Four ASU photojournalists were recognized for their outstanding submissions to the Greg Crowder Memorial Photojournalism contest in the Cronkite School’s First Amendment Forum on Friday.
Molly J. Smith was the winner of this year’s competition. Smith was awarded $1,000, and her photos will be on display in Cronkite until the upcoming spring when the next winner will be announced. Smith plans on using the $1,000 award to buy a new camera lens, which she deemed “a fitting purchase.”
Smith was an award-winning photographer in high school and photo editor for her high school yearbook. At ASU she has worked for the State Press, the Cronkite Journal and has contributed to the Downtown Devil. Smith is paid by the Cronkite School when she shoots events for it, and many of her photos have been featured on the Cronkite School’s website.
Smith also has interned at the Arizona Republic, the Phoenix New Times and Arizona Highways Magazine. She is on track to graduate from the Cronkite School in 2013 and plans on being a writer and photographer for a newspaper or magazine.
Crowder Memorial Photojournalism Award
- Winner: Molly J. Smith
- Honorable Mention: Michel Duarte
- Honorable Mention: Lauren Hillhouse
- Honorable Mention: Stephanie Snyder
The Greg Crowder Memorial Photojournalism Award contest was established in 2010 by Crowder’s parents, Troy and Betsy Crowder, in honor of their son. Greg Crowder graduated from ASU in 1980 and worked for the State Press, interned at the Arizona Republic, and had been a photojournalist for the Riverside Press-Enterprise in California before he passed away in 2005.
Students submitted six to eight of their best photographs showing a range of abilities from portraits to sports photography. A committee comprised of Cronkite faculty and professionals in the community with an interest in photojournalism selected the winner and the honorable mentions.
This year’s judges were Con Keyes, a former photo editor of the Los Angeles Times; Mike Meister, a photo editor for the Arizona Republic; and Kristin Gilger, the associate dean of the Cronkite School.
There were 40 entries to this year’s competition and, according to the judges, competition was fierce; honorable mention recipients Michel Duarte, Lauren Hillhouse and Stephanie Snyder just missed the top spot.
“The competition and interest in the (photojournalism) program is increasing,” said Troy Crowder. “That makes the award more relevant.”
Contact the reporter at cydney.mcfarland@asu.edu
Editor’s note: Stephanie Snyder is a managing editor for the Downtown Devil.
