International Studies and Programs (ISP), in partnership with the Michigan State University Alumni Association, have opened the call for entries to the 2011 international photo competition, Global Focus.
           For the first time this year, photos can be uploaded via an online entry form. Contest organizers hope this will encourage more entries, especially from international participants. Submissions are due Friday, October 7, 2011.
           Launched in 1999, Global Focus has presented more than 200 awards to members of the Michigan State University family who have taken exceptional photographs while on work assignments, study abroad programs, or during personal travels abroad. The internationally-themed photo contest aims to recognize MSU faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have captured memorable images from around the world and are interested in sharing their photographs with the entire MSU campus.
           Following tradition, the entries will be judged and first-through third-place winners will be selected out of student, faculty/staff and alumni categories. The judging panel consists of a member of the MSU faculty, a professional photographer and one community member that change each year. In recent years a new element to the contest was introduced in the form of a people’s choice winner, named in each category based on the popularity of the photograph as shown by the number of votes received online.

           Entries must be photos taken outside of the United States by MSU faculty, staff, students or alumni. Winners will be announced in November as part of International Education Week festivities and placed in gallery frames for display in MSU’s International Center, Alumni Association and various campus locations. In order to make the contest accessible to all members of the MSU family including the 40,000 international alumni and expatriates, ISP along with the Alumni Association is mobilizing all of its social networks, websites and offices to spread the word.
           To enter the competition, learn about rules and eligibility, and to vote for the people’s choice winners, visit the Global Focus website at http://www.isp.msu.edu/awards/photocontest/.

An online gallery of previous winners sorted by year is also available on the Website.

For more information or questions about the competition please email, Stephanie Motschenbacher at motsche3@msu.edu or call International Studies and Programs at 517-884-2134.