Winner Announced in Cellphone Photo Contest

Bill R. Van der Meer, director of the Pennsylvania Housing Resource Center at Pennsylvania College of Technology, is the Fall 2007 winner of the PCToday Photo Contest. This semester's competition invited faculty/staff and students to submit photographs taken only with cellular-phone cameras. For his blue-ribbon entry, Van der Meer receives $25 gift cards from the College Store and Bookmarks Café. Befitting both the prevalence and portability of cellphones, a variety of submissions – documenting scenes on and far off campus – were received. A group of "honorable mentions," then, just a sprinkling of the eye-catching entries, also is showcased below.
 

Van der Meer's winning photo, "Ocean Kayaks at Point Break," was captured at low tide on Cape Cod, Mass., in June. An intense April Nor'easter cut a new breach through the barrier island called North Beach, where tides now ebb and flow between the Atlantic Ocean and Pleasant Bay. "The village of Chatham, which is perilously situated on the ever-shifting sands at the elbow of the Cape, is now vulnerable to a new assault," Van der Meer noted. "The breakthrough is a magnet for baitfish and striped bass, which, in turn motivates kayak fishermen to negotiate its strong currents to reap rewards that also include spectacular sunrises, paddling with seals and views of birds pinned to the sky."   Van der Meer also submitted this runner-up photo taken in May during a series of super cells that swept through the area. He said he watched the evolution of this "malevolent rotating mass" from his Reach Road office window, looking north toward Cogan Station. Although not confirmed as a tornado, several were reported through central and northeastern Pennsylvania that day, and meteorologist Tom Clark chose to run this image twice on WNEP's Storm Tracker 16 newscast. Honorable Mentions Among the many notable entries in this semester's contest were, clockwise from lower left, two intriguing examples of outdoor symmetry and composition from Peter L. McMurray, an automotive technology management major; Van der Meer's "Touchdown;" a colorful view of the Student and Administrative Services Center, courtesy of Aaron M. Hale, majoring in information technology: network specialist; and Karen Woland Payne's view from the playground of the child-care center in Portovenere, on the Italian Riviera, where the Children's Learning Center director attended a dedication ceremony.

Winner's Archive

Among past winners:
 

     Matthew Divok, residential construction technology and management student, "After Hours"

     Matthew J. O'Brien, electronics and computer engineering technology student – "Madigan Library"

     Tara L. Hiepler, construction management student – "Penn College in the Community"

     Steven A. Quinn, HVAC technology student – "Show Us Your School"

     Susan S. Stopper, part-time counter clerk, Mail and Document Services – "What's Your Campus 'Eye-Q?"

     Linda M. Barnes, associate professor, occupational therapy assistant – "Oh, the Places Penn College Will Go"

Mary Jane Baier, secretary to the School of Business and Computer Technologies – Pet Contest winner

Bambi A. Hawkins, interim director of paramedic Program – December 2003 winner

Kirk M. Cantor, associate professor of plastics technology – Summer 2003 winner

Michael S. DiPalma, counselor – winner

Cherie L. Davison, research database specialist – multiple winner