There is a lot of beauty to be found covering one of the largest and most innovative universities in the nation, and the end of the year brings an opportunity for us at ASU Now to reflect on the stories, videos and images we've produced both as a team and individually for Arizona State University.
My main role is to create visuals. Here are some of my favorites of 2016:
This is one of my favorite sites in Arizona: the Mission San Xavier del Bac just south of Tucson.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
The annual ASU orange harvest allows the community to participate with the university in making use of our resources. In this shot on Feb. 5, Pinnacle High's Kara Cordon gets caught up in the fun.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
After the harvest, workers remove bad oranges from an assembly line at Sun Orchard Juicery in Tempe.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
High school students touring the ASU Art Musem in Tempe took time to explore exhibitions Feb. 5 as part of a story we did on gallery interns who work with young people.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
An ASU student takes his bearded lizard on a stroll down Apache Boulevard near the Sun Devil Fitness Complex on Feb. 18.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Barrett, The Honors College students enjoy an evening of artwork at the Phoenix Art Museum on Feb. 18. I love this image because all the students were so thrilled to dress up and spend an evening touring the museum.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Night of the Open Door is an annual event inviting the community to come explore ASU. Here, Anderson Bennet checks out his reflection using a concave mirror at the Polytechnic campus Feb. 19.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Abbey Hurst plays in the Kerfuffle theater company's tent during Night of the Open Door on the Tempe campus on Feb. 27.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Duane Roen shakes hands with a family-history workshop participant at the Peoria North LDS Stake Center on March 12. We wrote a story about Roen teaching members of both the ASU and greater Phoenix communities how to collect and write their family stories.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Sabrina Haines (center, standing) and her ASU women's basketball teammates celebrate getting the No. 2 seed in the Souix Falls division of the NCAA Tournament. We followed Haines throughout her freshman year , documenting her experience as a student-athlete.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
I love graduation: It's boiling down years of effort into a single day of celebration, and it's just beautiful. Aviation graduate — and member of the U.S. Navy — Kelly Rose Kuehner smiles as her mother adjusts her cap during the Naval Reserve Commissioning Ceremony at Neeb Hall on May 11.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Master's of Social Work graduate Peggy Sue Gamble smiles and cheers after receiving her degree during Spring 2016 Graduate Commencement on May 9 in Tempe.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Graduates stand and cheer for their families during the American Indian Convocation at ASU Gammage on May 11.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Sculptor John Tuomisto-Bell on Sept. 13 poses in front of his piece "1,000 Cranes ," which sits in the lobby of the State Farms Marine Heights building and is visible from the south side of Tempe Town Lake.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Twirler Alysse Blight works on her routine outside marching band practice. We were trying to shoot a portrait, and I liked how the light hit this one.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Eliana Aguila (left) and Milagro Tellez learn how to make a roasted red pepper aioli during the College of Health Solutions' Camp Crave this summer on the Downtown Phoenix campus.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Vanessa Strait Constandse holds up Maria Hill during her chant at the Cesar E. Chavez Leadership Institute on June 6 in the Memorial Union on the Tempe campus.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
High schooler Jonathan Olivares gets an eyeball ultrasound during a demonstration with Dr. Teresa Wu during the Summer Health Institute on July 12. ASU offers a number of summer camps .
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Olympian Morgan King lifts weight while training on July 16 at ASU for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Olympian Katarina Simonovic takes a short break July 21 from training for the 2016 Olympics. She was one of four current ASU students among the 27 Sun Devils who participated in the Rio Games.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
During an assignment to photograph ASU alum Loren Aragon showing his ACONAV fashion creations , I captured these models waiting to take the runway at the Phoenix Fashion Week Shop Garment District at the Moxy in Tempe on Aug. 5.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Midshipman Battalion Commanding Officer Alyssa Krajnik poses for a portrait in Papago Park. I like this image because it's visually impressive and full of meaning.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Midshipman Battalion Commanding Officer Alyssa Krajnik (right) and Navy ROTC Midshipman Joseph Meli pose for photographs in Papago Park.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Darlene David (center) celebrates the graduation of her son, sociology major Justin David, during Fall 2016 Undergraduate Commencement on Dec. 12. This mother is every mother on graduation day — so many of students' accomplishments are achieved thanks to the support of families.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Graduates line up to receive their diplomas during the Fall 2016 American Indian Convocation on Dec. 14.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Acting graduate Matthew Saraficio jumps up for a family photo after Undergraduate Commencement on Dec. 12 in Tempe.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
A student plays on the rug and hides his face in Rachel Wade's kindergarten class at Balsz Elementary School in Phoenix on April 21.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Senior student-teacher Nichelle Malone and her crying student Ceriyah Farinas hug in Rachel Wade's kindergarten class at Balsz Elementary School in Phoenix on April 21. So many emotions — ranging from sadness to happiness to frustration and relief — all together in one image.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
Friends look into a sculpture at the Phoenix Art Museum during Barrett, The Honors College's Red Carpet event on Feb. 18.
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now
I also produce videos, and this one really stood out. It was an opportunity for the university's Native students to break stereotypes: