Author: Houghton STAR

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

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News

The Campus Garden

By Sophia Vernon

“These are my potatoes! Pretty much any potatoes that you have in Metz are mine,” said Emily Wahlenmayer, the student caretaker of the campus garden.

 Potatoes are just one type of produce that  Wahlenmayer,  grows for the dining hall.   

Wahlenmayer is a junior at Houghton who started as an eco-rep through the Center of Sustainability (CFS) before the summer of 2022. When given the opportunity to stay in Houghton over the summer as the garden intern,  she leaped into caring for the campus garden. 

“The garden has gotten a bad rap,” she comments, after explaining that for years it was never nurtured or cared for, and in turn never produced any crops of substance.  

For the past five months, however, with full decision-making authority over the campus garden, she has curated the garden into a thriving resource for the school. 

When asked about the beginning of the campus garden,  Wahlenmayer replied with, “[it was started] 4 years ago? 2018…. It’s first year was unproductive, second year was covid, third year was bad interns, fourth year [2022] was me.”

There are a vast array of crops grown in the garden, including  tomatoes, kale, three colors of beans, stunning carrots, pumpkins, zucchini, sunflowers, and more.. 

An assortment of the garden’s crops is used regularly in the dining hall and students have free access to all these resources. During a brief interview with the head of CFS, Brian Webb, he outlined the main goals that inspired the garden to be constructed, and the purpose of continuing the program. Webb expressed the three main goals of the garden as: (1) Providing local produce for the dining hall,(2) Educating students about the importance of local produce, sustainability, and the aspects of caring for a garden, and (3) Providing on campus jobs.

In interviewing a variety of students around campus, the majority have never visited the campus garden or fostered any interest in getting involved. Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors r had  deeper negative perspectives than freshmen due to the past reputation of the garden.

In addition to the previously unmanaged nature of the garden, students are hindered by the distance of walking from campus to the garden, which is located next to the college flats.When asked how it would be easier to get involved, sophomore Emily Tam said she would go “If there was a car to take me there. The flats are kind of far.”  

With the crest of winter upon us, the last of the harvests from this once neglected garden have come to a close after the most successful season to date. Looking forward, the Houghton campus garden welcomes students to take full advantage of what it has to offer – be it through learning, growing, or eating. ★

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News

Upcoming Internship Fair

By Sarah Burton

On Nov. 9-11, Houghton University will host an Internship Fair in the Van Dyk Lounge by the fireplace from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm each day.

The Center for Student Success will host the event, which was planned entirely by Rachel Wright, who is the Director of the Office of Vocation and Calling, and Associate Director of the Center for Student Success. 

Wright says, “in talking with Dr. Burrichter, it [the Fair] was a need that we needed.” 

Wright hopes that, by attending the Fair, “students can learn about different internship opportunities and can realize the process may need to start earlier than they were originally thinking.”

The Fair will consist of  various employers for  various majors, with about ten employers presenting each day.

 Wright discussed the diversity of employers, saying “there are some missions organizations, summer camps, as well as guidance centers, and nonprofits,” as well as some based more locally and others from across the United States.

The Fair will also offer a multitude of internships, including summer internships that will be held on Houghton’s campus. Wright also stressed the presence of job opportunities at the Fair, and not just internships.

Ashley Burton, a senior Biology major, spreads her hope about the Fair by stating, “As a graduating senior, I haven’t received a lot of information about jobs, mostly due to Covid-19, and I feel like this can provide me with [career] opportunities I may not have thought of.” 

Hannah Gullifer, a junior history major, thinks that the Fair is  “a great opportunity to look into the different opportunities that I can benefit from,” “Internships look great on a resume and can help to get jobs in the future[,] and can help me to grow as a person and someone in my field. They can be really exciting learning experiences.”  

The Internship Fair will offer students opportunities for experiences that can help them build on their professional expertise as eager learners. Houghton University is helping pave the way to send off successful graduates by offering resources like this.

   Students can register for the Fair on Handshake or the Houghton Hub to receive more information about the Fair, specifically which employers will be present each day, including some virtual events from employers and information sessions.

