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2025 SIS Photo Contest

Capture the world through your lens! We're excited to announce our SIS Photo Contest is back again for its seventh year, celebrating the unique perspectives and unforgettable moments experienced by our community during their international adventures. Whether you've studied in an SIS Abroad program, traveled internationally, captured stunning landscapes, or want to share a piece of your home with our community, this contest invites you to tell your global story through photography.

Photo winners will be announced in Fall 2025 and will be personally notified via email. Be sure to read through all submission information and voting/selection process.

Eligibility

To participate you must be an SIS community member that falls into one of the following categories:

  • SIS Graduate or Undergraduate Student as of Fall 2025
  • SIS Staff*
  • SIS Faculty

*Full-time SIS Staff who are also students are only eligible as staff members. Part-time SIS Staff members who are also students are only eligible as students.

Categories

  1. SIS Programs Abroad
  2. SIS Around the World
    • Who can submit? SIS undergraduate and graduate students
    • Submissions for this category should display faces from the SIS community in any international context. Examples of these photos may be of an SIS student studying abroad, personal travel, photos in-front of historical sites/landmarks, faculty teaching a course abroad, staff co-leading an alternative break, etc. The options are broad, but as the name suggests, these photos should include yourself, your peers, or a member of the SIS community as they engage in meaningful activities abroad or are featured at a site that is significant to their activity abroad.
  3. A Piece of Home 
    • Who can submit? incoming Fall 2025 SIS undergraduate and graduate students
    • This is an opportunity for incoming students to share a little about the places they call home. We will accept photos from within the United States and abroad. Submissions may include local landmarks, landscapes, signage, wildlife, and more. This category recognizes the diverse backgrounds and perspectives incoming students bring to SIS, their new home!
  4. Landscapes, Landmarks, & Cityscapes Abroad
    • Who can submit? SIS undergraduate and graduate students
    • Submissions may be taken in cities, in the countryside, at so-called 'world wonders,' and ideally will display the diversity of culture, landscapes, and communities around the world. This category is an opportunity for students to share photos from a wide variety of international experiences like living in a city abroad, visiting a small community, exploring nature and beyond. International students may submit photos taken in the United States.
  5. SIS Community At Home and Abroad
    • Who can submit? SIS faculty and staff
    • Submissions for this category should display folks from the SIS community in a domestic or international context. Examples of these photos include an SIS staff member studying abroad, photos in front of historical sites/landmarks, faculty teaching a course, staff co-leading an alternative break, personal travel, etc. The options are broad, but as the name suggests, these photos should include yourself, your colleagues, or a member of the SIS community as they engage in meaningful domestic or international activites or are featured at a site that is significant to an academically engaging activity.

Prizes

  • SIS Students Abroad: $100 AU Rewards Card
  • SIS Programs Abroad: $100 AU Rewards Card
  • A Piece of Home: $100 AU Rewards Card
  • Landscapes, Landmarks, & Cityscapes Abroad: $75 AU Rewards Card
  • SIS Community At Home and Abroad: Print of Photo and a $25 Dav Voucher

All winners will receive recognition at a photo unveiling and photo will be displayed by the SIS Spanish Steps for up to one year.

Questions?

Have a question about the competition? Email partnerships@american.edu

2025 Winners

 

Brazilian Steps in Rio de Janeiro's "Little Africa"

Taken during our Spring 2025 Alternative Break trip to Brazil with a local community organization. We explored social justice in reproductive and family health for Afro-Brazilian women and children—deepening our health equity understanding.

 

The Heavens Above

On a student trip to Kilpisjärvi in Sápmi, my friends and I tracked aurora sightings nightly. Finally, on a brutally cold night, we were rewarded with a spectacular show—the heavens alit with green, blue, and silver.

 

A Temple by the Waves

At Haedong Yonggungsa temple in Busan, I descended stone steps to a stunning view of ocean, cliffs, and golden sunlight on waves. The sea's sound blended into the temple's tranquil surroundings—a perfect mix of nature, history, and spirituality.

 

The Vast Beyond

Sitting on Grandfather Mountain's ledge, I gazed across North Carolina's vast beauty. After a 7-mile upward trek, we saw the stunning view and unending horizon. Like in life, all great views must start with a first step.

 

Fairy Chimneys and Balloons

In Cappadocia, Turkey, I'm surrounded by fairy chimneys—rock formations inhabited until the mid-20th century. This shot required planning and luck, as the balloons only launch under perfect wind conditions.

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Submission Information

Submission Guidelines

All submissions should be submitted on or before 11:59 p.m. September 14, 2025. Please submit photos via this form. Be prepared to submit the following information along with your photo.

