Arts and Culture

May 15, 2026

Through the Spartan lens

2025 Global Focus Contest Winners announced.

From Tanzania to Nepal, Cambodia, Iran and remote areas of Russia, Spartans have a gift for capturing poignant stories through photography and imagery.

Winners of MSU’s annual Global Focus contest were selected by a panel of judges for three audience categories: Students/Scholars, Alumni, and Faculty/Staff/Retirees, as well as Best Story Behind the Photo and Spartan Pride.

The annual photo competition encourages Spartans to share their experiences and perspectives from around the world.

 

ALUMNI

First Place: Tanya Iretskaya, ’25

A Native American teepee and items on a grassy plain under a cloudy sky.

Nomadic Nenets way of life - day of rest at the chum 
Yamal Peninsula, remote North of Russia

 

Second Place: Don Green 

Long flowing traditional lanterns float across the street between oriental buildings at dusk.

Sea of Red, Sea of People 
YuYuan Tourist Mart, Shanghai, China

 

Third Place: Shae Eckles, ’25

Decorative star and pentagon shapes cross through sun and shadow on a red sandstone window and wall with inlaid white marble.

Talking to the Walls 
Qutuv Minar, India

 

People's Choice & Best Story Behind the Photo: Brian Bielecki, ’04

A close-up of an adult male elephant's face with hanging branches draped across the top of his head.

The Old King of the Mole 
Mole National Park, Ghana

 

STUDENTS

First Place: Mohammad Rajaian Hoonejani

Close-up detail of a typical fresco at a plaster work ceiling in a historic Persian building using the Persian and Islamic architectural style and decoration.

Music in the Ceiling 
Isfahana, Iran

 

Second Place: Grace Tukurah

A pair of white African cattle stand in a dirt clearing in front of a green forest.

Grandpa's zebus 
Kafanchan, Nigeria

 

Third Place: Jorge Millian

A row of oriental lanterns with Chinese characters hang off the side of a dark building over a river a night.

A Night in Kyoto 
Yamato-bashi Bridge, Kyoto, Japan

 

People's Choice: Aanchal Gupta

Utility wires drape across an alley in the foreground with the top of the Boudhanath stupa in Kathmandu in the background.

Faith Amid the Chaos 
Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu, Nepal

 

FACULTY/STAFF

First Place: Syed Haider

A black and white photo of a horse-drawn carriage as is rolls down the street.

Panning Through Time 
Vienna, Austria

 

Second Place: Sheila Babbitt

A person wearing a colorful plaid dress, white gloves, and a wide-brimmed hat decorated with greenery stands outdoors beneath a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. Their face is covered in a dark mask with green sunglasses over the eyes.

Mocko Jumbie
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

 

Third Place: Soksamphoas Im

A group of people ride in a long wooden boat through a waterside village with stilted homes and docked boats. One person paddles at the front while others smile toward the camera beneath a cloudy blue sky.

Life in the Floating village on Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia 
Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia

 

People's Choice: Mikala Rioux, ’93

Bunches of multicolored flowers stick out through cracks in the rocks along an otherwise barren shoreline.

Sea Aster on the Ring of Kerry 
Ballyreen, Ireland

 

Global Spartan Pride: Jennifer Olson, ’90, ’95

A group of people poke out the top of a safari car along a dusty road while hanging a Michigan State University flag from the back window.

On Safari! 
Tarangire National Park, Tanzania

Arts and Culture