Author: Houghton STAR

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

Categories
Campus News

Men’s Soccer vs. SUNY Poly

By Sadie Nakamura ('26)

At 2 p.m. this Saturday, Houghton University’s men’s soccer team will face a new opponent: SUNY Polytechnic Institute. The team is gearing up for their next home game, where they will continue pushing to secure a spot in the playoffs. 

Aidan Fish (‘25) said, “We have never played SUNY Polytech before [but] they just joined our conference and they are coming off from winning their own conference. ” 

Fish suggested that SUNY Poly might face new challenges now that they’re competing in a different league. He believes that if HU’s team sticks to their plan, there is a good chance of beating their competitor.  

The men’s soccer team has worked hard to strengthen their teamwork. Daniele Schivo (‘26), a wingback, explained that the team began this season using one formation but recently switched tactics. 

“When you change formation, you change the tactics of the game and it becomes a little more challenging for the players that are used to different styles of play.” Schivo thinks that Coach McColl’s “number one priority lately has been to help us to improve in the formation and get better as a team.”

While it took some time to adjust to the new strategy, the team started gaining momentum and sharpening their skills. Campus Activities Board athletic director and member of the women’s soccer team Aivery Shuck (‘26) has attended many of the men’s soccer games this season. 

“They are very good at using all the variability that their team has,” Shuck said. “They have a lot of different players on the team this year with different strengths. I think they are very good at utilizing every single one of [those] strengths on the team.”

Schivo echoed this sentiment. “We don’t give up easily,” he said. “We’ve faced a lot of setbacks, especially in the last two seasons and the start of this one, but throughout it all, Coach has never given up on us. We have struggled mentally and have had some challenges but we have never given up.”

The team is fighting to reach the playoffs and extend the season for graduating seniors. The upcoming game against SUNY Poly will be pivotal, potentially determining whether Houghton progresses in the competition. HU’s Director of Athletics, Dr. Matthew Webb, explained the stakes.

“To make the playoffs, you have to finish the regular season in the top eight,” Dr. Webb said. “This is a very important game for both teams, as we are both outside of the top eight right now.” He added that every win for a team counts towards three points, while a tie counts for one point. Three points could potentially determine whether HU or SUNY Poly make the playoffs.

As a senior, Fish is especially eager to extend the season. “Making the playoffs [would be] huge,” he said. “For the last two years, we missed it by one point, which was heartbreaking. I don’t want it to end. We’re guaranteed five more games, but I wouldn’t mind stretching that number for one last dance.”

The team is also hoping for strong support from the school community. Giovanni Schivo (’27), another player and Daniele’s brother said, “This game is open for anyone to come, and especially when it is at home we encourage it. We need our Houghton supporters on the bleachers. Be loud in the bleachers and cheer on the school’s team!” 

The players encourage friends and classmates to come out to Burke Field and cheer for the men’s soccer team as they fight for their spot in the Empire 8 Championships. ★

Categories
Campus News

New Horizons for Coffeehouse

By Kelsey Curtis ('27)

This fall brings changes to Coffeehouse as Evelyn Simanowski (‘25) takes on coordinating the Campus Activity Board (CAB) sponsored event. Coffeehouse is a time when people gather in Java 101 to hear their peers perform—typically a set of music—and partake in “Open Mic Nights” where anyone can sign up and share their musical and non-musical talents. In past years, audiences could gather around the stage every Thursday at 8 p.m. This year, however, Simanowski changed the event to bi-weekly at the same time. 

There are still plenty of opportunities to share talent through the event even though it will happen less. Simanowski shared that they are introducing the Coffeehouse Collective, a “collection of [art] pieces by several student artists” and a rotating showcase throughout the year. She expressed her excitement for this expansion of Coffeehouse’s scope. 

Simanowski believes “Coffeehouse has the potential to be a collection of all artists, not just musicians, that want to create space and opportunities for artistic expression.” 

