Ten disposable cameras placed in different locations across the Syracuse University campus have captured snapshots of familiar places, silly faces, quite a few “selfies” and a bunch of smiles.

Living SU orchestrated a small event focused on different views of the SU campus by providing disposable cameras for passersby to pick up and capture a moment. The event, Collective Perspectives, was intended to engage students and encourage them to think twice about their surroundings, said Annemarie Menna, a blogger for Living SU, junior anthropology major and a contributing writer for The Daily Orange.

Living SU is a group of about 10 students working collaboratively to create thought-provoking content and spread positivity on campus, said Jill Ouikahilo, director of communications for the Division of Student Affairs. Ouikahilo said the group aims to make its mark at SU by enhancing an already-rich campus culture. Its main outlets are its blog and social media sites, primarily Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

The group’s mission is to engage, connect and inspire students across campus in a creative way, said Maryann Akinboyewa, Living SU’s blog editor and a junior marketing and writing and rhetoric major.

“We are all about making students feel good and feel happy,” she said.

Collective Perspectives was inspired by a similar event held at Ithaca College, Akinboyewa said. Living SU members placed the 10 cameras in strategic locations on Oct. 8, including the Quad, People’s Place, College Place, the Life Sciences Complex and Goldstein Student Center, she said. The photos were developed and posted on Living SU’s Facebook page in an album titled “What’s your point of view SU?”

Because the disposable cameras were left unmonitored, some group members worried they would be stolen, Menna said. But only one was taken, Ouikahilo said, and eight of the 10 cameras were full of photos by the end of the day. Approximately 50 photos came out well, she said, as the flash wasn’t engaged on the cameras before placing them out for the day. Regardless of the results, Ouikahilo said students expressed themselves and got into capturing moments in familiar places.

“It was just a fun little way to spread a little joy,” Ouikahilo said. “We felt really good about it in the end.”

The Living SU team meets weekly to plan events like Collective Perspectives, thinking strategically and creatively to embody the SU experience, Ouikahilo said. As a staff member, she works to support the group’s “ultimate vision” by helping to make their ideas come to life. Menna, Akinboyewa and other Living SU members intern for Ouikahilo in the Division of Student Affairs, working on social media posts and writing for the blog.

The Collective Perspectives event most likely will not be repeated during the current school year, but Akinboyewa said the Living SU team is busy planning ahead for its next activities.

Said Akinboyewa: “We do always have something in the works. The Living SU team is always planning something.”

Published on November 12, 2013 at 12:14 am

Contact Breanne: brvannos@syr.edu | @bre_vann