Road Trip
Last summer, Ben Joel spent his off-term as a Dickey Center intern. His fieldwork, however, did not involve conducting research, shaping policy, or getting up close and personal with endangered wildlife. Instead, he went out to report on other interns who were advancing their educations around the globe. As the center’s second digital storytelling intern, Joel embraced his love of photojournalism and came back with a trove of photos, stories, and new friends. Here is a quick overview of his journey.
Photos by Ben Joel ’27
Costa Rica
Joel first met up with Emily Pridemore ’25, an intern at the Center for the Restoration of Endangered Marine Species Association on the Nicoya Peninsula in Playa Coyote. Pridemore’s research found that the area serves as a feeding ground for various juvenile sharks, including an endangered species. “Emily was catching, tagging, and measuring young hammerheads, blacktips, whitetips, and bull sharks,” Joel says. “Each day, we would get up at 4 a.m., in the boat by 5.” A local fisherman ferried them to research sites. Pridemore says the internship was a life changer. “Not only did I learn what I want to do for the rest of my life, but I was also able to see the value of our work,” says the biology and environmental science major from Texas. “Working with an endangered species exponentially increased my passion to do whatever I can to save them.” Her work will help promote the establishment of a protected area in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, to prevent overfishing.
Joel had his own adventures in Playa Coyote. “There is only one hotel,” he says of the rugged, rural location. “That was a little complicated. Also, because the town doesn’t have any taxis, I had to do a lot of outreach to locals who generously donated their time to drive me around.” Rainy season caused numerous power outages and turned some roads into miniature rivers. “Thank God for four-wheel drive,” Joel says.
“I wanted to capture the interns’ experiences, including what they were doing for fun.”
United States
Joel flew to New York City, where Mursal Ehsan ’26 was interning with the Permanent Mission of Afghanistan to the United Nations. The government major, who is from Faryab, Afghanistan, conducted research on security, economic, and human rights issues. She also helped prepare briefings and drafts for diplomatic communications.
On day one, security stopped Joel from bringing his camera gear into the UN—he had no media pass. The next day, Mursal used her privileges to get the photo equipment through.
“Going from reeling sharks into a boat and tagging them to walking the halls of the UN was a stark contrast,” Joel says. Ehsan took him to an Afghan restaurant in New York—and Joel had his camera on hand. “I wanted to capture the interns’ experiences, including what they were doing for fun,” he says.
Vietnam
Next came a trip to Hanoi to visit Gaby Park ’25 and Andrew Pham ’27, who spent the summer at the nonprofit Institute of Population, Health and Development. Their research examined health discrepancies among the country’s senior citizens. “The internship provided me with valuable insight into what stakeholders do in the field of public health research,” says Pham, a bio sciences major from Missouri. “It also gave me a taste of what real adulting feels like, as I had a lot of freedom. As a result, I had to hold myself accountable as well as learn to be more proactive to get my tasks accomplished.”
Park, a quantitative social science major from Virginia, put her data analysis skills to good use—and enjoyed the local culture. “Living with a host family made my internship so much more meaningful,” she says.
Joel also met another Dickey intern, Hazel Le ’26, an econ major who hadn’t traveled far. The Hanoi native was conducting research for the local World Wildlife Fund operation, identifying potential areas for large scale seagrass restoration and researching climate mitigation.
Once again, part of Joel’s immersion was culinary. He dined with Le’s grandparents at their home. “Food is truly a gateway to a culture,” he says. “From the warm greeting to the feast of spring rolls, boiled chicken, and a rarely empty glass, their hospitality left a big impression on me. As the guest, I wasn’t allowed to help with the cooking or cleaning.”
Kosovo
In Pristina, Joel found Madeleine Shaw ’25, an intern at the Jahjaga Foundation, and Nicholas Booth ’27, who was working at the Riinvest Institute, an economic development think tank. Shaw worked closely with former Kosovo president Atifete Jahjaga, who taught a Dartmouth class last winter on war, nationalism, and sexual violence in Southeast Europe. During her internship with Jahjaga, the government major from Indiana wrote grant proposals for projects for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and human rights abuses. She organized workshops with kids, minorities, and refugees, and she helped prepare policy reports and recommendations for Jahjaga’s engagements with diplomats, government officials, journalists, and philanthropists.
“I was constantly learning," Shaw says. “I heard from refugees about their daily struggles, and I listened to youth discuss ongoing gender equality challenges in Kosovo.”
Booth’s internship focused on economics and development. The econ major from Pennsylvania says his internship gave him a deep appreciation for the excitement of developing economies: “I now know with certainty that I want to pursue a career related to emerging markets.”
Kenya
Joel’s final stop was in Kilifi to photograph Nellie Mwanyalo ’27 as she interned with the Bamburi Afya Medical Centre. Her work involved empowering and supporting young girls who face health issues and other challenges. Mwanyalo, a computer science major from Mombasa, Kenya, held discussions with groups about drugs, sex, and the importance of education. “These interactions have reaffirmed my belief that small acts of kindness and support can have a profound impact, potentially uplifting entire communities,” she says. “Through these efforts we can effect real change and help transform lives.”
Joel notes that her ability to connect with the students and deliver practical guidance made Mwanyalo wildly popular. When schools closed in August, she met with girls in rescue centers and orphanages. Once, Mwanyalo told him the girls wanted to hear him speak. Before long, she said that they wanted to see him dance. “I’m not the best dancer, especially in front of a classroom of 50 people, so I encouraged them to all get up and dance with me,” he says. “I turned that moment into a dance party, which was a lot of fun and saved myself a lot of embarrassment.”
