| ALUMNI VOICES |
“Everyone went to college, and I decided to explore before taking the next step.”
Emu Haynes ’17 Emu Haynes ’17 prefers to take the road less traveled. At KUA she navigated campus by skateboard; today she tackles Los Angeles gridlock en route to freelance gigs. A senior at Chapman University, Haynes is building her portfolio to become a director of photography in L.A.’s cutthroat film industry. She wouldn’t have it any other way. After graduating from high school, Haynes opted for a gap year. “Being in a small bubble, I wanted to see more of the world that my fellow KUA students, especially international students, felt and experienced,” says the Connecticut native. “Everyone went to college, and I decided to explore before taking the next step.” Haynes connected with a fellow KUA alumna in Vietnam before backpacking through Thailand. She did a film internship in South Africa during the nation’s water crisis and presidential transition. “I saw the presidential exchange take place right outside my office,” she recalls. Haynes then designed a solo backpacking trip through Europe, where she connected with KUA friends and connections from previous travels before returning to the States and selecting Chapman for college. “I remember immediately feeling like it was home, like I felt about KUA,” she says of Chapman. “They have an amazing film program that is up and coming and very competitive. They give you a camera on the first day of school. It was very hands-on, which is what I was looking for.” Haynes got her first taste of filmmaking at KUA, thanks to the encouragement of her advisor, Art Teacher and Dean of Faculty Julie Haskell. “There wasn’t a film class at the time, but teachers let me try and explore the realm of film,” she says. “I made film projects sometimes instead of writing an essay and created a short film as a capstone. The faculty and my classmates were pushing me and giving me the platform to explore film further.” Creative encouragement from faculty helped Haynes land first place in a Vermont film festival, an accomplishment she proudly used for college and job applications. Today Haynes is picking up freelance jobs on film sets while balancing her college courseload. “Cinematography is the end goal. I love shooting films that have real stories behind them, things that people feel drawn to and relate to on a personal level. “When I first arrived at KUA I was very shy, and I broke out of my shell and was pushed to try new things. I became a proctor, joined the Campus Activities Board, and then ran for All-School President. I built up so much confidence over my time there.” K
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| H I L LT O P M A G A Z I N E |
