Year: 2015

Categories
Stories In Focus

The Wild Life of Professor Wolfe

A gray wolf stares out into the distance with a calm but intent gaze that betrays its predatory nature. Farther to the right, an entire pack of canines gather around each other, playfully nipping at one another’s heels.

Wolfe joined Houghton’s ranks in 1988 as a professor of biology. Wolfe, who had never heard of Houghton before, was at once drawn to Houghton’s woodland location. He stated that his passion for nature was “very strange for a kid who grew up in suburbia and parents from New York City.” The North east has been his home for the majority of his life, having been born in New York City but growing up in Norwalk, Connecticut. Wolfe received a B.A. in biology from Gordon College, his M.S. in botany at Oklahoma University, and finally his Ph.D. in biology at the University of Rhode Island.

Wolfe RGBHaving accumulated over twenty-five years of teaching experience at Houghton, Wolfe has taught a large variety of classes ranging from genetics in the classroom to field courses out in the Alaskan wilderness.

“Dr. Wolfe is definitely one of my favorite professors at Houghton,” said sophomore Vivian Chappell ‘18, a student from his Alaskan field course. “He is incredibly knowledgeable about the earth and the environment.”

Besides instructing students, he displays his passion for nature through his ongoing research on lake and stream ecosystems in Allegany County and in the Adirondacks, which has been his focus over the last ten years.

Wolfe has new plans for the upcoming semesters. During an interview with him, Wolfe sketched out a study of coyotes he will be conducting in the upcoming months. Sitting in his office chair, he scooped up a gray collar off the floor by his feet. The collar, he explained, fastens around the coyote’s neck and transmits a signal to a GPS system whereby Wolfe can monitor the animal’s movements.  Pointing to a knob that protrudes from the collar, Wolfe explained how the knob will “pop” out and sever the collar after a set period of time.

Wolfe’s love for these four-legged creatures can be seen in the pictures posted about his office space. Right now, Wolfe has two Alaskan Malamutes which he said much resemble wolves, each weighing over a 100 pounds with long fluffy coats.

Over his years at Houghton, he has had four dogs. His first dog, Wolfie, was actually a stray some students had found. The students asked him to adopt the “puppy” as they called it (leaving out the fact that the dog was already full grown). The professor hemmed and hawed for two weeks before accepting.

“It became a sort of tradition,” Wolfe said. After Wolfie died, he adopted another stray called Ranger, and finally the two Alaskan Malamutes he has presently, Kiska and Kenai.

His dogs are a large part of his life,which is evident to his students. Chappell remarked that he “shows his passion for God’s creation through the love he has for his dogs.” Dr. Wolfe loves the opportunity to introduce them to his students. “Many of my students have met my dogs,” Wolfe said.

 

A gray wolf stares out into the distance with a calm but intent gaze that betrays its predatory nature. Farther to the right, an entire pack of canines gather around each other, playfully nipping at one another’s heels.

Wolfe joined Houghton’s ranks in 1988 as a professor of biology. Wolfe, who had never heard of Houghton before, was at once drawn to Houghton’s woodland location. He stated that his passion for nature was “very strange for a kid who grew up in suburbia and parents from New York City.” The North east has been his home for the majority of his life, having been born in New York City but growing up in Norwalk, Connecticut. Wolfe received a B.A. in biology from Gordon College, his M.S. in botany at Oklahoma University, and finally his Ph.D. in biology at the University of Rhode Island.

Having accumulated over twenty-five years of teaching experience at Houghton, Wolfe has taught a large variety of classes ranging from genetics in the classroom to field courses out in the Alaskan wilderness.

“Dr. Wolfe is definitely one of my favorite professors at Houghton,” said sophomore Vivian Chappell ‘18, a student from his Alaskan field course. “He is incredibly knowledgeable about the earth and the environment.”

Besides instructing students, he displays his passion for nature through his ongoing research on lake and stream ecosystems in Allegany County and in the Adirondacks, which has been his focus over the last ten years.

