The following are the winning images in the 2018 Global Programs and Studies Photo Contest - A Global Lens: Places and Perspectives. Congratulations to the winners and our thanks to all who participated!
People
Kavita | Sarah Holcomb | Human Needs and Global Resources (HNGR)
During my six months in rural India, Kavita fed me whenever I visited, took me with her to the fields, and allowed me to stay inside the family’s 1.5- room house overnight. A model of Indian hospitality, she insisted on repeatedly refilling my plate with "idly," the delicious fermented rice-and-lentil cakes.
Winner | Recipient of $100 Giftcard, courtesy of International Sustainable Development Studies Institute (ISDSI)
Mama in the Mahindi | Samantha Steeves | Houghton in Tanzania
During our home stay, we followed our Mama up and down mountains, across rickety bridges, and through the corn to get to the fields where we would plant beans. Mama's gentle heart and care for us made it feel like we were her own children and I experienced the joy of simplistic living.
Runner-up | Recipient of $50 Giftcard, courtesy of Houghton in East Africa
Place
Aimless in Ancient Alleys | Russell Johnson | Veritas - Chile
For those able to pull their attention away from the breathtaking peaks that rise above Machu Picchu, the stone structures of the city itself create an eerily quiet labyrinth that invites you to get lost imagining daily life here five hundred years ago.
Winner | Recipient of $100 Giftcard, courtesy of BestSemester
16th Century Monastery | Lucy Bruno | Wheaton in Spain
This Dominican monastery, El Convento de San Esteban, celebrated the legacy of Bartolomé de Las Casas professing the rights of the indigenous peoples of the Americas during the Spanish conquest.
Runner-up | Recipient of $50 Giftcard, courtesy of DIS Study Abroad in Scandinavia
Story
Intersection of the Past and Present | Emily Smith | Wheaton in Mexico
Pictured are the vestiges of an abandoned plan to build a legislative palace after the revolution; the dome now houses a museum documenting the Mexican revolution. We explored the museum, took in the sights from the top of the dome, and walked past teenagers dancing hip-hop, a girl taking photographs to celebrate her quinceañera, and families playing in the fountains. As we left, I looked back and took this shot where past seemed to meet present.
Winner | Recipient of $100 Giftcard, courtesy of CIEE
No Filter Necessary | Samantha Skiens | Jerusalem University College
Here a man walks through the Zion Gate, one of seven which provide access into the Old City of Jerusalem. One morning, I walked the Old City before it awoke from its slumber. In a moment of stillness, I watched this gentleman enter the gate, touch the mezuzah on the right of its frame, and continue on to the Kotel (Western Wall) for morning prayers. Often the streets in the Old City are packed with all forms of tourism, but I was blessed to witness this simple moment of unembellished worship. Though thousands travel from all around the world to venerate this sacred site, it is still a place, and to some, it is a home.
Runner-up | Recipient of $50 Giftcard, courtesy of DIS Study Abroad in Scandinavia
Farming God's Way | Hawken Sawyer | Human Needs and Global Resources (HNGR)
This man changed the way that he farms from the traditional method to what ECHO West Africa calls "Farming God's Way." The idea formed from watching how nature works and trying to mimic that in the field. If you give to earth, it will give back to you (Farming God's Way is very difficult and requires much more work or "giving" to the earth). This ministry allows Muslims to see that the God of the Bible is One who cares for his earth and encourages his children to steward what He has given them.
Runner-up | Recipient of $50 Giftcard, courtesy of TCC Semester in Spain
Judges’ Choice
Thursday Afternoon Class | Curtis Drevets | CIEE Shanghai, China
When you find yourself in an unfamiliar place, more telling than any travel book or textbook are people. Sometimes the quickest route to understanding is the meandering art of conversation.
Winner | Recipient of $100 Giftcard, courtesy of IAU College Study Abroad Programs
Don Carlos | Nick Gaines | International Internship - Peru
I spent my last weekend in Ecuador in the Amazon Rainforest where I met a man named Don Carlos. We spent time together, exploring, laughing and sharing life stories. The friendship created in just one weekend speaks to the hospitality of Ecuadorian people.
Runner-up | Recipient of $50 Giftcard, courtesy of TCC Semester in Spain