Seven pieces, each by a different Houghton student, currently hang in Java and display various art styles. 

Student and avid Coffeehouse-goer, Sarah Brunone (‘27) expressed her excitement about the Collective’s unveiling. 

“There’s new art on the wall, which is super cool,” she shared.

Brunone also appreciated that the new art helped give more variety to the artists Coffeehouse celebrates and added to the “cozy vibe” of Java. Simanowski’s goal to support all artists’ expression is already appreciated by adding the Collective to the “lineup of acts” for Coffeehouse.

Previous performers feel the same support and joy in Coffeehouse as Brunone experiences and that Simanowski aims to create this year. Melanie Cogan (‘27), who performed numerous times, witnessed this phenomenon last fall when she headlined for the first time. 

“I ran through my set list in 30 minutes and resorted to a ukulele rendition of ‘Me Want Bite’, which was pretty special and if you know you know,” she recalled. 

Cogan specifically expressed how grateful she was for a “receptive audience” that she could “try something new with” and still have the same excitement and support behind her. 

Chiara Iantorno (‘28) had a similar positive experience when she performed for the first time in September. 

“The ambiance and coziness of Java helped me feel very relaxed, even as I was about to perform,” Iantorno shared. “During the set, everyone watching was so supportive and seemed to be having a good time.” 

Even for first-time performers, Coffeehouse fosters love and encouragement in an extraordinary way. Sophia Vernon (‘26) works at Java and can attest to the unique atmosphere the event creates. 

“When people start filling up Java for Coffeehouse it is the most wonderful hum of college students in community with one another,” she observed. 

Vernon goes as far as to deem it her favorite shift because she gets to interact with  “so many people in a nice, chill, ambient environment.” 

The most recent Coffeehouse was on Oct. 17. Matthias Willistein (‘28) performed his set of acoustic and vocal music. Simanowski was excited to introduce a new performer and encourages anyone who wants to perform for Coffeehouse or display their art in Java to email her (evelyn.simanowski25@houghton.edu). ★

Categories
Opinions

On American Christianity and Its Failures

By Paul Claydon

Everything in life carries a scent. My mother’s town, home to a sugar factory, was burdened by a pervasive odor. But over time, its residents grew accustomed to it. This is a phenomenon known as nose blindness. Our senses, whether they detect smell or sound, often tune out habitual stimuli. Just as city dwellers become immune to traffic noise, American Christians have developed a form of theological nose blindness. Enveloped in a belief system centered on individuality—my will, my heart, my experiences—this faith tradition can overlook the profound, comforting work of Christ.

American Christianity has become a realm where the focus subtly shifts from Christ to the Christian. This shift is grounded in theological assumptions that many believers accept without question. However, there exists an alternative perspective: one that regards the Bible as both true and divinely inspired, offering clarity and comfort through its teachings.

When discussing American Christianity, I’m not singling out any specific denomination. This term is much broader than Southern Baptist, Wesleyan, or even American evangelicalism as a whole. Across American Christianity, four significant errors have emerged: Revivalism, Pietism, Mysticism, and Enthusiasm. Each in its own way diverting attention from Christ and his words of comfort and life.

Revivalism champions the idea that the Christian journey starts with a personal choice to follow Christ. It elevates the role of emotions, often seeking to stir a decision through orchestrated experiences. However, this approach contradicts the biblical teaching that humans are “dead in sin” (Ephesians 2:1). Salvation is portrayed as a gift from God, not a reward for human choice (Ephesians 2:8-9). In American Christianity the Christian receives Christ as an act of their own will. In Biblical Christianity, Christ receives the Christian as an act of God’s will. Life and faith should not be built on the foundation of your decision but on the foundation of grace given to you by God as a free gift.

Pietism identifies the Christian life with the progression of good works. It emphasizes personal piety as the hallmark of true faith. Yet, such emphasis can overshadow the gospel’s core message: that Christ’s work, not our own, assures salvation. The purpose of the law is to show us our sinfulness and highlight our need for a savior. The gospel is the good news that our savior has come and paid the penalty for our sins. Pietism focuses on the law and neglects the gospel. 