Wolfe has new plans for the upcoming semesters. During an interview with him, Wolfe sketched out a study of coyotes he will be conducting in the upcoming months. Sitting in his office chair, he scooped up a gray collar off the floor by his feet. The collar, he explained, fastens around the coyote’s neck and transmits a signal to a GPS system whereby Wolfe can monitor the animal’s movements.  Pointing to a knob that protrudes from the collar, Wolfe explained how the knob will “pop” out and sever the collar after a set period of time.

Wolfe’s love for these four-legged creatures can be seen in the pictures posted about his office space. Right now, Wolfe has two Alaskan Malamutes which he said much resemble wolves, each weighing over a 100 pounds with long fluffy coats.

Over his years at Houghton, he has had four dogs. His first dog, Wolfie, was actually a stray some students had found. The students asked him to adopt the “puppy” as they called it (leaving out the fact that the dog was already full grown). The professor hemmed and hawed for two weeks before accepting.

“It became a sort of tradition,” Wolfe said. After Wolfie died, he adopted another stray called Ranger, and finally the two Alaskan Malamutes he has presently, Kiska and Kenai.

His dogs are a large part of his life,which is evident to his students. Chappell remarked that he “shows his passion for God’s creation through the love he has for his dogs.” Dr. Wolfe loves the opportunity to introduce them to his students. “Many of my students have met my dogs,” Wolfe said.

Categories
News Stories In Focus

Zumba: Fitness Made Fun

Though it’s technically the room meant for rock-climbers, the auxiliary gym in Nielsen is filled with dancers twice a week. The first image that pops into mind might be ballet, but no, these are Zumba dancers that shimmy, sway, and sweat it out twice a week under the instruction of sophomore Kingsley Kolek.

Zumba RGBKolek, who has been doing Zumba for seven years, started classes at Houghton last spring. “When I took my tour as an incoming student, someone had said that a senior did it, and obviously, they were graduating. I had already applied to get my certification, and thought that would be a great opportunity for me to step in.” She now leads classes on Tuesday and Thursday nights, each an hour and a half long.

Zumba  is a dance workout phenomenon which started in the mid-90s by dance instructor and choreographer Alberto Perez. Perez forgot his dance music one day, and instead had to use whatever was playing on the radio – salsa and reggae music. With this non-traditional exercise music, he improvised an aerobics class combined with dance, and Zumba was born. Since 2001, when Zumba  was first registered as a trademark under Zumba Fitness, more than 10 million workout DVDs have been sold. It is enjoyed in 180 countries around the world, with over 15 million people reaping the benefits of the workout, according to their website. Zumba also founded the Zumba Dance Academy in 2005, which licenses instructors to teach classes.

Kolek is one of those certified instructors. “I went to an eight hour class, and learned all the different ways of teaching Zumba. It sounds like I just went to an eight hour Zumba class, but you actually have a classroom setting and learn all the psychological benefits of it, too.”

Zumba  is one of the most effective workouts there is, psychologically as well as physically, because “people view it as going to dance rather than going to work out,” said Kolek.

Houghton students seem to enjoy it, too. “The first class, I actually thought to myself – if I had about 5 more people come, we would have had to take the class to a different room,” Kolek recounts. “It’s been a little low recently, because it’s getting to the end of the semester and people have exams, but I had about 20 – 25 people consistently.”

The only problem the Zumba classes seem to face is the ever-present “Houghton ratio”. So far, the classes here at Houghton have been made up primarily of women.

“That’s the one thing about Zumba,” Kolek explains. “Guys hear ‘dance’, and they automatically think that they’re not going to get anything out of it. But actually in the Zumba company, there are many male instructors. It’s definitely a workout for both genders.”

Categories
Opinions

Marginalization, Discrimination & Reconciliation

My good friend, Mary Cronin, wrote a letter to the editor about the church fair. In it she wrote, “We need hymns that nurture us and church families that embrace us as we are. We need liturgy that tells a story we can find a space in, not meta-narratives that always exclude someone.” These words have influenced me; specifically when I think of my own relationship with the LGBT community.

I do not think conservative Christians are aware of how deeply they have ostracized the LGBT community from the “Christian meta-narrative”.  We elevate traditional marriage as the highest ideal and define it in ways that the LGBT community simply cannot identify. Furthermore, we idealize marriage; church culture has offered no viable alternative lifestyles for individuals who were excluded for its definition and has no language to talk about any sexualities out of this context. Thus, we marginalize the LGBT community. We actively write them out of the Christian narrative and we apathetically respond(ed) to their protests. This predominant attitude in Conservative circles is wrong and needs to be acknowledged.

