The University of Georgia attained four distinctions in the 2025 Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s Circle of Excellence Awards contest, highlighting the finest education and nonprofit marketing and communication initiatives globally.

Amid over 4,460 submissions from 640 institutions across 33 nations, UGA received silver and bronze accolades for various photography projects.

“Our photography group at the University of Georgia sets an exceptionally high benchmark for quality, as reflected in the national honors they have garnered. Their skill, commitment, and imaginative spirit allow us to showcase the university in innovative and engaging ways,” remarked Kathy R. Pharr, vice president for marketing and communications and chief of staff to the president.

The honorees and categories are:

• Silver Award for Photography: Series or Collection of Related Photographs: Sanford Stadium: Game Ready (Chamberlain Smith and Andrew Davis Tucker, Division of Marketing and Communications)
• Bronze Award for Individual Photograph: Bear MRI (Andrew Davis Tucker, Division of Marketing and Communications)
• Bronze Award for Individual Photograph: The Future is Bright (Chamberlain Smith, Division of Marketing and Communications)
• Bronze Award for Individual Photograph: Swimming in Business (Brian Powers, Terry College of Business)

CASE is a worldwide organization of educational and nonprofit entities that emphasizes best practices in the advancement sector and organizes an annual awards competition for higher education, postsecondary, and nonprofit institutions.

For more details about the winners and to view clips, click here.

Photographers from the Division of Marketing and Communications also garnered several prestigious awards from the University Photographers’ Association of America (UPAA) during its 2025 symposium. UPAA is an international body of college and university photographers dedicated to the art and practice of photography in the context of higher education.

Chamberlain Smith secured third place in the Photographer of the Year contest.

Furthermore, UGA photographers achieved first, second, and honorable mention awards in the Annual Photo Competition; third place and honorable mentions in the Annual Narrative Competition; and third place in the Annual Publications Competition.

The article UGA earns several awards for photography excellence was first published on UGA Today.