International photojournalist, former White House photographer speaking, receiving degree at K-State Graduate School commencement

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COMMENCEMENT

Source: R.W. Trewyn, 785-532-5110, trewyn@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, 785-532-6415, ebarcomb@k-state.edu

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

INTERNATIONAL PHOTOJOURNALIST, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHER SPEAKING, RECEIVING DEGREE AT K-STATE GRADUATE SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT

MANHATTAN -- After having crossed the Hindu Kush Mountains on horseback and following U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois to Kenya, South Africa, and to Russia, photojournalist Pete Souza is returning to Kansas State University to give a commencement address and receive a degree.

Souza will speak at the Graduate School commencement ceremony at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, in Bramlage Coliseum, where he also will receive his master's degree in mass communications.

In addition, a collection of Souza's work will be on display from Saturday, Nov. 30, to Thursday, Dec. 21, at the Kemper Gallery in the K-State Student Union.

Souza is the national photographer for the Chicago Tribune's Washington bureau. Since joining the Tribune in 1998, he has covered world events and the Washington political scene. He was among the first journalists to record the fall of Kabul, Afghanistan, in November 2001. He also has documented the first two years of Obama's term in the U.S. Senate.

Souza was President Ronald Reagan's official White House photographer from June 1983 to Reagan's last day as president. He also produced and published several photography books on Reagan. From 1989 to 1998, Souza was a freelance photographer, taking photos for National Geographic and Life magazine.

His honors include awards from the Pictures of the Year competition, the National Press Photographer's Association Best of Photojournalism and the White House News Photographers Association competition. Souza's photos have been on display at K-State and other universities, as well as at the National Archives, Smithsonian Museum of American History and Corcoran Gallery of Art. He also has lectured at K-State, among other universities.

Souza is a native of South Dartmouth, Mass. He graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in public communications from Boston University. He worked on his master's studies at K-State from 1977-79 and recently began finishing requirements for his degree.