To my LGBT friends—I am sorry.

Please, forgive us.

JiwanGray copyI ask that you hear my apology and yet I am aware that it is insufficient for complete reconciliation. I know this—because although I am deeply repentant of conservative attitudes towards the LGBT community, I still interpret the biblical view of sexuality in ways that liberal interpreters do not accept; in ways that the LGBT community may find difficult. These differences shape my ideal narrative differently from others. We disagree—and that can make reconciliation difficult—but not impossible.  

***

People have a tendency to assume complete understanding of another to be synonymous with genuine love. This is why they have difficulty relating to people who are different from themselves, because they do not understand them. But, the reality is that you and I will never completely understand or agree with anybody. Disagreement and, at times, intense conflict is simply an inextricable part of the human experience. In many ways I will not understand or agree with everything my LGBT friends share with me—not just because of their philosophical and theological conclusions—but because they are different people; they are not me.

Nobody intrinsically and completely understands anybody, it takes time and we have to stop using it as the only measure of love. Mutual understanding is a measure of intimacy, but the definition of love is broader. It is not only the foundation of intimacy, but the root of all meaningful interaction.  Therefore, when I relate to another person, specifically one with whom I disagree, I should engage with an active love: a love that wishes to bless my dialogue partner, even in the presence of intense disagreement. This element of relationship is not always easy, but it is the only way people can remain true to their personal convictions and yet exist in relationship amidst plurality. I plead for members of both sides of the argument to embrace such an attitude. We cannot keep seeing one another as obstacles to our own narrations. It is very likely that we may never agree—but regardless, we must use the attitude of love. Besides, it is the only language in which the Gospels were ever written.

***

There is so much I wish I could say regarding this issue, but I want to end with a cautious warning to my readers. This concept of engagement is greater than issues of gender and sexuality. The world is becoming more diverse and pluralistic—in this diversity the Church needs individuals who are actively and thoughtfully relating with it.  Whether it be inside or outside of the church, we cannot afford any more insensitive dialogue with those whom we disagree. You are mistaken if you think you there is no relational dimension to philosophical and theological ideas. An insisted preference of ideas over people will create a schism so deep that even a Christian embrace will leave the world untouched. Be motivated by love— this is not the time for clanging cymbals.

Categories
Opinions

Grace: The Beauty of the Unfair

Grace is a very Christian word.  It is something that God gives to all of humankind and it can never be earned. It’s like a priceless gift. Grace is a virtue and an act borne of God’s great love for us. It is in his grace that the Son came to earth to become human and die. It is in his grace that the Holy Spirit has been left as our advocate and guide. It is by his unmerited grace that we can be saved and reconciled to him. That reconciliation is something that we are entirely incapable of earning for ourselves. Once we have received grace, Christ does not say this is enough. We are to give this grace to others as freely as God does to us.

Ian DeHaas RGBThe songwriter Matthew Thiessen once penned these lyrics: “…the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair.” We hear the second half of that phrase all the time. Life’s not fair. That message comes from all kinds of places; for example, people  talking about a situation in their lives, or perhaps from a cynical person who likes to tell that to those less weathered. Regardless of the source, problems arise when we look at life like this. Everything becomes checks and balances. We keep track of what we do in terms of positive and negative. We evaluate people to see if they are positive or negative contributors to our lives and we make decisions accordingly. When someone hurts us, we tell them that they need to shape up or we cut them out of our lives. When someone is good to us they become closer to us. This is just how things work.

When we look at life like this it’s so easy to do good deeds merely for the sake of besting another person. And when we allow ourselves to embrace this view, we also allow ourselves to be comfortable in self-pity when the world doesn’t work in our favor. These are the problems that come from a purely worldly perspective of unfairness. Quite simply, a worldly perspective  can stunt our growth and our flourishing as human beings and people of God.

