Global Photo Contest
Welcome to the 2023 Isabella Cannon Global Education Center Photo Contest.
We welcome submissions from ALL terms and experiences. We look forward to seeing your images captured during Study Away.
Do you have compelling photos or videos from your Study Abroad, Study USA, international student study, or other global experience? Ready to win a flight voucher or other prizes? Submit an entry to the Global Photo Contest!
Timeline
- Submit photos: March 6 – March 23
- Voting: March 27 – April 2 (on @ElonGlobal Instagram)
- Winner announced during Study Away Fair on April 5
Please read the official rules and submission guidelines below before submitting your entry.
Submitting a Photo
To enter, please click the title of each category and complete the linked form (coming soon). For each submission, you’ll include:
- Your name
- Your class year or status at Elon
- Submission location
- Program name (if applicable)
- A brief description or caption
You may submit ONE entry (your best one) to EACH category for which you qualify.
Contest Categories
You may notice that we have simplified our categories. Please submit only one photo to any category. If you feel a photo could belong in multiple categories, use your best judgement to select the one that most closely matches.
By Theme:
Current Elon students and Elon faculty and staff (current and emeritx) may submit to theme categories. Maximum one submission per category.
Favorite Day – Photos that reflect a day you will always remember from your study away program.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – photos that disrupt stereotypes in global education. This could be showcasing study abroad or Study USA participation by historically minoritized populations, or uprooting stereotypes, or otherwise challenging damaging myths (e.g. white savior complex, appropriation, etc.).
Striking Scenes – photos that make you pause and consider the wonder of the world. From a sweeping landscape to a bustling street – moments that made you stop in your tracks just to be where you are.
By Participant:
Only those that fit the participant description should submit to these categories. Maximum one submission per eligible category.
International Community – entries from those having their international experience right here at Elon, or attending Elon from their home country. The international community at Elon is vibrant and dynamic, including students from over 45 different countries studying in the U.S. on a student visa, Americans and dual citizens that have significant lived experience abroad, those that have chosen to become permanent residents of the U.S., and others. Submit a photo of your international experience at Elon or from your home outside of the U.S.
Faculty and Staff – entries from Elon faculty and staff (current and emeritx) showcasing global learning. From leading a short-term program or serving as faculty in residence at an Elon Center, to participating on the staff advisory council global engagement program, to mentoring independent research or service globally – we know global learning takes many shapes at Elon, and we want to celebrate all the ways faculty and staff help make this happen.
All photos will automatically be nominated for the Global Education Center (GEC) Staff’s Choice award. For more information on this, please see the ‘Voting & Winning’ section.
Photo Submission Guidelines
- Submissions are limited to one entry per category.
- The contest accepts submissions from all over the world — both abroad and within the United States.
- Submissions do NOT need to be from the past year.
- Use good judgement when submitting photos. Successful photos will show compelling scenes, encounters with difference, and engaged learning regardless of location. It is not necessary for the photo to have been taken on an Elon-affiliated Study Abroad or Study USA experience; submissions from personal experiences abroad and in the U.S. are welcome (except for the Study USA participant category, which must be taken on a Study USA program).
- GEC staff reserve the right to accept and reject photos as they see fit.
- Submissions deemed inappropriate or not reflective of the Global Education Center’s values will not be allowed to enter the contest. If you have any questions about whether your photo is appropriate, please email global@elon.edu. Examples of inappropriate submissions include but are not limited to photos depicting dangerous behavior, the use of drugs, inappropriate use of alcohol, or content that is culturally disrespectful or dishonest. Keep in mind that once content is posted, it is no longer in your hands. Ensure that you are conscientious in writing your entry description and that they do not perpetuate harmful narratives (i.e. white savior complex, appropriation, etc.).
- You must have the right to distribute and take credit for photos you submit, including permission by those photographed.
- By submitting to the contest you agree that Elon University can use your photo or video for promotional or educational purposes, such as on brochures, in orientation handbooks, on social media, and elsewhere.
- Contestants may encourage voting on social media within reason. Contestants that are determined to promote to the point of harassment will be removed from the contest.
- By submitting a photo you agree to be bound to the preceding guidelines.
Voting and Prizes
Win a PHOTO CATEGORY vote count on Instagram
- Submissions will be posted to Elon Global Instagram feed @ElonGlobal Instagram on March 27.
- GEC will select the top 3 photos per category.
- GEC will email the semi-finalists to notify them that their photo will be posted on Instagram for general voting.
