Bourgoignie-Robert, director of the visual journalism program and professor at the School of Communication, retires culminating a rewarding and successful career as a teacher and mentor to aspiring visual journalists.

“Any time you have the opportunity to make a human connection, especially over a four year period, it is bound to change your life. In countless ways the students have enriched my life and helped me become a better person,” said Bourgoignie-Robert.

During her time at UM, Bourgoignie-Robert did much more than teach in a classroom; she also worked on countless community projects such as photocamps and workshops for disadvantaged communities in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America.  Bourgoignie-Robert, with her husband Michel, created “Paperseed,” a not for profit organization which helps build and maintain cultural centers and schools in rural and marginal villages of Latin America. (http://www.paperseed.org)

“Lelen will be missed by students and colleagues for her energy, integrity and sense of fairness for all. On a personal level, I will miss her as a great colleague, but I look forward to our continuing friendship and hopefully we will collaborate on future projects,” said Visual Journalism Professor, Loup Langton, who worked with Bourgoignie-Robert for six years.

Though she will be retiring from academia, Bourgoignie-Robert will keep busy with National Geographic sponsored photocamps and multimedia projects that are expected to be produced in the fall. She is also working on the rebuilding and renovation of a house built in1492, in Bergerac, France, to which she and husband, Michel, hope to move into upon completion.

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