News

Xavier Selects Winners in International Photo Contest

375 submissions received from students, staff and alumni

04/10/08

At a reception April 4, Xavier University’s Romero International Center, the Division of Student Life & Leadership, Marketing and Printing Services, Alumni Services and the Art Department announced the winners of the University’s second International Photo Contest, in which entrants captured different places around the world on film and entered them into the contest.

 

The contest opened for submissions in December and online voting started in late February. 375 students, faculty, staff, and alumni submitted photos and the contest judges narrowed the pool to 21 finalists in the student category and 10 in the faculty/staff/alumni category. Online voting started in late February and voters selsected their favorites.Canon provided prints for those 31 photos and they were hung in the Faces of the World Lounge in the Gallagher Student Center. The Lounge showcases images of different cultures from around the world.       

 

FIRST PLACE WINNERS

The first place winner in the student category was Cincinnatian Jessica McCoy (45233), whose photo, “Paanii” was taken during her trip to Varanasi, India. A graduate of Mother of Mercy HS, Jessica is a senior majoring in liberal arts with a minor in peace studies. She receives a Canon G-7 camera donated by Canon.  “I was on Xavier's Academic Service Learning Semester to India in the fall of 2007, McCoy says.  “We were visiting Varanasi, a holy city in the Hindu faith, through which the Ganges River runs.  We were there during the Chhath festival, where mostly women come to stand on the banks of the river all night and then worship the sun the next morning as it rises to ask for health and prosperity for their husbands and children or future ones.  We took a sunrise boat ride on the river and I took this photo after the sun had risen, with all the people lining the banks, dressed in their finest attire. India lends itself nicely to taking amazing pictures.  The colors in my photo are an everyday occurrence.  Color is very much a part of their entire wardrobe.” 

 

First place winner in the faculty/staff/alumni category was Rebecca Collins of New York City, a 2000 Xavier biology alumna, for “Shy Boy,” taken in Kabula, Kenya. Collins will receive a framed, signed photograph of Atitlan, Guatemala takeb by University photographer Greg Rust.

 

OTHER WINNERS - STUDENT CATEGORY

2^nd place: Meghan Snyder of Scottsdale, AZ (85258), for “Adme” taken in Jaipur, India. Meghan is a senior majoring in social work with minors in psychology and theology.  

 

3^rd and 4^th places: Tai Piazza from St. Louis (63125), for pictures from New Delhi, India. “Faith” won third place and “Shades of Fraternity” took fourth. Tai is a sophomore majoring in international studies with minors in international business.

 

OTHER WINNERS - FACULTY/STAFF/ALUMNI CATEGORY

2^nd place: Hem Joshi of Cincinnati (45242), for “Rice Plantation in a Hilly Area” taken in Shexa, Nepal. He is an assistant professor in the department of Math and Computer Science.

 

3^rd place: Keith Klenowski of Cincinnati (45211), for “School is Out” from Bombay, India. Keith is a 2001 psychology alumnus.

 

4^th place: Kevin Fitzgerald of Cincinnati (45229), for “Shy” taken on the East Coast of Nicaragua. Kevin graduated in 2006 with an honors degree in Philosophy, Politics and the Public.