Author: Houghton STAR

The student newspaper of Houghton College for more than 100 years.

Categories
Stories In Focus

The Becoming of President Lewis

By Joshua Carpenter

As the President of Houghton University, Dr. Wayne D. Lewis is a busy man. His responsibilities as president frequently take him off campus, and many times, even out of state. One week he may be working in his office, the other, somewhere across the country.  

According to President Lewis’ wife, Monica Lewis, he “has had a very demanding job most of our marriage and all of Whitley’s [their daughter’s] life[,] so we’re accustomed to his 40% travel, weeknight and weekend commitments.” 

When he is on campus, students will usually see him giving a speech during chapel or eating in the dining hall with his family. However, because of his schedule, students may find it hard to approach him, or, other than what he says about himself in chapel, students may feel as though they barely know him. 

Sophomore Vincent Ocasio says, “I would love to talk with President Lewis behind closed doors because he seems very firm and bold in what he believes in, and I want to know if he is the same person behind closed doors as he is in front of chapel.” 

Mrs. Lewis, who has been married to President Lewis for 19 years, describes her husband as a “God fearing, relationship building and compassionate man,” who, “wholeheartedly gives what he can because God has been so generous to him.” 

 Dr. Lewis grew up in the city of New Orleans surrounded by family. Because his parents went back to school when he was a kid, and because of the nine-year age difference between him and his younger sister, he spent a great amount of time with his extended family. 

His mother’s side of the family was in and around the city of New Orleans, and his father’s side of the family lived about two hours from New Orleans in Patterson, Louisiana.  

As Lewis said, he “routinely spent lots of time with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and second cousins, who were more like brothers and sisters to me than my cousins.” 

 Returning to his immediate family, Lewis described that his parents’ “determination to earn their undergraduate degrees, both to provide a better economic situation for the family, and to model the importance of education” had a great impact on him and his sister, even to the point that they followed in their father’s footsteps and went to the same undergraduate school that their father went to, with his sister getting an MBA at the school where their mother got her undergraduate degree. 

To Lewis, “parents have been, and continue to be, a big part of my life. They are a big part of the people who have shaped me into who I have become.” ★

Categories
News

Kindschi Faith and Justice Symposium

Artwork from Joel Mulindwa's "Chaos Portfolio"
By Jax Johnson

Beginning on January 30th and continuing through February 2nd, the Center for Faith, Justice and Global Engagement will host their annual Kindschi Faith and Justice Symposium, which will be centered around the theme of “War and Conflict: Creating Sanctuaries in Times of Violence”. 

The Symposium will feature five different events throughout the week:(1) a lecture with Belinda Bauman, (2) a workshop with Elsa Barron, (3) an art gallery opening and discussion with Houghton alumnus Joel Mulindwa, (4) a lunch discussion with Theodore Kuchar, and (5) a panel discussion on conflict-induced migration. 

As the director of the Center for Faith, Justice and Global Engagement, Brian Webb has worked to organize this event and says that he is, “excited about this year’s speakers, who will address conflict from many different perspectives, including its impact on immigration, the environment, social justice, and interpersonal relationships.” He also talks about this year’s theme, saying, “‘War and Conflict: Creating sanctuaries amid the violence’ is certainly appropriate for today. While the war in Ukraine looms large in our minds, there are many other conflicts going on around the world today from Afghanistan to South Sudan to the Congo to Yemen. Conflict is not only horrific in its own right, but it also exacerbates other global challenges including human migration, hunger, and poverty.” 

Of the five symposium events, all will host a variety of perspectives and ideas. The first event is a lecture given by Belinda Bauman on Monday, Jan. 30., from 7. to 8:15 p.m. in Library 323. Bauman’s lecture is titled, “From Wrong to Strong: How Trauma Can Forge Resilience” and follows the topic of trauma and how to overcome it. 

The second event is a symposium workshop with Elsa Barron called “Faith in the Future: Environmental Peacebuilding in the Face of Conflict and Climate Change”, which discusses the connection between conflict and climate change, and how the two can have a strong impact on the other. This workshop will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 31, from 4:30 -5:45 p.m. in Library 323. 

On Tuesday, Jan. 31.,from 7-8 p.m. in the Wesley Chapel Art Gallery, there will be an art gallery opening and discussion with Artist and Houghton alumnus Joel Mulindwa, who brings light to the stories of both the victims and the perpetrators of war. 

