April 14, 2006

Photojournalism students capture honors

by Tim Crosby

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Photojournalism students at Southern Illinois University Carbondale won almost half of the awards given by the Illinois Press Photographers Association Saturday (April 8).

Seven SIUC students brought home 22 of 51 total awards presented at the Illinois Student Best of Photojournalism contest by the IPPA, which represents professional news photographers across the state. A total of 43 students from 10 Illinois universities and colleges entered the contest.

The IPPA held the awards at the McCormick Tribune Center at Northwestern University. Professional news photographers from Illinois newspapers judged the entries, which were photos taken and published in 2005.

For the second straight year, the judges awarded Max Bittle, a junior photojournalism major at SIUC, second place in the Student Photographer of the Year category. He currently works at the The Courier in Carterville and has completed an internship at the St. Petersburg Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.

SIUC photojournalism students Anthony Souffle, a junior, and John Henry, a recent graduate, received honorable mention awards in the Student Photographer of the Year division.

A complete listing of the winners, their year in school, their hometowns and parents follows:

Student Photographer of the Year

• Max Bittle, junior, second place, 12762 N. Greenbriar Road, Carterville. Randy and Lynn Bittle.

• John Henry, 2005 graduate, honorable mention, 45 E. Hilanoa, Metropolis. Paul Henry, Metropolis and Mary Susan Lassy, Paducah, Ky.

• Anthony Souffle, junior, honorable mention, 1021 Portland St., Collinsville. Francis and Angela Souffle.

News photograph

• Alan Rogers, senior, honorable mention, 39 Long Creek Drive, Burnt Hills, N.Y. John and Holly Rogers.

• Souffle, honorable mention

Feature photograph

• Bittle, first place

• Lane Christiansen, sophomore, third place, 1501 N. River Road, Algonquin. Mary and John Christiansen.

• Henry, honorable mention

• Meredith Mercier, junior, honorable mention, 205 S. Second St., Kappa. David and Gladys Mercier.

• Bittle, honorable mention

Sports action photograph

• Mercier, second place

• Bittle, honorable mention

• Souffle, honorable mention

Sports feature photograph

• Amanda Whitlock, 2005 graduate, first place, 1121 Briarcliff Drive, Rantoul. George and Jan Whitlock.

• Souffle, honorable mention

Portrait/personality photograph

• Bittle, first place

• Souffle, honorable mention

Pictorial

• Henry, third place

• Bittle, honorable mention

Picture story

• Bittle, third place and honorable mention

• Henry, honorable mention

Leading in research, scholarly and creative activities is among the goals of Southern at 150: Building Excellence Through Commitment, the blueprint the University is following as it approaches its 150th anniversary in 2019.