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New Student Photo Series 2010 – Entry #12

Posted by Matt Clemons

· Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

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Dear incoming students, please continue to send in photos. Last summer we had close to 100 entries and I would like to eclipse that this year if possible. So if you have not submitted photos yet, please do so. Instructions on how to submit are here.

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The first set of photos come from Ethan Wilkes, an incoming focusing in Economic and Political Development.

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At the feet of the “Great Leader” – North Koreans of all walks of life are required to pay their respects to the late Kim Il Sung, “President for life” of the DPRK (a title which he continues to retain well into death…). Here is a group of schoolgirls doing exactly that at the feet of a VERY large statue of him.

China’s Wild West – in the area known as Kham, traditionally the eastern frontier of Tibet and now the whole of western Sichuan Province, a monk, two ‘cowboys’ and a Han settler share a drink.

Yours truly defying a bit of gravity myself in the wilds of western China.

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The next set of photos is from Nathan Gardner, an incoming MIA student.

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Taken in Autumn of 2007 during Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) holiday in South Korea. I took this picture in Kangwa Island during a temple stay. The stone guardian is for a nearby burial mound and in the background is a traditional Korean house with a gate and surrounding wall. This type of housing is rare for South Koreans because most live in high rise apartments in urban areas.

During the Spring of 2009 in Washington, DC I took this while volunteering with the Japan-America Society during the Sakura Matsuri and National Cherry Blossom Festival. The performer in the middle is a dancing lion accompanied by a flute player and narration.

While backpacking through South East Asia in the Winter of 2008 I took this photo in Laos. Located on the top of Phu Si, which is a tall steep hill in the center of and overlooking the old capital of Luang Prabang. This was a creative way to use US ordnance from the 1960s-70s.

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Categories : Admissions

Tags : art, culture, photography, Travel

New Student Photo Series 2010 – Entry #11

Posted by Matt Clemons

· Friday, July 2nd, 2010

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I continue to be amazed by the photos submitted by incoming students. They are fabulous and I would love to continue to post pictures all the way up to Orientation. So dig through your archives you incoming students and send us your pictures as described here.

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The first photos were submitted by Jennifer Wilmore, an incoming MIA student.

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Mursi Boy – This photo was taken in 2009 near a Mursi village in the Omo valley of southwestern Ethiopia. Just as I was leaving, the boy in the foreground asked me to take his picture. I think it turned out to be an interesting shot because beyond the boy’s face in the mirror you can also see the reflection of a woman whose lower lip is cut in order to wear the pottery lip-plate characteristic of Mursi women.

Boys in Window – This photo was taken in 2008 during play time at a primary school in the Pallisa district of northeastern Uganda.

“Me in Kichwamba” – My friend took this photo of me in 2009 during a visit to a primary school in the village of Kichwamba in the mountains of western Uganda.

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The second set of pictures was submitted by Fabian Suwanprateep, see below for details on degree program.

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Attached three pictures which I have taken during my internship with the UN World Food Programme in 2007/2008 in Madagascar. I am German-Thai dual degree student from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and I am will do my MIA at SIPA.

Little boy: in Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo, malnourished children receive food aid in a supplementary feeding center.

Group of villagers: In Manakara, a group of people who participate in the “Food for Work” project are gathering at a food distribution side to receive their rations.

Old Couple: I took this picture in Tangainony, at the South East coast of Madagascar. The people in this remote town are facing tuberculosis and leprosy. Supplementary to government sponsored medical treatment, WFP is providing them with food aid.

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Categories : Admissions, Columbia University

Tags : art, culture, photography, Travel

New Student Photo Series 2010 – Entry #10

Posted by Matt Clemons

· Thursday, July 1st, 2010

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Thank you to all of the new students that have been sending in photos. I know that I really enjoy learning more about those that will join us very soon. For new students that want to contribute, please see this entry for instructions on how to submit your own photos for posting.

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The first set of photos was contributed by Marcelo Ballvé, an incoming dual degree student (MPA) spending the first year at SIPA and the second year at FGV-EAESP-São Paulo.

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The first photo was taken in Tegucigalpa, Honduras last year during protests following the June 2009 coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya. I was there as a reporter, so I spent a lot of time mingling with protesters in the streets. I thought this shot conveyed the intense mix political engagement and anxiety Hondurans were experiencing at the time. The fellow to the right is trying on a homemade gas mask, since many protests were being dispersed with tear gas.

I was in Tegucigalpa to cover the politics, but also happened to be present when Honduras qualified for the World Cup. Once the game ended, the politically divided country briefly came together in a spontaneous outburst of joy. I had left my hotel to see the celebrations and was standing on a corner below a street light when this kid began twirling his shirt around.

The last photo was taken in Santiago, Cuba, right around the time of the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution early in 2009. Santiago is the city in far-eastern Cuba where rebels began their cross-country blitz to take control of the island in the first days of 1959. Now the city is as frozen in time as the rest of the island, but the “ciudad rebelde” hosted Raúl Castro’s anniversary commemoration.

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The second set of photos come from Madeline Knaup, an incoming MIA student.

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Madrid, Spain: The church of San Antón, a patron saint of animals, celebrates “Las Fiestas de San Antón” where people bring their pets from all over the region to have them blessed.

