John Knight
Melissa Vlach
Issue date: 2/18/09 Section: News
John Knight a professor at Saint Mary's for 29 years, has been exposed to various people and ideas from around the world.
Knight came to Saint Mary's College in 1980 to teach in the intensive English program for international students. The program has been reduced in recent years, but he still teaches English and American culture classes to these students in addition to seminar and January Term classes. He and Nushi Safinya, director of Studies for International Students, serve as advisors for the students during their first year (or first semester for transfer students). He also works with the Center for International Programs and is involved in the fall retreat for international students.
Originally from central New York, Knight's desire to learn about non-American ways of life began when he was young. His father was in the Air Force, and his family lived on an Air Force base in Germany for three years. During this time they traveled all over Europe. "I was interested in things outside of America," he said.
Knight attended Hamilton College in central New York as an undergraduate, studying politics with a minor in French. After graduation he realized the dream he had had since high school of joining the Peace Corps.
He went to Ethiopia, where he taught English and other subjects to elementary and middle school students. These subjects included geography. Knight explained that he had to try to teach his students this subject while at the same time they attended religious studies classes in which they were taught that the world was flat. "I had to walk in and sort of present a view that's 180 degrees different," he said. "They were fascinating discussions for me as a young man who had not even bothered to consider that people might look at the world in a different way."
After four years he returned to the United States and attended graduate school at the University of Arizona in the program for teaching English to speakers of other languages.
Following this, he moved to Saudi Arabia to teach English to Air Force warrant officers so that they could receive training and become mechanics on the planes.
Knight came to Saint Mary's College in 1980 to teach in the intensive English program for international students. The program has been reduced in recent years, but he still teaches English and American culture classes to these students in addition to seminar and January Term classes. He and Nushi Safinya, director of Studies for International Students, serve as advisors for the students during their first year (or first semester for transfer students). He also works with the Center for International Programs and is involved in the fall retreat for international students.
Originally from central New York, Knight's desire to learn about non-American ways of life began when he was young. His father was in the Air Force, and his family lived on an Air Force base in Germany for three years. During this time they traveled all over Europe. "I was interested in things outside of America," he said.
Knight attended Hamilton College in central New York as an undergraduate, studying politics with a minor in French. After graduation he realized the dream he had had since high school of joining the Peace Corps.
He went to Ethiopia, where he taught English and other subjects to elementary and middle school students. These subjects included geography. Knight explained that he had to try to teach his students this subject while at the same time they attended religious studies classes in which they were taught that the world was flat. "I had to walk in and sort of present a view that's 180 degrees different," he said. "They were fascinating discussions for me as a young man who had not even bothered to consider that people might look at the world in a different way."
After four years he returned to the United States and attended graduate school at the University of Arizona in the program for teaching English to speakers of other languages.
Following this, he moved to Saudi Arabia to teach English to Air Force warrant officers so that they could receive training and become mechanics on the planes.