Saint Michael’s students share study abroad transformations during Global Eyes
Each year, Saint Michael’s students who study abroad get the opportunity to share their transformative experiences with the campus community through both words and their photographs.
The Global Eyes photography competition allows students to enter their photos and captions in six categories: city life, culture most distinct from Saint Michael’s College, landscape, nature, people and the human spirit, and the essence of study abroad. The judges also awarded artistic appreciation awards, best written captions, a people’s choice award, and a best in show award. On April 3, more than 50 people braved a winter storm to attend the annual awards ceremony and view the winning photos, which are hung in Durick Library’s Dailey Room.
Ben Mogensen accepting first place for The Essence of Study Abroad category
The gathering is one of Saint Michael’s annual events that celebrates global learning and global competency. The Center for Global Engagement sponsors the event along with the Office of Study Abroad and the Department of Digital Media and Communications.
“The judges usually live vicariously through the images and travels and captions that students submit,” said Professor Jon Hyde of the Department of Digital Media and Communications. “We started Global Eyes as a vehicle for students that were coming back to campus to share their experiences. Frequently, when you come back from travels, not everyone wants to hear your stories in the elongated form. Global Eyes allow people to share their experiences visually and with a caption that starts a dialogue.”
Hyde was one of this year’s judges from the Department of Digital Media and Communications along with professors Allison Cleary, Sebastiaan Gorissen, Kimberly Sultze, and Jerald Swope. Fine Arts Professor Jordan Douglas and Sociology Professor Candas Pinar were also judges.
“The dream for the Center for Global Engagement is that every student at Saint Michael’s would participate in some type of global experience. Study abroad is the foundational pillar of the Center,” Center Director and Political Science Professor Jeffrey Ayres said at the event. “Our goal is to help all of you to become more globally and inter-culturally competent for personal satisfaction, lifelong learning, and workplace alignment.”
“You all come back with such incredible stories,” added Study Abroad Director Peggy Imai said. Imai organizes the Global Eyes competition each year.
Swapnil Jhajharia ’24 won first place in the People and the Human Spirit category for his piece “City Night Life.” His photo was taken from the perspective of the beach in a coastal city in Vietnam. The photo depicts a fishing boat in the foreground and the city in the background, where the stereotypical nightlife is happening.
“I wanted to show the other aspect of that. People going out into the sea,” Jhajharia said. “These people go out every night and fish so they can sell that in that market and that’s how they support themselves. I wanted to highlight the other side that a lot of people overlook when we talk about nightlife. These people are trying to make their ends meat and working hard all day.”
Rachel Gavin accepting first place for the Nature category
Eliza Byrne ’24 won first place in the Nature category for her piece “Unification of Sister: Ursa and Aurora,” which depicts the Northern Lights in Iceland. Byrne photographed the Northern Lights alongside her host family who took her to see them.
“Something we can probably all relate to from our different [study abroad] locations is how small we find out we are. That was my big realization,” Byrne said at the event. “The Big Dipper here is something I’m always trying to find and point out in the sky…One of my host brothers had come with us to see the Northern Lights and he stayed in the car…It was this cool unification of something they see as normal and something I see as normal.”
Ben Mogensen ’24 won first place for The Essence of Study Abroad for his piece “Impermanence in Every Sense,” which captured his experience camping at 13,000 feet in Bhutan. His hiking group decided to wake up at 4:45 a.m. to climb another 1,000 feet and make it to the sky burial site for sunrise. Mogensen said his group made it to the top minutes before sunrise.
“A lot of my life has hovered around equilibrium. I’m always a little more on the crazy side or a little more on the relaxed side, but I rarely get those 10 seconds in between where you’re actually at equilibrium,” Mogensen said. “This was those 10 seconds for me. I was sitting behind everything thinking, ‘I’m on top of the world, but I’m the smallest one here.’”
See a webpage of all the photography submissions and winners
Category: Nature, "Unification of Sister: Ursa and Aurora" by Eliza Byrne, first place and ☆ The Kroger-Krikstone Best of Show Award ☆. To see the Northern Lights in your life is to witness the most magical experience there is. While I had seen pictures and videos, been told stories of the myths and native folklore, and done plenty of research on the science behind the aurora borealis, it was nothing like I thought it may have been. To witness an event some people wait their whole life to see proved to be the most special experience in my life and made me realize how small we all are.
