Winning an award such as Taylor University’s teaching excellence and campus leadership Award is a monumental achievement, one that John Bruner, Film and Media Arts department co-chair, can now say he has.
On Friday, Sept. 1, John Bruner was called to the podium at the Alumni awards chapel as the recipient of the award.
The award is given out to Taylor University professors of 10 years who show excellence in classroom teaching, Christian service and engagement outside of the classroom.
“I did whatever I thought was next, and if it was big, it doesn’t mean you don’t do it, it just means it’ll take a lot longer,” Bruner said. “A lot of people around here work really hard and try to do innovative things.”
Bruner has always been focused on Taylor University and how to improve it. He said that he is always looking to see how the film industry is shifting. John seeks out newer opportunities to bring to Taylor as a method of teaching young filmmakers.
When he received the award, Bruner was shocked.
“A little part of my head is going, ‘I’ve got a lot of stuff to do today!’” he said. “But you realize those plans are gone and this is far bigger and better.”
Bruner has been a professor for 18 years, and has had a steady stream of students he’s taught. He teaches classes such as narrative filmmaking as well as history and criticism of film.
He also spearheads the Envision crew, a team of students that are tasked with making promotional material for the Film and Media Arts Department, as well as organizing the Envision film festival that the department puts on annually.
Junior Jack Fauser is a film and media arts major. He is also one of John’s students in his directing and cinematography class as well as co-host of the TUpdate, a promotional campaign for the department that is operated by John’s Envision crew.
“I’d see him come in during hours where he doesn’t need to be in the building just to come in and help the Narrative teams, he wants to help out, and I found that to be really cool,” Fauser said. “He loves talking to anyone and everyone.”
A large part of John’s endeavors is the development of the Horne Academic Center which is set to open Spring of 2024. Kathy Bruner, Film and Media Arts department co-chair, has been married to John for 36 years. She said that John has been discussing the new building since his first week at Taylor when he told the department secretary that the department needed a new space.
John wrote the plans for the building, designing it room by room throughout the course of a whole month. The amount of time he spent using a computer mouse left John needing surgery on his hand. He and Kathy joke about it now, saying that he has “skin in the game.”
“He’s a wonderful open book about his own life.” Kathy said. “He teaches students how to take advantage of all the opportunities the Lord provides.”
Keeping the award hidden from John was a daunting task, Kathy said. She knew John was going to receive the award since May 2023. Managing to maneuver around gathering family members and organizing the luncheon afterward nearly proved to expose the whole operation to John, who claims he was clueless of the whole thing.
John recognized that the award is a huge honor, especially when he reflects back on his career journey and accomplishments. John thanks his colleagues in the film department. He is thankful for all the students who have joined the program as their participation has allowed them to accomplish more intricate and meaningful things.
“Anything you achieved involved other people,” John said.“You might’ve had the original idea, but it’s not going to go anywhere without other people. Everything I won the award for was just the next big thing.”
