining best practices with what we’ve learned from you—our readers—to accomplish this goal. Beginning with our summer 2025 edition, we’ll be adding new sections, sunsetting some others, and further investing in the content we know you like best.

Changes are also coming to how we deliver the magazine. We’re expanding upon our multiplatform approach, with changes being driven by the new opportunities presented by digital media while balancing sustainability and the efficient stewardship of the University budget. We’ve added a new, enhanced digital platform that will allow us to tell stories in ways we just can’t in print. We’ll be offering more online exclusives: audio, video, photography, social content, and fun ways to engage with our alma mater.

But never fear! If you would still prefer to receive the magazine in print—and we know many of you do!—you can continue to receive it in your mailbox with just a $10 annual gift to the University, or through your membership in the 1857 Society or Heritage Society. You can additionally customize your communication preferences online to ensure we’re delivering our content in the format you want to receive it. 

We’re excited about all the new stories, sights, and sounds that will be coming your way via State magazine in all its forms, and we hope you are too. We’re confident this is our best issue yet—and that the next will be even better!

Brian Beam, M.S. ’94, MBA ’10
Executive Director, University Marketing and Communications