On Wednesday, Feb. 1, a lunch discussion will occur from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the South End Dining Hall with conductor Theodore Kuchar, who will  talk about the dynamics between Russia and Ukraine to illuminate the complexities of the situation. In conjunction with this event, Kuchar will lead the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine in the Westley Chapel at 7:30 p.m. that same night;tickets for the concert can be purchased from the Houghton Hub. 

The symposium will close with a panel discussion on conflict-induced migration on Thursday, Feb. 2, from 7-8:15 p.m. in the Center for the ArtsRecital Hall. This event will present stories of those who have been affected by conflict , while also showing the hope that can be gathered. 

The Kindschi Faith and Justice Symposium offers a wide variety of events that shed light on the impact of world conflicts, as well as the stories of those who have been impacted by them.   By participating in these events, people have the opportunity to learn something new while connecting this knowledge with a foundation in faith. ★

Categories
News

ACCESS Club

Access Club Table welcomes a Visitor during Activities Fair
By Anna Catherman

First-year student Kendra Warner is seeking to make Houghton a more accessible campus and foster community among its disabled students through a new support group. 

Warner, who has several disabilities herself, immediately felt at home when she first toured Houghton University during a Highlander Preview Day last year. She came primarily to visit a friend, but fell in love with the campus and stayed for ten hours straight. She liked the community, classes, and professors. “Literally all of it,” she said with a smile. 

Warner, a Communications major, is willing to speak candidly about her disability. On this particular day, she walked unaided, dressed in blacks and grays, wearing high-heeled shoes. But on many other days, Warner uses forearm crutches or a wheelchair due to her functional neurological disorder. The disorder, she explained, can cause “a lot of havoc”: epilepsy, paralysis, fatigue, tremors, and tics. She also has amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome. 

Warner has a deep appreciation for the Houghton community and all she’s experienced here. She has had flexibility from professors when she has been unable to attend classes due to pain or sickness. “Ever since move-in day, life has been 10 bazillion times better than high school, and I could not be more grateful for Houghton,” Warner said. 

Still, there are challenges. She struggles to attend some events, especially outdoor events like picnics, in her wheelchair. And disabled students on campus can feel isolated in their unique challenges. 

Warner yearned for something she’s wanted since high school: a dedicated disability support group.

That dream is becoming a reality. Warner has founded a new group: ACCESS, short for “ACcessibility, Cohort, Encounter, Student, Support”.

ACCESS will focus on two areas: providing support for students with disabilities and raising awareness of disabilities campus-wide. Warner, who will be the club’s president, has had the vision for ACCESS since her sophomore year of high school. She suffered from bullying and has never had a support group for her chronic illnesses and disabilities. 

“I wanted to create a place where people feel safe and supported,” she said. 

Fellow first-year student Lee James is a co-founder of ACCESS. James, a History and Education double major, met Warner at a workshop about getting involved on campus during orientation weekend. When Warner asked questions about starting a support group for disabled students, James, one of the other attendees, expressed interest in joining the club once it was started. Warner invited her to help found it. James, who has a tic disorder, shared Warner’s passion and enthusiasm for providing support to disabled students. “Me and Kendra [Warner] were a really good combo,” she shared. Warner used her communications skills to advertise the club, while James enjoyed pounding out the logistics. 

Sharon Mulligan, Director of Academic Support and Accessibility Services, will serve as the faculty advisor for the club. Mulligan’s job is to communicate and advocate for students and their needs. Mulligan said that Warner approached her “[S]o excited to be in a place where others were experiencing the same things.” She is glad to see a student-led organization that will provide ongoing support. 

ACCESS is planning to begin full-force this semester, providing regular support meetings, awareness activities, and accessible events. Meetings will be open to all students, not just disabled students. And their campus-wide events will be accessible for those with disabilities.

ACCESS’s mission, according to Warner, is simple. “We want to engage the campus.”

For information on meeting times and locations, contact Kendra Warner. ★

Categories
Opinions

A Quiet Place to Stay: 24 Hours a Day

By Caleb Kasper

The life of a college student can often be quite busy. Finding time to finish assignments, work through readings, and studying can be challenging for some. As a self-proclaimed “night owl,” I feel like my peak efficiency and focus doesn’t set in until later into the evening. There’s nothing else that I continually fail at doing than getting busy in the morning and early afternoons.

