Monterey Students Reaching Out to the Local Community, a Photography Exhibition

Thanks to a generous grant from PhotoWings, Middlebury Institute (MIIS) Chinese student and photographer Hanqiu "Tom" Wang has 30 photos on display showing how MIIS students are reaching out to the local community beyond campus walls. The exhibition titled Bursting the Bubble: Fostering Connections Between Campus and Community is viewable 9am-9pm daily at MIIS Samson Center Dining Room, 453 Van Buren St., Monterey, CA.

The exhibition, result of a 10-year journey, tells the stories of 10 MIIS students and their local connections in the Monterey community made through work and volunteering. Lama, for example, is a student in the International Policy and Development program. She met Tamela, a local climate change activist, at a popular café in downtown Monterey. After 15 minutes of conversation, they became lifetime friends. Ashley is in the Public Administration and International Education Management program and started volunteering for Communities for a Sustainable Monterey, an all-volunteer organization. There, she met Laurie, co-chair of the organization and both developed a relationship based on their passion for and commitment to community organizing, conscious living, and environmental and social justice.

Kuanysh is a student from Kazakhstan in the International Policy and Development program. He met Eldar, a Monterey resident having roots in neighbor Kyrgyzstan, in 2015 at the beach. Sharing a passion for beach volleyball, they became friends and enjoy free time together hiking, biking and playing volleyball. John, a student in Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies, met Ben, a US active duty military personnel in church. Despite different lifestyles, their shared beliefs provided a strong foundation for their friendship to develop and flourish.

"Your work will serve as an excellent model for replication, adaptation or inspiration. It will help others explore how photography can be used to expand our understanding of our local communities by stepping outside of our bubbles"
-- Kim Morris, PhotoWings

Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS) is a graduate school providing international professional education in areas of critical importance to a rapidly changing world, including international security, human rights and social change, language and culture, sustainable development, and global management

PhotoWings is a nonprofit organization dedicated to utilizing the power of photography to further deep thinking, communication and action. Its extensive online content has a myriad of educational applications and possibilities.

All images © Eduardo Fujii