By Jasmine Campos
Mallery Kinnun is pursuing a BFA in Acting for the Stage and Screen and a BA in Honors Humanities at Azusa Pacific University. When she started four years ago, she also began her journey in the Honors College after being emailed about her qualifications. It was not until someone called her to let her know of the opportunity that she was entirely sure what she was stepping into. Four years later, almost done with both majors, Mallery sat down to reflect on the effect the Honors College has had on her life.
How does Honors work with your major? I have become more confident in my ideas and in conversations with people about big ideas that not many understand. We are constantly throwing out ideas and building on one another. I have learned how to be present in conversations with other people through the Honors College. By learning my place in colloquy, I learned that I do not have to be the one that brings up the genius point, sometimes I can just take notes, and that really affects you for the day. Being okay with whatever you need out of any given day is a lesson I have taken away from the last four years. As far as specifically in how my acting has been shaped, the different philosophies help to tie ideas and themes in different characters that I might play.
How has Honors improved your college experience? Honors, first and foremost, has solidified who my friends are. There is an icebreaker aspect to Honors, especially because you live in close quarters with your peers. It is really nice to get to be in colloquies with different people and to get to know them while “doing class.” My spiritual growth has also been greatly affected by the readings we have done. I have been forced to ask why I believe what I do. Honors has provided a safe space for me to ask those deeper questions. They simultaneously encourage a self-journey and give us the space and resources to wrestle with those questions.
What does your major bring into your experience with Honors? I have always been proud of the industry that I am going into. Being in colloquy with people who are biochem majors makes it so that where they have ideas that seem more practical or relatively important, I can bring in a humanitarian aspect. Acting is about understanding humanity and understanding people while being observant of others. I think this has greatly influenced and informed the way that I conduct myself around my peers.
How do you believe Honors will assist you with your future endeavors/career goals?
Honors has solidified in me a desire to find a group as I have in Honors outside of college. I would love to maintain a kind of book club after I graduate. Honors has also changed the way that I view the world. The way that I look at people around me and understand the world I am live in have been altered in ways that I could not even put into words. I have been grounded in my morals and have learned how to live as a leader and be loving towards other people. I hope to take these lessons and influence the world, as kind and loving people are in short-supply these days.
What is your favorite book? While it is hard to pick just one, Interior Castle by Teresa of Avila has had a significant effect on my soul. Teresa changed how I viewed both time and silence with God, altering my relationship with Him forever.
Do you have any advice for incoming students planning on joining the Honors College? I would encourage them not to be discouraged by the possible stress or how their college experience will be determined by their friends. The work is worth it when you consider the benefits of the major over general education classes. If there is any idea that you might want to consider, just go for it, because you might regret it if you do not.
Mallery’s Honors College story teaches an important lesson about the influence Honors can have on anyone’s major and life. Being an acting major she has learned how to understand humanity and emulate a character in a way she could not have imagined without the Honors College. If you see yourself following a similar path, contact us via email or phone call, and we would be happy to tell you more about our program!