Now here is where we add the entire lyric, “the beauty of grace is that is makes life not fair”. Suddenly, the picture of cynicism and self-pity disappears. In its place, we are left with a picture where undeserving people get what they don’t deserve. How does this happen? It’s all because of the grace of God that unfairness can be beautiful. If life was without grace we would all be condemned because there is nothing we can do to attain salvation on our own. It would be fair for us, because of our sins, to be separated from God forever. It would be fair for us when we are struck by someone to reply with a closed fist, but that’s not what God thinks. He chose the unfair route and sent his Son to show us ultimate grace. Once we partake in that grace, the rules all change. Unfair becomes our livelihood and our standard. Just as grace was bestowed on us, we are to bestow it on the others around us, who are as undeserving of it as we are. Grace invites us to think of how our unfair response to somebody can be beautiful. Yes, life is unfair, and thank God for that.

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Campus News

New Vision Week Discusses Missions

This week at Houghton College, New Vision Week, gave students the opportunity to learn explore a call to missions, both abroad and stateside. “The body of Christ as the church is meant to be missional,” junior Elizabeth Chedester said. This was the emphasis of New Vision Week, when Houghton students have the chance to learn about and consider their call to missions, whether it be abroad or at home. The event occurred this year from October 26-30, with a variety of speakers and events to raise awareness of the global church.

NVW Schedule.jpgThis year’s co-coordinators, Bethany Rudolph and Elizabeth Chedester, highlighted the theme “from the cross, through the church, to the world.” It was meant to “reveal the way a personal relationship with Christ can translate into actions with a global impact,” Maria Waterfield, ‘17 explained. “It’s turning something personal into something more tangible, visible.” Rudolph and Chedester echoed this in their emphasis on the call of all Christians to missions. “Missions is not intended only for special people,” Chedester said. “We’re all called to missions.”

The choices for New Vision Week speakers reflect this emphasis. Rudolph and Chedester chose speakers with a variety of backgrounds, Christian and non-Christian, American and non-American. “We want everyone to be able to relate,” Bethany explained. From this touch-point, they hope for students to consider the challenges issued by the speakers as well as the events. “New Vision Week challenges students to consider missions,” said associate professor of intercultural studies and missions, Marcus Dean, noting the variety of ways a Christian can be involved in missions, from going overseas to financial support to prayer support.

Besides the various speakers, New Vision Week featured several events, such as a  documentary, prayer walk, and culture fun night. “We really tried to put something fun or interesting every day,” Waterfield explained. “The goal this year to make it more the forefront of people’s minds.” The events combine to raise awareness for the call to missions and the global church. Rudolph noted the intention of the documentary on persecution “to create more awareness for what it looks like to be a Christian in the world.” Waterfield, who looks forward most to the prayer walk, explains that it will inform participants of situations throughout the world while creating the opportunity for prayer. The week ends with worship night, “a nice way to close off the week,” said Waterfield.

Dean notes that New Vision Week has “a long tradition at Houghton College,” for at least fifty years, although it has changed in name and in structure. As it has continued to grow and change, Dean too emphasizes the universal call for Christians to missions. “We can’t think anymore that the mission field is someplace else- so how do we get involved?” New Vision Week both raises the question and offers information for students to reach their own conclusions.

Rudolph’s hopes for New Vision Week reflect this, “for Houghton to become a place of more global awareness, more intentional living.” This can occur through the week’s goal of “increased awareness of brothers and sisters around the world” in Christ as well as “those who don’t know the gospel yet.” Ultimately, as Maria Waterfield says, New Vision week hopes “to show people that there are ways to be involved no matter where you are, what you’re doing.”

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Campus News

81 Pounds of Food Wasted

On Tuesday, Houghton College Eco Reps and Sodexo partnered for a “Weigh the Waste” event to raise awareness about food waste.

weigh the wasteThis week was Sodexo’s Wasteless Week, a week where the company is especially mindful about how to cut down on waste that occurs in the dining hall. This year, food waste was the focus.

To collect data about how much food is wasted during one meal, volunteers from Eco Reps collected the waste from students’ plates before they were sent to the dish-room. The waste was collected in buckets, which were then weighed.

