Morton Leaves Middlebury Magazine

Author: Ashley Elpern

After leading Middlebury Magazine since 1995, Rachel Morton, former director of publications and editor of the periodical, has been named features editor of The Burlington Free Press. Guest editor Jake Chaplaine will oversee the production of the College-based magazine until a permanent replacement is hired.

Morton arrived at Middlebury in the winter of 1994 and immediately assumed the position of editor. She began her work in college publications at Dartmouth College, moving to the University of Massachusetts (UMASS) at Amherst Press and then working for the UMASS publications department.

Following two stints at Washington University in St. Louis and Hood College, she returned to UMASS Amherst, where she founded Contact Magazine, the university's first alumni magazine.

After her husband accepted a position at the University of Vermont, she began searching for editorial jobs in the state.

When Morton arrived at the College, "Middlebury did have a very good alumni magazine, but there had been a gap in editors, which allowed it to go fallow," Morton said. "It needed editorial order, someone to ask what the mission of the magazine was and how it could be defined."

Graphic Designer Pamela Fogg, who worked closely with Morton for three years, labeled the previous model "dry and boring." She explained that Morton wanted to make all the information in the magazine accessible — "to liven up the pages and encourage alumni to read the magazine."

While previous editors had focused primarily on text and production, Morton said she always had a strong interest in design. "For me what the reader gets is a combination of visuals and text," she continued. Morton worked closely with Fogg on the design aspects of the magazine, while Fogg helped to brainstorm article ideas and textual improvements.

"The best magazines are created when the editor and the designer work together," Morton asserted.

Fogg and Janis Bark, the magazine's assistant editor, agreed that Morton chose to look at the broad themes of the magazine. "She is a creative person," said Bark, "and she surrounded herself with people who could pay attention to the details for her."

They noted that Morton was not afraid to chase a story idea. "She wasn't afraid to put something out there that should be addressed. She didn't worry about ruffling feathers," Fogg continued.

Phil Benoit, director of public affairs, discussed Morton's leadership style at Middlebury Magazine and how she transformed the publication. "She evolved the position," he said, "continuing to build on all the success she got along the way. Rachel has an ability to take an idea, find an angle on it and make it into an interesting story you will want to read."

Morton's credibility as an editor grew quickly, said Benoit, and she was able to steer away from the usual content of alumni magazines that focus on promoting annual giving. She demonstrated that "good stories on their own raise funds and awareness," he said.

Illustrating Morton's success, the magazine has garnered either the silver or bronze award in the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education competition (CASE) from 1996 to the present. "Many other magazines have much more money and resources," said Benoit.

"The CASE award is something the whole staff should be so proud of," said Morton. "To be recognized each year is such an honor."

Part of Morton's success stems from her emphasis on ad revenue, which has enabled her to recruit freelance writers and photographers to elevate the quality of magazine content.

In the beginning, she "went door-to-door selling ads to local businesses" to bolster the small operating budget. Soon the program took off, and she hired an advertising representative to handle the job.

"Bringing in ads turned out to be a huge benefit," said Morton. "It allowed us to up the quality of the writing and art because we could now offer decent fees to our freelancers."

Although Morton said that she was very happy working at Middlebury Magazine and "wasn't anxious to leave," the Free Press offered her the position of features editor in mid-fall.

She accepted, citing being closer to her home in Burlington as one of the reasons for moving on.

In her last week, ending on Feb. 1, Morton finalized plans for the spring edition of Middlebury Magazine and began developing preliminary ideas for the summer edition.

"When you are so tied to a magazine, handing it off is traumatic," she said. "I wanted everything to be prepared — for the spring issue to be on its way with the cover and the art all set up."

She said she feels that Chaplaine was the right choice for the position because he understands the environment and culture of Middlebury.

Dorothy McCarty, the class notes editor of Middlebury Magazine, said that Chaplaine is "very stable and knowledgeable and will be a great bridge."

Morton began work at The Free Press on Feb. 4, overseeing four writers and creating a section each day.

She likened the transition from working at a quarterly to a daily as "treading water ever second. It is like I'm drowning," she said.

She has been brainstorming with her writers and drawing on her Middlebury experience, since "that is what I know about Vermont."

She also credited Metro Editor Ed Shamy as being "a great mentor. Without him I don't know how I would have managed," she said.

She will maintain her ties to Middlebury by working alongside Fogg on the College's viewbook.