Author: Megan Specksgoor

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Stories In Focus

Julian Cook: Houghton Legend Returns

If you have ever heard Julian Armand Cook address a chapel audience, discourse on social and spiritual issues, or hit that final note on a soulful hymn variation, you know he is a force to be reckoned with. To those who know him it comes as little surprise that Cook is currently enrolled at Boston University School of Theology, the oldest theological seminary of American Methodism and the alma mater of Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. In Boston, Cook is working towards obtaining a Master of Divinity and holds the position of graduate assistant at the Howard Therman Center for Common Ground. The establishment acts as a cultural center for student programming and the commemoration of the theologian who was the first African American in the nation to become dean of a university chapel. “The Center,” Cook said, “revolves around the search for the unity of all people.”

Julian_CookAs a passionate speaker, an ardent social activist, and a prominent perpetuator of black heritage at Houghton, Cook “excitedly obliged” to a request from the Heritage Club that he return to campus to lecture Thursday night and preach Friday’s chapel service. In previous years as president of the club, Cook had the ambition to “help Houghton take steps in the right direction” in reference to issues of diversity. Now, as a returning alumnus, he is furthering the discussions he began over the last four years.

  As a recent Houghton graduate, Cook cited his college experience in western New York as invaluably indispensable. “Houghton prepared me academically to attend one of the top seminaries in the country,” Cook commented. “It gave me the foundation to inform myself of issues and cultivate these issues, as well as placing an emphasis on being educated for the purpose of serving the world and serving God,” he elaborated. For Cook this standard is manifested in “being the best student I can be; not just for my own end, but to impact someone else.” Cook described Houghton as an “extremely unique and beneficial” place with so many “critical resources” available at the fingertips of the eager student. “Besides academic excellence, Houghton instills and encourages an optimistic worldview in which students have the ability and the responsibility to make a lasting external impact. Houghton teaches us to really believe that we can change the world,” said Cook.

After completing his work as a graduate student, Cook plans to endeavor a PhD in American history with the hope that this distinction will lead to an eventual professorship. In addition to teaching college level classes, Cook aspires to become a local pastor and a political figure. After successfully completing the requirements of a Houghton education, Cook is confident that his efforts have been rewarded. “I can never say thank you enough,” he offered. “I can be nothing but grateful for the support and the knowledge I was given here.”

 

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Sports

Athlete Profile: Mark O’Brien

If there are two things that seem to be unanimously attributed to senior Mark O’Brien, it’s his athletic dedication and the strength of his character, both of which are apparent on the basketball court.

Courtesy of athletics.houghton.edu
Courtesy of athletics.houghton.edu

Teammate Michael Ball commended O’Brien’s persistence and work ethic. “Mark is always one of the first guys in the gym and one of the last to leave the gym. He has impressed me with the amount of things he has on his plate and how he handles the many different things that he is involved with here on campus,” said Ball.

Teammate Seth Shay added, “For the past four years, Mark has been a go-to player for the men’s basketball team and has set a very good example for the younger guys. Houghton College will miss his high level of play and his incredible leadership skills. I couldn’t have asked for a better teammate, and a better friend.”

Coach Drew Hannan agreed with Ball and Shay’s appraisals and added to Mark’s list of qualities “leader” and “competitor.” “The hope is with any player you’ll see development in athletic skill,” said Hannan, “but Mark really took ownership of the program and what we are trying to accomplish. He stepped into a leadership role with the guys looking to him for direction and I think that has really helped him blossom as a player, being at that level on a daily basis.”

Hannan also commented that Mark’s character has been noticed by people who do not practice with him. “Mark is always one of the first guys to step up and volunteer when someone needs something done,” whether that be service related or manual labor, said Hannan. “His effect and personality go beyond himself” in a positive and inspiring way that Hannan best described as “infectious.”

“Playing on the team for four years has helped me grow a lot and gain perspective both on life and athletics,” said O’Brien. “It’s taught me to compete, be a good teammate, be a good friend and work hard every day, even if I sense things aren’t going the way I want them to. It’s really grown me up.”

Though O’Brien admits to occasional obstacles in motivation, leadership, and performance, he has demonstrated his ability to “work through adversity” and to “really care” enough to continually expend himself to his full potential for the good of the team.

O’Brien said that what he has enjoyed most about college basketball is his teammates. “They’re my buddies, my best friends, they’re hilarious, and I love hanging out with them outside of practice,” said O’Brien. “Doing what we do isn’t easy and a lot is demanded of us, but I’m proud of my teammates and wouldn’t trade them for anything. It takes strong people to keep fighting.”

After he graduates, O’Brien said he will miss the rest of his team as well as the competition and “just being around basketball.” Although O’Brien’s main postgraduate pursuit is business, he hopes to coach some day.

“I hope to see him do big things,” said Hannan. “He’s been nothing but successful since he came to Houghton and there’s no reason to expect anything different in the future.” Hannan described the best way to quantify O’Brien by quoting a man in charge of parking whom O’Brien volunteered to assist. “He’s one of the best.”

