Amanda Ariunzaya ’27 has received the Projects for Peace Award. is a global program that partners with educational institutions and offers grants to current students, providing them with funding to develop, plan, and pursue community-centered responses to the world’s most pressing issues. Roughly 125 students are awarded grants each year, totaling $1.25 million annually for projects addressing a diverse range of global challenges.
Ariunzaya’s project, titled TakeOne Workshops, is dedicated to introducing refugee youth in Utica, N.Y., to the fundamentals of filmmaking. Program participants will learn about visual storytelling, scriptwriting, storyboarding, and video editing, as well as important elements of basic cinematography and sound. The course will run for 6 to 8 weeks, offered to high schoolers with refugee backgrounds, in partnership with the , a nonprofit that provides comprehensive support for refugees’ initial resettlement. By the end of the final week, participants will enjoy and reflect on the culmination of their hard work through a screening of the short film they created over the course of the program, with friends and family invited to attend the screening event.
“One of my long-term goals is to become a film creative producer,” Ariunzaya remarks, “and I believe this project will help me develop essential skills, including budget management, securing a community partner, and coordinating short film production.”
Ariunzaya’s approach to filmmaking, as designed in TakeOne Workshops, fosters community collaboration and places an emphasis on the creative process, rather than the final project. She recognizes that filmmaking courses are often not easily accessible due to barriers with cost and availability, and thus is incredibly excited to be able to offer this opportunity and introduce more students to the wonders of film production, helping them “discover new skills, unlock their creativity, and develop a deeper understanding of the art of cinema,” says Ariunzaya. “I’m looking forward to creating space where the next generation can stake a claim on their narrative, which becomes even more urgent in this climate of heightened uncertainty.”
On campus, Ariunzaya is a double major in film and media studies and studio art. She has worked on campus both as a graphic designer and a social media intern for the Office of Student Involvement and the Department of Theater, reflecting her creative and professional pursuits. She also enjoys playing cello with the vlog Orchestra, participating in the ALANA Multicultural Fashion Show, and leading fun workshops for her peers through the Benton Scholars program.
For students interested in pursuing projects in a creative field, Ariunzaya urges them to “lean on your faculty relationships, because your professors will be your biggest advocates.” She credits Professor Sally Bonet for helping her recognize how her film skills can be used to support the U.S. refugee community, as well as Professor Mary Simonson and Professor Yi Cui for providing her with sustained feedback on this project. Last, she encourages students to schedule a meeting with an ONFS adviser to discuss potential fellowships or funding sources that can help their project ideas come to fruition.
To learn more about Projects for Peace or other competitive awards, reach out to Meghan Niedt, mniedt@colgate.edu, in the Office of National Fellowships and Scholarships to schedule an appointment.