Highlights

Journalism student learns through a cultural lens

Spending four months in Mexico — as part of an exchange offered through Mount Royal’s applied degree program in Journalism — has reinforced one student’s dream to help those in need. Yolande Cole, a third-year Journalism student, lived and studied in Colima, Mexico through the Journalism and Globalization Scholarship program from August to December in 2003.

While in Mexico, the 21-year-old decided to take a photography class as part of her studies, hoping to combine the new skill with her writing abilities to harness the powerful potential of journalism to evoke change in society.

Noticing her passion and ability, Professor Carlos Diez of the University of Colima asked Cole to participate in an outreach program that teaches young Mexican girls basic photography skills.

The experience had a lasting impact on Cole and, upon her return to Calgary, she began collecting donated photography equipment to send back to Mexico. Diez is hoping to expand the program in coming years and also plans to create a dark room with the donated equipment so that the girls can develop their own photos.

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Photo: One of five Mexican girls who took part in the Colima photography project. Photo courtesy Yolande Cole.