Mysticism claims believers can experience God directly, without mediation. While personal spiritual experiences are valuable, elevating them above Christ’s mediated work on the cross can lead to an inward-focused faith. I’m sure you’ve heard phrases like “I’m going through a drought, I’m just not feeling it in the spirit”, “I’ve lost my passion”, “I feel far from God” and many others. Mysticism causes Christians to base their faith on feelings. As a young person, I would go to church camp every summer and feel deep sorrow and conviction about the way I was living my life. I would go up to the altar during service and cry, having people praying over me and I would commit myself to living a better life for Jesus. But every year after camp ended, I would slowly go back to the way I was before. I felt terrible, especially when my mom would say things like “was camp really for nothing”. This is what happens when you base your faith on your feelings. The Bible never guarantees we will be able to feel the Holy Spirit, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t there. Mysticism only offers comfort through experience and if that experience isn’t there then the comfort is gone. It teaches that God is there and he loves me through my feelings but when those feelings aren’t there I’m left to conclude that either he’s not there or he doesn’t love me. 

Enthusiasm teaches that spirituality is chiefly an inward journey. It prioritizes personal spiritual experiences over the communal and doctrinal aspects of Christianity. The problem with this is, enthusiasts look for God for his certainty, for his truth, for his comfort and for his spirit only on the inside. Enthusiasm fails to see that the Lord’s work is chiefly on the outside. Enthusiasm is bad because it takes our focus off of Christ and puts it on to our hearts. Jeremiah 17:9 says “‘The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?” Our salvation isn’t found in our hearts, in our feelings or anything inside of us. Our salvation is found only in Jesus Christ, his promises and the grace gifted to us through the word and the Holy sacraments.

The teachings prevalent in American Christianity can be heavy and burdensome, contrasting sharply with Jesus’ invitation to find rest in Him: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The true yoke of Christ is light; it is centered on forgiveness, mercy, and loving-kindness. The core of Christian faith should pivot on these aspects rather than personal determination or emotional experiences. There is a profound comfort and assurance found in trusting God’s promises over our own efforts.

In conclusion, American Christianity, in its various expressions, has drifted towards a self-centric theology. To address its shortcomings, believers might embrace an approach that prioritizes the grace and promises of Christ over individualistic interpretations. By doing so, they can rediscover the rest and assurance that the gospel promises, and center their faith back on Christ, where it rightfully belongs. ★

Categories
Columns

Biblical Lessons from Title IX Training

Written By; Timothy Murray (’28)

Biblical Lessons from Title IX training

When most people hear the phrase “Title IX training” they do not have fond feelings of the experience, rather they usually remember that it was long and uninteresting. For a class I read an article about how we should be trying to make work more fun, and I decided to try and apply that to Title IX training by looking for biblical narratives during the videos. This made the whole training not only go a lot faster, but it also helped me find interesting things about Jesus. 

Firstly, Jesus loves us unconditionally even before we choose him over the ways of the world. This is important to remember when we feel like we have failed God after becoming Christians, because even when we sin, we are welcomed back with open arms by Jesus. Another big thing about our relationship with Jesus is that, unlike our earthly friends, He will never let us down and He is always with us.  

Something very important about our relationship with Jesus is that it lasts eternally. We get to walk with Jesus every day and that means we should be spending time with him and getting to know him better. I think it is very important to enjoy the moments we have with Him, because our relationship with Jesus should be the most important one. We should remember that He died for us and loves so much more than we can even comprehend. 

When we are spending time with Jesus we don’t have to be afraid to talk to Him and have hard conversations, because Jesus is always willing to listen with us and give us comfort in times of need. He is also always watching over us and cares about us more than our closest friend on earth could ever do. Another very good thing about Jesus is that there is always more of Him to discover. Our relationship with Jesus never ends until we die and get to spend eternity with Him. 

