While some students prefer to spend their summers at home, those warmer months can also provide an opportunity to pursue internships abroad. Those who choose the latter might find themselves at the end of Ben Joel ’27’s camera lens. Joel, a digital storytelling intern for the Dickey Center for International Understanding, spent last summer traveling around the world to shadow other Dickey Center “interns at work” and document “their experience through photography, videography and storytelling,” according to the center’s website. Starting in Costa Rica, Joel visited interns across the United States, Vietnam, Kosovo and Kenya, documenting his journey along the way. The Dartmouth sat down with Joel to discuss his extensive journey and reflect on his experiences.
What made you interested in being a digital storytelling intern? How did you come across the position?
BJ: I’ve been involved with the Dickey Center since my freshman year. I was a Great Issues Scholar — a Dickey Center undergraduate fellowship for first-year students to enhance their understanding of the world and international events. I’m now a War and Peace Fellow, which is a fellowship for students interested in tackling issues related to terrorism, military policy, human rights and climate. I’ve also been passionate about photography since my sophomore year in high school. Since then, I’ve been pursuing photography at every chance I’ve had, from being a photo intern for the Office of Communications to being a resident wildlife photographer in Kenya’s Masai Mara wildlife conservation. So, when I saw the Dickey Center offering this opportunity to be a photojournalist and to document the experiences of Dartmouth interns working abroad, I was excited to combine both of my passions.
What were some obstacles you encountered throughout the journey?
BJ: Planning the trip was quite a challenge because of how many different factors I had to juggle. I wanted to cover as many continents as possible to have a diversity of geographic locations. I also wanted to ensure I could cover the range of internships that the Dickey Center offers — from conservation to healthcare, education, human rights, international security and economics. In the end, I landed in Costa Rica, Kenya, Kosovo, New York City and Vietnam. Another major obstacle was overcoming my discomfort. I was facing extreme heat and rain in Costa Rica and monsoons in Vietnam. I had to spend an hour arguing with a customs officer in Mombasa, Kenya, so I could get my camera to pass through before I could photograph Nellie Mwanyalo ’27, who was the intern there. But in the end, these moments were very helpful, as they showed me how adaptable and resilient I could be under pressure.
What were some major highlights and long-lasting memories from each country you visited?
BJ: In Costa Rica, I would say the highlight was probably the internship itself. I was visiting Emily Pridemore ’25, who was doing field-based research to determine whether an area around a nearby river mouth served as a juvenile feeding ground or a nursing ground for various shark species. Then in New York City, I visited Mursal Ehsan ’26, who is originally from Afghanistan and spent this past summer working for the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to the United Nations. In Vietnam, the food scene was very much on my radar. I met Gaby Park ’25, Hazel Le ’26 and Andrew Pham ’27. After Vietnam was Kosovo, where I was traveling with Madeleine Shaw ’25 and Nicholas Booth ’27. We were based in Pristina, but there was so much to see outside the city’s limits. We went to both the Albanian and Serbian part of Mitrovica, which served as a sobering reminder of the historical tensions that still very much exist. And then lastly I was in Mombasa with Mwanyalo. Mombasa is such a unique port city with Swahili, Arab, Asian, Portuguese and British influences all within a very concentrated area, so I got to immerse myself in the very delicious blend of cultures that Mombasa had to offer.
What were some life lessons you learned that you think students would not be able to replicate in a classroom setting?
BJ: Classroom settings are great, but real-world application takes things to another level. In Vietnam, nearly every older man I saw on the street seemed to be a war veteran. They would wear these hats that had the Communist Party insignia, which marked their status as a veteran. Learning a very specific perspective in American classrooms growing up, it was eye-opening to grapple with the United States’ role in the Vietnam war. Another lesson I learned was how to compromise and cooperate with people I’m working with. Ehsan helped me get my camera into the United Nations headquarters. She went out of her way to facilitate me taking photos of her. Le and Mwanyalo had great local insights that they happily shared with me — it just made my life really easy. It’s a reminder that the best stories and the best experiences in life are made through teamwork and are our shared experiences.
Why is it valuable for a Dartmouth student to pursue a unique internship, especially when traditional internships tend to follow a rigid structure?
BJ: Dartmouth as an institution places a lot of emphasis on global citizenship — understanding your role in the world. You get so many deep, meaningful insights that no traditional academic setting could replicate through trips like this. This trip just reinforced to me that students can contribute meaningfully to critical issues, even as undergraduates. I think that’s sometimes overlooked. In terms of growing as a photojournalist, it helped me understand how projects of this size are conceived, conceptualized and executed. In terms of storytelling, I got to hone my ability to tell compelling stories, which I want to continue doing for the rest of my life — raising that awareness.
Would you recommend this type of traveling experience to other Dartmouth students?
BJ: Yes. I would say go international, go big. You truly grow, all while making a very meaningful and needed impact on all these different places.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