- Votes can be cast starting March 27 until 11:59 p.m., Sunday, April 2.
- To vote, simply react to (e.g. like, comment or tag) a submission. Each unique user will be counted only once, even if submitting multiple comments. Reactions must be to the original photo — not a shared post.
- One person may vote for as many submissions as they like. Each user will be counted only once per photo.
- Category winners will receive a $25 gift card to their choice of The Oak House, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon.
- The post with most likes will be our overall winner. The submission in that category with the second-highest votes becomes that category winner. The overall winner receives a flight voucher valued at $350.
Win GEC STAFF PICK by GEC nomination and vote.
All submissions are evaluated by the GEC Staff to select the photo that tells the most compelling story from the perspective of experiential and international educators.
The GEC STAFF PICK winner wins a $50 gift card to Oak House, Barnes & Noble or Amazon.
Win PRESIDENT'S PICK by President Connie Ledoux Book's selection.
President Book will select from GEC-nominated photos the photo that best captures the Elon experience.
President’s Pick wins a $50 gift card to Oak House, Barnes & Noble or Amazon.
Previous Winners
2020 Winners
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- 2020 INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CATEGORY WINNER: Nihar C. Deshmukh ’22 “Bringing the world to Elon!”
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- 2020 RESILIENCE CATEGORY WINNER: Madeline Brislenn ’22 “Looking out the window of the governor’s quarters at the Elmina Slave Castle. A heart breaking, yet empowering moment recognizing the hardship and sacrifice all those made who came through these walls.”
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- 2020 ALUMNI CATEGORY WINNER: Jonathan Granville ’19 “The peak of Wertatscha (7155 ft) sits right on the border of Slovenia and Austria. In fact, if you move to the peak just right of Wertatscha you will move from Slovenia into Austria. This is one of the many stunning mountains in the Karawanken Mountain Range.”
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- 2020 STUDY USA CATEGORY WINNER: Ellen Johnson ’20 “A mosaic depicting life derived from earth greets volunteers at the Waipā Foundation in Kauai. Waipā’s mission is to restore the island’s vibrant natural systems and resources through promoting Hawaiian values of paulina (many hands working together), kuleana (responsibility), and Aloha `āina (love of the land).”
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- 2020 STRIKING SCENES CATEGORY WINNER: Pamela Danko ’20 “Hot air ballooning over the ancient temples of Bagan, Myanmar at Sunrise Bagan is home to over 2,300 temples built between the 9th and 13th centuries. Soaring over these sacred ancient temples has brought a deeper level of appreciation for Myanmar and the world as a whole. No photo could ever fully encapsulate the beauty of this place, but I believe this photo does a pretty good job at doing so.” Program/Location: Bagan, Myanmar Semester at Sea
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- 2020 GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT CATEGORY WINNER: Abby Gibbs ’21 “Spectators gather around an illuminated inflatable during the annual White Night festival in Bratislava, Slovakia in September. The event is the most-visited contemporary art festival in Slovakia. This festival represents global engagement because White Night festivals are a global phenomenon. Originally inspired in Russia, the worldwide festival allows communities to flood the streets during the night (or a few nights) for a shared love of art.”
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- 2020 DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION CATEGORY WINNER: Carly Blau ’20 “Teaching English to underprivileged children in Thailand was more than just teaching them the language. It was teaching them about the world beyond their small village with little to no resources or opportunities. It was teaching them about different countries, cultures, and showing them a little snapshot of lives different than their own. The 4th of July gave me an opportunity to share the diversity between our countries and give them hope for the future.”
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- 2020 FACULTY & STAFF CATEGORY WINNER: Sophie Adamson “In small groups, our Elon students spent an afternoon with Moroccan graduate students (two pictured here) walking around their favorite parts of Tangier followed by engaging conversations over mint tea. Everyone was refreshingly open with their questions and perspectives related to culture, education, religion, social media, women’s rights, and more. They were just as interested to learn about their differences as they were about their similarities. In students’ written reflections, these conversations were cited as among the most impactful experiences of the course.”
2019 Winners
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- 2019 PRESIDENT’S PICK WINNER: Sara Maya Nderitu ‘20 From President Connie Ledoux Book: “The smile on Sara’s face demonstrates the excitement of experiencing the unexpected and the new. This is a trademark of Elon’s study abroad programs as we engage students in new worlds and cultures.” “Pure Happiness.”
