On June 15, 2017 Fran Meckler, a documentary photographer, showcased her photo collection “Fading Traditions: Papua New Guinea in Color”. Students in the Summer Institute were able to meet with her and discuss how her photos were a method to bring injustices to light. Below is a student’s reflection on meeting with Fran Meckler and her thoughts on photography as a way for advocacy. During the weeks I was working on my application for this program, I would peruse the listings of events at World Affairs, the speakers and the topics for the week. I was intrigued by everything I saw: It was all so relevant and polemical and presented by the “top of their field” elite. All this to say, I was underwhelmed when I found out that the first speaker was a photographer. However, I was very pleasantly surprised with how much I learned and how much I loved the exhibition. I was thoroughly delighted to find that mudmen existed and that for some people, full body paint was just a way of life. ...
Over the course of six weeks, our Summer Institute allows high school and community college students to improve global competency through reading, writing, debate, and presentation activities. Each week, students will participate in private question-and-answer sessions with World Affairs speakers, who are eager to share their expert knowledge and career paths with the next generation of leaders.