When we choose to follow Jesus, we also choose to follow His plan for us. When we decide to follow Jesus he gives us a guide which is to follow His plan for you. The best thing we can do is to fully surrender to His plan for our lives. Even though it can be hard at times, His way is the best and will bring you the truest joy and satisfaction. Throughout the journey of life, Jesus is with us in our good and bad moments and we should praise him throughout all of them. He is working all things together for our good. The more we pursue Him, the more we will get to know him.   

These are only a few of the lessons that I found during training, and I found the whole process very uplifting and edifying as well. I would highly encourage everybody to do this!

Categories
Stories In Focus

Sarah Massey

By Julia Collins ('26)

On Thursday, Oct. 17, Music Professor Sarah Massey will be holding a lecture as part of the Faculty Lecture Series on student engagement and learning. The meeting will be in Library, room 323 at 4:25 p.m.

The Faculty Lecture Series is a gathering where professors get a chance to speak to students and colleagues about subjects they have researched. The lectures occur around once a month and are praised for being a way for professors to connect with students.

Dr. Massey said her lecture will focus on “motivating students to be transformed by active engagement in learning requires creative strategies.” 

She explained that “reluctant students who tend to ‘stay on the sidelines’ due to attitudes that they may FAIL can be empowered to move into the FLOW of activities which can maximize learning.” 

While she plans to further explain this in her lecture, the main focus will be on “student-first learning.” This is important because, according to Dr. Massey, “thinking creatively about how class material is presented takes time but pays off with student engagement.”  

Senior Colin O’Mara (‘25) is excited about the lecture. He said that he wants to attend because “the lectures are from professors we know who are speaking to their personal areas of interest and study.” Having knowledge from professors’ personal interests “allows me to become versed in a wide variety of interesting subjects,” he added. 

O’Mara reports that professors have given lectures on a variety of topics. He mentioned that there is often “a solid mixture of students and faculty.” He goes to as many lectures as he can, even if the topic is different from what students typically discuss.

“If I can receive an interesting lecture on a subject I appreciate, but haven’t had time to invest in, on a Thursday evening I’ll be there,” O’Mara said.

Andrew Walton, a theology professor, is currently a part of organizing the faculty lectures.

“[I] enjoy the chance to step away from my area of study and hear about the exciting work my colleagues are doing in diverse fields,” he commented. 

Dr. Walton explained that these lectures provide an opportunity to introduce new and emerging topics not covered in classrooms. Faculty lectures “also serve as a valuable model for students, demonstrating the research process in action,” he added. These lectures bridge the gap between professors’ personal and academic interests.

Dr. Walton himself specifically said that he enjoys talking about the Old Testament.

He said that “my favorite topics to talk about are Job and the Psalms, specifically the Psalms of lament.” This topic is interesting to him because he appreciates “the raw honesty of these biblical texts which provide us with the chance to wrestle with the profound and sometimes unanswerable questions of human existence.” Dr. Massey’s lecture provides a space to learn about music, education and connecting with others. ★

Categories
Opinions

In Defense of Ring by Spring

By Caleb Choate

Tonight, I cut my son’s hair for the first time. At twenty-five, I have never cut anyone’s hair save my own. As I fumble with a pair of dull sheers, slowly hacking away at thin whisps of sun-bleached toddler-mullet, Juliana scrapes bacon fat from a pan into a jar. Lawson watches an old re-run of Little Bear, practicing simple sentences like, “Father Bear is fishing” and “Duck is really loud.” Next month, Juliana and I will celebrate our third wedding anniversary. Last month, we celebrated Lawson’s second birthday. 

Our small, young family grows out of a phenomenon found in Christian Liberal Arts institutions known as “ring by spring.” It’s a tradition true to its name: before graduating, many students will get engaged and will marry shortly after commencement. It is a phenomenon familiar to Houghton: many of you will experience this first hand. 

