Contact: Sammy McDavid
Three Mississippi State University art majors will have photographs featured in a national publication later this year.
Single entries by seniors Alison J. Gilbert of Brandon and Tommy O. Hardin of Tunica and junior Erin R. Roy of Vicksburg will be included in the 1997 edition of Best of College Photography Annual.
The black-and-white images by Gilbert and Roy, along with Hardin's color print from a slide, are among only 6 percent chosen for the annual publication from among nearly 20,000 entries.
Best of College Photography is published in the late summer by Serin Communication of Santa Barbara, Calif. For the past 17 years, the annual has displayed the top entries of the College Photography Contest, which is sponsored by Photographer's Forum magazine and Nikon cameras.
Associate art professor Marita Gootee said Mississippi State students "have consistently been included in the publication" since it was begun in 1980.
"The field of photography is very demanding and highly competitive," she said. "It's not every day any of us can say we're in the top 6 percent of nearly 20,000.
"Due to their competitive natures and drives, we feel confident Alison, Tommy and Erin will succeed in photography or any other area of the visual arts," she added.
Gilbert is the daughter of Patsy L. Gilbert. Hardin's parents are Mr. and Mrs. William D. Hardin Sr.; Roy, Mr. and Mrs. James R. Roy.