Contact: Sammy McDavid
Entries by eight Mississippi State University seniors will be among those included later this year in the 2002 Best of College Photography Annual.
Kasey M. Crumbley and Chad A. Mason, both of Brandon, Joshua B. Hailey of Jackson, Cris E. Higginbotham of Shuqualak, Sean M. Hufnagel of Little Rock, Ark., Clint A. Parish of Amory, and Tasha L. Payton of Pearlington will have works featured in the hardcover national publication produced by Serbin Communications of Santa Barbara, Calif.
A variety of images they collected on film are among some 1,750--the top 7 percent--selected from more than 25,000 entries submitted to the highly competitive 22nd Annual College Photography Contest. Photographer's Forum, a 25-year-old magazine serving emerging professional photographers, and Nikon cameras are contest sponsors.
Marita Gootee, head of the MSU art department's photography program, teaches the eight students.
"Photography is a very demanding and highly competitive field," Gootee said. "It's not every day any of us can say we're in so select a group."
This year's inclusion of MSU students in the annual continues a virtually unbroken streak that began more than two decades ago when Serbin first announced the national competition.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE STUDENTS (listed as above):
Kasey Crumbley is a human sciences/interior design major and the daughter of Rodney Crumbley and Janet Crumbley.
Chad Mason is an art major and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ted Mason.
Josh Hailey is an art/photography major and the son of Lester Hailey and Shaula Hailey.
Sean Hufnagel is an art major and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Hufnagel.
Clint Parish is an industrial technology major and the son of Clifford Parish and Susie Miller.
Tasha Payton is an art major and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Sams.