The 41st Annual Gimse Global Engagement Photo Contest
For more than a half century, St. Olaf students have learned around the world as part of the college’s renowned study abroad and study away programs. And for nearly that entire time, they have shared the stunning images they’ve captured during their travels as part of the annual Gimse Global Engagement Photo Contest.
The photo contest is named in honor of Professor Emeritus of Art A. Malcolm (Mac) Gimse ’58 and his wife, Jackie. Together they planned, led, and taught 35 study-abroad programs and a dozen international January term programs, helping hundreds of Oles achieve an informed global perspective. Gimse chronicled their international travel through photography, and he encouraged students to do the same.
Advisors in what is now the Smith Center for Global Engagement at St. Olaf launched the photo contest in 1983 to encourage students to share a glimpse of their travels with the broader community. Each year students submit hundreds of photos to the contest.
At St. Olaf, the options for studying abroad and away are robust. The college offers programs in more than 40 countries around the world, including faculty-led semester programs like Global Semester and a wide range of January term programs. It’s an opportunity that most St. Olaf students take advantage of, with 62 percent of the Class of 2024 participating in at least one study abroad/away program.
See their experiences through the eyes of the student photographers in the following images from the 41st Annual Gimse Global Engagement Photo Contest:
TOP AWARD
“A Rest by Dunnottar” by Jeremiah Weber ’24
Program: University of Aberdeen
Dunnottar Castle • Scotland, United Kingdom
“In the east of Scotland lies Dunnottar Castle, a picturesque fortress on the sea. Surrounding it are cliffs, high and proud, stretching to the horizon — the perfect place for a little rest.”
TOP AWARD
“A Friend In The Doorway” by Stephanie Amann ’24
Program: University of Konstanz in Germany
Vyšehrad • Prague 2, Czech Republic
“Many moments of my study-abroad experience were spent laughing and smiling with fellow Ole classmate Atong Mawien ’24, captured here as we explored an old castle during a weekend trip to Prague.”
TOP AWARD
“Bus 26 at 6 a.m.” by Blue Nawa ’24
Program: Multicultural Education in Hawaii – Seminar and Practicum
Honolulu, Hawaii
“I was part of the cohort of student teachers who taught high school Monday through Friday for 35+ hours a week. We all took the 6:49 a.m. bus to get to school. We commuted, groggy, flustered from the 6 a.m. rush, and shoulder-to-shoulder with a bus full of high schoolers — and yet what I’ll remember is our deep contentedness, our delight in the routine, our persisting gratefulness to be in Hawaii. With the indigo lights overhead, it kinda felt like a party bus.”
HONORABLE MENTION
“Helix” by Auguste Bernick ’24
Program: Theater in London
Whispering Gallery, St. Paul’s Cathedral • London, England, United Kingdom
“Fun fact: this staircase was used in the filming of Harry Potter and Mission Impossible!”
HONORABLE MENTION
“An Evening in Wellington” by Hannah Swanson ’24
Program: Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand
Oriental Bay • Wellington, New Zealand
“After a day of fast-paced learning in a new country, there’s nothing better than a quiet evening adventure with good friends. Walking back from a dinner of takeaway pizza on the beach, Ceili Demarais and Kelby Anderson are pictured strolling beside a bay full of jingling sailboats in Wellington, New Zealand. The three months of constant movement and deep learning were possible thanks to quiet and restorative moments like these.”
HONORABLE MENTION
“Time Travel” by Hannah Stortz ’24
Program: IES Abroad: Paris – French Studies
The Louvre • Paris, France
“There is so much history in such a simple shot. The Louvre, which was once a palace, contains so many centuries of art and culture. The glass pyramids are a modern addition, but they are an unmistakable nod to the pyramids of Ancient Egypt. And in some sense, I time travel every time I look at this image and reflect on all the memories and experiences from my time abroad.”