According to an article published by Jean Buzby in the journal ScienceDirect, almost half of all calories produced by animals and less than one-fifth of those produced by crops in the U.S. go to waste. During Tuesday’s dinner, 81.25 pounds of food was wasted. “That weighs as much as a small human,” said Gabrielle Papia ‘19. According to this data, 12.6% of the food that was prepared went to waste.

“I want to thank our Student Sustainability Intern and the Eco Reps for facilitating the Weigh the Waste event. We hope that this event encouraged student awareness and behavior change as they make food choices and select amounts of those items,” said general manager of Sodexo, Kathie Guyler.

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Campus News

Counseling Center to Host Annual Relationship Retreat

This weekend, 22 Houghton College students will travel to Camp Asbury in Silver Lake, NY, to attend the eighth annual Relationship Retreat. Dr. Bill Burrichter and Wendy Baxter of the Counseling Center will also attend with their spouses for the Friday evening and Saturday morning and afternoon sessions.

“The Relationship Retreat is funded by an anonymous grant,” Baxter stated, “which Houghton adds to. Students are also charged a small ($25) fee per couple.” The retreat is coordinated by the counseling center through the Center for Relationship Enrichment, which operates out of John Brown University in Arkansas. The program runs on a two year cycle, year one focusing on healthy communication and year two (this year) emphasizing conflict management. “It’s basically all communication, just different aspects of it. [The retreat] helps couples start off on the right foot instead of waiting until a marriage is in trouble,” Baxter added.

Fancher2RGBBurrichter and Baxter will help facilitate conversation and follow-up with groups during the retreat. The two mental-health professionals had different opinions on the most pressing challenges for new or young couples. Burrichter noted he has seen new couples that are “naïve…about what they are getting into. They tend to be blinded by the emotional experience [of a romantic relationship] or by lack of experience.” He continued, “A lot of times couples think ‘when we get married, this [problem] won’t happen,’ but annoying traits, addictive behaviors, and bad habits” still exist after marriage. Baxter felt communicating strong values and needs are often overlooked by young or new couples. “[New/young couples] tend to get caught up on superficial things,” she stated. Baxter expressed concern over this, because when communication is shallow, couples do not learn how to “talk about hard issues.” This is bad news in a culture where already “we don’t see good examples of commitment.”

Newly married student Brittany Peak ’16 feels “more and more young couples are accepted in our generation.” Peak and her husband, Jeremy, plan on attending the retreat this weekend, provided that Jeremy, who is in the U.S. armed forces, has no military obligations. “I love that the theme is conflict management” she said, “I hope that Jeremy and I learn skills and tools that we will think deeply about and remember for the times we will argue as a married couple.  It is my desire to be in a healthy marriage so that our children have two parents who love them and each other very deeply.”

A seriously dating couple, Kayla Brophy ’17 and Andrew Montoro ’17 also plan to attend. Montoro first brought up the possibility of going on the retreat, thinking that participating “could be a good way to develop [their] relationship.”

Brophy felt that in her relationship with Montoro, striving for balance is the most important task, saying, “We’ve recently figured out that it’s good for us to do different things; it’s good to have

separate lives to a point.” Montoro agreed, adding that he feels couples who neglect their individuality are unhealthy.

The two believe that learning strategies of conflict management will help them meld their individual lives and aspirations cohesively. Montoro said, “Anyone you see every day can become a bit much. Obviously if you’re on your way to marriage, that time will come [so it is important for] each individual has a plan and a call. [A relationship] is about easing each person’s goals together.”

About a month following this weekend’s Relationship Retreat, all of the participating couples will be invited to go out on a “Great Date Night,” a follow-up to the program. The outing will include pizza and laser-tag, as well as a discussion led by Dean of the Chapel, Michael Jordan. Jordan is expected to discuss differing vocational goals within a marriage or serious relationship.

Categories
International News

Hurricane Patricia Hits Mexico

On Friday, October 24, the strongest hurricane in the history of the Western hemisphere hit the coast of Mexico. The U.S. National Hurricane Center warned that “life-threatening flash floods and mudslides” were likely to occur in rural areas, but the Mexican people were well prepared to react. Hurricane Patricia made headlines as the strongest storm to hit the west coast of the Americas, climbing up to a category five storm. The Weather Channel reported the storm was unprecedented among Pacific hurricanes, dropping ten millibars lower in pressure than any previously recorded storm.

