The 2003 Swarthmore calendar—mailed to alumni, parents, and friends of the College in November—is titled Through Student Eyes. Its images of the College were all taken by students, mostly during the week of Sept. 9.

During that week, the College Publications Office sponsored a “Photo Blitz,” handing out more than 360 single-use cameras and rolls of film to students. The instructions were simple: Show us your vision of Swarthmore.

A quarter of the student body picked up cameras or film, and more than 6,000 photographs were processed the following week. Students were given a set of their pictures and asked to submit up to three per roll to a jury consisting of Professor of Studio Art Brian Meunier, freelance photographer Steven Goldblatt ’67, and members of the publications staff. Fourteen photographs were selected for the calendar, but many others were worthy of publication.

A representative selection is presented in these pages, accompanied by brief comments from the photographers. In addition, an exhibition of all photographs submitted to the jury was held in Parrish Hall in late October.

What do these pictures tell us about students’ visions of Swarthmore?

Two messages are clear: First, Swarthmore students value—above all other aspects of their experience at Swarthmore—their fellow students. The people they meet, the friendships they form, and the lessons they learn from each other are easily as valuable as the classroom experience.

Second, the beauty of Swarthmore’s campus is more than a mere backdrop for their education. Whether reading on “Parrish Beach,” chatting on a garden bench, or exploring the fog-shrouded campus in the middle of the night, students appreciate the College’s natural setting. Taking photographs for the Photo Blitz may even have increased their awareness of Swarthmore’s beauty.

The Photo Blitz was generously supported by donations from Fuji Photo Film USA Inc. and the Ritz Camera Centers Inc.

The Publications Office retained copies of the submitted photos, which will be placed in the College’s photo archive along with a description of the project. At some time in the future, someone will come across these pictures and remember that week in September 2002.

---

To view the photographs click on the following links:

Lisa Ubelaker Andrade ’06
"'Can’t We Stop and Think?’ was taken on the steps of Parrish during a September protest organized by the student group ‘Why War?’ Signs protesting the impending war on Iraq were hung all along the outside of the building, but this one seemed to strike a chord even outside of that context. The message echoes some of the meaning of Swarthmore—an urge and an opportunity to pause and seriously contemplate action, thought, and life.”

---

Elizabeth Bada ’06
“Swarthmore—it’s full of early classes, late-night study breaks, papers, and exams. Sometimes you just need to unwind. And who knows? You just might find that thesis statement in the clouds.”

---

Wee Jhong Chua ’06
“This is Alan McAvinney ‘06. The intriguing aspect of this photo is the unique contour of his hair. As the wind from the fan forms
the free-flowing image, the focus is shifted from the person to the movement. The picture was taken in Willets with a professional single-use 35mm camera.”

---

Benjamin Galynker ’03
“It’s Saturday, Sept. 14, and I’m standing on the balcony above the stage at Olde Club, where bands often play on weekends. On stage is a rock band called ‘The Walkmen.’ I often find myself taking pictures at Olde Club because it’s so loud that I can’t have a conversation. The pictures help me remember the music and the moment.”

---

Laura Hirshfield ’03
“Lena Loefgren, the 1-year-old daughter of Assistant Professor of Anthropology Farha Ghannam, is already practicing to be like one of her baby-sitters Emily Clough ’03. Emily and I baby-sit Lena several days a week. Lena, who can be seen all over campus with her mother or one of us, is a great favorite among students, staff, and faculty. Here, she is busy researching one of her favorite things—Elmo!”

---

Jeffrey Mao ’06
“Coming to Swarthmore can be a humbling experience. Everything is new and exciting, yet confusing and challenging all at the same time. You realize, when just starting out and looking up, that there are still so many steps to climb. But at the same time, you have this feeling of anticipation about the journey. It draws you in and makes you want to go higher.”

---

Zacharias Michielli ’06
“Here we have the very rare species Herschelbus peckerus (Herschel Pecker ’06), known to inhabit only a small area in southeastern Pennsylvania. I was able to capture this teenage specimen in what is called ‘Stupid College Student Behavior.’ This extremely rare behavior has never before been photographed from such a close, dangerous vantage point.”

---

Hang Ngo ’05
“Except during infancy, my friends and I haven’t had as many naps during any period of our lives as we seem to take at the College. This is one of those Swarthmore afternoons when we all nap together in our ‘cuddle puddle’ in Chris Schad and Francisco Castro’s room in Palmer. Here, Chris is reading Spanish—he’s ever taken a Spanish course before—to Maile Arvin, on the floor, to lull her to sleep.”

---

Arpita Parikh ’04
“Capturing people on film has been a consistent source of pleasure for me both before and during my Swarthmore experience. I admire the simplicity and timeless quality of the face and the body as the central subject matter. The challenge is in bringing the subject to life. Dale Jennings ’04 and Jyothi Natarajan ’05 are glowing in what I find to be their natural states of joy.”

---

Sonal Shah ’05
Begum Adalet ’05 (left) and Anand Vaidya ’05 are international students who came to Swarthmore to expand their horizons. To this end, they actively engage in viewing the world from a different perspective every day, even turning it upside down on occasion.

---

Claire Weiss ’03
“Late afternoon is my favorite time of day on campus, when the sun invades western windows and the colors are truer than reality. The paths in the Nason Garden between Trotter and Hicks are calmer than most, as they aren’t at the heart of activity. This picture embodies the sense of calm brought on by the afternoon sun—a by-the-wayside vision of Swarthmore.”

Claire Weiss ’03
Students were asked to take a picture of a numbered placard identifying each roll of film. Claire Weiss had a little fun with hers: “I’ve acquired a lot at Swarthmore—knowledge, friends, experiences, stories, and memories. The objects here remind me of people and places I have come to know: coral from a spring break in Puerto Rico, a mini-rug from a friend (brought from Pakistan), a little Eiffel Tower from another friend’s trip to Paris, my hermit crab, and the list goes on.”

---