Last Updated on March 3, 2020 by AIFS Abroad
Our annual Capture the Culture Photo Contest is an opportunity for AIFS students and recent alumni to submit what they think best, well, captures the culture during their study abroad, intern abroad, and volunteer abroad experiences around the world. Candidates are asked to contribute pictures that evoke a sense of nostalgia for a particular time, experience, or place that helped to define their adventures overseas.
Each year we have an abundance of incredible photos submitted, and this year is no exception! Because our students are so talented, it makes it very difficult to determine the contest’s winners. We appreciate everyone who participated!
Without further ado, here are the 2018 Capture the Culture Photo Contest winners:
Grand Prize
Description: Best Overall. Well-rounded, quintessential study abroad picture.
Congratulations to Kyle Nadler from the University of Georgia, who studied abroad with AIFS in London, England in Spring 2018, on being awarded the Grand Prize for the AIFS Study Abroad Capture the Culture Photo Contest! His vibrant photograph captured on London’s iconic Tower Bridge really caught our attention and evoked the hustle and bustle of the city, while maintaining its authenticity.
Category: Squad Goals
Description: Organized group shots of you and your study abroad pals.
Congratulations to Xenia Vidal from the Mount St. Mary’s University – Los Angeles who spent an academic year with AIFS in Barcelona, Spain. The photo she submitted of her and her friends during an AIFS-led group excursion to Morocco completely epitomizes #squadgoals.
Category: City Life
Description: The hustle and bustle, popular places, urban happenings, landmarks and architecture.
Congratulations to Inga Parkel from California Lutheran University, who studied abroad with AIFS in Berlin, Germany during the summer of 2017! Inga’s image of this exquisite graffiti art — a common occurrence in the artistic German capital — gave us a sense of what it’s like to walk down the city’s urban streets everyday.
Category: Tradition… Tradition!
Description: Cultural events, festivals, holidays, local activities.
Congratulations to Nicole Feldman from State University of New York College at Buffalo, who studied abroad with AIFS in Barcelona, Spain in Fall 2017! The warm tones and detail in the henna hand art really brought us into a traditional lifestyle that exists in this area of Spain, and much of the surrounding region.
Category: The People’s Champ
Description: We post our faves on Facebook and Instagram and the most popular wins!
Congratulations to Sloan Nickel from Drake University, who studied abroad with AIFS in Salzburg, Austria! Out of 13 finalists for this category, her photo was crowned winner after receiving the most engagement and positive feedback on our Facebook and Instagram accounts. Way to go, Sloan!
Category: A Day in the Life
Description: Photos of your residence, homestay, classroom, campus life.
Congratulations to Maxwell Meador of the Binghamton University – State University of New York, who studied abroad with AIFS in Wellington, New Zealand in Spring 2018! While this definitely could’ve been a contender for the Squad Goals category, we felt it was a shoe-in for A Day in the Life. I mean, how cool is it to do be able to study and do homework on campus on the regular with kangaroos, ostrich, and other native animals hanging around?
Category: Creativity
Description: Use your artistic expression here! Anything that might not fit into other categories.
Congratulations to Katey Ladika of Robert Morris University, who studied abroad with AIFS in Prague, Czech Republic in Summer 2017! Katey captured one of Prague’s most historic squares, Old Town Square, in the reflection of a bubble. Seriously? This is the coolest!
Category: #WeAreAIFS
Description: Program excursions, trips, gatherings, activities, group outings, student/staff interactions.
Congratulations to Christopher Newman from the Ohio State University, who studied abroad with AIFS in Stellenbosch, South Africa in Summer 2017! Chris submitted this group photo of the AIFS in Stellenbosch’s excursion to the Cape of Good Hope (included in the program fee!), which is at the south-west tip of the continent of Africa where the Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean meet. We sense some serious AIFS pride!