HONORABLE MENTION
“Abdication of the Throne” by Ella Stremler ’24
Program: Kierkegaard in Copenhagen
Christiansborg Palace • Copenhagen, Denmark
“For the first time in nearly 900 years, a Danish royal abdicated the throne. On January 14, 2024, 400,000 people came to see this historic event and join in on the festivities throughout the city of Copenhagen. Long live King Frederick X!”
HONORABLE MENTION
“Good Morning, Dublin” by Gracia Larsen-Schmidt ’25
Program: Love and Sex in Modern Irish History
Dublin, Ireland
“Almost every morning in Dublin, Asia Said ’26 would greet the day with a cheerful ‘Good morning, Dublin!’ On this particular day, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Dublin’s brightly colored buildings glowed in the warm sunlight, and Asia did right along with them.”
HONORABLE MENTION
“Oles on the Great Barrier Reef” by Celili Demarais ’24
Program: Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand
Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia
“This photo was taken from the shore of Heron Island on the Great Barrier Reef. It was the final week of the Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand program, during which we were able to stay and study at a research station on Heron Island surrounded by nothing but reefs and ocean. It was a wonderful way to say goodbye to my newfound family of 22 individuals I had traveled with for the past few months!”
“The Doorstep” by Otto Schmidt ’25
Program: Global Semester
Santa Lucia Ecolodge • Nanegal, Ecuador
“After a long hike up the mountain, our group left our boots at the doorstep of the Santa Lucia Ecolodge to enjoy relaxation with sweet tea and beautiful views. This line of boots would serve as a meeting place over the next four days, the beginning of countless hiking adventures in Ecuador’s Cloud Forest.”
“Hội An Lanterns” by Grace Milhaupt ’25
Program: Global Semester
City Market • Hội An, Vietnam
“This photo was taken during our last group excursion of Global Semester. We took a sunset walking tour of Hội An and learned more about its history as a regional trading port. The city mayor shared a powerful quote which I believe encapsulates the hospitality and kindness of Hoi An: ‘Tell them my address, they won’t know where that is. Tell them my name, they can take you to my home.'”
“Tea Time” by Branko Dubravcic Suarez ’25
Program: American University in Cairo
Siwa, Egypt
“During spring break, some friends and I traveled to Siwa. We spent a day in a desert safari, riding a 4×4, seeing different small oases, and even sand boarding. At the end of the day, our driver decided to make us a very traditional Siwan tea or ‘Zarda.’ Honestly, that was the best tea I’ve ever had. It was a very windy day, so making the fire took a long time, but sitting in the desert, admiring the view, and enjoying a sweet tea with friends and locals made it all worth it.”
“Divine Intervention” by Mia Poletti ’24
Program: CIEE Liberal Arts Program in Rennes, France
Trinita Dei Monti • Rome, Italy
“On a spring break trip to Rome, there were many statues and paintings depicting religious scenes. This one we found in a small Basilica stuck out, as the heavenly light cradling the figures made it seem like maybe we weren’t the only ones appreciating the art …”
“A Moonlit View of Old in the New” by Riley Holets ’26
Program: Middlebury in Mainz
Mainzer Dom • Mainz, Germany
“A view of the Mainz Cathedral from the rooftop terrace of the Staatstheater. It shows a wonderful combination of old and modern architecture in the heart of the Mainz Altstadt.”
“Indian Temples in Vietnam” by Elise Marlett ’25
Program: Global Semester
Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary • Hội An, Vietnam
“A temple at Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located outside of Hội An, Vietnam, that preserves a collection of Hindu temples built by the Champa civilization between the 4th and 13th centuries.”
“Lemon” by Emilie Bencke ’25
Program: IES Abroad Milan – Italy Today
Amalfi, Italy
“A massive lemon sorbet in Amalfi, Italy. The best thing I’ve ever eaten.”
“Breakfast in the Western Ghats” by Talia Williams ’24
Program: Student Teaching, Kodaikanal International School
Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India
“Breakfast stop views on a Saturday morning hike through the Western Ghats of Tamil Nadu, India.”
“Westminster Abbey Cloisters” by Kiera Hasan ’26
Program: Theater in London
Westminster Abbey • London, England, United Kingdom
“Westminster Abbey Cloisters illuminated by the rare London winter sun on an early evening in January.”