A quick Google search of the term “ring by spring” reveals that the tradition is polarizing. Articles (published by college presses at other Christian universities) with titles such as “Rejecting Ring by Spring,” and “Beyond the ‘Ring by Spring’ Culture” rise to the top. 

I don’t get the hate. 

Heading into our third anniversary, we can happily say that getting married young and starting a family right away is the best thing we have ever done. We feel this way because we recognize marriage isn’t merely a social choice, a “next step” in a relationship, or a contract. Marriage is a vocation.

By “vocation,” I don’t mean marriage is simply a job (though it requires work). I mean it in the religious sense: vocations are lifelong paths to holiness that God calls us to, and these vocations are most perfectly lived out in humble service to others. Vocations, in this sense, have the power to shape our entire perspective: they define who we are, and they inform how we engage with the world around us. Vocations become among the truest ontological realities known to us. They become central to our concept of what it is “to be.”

This is why I think marriage is good for young people: it sets our priorities straight.

Our culture tells young people to live for themselves. The buzzword of our generation is “self-care.” Society would make you believe that you’re failing to live up to your potential if you aren’t chasing a lucrative career, enrolling in graduate school, or traveling abroad.  These three things are all good things. But they aren’t everything. They don’t define us. They aren’t “vocational” in the truest sense.

When you get married young and start a family (and yes, I do assume that the call to marriage and the call to raise children according to God’s timeline are divinely inseparable), you quickly realize just how insubstantial other pursuits are. When you become a spouse and a parent, the concern you once had for your well-being shifts, and you find yourself driven to provide for the other. There is sanctifying grace in saying no to myself and yes to my spouse. There is sanctifying grace in the 2:00 A.M. shift of trying (and often failing) to console a wailing newborn.

Thomas Merton has a beautiful quote that captures this reality. He says, “Love seeks one thing only: the good of the one loved. It leaves all the other secondary effects to take care of themselves. Love, therefore, is its own reward.”

If I am a husband and a father, and if what I say about vocation is true, then imagine how I might live my life if at the center of my self-concept is the conviction that I ought to live as a gift for my wife and my son. Imagine how small the sideline desires in one’s life might become when striving to love your family well becomes both the hard-fought struggle and daily reward.

Imagine learning selflessness in your early twenties.

I believe raising Christ-centered families is the antidote to our generation’s self-infatuation. That is why I am a proponent of “ring by spring.” Now, here’s what I am not saying. I’m not saying that everyone ought to get married and marry young. For some, God truly is calling them to singleness. And that, too, is a vocation. As a single person, you are more free and available to be the hands and feet of Christ than I am as a married man. That is a beautiful and powerful thing. For others, the desire to marry young is there, but things just don’t play out that way. Others yet do get married young with the intent to raise children but suffer infertility. God is present and working in the midst of all of these scenarios.

Not everyone is called to marriage. But to those who are, ignore what the world would say about starting a family young. Living your life for your spouse and children is the best thing you could do for yourself. And remember the ending of the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi: “For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” ★

Categories
Campus News

Ted Murphy Legacy

Ted Murphy standing in front of Gallery wall
Ted Murphy standing in front of Gallery wall - Courtesy Kaitlyn Avery
By Evan Babbitt ('25)

UPDATED: OCTOBER 8, 2024 7:32 PM EDT | ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED OCTOBER 4, 2024 11:50 AM EDT

The Ortlip Gallery will host a reception for the Ted Murphy Legacy exhibition on Saturday at 7 p.m. 

The show is composed of 77 alumni artists and includes over 80 pieces—ranging from landscapes to abstracts, and watercolors to fabrics. It celebrates Professor Ted Murphy’s 38 years of teaching art and art history at Houghton University. 

“It means a great deal to me,” Prof. Murphy said. “It is visual evidence of not only my influence on past students but our entire department’s.”