Categories
Arts

Spot: Boom Roasted

Thank you (pause, followed by mood-setting piano music) Colin Lauer and Graeme Little (pause) for being one of the very few original and genuinely funny SPOT acts of the night.
My own opinion aside, from what I’ve heard, the general consensus among upperclassmen who have witnessed some very popular previous SPOTs is that the annual Purple and Gold variety show fell flat this year. The jokes were repetitive, the show was too long, and some humor was in bad taste.

“I think this year’s show had some issues,” said senior SPOT performer Sarah Jacoby. “It did not seem as well organized as past years. I know there was some trouble getting auditions, which I think was a factor.”

If the unsuccessfulness of the night can be partially attributed to disorganization, another key influence was duration. “It definitely went too long,” said Jacoby. “I know there have been SPOTS that have gone longer, but by the end people were ready to go. I think the length contributed to how people felt about the night.”

In response to how the show could have been better executed Jacoby said, “More cowbell. But seriously, I liked the SNL theme and thought that if the hosts stuck to that it would have given the night more structure.”

Despite difficulties, according to Jacoby there were some featured strengths of the night. “Mike Amico did a great job. Also, I really enjoyed the stepping act and the pitch perfect medley, because it’s nice to have things that are actually more talent than comedy,” she said.
“The community sweater was unique and funny, but overall the community jokes have been beaten to death. Colin’s last thank you was very appropriate.”

Senior class president Sydnie Cunningham shared similar sentiments to Jacoby’s.
“I did not enjoy SPOT as much as previous years,” said Cunningham. “I felt that most of the acts weren’t funny and some were border-line offensive, especially regarding Sodexo.”
Cunningham enjoyed having a DJ in place of a stage band, but thought that the organizers should have been more selective concerning the acts. One aspect of last semester’s SPOT which Cunningham found to be effective was its cohesiveness and she wished that tactic could have been employed this semester.

“In the fall Anthony and Scott went above and beyond to plan out a theme and create good transitions,” said Cunningham.

Cunningham also commented that SPOT may have been stronger if it were less Houghton-conscious. “It was a good idea to have Shirley Mullen in the weekend report, especially since that is a consistent act, and it was nice of her to participate, but people need to realize that you don’t have to make fun of Houghton to be funny,” said Cunningham.

Senior Liz Chevalier agreed with Jacoby and Cunningham’s overall assessments.
“It was longer than it needed to be and there were some acts we could have done without,” said Chevalier.

Chevalier acknowledged that she wishes the hosts would have done more skits themselves. She also echoed the praise for Amico’s remixes and the thanks to Lauer for “putting the community joke to rest,” and commented that the offenses committed during this SPOT were more implicit than explicit.

Like Cunningham, Chevalier speculated that future SPOT skits may be fresher, more creative, and better received if they do not exclusively revolve around Houghtonisms. “We should think about what’s funny to people outside of Houghton, things that you don’t have to go to Houghton to understand,” said Chevalier. “Most of the Houghton jokes are way overused, so for the sake of originality we should step outside of what is normally joked around about.”       

Categories
News

Purple and Gold Basketball Spirit

Courtesy of Kathryn Hornibrook
Courtesy of Kathryn Hornibrook

If you weren’t among the dual colored throng of fans crowding the Nielsen bleachers last Tuesday night for the women’s and men’s Purple and Gold week games, you missed out on a night of collective school spirit, CAB prizes, a chance to show off a snazzy gold shirt, and some pretty entertaining basketball.

Although the men ultimately lost to St John Fisher with a final score of 75-62, head coach Drew Hannan said that “the game came down to the last minute” and that he’s optimistic for the success of the team’s near future, despite setbacks.

“We have struggled all year to put together a forty minute team effort, but of late we have begun doing that and putting ourselves in position to beat some of the best teams in the conference (Nazareth, Ithaca, St. John Fisher, etc.),” said Hannan. “The last five games have been by far our best games all year and, as a coach, all I can ask is that our guys continue to work and continue to get better.”

Although Hannan said the team needs to hone their ability to “make plays late in a game, whether it be executing on offense or getting stops on defense,” he’s exceedingly proud of their “resilience and perseverance.”

“The sheer amount and types of adversity we have faced this year would cause most people to lose their edge, their motivation,” said Hannan, “but not these guys, which is our biggest asset.”  Hannan attributes the team’s positivity and determination not only to the character of individual players and the moral of the group but also to the enthusiasm of fans.

“The fans of late have been the best, most supportive group since my time here,” said Hannan. “Their support during games and encouragement away from them is what is helping to keep these guys going through this tough stretch.”

Hannan added that the fans were particularly uplifting. They were “amazing and into the game,”

Courtesy of Kathryn Hornibrook
Courtesy of Kathryn Hornibrook

said Hannan. “The effect is obvious if you just read some of the posts our players made after the game. They were all about how great the fans were and how much the guys love, appreciate, and need it.”