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- 2019 GEC STAFF PICK WINNER: Hannah Podhorzer ‘19 “Our host mother, Parubai, and her daughter-in-law collected supper vegetables. While we didn’t speak each other’s language, their laughter was ample; communication transcends spoken words.”
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- 2019 OVERALL WINNER: Lucia Jervis’19 “This photo, taken in Ha Long Bay, not only portrays the beauty and magical splendor of the place, but it also represents the culture of the Vietnamese people who make their boats from scratch and sustain themselves and their families by finishing everyday. Click on the image to learn more.
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- 2019 STATES CATEGORY WINNER: Ciara Mottley ’21 “This photo was taken at Nawahi Hawaiian language immersion school in Hilo, HI. A student completed this mural as a representation of the Hawaiian connection to their land and their history.”
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- 2019 STORIES CATEGORY WINNER: Kelsey Horowitz’19 “Global engagement means trying new things, learning a new culture, and appreciating the city around you!”
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- 2019 SCENES CATEGORY WINNER: Alec Mandell ‘20 “Golden Hour at Milford Sound”
2018 Winners and Oak House Gallery
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- 2018 OVERALL WINNER: Gabby Vance ’18 “Shattered glass. I no longer see myself amidst the reflective surface. Break the mirror. Give yourself self-love.” — in Berlin, Germany.
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- 2018 GEC STAFF PICK WINNER: Sarah Stone ’19 “A historical photo overlays the modern day Triana bridge of Seville, Spain.”
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- 2018 SCENES CATEGORY WINNER: Caroline Cirby ’19 “Bruarfoss Waterfalls is hidden 25 minutes off the main road and is one of 10,000+ waterfalls in the pristine & nearly untouched country of Iceland.”
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- 2018 STATES CATEGORY WINNER: Emily Grom Current ’18 “Patience.” — in St. Augustine, Florida.
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- 2018 STORIES CATEGORY WINNER: Alexandra Pirsos ’21 “Traveling opens the mind the differences between reality and perception, in yourself and in others, just as showcased by this haphazard mirror selfie in Dubai.” Click on the image to learn more.
2017 Winners
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- 2017 OVERALL WINNER: Daniel Weiss ’18 “Sunrise over the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.”
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- 2017 WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS CATEGORY WINNER: Caroline Hoffman ’17 “The Atacama Desert is the driest desert in the world, but I was lucky enough to see it after a snowfall!” -Atacama Desert, Chile.
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- 2017 IN DOING WE LEARN CATEGORY WINNER: Jordan Valentzas ’18 -Pisa, Italy
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- 2017 AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL CATEGORY WINNER: Ella Fies ’19 “A Miccosukee Tribe member flashing pride for his [bird] clan. Taken during a visit to the Miccosukee Indian reservation in Southern Florida.”
2016 Winners
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- 2016 OVERALL WINNER: Chelsea Weber ’17 “Tufts of tall grasses frame New Zealand’s Hokianga Harbour, an area rich with the legends and history of the native Māori people.”
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- 2016 GEC STAFF PICK WINNER: Partick McLaughlin ’16 “After a long day’s work with coffee farmers and the Arbor Day Foundation, our class happily shared food and laughter with the townspeople of Cajamarca, Peru”
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- 2016 IN DOING WE LEARN CATEGORY WINNER: Carly Zenker ’18 “Traveling through the Negev on camelback and exploring the lifestyle of the dwindling Bedouin people of Israel.”
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- 2016 AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL CATEGORY WINNER: Daniella Chavero ’17 “While studying in NYC I used to walk through Central Park between classes. I was fascinated at the idea of this park truly being a “park for the people.” While walking through, I saw people of all different backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses appreciating all the beauty nature has to offer.”
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- 2016 WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS CATEGORY WINNER: Jessica Morse ’16 “The beautiful Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument in the world.”
2015 Winners
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- 2015 OVERALL WINNER: Lauren Simms ’15 “Local Nomad Women determined to make their pilgrimage during the first snow fall in Lhasa for several years.”
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- 2015 “GEC Staff Pick” Winner: Alaina Kiesel ’17 “In the beautiful mountains of Munnar, a tea picker is happy to show the tea-picking way to Elon student, Elle Thompson.”
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- 2015 STRIKING SCENES CATEGORY WINNER: Teresa Kuhns ’16 “A view from the top of Isthmus Peak overlooking Lake Hawea.”
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- 2015 FARM TO FORK CATEGORY WINNER: Amanda Steinman ’17 “This woman and many others create a living for themselves by selling their food at a local market.”