Over the weekend, 14 students competed in the 2026 Philip Perry Photojournalism Challenge from Feb. 21-22. Starting at 10 a.m. on Feb. 21, challengers had 24 hours to shoot and edit a photojournalism essay inspired by this year's theme, “Making a Difference.”
There are five scholarships on the line, all for the 2026-27 academic year: $5,000 for first place, $2,500 for second, $1,500 for third, and $500 will go to each of the other finalists.
Next Saturday, Feb. 28, a team of five professional judges—three of whom are CoJMC alumni—will do a live critique and announce the five finalists by 2 p.m. The finalists will then have three hours to prepare for final presentations at 5 p.m. in Andersen Hall, Room 15.
This year’s judges, who are listed below, will evaluate each essay based on subject matter, impact, creativity, composition, technical quality and storytelling:
Allen Schaben (‘93), Pulitzer Prize-winning staff photographer, Los Angeles Times
Brianna Soukup (‘14), staff photographer, The Portland Press Herald
Cara Owsley, Pulitzer Prize-winning visual journalist/director of photography, The Cincinnati Enquirer
Mike Davis (‘81), visual storytelling consultant, editor, educator and author
Robert Cohen, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist for four decades
Final presentations are open to the public and will be livestreamed by Associate Professor of Practice Alan Eno’s advanced videography course and headed by the college’s Technical Director Jamie Wenz.
For the first time this year, students from Eno’s class will emcee the event—Hayden Hudson, a junior broadcasting and journalism double major from Urbandale, Iowa, and Skylar Witte, a junior broadcasting and sports media and communication double major from Johnson, Nebraska.
The finalists will begin presenting at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28, in Andersen Hall, Room 15, or watch the livestream here: https://www.youtube.com/live/WvRVccR11Cg?si=IfDZzefvzKoaUcDm.
The Perry Photojournalism Challenge, established in 2019, is supported by Husker alumnus and friend of the college Philip Perry. It offers undergraduate students in the College of Journalism and Mass Communications an opportunity to showcase their storytelling while competing for a scholarship.
Following is a list of this year’s participants, listed alphabetically by hometown, with their year in school and academic major(s).
Nebraska
Crete: Camille Andelt, junior, advertising and public relations, broadcasting
Firth: Makayla Ebbers, sophomore, advertising and public relations, broadcasting
Kearney: Makayla Maxson, junior, advertising and public relations
Lincoln: Dixon Janney, junior, broadcasting, journalism; Drew Lohrman, freshman, advertising and public relations
Omaha: Jackson Ingvoldstad, junior, broadcasting; Alison White, sophomore, sports media and communication; Amanda Yuan, junior, broadcasting
Plattsmouth: Alex Gryczanowski, junior, broadcasting, journalism
Roca: Maggie Mullin, freshman, advertising and public relations
Saint Paul: Brady Cornelius, junior, advertising and public relations, broadcasting
Wahoo: Hannah Herrera, sophomore, advertising and public relations, broadcasting
York: Jalen Kroger, junior, broadcasting, journalism, sports media and communication
Elsewhere in the U.S.
Edina, Minnesota: Charlie Dekker, sophomore, sports media and communication
