WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 8, 2026 – The White House News Photographers Association® announced that Allison Robbert of the George Washington University/Corcoran School has been named the WHNPA 2026 Student Video Photographer of the Year, and Aayas D. Joshi of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been named the WHNPA 2026 Student Video Photographer of the Year in the association’s annual Eyes of History® visual journalism student contest.
After being told of her win by Student Still Chair Anna Moneymaker of Getty Images, Robbert said, “It’s an enormous honor to be recognized by the WHNPA with this award. I have had the privilege of developing my career here in D.C. while completing my studies at GW, which has led to the wonderful relationships and opportunities I appreciate today. I’m endlessly inspired by the talent within the WHNPA, and I’m looking forward to remaining in D.C. post‑graduation to continue developing my skills as a political photojournalist. Thank you to the fantastic panel of judges, volunteers, and WHNPA leadership.”
The WHNPA 2026 Eyes of History® Student Still Photography competition judges were Evelyn Hockstein (Reuters), Julia Nikhinson (The Associated Press), and Stefani Reynolds (Bloomberg).
Reynolds noted, “The diversity in the portfolio is really strong, especially for a student—covering politics, hard news, and longer‑term stories. It showed strong potential across multiple fields and made for a very well‑rounded portfolio.” Hockstein added, “The overall winner had a very diverse portfolio that showed she could cover breaking news, features, and in‑depth story work, and I think that’s what set her portfolio apart and made her the winner of this competition.”
Joshi is the WHNPA’s first two‑time winner in the Student Video contest division, having also earned the honor in 2025.
Student Video Chair Bethany Swain and the judges reached Joshi while he was filming his latest project in a Maui canyon. Joshi said, “I can’t believe I’m getting this call as I’m standing here covered in dirt.”
WHNPA President Jessica Koscielniak said, “This year’s student winners show remarkable depth, creativity, and storytelling maturity. It’s inspiring to see emerging visual journalists producing work with such confidence and purpose, and to witness the strength of visual journalism across universities nationwide.”
The WHNPA student video competition judges praised Joshi for his powerful visual storytelling in the aftermath of the 2025 flooding in North Carolina and agreed that his back‑to‑back Student Video Photographer of the Year honors leave no doubt that his future is bright. The video judging panel included Lance Ing (WRC‑TV), Nate Luna (ABC News), and Joann Sierra (ABC News).
The WHNPA is proud to support student visual journalists across the country. Jordan Tovin of George Washington University was also praised for work in the Student Still contest division, while student broadcast video stories and long‑form features were recognized in this year’s Student Video contest. Kaitlin Campbell, Alex Fairchild, and Jess Van, all of Syracuse University, were honored for their respective work.
Full results are available on the WHNPA website at www.whnpa.org.
The top winners of the still, video, digital, and student contests will be honored at the annual Eyes of History® gala on September 19, 2026, in Washington. This black‑tie event celebrates all the winning visual journalists.
The White House News Photographers Association® is a 105‑year‑old nonprofit dedicated to supporting professional visual journalists through education, scholarships, and its annual competition and gala. The top winners in the still, video, digital, and student categories will be honored at the annual Eyes of History® gala on September 19, 2026, in Washington. This black‑tie event celebrates all the winning visual journalists.
For more information, please contact Jessica Koscielniak at [email protected] or Executive Director Heidi Elswick at [email protected]. To learn more about The Eyes of History® and to view the winning images and videos, visit www.whnpa.org.