Why do we Host a Photo Contest?
Each year, Penn State Global hosts a photo contest to celebrate students who have taken the courageous step to study internationally. No matter where you went, you had a uniquely incredible and life-changing experience. We want to see a glimpse of your global learning journey to show Penn State students and prospective international students the impact of global education.
Show us how your time abroad has shaped you! We ARE… eager to review the photos you captured during your experience!
Why do we Host a Photo Contest?
Each year, Penn State Global hosts a photo contest to celebrate students who have taken the courageous step to study internationally. No matter where you went, you had a uniquely incredible and life-changing experience. We want to see a glimpse of your global learning journey to show Penn State students and prospective international students the impact of global education.
Show us how your time abroad has shaped you! We ARE… eager to review the photos you captured during your experience!
What Happens to my Submissions?
When you submit to the Penn State Education Abroad Photo Contest, you are sending your photos to a panel of judges. Some judges are Penn State Global Learning team members, while others serve Penn State in different ways. Regardless of who's judging, everyone is excited to see your submissions!
After photos are reviewed, winners will be chosen for each category. One category winner will also be crowned the grand-prize winner of the contest. More details on how winners will be selected and prizes for each type of winner can be found once the 2025 Global Learning Photo Contest is announced.
Winners and honorable mentions can expect to find their photos featured across Penn State Global social media, on our website, and in other promotional materials. Our purpose is to show prospective future global learning students a glimpse of the experience they could have.
What Happens to my Submissions?
When you submit to the Penn State Education Abroad Photo Contest, you are sending your photos to a panel of judges. Some judges are Penn State Global Learning team members, while others serve Penn State in different ways. Regardless of who's judging, everyone is excited to see your submissions!
After photos are reviewed, winners will be chosen for each category. One category winner will also be crowned the grand-prize winner of the contest. More details on how winners will be selected and prizes for each type of winner can be found once the 2025 Global Learning Photo Contest is announced.
Winners and honorable mentions can expect to find their photos featured across Penn State Global social media, on our website, and in other promotional materials. Our purpose is to show prospective future global learning students a glimpse of the experience they could have.
2025 Photo Contest Winners
Check out the winning photos from the 2025 Global Learning Photo Contest and learn more about the student photographers and their experience abroad!
2025 Photo Contest Winners
Check out the winning photos from the 2025 Global Learning Photo Contest and learn more about the student photographers and their experience abroad!
Sofia Petroccia
Sofia is the Grand-Prize Winner of the 2025 Penn State Global Learning Photo Contest!
Category Won: All-time Favorite
Program Abroad: ISI Florence
Sofia Petroccia is a fourth-year student at Penn State University Park majoring in Health Policy and Administration. She studied abroad in Florence, Italy during spring 2024.
Photographer's note: This is a photo that my friend took of me swimming in Positano, Italy. I love this picture because of how blue the water is and how colorful the houses are on the side of the mountain. In that moment, I had no worries at all, and I was able to soak in all the beauty that Positano had to offer.
Madeleine Ryan
Category Won: Living Abroad
Program Abroad: One Health Design Activism in Peru
Madeleine Ryan is a fourth-year student at Penn State University Park majoring in Landscape Architecture. She is currently studying abroad in Iquitos, Peru.
Photographer's note: I took this photo of the streetscape and plaza surrounding my living accommodations. It represents my daily views as I would leave to run errands or grab a moto-taxi.
Analise Wolf
Category Won: Far-away Friendships
Program Abroad: Enchanting India in Seven Days
Analise Wolf is a first-year student at Penn State Behrend majoring in Nursing. She studied abroad during spring break 2025 in India.
Photographer's note: This photo was taken during Holi, a holiday using colors. This photo, believe it or not, were taken candidly and truly capture how well our group got along. The people I traveled with brought me so much joy and happiness. They made traveling to a new country fun, not intimidating.
Marola Anes
Category Won: Cultural Engagement
Programs Abroad: ISI Florence
Marola Anes is a third-year student at Penn State University Park majoring in biology. She studied abroad in Florence, Italy in spring 2024.
Photographer's note: This photo was taken in Viareggio's Carnival celebration, a really cool tradition and celebration in Italian culture.
Janhavi Rajwade
Category Won: International Student Perspectives
Program Abroad: One Health Design Activism in Peru
Janhavi Rajwade is a second-year masters student at Penn State in the Master of Landscape Architecture program.
Photographer's note: This photo, taken on March 8th, 2025, during a boat ride from the floodplain community of Claverito to Belen on the Amazon River, captures a moment that deeply resonated with me.
What made this photo impactful was the way it encapsulated the incredible microclimate of the region. This image became symbolic of my education abroad, where the concept of One Health- understanding the interrelationship between people, animals, the environment and the planet- was brought into vivid focus.
Anna Penird
Category Won: New Experiences
Program Abroad: GREEN Program: Iceland (Summer)
Anna Penird is a third-year student at Penn State University Park majoring in Geosciences. She studied abroad in Iceland during summer 2024.
Photographer's note: This picture was taken on the Sólheimajökull glacier walk in Iceland by a guide for our study abroad experience. I’m doing a pushup to take a drink of fresh glacier water. Everyone in our group did this awesome activity. It was a fun moment of group bonding on top of a glacier!
