2023 Philip Perry Photojournalism Challenge finalists

  • From Meredith Gamet’s essay “An Evening Out with the Loneliest Generation”: As the water drips down her face, Lindsay Best takes off her makeup for the night with someone else’s face wash. Gen Z spends more than any other generation on skin care practices.
    From Meredith Gamet’s essay “An Evening Out with the Loneliest Generation”: As the water drips down her face, Lindsay Best takes off her makeup for the night with someone else’s face wash. Gen Z spends more than any other generation on skin care practices. Meredith Gamet | junior journalism and French major
  • From Jordan Moore’s essay “Possessions”: Isabel Sheesley, 20, a junior at Southeast Community College, sees herself in the portrait of her great-grandmother. Sheesley wears her great-grandmother’s class ring from 1932 every day. The ring keeps her connected to her family, Sheesley said.
    From Jordan Moore’s essay “Possessions”: Isabel Sheesley, 20, a junior at Southeast Community College, sees herself in the portrait of her great-grandmother. Sheesley wears her great-grandmother’s class ring from 1932 every day. The ring keeps her connected to her family, Sheesley said. Jordan Moore | junior journalism major
  • From Amber Rodriguez’s essay “Beyond the Binary”: Mari Pilling, 21, with fresh black dyed hair, applies black eyeliner to their bottom eyelids for an evening makeup look in their apartment bathroom Feb. 25 in Lincoln. Pilling loves to express their genderless identity through unisex clothing, dark shades of makeup, tattoos and piercings. “I want the art that has brought me up to this point to be represented with who I am on my skin,” Pilling said. “I definitely believe that you wear your heart on your sleeve, and I'm literally putting that at practice and making sure that my story is literally left on my body.”
    From Amber Rodriguez’s essay “Beyond the Binary”: Mari Pilling, 21, with fresh black dyed hair, applies black eyeliner to their bottom eyelids for an evening makeup look in their apartment bathroom Feb. 25 in Lincoln. Pilling loves to express their genderless identity through unisex clothing, dark shades of makeup, tattoos and piercings. “I want the art that has brought me up to this point to be represented with who I am on my skin,” Pilling said. “I definitely believe that you wear your heart on your sleeve, and I'm literally putting that at practice and making sure that my story is literally left on my body.” Amber Rodriguez | junior journalism major
  • From Lydia Hernandez’s essay “The Things We Hold Onto”: Ty Demand and his friends (left) Marcus Koester (left) and Brayden Phillips (right) play “Mario Kart” on Koester’s Wii in his dorm room. "As a kid, I always went over to my best friend's basement and played games on the Wii for hours,” Demand said. “Since then, I have grown up and moved away to college and built new relationships with the people around me. I cannot believe 12 years later, I am in my college dorm room doing the same thing with the people who make me the happiest.”
    From Lydia Hernandez’s essay “The Things We Hold Onto”: Ty Demand and his friends (left) Marcus Koester (left) and Brayden Phillips (right) play “Mario Kart” on Koester’s Wii in his dorm room. "As a kid, I always went over to my best friend's basement and played games on the Wii for hours,” Demand said. “Since then, I have grown up and moved away to college and built new relationships with the people around me. I cannot believe 12 years later, I am in my college dorm room doing the same thing with the people who make me the happiest.” Lydia Hernandez | freshman advertising and public relations, and sports media and communication major
  • From Hayden Rooney’s essay “Hunger of Youth”: Nebraska Wesleyan junior Jaime Orton, 20, grabs a pack of beef-flavored ramen noodles Feb. 25 at Super Saver on North 27th Street.
    From Hayden Rooney’s essay “Hunger of Youth”: Nebraska Wesleyan junior Jaime Orton, 20, grabs a pack of beef-flavored ramen noodles Feb. 25 at Super Saver on North 27th Street. Hayden Rooney | sophomore broadcasting major