According to BBC news, the storm lessened to a category four by the time it hit the Mexican coast and the results were not as catastrophic as they might have been, helping the government of Mexico go into the natural disaster well prepared. The Los Angeles Times suggested that the president of Mexico, Enrique Peña Nieto, “benefited from what appears to have been a successful emergency response and extraordinary good luck.” Therefore, what might have ended in a major loss of human life has been nothing more than an indicator of the Mexican government’s ability to handle such natural disasters well.

hurricane IsaacThe government initiated a mass evacuation of the area that could possibly be affected by the storm. More than 10,000 people were evacuated from their homes, and 1,200 shelters were set up to house the evacuees. Ricardo Aleman of El Universal newspaper said “the hurricane put to the test the reaction of all three levels of government – and unlike many other occasions, the coordination [this time around] was almost perfect.”

USA Today suggested it was not only the proper governance of the storm situation, but the natural landscape of the Mexican coast that slowed the storm and lessened damage. The area that the storm struck was a sparsely populated area, with an occasional fishing village on the coast. Immediately to the left and right of the area are the dense populated centers of Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo, which were just missed by the storm. Dennis Feltgen, a meteorologist with the U.S. National Hurricane Center, said the storm “could have been far worse. A little jog to the left, a little jog to the right and we’d be having a different conservation.”

Another factor that affected the progress of the hurricane was its collision with the Sierra Madre mountain range. Over the course of Friday night, the mountains broke the storm apart until it dropped from a category five, to a category one by 4 a.m.

According to USA Today, the death toll, as of Sunday, had reached six citizens. Despite such a low death toll for such a massive storm, coastal Mexican infrastructure and agriculture were heavily affected. The Los Angeles Times reported as many as 3,500 homes were destroyed or damaged, and that 19,000 acres of crops were ruined by flooding and storm winds. The federal authorities are still working to assess the gravitude of the damage caused, but it is clear that in the months to come efforts must be made to restore the coastline and the livelihoods of the Mexican people.

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Campus News

Faculty Travel to Prestigious Conference

Over the second weekend in October, representatives from the 98 member institutions of the National Network for the Lilly Fellows Program (LFP) in Humanities and Arts gathered at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee to attend the program’s twenty-fifth annual National Conference. Among them were Houghton College’s two designated representatives: Linda Mills Woolsey, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, and Stephen Woolsey, professor of English.

WoolseyWhile the organization hosts their yearly national conferences at member institutions all over the country, the Lilly Fellows Program in Humanities and Arts is based in Christ College at Valparaiso University, a Lutheran institution in Valparaiso, Indiana. LFP’s mission statement declares that it “seeks to renew and enhance the connections between Christianity and the academic vocation at church-related colleges and universities.” The organization attempts to achieve this goal through three major initiatives: the National Network, the Postdoctoral Fellows Program, and the Graduate Fellows Program. The Postdoctoral Fellows Program is a two-year residential fellowship specifically at Valparaiso University, while the Graduate Fellows Program supports ten fellows who hold bachelor’s degrees from LFP member institutions over three years as they pursue doctoral work in the humanities and arts. Two past graduate fellows are Houghton alumni: Kyle Vitale (‘09) and Gerard Gentry (’10).

“One of the best things about going to the most recent conference was that I got to see Kyle Vitale and talk to him about his experience,” said Mills Woolsey. “He talked about the Lilly Graduate Fellows program as being a lifeline during such a discouraging time for students in graduate school in the arts and humanities.”

Mills Woolsey, having represented Houghton at conferences off and on since 2001, was elected to a four-year term on the National Network Board for LFP last year. As a board member, she attended discussions and panels at the 2015 conference, but also attended a day-and-a-half-long board meeting. The LFP National Board, which is composed of twelve members, meets twice a year. Meetings are packed with discussions in which they decide what initiatives LFP will fund in the coming year, what themes they will pursue for future conferences, and what prospective institutions they might accept into the network.

Although Houghton maintains memberships in other Christian national organizations, including the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities and the Christian College Consortium, LFP stands out as a Christian network that crosses denominational lines.

