Accepting an invitation to check out student activities at the Stamford International University Cha-Am campus is always a pleasure, one of the reasons being the ease of conversation with welcoming and enthusiastic students from so many different parts of the world.
This occasion was to check out an exhibition of around 70 photographs by students to visually express their thoughts and environment through pictures. We were able to attend the exhibition on Wednesday (15th February) along with Surf 102.5’s Richard Buckle.
Cell Dilon, the Executive Director, arranged the exhibition as he has been teaching visual expression at Stamford as an industry project. He says the photography angle was inspired by Patrick Jacobs, one of Hua Hin’s most notable photographers. Patrick has held a number of his own photography exhibitions around town in recent times. Patrick says he was honoured by so much ”excellent work.”
The not-so-hidden agenda from Cell’s point of view has been to facilitate self-expression by the students, both visual and verbally. Cell says the ease of student-to-student and student-to-teaching staff communication has been one casualty of the now past Covid distancing requirements which he is eager to reinstate to maximise the student learning experience.
Talking with these students was an opportunity to understand their personal inspiration for choosing around 3-5 of their own photographs. But this was also an opportunity to learn about their personal journeys, tertiary study experiences and future aspirations.
During this visit we learnt about one student who has just completed an internship in Abu Dhabi and another who mixes her studies with weekly trips to Bangkok to give gymnastics instructions. The maturity and determination of these students in their approach and commitment is a testament to the value of the Stamford learning environment.
The exhibition is not really public, however arrangements to check out the photography may be available by contacting Cell Dilon at cell.dilon@stamford.edu
