Patricia Prijatel

E.T. Meredith Distinguished Professor
Head, Magazine Major

About Patricia Prijatel

Patricia Prijatel received her B.A. in English and journalism from the University of Southern Colorado, her M.A. in mass communication from Drake and has done doctoral work in sociology at Iowa State University.

Pritricia Prijatel is the co-author of Magazine Publishing, published by NTC Contemporary Publishing in Lincolnwood, Illinois. The book will soon be available in bookstores under the title, The Magazine from Cover to Cover. Prijatel's co-author is Sammye Johnson of Trinity University.

Prijatel was the winner of the 1999 Madelyn M. Levitt Teacher of the Year Award, Drake's most prestigious award for professors. In 1999, she was also named E.T. Meredith Distinguished Professor of Journalism. In 1997, she was honored by both of her alma maters, receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Southern Colorado and the Alumni Achievement Award from Drake University. In 1990, she won Drake's Burlington-Northern Award for teaching excellence.

Patricia Prijatel earned her professional credentials as a writer for Better Homes and Gardens, editor of Earth Matters and Catholic Rural Life and as a writer, editor and designer for a host of local and regional magazines. She's earned numerous national awards for magazine editing and design, including thirteen first place awards from the Catholic Press Association.

Her work has also appeared in Print, Country Home, Midwest Living, Home Plan Ideas, Building Ideas, Window and Wall Ideas, The Des Moines Register, Wallace’s Farmer, and Farm Wife News.

She has helped several organizations redesign and reposition their magazines, including the Farm Bureau’s Family Ties, the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Science’s Chronicle, the Des Moines Home Builder Association’s Blueprint, and the Iowa League of Cities’ Cityscape.

Drake's magazine sequence has more than quadrupled under Prijatel's leadership, going from four graduates in 1984 to 24 in 1998. Drake students produce two magazines–Drake Magazine, for the campus audience and a Des Moines city magazine. In the past, students have produced Des Moines Health and Fitness, Des Moines Brides, Des Moines Magazine and DM Magazine. Both magazines have won top national and regional awards, including the Pacemaker from the Associated Collegiate Press; the Gold Medalist from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) and eight first place awards in the Gold Circle Awards through the CSPA; and the Mark of Excellence award from the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and seven first place awards from SPJ.

She is on the advisory board of the magazine division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and has presented numerous papers on magazine history, content, advertising and management at the association's annual meetings. She's also served as a panelist or moderator on issues including adless magazines, teaching magazine history, magazine design, computer-aided design and magazine internships. Her work has been published in Journalism Educator, Midwest Communication Research Journal and School Press Review.

She has written the histories of Ms, and of Metropolitan Home for Women's Periodicals, Volume I and is writing the history of Women's Standard and of Free Press for Women's Periodicals, Volume II. Her history of Flair magazine was published in Print magazine. She is a screener for the National Magazine Awards sponsored by the American Society of Magazine Editors. She has judged writing awards for the Iowa Newspaper Association, Associated Church press, and Advanstar Communications.

ContactPatricia Prijatel: patricia.prijatel@drake.edu

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