International Student Essay Contest Winners Announced!

The International Student Essay Contest was a huge success! Thank you to all who participated. The judging panel��which included staff members from across campus��really enjoyed reading all of the essays and felt they learned a great deal about international students�� perspectives of the U.S. election. As a result, it was extremely difficult to choose the winners.

• First Place: Bingzhi Zhao from China
  

  I am an undergraduate student transferred from China. My major is Economics and Mathematics. I am here to explore and discover America, and I am having a good time here. Click here to read his essay "Yesterday , I was an American".

  
  
• Second Place: Mustafa G?k?ek from Turkey
  

  Mustafa G?k?ek is from Turkey. He received his BA and MA degrees in International Relations at Bilkent University, Ankara. His research in history focuses on Islam and nationalism in the late Ottoman Empire. His other research interests include modern Islamic movements and intellectual relations between Russian and Ottoman Empires. Click here to read the essay. Click here to read his essay.  "History is Made!".

  
  
• Third Place: Yiqian Xu from China
  

  Yiqian is a first year undergraduate student. She is from China. Click here to read the essay. Click here to read her essay.  "Why is Obama so popular?"

  
  
• Fourth Place: Saher Muslim from Pakistan
  

  I am from Pakistan and have come to University of Wisconsin for the master's program in Comparative Literature. I am here on a Fulbright scholarship. Click here to read the essay. Click here to read her essay.  "U.S. Elections : What do I see"

  To all of the participants, please accept our sincerest congratulations, as well as our deepest gratitude for your willingness to share your thoughts. We hope you will continue to share your story with others on campus and in the community so that they may learn from your experiences. The University of Wisconsin-Madison would not be what it is without the contributions of brave, insightful international students like you.