For Landen Kelly, a single elective course at ĢƵ (CWI) sparked a transformation that would send him across the globe in search of untold stories.
Born and raised in Idaho’s Boise Valley, Kelly grew up surrounded by rural simplicity. In his mid-20s, he returned to the classroom as a nontraditional student, enrolling at CWI to pursue an associate degree in History. His decision to take a photography class — just to “scratch a creative itch” — quickly evolved into something far more meaningful.
“Seeing things around me in a new way, through a camera lens, I knew that I had learned something special, something life-altering,” said Kelly. “That’s when my true life’s passion emerged. I wanted to capture stories of the overlooked — the unheard, unseen, and unnoticed.”
The passion was ignited by Digital Photography Professor Shawna Donahue, who Kelly credits with unlocking his perspective. At CWI, he found an academic environment that encouraged him to defy expectations and see education as a lifelong journey. “I have never fit the societal cast for a ‘college student,’” he explained. “But my eyes were continuously opening wider to the possibility and potential to defy the ‘norms’ of post-secondary education.”
Kelly’s time at CWI was marked by both creative discovery and personal resilience. As a nontraditional student, he balanced full-time studies with two jobs, marriage, and co-parenting his niece. “Traditional students with parental support find the time for weekend fun and eventually career internships,” he said. “The nontraditional student runs along the ragged edge to make it to graduation day and hopes that their time management skills showcase on the same level at future interviews.”
After graduating from CWI, Kelly continued his studies at Boise State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in media arts with an emphasis in Journalism. Then came a life-changing opportunity — a position as a communications officer in Papua New Guinea (PNG) with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF), an international nonprofit with a 72-year history in the region.
In PNG, Kelly boarded bush planes into some of the most remote corners of the world to document the lives of isolated communities. “Each day in PNG unfurled new narratives, unveiling needs, heartbreaks, joys, and the untouched beauty of this modern world outlier,” he said. “The experience etched in me a commitment to spend a lifetime chasing the untold stories of those who are unseen, unnoticed, and unheard.”
Kelly’s photography and storytelling have since been featured in publications such as Outside Magazine, Flying for Life, the Idaho Statesman, MTV, and New Zealand Aid, among others. His camera has become more than a creative tool — it’s a bridge between worlds and a means of connection.
Students now have the opportunity to pursue the same kind of passion and purpose through CWI’s new Digital Photography program. The program offers hands-on training in both artistic and technical aspects of photography, preparing students for careers in media, business, marketing, and more — all while equipping them to tell powerful visual stories.
Interested in turning your creative eye into a career? Learn more about CWI’s Digital Photography program and start your journey today.