​My typical day generally consists of a few classes in the morning and afternoon. Mixed in with chapel and grabbing lunch, there tends to be little time to sit down and get to work. Like many others on this campus, I’m also a student-athlete, so each weekday, I block out roughly two hours of my day for practices, as well as various other times on weekends and weekdays for competition. As a member of the cross country and track teams, I eat dinner with my team most nights. Given this, by the time eight o‘clock rolls around, I’ve likely just begun figuring out what needs to be done for the next day. If I shower before homework, we’re talking 8:30. With a more demanding schedule as a second-semester junior, I’ve been engaged in a lot more focused work this year. When I need to grind and focus, the environment I am in plays a big role. Without the right environment, I struggle to focus.

​I’d imagine that a good number of people reading this find a quiet environment with little distraction to be key to focusing. I can’t focus in my room because my bed is always calling my name with open arms. Floor lounges in the resident halls can be hit or miss as well. Chamberlain is okay but usually occupied, and I find the Campus Center to be quite distracting. I realize that others like my sister, recent Houghton graduate Zoey Kasper, prefer a more active study space. Hers consisted of the most comfortable bean bag you’ve ever experienced, disco balls, and music. The bean bag alone would tank any of my plans to be productive. If you share similar preferences to me, though, you may find the library to be the perfect spot. Generally very quiet, not often busy, and an abundance of resources and outlets. Outlets are a must since my laptop battery capacity has significantly deteriorated since my freshman year.

​When I choose to go to the library during the week, I roll up around 8-8:30 p.m. I’ve found the library basement to be a preferred spot. Not to be taboo either, but the library’s basement has some of the best bathrooms on campus. When I’m down there I can always get focused and work more efficiently. However, like most things, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. About 1.5-2 hrs into my work session I am kindly reminded to wrap things up because the library is closing in ten minutes. I pack up my belongings and head out, trying to puzzle when I can cram in everything that I didn’t finish. I’ve also been getting to the point where I just don’t go there that much anymore, because it’s not worth packing up all my stuff and heading over there just to pack it all up again soon after I arrive and either head somewhere else or straight to bed. There also aren’t many convenient times for me to go that are available either.

​The library is open Monday through Thursday until 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday until 5 p.m., and is closed Sunday. It was during my Sophomore Year that I decided to make my first personal visit to the Library to do some homework. I remember looking up the hours just to see what they were. I was shocked to see that at 10:11, the library had already been closed for 11 minutes. I always thought that college libraries were open 24/7 so that students always had a quiet space to read or work or get away from their roommate who likes cats too much. Quite honestly, I think the library should be open 24/7, or at least open for students to use later, especially on weekends. Obviously, the library can only be staffed during the day, but couldn’t it be open longer for studying?

​This is especially true during finals season. As somewhat of a procrastinator, the time during and surrounding finals week becomes extremely busy. It’s also a time where I am consistently convinced that it’s time to drop out, yet I keep coming back for more. All of the work that I had put off during the semester comes back to confront me and there is a looming sense that there’s more to get done than time in the day. Not having access to the library while working late can be highly inconvenient and frustrating during finals.

I think the student body could greatly benefit from a review of the library hours and possibly extending them. For all the student-athletes, procrastinators, science majors (praying for you all), night-owls, all-nighters, or whatever reasons you’re up late doing homework, you should have the freedom and accessibility to study in a quiet space whenever you need to. Everyone has late nights. ★

Categories
Columns

A-Compelling Club

By Caleb Tiedemann

It is not uncommon knowledge that Houghton is almost literally located in the middle of nowhere. Due to this common problem which can leave many students bored and with no way to destress, the college is very accommodating when it comes to extracurricular activities. Normally one may spend all their time drinking Java’s near-unlimited caffeine-laced products or spending countless hours on their Organic Chemistry homework. Therefore, it is important to find something calming that still stimulates our young minds. 

Luckily, Houghton has various different clubs for whatever may pique your interest. One of the many clubs that has come to my attention and become quite active is Houghton Heartsong; an Acapella Club. Seeing as how Houghton has an entire building dedicated to the study, creation, and production of music, it seems fitting for there to be multiple clubs dedicated to students who love the musical arts. 

