ERIK JEPSEN ’ 10 UC San Diego Campus Photographer | Roosevelt | Economics
01 . What do you do ? First and foremost , I take photos of all things UC San Diego . Anything you can think of , I shoot it : student life , research initiatives , artwork , groundbreakings , sporting events , portraits and more . I work for all departments and all divisions . I began photographing the campus in 2006 when working for The Guardian student newspaper , but in 2011 , I was hired as staff .
02 . Why do you do it ? I love visual storytelling and inspiring people through my photographs . I always aim to capture emotion and pass that on to others . Visual stories give people an immediate sense of what ’ s going on at UC San Diego and why it ’ s important . For example , my photograph of Muir College graduation speaker Alex Rodriguez ’ 21 in the Fall 2021 issue of Triton — he ’ s overcome with emotion in a moment of gratitude and triumph and perseverance . When others see this image , I hope they can see what support means for our students .
03 . What have you done ? As a student , I remember feeling the excitement every Monday and Thursday , picking up The Guardian to see my photos in print . I ’ m also thankful to have worked with inspiring faculty like Albert Lin ’ 04 , MS ’ 05 , PhD ’ 08 , who helped get my photos published in the National Geographic Society . As a staff member , a definite highlight was being the primary photographer for the Dalai Lama ’ s visit to campus in 2017 . That was a life-changing opportunity . Along with that , I ’ ve had some incredible access on campus and off . I ’ ve visited research vessels , probably seen the top of every building , and I ’ ve witnessed some really amazing research as well .
04 . What did you learn here ? UC San Diego is more than just earning a degree . True growth as a person is about the perspectives you gain . The Making of the Modern World series at Roosevelt College was very impactful for me . I learned about worlds beyond my personal experience here in the U . S .— so many cultures , religions and viewpoints . The class is a lot of work but very eye-opening . And at the end of the coursework I feel like the students should earn a badge of honor for completing that series , which they kind of do , considering what you take away from it .
05 . What have you learned since ? Visual storytelling is an important means of connection with others , especially today , when there ’ s so much division . A photograph can capture the true essence of a moment , so that no matter what your outlook on life is , you can share emotion and connect with others . A photo can show us and tell us so much . To capture parts of people ’ s lives and share them with others , I feel very fortunate to be a part of that .
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