We had the opportunity to sit down with Ramzi Kaiss ‘17, SGA President, and talk about his love for the arts, a passion of his that not many people know about. Growing up, Ramzi was surrounded by the arts in his home, which most likely sparked his ever-growing interest. Coming from Lebanon, where music, painting, literature, and theater are prevalent in the lives of citizens, Ramzi was exposed at a young age to traditional Middle Eastern art. As he got older, he became an avid lover of theater, specifically.
Most recently, Ramzi created and produced a documentary about refugee children that had fled to the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. He worked with children ages 10 to 15, getting to know them through ice breaker activities before interviewing them about their lives as refugees. This documentary was an opportunity for Ramzi to combine his love for the arts with his deep interest in raising awareness for “marginalization and dehumanization of others…[which] is especially relevant today with the refugee crisis.”
Here is what Ramzi had to say:
The College Voice: What was the impact of working with refugees on your worldview? Can you encapsulate the essence for us?
Ramzi Kaiss: I come from Lebanon which is a neighboring country of Syria, where 1 in every 4 people are refugees. I took a class my sophomore year about the history of refugees with Professor Borer, which largely sparked my interest in the topic. This past summer, I designed a workshop for refugee children, specifically young teenagers. This workshop was based on identity and what it means to be a Syrian and a refugee in Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. It is hard for many of these children to live normal lives, so I worked with them to help them cope with their new lives. I interviewed them for my documentary, specifically beginning with ice breakers so that we could become comfortable with one another. Hearing their stories was a very eye opening and a very real experience for me.
Photo courtesy of Emma Schlichting
TCV: What were some of your childhood artistic and philosophical influences?
RK: When I was in eleventh grade, I read and fell in love with Plato and Socrates. I am a philosophy major and it continues to blow my mind. When I was young, I did a lot of acting at home. Actually, when I was forty days old, I was featured in a skin care commercial, thanks to my mother. But that is off topic… Spring of my freshmen year, I auditioned for a senior capstone project and ended up getting the lead—which is kind of a big deal for a freshman. From then on, I was in a play every semester. This acting experience has been awesome and I really loved working with the department here at Conn.
TCV: What kind of art surrounded you in your community and in your home? Is your family interested in the arts as well?
RK: I was always acting even from a young age, as I said before, with my brothers. One of my brothers is a playwright at Oberlin College, so we both enjoy it. My parents listened to Lebanese music every day in the house and I was always surrounded by traditional Lebanese cultures growing up. Also, my mother was an actress, so I would say she was a big inspiration for me.
TCV: What do you think is the importance of the connection between arts and education? What is your attitude towards the liberal arts education here at Conn?
RK: Performance makes things more interesting. I think that acting and performance are great mediums to discuss, understand, and teach things. I love the approaches of a liberal arts education. Personally, I am not a math or science student, but for my general education requirements, I was able to take a class in philosophy and film to satisfy those courses. I feel like the liberal arts helps you better understand the world, and I think it affects the way I will view things after my time at Conn.
Photo courtesy of Emma Schlichting
TCV: In addition to your SGA presidency, what legacy do you want to leave here at Conn? Do you have any advice for current or incoming students?
RK: My advice for anyone reading this is to take advantage of your resources and reach out in every way you can. Go to a conference, take a class, learn an instrument, play a sport, because it will change the way you see the school and other people as well. I hope to leave behind a strong student government foundation that will uphold the standards of shared governance. If you feel like there is something wrong, do not hesitate to change it. Make new traditions, but also respect those already in place. •
