Author: Rachel Bellerose

From December 4-6, Houghton College will host the ninth annual Christmas Prism. The event will take place in Houghton, as well as Rochester and Williamsville, a change from last year’s venue in Hamburg. This year’s theme is “Celebrate the Prince of Peace!” which, according to the dean of the Greatbatch School of music Armenio Suzano, intentionally suggests that this year’s Prism will be a time of worship as well as an opportunity to experience a beautiful performance. Suzano, who replaced Stephen Plate as Dean and Director of the Greatbatch School of Music this year, said “If we have not touched the hearts and spirit of the audience, we have not done our job…People for miles around know that Houghton students are talented musicians, but that’s not the main point, here. The point is to worship the Creator of the universe.”

When asked who will be performing this year, Suzano answered “Everybody!” In addition to the classical groups that have performed in previous years (including Men’s and Women’s Choir, College Choir, Symphonic Winds, and the Symphony Orchestra) the 2015 Prism will include two, more contemporary groups: Gospel Choir and Houghton Singers. Suzano describes this decision as an opportunity to expand the horizons of Prism by including music which has generally not been included as part of the canon. He is excited for the fresh perspective that these groups will bring this year.

Along with the additions to the musical ensembles are several relatively new faculty members directing and conducting this year. Graduate Music Coordinator Kelly Van Kirk, Suzano, professor Sarah Luebke, and associate professor Adam Luebke were all brought on as faculty within the last two years. Malcolm Bell, a graduate student, will also be conducting Gospel Choir. Suzano believes that the number of new faculty will affect Prism positively, as they will be able to see it with new eyes and therefore take a fresh approach. The faculty and students, he said have been praying regularly for Prism’s ministerial success as well as its technical, musical success. Suzano also compared the role of Houghton’s musicians to that of the Levites, who performed holy service in the tabernacle of the desert and in the temple. He said the focus of this year’s performance is not meant to be on the performers, but rather on experiencing God through the music.

In addition to the musical experience of Prism, there will be an upscale dinner served on Saturday night for those who purchased the thirty dollar tickets. Phyllis Gaerte, Alumni and Community Director, said the dinner is always a beautiful experience with delicious food and a Christmas ambiance. While parents and alumni are the primary people who attend, students are encouraged to come and enjoy the pre-Prism celebration as well. Gaerte says the experience is well worth the extra cost.

For students looking for a break before plunging into finals, this year’s Prism will certainly be on the top of the list.

Purple and Gold Week is coming! Students who have participated in this event before may think this article is being run a semester early, but in fact, it is not. Starting this year, Purple and Gold week will be moved from spring to fall semester in order to coincide with Homecoming Week.

Jason Stephens, Resident Director of Shenawana Hall, said the motivation behind the change is twofold. “Residence Life felt like it would be great to move this week up to Homecoming so alumni can participate in Purple and Gold activities. We want students to begin to build that affinity towards Houghton, and what better way than to have friendly competition that can incorporate alumni, faculty, staff, and current students.”

This year, students can look forward to some new events, alongside the well-known Campus Activity Board (CAB) Coffee House, SPOT, and the homecoming dance. Every night at 6 p.m., CAB will be hosting events outside the Campus Center, including Powder Puff, Ultimate Frisbee, Glow in the Dark Capture the Flag, Pudding Tug-O-War, and Whipped Cream Twister. Additionally, the SGA will be doing lunch activities, which will include minute-to-win-it style competitions.  

Coordinators of this year’s Purple and Gold Week have also decided to re-establish an old Houghton tradition. In the past, students were assigned either purple or gold at the beginning of their first year and stayed on that team for the remainder of their time at Houghton. Kasey Cannister of CAB said, “It was a really big rivalry and every student took the competition seriously…This year’s freshman have been assigned a color and returning students will be asked to choose a color.” Returning students will choose their team during the first event of Purple and Gold Week: the T-shirt pick up, which will take place after chapel on September 28. Team sizes are limited to the number of shirts available.

For those wondering what will replace Purple and Gold Week during the dreary month of February, rest assured Residence Life has another plan in the works. A new week called “Hall Brawl” is being planned. Although details of the event are not yet completely clear, CAB representatives said that—as the name suggests—it will be a competition between Gillette, Lambein, Roth, and Shen. For students living in the townhouses or off-campus, Kasey Cannister says, “Our plan right now is that [they] will still be encouraged to compete. They will simply join the dorm they used to live in.”  

As the week comes to a close, the Advancement Office will host a Fall Festival, which has been a tradition for the past 7 years. On Saturday, October 3, there will be live music playing from the chapel steps from 10:30-11:30 a.m., a tent with game booths run by student organizations and the alumni board, a bounce house, and refreshments which will include cider, doughnuts, and popcorn. Phyllis Gaerte, Alumni Engagement Director, said there will be an inauguration for the first annual Purple and Gold Week of the fall semester. She also said she is thrilled with the level of excitement and participation that students have brought to this year’s event. Students are invited to participate in all the events that are taking place during this semester’s reimagined Purple and Gold Week.