Waterloo Magazine – Final Issue
The project
The final issue of Waterloo Magazine marked the close of more than two decades of storytelling for the University of Waterloo’s alumni community. Created in house by the Creative Studio in collaboration with Communications and Advancement, the issue reflects a deep commitment to craft, clarity, and connection.
The experience we designed
The Creative Studio combined illustration, editorial design, and strategic storytelling to celebrate alumni voices and strengthen community pride. Every spread was built with intention, balancing warmth, readability, and artistic integrity. The result is a publication that feels intimate and bold, honouring the magazine’s legacy while setting a creative benchmark for what comes next.
The thinking behind it
This final issue was designed not as a retrospective, but as a confident closing chapter. The goal was to create a meaningful, cohesive publication that reflected the university’s voice and values, while demonstrating what is possible when creative and communications teams work as true partners.
Print magazine
What changed because of it
The issue sparked exceptional engagement across platforms. Social promotion generated more than 706,000 impressions and 29,735 engagements, with particularly strong performance on LinkedIn, which achieved a 7.9 per cent engagement rate. Related video content added 8,200 views, and accompanying Waterloo News stories reached 17,720 active users with a 93 percent engagement rate.
Audience response reinforced the magazine’s emotional resonance, with alumni expressing strong attachment to the publication and its role in the Waterloo community. The reaction underscored the value of long form, thoughtfully designed storytelling in building institutional connection.
Social media
Why it worked
The final issue of the Waterloo Alumni magazine demonstrates the impact of collaborative, in house creativity. By aligning editorial vision, design excellence, and institutional priorities, the project delivered meaningful engagement, strong audience response, and a unified expression of Waterloo’s voice. It stands as both a fitting conclusion and a model for future storytelling at the University.