On March 15, 2026 the International Institute hosted the II Photo Contest Award Ceremony & Reception. The event, held in the gallery on the 5th floor of Weiser Hall, was an opportunity to showcase the breadth of global perspectives captured by students affiliated with the institute during their study abroad experiences, internships, and research projects.
Awards were presented by Youngju Ryu, director of the International Insitute and professor of Asian Languages and Cultures; and one of the contest judges, Rosem Morton, freelance documentary photographer and current U-M Knight-Wallace Fellow.
The photos showed not only captivating spaces all over the world, but also, through their accompanying stories, brought viewers along on the personal journeys of our talented U-M students.
We offered a total of nine prizes, three each in the three categoies below:
Go Blue!
- Winner: Maize and Blue Pride by Alejandro Pimentel Hernandez, BSE student, Industrial and Operations Engineering. Sponsored by the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia (WCEE).
- 2nd Place: Maize and Blue Reimagined: Among the Sand, Sea, and African Penguins of Boulders Beach by Allison Tate, BA student, Ford School of Public Policy. Sponsored by the Program in International and Comparative Studies (PICS), the Donia Human Rights Center (DHRC), and the International Institute.
- 3rd Place: Wolverine Walkway by Jack Distenfield., BA student, Political Science and PiTE. Sponsored by the Program in International and Comparative Studies (PICS).
The World Is Your Classroom
- Winner: Midsummer Sacrifice of Marzanna by Michelle Cieloszczyk, MFA student, Stamps School of Art & Design. Sponsored by the Copernicus Center for Polish Studies (CCPS).
- 2nd Place: Lessons by the Hearth by Eda Bozkurt, PhD student, Architecure. Sponsored by the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia.
- 3rd Place: [Untitled] by Sylvie Archer, BA student, International Studies. Sponsored by the Program in International and Comparative Studies.
Encounters & Vistas
- Winner: A Forest Underwater by Aberdeen Leary, MS student, School for Environment and Sustainability. Sponsored by the African Studies Center (ASC).
- 2nd Place: Thaw by Jack Distenfield, BA student, Political Science and PiTE. Sponsored by the Program in International and Comparative Studies (PICS).
- 3rd Place: Hill of Crosses by Michelle Cieloszczyk., MFA student, Stamps School of Art & Design. Sponsored by the Copernicus Center for Polish Studies (CCPS).
We would like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to all of our winners, and also our gratitue to all of the students who submitted entries. All photo submissions will be on display in the Weiser Hall, 5th Floor Gallery Space until the end of January. You can also view the photo submissions on our Flickr page.
We look forward to organizing the 2026 photo contest next fall. If you are an II affiliated student who will be going abroad this year, keep our contest in mind as you look around!
