Photos are powerful tools for storytelling. Each year, Vanderbilt Study Abroad invites study abroad participants to submit photos from their time abroad to our Annual Photo Contest and to share with the Vanderbilt community.

Apply for the Fall 2024 Photo Contest here!

Study Abroad students as well as non-Study Abroad participants who completed other global immersion experiences during the 2024 Fall term can apply.

Photo submissions are accepted on a rolling basis until the final deadline of January 12, 2024.

Winners will receive a prize as well as see their photos displayed at the Study Abroad Fair and in the Board of Trust hallway. Student winners will have the option to claim their photo print at the end of the academic year!

Submit photos here: https://forms.office.com/r/2MMLAkZFuX

 

Past Winners

Congratulations to the 2023–2024 Vanderbilt Study Abroad Photo Contest winners! Their photos below creatively convey these students’ understanding and engagement with their host culture, connect artistic expression with learning, and provide new perspectives.

Check out the Vanderbilt Study Abroad Flickr album for Photo Contest entries and winning photos from previous years. You can also check out past winners and their extended photo descriptions.

A Dream Come True

Zach Gapusan

CIEE Madrid: Engineering & Society, Spring 2024

A dream come true: Checking off a major bucket list item with this awe-inspiring view of the Great Pyramids of Giza! Standing before these ancient marvels, I was in absolute awe of their grandeur and timeless beauty. The experience of seeing these colossal structures up close is surreal, and I feel incredibly grateful to witness such a magnificent piece of history. This moment, surrounded by the ancient sands of Egypt and the bleats of camels, is one I'll cherish forever!

The Ugly Duckling

Layne Foeder

DIS Copenhagen Summer: Sustainable Business Strategy Course, Summer 2024

A swan poses in the Stadsgraven canal. The mute swan is the national bird of Denmark and became a protected species in 1926. You may recognize this charismatic waterfowl from its lead role in Danish poet and author Hans Christian Anderson's "The Ugly Duckling."

Kepler Track

Solomon Tolson

IFSA Sydney: University of New South Wales, Spring 2024

This photo is from the South Island of New Zealand. We hiked a three-day, sixty-kilometer trail through Fiordland National Park called the Kepler Track. This trail is on New Zealand’s Ten Great Walks list. On day two, we summited Mt. Luxmore, and this photo was taken late in the afternoon on the descent.

The Perfect Angle

Ankit Janamanchi

Nichols Humanitarian Scholars Program, Summer Immersive Experience 2024

On a day trip to Osaka, my fellow scholars and I visited the grand Osaka Castle in the city's center. We probably sat outside the building for over an hour, taking in the breathtaking views. The entire time, I searched for the best angle to capture the castle and surrounding flora. As I walked back to my friends from a vending machine, this gap in the trees came into view.

Banana Treats

Maddie Guyton

IFSA Sydney: University of New South Wales, Spring 2024

My friend and I visited an elephant sanctuary at Doi Inthanon National Park in Chiang Mai during our trip to Thailand. We made banana treats for the elephants and hand-fed them, as shown in this photo. Afterward, we gave the elephants mud baths!

Amidst Bumbling Tourists

Gina Yu

A Cross Cultural Study on Neurocognition and Art: How Does Art Help Our Brains?, Winter Immersive Experience 2023

This project was completed throughout Europe in dozens of museums and galleries in the winter of 2023. I traveled to three countries: Spain, France, and Switzerland. I explored the intersection between art, neuroscience, and society, currently in writing for over 100 pages. This moment was one of my favorites during my abroad experience. At Museu Nacional d’Art De Catalunya, Barcelona. One young artist stood out amidst a busy stream of bumbling tourists–painting and maintaining a posture of composure and intention.

Old Man of Storr

Katie Bishop

IFSA Scotland: University of Glasgow, Spring 2024

During my time abroad, some fellow exchange students and I went on many hikes in the Scottish Highlands! I took this photo after an early morning hike up the "Old Man of Storr," a famous location on the Isle of Skye and a Scottish legend. The tall peaks in the photo are said to be the fingers of an ancient giant covered in earth. Learning about the Gaelic and Norse legends that have enriched Scotland's culture through my IFSA program and study abroad classes were some of my favorite aspects of my study abroad experience!

Tuk-Tuk in San Juan

Isabella Bautista

Vanderbilt VAW Global Health Alliances in Guatemala, Spring Break Outreach Trip, March 2024

Pictured here is a tuk-tuk — the Guatemalan version of a taxi — on a street in San Juan La Laguna, Sololá, Guatemala. San Juan is known for its artisan shops, where locals sell handmade crafts. In this photograph, tourists and natives alike browse the shops on a street shaded by colorful umbrellas and lined by motorcycles, one of the most highly preferred modes of transportation in Guatemala.

Sand Boarding at Sunrise

Lexi Radzyminski

SPAN 3330: Cultural Study in the Andes, Maymester 2024

6:54 am. Sharing the thrill of riding dune buggies and sand boarding for the first time with my classmates who have now become some of my great friends. This adventure immediately followed a breathtaking sunrise over the Huacachina desert during one of our Maymester excursions to the Ica, a city in southern Peru.

Pockets of Peace

Lina Migliore

SIT Morocco: Human Rights, Social Movements, and Cultural Transformation, Spring 2024

This photo is from the bustling Jemaa el-Fnaa marketplace in Marrakech, Morocco, during the serene moments of sundown. Amidst the vibrant chaos of the souq, where vendors call out their wares, children's laughter echoes, and an array of sounds fill the air, this photograph freezes a peaceful and beautiful scene. This snapshot reflects a common theme in Morocco—a country brimming with vibrant energy and diverse experiences. Yet, if you take a moment to look, you'll always find pockets of tranquility and beauty amid the lively hustle.Pictured here is a tuk-tuk — the Guatemalan version of a taxi — on a street in San Juan La Laguna, Sololá, Guatemala. San Juan is known for its artisan shops, where locals sell handmade crafts. In this photograph, tourists and natives alike browse the shops on a street shaded by colorful umbrellas and lined by motorcycles, one of the most highly preferred modes of transportation in Guatemala.