According to the Gallery Director, Linda Knapp, about 80% of the alumni represented in the show are full time artists. Murphy also notes that 12 of the alumni shown are now professors as well. 

“Many are professional artists,” he said. “Some just manage to continue to work despite their complicated lives with family and their other work. It is gratifying to see such outstanding work from these wonderful people.” 

One of the alumni presenting work in the show, Jeff Babbitt (Class of ‘96), recalled: “It was during Painting I class with Murph when I decided I wanted to major in art. Murph was the perfect combination of hilarious and brilliant. He was a true connoisseur of the liberal arts, seamlessly blending literature, history, and culture into classroom discussions and everyday conversation.” 

Knapp noted that a flood of people wanted to be in the show when asked, which stands as a testament to Prof. Murphy’s presence in the classroom.

“[Murphy] is really adept artistically and has created a safe space for generations of students to find their calling as artists,” Knapp commented. “He has influenced people by his works, but more greatly by who he is—not flashy, but by his daily interactions and listening ear.” 

People are flying in from the Netherlands and California to come to this show, Knapp added.

“Houghton has [had] a rich art tradition here long before I arrived,” Prof. Murphy said. “The artist that preceded me fought the good fight to make Art matter.”

Prof. Murphy finished his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1980 at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, and then received his Master of Fine Arts in 1983 at The Ohio State University. Before coming to HU he was an assistant professor at the University of Maine in Orono, Maine.

“[T]o be a teacher you must have students. But nowhere is it required that we like them,” Prof. Murphy noted. “Just teach them.”

Many who came into the art program were glad to be able to study art seriously and have many mediums to work with. Prof. Murphy feels blessed to have students who he loves and appreciates.

“In the twilight of a career,” he said, “every person is aware of the question Henry James said we should all ask. “Was it worth it”? I believe it has all been worth it. It has been a very privileged life here in Houghton. Nancy and I raised our children here and by their reports they each also love this place. God has blessed us beyond measure.”

Prior to the beginning of the show’s reception will be an open panel discussion hosted by alumni artists at 4 p.m. in the CFA Recital Hall. ★

Categories
Campus News

Homecoming is Upon US!

Homecoming
Homecoming - Courtesy of Marcomm
By Abigail Hoover ('27)

It’s that time of the year again Highlanders! This weekend is Homecoming, when students can look forward to a plethora of activities on campus.

One of these events is the annual Collage Concert, in which five music ensembles from the Greatbatch School of Music—Houghton Choir, Houghton Wind Ensemble, Houghton Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Choir and the Highlander Chorus (previously known as the Men’s and Women’s Choir)—will be performing, along with Lyric Theatre. The performance will also include three of Houghton’s professors: saxophone professor Anne Kunkle and voice instructor Luke Ogden will be accompanied by Dr. Sharon Johnson on the piano.

The Collage Concert is “…an opportunity for our current campus community and our alumni to get a sense of the variety of music making opportunities that we have, and hopefully an enticement to come to the rest of our concerts,” said Dean David Clem, the Dean of the Greatbatch School of Music and Associate Professor of Music History.

“Music at Houghton is such a special experience for all of us and it becomes like a family. This is an opportunity to make new connections through something that we have shared, even though many have done so decades ago,” remarked Dr. Kevin Dibble, the Associate Director for the Greatbatch School of Music. Dr. Dibble also leads the choral ensembles of Chamber Choir and the Highlander Chorus.

“As musicians, what we do in our preparation is joyous because we love it, but it is also a difficult process,” he said.

Dr. Dibble described their limited time as the most difficult aspect in preparing for this concert, particularly because they have another concert the week after with an entirely different repertoire.

“The most enjoyable part of this concert preparation has been getting to know the new ensembles,” he said, and added that “it is always a fun process of getting to know the new students within the context of a pre-existing ensemble. I love the newness and thinking about the possibilities.”

