Today@Sam Article
Museum Displays "Photos From The LEAP Lens: Learning, Education And Places"
March 11, 2024
SHSU Media Contact: Mikah Boyd
By Mike Yawn
The LEAP Center has always taken a broad, multi-disciplinary approach to educating students. But in the last few years, the center’s scope has expanded further, into photography. The impressive results are on display at the Walker Education Center, which is hosting, “Photos from the LEAP Lens: Learning, Education, And Places.”
The exhibit includes photos taken by Mike Yawn, Stephanie Fors and the LEAP Ambassadors, who are active across the community in internships, volunteerism and other worthwhile causes. The collection reflects the unique learning approach and experiences offered by the center. Photos include wildlife, architecture, landscapes, cityscapes, national parks, state parks, cemeteries and abstracts.
The genesis of the exhibit dates to 2017, when Derrick Birdsall, the director of the Sam Houston Memorial Museum and Republic of Texas Presidential Library, returned to Huntsville.
“I quickly became aware of the LEAP Ambassadors,” said Birdsall. “They were seemingly at every university and community event, almost always documenting things with their cameras. As a photographer myself, I found it wonderful to see students learning to see the world through a camera lens.”
For the ambassadors, photography offered a new way of seeing things.
“I had never picked up a camera before coming to SHSU,” said Morgan Robertson, president of the LEAP Ambassadors. “But something about seeing the world through the camera helped me view things in a different light, and I’ve taken to it.”
Robertson has two photographs in the exhibit, including one she took last fall when she traveled to Corpus Christi to capture the solar eclipse. The result is stunning, especially for a person who had never attempted solar photography.
Olivia Discon shares a similar story.
“Before being part of LEAP, not only had I never used a camera, but I had also never been to a state park,” she said. “My horizons have expanded considerably, and I was happy to see that my photograph of Palo Duro Canyon State Park merited inclusion in the exhibit. It’s been a wonderful educational journey.”
“Our goal in LEAP is to promote unique and innovative learning experiences, and I think the photos selected for this exhibit reflect this approach,” said Mike Yawn, director of the center.
The LEAP Center’s approach is also shown in the 150 events it participates in each year. Whether hosting guest speakers such as best-selling authors Jeff Guinn or Jim Olson; participating in community volunteerism for the City of Huntsville, Trees for Houston or local non-profits; or bringing the 10th Court of Appeals to SHSU to hear cases on April 3; the LEAP Center actively promotes student professionalism, skill-development and experiential learning.
“Photos from the LEAP Lens: Learning, Education, And Places,” will be on display from March 12 – May 12, at the Katy & E. Don Walker, Sr. Education Center, located at 1402 19th Street. An opening reception will be hosted on March 26 from 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. with remarks at 5:30 p.m.
For more information about the LEAP Center, email Mike Yawn at mike.yawn@shsu.edu or explore the LEAP Ambassador blog: www.leapatshsu.com.
For more information about the photographic exhibit, contact Megan Buro at mlb044@shsu.edu.
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