Photo gallery: Top pictures from the Penn State Today summer photo contest

Photo submitted by Timothy Schley, packaged news and content amplification manager in the College of Engineering. Timothy's submitted caption reads: "A photogenic mallard swims near for a close-up in the pond near the Hintz Family Alumni Center. The photo was taken on Friday, July 5, on a slow day in the office."

Photo submitted by Heather Weikel, administrative support assistant in the College of Engineering. Heather's submitted caption reads: "Water lily pad taken at the Arboretum at Penn State in June 2024."

Photo submitted by Rose Banker, an undergraduate student in the Division of Undergraduate Studies. Rose shared a story behind her photo, which was taken on May 30, 2023, at the Arboretum at Penn State. Rose wrote: "I had just found my Papa's old camera and decided to give it a try. My Papa was an amazing nature photographer. I had not much experience prior to taking this photo, but I felt so happy taking photos with his camera. It made me hope that he would be proud of me for stepping in his shoes. I had taken many photos this day, but this one was one of my best. The image is of a honey bee, who has found himself a big patch of Panicled Aster to pollinate. The setting is the end of spring going into summer, as the month of May ends and June begins. The time is around sunset, which gave the lighting a pretty gold tint. The camera is focused on the honey bee and the little patch of flowers around him. The flowers to the right and behind the honey bee are out of focus, since he is the main focus along with the flower patch he is tending to."

Photo submitted by Reza Shariat, a graduate student pursuing a doctorate in mechanical engineering. Reza's submitted caption reads: "The Hintz Alumni Garden on June 24, 2024, a nice sunny day from a flower perspective."

Photo submitted by Jacqueline Anne Warnick-Piatt, alumni relations and stewardship officer at Penn State Wilkes-Barre. Jacqueline's submitted caption reads: "Penn State Wilkes-Barre Academic Commons from our historic Hayfield House, taken from behind the rhododendron."

Photo submitted by Edward Kaiser, curator of the Penn State mushroom culture collection in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Edward's submitted caption reads: "A huge flag waving at Beaver Stadium during the Central PA 4th Fest."

Photo submitted by Sabrina Knox, an undergraduate student studying philosophy and English in the College of the Liberal Arts who is pursuing a master's degree in international affairs through the Integrated Undergraduate-Graduate program. Sabrina's submitted caption reads: "This photo was taken near the Nittany Lion Inn while I was on an early summer run."

Photo submitted by Marie Muñiz, a graduate student studying entomology in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Maria's submitted caption reads: "Did you know that bees are excellent associative learners? Bumble bees, for example, can learn to link other bees visiting flowers with whether those flowers have food or not. What a bee learns through these associations depends on its previous experiences with the environment. Captured in the Pollinator Gardens at the Penn State Arboretum, this photo shows a bee and a butterfly visiting the same flower for food. While it's known that bumble bees can learn from other bees, there are many diverse insects that visit flowers who may also provide valuable information about food! Next time you see bees in a foraging frenzy, know there are methods to their madness!"

Photo submitted by Janhavi Damani, a postdoctoral scholar in the College of Health and Human Development. Janhavi's submitted caption reads: "Giant purple allium bulbs near Burrowes Road at the University Park campus on May 24, 2024."

Photo submitted by Chrissie Fitzgerald, academic program supervisor of graduate programs in the College of Information Sciences and Technology. Chrissie's submitted caption reads: "This turtle was spotted on the sidewalk behind the Deike and Electrical Engineering buildings at University Park on June 27, 2024. He was tiny!"

The winning picture in the Penn State Today photo contest was submitted by Sharon Siegfried, visual communications manager at Penn State Harrisburg. Sharon's submitted caption reads: "Ornamental Fritillaria imperialis, a flowering plant in the lily family blooming on Vartan Plaza at Penn State Harrisburg. The photo was taken in late spring. Our grounds crew does an amazing job keeping the campus looking beautiful year-round."