Forty students will graduate at the close of this semester. A reception will be held on Wednesday, December 7 to honor these mid-year graduates and recognize their hard work during their time at Houghton.
The reception will take place in the South End Dining Hall, and will last from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. with desserts provided. President Shirley Mullen, Provost Jack Connell, and a representative from Alumni Relations will each give brief remarks to the graduates, according to Eva Hillman from the Office of Academic Affairs.
The December graduates are made up of a multitude of degrees. Twenty-two students will graduate with a Bachelor of Science, fifteen with a Bachelor of Arts, and one each with an Associate of Arts, Master of Fine Arts, and Master of Arts. These students are from a variety of majors, the most common major being Communication, closely followed by Psychology and Business Administration, according to the Registrar webpage.
Tyler Ashley is a December graduate and a double major in Communication and Business Administration. He said, “I am very thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow at a place like Houghton.” He reflected on what made Houghton a special place to him, and stated the people he met during college and the relationships he formed are invaluable. After graduation, Ashley plans to work at an internet marketing company based in Lancaster City, Pennsylvania.
Another December graduate, Rebekah Bunal, is graduating in December after transferring to Houghton after begining her degree at another institution. Bunal is graduating with a degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). She said, “My time at Houghton was great, but short. All my education professors are what helped me get through it all.”
Ian Smith, who is preparing to graduate with a degree in Inclusive Childhood Education (ICE), said he was motivated to graduate early because he completed all the classes necessary for his major. “From being an RA in Rothenbuhler hall to making a fool of myself in two separate SPOT skits, my time at Houghton is one I will always remember fondly,” he said. Smith said he hopes to work as a substitute teacher in the Rochester area after graduation.
For Smith, and many other graduates, graduation means beginning a new chapter of life. “I will miss being in the Houghton community, but am very excited for what God has for me in the future,” Smith said.
Friends and family of December graduates are invited to attend the dessert reception to celebrate the graduates’ accomplishments. Attire will be business casual.