Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Alexia Foundation visits WKU



Thanks to Peggy Peattie of the San Diego Union-Tribune (seen here taking a picture of herself with Peter and Aphrodite Tsairis) for spending a few days with our students. As part of the Alexia Foundation gallery and with support from the Hearst Foundation Peggy was able to share her work and ideas with photojournalism students at Western Kentucky University. She was the first professional recipient of the Alexia Foundation for working professionals.

On top: WKU president Gary Ransdell, middle, with his wife Julie, share a moment with current WKU photojournalism sequence chair James Kenney (L) and retired WKU photojournalism sequence chair Mike Morse (R) along with the director of the Alexia Foundation board, David Sutherland, a professor of photojournalism at Syracuse University and one of the founders of WKU's photojournalism program. The group was gathered for the opening of the "Eye's on the World" gallery show.

The family of Alexia Tsairis, a former Syracuse University photojournalism student and a victim of the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, has established the Alexia Foundation for World Peace, Inc., a non-profit foundation. Alexia's abiding beliefs were in the capacity and responsibility of individuals to shape and advance peace in our time. The Alexia Foundation is dedicated to providing students and professionals the means to do so.

Photos by Matt Fields-Johnson

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