  1. Name (first, last)
  2. AU ID, if applicable
  3. SIS Affiliation & Program, if applicable
  4. Category
  5. Title of Photo
  6. Location of Photo
  7. Year Taken
  8. Brief Description/The story behind the photo (approx. 50-100 words)
  • Please use this format to name each photo: LastNameLocation
  • Submissions must have been taken in either 2024 or 2025
  • Contestants may submit up to two photos for each category for which they meet the stated eligibility requirements
  • No repeats - The same photo for two categories will not be permitted
  • All photos must be submitted by 11:59 p.m., September 14, 2025
  • Late submissions will not be accepted
  • If a photo has a distinguishable face featured (i.e., face forward and/or close up) that is not your own, you will need to have that individual complete a model release in order to be eligible. Please note, if a student/faulty/staff member was participating in an AU-associated abroad activity, this is waived, as a release would have already been signed prior to going on the trip.
  • Please submit files no larger than 100MB.
  • Higher resolution files of at least 240 dpi/ppi; high quality photos of this nature will be needed for any winning photo to be properly printed and showcased.
  • All photos must be submitted in a .jpeg or .png format.
  • Winners may receive a print of their photo after is has been displayed in the SIS building.
  • Winning photos will be printed at 8"x10" and/or 11"x14"; please keep these dimensions in mind when submitting photos (i.e. square photos are discouraged)

All entries become property of American University and may be published in any format. By entering this Contest, you represent and warrant that: (i) you are the sole author, creator, and owner of the photos; (ii) except for material used by permission, none of the intellectual property rights in the photos, or any portion thereof, has been assigned or transferred to anyone; (iii) the photos do not violate any applicable laws; and (iv) the photos do not infringe upon or violate intellectual property rights or privacy rights held by any third person or party. By submitting your photos, you give permission to American University to use, reproduce, publish, display and/or distribute your image(s) for any purpose, including the promotion of the School of International Service International Programs, inclusion in reports, print materials and on the School of International Service and/or Office of International Programs Webpages. You also agree that no compensation shall be due to you for the granting of this license. You hereby release American University, its officers, directors, agents, and employees from all liability or legal responsibility that may arise from the acts that you granted herein. You also expressly acknowledge that this photograph is your property, the people in your photo are aware of the photograph's existence and have no objection to the photo being shared for the purposes of this contest.

The University reserves the right to refuse to display or use any photos in its sole discretion. The University also reserves the right at any time during and after the Contest to remove or disqualify any photographs when it believes in its sole discretion that the entrant has: (i) infringed any third party's copyright or privacy rights; (ii) failed to comply with these Contest terms; or (iii) failed to obtain the necessary consents as set out in these Contest terms. The Contest shall be governed by, construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia. The University specifically reserves the right to amend or change these terms and conditions at any time for any reason. The University will communicate any such changes on its website.

Voting and Selection

Winning entries from each category will be selected anonymously from the highest quality photographs that convey a strong sense of place or express a cross-cultural experience through the photo and accompanying context provided in the photo title and/or description.

The SIS Office of International Programs will convene a panel of SIS staff and faculty to blind select the winning photos from the five categories. The decisions of the panels are final and incontestable.

SIS Faculty and Staff will not be eligible for an AU Rewards Card, but will receive a $25 Dav voucher and a print of their winning photo after it has been displayed in the SIS Atrium and replaced by the next year’s winners. All winners will have their photos displayed by the SIS Spanish Steps until the following year's winners are announced.

Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. Winners are responsible for any tax implications as a result of their winning a prize. Any entrant who supplies false information, enters the Contest by fraudulent means, or is otherwise determined to be in violation of the eligibility criteria or terms of these terms shall be ineligible for any Prize and shall be required to forfeit any Prize obtained based on such information or means.

Past Submissions

 

Jordanian night

My travel group drove down to the Wadi Rum Desert, where Lawrence of Arabia once explored, just in time to watch the sunset. The local Bedouins happily show guests their traditions, from their famous tea to dancing.

 

Fun in the Sun

As we visited our guide’s family, I played with his nephews. The Sahawari refugees have lived in these camps for 40 years, and these boys didn't know any other life. Yet, they were just as playful, mischievous and happy as any other boy that age.

 

Enchanted En Camino

A new stretch of the 500-mile journey on the Camino de Santiago could bring inspiring views or soul-stretching challenges. On day 12, the Camino brought magic. It was enchanting and encouraging as we trudged along with 19 days still to go.

 

The Lotus Weaver

For over a century, women in Inle Lake have weaved their faith & devotion into the world's most expensive & finest fabrics made of lotus stems. It often takes at least 20,000 lotus stems and 40 days of hard work to produce one square meter of the fabric.

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