“Hiking to The Lake Tekapo Observatory” by Kelby Anderson ’24
Program: Environmental Science in Australia and New Zealand
Lake Tekapo, Aotearoa, New Zealand
“I made this photo with 35mm film on a hike to the observatory alongside Lake Tekapo in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The skies there were the darkest I have ever experienced. This was one of my favorite days from my 3.5 months abroad.”
“Seealpsee in Switzerland” by Mackenzie Johnson ’24
Program: University of Konstanz
Lake Seealpsee, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Switzerland
“I took this photo on a hiking day trip to the incredible clear blue Lake Seealpsee shown in the photo. It is located in eastern Switzerland roughly sixty kilometers south of Konstanz, Germany.”
“The Reflection of Glass” by Alexandra Freihammer ’25
Program: Noether and Kovalevskaya – Algebra/Analysis/Access in Europe
Vaxholm, Stockholm, Sweden
“Sunlight was very rare during our time in Stockholm due to short and cloudy days, but on the one day of full sun there was during our visit, we took a ferry to the small town of Vaxholm. The ferry was part of the public transport infrastructure, but it proved to be the most awe-inspiring vessel to watch the sun set behind sparse clouds over the span of a few hours. We broke ice sheets throughout the whole ride, and the colors reflected so perfectly that it felt like glass.”
“An Ancient View” by Marianna Marquardt ’24
Program: Italian Art in Context
Erice, Sicily, Italy
“This photo was taken in the ancient town of Erice, in Sicily. This town is located at 2,464 feet of elevation and was first founded by the Elymians, as Thucydides documents. We visited this town to see the ancient architecture and learn about what it was like to live at such high elevation (which was often preferred because you could see enemy armies in the distance).”
“Kyochon Pilbang 교촌필방 (Caligraphy-Themed Restaurant)” by Alliance Umutoni Ishema ’25
Program: Yonsei University
Itaewon, Seoul, South Korea
“This is a calligraphy-themed chicken place had an interior decorated with calligraphy books and brushes. This photo showcases the massive brush centered in the middle of the restaurant with smoke-like ink (I think). One of the coolest things about this restaurant is that you have to pull a brush to enter, and then you use a brush to apply the sauce on the chicken. I found it very creative and impressive!”
“Peering Into Istanbul” by Sam Morton ’25
Program: Religion and Empire in Greece and Turkey
Galata Tower • Istanbul, Turkey
“We encountered so many different cultures and traditions on our trip as we spent short stays at over a dozen cities in Greece and Turkey. Though we had short stays, we nonetheless got to peer into these other traditions in a way that left us curious, intellectually stimulated, and asking good questions. This idea is encapsulated in this photo, as I peer into Istanbul from Galata Tower.”
“Plates, Pots, and Precarious Things” by Helen Olson ’24
Program: Spain’s Cultural and Linguistic Legacy
Córdoba, Spain
“Everlasting plants under the warm winter sun.”
“Suspended in the Canopy” by Carter Schafer ’24
Program: Ghana International Capstone
Kakum National Park • Assin Attandanso Reserve, Ghana
“On a visit to Kakum National Park, my fellow Oles cross one of seven canopy walkways, some 150 ft above the forest floor.”
“Just Below Our Feet” by Elle Miller ’24
Program: Religion and Empire in Greece and Turkey
Basilica Cistern • Istanbul, Turkey
“This photograph was taken on January 28th in the Basilica Cistern located in Istanbul, Turkey. The Basilica Cistern is the largest of the hundreds of ancient cisterns that still exist beneath the city of Istanbul today. In modern times it has served as inspiration for numerous works in pop culture, including being used as a set for the James Bond film From Russia With Love.”
“Would You Like Some Boba?” by Vanesca Antoine ’25
Program: Term in China
Zhujiajiao, People’s Republic of China
“In the holiday spirit, I shared some of my bubble tea 珍珠奶茶 with this resident of Zhujiajiao. Not sure whether he liked it or not…”