Category: Nature, "Wild Elegance" by Rachel Gavin, ☆ The People's Choice Award ☆. Embracing the untamed beauty of the Serengeti, my textbook lessons on wildlife management burst into vibrant life during my time abroad. Witnessing our first queen of the savannah, a lioness, elegantly stretching in a tree, her silhouette painted against the African sky, was a surreal blend of academia and adventure. In this captivating moment, the seamless convergence of knowledge and the wild showcased the breathtaking beauty of this incredible ecosystem.
Category: People and the Human Spirit, "City Night Life" by Swapnil Jhajharia, first place. We were in Hội An, a UNESCO World Heritage site based on its ancient trading port in the East Sea dating back to the 15th century. After a day of traveling and enjoying the history, architecture, and food of the city as tourists, we decided to explore the beach next to our hostel. As some of us swam in the waters mildly populated with jellyfish (the kind that sting), the less brave ones amongst us dared to adventure down the beach. Soon the sun began to go down and the light on the skyscrapers in the distance began to dance. We were presented with these picturesque hues in the sky magnified by the bubbling lights of the city in the background. We also noticed some lights in the ocean to the East. At first, we were excited at the possibility of seeing some bioluminescent activity in the water. However, our hopes were soon amplified when we came across the round basket boat. These hand-woven bamboo boats are used to entertain tourists during the day and for night fishing as the veil of darkness spreads. The artificial light attached to the boats helps attract fish, much like bugs are attracted to fire. We watched the fisherman row deeper into the ocean until he joined the few specks of tiny stars in the middle of the sea who had all cast their nets onto the fishy tourists being attracted to their torches.
Category: Landscape, "Serenity in the Serengeti" by Rachel Gavin, first place. After an early morning game drive searching for nocturnal species with flashlights shining over the landscape, the sun gradually emerged over the horizon. The whooping hyena calls and lion roars echoing in the nighttime faded into birds chirping to seemingly welcome the beautiful morning. In that ethereal moment, the sun cast its first light upon the Serengeti, awakening the savannah in a symphony of tranquility.
Category: Landscape, "The Portal" by Makayla Fernald, ☆ The People's Choice Award ☆. This photo was taken on the Dingle Sea Safari, a boat tour along the Dingle Bay and the Great Blasket Islands. This rock formation was one of many, but this one in particular had a mystical and healing energy about it. I have never seen anything like it before, and I am thankful to have been able to capture this moment. The water had the most vibrant shades of blue and green I have ever seen. The opening with the light shining through it reminded me of a portal, a door between two worlds left for exploration.
Category: City Life, "The Light of the London Eye" by Amy Hylen, first place. There is a sort of magic about London, a kind that sparkles so beautifully that when you look back at the photos of your travels, you can feel that same magic as if you are there again. There are treasures and gems around every corner, gleaming with inspiration and education. There are people you meet who change your life from their stories, perspectives, and kindness. I was so fortunate to have been able to travel to London with my Education Program while studying abroad, where my peers and I got to learn and explore together. I couldn't wait to carry the magic of the city and the stories of the people I met home with me to share the beauty of the culture with others and make a positive difference as a future teacher. This summer night in London, I came across the London Eye ferris wheel and a pathway of trees, illuminated in a dazzling magenta glow. This was very symbolic of my experience because while studying abroad, I felt as though the path of my journey glistened with the most inspiring radiance, and by the end, I aspired to give back in a "full circle" by shining the light of all I had learned to make the world a brighter place.
Category: Culture Most Distinct from SMC, "Day 66: Paro Tschechu" by Ben Mogensen, first place. No classes today. I arrive with my friends to the temple dressed confidently in my deep blue-colored gho. I do my best to blend in and observe as much as I can. After all, today marks a very important day: the first day of the centuries-old festival to honor Guru Rinpoche, an 8th Century enlightened teacher and likely the most famous person to have ever lived in Bhutan. I have never seen so many colors in my life. Although I have been here for two months at this point, it seems like every week tops the last. On this day, I find peace in friendship with my Bhutanese friends, Sonam and Dem, who introduce me to their family, invite my friends and me to lunch, and ensure that we got to fully experience the first day of dances, music, and rituals. Their kindness has made me feel incredibly welcome. That’s all I can say for right now; I have to get a good night’s sleep so I can wake up to receive blessings at the temple before the sun rises tomorrow.