Houghton Heartsong was created by juniors Grace Vuolo, who majors in music industry and minors in vocal performance; and Jon Hutmire, who majors in music industry and minors in business administration. The two act as leaders of the club with Vuolo acting as president and Hutmire as vice president. The mission of Heartsong is, as stated by Vuolo: “A club where people who like to sing of any musical background can come and have fun making music with our voices.” Some students may have already witnessed Heartsong’s musical ability at the Tree Lighting Ceremony prior to Christmas break.

When asked why she wanted to start Heartsong, Vuolo shared her inspiration as the 2012 film: “Pitch Perfect”. During her high school years, She fell in love with the movie and felt inspired by what they did with acapella. At that moment, she vowed that she would not attend a college without an acapella club. Prior to her attending Houghton University, there was no acapella club, so she started one herself, creating Heartsong in her freshman year. She wanted to make a club for everyone on the vocal music spectrum, from lower skill and familiarity to higher. Heartsong is a club for students to learn and grow, developing their vocal skills together. Due to the wide range of abilities, everyone’s skill set, or lack thereof, can be utilized. 

At the moment, Heartsong consists of ten members, and students not already involved are more than welcome to attend. I have attended various musical productions put on by the Greatbatch School of Music, and know that there are a lot more than ten people who have been gifted vocally. Large school productions can be very stressful, but Heartsong is a place for students who just want to have fun and relax. You can find Heartsong meeting in room 145 of the Center for the Arts from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Fridays, or you can email either Vuolo or Hutmire with any questions about the club. ★

Categories
News

Houghton University Announces 2023 Commencement Speaker

Taken from The Chapel Website
By Joshua Carpenter

For the 2023 academic year, Houghton University has announced Pastor Jerry Gillis as its commencement speaker. 

Pastor Gillis is the Lead Pastor of The Chapel: a church based in Western New York with campuses in Cheektowaga, Getzville, Lockport, and Niagara Falls. 

According to The Chapel’s official website, its mission as a church is “to ensure that every man, woman, and child have repeated opportunities to hear and see the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” and to see through good news and good deeds that “God loves you.” 

Houghton University has “enjoyed [its] relationship and partnership with The Chapel over many years,” says President Lewis. “Pastor Jerry and I connected immediately as brothers in Christ and as Southerners.”

When Pastor Gillis received an invitation to deliver the commencement address for the 2023 graduates, he responded with “surprise and honor”. President Lewis had earlier reached out to Pastor Gillis, along with other pastors and leaders, and developed a relationship with him over a meal and a few other occasions, which is why Pastor Gillis was surprised to find that he had been selected to speak at one of Houghton University’s most significant events of the year. 

Though they may not have been long and frequent, the meetings the two spent together highlighted what President Lewis was looking for in a commencement speaker. “Central to [Pastor Gillis’] leadership and service are his conviction and burning desire to teach, preach, and demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am confident that he will deliver a message for the Houghton class of 2023 that is both inspiring and challenging.” 

As a preview of the speech to come, Pastor Gillis shared what he expects to accomplish with his speech. 

“My hope in addressing the graduates,” Pastor Gillis writes, “is to celebrate with them, encourage them, and challenge them to begin this new chapter of their lives on the foundation of Christ. Basically I want to remind them to never graduate from Jesus.”★

Categories
News

Spring 2023 Activities Fair Introduces New Clubs

Provided by Savannah Stitt

This Thursday, Houghton University hosted its Winter Activities Fair in the Campus Center Basement, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.. Less extensive than the Fall Activities Fair, this Fair was a space for students to refamiliarize themselves with opportunities to engage with student life.

Several returning clubs represented themselves at the Fair, such as MANRRS, Journey’s End Tutoring, and Rock Climbing; joining the others are newer clubs, namely Fellowship of Christian Athletics, Sports Marketing, and Archery. To encourage visitation of each club’s booth, students can participate in a Bingo game.

Junior Alisabeth Crandall is the president of Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She defines the purpose of the club as “bringing together athletes and coaches to talk about the connection of sports and daily life to our spiritual walk and our personal relationship with God.” 

Furthermore, she details various activities that students can participate in, such as biweekly Huddle group meetings for CORE devotionals and biblical discussion relating to sports and daily life, as well as larger events later on in the semester. Any student can join and is encouraged to email her to join their email list and become a member on the Houghton Hub.

