Study Abroad

Study Abroad Photo Contest Winners 2023

Congratulations to our 2023 Study Abroad Photo Contest winners!

Badgers Abroad
Global Classroom
Live Like a Local
Postcard Perfect

Badgers Abroad

1st place

Photographer: Elizabeth Kallies
Photo Location: Barcelona, Spain

Study Abroad Program: IES Barcelona
Description: FC Barcelona games are fun but I’ll always love a Wisconsin game!

Student, Elizabeth, at a FC Barcelona soccer game. She is showing Wisconsin Badger pride in the stands by making a W with her hands. She is pictured wearing a FC Barcelona scarf.

2nd place

Photographer: Jenna Gold
Photo Location: Denmark, Copenhagen
Study Abroad Program: DIS Copenhagen – Study Abroad in Scandinavia
Description: Nyhavn is a popular street in Copenhagen with many colorful buildings. On my first day in the city, I had the chance to explore while repping some Wisconsin gear!

Student, Jenna, on the colorful streets of Copenhagen, Denmark with Denmark flags hanging above her. She is representing UW-Madison by wearing a Wisconsin shirt.

3rd place

Photographer: Courtney Weberpal
Photo Location: Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
Study Abroad Program: UW Health Education, Education, & Tanzanian Culture
Description: Our group, ten UW students and two co-leaders, standing in front of our house on the last day.

Group of students stand hold red Bucky Badger flag with the words "Wisconsin" in front of white building with pillars.

Honorable Mention

Photographer: Max Koeing
Photo Location: Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
Study Abroad Program: CIEE in Ghana
Description: This photo was taken at the top of the highest freestanding mountain in the world, Mt Kilimanjaro. A friend of mine from my time abroad in Ghana and I decided to climb the mountain right after our program was finished so we flew out to Tanzania and made the climb!

Student wearing jacket and Wisconsin apparel holds up finger W while standing in front of wooden sign marking the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. He is surrounded by snow and rocks.

Global Classroom

1st Place

Photographer: Sierra Freiburg
Photo Location: Kangerlussuaq, Greenland
Study Abroad Program: DIS Copenhagen – Study Abroad in Scandinavia
Description: After a sled dog ride in Greenland during my class trip through my Ice Cores and Ice Ages class.

Students in Greenland pictured with sled dogs and their sleds. The students are bundled up in large furry coats to keep warm in the icy, winter environment surrounding around them.

2nd Place

Photographer: Anita Anongdeth
Photo Location: Eastern Cape, South Africa
Study Abroad Program: Kidlinks Food Science & Organic Farming Research Internships
Description: Anita and the Bull! Here I am spraying the cows in order to increase their resistance to any ticks they may encounter.

Student, Anita, is pictured on a farm spraying a hose at a large, spotted, and horned cow. Anita is smiling while wearing a gray sweatshirt with the words Wisconsin in red text.

3rd Place

Photographer: Jessica Randall
Photo Location: Glover’s Reef, Belize
Study Abroad Program: Ceiba Coral Reef Ecology in Belize
Description: Here is a picture of our classroom – the ocean! We stayed on a remote reef at the edge of an atoll where there were many patch reefs, which you can see here under the clear blue water. We took the boat out twice a day to explore the over 800 patch reefs in the atoll. It is one of the most beautiful places I have seen in my life.

Students pictured on a boat floating on the bright blue ocean water. The students are wearing a mix of hats and sunglasses to protect themselves from the sunny environment. All of the students look happy and excited for their aquatic classroom adventure!

Honorable Mention

Photographer: Shalya Gulati
Photo Location: Tarangire, Tanzania
Study Abroad Program: SFS Wildlife Management & Wildlife Research
Description: Student, Demitria Wetzka, untangled a bird after mist netting to study and identify the bird species. Mist netting is used to support conservation studies of rare birds in Tanzania.

Student, Demitria, is concentrated on a small bird who was caught in the netting surrounding her. Demitria, wearing gloves and a mask for protection, handles the small bird and observes it.

Live Like a Local

1st Place

Photographer: Shalya Gulati
Photo Location: Tarangire, Tanzania
Study Abroad Program: SFS Wildlife Management & Wildlife Research
Description: Amy Huang, Rediet Taye, and I went to cut down dead corn stalks to feed to our local homestay’s family cows.

Smiley selfie of students holding bunches of dead corn stalks that they cut down. The students appear to be in the forest of Tanzania, surrounded by greenery and other standing corn stalks.

