2025 Annual Photo Contest Winners & Finalists

Congratulations to our winners and finalists in the 2025 Annual Photo Contest! Take a look at all the incredible experiences our students had while abroad. Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest!

The Grand Prize Winners for the contest are below:

Cultures, Customs, and Traditions: Camylin Blake, CC'26 | Global Columbia Collaboratory: The Gambia | Commerce: Everyday commerce and movement/interaction of Gambians
Free for All: Reese Yen, CC'27 | Columbia Summer Core in Paris: Art Humanities and Music Humanities | Famous white chalk cliffs and natural arches covered in a mist where the land meets the sea.
Landscapes and Cityscapes: Sebastian Pallais-Aks, CC'26 | SIT Argentina: Social Movements and Human Rights | "Grazing": A horse enjoying the grasslands at Laguna La Zeta, in Chubut, Patagonia.
Lions Abroad: Cynthia Ribustello, CC'26 | IFSA in Australia: University of Sydney | Great Barrier Reef Scuba Trip with Anna Nelson, CC'26.
Lottery: Ellen Lansing, CC'26 | SEMESTER Petition — SIT in Madagascar: Biodiversity and Natural Resource Management | Chameleon Descr: Chameleon spotted on a night walk in the rainforest.
"Out of My Comfort Zone": Nicole Bastos, CC'26 | CIEE Spain: Liberal Arts in Madrid | Finding serenity in the Moroccan desert landscape, where a few trees bring life to the arid terrain.

Cultures, Customs, and Traditions

Female flamenco dancer along with accompanying guitarist in the background.

Anna Reis, CC'25, CIEE Spain: Engineering and Society in Madrid

Mainz Cathedral Market, Rhineland Pfalz, Germany

Stella Densley, FUBiS: Freie Universitaet Berlin International Summer

A memorable moment getting henna done with friends in celebration of Eid, blending traditions while studying in Paris.

Hafsa Mohammed Abdul Samad, Columbia Summer in Paris

Free for All

This poster lay in the middle of an international food festival, reminding all visitors to do their part as members of the European Union.

Morgan Chow, Columbia Summer Core in Berlin: Art Humanities and Music Humanities

"For Sandro" was taken on my first "getaway" weekend in between my studies and work. London was getting chilly and my new best friend, Sandro, and I decided to trade the cold for a weekend on Lake Como before the winter came.

Tristan Espinoza, CC'25, IFSA in the United Kingdom: London School of Economics (LSE)

A scenic view of students engaged in a group session in the park combining nature and learning in a peaceful setting.

Hafsa Mohammed Abdul Samad, Columbia Summer in Paris

Landscapes and Cityscapes

Hidden stone bridge found on a mountain hike.

Stella Densley, FUBiS: Freie Universitaet Berlin International Summer

On a weekend getaway Cassie went with her my roommates to snap this photo atop Giotto's Bell Tower.

Cassie Wang, CC'26, Columbia Summer in Venice

Decked out in bright orange, a cyclist couple crosses the street with caution, turning their heads right in anticipation. This photo was taken from the top of a windmill outside Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam, an hour away from Berlin.

Morgan Chow, Columbia Summer Core in Berlin: Art Humanities and Music Humanities

Lions Abroad

Salvatore shared this was "...the perfect mix of learning, cultural experience, and plain fun that the summer core in Berlin had."

Salvatore Ferrera, Columbia Summer Core in Berlin: Art Humanities and Music Humanities

Sabrina sitting together with her peers in the Amazon where they were performing a needs assessment on three communities.

Sabrina DeAraujo, Global Columbia Collaboratory: Environmental Humanities & the SDGs in Brazil

Spring in Paris 8eme

Anna Patchefsky, CC'25, Columbia in Paris

Lottery

Berliners are ringing in May Day, one of the city's biggest celebrations, at a pop-up DJ booth in Treptower Park. Madison shared that "We had a day off from classes to engage in the festivities, which we did safely and excitedly. Treptower Park in East Berlin is a popular gathering spot on this day, and there were so many people picnicking, playing games, and dancing all throughout the massive green space. It was a truly special experience!"

Madison Rosenfield, GS/JTS'25, Berlin Consortium for German Studies (BCGS) English Language Program

Gunjur, The Gambia

Dilan Cordoba, Global Columbia Collaboratory: Environmental Humanities & Global Health in The Gambia

A Columbia student views Venice's Grand Canal from Peggy Guggenheim's Unfinished Palazzo

Max Mielcarek, Columbia Summer in Venice

Out of My Comfort Zone

A trip from Paris to Athens, Greece to view the Parthenon

Anna Patchefsky, Columbia in Paris

Cienfuegos, Cuba: Mia shared that this "...is an image of me sipping honey out of a Melipona bee hive with a straw. The beekeeper, Omar Alfonso, invited us all to sample the honey from the hive and although the bees were stingless, it certainly felt out of my comfort zone to stick my face in their hive!"

Mia Babasyan, Columbia School of Professional Studies'24 , Global Columbia Collaboratory: Environmental Humanities & Global Health in Cuba

Anna took this photo from the top of the Moorish Castle in Sintra national park; the Moorish castle was built hundreds of year prior when Portugal was under Muslim rule. They shared they put "...this photo in the Out of my Comfort Zone category because I have a fear of heights and was quite literally shaking while taking this photo."

Anna Reis, CIEE Spain: Engineering and Society in Madrid

Undergraduate Global Engagement
formerly the office of Global Programs

Menu

Search

2025 Annual Photo Contest Winners & Finalists

Related Articles