Submission Rules

  • All submissions should include a completed entry form, a digital photograph, and a written reflection.
  • All submissions should be emailed to gaugerlf@mlc-wels.edu.
  • When we receive your submission, we will send an acknowledgment. If you do not receive this acknowledgment, please contact Laurie Gauger at gaugerlf@mlc-wels.edu or 320.424.8373.
  • Entrants may submit as many entries as they wish, each with a separate entry form.

Photo and Essay Specifications

  • The photograph should
    • Be taken in the foreign mission field in which you serve(d)
    • Be clearly related to the submitted written reflection
    • Be taken by you, not a third party
    • Be either a color or black and white digital
    • Be submitted as a large JPG at high resolution
    • NOT be panoramic
    • NOT be “photo-shopped” or enhanced (The following small enhancements ARE allowed: red-eye removal, cropping, rotating, and one-step auto enhancement.)
  • The written reflection should
    • Tell a story about your ministry (Examples: a blessing from God received, a lesson learned, a moving experience, an inspiring moment, etc.)
    • Have a title
    • Be clearly related to the submitted photograph
    • Be written by you, not a third party
    • Be not more than 300 words (no exceptions)
  • Tip: Although overseas landmarks and landscapes may be very beautiful, submissions should reflect the human element of ministry—real people, real stories, real lives.

Judging Criteria

  • The photograph will be judged on the basis of
      • Effectiveness in conveying the intended message regarding overseas ministry
      • Quality of image (composition, clarity, color)
      • Style, creativity, originality
  • The reflection/narrative will be judged on the basis of
      • Effectiveness in conveying the intended message regarding overseas ministry
      • Quality of writing (content and mechanics)
      • Style, creativity, originality
  • The evaluation committee will consist of MLC professors / staff who are involved with our teach abroad and study abroad programs and/or who are qualified judges of writing and photography.
CLICK HERE

to Enter Your Submission