2021 Photo of the Year finalists

Sept. 24, 2021

Associated Collegiate Press announces the finalists in its 2021 Photo of the Year competition.

Winners in this and all Individual Award categories, as well as the ACP Pacemaker Awards, will be announced virtually at 6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT Thursday, Oct. 14, during the Fall National College Media Convention.

Finalists listed below are alphabetical by state.


Register for the Fall National College Media Convention
presented virtually Oct. 14-16, 2021

2021 Individual Award finalists
Advertisement • BroadcastCartoon • Design
Multimedia • Photo • Reporter • Story
Social Media • COVID-19 Coverage

2021 Pacemaker finalists
Broadcast • Business • Innovation
Magazine • Newspaper • Online • 2020 Yearbook


News/Breaking News Photo

“City DREAM is Here to Help Undocumented Students”
Kevin Kelleher
The Guardsman
City College of San Francisco
San Francisco, California

“A Call for Justice: Expanding the Boundaries of Social Activism, Outreach and Ministry”
Phillip Ndowu
Pursuit
California Baptist University
Riverside, California

“BLM and WLM Face-Off with police officer in Huntington Beach”
Jonathan Putman
The Corsair
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica, California

“BLM and WLM Face-Off in Huntington Beach”
Jonathan Putman
The Corsair
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica, California

“Indianapolis shooting vigil”
Alex Deryn
Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana

“Vaccine Clinic”
Jack Weaver
Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

“Honoring those lost to COVID-19″
Martha McHaney
Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

“The Viral President”
Mansoor Ahmad
The Reporter
Minnesota State University
Mankato, Minnesota

“Conflict after Trump supporters demand only ‘legal votes’ be counted”
Thomas Yang
The Pitt News
University of Pittsburg
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

“Megaphone March”
Elias Valverde II
The Shorthorn
University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, Texas


Feature Photo

“Chicagohenge”
Eric Henry
The DePaulia
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

“Riding Reflections”
Rebecca Slezak
The Ball State Daily News
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

“Storm Aftermath”
Jake Maish
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

“Socially distanced outdoor class”
Mansoor Ahmad
The Reporter
Minnesota State University
Mankato, Minnesota

“Under their wings”
Abby Gibbs
Elon News Network
Elon University
Elon, North Carolina

“UNC dentistry school provides care to local families”
Angelica Edwards
The Daily Tar Heel
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

“Before the kids went back to school”
Jack Bender
Emerge
University of Guelph-Humber
Toronto, Ontario

“Taking Up Space — Maya Ingram”
Zhané Bradley
Garnet & Black
University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina

“Bridge reader”
Jack Starks
The Daily Texan
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas

“Vaccine Cringe”
Elias Valverde II
The Shorthorn
University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, Texas


Sports Game/Action Photo

“Beach volleyball”
Kyle Calzia
Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California

“Return to Sports: 100 Yard Butterly”
Maxim Elramsisy
The Corsair
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica, California

“Wrestle for the ball”
Ethan Levy
Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana

“Luka Garza”
Kate Goodale
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

“Volleyball vs. Ole Miss”
Jack Weaver
Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

“NC State Bowl Game vs. Kentucky”
Michael Clubb
Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

“Ole Miss vs. Arkansas”
Hannah Grace Biggs
The Daily Mississippian
University of Mississippi
University, Mississippi

“MTEN vs FSU: CatryHits”
David Tracey
Agromeck
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

“Steeplechase stadium running”
Chase Sutton
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

“Hair-raising ride”
Elias Valverde II
The Shorthorn
University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, Texas


Sports Feature Photo

“The Joy of Victory”
Kyle Calzia
Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California

“Bronco Football”
Mackenzie Hudson
The Arbiter
Boise State University
Boise, Idaho

“Wynn Wins”
Jacob Musselman
The Ball State Daily News
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

“With postseason in mind, volleyball announces spring schedule”
Sophie Osborn
The Collegian
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas

“NCAA Volleyball National Championship”
Michael Clubb
Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

“COVID-friendly bench”
Mansoor Ahmad
The Reporter
Minnesota State University
Mankato, Minnesota

“Champions”
Maddie Knight
Daily Emerald
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

“Throwing in the towels”
Chase Sutton
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

“Lacrosse lineup high fives”
Chase Sutton
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

“Bubble Ballgame”
Elias Valverde II
The Shorthorn
University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, Texas


Environmental Portrait

“Self Portrait Day 14″
Danny De La Cruz Pena
el Don
Santa Ana College
Santa Ana, California

“Jazz Legend Locks Down Nomination”
Maxim Elramsisy
The Corsair
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica, California

“Stephanie Forbes exposes her truths in upcoming exhibition, ‘Root’”
Madelyn Conlin-Day
District
Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia

“Columbia student wins fashion merchandising scholarship”
Zachary Clingenpeel
The Columbia Chronicle
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

“Skater Park”
Isaac Janssen
KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

“A glimpse into the life of a beekeeper”
Allie Hendricks
Talisman
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky

“Campus preacher Brother Jed”
Mansoor Ahmad
The Reporter
Minnesota State University
Mankato, Minnesota

“Stepping Up for Justice”
Renée Deemer”
The NewsHouse
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

“Winsome Wild: Keith Tripp”
Sam Brooks
SALT: Military Photojournalism 2021
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

“YTEP’s Center for Space Exploration and Technology Research provides opportunities”
Hugo Hinojosa
The Prospector
The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, Texas