By: Hannah Austin Photo credit to: Kenny Suit
As many communications and fine arts students already know, Milligan’s primary film professor Kenny Suit left for sabbatical in early 2012. Suit and his family traveled to Cairo, Egypt where they spent both the spring and fall semesters. From traveling with his family around Cairo to working on a book and teaching at a German university, Suit definitely had a “rich year.”
After having finished much research, Suit was able to progress on his writing project.
“I’m writing a book.” Suit elaborated in an interview last week. “It’s about a filmmaker who created his own studio in the 40’s and 50’s.”
This filmmaker was an Episcopalian assistant rector who started the market for Christian films in Hollywood. Not only was his work important for film, but this filmmaker’s work was crucial for the appearance of Christian teachings in the media and opened up a whole new opportunity for Christians to express themselves through the new medium of film. Suit has finished a rough draft of his work and will be working towards publication over the summer.
Last fall, Suit taught at a German university in Cairo. The opportunity to teach at a European university gave Suit a lot of perspective into how other non-American universities are teaching media arts and film. He is excited about the prospect of applying some of these German techniques of teaching media into his classes at Milligan.
Suit enjoyed bringing his family to Egypt. He and his wife had met in Egypt and lived there for five years before coming to the United States to raise a family.
“It was really good for us as a family to go away for a year,” said Suit, who was glad that his children had been exposed to Egyptian culture for the first time.
Suit was thankful for the opportunity for him and his family to be both socially and spiritually challenged in such a predominantly Islamic country as Egypt. He and his family were challenged in the way that they lived, what they said, how they acted and how they projected their Christian faith. In a way, it took them out of the routine, monotonous Christianity that they had become used to living in the United States. Suit’s children overall enjoyed being in Egypt and made many friends while attending school there. However, the children did miss being able to play and enjoy themselves at their home in East Tennessee.
Suit said being in the city of Cairo was a great contrast from the small-town of Johnson City. Rather than driving, Suit and his family walked whenever they could and took other means of transportation besides a car.
“You don’t use your car. You either walk everywhere, take the subway or take the taxi,” explained Suit.
Suit also discussed the current political situation in Egypt, a hot topic in news right now.
“The political situation in Egypt is bad,” communicated Suit, “Egyptians are discouraged.”
Suit clarified, however, that the American media has portrayed Egyptian political violence worse than it actually is, but the violence and the economic and political instability is still discouraging to the Egyptian people.
“I feel like it was a rich year,” reflected Suit on his past year’s endeavors. Suit supports and encourages students to live for a period of time outside the U.S. so that they may be exposed to new cultures.
“Take advantage of these study abroad programs,” advised Suit.
While students aren’t expected to embark on a sabbatical, keep in mind as a student that study abroad programs, mission efforts overseas, and charity or government programs are available for student international opportunities.
Name: Kenny Suit Title: Associate Professor of Performing, Visual, and Communicative Arts
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