SIU wins 32 awards at photojournalism conference

Student photojournalists from SIUC won 32 awards this weekend at the Illinois Press Photographers Association convention in Evanston, more than any other school in the state.

SIUC also secured seven 1st place awards, and alumnus Derek Anderson was named the student photographer of the year. SIUC sophomore Max Bittle and alumnae Amber Arnold came in second and third place for the same title and sophomore Anthony Soufflé was given an honorable mention. This is the second year in a row SIUC students took the top four places in the category.

"We have dominated every year for the last five years," said James Kelly, associate professor of journalism who re-started the photojournalism program six years ago. "This is just another good year in a string of good years and it's still a young program." Photojournalist-in-residence Phil Greer said the string of awards solidifies SIUC's program as the best in the state and proves students here can compete with students from some of the best photojournalism schools in the nation, such as the University of Missouri, Western Kentucky University and Ohio University. "What's happening now is we are getting a lot of good word of mouth," Greer said. "So now we are getting students from these top programs who want to come here because they recognize our strength and recognize that we will just continue to grow."

Anderson, who just completed a nine-month internship at the Quad City Times, said he originally planned to study film, but took a photojournalism class and was inspired by Kelly and Greer. "Any award or recognition I get is a direct reflection of everything that they taught me," Anderson said. "Phil always said that photojournalism is a way of life, and he's right. They expected a lot out of us, but they also gave us a lot, from just putting a camera into your hands or sitting down and critiquing your work, and in my opinion, they have made SIU one of the top five photojournalism programs in the nation."

Other award winners include: senior Amanda Whitlock, who placed first for a feature photo, Meredith Mercier, a sophomore who placed 3rd for a feature photo, Katy Fortune, a senior who received an honorable mention for a portrait, Roger Darrigrand, a senior who received an honorable mention for a pictorial and John Henry, a senior who received an honorable mention for sports feature.

List of awards: Student Photographer of the Year Portfolio 1st Derek Anderson, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 2nd Max Bittle, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 3rd Amber Arnold, Southern Illinois University Carbondale HM Anthony Soufflé, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

News 1st Max Bittle, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 2nd Derek Anderson, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 3rd Derek Anderson, Southern Illinois University Carbondale HM Derek Anderson, Southern Illinois University Carbondale HM Amber Arnold, Southern Illinois University Carbondale HM Derek Anderson, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Feature 1st Amanda Whitlock, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 3rd Meredith Mercier, Southern Illinois University Carbondale HM Max Bittle, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Sports Action 1st Derek Anderson, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 2nd Max Bittle, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Sports Feature 1st Max Bittle, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 2nd Derek Anderson, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 3rd Stephen Haas, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston HM John Henry, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Portrait/Personality 2nd Derek Anderson, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 3rd Max Bittle, Southern Illinois University Carbondale HM Amber Arnold, Southern Illinois University Carbondale HM Katy Fortune, Southern Illinois University Carbondale HM Derek Anderson, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Pictorial 1st Max Bittle, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 2nd Anthony Soufflé, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 3rd Amber Arnold, Southern Illinois University Carbondale HM Amber Arnold, Southern Illinois University Carbondale HM Roger Darrigrand, Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Picture Story 1st Derek Anderson, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 2nd Amber Arnold, Southern Illinois University Carbondale 3rd Max Bittle, Southern Illinois University Carbondale HM Anthony Soufflé, Southern Illinois University Carbondale