It was peak July humidity. A group of 15 students from the University of Chicago, two faculty leads, 12 students from Ahmedabad University, and among them, one communications professional with a team of photographers. That’s where I was headed: a week-long, action-packed journey in Ahmedabad, with storytelling, coordination, and content creation woven into every moment.

While the pilot batch of the India Summer Fellows Program—co-hosted by the UChicago Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth and the Ahmedabad University Climate Institute—was the result of months of strategic planning and thoughtful curriculum design, there was a role for the communications team, too.

A first-of-its-kind initiative, the program brought together students for an immersive, on-ground learning journey across Ahmedabad, delving into India’s energy, climate, and development landscape.

We were there to document, amplify, and ensure the richness of this experience reached beyond the walls of classrooms and campuses.

That’s where I came in. As a communications specialist (now a senior one at that!), I joined this vibrant cohort in Ahmedabad for a week of carefully planned chaos, filled with back-to-back sessions, interviews, testimonials, site visits, and, of course, the occasional unscheduled downpour and relentless humidity.

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