Students at Rhodes University, where Samuel Aviles '17, was studying abroad, reunite after being arrested during a protest over their feelings that the university did not respond to reports of sexual assault. Aviles won the Grand Prize in the 2017 Study Abroad and Campus Auxiliary Services photo contest.
When Megan Metz ’18 spent a semester in Seoul, South Korea, she arrived with hardly any language skills. She slowly learned phrases, and reveled in the new life — including the major triumph of mastering a seemingly small everyday task.
“We went to a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, and for the first time I was able to order a meal confidently in Korean. It was a small victory,” she says, “but the lady taking our orders seemed amused and impressed by my basic vocabulary. It felt awesome to fit in for a moment while living somewhere as a foreigner.”
Last year, Geneseo students like Megan journeyed to remote countryside and capitol cities — for immersive field research and insight into history, journalism and more.
Internationalization is a core value at Geneseo: Students can choose from 600 study abroad programs in 60 countries. Fifty-nine of those are Geneseo-led, in more than 35 countries. We also can boast that Geneseo is a leader in study abroad, with the highest participation rate of all SUNY schools.
All of those diverse experiences, all have one thing in common — transformation.
Immersion in a new culture challenges us to dive into the unknown with an open mind. Over time, or sometimes in aha moments, we change our perception of what we can do, and the world around us.
The Scene and Study Abroad photo contest celebrates those moments of life-changing journeys. In our “epiphany” category, students share those pivotal experiences in which their outlook transformed.
Our grand-prize winner, Samuel Aviles ’17, found his calling in photography during his semester in South Africa, working on a student newspaper. His very first assignment was covering a student protest, in which students were arrested. He received a GoPro camera from Campus Auxiliary Services to continue his work.
This summer? CAS has awarded two $500 scholarships to students to attend their first study abroad experience. Aspiring pharmacist Julian Atanga ’17 is exploring comparative sustainability in Nicaragua and Jamie McCormack ’18 is assisting with community development in rural Uganda. Look for them to share their experiences in upcoming issues!
You can read the essay by the 2016 CAS winner Justen Geddes '18 online.
— Kris Dreessen, editor