Student photo exhibition showcases international scholarship
Gilman recipient Gabriela Garcia exhibits work in Grand Corridor until Feb. 23
Gabriela Garcia, a Binghamton University senior studying photography, studied abroad in the fall of 2023 in Florence, Italy. She chose this SUNY Brockport program as an opportunity to build her photography portfolio, and to great effect: As part of her scholarship requirements, Garcia’s work has been compiled into an exhibition for students and staff alike to enjoy.
“Taking photos can have a commercial aesthetic, but you also have to communicate something very personal,” Garcia said. “It’s not about the perfect photo but taking something meaningful to you.”
Garcia’s exhibition, Briefly Passing By, will be showcased in the Grand Corridor of the Fine Arts Building, outside of the Rosefsky Gallery, until Friday, Feb. 23. An opening reception was held on Friday, Feb. 9, to kick-off the exhibition, and provided Garcia a chance to speak about her experiences.
“When I was in Italy, I took two classes. One was photojournalism. I did my journalism project on cultural institutions and how they helped to preserve the history of the country and spread knowledge to the population, either local or international,” she said. “For the other photos presented, I have incorporated elements of history and culture: there’s food represented, as well as architecture, landscape, historical places and language.”
In Briefly Passing By, she hopes to represent Italy as it truly is, by celebrating its many elements. Her composition choices focus on commonly known places, not through their commercialization but to enlighten the viewer on their importance to Italian life. As technology advances, traveling has become an extension of “proof” that you were in a place, rather than learning about its significance, she noted. Garcia’s exhibition invites observers to reflect: When you travel abroad, are you truly learning about the place or briefly passing by?
“I wanted to create a project and do something dear to me, to share Italian art history, language and culture with other people,” Garcia said. “It was a very challenging experience, but also rewarding; I hope to bring people together by bridging that gap between cultures through photos, while also creating a balance between what I learned about Italy’s food, traditions, architecture and art history. It’s not just about showing that you were there.”
In addition to Binghamton-based scholarships like the Evelio Figueroa Memorial Study Abroad Scholarship and the Myers Family Scholarship, Garcia also received the prestigious and national Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to fund her trip. This scholarship enables students receiving a federal Pell grant to study or intern abroad. The Institute of International Education has administered the program since its inception in 2001.
One of Garcia’s strongest reasons for composing the exhibition was to show students — especially first-generation, low-income students like herself — that even though studying abroad may seem out of reach, it is an attainable and enriching experience if you’re willing to look for help.
“We’re finding that because students like Gabi share their experience when they come back, we get more and more applications,” said Jordan Loretz, an education abroad advisor for Binghamton’s Office of International Education and Global Initiatives (IEGI). “Our statistics since post-pandemic show that one in three Binghamton students who complete a Gilman application receive the scholarship, so we’re above the national average on campus. If you’re a Pell grant recipient, this is an awesome opportunity to study abroad.”
Binghamton University students have access to 50+ Binghamton education abroad programs and approximately 1,000 SUNY programs. Interested students should visit drop-in advising or email iegi@Binghamton.edu for additional information.