Alumni Spotlight - Jerry Gay

Jerry Gay: Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photographer

Jerry Gay started taking pictures at age 11 and dreamed of some day becoming a professional photographer. After high school, Jerry chose EvCC as the next step in advancing his photographic training. “The EvCC program was very good; my instructors and fellow students were a deeply positive influence during that time,” says Jerry. He went on to attend Brooks Institute of Photography, eventually working for several newspapers, including The Everett Herald. In 1975, while a staff photographer for the Seattle Times, Jerry was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for news photography. The prize-winning photograph entitled, “Lull in the Battle” powerfully depicts firemen in a moment of deep reflection after battling a house fire. Many more accolades and opportunities followed. After a diverse communications career spanning 50 years, Jerry is now looking ahead to a new career in public speaking, saying, “Resolve your questions, follow your passions, and explore your feelings as very important sojourns.”

What is your current occupation/career?

Currently, I am rebuilding my purpose after taking five years to personalize my life journey to search out and resolve internal issues I didn’t take the opportunity for when I was career focused. This journey explores financial, alcohol, and relationship situations that I couldn’t find the solutions within myself until now. Presently, I totally focus on myself; to see deeply inward and let go of resolving everyone else’s issues. I am starting my new career in public speaking, while helping create a visually enhanced website for global people making pictures focused on positive perceptions of our common daily reality and interactions within all aspects of being, seeing, and giving peace and love in life.

How did you choose EvCC? Was there a selection process involved in your decision making?

During my junior high and high school journalism /annual classes and projects as a photographer, I examined the EvCC photography programs as my next step forward. A year after graduation, I was married and working full-time. Still, I was able to regulate my work schedule to take invaluable photography classes at EvCC.  

Do you think your time at EvCC helped you pursue your current career? How?

My classes gave me the advanced photographic training and encouraging photographic results from assignments to keep me moving ahead. My EvCC instructors and fellow students’ attitudes were a deeply positive influence during my long days and nights at work and during school.

What did you do after you left (or graduated from) EvCC?

After I finished basic photography and photojournalism classes at EvCC, I moved to Santa Barbara, California to attend the internationally acclaimed Brooks Institute of Photography. After two years, I went back home to start my photography career at The Everett Herald. 

Was there anyone during your time at EvCC who acted as a mentor for you? Tell me about that relationship and why it was valuable.

Mr. Ed Gilliland became my great inspiration/mentor and my interpersonally aligned photography instructor. I attended mostly afternoon and evening classes for almost two years. I became photographically, personally, and emotionally attached to Mr. Gilliland as we shared many in-depth discussions about how deep personal feelings influenced opening sensitive and creative perceptions of our vision’s imagery dealing with variations of reality.

What words of advice would you give to current EvCC students?

I would encourage current students to always put resolving their questions, following passions, and exploring feelings as very important sojourns. These advance their educational explorations while creating necessary personal fulfillment from  their in-classroom and on-assignment experiences.

Alumni ad published 7/21/2014