Winners of University's AKD Photography Contest Announced

Amateur photographer Jose G. Esqueda captured the "Best of Show" prize for a juried photography contest sponsored by Texas A&M International University's Alpha Kappa Delta Sociology Honor Society (AKD).

Esqueda was awarded $500 for his winning entry, which jurors felt best captured the contest theme, "Images of A Borderless Society." Other winners were as follows:

Black and white category: 1st Place, "Gathering of the Minds" by Alexander Aleman; 2nd Place, "Crossing Borders" by Alexander Aleman; 3rd Place, "La Conquista" by Marissa Muñoz; and Honorable Mention, "Antelope House" by Marissa Muñoz, "The Nameless Preacher" by Pablo Reyes; and "Where the Road Takes Us" by Marissa Muñoz.

Color category: 1st Place, "Cemetery in Chichicastenango, Guatemala" by Salomon Abrego; 2nd Place, "The Welcoming Committee" by Claudio Fox; 3rd place, "Lo Nuevo y Lo Viejo" by Josefina Luera; and Honorable Mention, "Out on a Limb" by Oscar J. Muñoz, "Ollin" by Josefina Luera, and "Playing Solo" by Jose G. Esqueda.

Digital category: 1st Place "Court in Recess" by Alexander Aleman, and 2nd Place "Connections" by Ricardo Torres. No 3rd Place or Honorable Mention were awarded.

First, second and third place winners for each of the three competition categories were awarded $200, $100 and $50, respectively.

Winners were announced and all entries were exhibited during a special reception held in the Great Room of the University's Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library. The reception featured a performance by musician Dr. Michael Yoder, assistant professor of Geography at A&M International.

The reception was followed by a lecture on "100 Years of Socially Conscious Documentary Photography," presented by noted photographer J. Michael Short, photojournalist with The Laredo Morning Times.

Short also served as a juror for the contest. Other jurors included Gabriel Castillo, special events coordinator and assistant vice president for marketing, International Bank of Commerce; Martha Gonzalez, executive director, Laredo Center for the Arts; Linda Jennett, board member, Laredo Center for the Arts; Charles G. T. Johnson, local interior/landscape designer; Janet E. Krueger, assistant professor of Art at A&M International, and Oralia Roach, photographer and associate director of public affairs and information services at A&M International.

The contest and presentation were sponsored by the AKD in association with the Laredo Center for the Arts and A&M International. Event organizers were Veronica Martinez and Tamara Casso, A&M International students and AKD members.

Proceeds from the contest will support graduate sociology student scholarships at A&M International.

For additional information, contact Veronica Martinez at (956) 326 2322, or email to veronica@tamiu.edu or tcasso@icsi.net.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Affairs and Information Services at pais@tamiu.edu