When Goucher students come back from studying abroad, they have some really great stories to tell. The thing is, members of the broader Goucher community don’t always get a chance to hear those stories. That’s why the Office of International Studies (OIS) and the Office of Communications started the Goucher Passport Series. The series offers a number of opportunities for students to share their study-abroad experiences with others.

Each year we host the annual OIS photo contest, where students submit interesting photos they have taken while they are studying abroad. Winners receive cash prizes and photos are displayed around campus. The entire Goucher community is invited to view all of the photos entered in the contest, which are posted on the OIS tumblr. Stay tuned for announcements about this year’s contest.

2010-11 Photo Contest Winners can be viewed here: http://goucherstudyabroad.tumblr.com/winners

Another aspect of the Passport Series is an essay contest. Students who are currently studying abroad or who have recently returned to campus, are invited to submit an essay about their experiences. Each month, we announce a winner who receives an $75 Visa gift card. Some of the essays are spotlighted on this blog.  Click here to view recent winners and honorable mentions.

As part of the Passport Series, we have this study-abroad blog, where Goucher students post photos and talk about their daily experiences abroad.

For more information about the Goucher Passport Series, contact Allie Laban-Baker at allie.labanbaker@goucher.edu or Angela Shaeffer at angela.shaeffer@goucher.edu.