Tommies Abroad Focus Camera Lenses on International Experiences

A focus on international education and photography

The International Education Center at St. Thomas congratulates this year's winners of its annual Study Abroad Photo Contest.

The contest attracted 68 student-photographers who submitted 388 photos. The "Sense of Place" category received the most submissions with 169. By comparison, the contest in 2012 attracted 40 contestants and 190 photo submissions, with a “Sense of Place” receiving the most submissions with 80.

The winning photos are on display in O'Shaughnessy-Frey Library in Coffee Bene and on the university's Study Abroad Facebook page.

The photos were judged by members of the International Education Center, University Relations and the College of Arts and Sciences' Art History Department.

First-place winners received $100, second place received $50, and third place received $25. Tommies who have studied abroad in fall 2013, or who will study abroad in J-Term 2014 or spring 2014 are eligible for the annual Study Abroad Photo Contest in October 2014.

In addition to "Sense of Place," the contest also included two other categories: "Intercultural Experience" and "Tommies Abroad":

• "Intercultural Experience" – this is about interactions between people; the meeting
  and mixing of cultures (students and the cultures they visit).
• "Sense of Place" – this is about places and scenery; capturing the unique atmosphere
  of the country in which a student is a guest.
• "Tommies Abroad" – this is about UST students; group or individual student imagery that
  encapsulates the study abroad experience.

Winners for 2013 are:

"Sense of Place"

1. "Returning Home"
   Valletta, Malta
   Matt Kopp
   Catholic Studies in Rome (fall 2012)
2. "Fire Ceremony"
   Vrindavan, India
   Sara Backlund
   UMAIE: English Language and Literature in India: Goddess, Muse, Stairway to Power, Barrier to Success
   (J-Term 2012)
3. "Majdanek Concentration Camp"
   Lublin, Poland
   Joe Janochoski
   Comparative Politics of the New Europe (J-Term 2013)

Honorable Mentions

• "Floating Market"
  Ayutthaya, Thailand
  Katie Vosbeek
  The Political Economics of Thailand (J-Term 2013)
• "Celebration"
  Jaipur, India
  Sara Backlund
  UMAIE: English Language and Literature in India: Goddess, Muse, Stairway to Power, Barrier to Success
  (J-Term 2012)

"Intercultural Experience"

1. "Fire Ceremony"
   Vrindavan, India
   Sara Backlund
   UMAIE: English Language and Literature in India: Goddess, Muse, Stairway to Power, Barrier to Success
   (J-Term 2012)
2. "A Day’s Travel"
   Meno A Kwena, Botswana
   Kevin Duffy
   Public Health in Botswana (J-Term 2013)
3. "Building Fire With the Bushmen"
   Meno A Kwena, Botswana
   Megan Kettler
   BIO in Botswana, Africa (J-Term 2013)

Honorable Mentions

• "Mapuche Elder and Student Connecting through Nature"
  Nueva Imperial, Chile
  Hannah Volkman
  SIT Chile: Public Health, Traditional Medicine, Community Empowerment
  (fall 2012)
• "The Little Vampire"
  Tamil Nadu near Chemai, India
  Samantha Wisneski
  UMAIE Indian Art and Music (J-Term 2013)

"Tommies Abroad"

1. "Elephant Kisses"
   Chiang Mai, Thailand
   Courtney Andresen
   The Political Economy of Thailand (J-Term 2013)
2.  "Tour de France 2013"
   Paris, France
   Clare Johnson
   UMAIE Archeology and History in Rome (J-Term 2013)
3. "Tommies at Jama Masjid"
   Delhi, India
   Samantha Wisneski
   UMAIE Indian Art and Music (J-Term 2013)

Honorable Mentions

• "Santorini, Greece"
  Angela Deeney
  Catholic Studies Rome Program (spring 2013)
• "Pride Rock - La roca de Orgullo”
  Valle de la Luna, San Juan Province, Argentina
  Brittni Sundby
  CC-CS Spanish Studies Abroad: Argentina (spring 2013)