Maria Henson, editor of Wake Forest Magazine, to retire

A message sent on behalf of Mark Petersen, senior vice president for University Advancement

Maria Henson (’82), longtime editor of Wake Forest Magazine, will retire this July after 15 remarkable years at the helm, during which she led her team to more than 30 awards for writing and overall excellence.

Maria joined the University Advancement team in June 2010 as Associate Vice President and Editor-at-Large. Since then, she has been a passionate, visionary leader and a creative force. What a legacy she leaves at her beloved alma mater!

Under Maria’s direction, Wake Forest Magazine flourished—earning more than 30 prestigious CASE awards for general excellence, writing, and special issues. In 2019, the magazine received the Robert Sibley Magazine of the Year Award—the highest national honor for university and college publications. Maria herself has also received several individual CASE awards for her outstanding feature writing.

When Maria took the reins, her mission was to move, surprise, and connect with alumni while upholding the magazine’s tradition of celebrating Wake Foresters and the spirit of Pro Humanitate. She elevated every element—from design and editorial content to the breadth and depth of storytelling—while maintaining journalistic integrity at its core.

And yet, as Mark Petersen, senior vice president for University Advancement, notes, Maria’s true legacy isn’t measured in awards. “It lies in her devotion to building relationships, honoring alumni through masterful storytelling, and bringing the Wake Forest story to life with heart,” he says. “You can feel it in every issue—the magazine has personality, voice, and character.”

Beyond Wake Forest, Maria’s impact on storytelling is profound. She’s a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner—first for a courageous editorial series on domestic violence in Kentucky that helped change state law, and later for editing a Pulitzer-winning environmental series on the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park.

Maria’s adventurous spirit shines just as brightly as her professional accomplishments.  In 2008, she took a sabbatical to volunteer at the University of Botswana and at safari lodges in the Okavango Delta, mentoring AIDS orphans and at-risk children. She’s explored all 50 states and over 60 countries, and at home, she tends to a front yard so magical that neighborhood children lovingly call it the “Fairy Garden.”

In classic Maria fashion, she’s chosen a symbolic day for her next chapter—July 4th—celebrating her own independence on Independence Day. This summer, she’s already looking forward to her next adventure: starting with an art class in Asheville.