The Johnston Center for Integrative Studies

                                   Kevin Murphy

           If you have been around the Johnston Center lately, odds are you have crossed paths with Kevin Murphy. From his hand knit hats,to the fashionably faded tattoo on his forearm, he is a complete and total individual. Whether he is unraveling his quiver of worn down paintbrushes or sharing his philosophies on the Bekins porch, Keven is always open for a quality conversation. Today, he was kind enough to sit down for an interview:

 LS: We are here with Kevin Murphy, Keven you are a Johnston internal transfer, meaning you started off as a CAS student and then became an academic Johnston student. What was that process like?

KM: Well, my experience comparing it to my elder peers was a bit different. I had to go through a series of hoops, I definitely felt I had to prove my allegiance to Johnston. Also, I had to do a new final interview, a process that most older transfers didn't have to go through. The process for me was a little arduous, but I had amazing support. Julie [Townsend] was AMAZING in helping me out drafting my contract and figuring out just what it is I actually want to do with my education. They helped me out so much that by the time I got to committee it was just a minor celebration really. I didn't have any stipulations, I stipulated things for myself. 

LS: You felt like you were going to get in for sure on the homestretch?

KM: Yeah, I mean I was very passionate about my contract and I was having people around the departments look at it and assist me with it to the point where they were pretty satisfied by the time I brought it to committee.

LS: What does your contract entail? What is your emphasis?

KM: (He takes a deep breath) Environmental Ethics and Solutions Communicated Through the Arts and then French language studies. 

LS: Wow, what is your personal connection between the French and the Arts?

KM: Paris, France happens to be one of the biggest arts capitals in the world. I am going to Paris to study abroad, to study art, studio art, art history, and design theory. I also am going to study the language, which I have been studying since I was thirteen. The arts are a very sentimental thing to me, its what my mom dreamed, that was her dream job of being an artist and she is so creative and passionate, but in her time it wasn't a legitimate job. She was convinced to become an accountant instead, so I feel I owe it to my mom and I's collective spirit to do it for us because I am an artist as well and always have been.                                                                      I study the environment because thats what charges me, thats what inspires me. It is the closest thing to what I would call a religion, I really value the environment and my relationship to it. I feel like mankind's relationship to it is key to our existence here. I don't know, I feel like my emphasis is going to change already, I want to lean more towards studio practice. I mean just because I don't graduate with a degree in that field of the environment doesn't mean I am not going to serve or support it. I always want to be an advocate for it. I think it took me a little time to realize that, because it is hard to incorporate those three subjects into my studies. 

LS: As far as the Johnston community, what do you think are going to be some of the greatest challenges in years to come?

KM:  I think that some of Johnston's challenges end up becoming a very good thing. The challenges are double edged because they have really good aspects about them and then they don't. Being such a small community I feel like we know so many people so well that it can become a cesspool of gossip here. That said, I wouldn't have it any other way, I like the smallness. I like knowing everybody. I really don't feel like there's too many challenges, other than dealing with professors in the greater University who really are not Johnston friendly. I'd say that's its biggest problem. There's quite a few professors who refuse to negotiate anything with Johnston students. I've been witness to that. We elect to come into this program, we pay just as much money, we deserve to be recognized by all staff. If the University allows us to exist, then they must abide by what we decide to do and what we're allowed to do. As far as the community goes, I wouldn't say there are that many challenges, I would love to see this community grow and continue on but I like it the way it is. If someone else has room for improvement, then by all means I want my home to grow. 

LS: Groovy, anything else you would like to say?

KM: Yeah, that I'm a sophomore and twenty years old, I no longer live at home and I no longer have a home. And so, this place is a perfect substitute. I love it here. I feel very safe, I feel very expressive and liberated even though I see the same people and same walls, over and over and over. It's kinda confined, but if I get to stay here and be a homebody then thats what I'm happy about.

     For those of you who are not familiar with the Johnston academic lingo, here's a breakdown of some of the terms used in this interview:

Committee: A group of selected faculty and students who evaluate and revise a student's proposed graduation contract for their individualized education.

CAS Student: A University of Redlands arts and sciences student who is no academically involved in Johnston. There are however, many CAS students who play crucial roles in the Johnston community as a whole.

Emphasis: The central focus of a Johnston student's academic studies. Examples would include Studio Art, Physics, or Environmental Studies.

                                 Kevin Murphy