Category: The Essence of Study Abroad, "Impermanence in Every Sense" by Ben Mogensen, first place. One morning in particular stands out to me. It was mid-April and a few members of our twenty-person group woke up at 13,000 feet at 5AM for an adventure. We huffed and puffed another 1,000 feet to a sky burial site just in time for sunrise. My new friends, Iain and Savian, both of whom I had only known for two months in this lifetime, wasted no time in lighting incense to appease the local deities on the peak, ensuring we arrived as reverent and welcome guests. In a place of both mortality and infinity, I stood behind them as we watched the sun crest over the mountains in the east. It was a surreal feeling, nonexistence of the self, I suppose. For a short while, none of us said a word. As we greeted the sun silently, I felt content.
Category: Best Written Caption: "Sweet, Sweet Ireland" by Skyleigh Bickings. ☆ The People's Choice Award ☆. I sat for hours trying to think of the perfect description for this picture. Nothing came to me…so instead I wrote a poem about how I yearn to be back in Ireland. “I watch the weeks slowly pass me by And my heart aches on and on To think of all that I am missing And the things I wish could be done I’ll wait until my lungs give out And I can breathe again In the sweet, fresh air of Ireland.”
Category: Best Written Caption, "Say Hello, to Vietnam" by MIa Cooper. Beyond the bustle and noise of Ho Chi Minh City main streets lived the place I called home for two months: the Aloha house. Each morning, I awoke to the honking of motor bikes, the smell of fresh food steaming from food carts, and ringing of music from a small courtyard workout class happening just outside my window. Our neighborhood was full of color, light, and every kind of rice noodle dish you could think of. My classmates and I often found ourselves sitting on the stoop of our apartment where this photo was taken, absorbing the essence of our newfound home.
Category: Best Written Caption, "People of the Sea" by Swapnil Jhajharia. This picture was taken during the early hours of the afternoon at the Falease’ela village on the Southwest coast of Upolu island of Samoa. After a productive day in the waters of the lagoon, the outrigger va’a (boats) are being taken to shore for a little rest as the humid tropic winds and high sun make it challengingly hot to be on the water. These boats are a legacy of the way-finder and seafaring histories of the Samoan and Oceanic peoples. The Samoan people have seen the vast waters of the Pacific Ocean as a means of connecting with other islands rather than being an isolating force, and boats based on similar engineering were used to bridge these distances. The interconnected understanding of the islands and the unmatched navigation skills have been the heart of the people of the sea. Master navigators have been said to use natural elements including the stars, the Sun, the winds, and the water currents to navigate the Pacific. While this indigenous knowledge is only alive within a few navigators today, the people continue to use their va’a for transportation, tourism, and fishing.
Judges' Artistic Appreciation, "A Thawing Reality" by Eliza Byrne. Before my time in Iceland, as someone who is in the environmental community, I was well aware of the global impacts of the climate crisis but not to this extent. After visiting Breiða in February, March, and then a consecutive month in May to complete my research, I was made aware of just how fast this is all happening. While Iceland has taken some massive steps towards a less environmentally impactful lifestyle, they are still experiencing some of the largest changes caused by the ongoing climate crisis. The day this photo was taken was a wake up call for me as I realized that in just a month the glacier had melted 10 feet and looked vastly different. In a year, the place I once called home will be unfamiliar, unrecognizable, and the years of history written in these layers of ice will be forever forgotten.
Judges' Artistic Appreciation, "Reflecting Among Serenity" by Madison Musselman. Studying Abroad is an eye-opening experience that shows how transformative the experience can be. Through the transformative experience, it is beyond important to reflect on the memories created, cultures explored, personal growth made, and much more that occurs. The opportunity for personal growth is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn more about yourself, but this is only done through self-reflection throughout your time abroad. The photo captures this moment for a student studying abroad from Italy as he observes a piece of artwork from the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art.
Editor’s note: In the summer of 2024, the Center for Global Engagement was rebranded to the Institute for Global Engagement. This story was published before the rebrand and, thus, bears the previous name.
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