“Lilly overlaps with CCCU in that it does include some evangelical colleges, but it’s broader,” said Mills Woolsey of the organization. “You get to interact with faculty from Roman Catholic colleges, Lutheran colleges, United Methodist and Presbyterian colleges, and some of the Baptist colleges. It’s a more varied pool, but it’s amazing how much we share in common.”

The commonalities in these academics’ commitment to their faith and vocation are celebrated at LFP’s annual National Conference. This year’s conference, entitled “Created for Creativity: Music, Culture and Faith,” took place from October 9 through 11. In conjunction with Belmont’s strong music program, the conference focused on the theology of creativity. Participants had the opportunity to network by exploring Nashville together, sharing meals, and attending sessions that featured speakers who specialize in some aspect of the music profession. These speakers included the director of Belmont’s Religion & Arts Program, a music professor and choral director from Auburn University, a record label executive, and an award-winning songwriter and performer.

While each conference has its own unique theme, with past conferences discussing such diverse topics as racial justice and urban issues, music and worship is always an important part of the National Conference. According to Mills Woolsey, Roman Catholic and Protestant members alike share in ecumenical worship services together that are especially meaningful, and inspire a sense of fellowship among its participants.

This fellowship is ultimately what makes LFP special as a National Network, whether members experience it through worship, conversation, or a speaker’s message. Mills Woolsey affirmed this, saying:

“As a speaker, you want to draw your audience into a conversation that discusses what are our shared beliefs, and what are our shared problems and concerns, rather than focusing on the things that divide us.”

In the midst of a challenging time for higher education in the arts and humanities, LFP allows schools like Houghton to continue to grow in their mission, while connecting with other like-minded institutions. Fortunately, Houghton’s strong and lasting connection with LFP has and will continue to benefit the college’s lasting legacy in the liberal arts.

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Stories In Focus

Gaertes Galore: A Family’s Investment at Houghton

Imagine you see Professor of Communication, Douglas Gaerte, and three people from the advancement office sit down at a small table for dinner in the dining hall. The automatic assumption would be that this is a business dinner. It is just as likely, however, that you are witnessing a family dinner. Doug, his wife, and their two children Andrew Gaerte and Emily Spateholts all work for Houghton College.

Gaerte Family copyThe Gaerte family hasn’t always been associated with Houghton. Doug and his wife Phyllis met and started dating at Grace College in Indiana, a college not entirely unlike Houghton. Doug said they had a great experience there and upon graduation he decided he wanted to do something similar. The couple had family in Connecticut and Pennsylvania, so Gaerte sent resumés to colleges all over the North East. At that time Houghton had a communication professor who was looking to retire, and Doug was offered the job. According to Doug their original plan was to only stay for a couple years, but they fell in love with the are the wonderful students, and colleagues they found here.

They stayed and Phyllis began work for Houghton as the Director of Alumni and Community Engagement. When it was time for Emily and Andrew to choose their prospective colleges, they both said their parents encouraged them to look elsewhere. However, they knew the people here and knew they could get a great education at Houghton.  Ultimately, both Andrew and Emily decided to attend Houghton.

Andrew graduated from Houghton in 2008 and returned in October 2013, to take the position of  Regional Director of Development at Houghton. He said he was never opposed to coming back to Houghton, but never planned on it. However, he realized that Houghton was doing new and exciting things and he wanted to be a part of it.

Emily Gaerte, now Spateholts, graduated in 2012. After graduation she worked in the campus store as the office and course materials manager. She left in the Spring of 2014 to help her friends start a business. When the business was established, she returned in January 2015 as the Development and Reunion Specialist.

The Gaertes all mentioned how much they enjoy working together. Since three of them work in  the Advancement Offices, their jobs tend to overlap. Emily mentioned how she specifically enjoys getting to work together on something they are all passionate about.  Another unique opportunity this offers is for parent and child collaborations. Doug and Andrew were able to team up with Professor Ryann Cooley, the Associate Professor of Digital Media and Photography, and get the college a $10,000 grant for a new lighting studio. Doug summed up their family’s involvement best when he said “the mission of Houghton College has become such an important thing for our family”. By working together they can serve their family and the college they have all grown to love.