By Victoria Hock
In an email to the Houghton College community on March 30th, President Lewis announced that Dr. David H. Davies (‘01) has been appointed as Houghton’s newest Provost.
Dr. Davies begins his time in the Provost role at Houghton with extensive experience in the field of higher education, with the campus-wide email mentioning that he has been serving as an associate professor and the director of the School of Music at Nazareth College since 2020. The email further highlights Dr. Davies’ time “as the Head of the Department of Music at Texas A&M University-Commerce, and on the faculties of Augustana College and Houghton’s Greatbatch School of Music.”
When listing the many accomplishments of Dr. Davies, President Lewis further notes “As a leader in higher education administration, he is currently leading a faculty consisting of 65 full and part-time faculty, manages an academic course schedule consisting of over 400 sections in at least three distinct delivery models, oversees recruitment and retention efforts for his School, and established a Friends of Music giving society to increase financial giving.” President Lewis also includes that Dr. Davies “serves on the Board of Directors as the Chair of Region 6 for the National Association of Schools of Music, the Vice President of the Northeast Chapter of the College Music Society, a Board member of the New York Association of College Music Programs, and Board Member and Immediate Past President for the Christian Fellowship of Art Music Composers.” President Lewis further adds that the College Music Society has recently selected Dr. Davies as their Composition Program Chair at their 2023 International Conference, which will take place in “Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia”.
In a further email to the Houghton STAR, President Lewis describes Dr. Davies as an “answer” to his prayer that “we would identify a Christ-centered leader with the heart, background, and expertise needed to lead Houghton’s academic programs into our next chapter of academic excellence.”, further noting that Dr. Davies not only has the required qualifications for Houghton’s next Provost, but the preferred ones as well that the search committee identified. He also further commented on Dr. Davies’ connection to Houghton, saying “As a Houghton graduate and a former Houghton faculty member, Provost Davies has experienced and seen first-hand the impact of a Houghton education on the lives of students.”
Jason Towers, the Vice President of Enrollment and Marketing at Houghton served as a member of the Provost search committee. While he mentioned that due being a newer member of the Houghton College administration, having started in “July of 2020”, he was not as familiar with Dr. Davies or his work as some other members of the search committee, he “quickly came to appreciate his experience, background, and general perspectives on Christian Higher Education.” Towers also commented on Dr. Davies’ knowledge of involving faculty in the process of recruiting future Houghton students, noting “In particular, as we continue to think together as a College about the important role faculty play in the student recruitment process, his own efforts at two different schools of music will help us continue that discussion in a productive and positive manner.”
Near the end of his campus-wide email, President Lewis excitedly mentions Dr. Davies’ love for Jesus Christ, as well as his commitment to “Christian higher education, spreading the Gospel, and nurturing the Faith development of our students.” Therefore, he is “confident that, as Houghton’s next Provost, David will lead Houghton’s academic enterprise in a manner the glorifies God.” ★