Hannah Dunmire (‘26) is a junior in the Chamber Choir and explained that each ensemble would have prepared for about five weeks for the concert.

“The Chamber Choir only practices twice a week whereas for comparison Houghton Choir practices daily, which makes this quick turnaround challenging. However,” she added, “it is so fun to watch the Choir unite since the Chamber Choir is a smaller select group – we tend to move through pieces faster.” 

While the students have been preparing for this concert since day one of the fall semester, “Dr. McGarvey and our other ensemble directors have been involved in music selection and working out details since this past June,” Dr. Clem said. Students and faculty have been working tirelessly to ensure they provide audiences with a night full of “variety, worship, and fun,” Dr. Dibble commented.

“We trust everyone who comes will be inspired and blessed by what they hear,” Dr. Timothy McGarvey, Wind Ensemble Conductor and Producer of the College Concert, said. “We aim to make music to God and to touch the lives of each person who hears us.”

The concert will occur tonight at 7:30 in the Wesley Chapel.  

Coming up this weekend is also the much anticipated SPOT! The event takes place tomorrow night in the Wesley Chapel, from 9 to 11. 

“[SPOT is] a big show where all of campus gets a chance to entertain their peers, where everyone gets a chance to celebrate campus culture and take [a] break from their busy lives as students,” Michael McCutcheon (‘26), one of SPOT’s hosts this year, described. 

Matthew Foster (‘25) is the event’s other host, however both emphasized that they are not co-hosts. 

“The theme of SPOT this year is ‘spotmania’. (A play on wrestlemania),” McCutcheon explained, “…we are competing hosts, constantly trying to get the spotlight and become the one and only host.” 

10 acts participating in SPOT this year will “make you cry with laughter,” McCutcheon said. He also explained that there will be a SPOT band, “playing ‘fight’ themed songs” and a final “grand finale of purple vs. gold,” as Foster described it.

SPOT has been in the making for quite a long time now, with the hosts and acts working hard to bring the whole show together. 

“I believe it was November of last year when Matthew approached me with the idea,” McCutcheon explained, “from then we slowly started brainstorming, thinking up ideas for our ‘spotmania’ theme, even doing things like watching 8 hours of wrestlemania while writing down notes in a google doc.” 

Foster said that the most difficult part of SPOT was scheduling acts and the SPOT band for practices. He explained that it was hard to find a time that worked best for all the performers while not impeding upon academic and extracurricular activities. Besides scheduling, preparing for the show has been very enjoyable.  

“Working with Michael McCutcheon to plan events has been a pleasure because we complement each other well,” Foster said. 

To conclude, the hosts wanted you to know that “Purple and Gold is personal this year and the grand finale will be a MUST WATCH event with plenty of surprises…be prepared for it to become more than a comedy show!” Foster said. And McCutcheon hinted that “There’ll be many surprises coming in SPOT that no one will see coming.” ★

Categories
Stories In Focus

Ryann Cooley

By Aivery Shuck ('26)

Ryann Cooley has been serving the Houghton community as a professor for 11 years now, but has spent the majority of his life doing photography work. He provides his knowledge and energy in the art department, teaching digital media and photography.

Before Prof. Cooley came to Houghton, he began his journey as a military and business man who dreamed of traveling the world taking photos. To pursue this dream, Prof. Cooley went to college in Santa Barbara, Calif. and then started his career in New York City.

Soon after, Cooley was given an amazing opportunity to follow a missions program to Mexico—escaping the cold of New York—where he photographically documented the missionaries’ work. This experience opened up more opportunities for Prof. Cooley to take photos in a multitude of other countries, and he was able to pursue his dream of traveling the world for many years. Although traveling was thrilling, Prof. Cooley decided to settle back in New York City with his family. There, his advertising career took off as he began photographing for many different companies and magazines. After finding advertising less fulfilling than his past photography work, Prof. Cooley turned to teaching, and ended up at Houghton.

