Student places second in Hearst photo competition

University of Arizona senior and journalism major Dean Knuth won second place in the 46th Annual Hearst Awards Photojournalism Competition, earning a $1,500 scholarship and a matching grant for the journalism department.

Knuth, who plans to graduate in May, won in the categories of portrait/personality and feature. He'll send another portfolio of photos to San Francisco in May with hopes of being one of six finalists selected for the National Photojournalism Championship in June. The William Randolph Hearst Foundation funds the competition, which is open to the 100-plus colleges and universities with journalism programs accredited by the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Knuth recalled working with Bill Greer, associate professor of journalism, to pull together his entry and send it overnight to San Francisco. "We didn't hear anything for nearly a month until I walked up to my door and saw a Fed Ex package with the return address of San Francisco. This happened seven minutes before I had to be in class, so it was an interesting bike ride, trying to dodge the many pedestrians while calling as many people as I could. I was so excited while sitting in class I almost told the girl next to me, whom I had not spoken one word to the whole year."

Knuth submitted four images for the contest: children trying to get into a Mexican soccer league camp; fourth-graders competing in a two-mile race; a mechanic who opened his own all-night auto shop; and a man about to be ordained to the priesthood.

A Nebraska native, Knuth began freelancing for the East Valley Tribune in Phoenix while a junior in high school. In addition to his studies, Knuth handles imaging and photography duties at the Arizona Daily Star.

Knuth has won several National Press Photographers Association Region 10 monthly clip contests. "But this competition means a lot more than the clip contests," says Knuth, who hopes to work for a wire agency after graduation. "I know it's not the finals yet, but it has definitely changed my confidence in photography. Being nationally recognized with such a prestigious award is quite an honor."

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