 Wright mentioned the importance of students utilizing Handshake beyond the Internship Fairby saying, “Students can use it for scheduling appointments with the Writing Center, Vocation and Calling, and Academic Support, as well as receiving resources and guides.” 

 After the Fair, more information about open internships can be found on Handshake. These internships would be with employers who were not able to make it to the fair. ★

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Columns

Alien (1979): A Horror Classic

By Caleb Tiedemann

“I admire its purity.” – Science Officer Ash

Alien is just that. Purity. Through and through, it is perfect. At this time in film history, space was a relatively unexplored concept. Stanley Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey and George Lucas’s Star Wars were the only predecessors in the space genre. Horror in space had not been done. However, in 1979 Ridley Scott delivered Alien.

Alien is a horror classic that follows the crew of the Nostromo when they intercept a distress signal from a planet of unknown origin. Ordered by their superiors, the crew lands and begins to explore. When one of the crew is attacked by an unknown creature, he is quickly rushed back to the ship, unaware of the impregnation of a parasite that will explode from his body and terrorize the rest of the crew. 

The plot follows the typical “last survivor” trope. To be fair, this is a trope of the 2000s and not really of the 70s, which leads me to wonder if Alien had a hand in kickstarting that. One of the complaints I’ve heard before is that the movie is slow, and I completely agree. But that’s where some of the mastery comes into play. The calm before the storm, so to speak, lets each character be established so you can gather their general personality. That being said, all of these actors are wonderfully handpicked, and each manages to bring personality and genuine humanity to their characters, no matter how long or short they are on screen. Each character is wonderfully alive, until they aren’t, of course, but their journey of survival is one that you latch onto with the hope that your favorite will come out on top. 

Another beautiful aspect is the costume for the alien known as the Xenomorph. A hulking black skeletal creature that skulks around silently, blending into the darkness before lunging out to kill you with its dangerous appendages. The cinematic aspects are enormous. The sets and scenery are absolutely perfect. A dark and cluttered ship offers the perfect environment for anything to hide. The clutter adds a paranoid claustrophobic element, as there is truly no escape from the horror. The use of lighting in this movie is amazing. Darkness completely covers the sets which work another fear in the movie, a silent terror in the darkness. 

The lack of computer-generated imagery (CGI) is also something to be praised. In a world where a movie without CGI is unthinkable, it is always refreshing to view classics and learn how filmmakers used special effects to achieve their desires. The alien costume is horrifying and looks far superior in live action, whereas the later alien movies used CGI for the Xenomorphs and therefore lost some of its distinctiveness. The space scenes use models just as George Lucas did for early Star Wars and honestly, in its own special way, it stands far superior to many movies that do not. The combination of these elements works tremendously well for the movie. 

The final aspect that sets the movie aside is the sound design. Combined with the factors above, the sounds of the ship are a whole new addition. All of your senses are preoccupied with sounds, sights, or lack thereof. The score is a horrifyingly eerie one that builds up tension. Sometimes it’s all for nothing, other times it doesn’t build up well enough until you see the Xenomorph take another victim. The movie does a great job of keeping you guessing whether or not you’re genuinely in for a scare. 

Overall, Alien is a classic horror movie that is essential for any horror lover. A 1979 classic that embodies all the essential emotions and fears of a horror movie, sucking you into this nightmare with the crew of the Nostromo. I truly believe this movie is “pure” in all the right ways and offers an experience that few movies can. 

Final Grade: 10/10 (A+) ★

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Columns

Creative and Comfortable: Deitrick’s Approach to Fashion

By Megan Brown

While the first day of a new school year may mark a time for new classes and new friends, for senior theology and communications major Grace Deitrick, it marks a chance to express her truest self through her first-day-of-school outfit.

“Even from preschool,” she said. “I loved picking out my first-day-of-school outfit.”

As with many kids, Deitrick’s mom chose and purchased most of her clothes, and as she grew up, Deitrick began to discover what her own style was. At the end of high school, she found what went on to make the biggest impact on what she wears today: a local vintage store.

“I started shopping there more regularly,” she said. “And I was like, wow, look at how creative these [pieces] are. There’s so much history in each piece of clothing. And that really inspired me to develop my style more in college.”

