Carol Odom, an undergraduate at Clayton State University from Riverdale, received the first place award for her photo of Blarney Castle in Cork, Ireland, in the university’s annual photo contest for students enrolled in its 2011 study abroad program.
Blarney Castle dates back to the mid-15th century and has attracted millions of visitors, many of whom have kissed its Blarney stone, which legend has it imparts eloquence.
Miss Odom visited the castle while participating in a program of the University System of Georgia’s European Council, one of five regional councils under the auspices of the System Council for International Education of the University System of Georgia. Its programs are located in Bonn, Germany; London, Madrid, Paris, St. Petersburg, Russia and Waterford, Ireland.
“This was a particularly nice, sunny day in Ireland and I wanted to capture part of the castle as I was headed to the entrance and up to the Blarney stone,” Miss Odom, one of 70 students enrolled last year in the university’s stay abroad programs, said in a news release.
“Viewing the World Through My Eyes,” was the theme of the contest that was judged by 240 students and staff who voted to determine the winner based on the photographer’s ability to communicate a cross-cultural experience.
Second place winner was Leslie Gilmartin, who studied in Costa Rica and submitted a photo of herself sitting on a bridge “enjoying the serenity of friends and the environment of the forest and whitewater rapid beneath.”
The third place award went to Shannon Griffin, who studied in Turkey and submitted a photo of a young boy dressed up in anticipation of his circumcision ceremony.
Clayton State has study abroad programs in the Bahamas; Guadalajara, Mexico; Hungary and Austria, Italy, Jamaica, Panama, South Africa and Turkey in addition to the European Council programs.
To learn more about Clayton State study abroad programs, go here.
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