Samantha is a passionate journalist and filmmaker who believes that meaningful stories can be found anywhere if you only know how to listen. She is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she studied journalism and digital studies. Samantha is now pursuing a career in storytelling and film. She hopes to continue to travel the world hearing as many stories as she can. Samantha was the winner of the 2023 Study Abroad Film Festival with her film “Take the Goggles Off,” which encourages viewers to slow down and fall in love with the simplicity of life as well as the extraordinary. She says her semester in Spain was deeply influential, and she hopes to encourage others to travel/study abroad as well.
Sami Stidham
2023 Film Festival Winner