Three students take top spots in spring 2025 Gyorke photojournalism contest
Undergraduate student Grant Lyon won the spring 2025 Drew Gyorke Memorial Photojournalism Award for his photo of a boxing match.
Ruby Wray took second place in the contest with a photo of a University of Arizona student relaxing atop a tree stump outside of the Gila dorm, while Celeste Lizarraga placed third with a photo of protestors on the university’s campus.
The contest has recognized the best photojournalism work by undergraduate students at the University of Arizona School of Journalism since 2013 and honors Drew Gyorke, an adventurer and aspiring photojournalist who died that year while attending the university. Find a list of past winners here.
The three awardees were selected from a dozen student finalists in Professor Rick Wiley’s photojournalism class.
All of the finalists’ photos will soon be displayed in the halls on the third floor of the Louise Foucar Marshall Building and the top three finalists will receive cash prizes.
Kim Newton, professor emeritus at the School of Journalism; Kelly Presnell, photojournalist at the Arizona Daily Star; and Mike Christy ('11), director of sports photography for Arizona Athletics, returned as this semester’s judges.
Find all of the student photos below:
Derrick Lyons and Andrew Baraksos take part in a friendly boxing match in Tucson, Arizona, on March 8, 2025. (1st Place)
Photo by Grant Lyon
University of Arizona student Diana Klestadt uses her phone while laying on a tree stump outside of the Gila dorms on Feb. 17, 2025. (2nd Place)
Photo by Ruby Wray
Protestors hold signs outside of the Douglass Building during the installation of Suresh V. Garimella as the University of Arizona's president on March 25, 2025. (3rd Place)
Photo by Celeste Lizarraga
Musician Ian Smith takes the stage at the Rialto Theatre in Tucson, Arizona, on February 6, 2025.
Photo by Grant Lyon
Elizabeth Hardy, longtime employee, poses with a bottle of syrup at Caffe Luce on University Boulevard on March 16, 2025.
Photo by Alma Velazquez
Basil Denboer sits next to a campfire during a camping trip near Mt. Lemmon on Feb. 11, 2025.
Photo by Henry Reed
Members of Zeta Psi at the University of Arizona compete in a volleyball tournament on March 28, 2025, as part of a philanthropy event for Kappa Alpha Theta.
Photo by Gabi Alvarado
Gavin Binzer plays guitar on his front porch at his home in Tucson. His dog, Daisy, sits next to him as he strums an original song.
Photo by Sydney Sutton
A child peers over the outdoor railing at the University of Arizona's McKale Center.
Photo by Andres Valenzuela
Casper Christensen, left, returns the ball while Oskar Jansson stays ready at the LaNelle Robson Tennis Center at the University of Arizona. The Wildcats won the doubles match against the University of Utah men's tennis team on April 3, 2025.
Photo by Celeste Lizarraga
A boxer rests in the corner of a ring during a boxing match.
Photo by Ruby Wray
A student drinks coffee and works on her laptop at the University of Arizona library.
Photo by Charlie Kreppein