2nd Place

Photographer: Anika Krishnamurti
Photo Location: Kathmandu, Nepal
Study Abroad Program: UW Global Health, Community Health, & Health Disparity in Nepal
Description: A panorama view of the Buddha Stupa in Kathmandu during our farewell dinner. We walked around the stupa three times to signify offering prayers for ourselves, others, and the world.

A wide-angle view shows the beginning of a sunset with yellow and orange hues lighting up the sky. The Buddha Stupa is colored white and gold with colorful flags streaming down around it. The skyline of the city of Kathmandu is pictured in the background of the Buddha Stupa.

3rd Place

Photographer: Megan Carley
Photo Location: Valencia, Spain
Study Abroad Program: Universidad Politecnica de Valencia Engineering Exchange
Description: Each year, on the last Sunday in February, the entire community of Valencia gathers in front of the Torres de Serranos in the heart of the city to witness La Crida, the first night of the celebration known as Las Fallas which culminates on March 19. On this night, the city sky is lit up with fireworks and a colorful light display dances across the face of the towers until at last the fallera mayor (key female member of the Fallas celebration) declares “Ja estem en Falles!” (“Fallas is here!”).

The Torres de Serranos, a large stone, castle-like structure, is pictured at night. It is illuminated completely with red light with bright, white-light strobes streaming off from the top of the building.

Honorable Mention

Photographer: Seth Carley
Photo Location: Sheffield, England
Study Abroad Program: University of Sheffield Engineering Exchange
Description: Afternoon tea with my international friends!

Friends sitting down for afternoon tea with a display of snacks and tea varieties located on their table. A large teapot and plates sit in front of each of them. The patio they’re seated on looks to be sunny, bright and welcoming with lots of greenery!

Postcard Perfect

1st Place

Photographer: Aiden Regan
Photo Location: Hamnøy, Norway
Study Abroad Program: BI Norwegian Business School Exchange
Description: For over 1,000 years, Norwegians have fished the waters of the Lofoten Islands. In the 1100’s, a Norwegian king mandated the construction of red huts, called rorbuer, to house the increasing population of fishermen. Since then, rorbuer have become an iconic symbol of Norway’s maritime history. The rorbuer in the photo comprise the town of Hamnøy, which is on an island surrounded by the Arctic Ocean and jagged mountains.

Gorgeous scenery that shows a dramatic mountain landscape. The mountains, located on an island, are dark and span to a very tall height, towering over the nearby island city below. The small city pictured has bright red houses scattered about. Some houses are located on the very edge of the island on the cliff-side. Surrounding both of these islands pictured is water.

2nd Place

Photographer: Jordan Grob
Photo Location: Rome, Italy
Study Abroad Program: Bocconi University Exchange in Italy
Description: While in Italy, I knew it was essential to see Rome–as so much of art and cultural history has roots within this city. After walking around the Colosseum, I took a backroad to my next destination when I saw this beautiful nunnery, where some of the nuns were coming out for the day. Using my (very limited) Italian abilities, we talked for a bit and they took me and a few others around their convent.

A stone-wall, laced with flowers and greenery, is pictured with a large gate door in the center of it. A group of nuns stand outside of this gate, which leads to their convent.

3rd Place

Photographer: Rida Ali
Photo Location: Seoul, South Korea
Study Abroad Program: Yonsei University Exchange
Description: Spring in Busan

Pink cherry blossom trees bloom and seem to engulf the streets of Seoul, South Korea. A bright yellow bus, right parked below the trees, beautifully contrasts the pink blossoms that loom above.

Honorable Mention

Photographer: Jordan Grob
Photo Location: Dublin, Ireland
Study Abroad Program: Bocconi University Exchange in Italy
Description: This was taken on my first solo trip ever in Howth, a town about an hour by train outside of Dublin. As I was walking by the salty ocean, I was watching a fisherman (who reminded me very much of my own fisherman-grandfather) prepping for the day… but whenever he turned his back, a seal would pop up out of the water and watch him! Eventually, this seal swam on closer, and wouldn’t try to hide when the fisherman would turn back around again—in fact, the seal looked like it was begging for treats/fish in the way a puppy would! I had never seen a seal in nature before, so this was truly an impactful experience to see.

A fisherman, wearing bright yellow overalls, is pictured on his fishing boat. He is looking out at a seal who is in the water right next to the boat looking up at the fisherman. The seal appears to be hopeful to receive a treat from the fisherman.