Alexia Foundation Announces 1997 Photography Award Recipients

Subject: $15,000 Alexia Grant Competition

Sent: 12/1/96 11:44 AM

Received: 12/1/96 2:20 PM

From: Conan D. Owen, 71510.601@compuserve.com

To: ZoneZero

 

For Immediate Release

 

$15,000 GRANT COMPETITION INAUGURATED BY ALEXIA FOUNDATION

 

The Alexia Foundation announces a $15,000 grant competition for professionalphotographers will be added to its annual photojournalism contest beginning in1997. "The Alexia Grant will help photojournalists produce the stories that burnin their hearts," said Foundation Director Aphrodite Tsairis.

"There are many stories that need to be told, but photojournalists often lack the time or economic means to do the stories that are most important to them and to the world. The Alexia Foundation wants to offer them that opportunity," said Aphrodite Tsairis

The Alexia Foundation - a non-profit organization - was established by the family of Alexia Tsairis, an honor photojournalism student at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, who was a victim of the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on her way home after spending a semester at the Syracuse University London Centre. Since 1991 the Alexia Competition has awarded over $75,000 in scholarships for photojournalism students to study at the Syracuse University London Centre.

John Kaplan, a 1992 Pulitzer Prize winner, judged the Alexia Competition and taught the Syracuse University London Program in 1993. Kaplan said, "Unlike most contests, this one is not just for ego gratification. It has real meaning because it requires photographers to contemplate ways that they can really make a difference in the world and then makes it possible for them to do so." "The vision of the Tsairis family has changed lives and made meaningful careers in

photojournalism possible," Kaplan added. The Alexia Foundation seeks to reward a photojournalist who can conceive and execute a concise, focused, meaningful picture story which will foster world peace and cultural understanding through photography. In addition to a documentary project proposal a 10-20 picture portfolio demonstrating a high level of skill must also be submitted.

Judges for the competition are Robert Gilka, National Geographic Director of Photography emeritus; David Wells, freelance photographer; Bob Lynn, AME for Photography and Graphics at the Virginian-Pilot; and Jodi Cobb, National Geographic Magazine photographer.

The deadline for the Alexia Competitions is February 1. For complete rules contact the Alexia Foundation at ALEXIAFOTO@AOL.COM or contact David Sutherland, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, 215 University Place, Syracuse,NY, 13244-2100 or (315) 443-2304. Complete Application rules can be found in theDecember issue of the NPPA publication, News Photographer, and in Compuserve's Professional Photographer's Forum, Libraries nine and 15.

 

David Sutherland S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications

215 University Place Syracuse, NY 13244-2100

Phone: (315) 443-2304 ALEXIAFOTO@AOL.COM

 Alexia Foundation Announces 1997 Photography Award Recipients