While Deitrick spoke, she wore a creamy short sleeve button-down with a muted floral pattern, jeans, and black slip-on shoes. These types of clothes are representative of what she currently loves to wear, a style which she describes as “grandma living on the French Riviera.”

But what makes Deitrick’s choices unique is how she mixes the posh clothing choices of an older woman with a college-aged woman’s practicality. This grandma hasn’t only lived on the iconic Mediterranean coastline.

“But also she lived on a farm before she moved to the French Riviera,” Deitrick said, continuing her analogy. “So she’s got a little bit of that salt-of-the earth in her.”

This parallels Deitrick’s own life as she grew up in rural eastern Pennsylvania but traveled to London her freshman year for Houghton University’s London Honors program.

“Living in London for a little while almost gave me permission to branch out because I saw the full extent of the creativity,” she said. “Since I’ve been in college, I’ve spent more time in different cities. And I always get really excited to go to a city because I can wear whatever I want, and it won’t be the weirdest thing there.”

Deitrick prioritizes unique pieces that stand out, but she also prioritizes comfort. This has been an essential aspect of her clothing choices since she was young because she has always been an active person.

“I’ve always been just throwing myself wholeheartedly into what I do,” she said. “And so that usually results in some kind of stain or rip.”

However, for women, fashion has not always been about practicality. In a recent book study, Deitrick explained how a section discussed how women’s clothing has historically been decorative whereas men’s was functional. She noticed this subconsciously, but facing it plainly written in a book put words to cues she didn’t know she had been observing.

“I don’t think how you do fashion is limited by your gender,” she said. “It shouldn’t be weird for a guy to wear a bracelet or a necklace, and it shouldn’t be weird for a girl to wear what makes her comfortable.”

The clothing that makes Deitrick comfortable is “ratty old button-downs,” blazers, dresses, and statement earrings. While some of these might seem in contrast with one another on paper, it all makes sense to Deitrick and helps her express what is to her the ultimate aspect of fashion: creativity.

“It’s really exciting to have an area of my life that I can just release all the creative energy that I want to, and it doesn’t take that much time out of my day,” she said.

College mars our schedules with homework, extracurriculars, and social events, and makes it difficult to find areas of pure joy. That’s why, for Deitrick, the task of getting dressed in the morning feels so special.

“This is the theology major in me coming out, I think it’s really cool that God puts these little glimpses of beauty that we can find every single day,” she said. “And we can just find joy in the way that something looks.” ★

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Opinions

Don’t Check Out of Inconvenient Community

By Isabelle Murch

Let’s get the air cleared: I said it. I said our favorite-and-also-least-favorite Houghton word, the one that we love to hate on, but can never find a suitable replacement for. For better or worse, community has become our defining word, printed on Pres. Mullen t-shirts, made into memes, and always followed by a laugh. 

Community is a harmless word when it’s easy. And it’s great when it benefits us. It’s not hard to invest our time into late-night adventures or deep conversations. It becomes much harder to be a pro-community place when that community is inconvenient to us, interrupting our goals or daily life. 

Some of my favorite stories about Jesus happen when he’s interrupted. In fact, I’m not sure how often Jesus actually gets to where he’s going. Someone always seems to demand his attention. A bleeding woman grabs his cloak. A Roman Centurion begs for his daughter to be healed. A blind man shouts at him from the side of the road. Christ’s ministry revolves around inconvenient people. 

But how often do we let Christ’s example shape how we view those around us? Addressing inconvenience isn’t easy, and the busyness of homework, internal and environmental stress, and our personal preferences often take precedence over investing in our community. We remove ourselves from difficult conversations, avoid people we find annoying, and check out of gatherings that don’t suit our purpose.  

What’s at stake when we don’t put forth effort? If we look to Christ’s example, I’d say a lot. Think of the Gospel of Matthew, when disciples rebuke parents for bringing their children to Jesus. Instead of standing by his closest friends, Jesus says to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Not only does Christ disagree with his friends, he posits that the children, an undervalued population in ancient Judea, will inherit God’s kingdom. This suggests that “the least of these” are not only an acceptable but integral and important part of God’s vision for God’s people. 