She states her conviction of leading the club, saying, “I was a leader in my high school FCA group… God has used FCA in my own life to serve others and show me that life is bigger than myself, and my own needs… I am grateful that FCA has taught me valuable lessons about the love of Jesus Christ.”

  She finds inspiration from this conviction with Philippians 2:3-4.

Another student leader, senior Timothy Lund, discusses the Intercultural Student Association. The club’s mission, he claims, is “to help students of various cultural backgrounds form strong relationships built on healthy cross-cultural communication.” 

The club is designed to be all-inclusive, giving students from all different backgrounds a place to celebrate their differences. One way the club works to accomplish this is by offering several different opportunities throughout the semester to “try new foods and make new friendships by bringing us together to celebrate cultures.” Their biggest event is ‘Around the World in a Night,’ which will have activities and food to highlight cultures from all over the globe.

By attending the Fair, students were able to speak with club leaders like Crandall and Lund to learn more about their respective purposes and what opportunities they can provide students with to broaden their understanding of different topics, people, and God. ★

Categories
Opinions

Loving Our Neighbors

By Skye Chaapel

Mark 12:29-31 (NIV) “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

As a Christian community, I feel we need to ask ourselves this: are we following Christ’s example?  Are we loving our neighbors to the best of our capabilities, as asked of us by Christ?  If you ask people within the Houghton community, I’m sure they’d say yes.  However, while there are some of us who are loving our neighbors, there are others who are not.  They could be saying yes out of the want to look good for themselves or others, denial, or ignorance.  These are questions that I have been truly struggling with for a while.

What if we asked the question: “Do you feel loved on campus?”  What would you expect the answer to be?  One would hope that the answer is a resounding yes, as we are all Christians, called to love.  Unfortunately, I know far too many students who do not feel loved by the Houghton community, myself included.  Those of us who differ from the Wesleyan traditions’ expectations are generally treated as outcasts on campus.  This includes people of a different ethnicity and race, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, and people of different religious backgrounds.

For me, one of the major drawing points to Houghton four years ago was the close-knit community that existed on campus; it was something you could feel, and it almost felt tangible.  After some of the recent events though, I feel like I no longer belong here.  I know students who have received death threats, unwelcome comments, or racial slurs depending on their identity or race.  Houghton University’s President also received unacceptable slurs on his birthday card last year.  As a community, we should be appalled that this is happening and that we have allowed it to continue.  What happened to loving our neighbors?  There is no love that comes from those actions.  The Houghton community is striving to be an ideal Christian community, but many do not feel welcome here.  We can not have a Christian community that is founded on Jesus if there are members of it who are suffering from our actions.

We need to learn to love each other.  We do not always need to agree on things, but that should not stop us from extending God’s grace and love to each other.  Jesus taught us to love and not to judge others.  You do not know what someone else could be struggling with at any moment.  Be kind and be willing to keep an open mind when interacting with others.  As the followers of Christ, we are called to meet people where they are, be with them, and walk with them in their journey. ★

If you or someone you know is the target of hateful behaviors, we encourage you to reach out to the Office of Student Life.

Categories
News

Racing Into a New Season

By Megan Brown

On Saturday, Nov. 12, Houghton University’s Cross Country team competed at the NCAA Regional Championships, with the women placing 13th and the men 17th. This marked their last cross country meet of 2022, but not all of the athletes are done competing for Houghton this academic year.

Senior Amanda Burrichter is one of many students moving directly from cross country to competing with the indoor track and field team, which has its first meet at 4:00 p.m. Friday, Dec 2 at Houghton University’s Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex.

“It’s really exciting to get to go into indoor track, and we know we’re fit,” said Burrichter, who won an individual title at the Empire 8 Cross Country Championships this fall. “We’ve been training all through the fall, and we get to start indoor track on a high note.”

For long distance runners moving indoors, it also marks shorter distances at which they will compete. Female runners, like Burrichter, run for 6,000 meters for cross country, whereas the longest race for indoor track is 5,000 meters.

While Burrichter participates in cross country and excels, her favorite races are the 1,500 meter and the 3,000 meter.

“I’m just looking forward to running those again,” she said.

