Portraits of Life: Student Experiences

Portraits of Life:  Student Experiences

Background
Portraits of Life: Student Experiences is a tribute in words and photographs to student experiences of resilience, transformation and inspiration. It is the second Portraits of Life project at Montgomery College.
The first, Holocaust Survivors of Montgomery County, was produced by the Paul Peck Humanities Institute in 2004-05 and has been exhibited in venues statewide.

This project, produced by the Montgomery College Arts Institute in cooperation with the Paul Peck Humanities Institute, focuses on unique stories from the diverse student population at Montgomery College. It was made possible by grants from the Carl M. Freeman Foundation and the Montgomery College Foundation.

Portraits of Life: Student Experiences highlights and increases awareness of humanitarian issues and the conditions with which people throughout the world are suffering—stories told by students right here in our community. It shows that people can move beyond their personal experiences of suffering to contribute greatly to the world through their purposeful lives and belief in a better tomorrow.

About the Students
The people in this exhibit are from all corners of the globe. Despite their geographic and cultural differences, they have experienced similar emotions and lessons of triumph.  Their stories demonstrate the best and worst behaviors of humanity. Most have overcome physical abuse, psychological trauma, wartime atrocities or other experiences of terror.  The common thread in these stories is an understanding of how their experiences have transformed them in positive ways, helping them become the incredible people they are today.

“It is important that people share their stories so others can learn.”
—Natalie Assing, a student in this exhibition.
A Tribute in Words and Photographs Featuring Students from Montgomery College, Maryland
❖
Project Management, Research and Interviews by David Fogel
Photography by William Tata and Daniel Merino
Exhibition Design by Jane Knaus
❖
Narrative Assistance by Professors Jean Freedman, Shelley Jones, Melissa McCeney and Laurie White
❖
Portraits of Life is a project of The Montgomery College Arts Institute, David Phillips, Director
The Paul Peck Humanities Institute, Esther Schwartz-McKinzie, Director
and the Office of Institutional Advancement
❖
Portraits of Life: Student Experiences is made possible by the Carl M. Freeman Foundation
and the Montgomery College Foundation