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Categories : Admissions, Columbia University

Tags : art, culture, photography, Travel

New Student Photo Series 2010 – Entry #9

Posted by Matt Clemons

· Monday, June 28th, 2010

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Thank you to all of the new students that have been sending in photos. It can take me a bit to catch up as they come in so thanks for your patience. For new students that want to contribute, please see this entry for instructions.

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The first set of photos were submitted by Fabiano Silva, an incoming MIA student.

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All pictures were taken this year at Unini River (1˚ 40’ 25.80’’ S, 61˚ 31’ 35.25’’ W / Amazonas State), a tributary of the Rio Negro in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. Rio Negro is not only the largest black water river basin in the world but also one of the most biodiverse places in the planet. I have been working in the region for 5 years with social-economic development projects and these are some of the great moments I would like to share with my SIPA colleagues.

UapéAçu is a research boat from Fundação Vitória Amazonica, the place I work at. It’s our home during the 20 to 30 day expeditions we go on every 2 or 3 months. This picture was taken at Floresta 2 community in Jaú National Park.

While I was distracting kids away from a meeting about Community based Tourism at Lago das Pombas Community in Jaú National Park.

This was a night meeting with community leaders at Patauá Community in Unini Multiple-use Extractive Reserve. We were working on a participatory tourism diagnosis in order to plan community based initiatives and income generation projects.

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The second set of photos come from Michelle Chahine, an incoming MIA student.

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I’ll be starting the MIA program in the fall, most likely concentrating in Urban and Social Policy and definitely specializing in International Media, Advocacy and Communications. Below are descriptions of the photos that match the titles of the files attached.

I took these photos in 2007 and 2008, right around the big shift to digital, with a film camera and developed them in a dark room. I scanned them recently to share them online.

Carving Cedar: This photograph was taken near the Cedars Forest in the mountains of Lebanon. Locals in villages near the Cedars Nature Reserves and mountain resort carve cedar wood, that can be up to 2000 years old, and sell their crafts at stands. The logs they carve have usually fallen naturally or were trimmed strategically. No trees are cut down anymore.

Fifth Avenue: I took this photograph on Fifth Avenue. I love the contrast of the old and the new in Manhattan.

The Women of New York City 3: During a trip to New York City, I photographed the extravagant window displays on Fifth Avenue and at Macy’s. I titled the series “The Women of New York City.” This is my favorite one.

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Categories : Academics, Admissions, Columbia University

Tags : art, culture, photography, Travel

Summer Reflections 2010 – Post #4

Posted by Matt Clemons

· Saturday, June 26th, 2010

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John Hughes just graduated from SIPA and during his second year of study worked in our office. He is spending the next two months in the office to assist with projects and help fill in for a staff member on maternity leave. John is set up for a job in Washington, D.C. and will be moving there in August (our second largest alumni network in the world is in D.C if you were interested).

I asked John to reflect a bit on his experience as a SIPA student and contribute to the blog over the summer. This is his fourth entry.

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I, like many of you I’m sure, have been avidly following the first round of the World Cup over the last couple of weeks. I’m ecstatic that the U.S. managed to make it through to the next round, and look forward to watching the match against Ghana on Saturday.

I know people often use the cliché of the World Cup as a symbol of international unity that brings people together in a shared experience. Though this vision is sometimes overhyped, I think it holds true in many ways. The World Cup, unfortunately, is only a month long once every four years. Here at SIPA, however, we similarly bring people together from all over the world in a shared experience every day. Admittedly, this too may be a cliché about international affairs schools, but after having spent two years at SIPA (and doing quite a bit of research on our rival schools before deciding to come here) I can honestly say that the multicultural, shared experience is an absolute positive for the program and one that truly sets SIPA apart.

When I go to watch the US/Ghana game tomorrow I’ll do it with the perspective of having quite a few friends from SIPA from Ghana and having had extensive conversations with some of them about what the country is truly like. Though this won’t necessarily change how I watch the game, it certainly adds a perspective that I would not have had if I had not come to SIPA. And this is just one example. SIPA has students from over 70 countries each year with backgrounds and interests as varied as you can imagine. Every student brings something else to the school, each enriching classroom discussions, group work and general social situations in his or her own way.

In a school of International and Public Affairs I wouldn’t want it any other way. This is not a place where Americans discuss world “problems” from an American perspective. Though we Americans certainly have opinions and voice them regularly, these opinions are joined by those from South Korea, Argentina, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Spain, Tanzania and China to name a few.

Similarly, when events happen around the world it is likely that somebody from the country in question will be present to give a valuable perspective. A discussion on financial reforms in “emerging markets” takes on a whole new perspective when more than half the class comes from such places and many will likely help shape the very reforms being discussed in the future. Similarly, when the topic of security along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border comes up it is invaluable to have classmates from both countries chime in.

Many international affairs schools tout the diversity of their student body. However, I am certain that very few come close to having students from as many countries as SIPA, or can boast that international students make up half the student body. Though the academics at SIPA are certainly top-notch, I found that the truly international student body was what really made the experience great for me.

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Categories : Columbia University, News

Tags : culture, diversity

"The most global public policy school, where an international community of students and faculty address world challenges."

—Merit E. Janow, Dean, SIPA, Professor of Practice, International and Economic Law and International Affairs