New editor named at alumni magazine

Judy Schroeder has covered everything from limestone to tree trunk tombstones, from clinical trials in medicine to the death penalty to teaching evolution in the classroom.\nNext she'll be focusing on her upcoming marriage and teaching as she retires as editor of the Indiana Alumni Magazine, a position she held for 16 years and 99 issues. Elizabeth "Lissa" Hunt will replace Schroeder as editor of the publication July 7.\n"I just think that I have been uniquely fortunate in having a position that allows me to do what the University does best -- introduce people to ideas and subjects which are new to them," Schroeder said. "That is what I got to do for 16 years as editor of the magazine."\nUnder Schroeder's guidance the magazine's circulation has doubled, and the publication has increased in size by 25 percent. The magazine comes out six times a year and has a readership of 77,000.\n"I first and foremost want to continue the strong tradition this magazine has had," Hunt said.\nHunt was the senior copywriter at Richard Harrison Bailey/The Agency, a marketing firm in South Bend with not-for-profit clients that include universities. She earned her bachelor's degree in English, with honors, from IU in 1988. She also has both a master's and a doctoral degree in history and sociology of science from the University of Pennsylvania.\n"Lissa will bring many attributes to the position," said Ken Beckley, president and CEO of the IU Alumni Association, in a press release. "I am confident she will prove to be an outstanding editor."\nSchroeder said Hunt is aware of issues in higher education from her varied academic background. Hunt has also written 11 feature articles for the Indiana Alumni Magazine during the past four years.\n"She is a familiar person to our readers," Schroeder said. "They might not recognize the name, but they certainly have been reading her for the past few years."\nHunt said she admired Schroeder and hopes she can continue in her ink trail.\n"She has an ability to be both extremely literate and literary, but never stiff and pretentious," Hunt said. "That is a wonderful ability not many people have."\nSchroeder applied this ability especially well in 2000.\n"I think we rose to the challenge during a seventh-month period of reporting and chronicling adequately the departure of the University's two leading icons -- the death of Chancellor Wells and the departure of Bob Knight," Schroeder said. "It was a pretty intense period, and I think we did it well."\nSchroeder had some words of advice for the new editor before Hunt replaces her.\n"Never underestimate alumni, and treat them as the intelligent college graduates they are," Schroeder said. "Some people feel we have to sell the University, but if we just explain things factually, accurately and responsibly, they'll get the picture."\nAfter her wedding August 2, Schroeder said she plans on travelling and avoiding phone calls that start with "Now that you're retired Judy," followed shortly be a request to do something. She'll be coming back to IU in the spring to teach at the School of Journalism.\n"I came here originally to get my Ph.D. and teach, and now I'm retiring to do what I came here to do originally," Schroeder said.