Contact: Karie Patton
Two Mississippi State University art students are having their works published in the "Best of College Photography Annual 2000."
Shannon N. Caruso of Picayune and Christina M. Moore of Starkville each had an image selected in the highly competitive 20th Annual College Photography Contest sponsored by Nikon cameras and Photographer's Forum magazine.
Moore, a senior art major, also received an honorable mention by the jurors--an achievement reached by only 1 percent of all entrants.
The entries of Caruso, a December fine arts graduate, and Moore competed against more than 20,000 others from the United States and Canada. Only 6 percent of the total are accepted for judging by three representatives from the photographic industry.
The two students continue a tradition begun in 1980 when Mississippi State entries first were included in the annual publication of Serin Communications of Santa Barbara, Calif.
Marita Gootee, MSU art professor, had high praise for Caruso's and Moore's achievements.
"The field of photography is very demanding and highly competitive," Gootee said. "These students worked hard with limited resources to create exciting imagery and we are proud of them and their work."