Jesus seeks out everyone: groups with radical and uncomfortable ideas, exploiters and oppressors, women, disabled people, oppressed racial groups, legalistic religious leaders, blue-collar workers, doubters and worriers and children. The kingdom of God isn’t homogeneous by any stretch of the imagination, and when we act as if the ones worthy of our love and attention are the ones easiest for us to love, we are missing the point. We need to engage with those we find inconvenient and to realize that many times, we are the inconvenience. 

In our annual All Hall Meeting, Resident Director Raegan Zelaya likes to make the distinction between a “Renting” versus an “Owning” Mentality. When we live in the residence halls, we can act as if our space is not ours, treating it as temporary and of low value. We don’t care, and we don’t need to. As an owner, though, we carry responsibility. We have to deal with leaks and pests. But, our experience is much richer. We get to carry the pride of our work and care and hold authority in the spaces we’re in. In the same way, we can look at our communities through the lens of a renter or owner. We can rent our time at Houghton, staying away from difficult community while missing out on the joys that a full kingdom of God brings, or we could own our inconveniences, raising the stakes but greatly increasing our return on investment. 

How can we practice this? I think all of us can participate in owning our Houghton community. First, we must identify who and what we find “inconvenient.” It might be a person whom we find a little awkward, a group we strongly disagree with, or an experience like chapel or class. Naming and understanding our tendencies can help us identify our biases and learn to combat them. Second, we need to lean in rather than check out. There are plenty of ways we can do this, from being intentional with everyone who crosses our path to putting our phones away during a chapel service. Third, we can work to not only change our behaviors but also our attitudes toward inconvenient people. Interruptions can become opportunities to share Christ’s love, and inconveniences can turn into practices of patience and extending grace to others. 

While community lands like a joke to most of our ears, it’s also our most important task during our time on campus. We can choose to check in and out, like a hotel that’s not ours to keep, or we can invest in a home worth having. ★

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News

Shenoween Returns and with a New Name

By Gabriel K. Negus

There are not many times in the year when you could bump into a Jedi or a pirate in Houghton.  On Halloween, though, anything is possible.  How do Houghton students celebrate Halloween?  By going to Shenoween, of course!

Named in part for Houghton University’s well-known and currently unused Shenawana Hall, Shenoween is a decade-long Halloween tradition for students at the university. Typically hosted by the residents of Shenawana, the party takes place each year on the evening of October 31 in the dormitory’s basement. Shenoween traditionally features a costume contest, photo opportunities, and an ample supply of the Shen Men’s definitive beverage: IBC Root Beer. Unfortunately, however, due to ongoing renovations in Shenawana Hall, this year’s Shenoween will need – at least temporarily – a new home.

Jared Younger, a resident assistant in Lambein Hall, expressed his hope that Lambein will host the party this year and call it, “Lambeween.” But since then, the name has been changed to “Frankenbein.”

Younger thinks that the novelty of the location change may even bolster attendance, which suffered in COVID years. Lambein has partnered with the Campus Activities board (CAB) to bring in some fresh ideas for the event this year. CAB member Hannah Tyer, named by the board as the ‘Halloween Point Person,’ is tasked with planning this year’s event alongside the Lambein staff.

Tyer’s plans respect the origin of the event by featuring some past staples of the Shenoween party, including the plentiful presence of IBC Root Beer and the popular best costume competition. She also plans to bring in some of the Halloween activities which CAB led during the COVID years of 2020 and 2021, most notably the haunted trail walk. According to Tyer,  how the haunted trail walk might be incorporated into this year’s party is  undecided. Younger discussed the possibility of turning the dormitory’s second floor into a haunted house walkthrough where attendees could go for a thorough scare.  

According to Tyer, holding the party outdoors in the Larder Courtyard is  possible.  Having the event outside would make it easier to facilitate the large crowd of students expected to attend, though due to the routinely chilly October weather here in Western New York, holding the party inside Lambein may be a warmer option.

