Wheaton College Alumni Magazine Spring 2014 | Page 5

I

dearWHEATON
Tributes to Georgia

but more importantly, Christ and His

Irreplaceable? Georgia Douglass comes

Kingdom.  We are all in Georgia’s debt.

close. Her dedication over the years to

With gratitude for your fellowship in the

quality in content and appearance raised into

work, Georgia,

elite collegiate class the stable of Wheaton

President Emeritus Duane Litfin, HON

publications for which she was responsible.

1993-2010

She, and a tiny, talented staff, have made

Wheaton, Illinois

us proud to lay Wheaton magazine on our
living room coffee tables. And, oh, Georgia’s

Wheaton’s tight-knit global community is

unattributed editorial stamp is all over that

one of the main things that drew my sons to

gorgeous sesquicentennial book, Wheaton

Wheaton seven years ago. In the last

150. Upon her well-earned retirement, this

23 years, I believe nobody has done more to

one alumnus simply petitions: “Lord, send us

foster and strengthen that community than

I liked our occasional chances to talk shop.

more Georgia Douglasses!”

Georgia Douglass through her leadership of

Year in and year out, she produced a stylish

Ray Smith ’54

Wheaton magazine.

product. The look was attractive and the

Carol Stream, Illinois 

Before there was the Internet and Wheaton

Georgia Douglass ’70, M.A. ’94

writing clear, smooth, and concise. But the

web pages, there was Georgia and her team

heart of what she did was the content—

Great athletes make their sport look easy,

faithfully creating this excellent magazine

picking the right stories. Any editor serves

but insiders know better. So it is with editors. 

that informed, updated, and knit together

a variety of constituencies and masters.

Georgia Douglass has made the award-

the Wheaton family all over the world. Even

Georgia’s daunting task was to transform what

winning run of Wheaton magazine seem

after the creation of the World Wide Web,

had started as a strictly alumni magazine—

effortless. But those of us behind the scenes

Wheaton magazine arrived regularly, like a

class news, marriages, deaths—into one that

know the truth. 

trusted old friend, to let everyone know what

served the larger College community. She

was going on with their old and new friends.

did it with grace and skill. Under Georgia’s

Editing Wheaton is a daunting challenge. 
How to walk the fine line of representing
the College well without degenerating

Through Wheaton magazine, Georgia

leadership, Wheaton magazine reflected all of

also was one of the College’s most effective

the College’s many facets and its worldwide

into flackery; how to balance substance

ambassadors. Wheaton is extremely high

impact for Christ and His Kingdom. Well done,

and style, the verbal and the visual, print

quality and is the equal or better of similar

Georgia.

and white space; how to manage a team,

publications from much larger and better-

Don Holt ’57

inspire authors, and meet deadlines; how

known institutions. It is readable, thoughtful,

Wheaton, Illinois

to negotiate the competing expectations of

and well designed. Visitors to my home often

this or that wing of the magazine’s bell-curve

have commented on the high