While deciding on which college to teach at, Prof. Cooley said that Houghton was the only school with students who “grilled him with questions for the full hour and a half.” He followed this by saying that Houghton was also the only school that got him thinking, “Holy cow… this is a lot of fun!”

Current art major Rachael Smith (‘26) said, “Professor Cooley’s classes are consistently enjoyable and full of energy. His witty humor and interactive approach makes every class fun. He takes time to involve everyone in discussions, and his thoughtful feedback inspires personal growth and development.” 

Prof. Cooley fosters meaningful and close relationships with his students, and his students appreciate all of the hard work he does connecting with them on a personal level.

Alumna Rachel Smith (Class of ‘22) said that Cooley “supported us outside and inside the classroom as a friend and a professor … we always felt so seen and so valued as one of his art majors.” 

His classes are open to people who have experience taking photos, as well beginners. Chesnie Waddingham (‘26), who is taking Prof. Cooley’s intro to digital photography class, stated that “even before I knew him, I met him, just because his reputation precedes him of being an amazing professor and amazing person. … He finds a good balance of encouraging us and reminding us that there is grace in trial and error when perfecting your craft.” 

Prof. Cooley has had an adventurous career thus far, but it’s far from over. One of the greatest adventures in life is being a teacher, and having the gifts to cultivate knowledge in students. Prof. Cooley is excited to continue building up the art program at Houghton. 

For the first time this spring, Prof. Cooley will be offering a class that prepares students for a photography trip to Puerto Rico during the Spring 2025 semester’s March Break. If you love photography and traveling, join Prof. Cooley on this 10 day adventure! There are limited spots, so start planning soon! ★

Categories
Columns

Why Women Are Terrifying!

Written By: Samuel Cobb (’27)

Look, let’s be honest here. Some people are afraid of heights, others of spiders. Then there’s me— bravely navigating the treacherous waters of a female-dominated university. Yes, the irrational fear of women, but I’m not talking about the cartoonish run-away to the Arctic type of situation. I’m not afraid they’ll hit me with their purses or yell at me for wearing socks with sandals (though it has happened). No, my fear is a bit more subtle, a little more nuanced. The truth is, women make me nervous in the most awkward, bumbling ways. 

You see there’s something about their mannerism, their mastery of small talk, that leaves my hands clammy and my tongue to swell up in my mouth. Either I end up talking too much or too little. “You like cats? I liked a cat once. He got run over by a car.” Wait, there are women at the homecoming dance? I guess I’ll hide by the punch table and snack on goldfish and fruit snacks. 

It doesn’t matter if it’s an after-class chat or just a casual encounter in the dining hall. Even if I knew them for my entire college career, the results are still the same. I freeze up like Shen Pond in December. I scramble to find something meaningful to say, something that they will look back on and think “Wow, that guy is cool.” Instead, the words that come out are not cool guy words, but “So.., you like…uh, weather? … Snow good?”

And don’t get me started on group scenarios. It’s like standing in front of a firing squad made up completely of charm and intelligence. I laugh nervously at jokes I don’t get, make a few comments on the snowfall, and pray they don’t ask the dreaded haircut question. The weather app is oftentimes my companion and friend in these situations. Whenever I manage to survive one of these encounters I have to drown my pain in a glass of Upstate New York low-fat Chocolate milk to clear my head (Current count: 85 glasses). 

Before you state the most obvious solution —therapy?— I have considered it. But I am sure that it is not that big of a problem per se, and can’t people keep their little quirks? Some people are afraid of clowns, which is valid, and I am afraid of the person who can read my very soul. And I already participate in therapy, albeit a little homebrewed version (I have an unopened Lego box in my dorm room). 

So while my soul is being read like an intriguing novel by Mary Shelly, I’ll do my best to survive the fast-approaching homecoming party. I’ll be fine as long as the opposite sex doesn’t ask me too many questions, or make eye contact for too long. Because even though women are frightfully scary I might eventually build up the courage to say “hi” before I die.