Whatever it may look like this year, excitement for the party is building in the student body now that it is October. Upperclassmen especially, who attended the party before the COVID pandemic, have experienced memories of Shenoween in its ‘glory days’ flooding back to them in anticipation of this year’s event. Though disappointed that the party is not likely to be held in Shenawana Hall this year, senior Micah Williams is very eager to attend. Williams has fond memories of the 2019 Shenoween, in the fall of his freshman year of college. He attended the party with a group of friends and experienced the costume competition, photo opportunities, mountains of candy, and IBC root beer.

“I had a lot of fun,” Williams said. “There are probably some hilarious pictures of that night somewhere.”

When asked the big question – what his plans are for a costume this year and whether he stands a chance in the competition – Williams responded, “Oh, not a chance I win best costume.  I want to go as Obi Wan Kenobi, but if that falls through, who knows?” ★

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News

Splash, Swim, Skate: Houghton University’s Newest Student Organizations

by Anna Catherman

Tuesday nights at Nielsen look livelier than they have in recent semesters. Outside, skateboarders and roller skaters zip around the parking lot. Inside, kayakers splash and practice rolling their boats in the pool. 

They are the members of Skate Club and Paddle Sports, which are two of the four new clubs on campus this semester. Houghton University has more than 20 active student organizations this fall. New to the roster are Skate Club, Paddle Sports, The Roaring Sheep (Ultimate Frisbee), and Sports Marketing Group.

Paddle Sports took a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of the Nielsen swimming pool; however, under the guidance of the director of EPIC Adventures, Dr. Laura Thayer, senior Natalie Sommons is reviving the club. 

Sommons said she was inspired to revive the club after going on a whitewater kayak trip at Rushford Lake over the summer as part of her summer internship with EPIC Adventures. 

According to Sommons, the club has drawn people who aren’t the “outdoorsy” type that the Sports, Recreation and Wellness department usually caters to. 

An average of eight to nine students attend the club’s weekly practice sessions. These nights are open to anyone and serve as both an educational and social event. 

Another club for active outdoor enthusiasts, Skate Club is a brand-new addition to campus. According to Sophomore Caleb See, the club’s founder, “All kinds of wheels except bicycles” are welcome at the club’s open skate nights. 

There were already many people on campus who wanted to skate, See explained, and the club allows them to gather officially and signals to new students that there is a skater community on campus. The club has a group chat that members use to coordinate additional, informal skating sessions. 

Skate Club is eager to teach those who want to learn and is in the process of purchasing loaner skateboards and helmets, which will be available for any student to borrow during club meetings. 

Those interested in team sports may be intrigued to learn that Ultimate Frisbee, a longstanding Houghton tradition, also gained club status this fall. Its members are known as “The Roaring Sheep,” for reasons lost to time. 

According to club president Benjamin Dostie, a senior, Ultimate Frisbee has existed since the early 2000s, but did not become a club until this year due to the students’ desire to foster the spontaneous nature of the activity. This year, though, the attitudes shifted, and Frisbee players voted to pursue club status to gain funding for jerseys, equipment, and access to more Houghton facilities.

Jana Newberry, Director of Student Engagement, has been instrumental in helping these clubs become fully-sanctioned student organizations. If things go according to plan, more new and revived clubs will be joining their ranks. 

According to Newberry, there has been talk of reviving the Martial Arts club, another casualty of the pandemic. Lacrosse, which is no longer an officially sanctioned university sport, is in the process of becoming a club as well.

When asked to pitch their clubs to students, Sommons, Dotsie, and See all responded enthusiastically. 

“College can provide a lot of new experiences,” Sommons said. “[Paddle sports is] a rare opportunity…to learn those kind[s] of skills.”

She noted students have called the pool sessions their “therapy.” 

Dotsie noted via email, “Ultimate Frisbee is a great way to relieve stress through physical activity…We have a welcoming team and even those with little to no experience are able to participate meaningfully in the game.”

See responded more simply but no less passionately: “It’s a real rad time.” ★

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News

We All Scream for Ice Cream

By Hope Willert

After a long day of classes and homework, many Houghton students look forward to a delicious bowl of ice cream. No matter how hard the day, ice cream can make it better. 

As the students approach the dining hall, the smell of food makes their stomachs grumble. 

