"A World of Possibilities"

Sixty-nine photos were entered in the second international photo contest, "A World of Possibilities," sponsored by Study Abroad. Students who have studied abroad shared their experience through photos.

The two categories were people — photos that captured students interacting with locals or piqued a viewer’s interest in the people portrayed in the photo, and landscape — depictions of a landmark or landscape that is clearly identifiable as an international location.

Students who visited the exhibit selected winners for a people's choice award. Photos were also judged by a panel of judges. Taunya Martin won first place in both the judges and people's choice categories for her picture entitled "Textured Thoughts," shown here.

"My family and I took a vacation and one of our stops was Jamaica. Jamaica was filled with wandering children and homes made out of mud. This little Jamaican child was patiently waiting as her parents were making final bargains with selling souvenirs on the street. Jamaica is a gorgeous place and just by looking at the beauty and the people you could tell there were thousands of secrets that will never be uncovered."

The judges for the contest were Donna Barry of Photo Services, Gary Kiger, dean of the College of HASS, and Chris Fawson, vice president for International Academic Affairs.

First place winners are pictured below and the top three award winners are listed for each category.

JUDGES’ AWARDS

People Category
1. Taunya Martin, Bountiful, Utah
2. Judd Goff, Millville, Utah
3. Dianne Brazzeal, St. George, Utah

Places Category
1. Melanie Andrus, Lava Hot Springs, Idaho
2. Aaron Swank, Crystal Lake, Illinois
3. Melanie Dixon, Aurora, Colorado

People Category
1. Taunya Martin, Bountiful, Utah
2. Dianne Brazzeal, St. George, Utah
3. Melanie Dixon, Aurora, Colorado

Places Category
1. Mary Wharton, SLC, Utah
2. Matt Knorr, Layton, Utah
3. (3-way tie)
Jennifer Ovinet, Marcq-en-Baroeul, France
Trevor Budge, North Logan, Utah
Bryce Bushman, Kearns, Utah

Melanie Andrus, "Predjama Castle"

"While participating in a study abroad program in Slovenia, I went with some friends to visit Predjama Castle. It is built into a cliff face with an adjoining cave in the beautiful karst countryside....As I was roaming around this castle, I was transported back in time. So when I found this little window with the bell in the upper part of the fortress, I had to take a picture. The frame it created for the beautiful Slovenian countryside was breathtaking. The rustic bell, the European castle architecture and the gorgeous landscape epitomized the aura of my experience that day and in Slovenia last year. Like a fairytale."

Mary Wharton, "Chateau D'Oex"

"The USU Summer Design Academy of 2002 went to Châteu d'Oex, Switzerland that day to go to a folk art museum. We had a lot of free time to walk around the village, and the landscape was amazing! I loved the way the buildings seemed to be growing on the mountains like trees."

Judd Goff, "Daughter's First Festival"

"I took the picture in a suburb of Osaka, Japan, called Ikeda. This is where my wife was born. This past summer my wife and I returned to visit her family. While there, we went to my wife’s elementary school’s summer festival. There were many young children wearing traditional Japanese summer clothing. When it grew darker, many people gathered in the middle of the soccer field and danced. I found this mother and her daughter, at the edge of the crowd, watching the dance."

Matt Knorr, "A Town Unscathed"

"I found this scene in Rothenburg, Germany, while on an extended-family vacation in Europe this summer. I took a different path back to the tour bus, looking for interesting shots, when I found this nostalgic scene outside of a shop."

Bryce Bushman, "Bled"

"Bled is a beautiful village in the Julian Alps. The lake has one island with an old church on it and a castle on the cliffs rising up out of the water."

Diane Brazzeal Conner, "Solitude"

"It is a tradition in Tibet to make mandalas, a large smooth surface with different colors of fine-grain sand poured onto it, making intricate patterns and symbolic art work. After the mandala was finished chants and blessings were made and it was placed in a nearby river, to bless the area. The grains of sand were washed away and the blessing goes with it. Here at the river is where we pick up the happenings in the picture; they are offering up chants and music here, at the bend of the river."

Contest winners were awarded partial scholarships in the Study Abroad program, cameras, picture frames and photo processing. Special thanks to donors Aggie Ice Cream, USU Bookstore, USU Photo Services, HUB, Study Abroad, Sky Room Restaurant, IHOP, Wal-Mart, Golden Corral, New York Burrito, Einsteins, Dominos, Riverdale Resort, Winger's, Chili's and Angie's.

Utah State students who choose to study abroad earn credit toward graduation, and most USU financial aid applies. For more information contact Kay Forsyth at 797-1253 or kforsyth@hass.usu.edu.

Carnegie Professor David Lancy has begun a fund to support Utah State's
scholars who're studying abroad. Further info on the Global Scholar's Fund
can be obtained from Assistant Vice President for Development Joyce Albrecht, 435-797-1324.

Story by Nadene Steinhoff
Photos courtesy of The Herald Journal and USU Photo Services