Team member Seth Shay agreed with Hannan’s appraisal of the spectators. “Our fans were extremely involved and supportive. This kind of home court support is crucial in close games and I truly believed it affected the way we played,” said Shay. He added “ The school spirit here at Houghton College is as good as I have ever seen it in my 4 years. I’m proud to be a Highlander when I look to the stands and see a mass crowd of purple and gold. As a team, we want to thank all of you for your support!”

The women also lost their game to St. John Fisher with a final score of 70-80, but senior team-member Michelle Persons said that the Houghton team rallied during the second half. “The second half was much better offensively and defensively,” said Persons. “We talked at half-time about communicating better on defense, which in turn would help our offense flow better as we made it a team effort.”

Persons said that the accuracy of the Fisher player’s foul shots hurt the Houghton team and that if the women “had played a better first half, the outcome definitely would have been different… The team stepped up the intensity the second half immensely, we just couldn’t close the gap.”
Several players are currently recovering from injuries which have created additional obstacles for the team, and Persons said, “They bring a lot to the team and we would be very glad to have them back.”

Categories
News

Jars of Clay’s Matt Odmark Lectures at Houghton

On Tuesday, January 29, Grammy award winning, Gibson guitar titlist of 2005 and platinum recording artist Matt Odmark  arrived at Houghton, not to stage a show or book a gig, but to teach a class. Odmark came to campus of his own volition and at his own financial expense to lecture during one of Houghton professor Kevin Jackson’s Pro Tools sessions, and the student response was overwhelming.

Courtesy of www.houghton.edu
Courtesy of www.houghton.edu

“The place was packed,” said Jackson, including attendance by his students, students from other disciplines, and even three area high schoolers. The question and answer segment in particular was so engaging that it lasted one hour beyond the designated stopping point without Jackson ever having to resort to his written stack of preconceived prompts. Odmark’s main focus was the concept of creative listening and what it means to genuinely and actively absorb, process, and be attentive to a song.
“He talked about what it means to really listen to music, something so deeply personal that it should be treated with extreme respect,” said Jackson. Odmark addressed the importance of “understanding the weight of music” and that the practice of “listening in that way is a sacred act.”

Odmark challenged students to “visualize” and internalize the music in a unique way, imbuing it with meaning specific to the individual. He urged the students to respect a body of music by interacting with it in full.

“Now…more and more, people use songs for playlists or background music, instead of absorbing the full collection or album as a complete work of art,” said Jackson. “We break music into pockets and the effect is like lopping a painting.”

Odmark also elaborated on the need to consider music as more than formulaic technique or advanced rendering of sound, namely as a relatable expression of the artist that is applicable the audience.
Senior Dan Austin said he enjoyed listening to a song that Odmark played not from the standpoint of a record critic, but from that of a participant in the emotive energy of the song and the feeling of the music.

“We didn’t have to worry about how the song was mixed, but what images and reactions it evoked,” said Austin. “You can pick apart a song from the technical side to make it more cohesive, more marketable, catchier, or more radio-friendly, but ultimately it’s about communication and there’s something to approaching a song with a certain amount of reverence.”
Austin also appreciated Odmark’s sincerity and willingness to make himself available to Houghton students.

“Matt is a minor celebrity who drove to Houghton in a minivan on his own dime and then thanked us for allowing him to interrupt our class time,” said Austin. “I mean this is a man who has been heard by millions of people, yet he doesn’t act like a rock star.”

Senior Nick Cannistraci agreed. “I was uncertain of where Matt was going at first, but as he spoke it became apparent that he really loves music. It was comfortable talking with him, because he’s just a humble, normal person. “He made himself vulnerable to us and it gave me a new way of looking at music,” said Cannistraci.
Jackson also commented on Odmark’s character; he said, “He truly has the scholar-servant attitude and mindset that we strive for at Houghton.”

When Jars of Clay performed at the college this past October the band set up all of their own equipment, exchanged tips with the student sound technicians, and took a strong interest in Jackson’s vision for the Houghton sound and recording department. After the concert, Odmark began communicating with Jackson via e-mail and phone conversations concerning the fruition of Jackson’s ambitions for the department and immediately consented to teach one session of Jackson’s Pro Tools class.

“Events like this create momentum and validate what we are trying to accomplish,” said Jackson, who has proposed some exciting major changes to the current structure of his music program.
Jackson is pleased to say that Odmark is offering the chance for Houghton students in the coming years to intern with Jars of Clay in Nashville for a period of two to three weeks over winter break or even a full three months. This experience will give sound and recording students the unparalleled opportunity to witness firsthand the inner operations of the professional music industry through the guidance of an acclaimed Christian band. Houghton students have the extremely rare possibility of being temporary apprentices to the man who won the Gibson Guitar Award over nominees like Bob Dylan.

To Jackson it’s unbelievably evident that “God has had his hand in all of this” and he cannot wait to see how the overarching vision will grow and materialize through connections such as Matt Odmark and others who are willing to invest in Houghton’s potential.