But they really want ice cream.

So they make their way to the machine, grabbing a bowl on the way, only to find that it is gone. The unlimited supply of ice cream at Houghton University has been removed, leaving students upset and confused.

The university used to be well known for its ice cream consumption. In 2018, a Houghton Star article, titled “Ice Cream of Our Own,” by Abigail Reeth, reported that students consumed about 3,000 gallons of ice cream per year – information so impressive that Admissions tour guides would relay this information to prospecting students.

So, why was the ice cream removed? Grace Willert, a senior at Roberts Wesleyan University, stated that while RWU is also catered by Metz, they have continued to provide ice cream in the dining hall. Therefore, the changes do not stem from the Metz company as a whole.

When interviewed, Houghton’s Metz General Manager Bryon Richards explained the initial disappearance of the ice cream, stating that, “it was recommended for sanitary and food safety reasons [regarding COVID-19] that we remove the student self scoop ice cream.” 

Regarding the changes in the past few months, Richards explained that several staff members agreed to implement this change to “address the concerns of those wanting another eatery in the area and for those who wanted to see the return of hard scoop ice cream.” 

Ice cream can now only be purchased at Sizzle and Swirl – the result of Richards’ and other staff members’ decision. Senior Zoe Utterback, who was present through these changes, stated that, when she began as a freshman in 2019, “we had hard scoop ice cream from Perrys, and we usually had between 10 and 12 flavors at all times.” In contrast, she stated that “now the only way to get good ice cream is by paying for it.” 

Utterback and her friend, Makaila VanWie-Adair, explained that the change does not make sense because the price of meal plans has not decreased. Utterback stated, “I don’t think it’s fair that we have to go downstairs and pay for ice cream when it was something that was previously included in our dining services.” Many students across campus have a similar view. 

 Though first year students have never experienced self-serve ice cream in the dining hall. Freshman Abigail Englebert stated that the only ice cream that she has had have been the small, pre-packaged ice cream treats from the dining hall. She has heard about the availability of ice cream in the past, stating that “I definitely would prefer the ice cream machine over what they have now… it sounds awesome.”  

Between the Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors, who dearly miss the free ice cream in the dining hall, and the Freshmen, who have heard of the ice cream availability of the past, it is safe to say that the student body would like their ice cream back. 

Although frustration among students is understandable, Richard’s interview shows that these changes were actually made in an attempt to cater to student requests. Therefore, student opinion may have the potential to lead to more change, potentially bringing free ice cream back to Houghton.★

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Opinions

(Un)willing to Listen

By Anna Zimmerman

The word “perfect” can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. A perfect Houghton could involve Perry’s ice cream and the soft serve machine returning to the dining hall (a noble wish). It could mean that classes are shorter or that Houghton would magically have a town around it (one with a movie theater, mall, and more food options). Both are understandable and have my full support. On a deeper note, it could mean that it would be a comfortable and safe place for people to express the things that they’re feeling and thinking.

While Houghton may say that conversations about tough issues are encouraged, I don’t think it’s fair or correct to say that everyone is welcome to ‘come as they are.’ I know of too many people who have come as they are and have been dismissed, harassed, or legitimately threatened because they voiced their opinions with which other people didn’t agree. If someone is willing to be open about something that is deeply personal to them, respect should be given. It can be so difficult to say something that you know will not entirely be understood by the people you’re talking to. If you’re being a listener and someone is telling you something personal, it’s so important to understand and value the position that they’re allowing you to be in. I’m absolutely not saying that you need to change your mind to agree with what someone’s telling you. What I am saying is this: you need to respect and care for your fellow human beings and make it known that you value and want a relationship with them, no matter the differences between you.

In May of 2021, I took a course called Bridging the Gap. This course focused on ‘bridging gaps’ between people from different backgrounds. It consisted of students from Houghton University’s main campus, Houghton’s Buffalo campus, and Ithaca College. There were students who had recently immigrated to the United States, as well as students who were born here. Everyone came to the class with different experiences and backgrounds, which is what I believe made the program so beautiful and impactful. Throughout the May term, we spent time learning how to talk to others about things that were important to us. Equally as important, we learned how to listen to others. In listening to others, we show respect and care. On the other hand, dismissing what someone says (either by ignoring or arguing against it) shows a lack of concern. In order to grow, I think it’s important to be able to listen to others and acknowledge that while what they’re sharing might not be something you agree with, they are fully loved, whether or not their views change or stay completely the same.

