• Newsletter Subscriptions
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Continuing Education
    • Image
    1. Editor's Focus

    Editor's Focus: History and Tradition

    Oct. 1, 2012
    Much has changed in education over the past 85 years.

    Last month, American School & University entered its 85th year of service to the nation's school and university administrators.

    Much has changed in education over the past 85 years: from the impact technology has on teaching and learning to the innovative developments in how education facilities are planned, designed, constructed and operated — resulting in more energy-efficient and sustainable buildings that enhance the learning environment.

    But just as education has evolved over the past 85 years, so has AS&U. Starting off in 1928 as an annual sourcebook, American School & University not only continues its long tradition of serving as the information source with the monthly issue you have in your hands, but also meets your knowledge needs through ASUmag.com (daily news, research, article archives and more), SchoolDesigns.com (a searchable database of more than 4,000 recently completed school and university construction projects), five enewsletters (Schoolhouse Beat, GREEN School & University, First Monday Product News, Security Product Solutions and Green Product Solutions), educational webinars, online Buyers' Guide, a mobile app and more.

    AS&U values the contributions it has made to the education facilities and business operations landscape over this time (of which I am proud to have served for more than 25 years). Among the more notable contributions:

    • The first and longest-running publication to focus exclusively on education facilities and business operations.

    • Created the first competition and sourcebook of award-winning and other outstanding school and university projects (Architectural Portfolio starting in 1983 and Educational Interiors Showcase in 1991).

    • Provided industry-exclusive research on construction, maintenance and operations and more for more than eight decades.

    • Published the groundbreaking "Facilities Impact on Learning" series, which helped bring the poor condition of the nation's school buildings to national prominence (1992), and contributed to the passage of the Education Infrastructure Act of 1995.

    • Remains the most recognized and award-winning education facilities and business operations franchise. AS&U won the Jesse H. Neal Award — the Pulitzer Prize of business journalism — in 2010, and two other times has been a finalist for the honor.

    Here's looking at the next 85 years!

    What do you think? Tell us in the comment box below.

    About the Author

    Joe Agron Blog | Editor-in-Chief and Associate Publisher

    Joe Agron is the editor-in-chief/associate publisher of American School & University magazine. Joe has overseen AS&U's editorial direction for more than 30 years, and has helped influence and shape national school infrastructure issues. He has been sought out for comments by publications such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, U.S. News & World Report, ABC News and CNN, and assisted with the introduction of the Education Infrastructure Act of 1994.

    Joe also authors a number of industry-exclusive reports. His "Facilities Impact on Learning" series of special reports won national acclaim and helped bring the poor condition of the nation's schools to the attention of many in the U.S. Congress, U.S. Department of Education and the White House.

    Sponsored Recommendations

    Latest from Editor's Focus

    Mike Kennedy

    Executive decisions

    July 1, 2023

    Sponsored