International Photojournalist Leads Students on Border Projects

By Jeff Harrison, University Communications | May 24, 2011

Gary Knight brings his skills to a UA summer class on magazine photography.

Glenn Spencer drives along the border fence that runs along his property in Hereford, Ariz. Spencer, who is the leader of the American Border Patrol group, uses hi-tech equipment like seismic censors to monitor the border. (Photograph by Samantha Sais)
Glenn Spencer drives along the border fence that runs along his property in Hereford, Ariz. Spencer, who is the leader of the American Border Patrol group, uses hi-tech equipment like seismic censors to monitor the border. (Photograph by Samantha Sais)

Gary Knight, a co-founder of VII Photo Agency based in New York and London, is working with students and recent alumni from the University of Arizona School of Journalism to produce in-depth, multi-platform documentaries on topics based around the U.S.-Mexico border.

Knight, who also is the founding director of the Program for Narrative and Documentary Practice at the Tufts University Institute for Global Leadership and a photojournalist for Newsweek magazine, is in Tucson with his students from Tufts University for the collaborative immigration project with the School of Journalism's student clubs and its Magazine Photography class. Carol Schwalbe, an associate professor in the School of Journalism and former editor with National Geographic, teaches the course.

Knight is bringing seven students from his Tufts University program to team up with the UA journalism students to document several different aspects of the immigration debate in southern Arizona and Mexico. Topics include the effects of the border fence that runs through the Tohono O'odham Nation and civilian militia groups that patrol the border.

"It's a tremendous opportunity for our students to work with such a high-caliber journalist," said John deDios, a graduate student who assists with the Magazine Photography class and advises three of the school's four student clubs.

"We're extremely fortunate that Gary Knight will be in Tucson at the same time our Magazine Photography class meets," Schwalbe added. "Our students will have an opportunity to meet this world-renowned photographer and see his work. Several will even have a chance to work with his students in the field."

Knight will be in Tucson May 23-June 4 overseeing the border reporting project. He will speak to students in Schwalbe's class on May 25.

Members from the UA School of Journalism clubs – the Journalism Student Advisory Council, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Graduate Student Advisory Council – will be paired with Knight's students.

UA journalism students taking part include Melanie Huonker, Kelsey Jensen and Josh Morgan and recent graduates Samantha Sais, Nicholas Scala, Alejandro Serrano, Juliana Vasquez and Roxana Vasquez.