Chicopee resident and American International College (AIC) senior Kelly Shea has received first place in the sports category of the 2020 College Pictures of the Year photography contest sponsored by the Boston Press Photographers Association (BPPA). The winning photo featured an overhead shot of a Hartford Wolf Pack game against the Providence Bruins.

Shea majored in visual and digital arts at AIC and said that her passion for photography stemmed from an introductory course she took. She started photographing various AIC sports teams for practice, which immediately piqued her interest. Shea said she then decided to run with it. 

With her college career coming to an end, Shea said she is hopeful that she will land a job working as the photographer for a professional sports team. She also said that those interested in photography and pursuing a career should practice as often as they can. The full story is available online at Reminder Publications - Chicopee Herald. A second feature story can be found in Turley Publications - Chicopee Register.