I believe that there is something so dangerous about purposefully surrounding yourself only with people who have the exact same beliefs and ideas as you. I did this for too long and would base my opinions of others solely on what I knew about our differences. While I wouldn’t completely cut off relationships with people who I knew had different beliefs than I did, I would hold back a bit and found myself developing expectations as to what I thought each person would (or wouldn’t) contribute to my personal growth. I’ve experienced the most growth when I’ve been willing to be with people who are different from me. When I surrounded myself in an echo chamber of sameness, I missed out on relationships with people who could’ve added so much wisdom and goodness to my life.

Over this past summer, I spent five weeks studying at Au Sable Environmental Institute in Michigan. Going into the program, I had thick walls up and thought that I was 100% correct in the way that I saw the world. I thought I knew what was right and wrong and that anybody who didn’t see things the same way was out of touch. Over that month of living in close proximity with one another (think: summer camp cabins with bunk beds and everyone eating dinner together at the same time every night), something in me changed. As more deep conversations were had in class, I became more willing to think about multiple points of view. After a weekend of camping, a friend and I ended up being together for the three-hour drive back to campus. This was a three-hour drive with someone who I thought I was incompatible with and would never understand. Those three hours were filled with so many important conversations. I opened up about some things I hadn’t even fully realized I was wrestling with. The response I was met with was both gentle and confident and truly made me examine myself and think deeply about things I hadn’t been willing to consider mere weeks ago. 

My time at school in Michigan encouraged even the tough conversations with one another. It truly felt like we could bring all of ourselves to the table. Coming back to Houghton made me realize that it doesn’t feel like the same is possible here. 

If we’re all living together here, why can’t we have as many open and honest conversations? Why can’t we listen to each other? Why do we have to jump to conclusions about people, and why do these conclusions (which are often wrong) impact how we interact with each other? How do we forget the command to love and care for one another as we do for ourselves? How do we let the gaps get so wide that they seem too inconvenient to try to cross? Instead of focusing on what divides us, we should recognize what we have in common and let even our differences bring us closer together. 

A lot of the time, a “perfect” Houghton feels out of reach to me. But, I’m hopeful that if we all start to make continued efforts to not only speak about the uncomfortable things, but to listen to the uncomfortable things, we will be closer to the “perfect” Houghton than we’ve ever been. ★

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Stories In Focus

FEATURE: Hispanic Heritage Club

By Victoria Hock

     One of the many clubs that Houghton offers is the Hispanic Heritage Club, which provides members of the Hispanic Community and the general student population an opportunity to learn about Hispanic Culture and partake in events. The STAR recently sat down with President, sophomore Kelsey Villatoro, and Vice President, freshman Alayna Byrum to discuss the club, their involvement, upcoming events, and how other students can join.

      Both Villatoro and Byrum expressed high hopes for the club this year. Specifically, Villatoro noted that she hopes to have events (like history lessons), as well as provide opportunities for minorities to get involved. Byrum added that she hopes to deepen her understanding of her culture, as well as others and that the club can be a safe space.

        Villatoro and Byrum also noted that the club is planning several possible events in the future. In addition to a possible collaboration with Houghton’s Black Heritage Club, Villatoro explained that they are also thinking of holding a Thanksgiving event featuring childhood dishes, as well as a Valentine’s Day event. Byrum also discussed that they hope to hold a Christmas event, because “Christmas is a very big thing in all the Hispanic cultures, so we want to have dishes and music and dancing.” The club also ran a table at Homecoming, featuring snacks, drinks and 

Byrum encourages anyone who is interested in getting involved with the Hispanic Heritage Club to stop by the Mosaic Center, noting that even if they’re not there, someone can put them in contact with the club. Villatoro further adds that the club is “open to anyone”—all students are welcomed and able to get involved. ★