2005 Student Winner

1st place

Erika Schultz is a senior journalism major at Northern Arizona University. She was a 2004 Eddie Adams Workshop participant and is the assistant photo editor of the University's Lumberjack Newspaper. She won a $9,000 scholarship to study photojournalism at the Syracuse University London Centre and a $1,000 grant to produce her picture story. She also likes backpacking, rock climbing and fly-fishing. She recently began mentoring on the Navajo Nation with the Bridges to Understanding program that connects children worldwide through digital storytelling.

39 students from four countries applied to the competition this year.

Each student winner receives a scholarship that pays part of tuition, fees and living expenses to study photojournalism in London in the fall semester at the Syracuse University London Centre and a cash grant to help produce their proposed story.

Judging

The judging was done at Syracuse University on Feb. 26, 2005. Judges were Mark Edelson, Presentation Editor at The Palm Beach Post, Vin Alabiso, and Bob Gilka, former National Geographic director of photography and adjunct professor of photojournalism and picture editing at Syracuse University.

Edelson, seven times Newspaper Picture Editor of the Year, works with photographers, designers, reporters and editors on the packaging of stories throughout the Palm Beach Post. He joined The Post as a picture editor in 1993, and he has been the lead picture editor or designer for the Post team that has earned numerous awards at BOP, POY, SND and in the PEQCC.

He has been a judge at POY, BOP and SND. Prior to joining The Post, he was Director of Photography at The Sun-Sentinel in Ft. Lauderdale. From 1981 to 1988 he was at The Sun-Tattler in Hollywood, Fl, working first as a photographer, then photo editor, page designer and finally Graphics Director

Vincent Alabiso is president of VJA inc., The Visual Journalism Alliance, a research and consulting firm that assists leading media organizations, such as The New York Times, in seeking creative solutions in expanding the revenue potential of their photographic content. In 2004, he was Associated Press director of global business development/photo.

From 1990 to 2003, as AP Vice President and Executive Photo Editor, he oversaw AP's global photo operation and led the department to eight Pulitzer Prizes in nine years. Before rejoining AP, Alabiso had been Director of Photography for the Boston Globe which, during his tenure, was cited for best use of photography in the national Pictures of the Year competition.

Prior to the Globe, he was AP's New England Photo Editor. He began his career as a staff photographer at the Patriot Ledger in Quincy, Mass., and has also taught photojournalism at Boston University. He received a journalism degree form Northeastern University in Boston.

Alabiso was named president of the Alexia Foundation board of directors in 2004.