For Immediate Release:
April 12, 2016
Primary Media Contact:
Sally Voth
Public Relations Specialist
[email protected]
Phone: 540-868-7134
Both Virginia and Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers Associations announced that Ann and Rob Simpson of Stephens City, Virginia, were recognized as award recipients for 2016. The annual awards ceremonies recognized and honored the best work of outdoor communicators in writing, photography and electronic media.
2016 Awards won by the couple:
Virginia Outdoor Writers Association (VOWA)
- Excellence in Craft Award
- First Place – Outstanding Book
- Nature Guide to Yellowstone National Park
- March 12, 2016
- Excellence in Craft Award
- Second Place – Outstanding Book
- Nature Guide to Yosemite National Park
- March 12, 2016
- Excellence in Craft Award
- Second Place – Outstanding Photograph
- “Struggle for Life – Elk and Wolves in Yellowstone National Park”
- March 12, 2016
Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers Association (MDOWA)
- Pete Greer Memorial Award for Best Published Outdoor Photograph
- “Struggle for Life – Elk and Wolves in Yellowstone National Park”
- April 3, 2016
- Frank Smoot Memorial Three-Year Rotating Award: Book
- Nature Guide to “Yosemite National Park”
- April 3, 2016
Ann and Rob Simpson are nature photographers and authors of numerous books, mostly with a national park theme. Their background as professors in biology at Laurel Ridge Community College (Laurel Ridge), gives their photography an in-depth quality. The Simpsons also teach nature and wildlife photography courses at Laurel Ridge for the career program certificate in outdoor and nature photography.
The Virginia Outdoor Writers Association is a coalition of writers, photographers, and video/film producers who inform through various media on the out-of-doors and its enjoyment. The organization pledges to support the conservation of natural resources and to the best precepts, governing their consumption and recreational use.
The Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers Association was founded in 1957 as a non-profit professional organization dedicated to improving member knowledge of effective communications in all fields of the outdoors media including writing, photography, art, radio and television broadcast, video, and on the internet. M-DOWA promotes outdoor education, the wise use of our natural resources, and holds members to the highest ethical standards of journalism.
Both groups consist of the best outdoor writers and artist in the area.
Award Winning Books by Ann and Rob Simpson
April 3, Award Winners from The Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers Association Conference: Rob and Ann Simpson are seated left to right
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Founded in 1970, Laurel Ridge Community College is a multi-campus public institution of higher education. With four locations — Middletown, Warrenton, Luray-Page County and most recently, Vint Hill— the College serves eight localities in the Shenandoah Valley and northern Piedmont regions. The localities are the counties of Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah and Warren and the city of Winchester. Laurel Ridge offers more than 75 associate degree and certificate programs in a wide variety of disciplines, in addition to providing access to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs offered on site by a four-year institution. Laurel Ridge also serves the business community by offering workforce preparation programs for employees and employers. Laurel Ridge serves more than 9,000 unduplicated credit students and more than 11,000 individuals in professional development and business and industry courses annually.
Laurel Ridge Community College (Laurel Ridge) is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Laurel Ridge Community College. Laurel Ridge Community College is an equal opportunity institution providing educational and employment opportunities, programs, services, and activities and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, or other non-merit factors. Laurel Ridge also prohibits sexual misconduct including sexual violence or harassment.
Laurel Ridge Community College was known as Lord Fairfax Community College until June 2022. For consistency purposes, the college will be referenced as Laurel Ridge going forward.
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