The Dean of Students Photo Contest continues to highlight student creativity at BYU, while shaping the visual identity of the Wilkinson Student Center.
The annual contest urges students to submit photographs capturing varying aspects of campus life, from everyday moments to meaningful cultural experiences. The contest also offers cash prizes, giving students both recognition and incentive to participate.
Kyle Slaughter, a senior consultant in the Dean of Students Office, said the contest began about eight years ago after student feedback prompted a change in the building’s decor.
“The building used to be pretty full of random paintings you would anticipate seeing either in an older chapel or your grandma's living room,” Slaughter said. “We wanted to have stuff that’s relevant to students.”
Rather than filling the space with generic artwork, organizers saw an opportunity to feature student vision through photography. Since then, the contest has become a central way to ensure the building reflects student experiences and perspectives as well as creative outlets.
“You could even get AI to develop things if you wanted to. But it's not the same look, feel or intent as getting students' work up on the walls,” Slaughter said.
Each year, categories are created to guide submissions while still allowing flexibility.
While many students gravitate toward nature photography, Slaughter said there has been an emphasis on capturing students themselves and the activities that define campus life.
Student photographer Samuel Nielsen decided to submit after seeing others’ work displayed in the WSC.
“I love walking around the Wilk and seeing all the pictures hung up,” Nielsen said. “One day I was walking and said, ‘why not me?’”
Nielsen’s submission came from a spontaneous moment during a photoshoot with a friend.
“The sunset was too pretty, lighting up the mountains,” he said. “I said, ‘Jonah, put on your Maori clothes.’ We rushed and took it.”
For Nielsen, the image carried personal and cultural significance.
“It means a lot to me that I got to take a picture honoring his heritage,” he said. “I was honored to take it.”
He said he hopes viewers connect with the image on a deeper level.
“I want people to look at the photo and feel inspired,” Nielsen said. “I want people to look at the picture and ask questions.”
The contest is open to photographers of all experience levels, which Slaughter said is intentional. Some winners use professional equipment, while others capture moments on their phones.
“Don’t feel bad throwing your hat in,” Slaughter said. “I think students should feel comfortable and confident sharing their perspective on the world.”
For photography major Hallie Allred, pictures serve as a powerful form of connection beyond the contest itself.
“Photography is a form of communication that connects people across languages, ages, backgrounds, ethnicities and religions,” Allred said. “It is both truth and light, capturing the beauty and the brutal honesty of the world we live in.”
Organizers continue to refine the contest each year, including adjustments to the judging process and new initiatives like mural projects in the WSC. Slaughter said changes are planned for the upcoming year based on student feedback.
As the contest evolves, its purpose remains consistent: to give students a platform to share their perspectives and to make the student center feel like their own.