Cross country runners who are participating in indoor track and field have a week or two of rest before practicing again. This is one of the aspects Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach Patrick Hager insists upon. Since some of his runners participate in all three seasons, the third being outdoor track and field, Hager helps his athletes have sustainable practices.

For the beginning of the indoor track season, participants only have three mandatory practices a week to ease them into it. Hager also insists that athletes go home for breaks, instead of staying on campus to train.

“We send them home because, especially for cross country and indoor and outdoor track, if you want to sustain it the whole year, you need to be able to get away mentally,” Hager said. “And we understand that. We’re a collegiate sport, but there’s a tact and an art to coaching that reads the room, for lack of a better term.”

Part of Hager’s care for his team’s athletes is logging data about performance to know which exercises and practices increase people’s performance.

“The workouts are basically the same, but the volumes are different,” he said. “So that’s, again, reading the room and understanding who you have as athletes.”

And the athletes are dedicated, especially athletes like senior Collin Nasso, who runs track and field while also majoring in biochemistry.

“I’m going into this season a lot more focused and mentally prepared,” Nasso said. “It’s my last season, and I don’t wanna have to look back at a season and have any regrets.”

Last year posed as one of Nasso’s most academically challenging yet, and while he looks forward to competing with a lighter schedule this year, he recognizes the crucial part track played for him during his junior year.

“Track, honestly is my release. It’s my refresh…” he said. “Last semester, I would have gone insane if I didn’t have track because that was my kind of release for the day, where I could just forget about school and everything that was going on and just focus on something else.”

Junior Caleb Kasper also uses running competitively as a break from school, and does so from the fall with cross country to the spring with outdoor track and field. While it is not always easy, his teammates and his desire for improvement continue to drive him forward.

“It’s a long haul, but we’re here for it, and the grind is one of the most revealing parts,” Kasper said. “If you put in the work, you’ll reap the benefits.”★

Categories
News

Gillette Thanksgiving Returns

By Sarah Burton

Tomorrow, Nov. 19, starting at 1:00 p.m., Gillette will host their annual Gillette Thanksgiving. For the first time since COVID, the event will be held in Gillette Hall, meaningall the Gillette residents are welcome to attend in their home.

The event will begin with Thanksgiving ‘dinner’ and will go for around an hour or so, after which all the girls are invited to change into sweats or pajamas, to come back later and play games, eat pie, and enjoy their own rendition of the National Dog Show.

In an interview with Raegan Zelaya, the Gillette Resident Director, she laid out the event in great detail with matching enthusiasm. “Dress code for the event is awkward family photos… to lean into not only coming together to have really special times, but really crazy times… because sometimes you just have to lean into the awkward.”

Zelaya has added  a multitude of personal touches to the event, in hopes of drawing more girls in and adding to the already existing community in Gillette.

She said, “we have been dreaming about ways to make it super fun and relationally intentional, but also bringing in some fun pieces like different traditions people have.” She related the events planned to family members napping on the couch after dinner and all the cousins getting a chance to hang out.  

She noted excitement for the community of women, as this is the first year Houghton University has had only one girls dormitory.

  She believes “this event really aligns with the culture we’ve been trying to establish this year.” One main point of the event is “coming together in unity in one community of women is, and being able to come together, take time, and reflect, and be grateful for the community we have so far… and how to pursue that.” 

Julia Collins, a freshman, also stated enthusiasm for the event. She exclaimed happily that the event would take place in GilletteHall, seemingly having heard from upperclassmen how the event had taken place in the KPAC during COVID-19. 

She remarked on the community aspect of the event, saying it will be a lot of fun for the community to come together. In her own words, what she is most looking forward to is  “seeing a bunch of people I know and celebrating with them that we’re thankful for our lives.” 

Rachel Domaracki, a senior, is also looking forward to the event, as it will be the last one she gets to participate in before graduating. Having gone to the event in past years,  she is always looking forward to having a time to “give thanks and celebrate all of the wonderful friends I have in Gillette.” 

She is also looking forward to eating good food with her good friends, stating how important it is to engage in a greater community over a plate full of food in the building that unites them all. 

Gillette Thanksgiving is an event that Gillette residents often look forward to with anticipation. This year especially, with the new changes of residential living, the Gilladies are ecstatic and ready to celebrate their thankfulness in community. ★