Category: Stories In Focus

This year college president, Shirley Mullen, selected John Inazu to speak at Commencement. When choosing a speaker, Mullen values those who have something important to offer the graduates. She looks for someone with an ability to speak eloquently, as well as someone who can extend Houghton’s connections in one way or another, either in connection with the church, the region, or the larger academic world.

Inazu is the Sally D. Danforth Distinguished Professor of Law and Religion and Professor of Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis where he teaches criminal law, law and religion, and various First Amendment seminars.

In his Washington University biography, Inazu explained his area of study, “My scholarship focuses on the First Amendment freedoms of speech,  assembly, and religion, and related issues of political and legal theory.”

Inazu has written several books on the topic including, Liberty’s Refuge: The Forgotten Freedom of Assembly, published by Yale University Press in 2012, and Confident Pluralism: Surviving and Thriving Through Deep Difference, published by the University of Chicago Press in 2016.

Mullen values that Dr. Inazu is “a deeply committed Christian [who has] worked with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship.” She values that he is concerned with how to create a society where people with strongly held differences can live together peaceably without compromising their personal beliefs. “Given today’s increasingly divided political and theological world, this is a high priority.”

Inazu comes from a prestigious academic background, including being named Washington University’s 2014 David M. Becker Professor of the Year, a visiting assistant professor at Duke University School of Law, a Royster Fellow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As well as distinguished legal experience, he clerked for Judge Roger L. Wollman of the U.S Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. According to Houghton’s press release, he also served for four years as an associate general counsel with the Department of the Air Force at the Pentagon.

Mullen sees Inazu as an ideal person, with his extensive legal and religious experience, to speak to graduates on how to navigate today’s divided political and theological world.

“I believe that graduates of Christian colleges like Houghton are ideal agents or catalysts for creating this kind of peaceable society that is also rich in ideas and reflection—as opposed to a society where everyone must think the same thing in order to be able to live together in peace—or live in fear of ideas that are different from one’s own,” said Mullen. “I believe this is the work of being “salt” and “light” as followers of Jesus Christ in our time.” She continued, “In creating this hospitable space for complicated and difficult conversations, we are also creating space for the Holy Spirit to work in the lives of both believers and unbelievers to bring us deeper into the Truth.”

While Mullen recognizes the most important thing about Commencement is the awarding of diplomas and the celebration with families, she added, “We want to offer on that day something of potential value as our graduates think about their future.”

In April, spring begins to feel more real as buds and flowers come out and the air grows warmer. Students spend time on the quad, lying in hammocks or studying together at tables outdoors. Houghton College has planned an Arbor Day Community Festival with many events and activities to facilitate involvement during this season of renewal. Earth Day and Arbor Day invite celebration of the Earth in its springtime beauty, as well as conversations about the environment.

On Monday April 24, Houghton plans to host an Arbor Day chapel on the quad. Sustainability Director, Brian Webb, said this is most likely the first-ever outdoor chapel in Houghton’s history, and if weather permits, the experience will be unique. The speaker will be Ed Brown, an ordained minister and the executive director of an organization called Care of Creation. According to the Care of Creation website, Brown is “a talented writer and public speaker” who has traveled overseas for missions work and to spread his “deep passion for Christian environmental stewardship.” Webb said, “Ed Brown is one of the forefathers of the modern creation care movement.”

According to Webb, the outdoor chapel service is part of a wider revival of the tradition of celebrating Arbor Day in community. Webb said that Houghton had Arbor Day celebrations for decades, though it has now been close to 15 years since this tradition was part of campus life. The Arbor Day Festival on Monday will include between 15 and 20 opportunities to participate in service projects on campus throughout the day. “The basic idea is to give faculty, staff, and students an excuse to be outside and do some hands-on projects around the college,” Webb explained.  He encouraged everyone to participate in projects like “planting pear trees, raking leaves, painting, laying new pathways, and trail maintenance.” He added, “I think that the Arbor Day Festival will be a really cool opportunity to get everyone engaging with one another and get the community more involved.”

The final event of the festival provides another chance to celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day outdoors. “We’re ending the day with an outdoor community picnic on the quad to encourage the community to come together,” Webb said. This event will include food, games, and the presentation of the first annual Caretaker of God’s Creation Award. A campus-wide email explained this award “aims to recognize two individuals (one student and one faculty or staff member) who actively incorporate creation care and biblical earth stewardship into both their personal lives and their participation in the Houghton College community.” The outdoor picnic will last from 5:00-6:30 and is free to attend.

Lexi Wilkas ‘19 expressed excitement about the upcoming festival, “I love how there’s a way for everyone on campus and in the community to be involved. It’s both a fun and meaningful way to enjoy the world we live in.” She added, “I’m definitely pumped for the picnic celebration!”

In addition to hosting the Arbor Day Community Festival, Houghton plans to participate in international efforts to be involved with the environment. Eleven Houghton students will attend the People’s Climate March in Washington, D. C. on April 29, according to Daniel Bellerose ‘17. Bellerose attended the People’s Climate March of 2014, which occurred on the eve of the UN Climate Summit. He said, “It was an amazing experience. It was powerful to be marching united with people from different backgrounds.” He also described how individuals from countries made vulnerable by climate change such as the Maldives and Tuvalu marched in a group to increase awareness of their situation. Webb, who helped organize a larger group of about 80 evangelicals who will be present at the march, said, “This is the first time that I know of that such a large group of evangelicals has intentionally marched for climate change.” Houghton students and the other evangelical marchers will participate in the planned march in D.C. along with an estimated half a million people, and will stay afterward to lobby representatives of congress and senate. Bellerose, who helped organize Houghton’s involvement in the 2017 Climate March, said he is looking forward to the march as an energizing event that will “get people excited about these issues again.”

When the beloved Tree of Life in Houghton’s Field of Dreams was struck down by lightning last summer, its demise was given tribute by Houghton community, alumni and students alike all over social media. In response to the loss, the class of 2017 has decided to make its class gift a tribute to the tree. According to an official letter sent by the class of 2017 cabinet to senior class members, their gift will be to plant a seedling from the original Tree of Life, and install rock benches for outdoor seating around the new tree.

Prior to the announcement, the senior class had the opportunity to vote between planting the seedling and placing a fire pit near the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex (KPAC).

“We came up with the idea by brainstorming things around campus that we have noticed which could be improved to be more useful to future students,” said class president Sarah Kopa ‘17, when asked how the cabinet determined these options.  “We also really wanted a gift that would have meaning to our class and the things we have experienced together. From there it was narrowed down based on what was possible both to implement on campus and was also affordable.”

Class gifts have been an on and off again tradition at Houghton. According to Daniel Noyes, Regional Director of Development, the first recorded class gift was the class of 1925’s gift of the memorial outside Fancher marking the birthplace of Willard J. Houghton. Other class gifts current students might recognize include the swing set by the Paine building, the Christmas tree outside the Campus Center, and the study abroad road sign outside of Chamberlain. For the class of 2017, the Tree of Life has seemed like a possibility for their class gift since the beginning of the academic year.

“From the very beginning of the Fall semester, the cabinet kept returning to the idea of the Tree of Life and how we could incorporate that into the senior gift,” said class cabinet secretary Teira Hawkins ‘17. “There were some ideas to use the wood from the original tree but the logistics and finances were much more intricate than a class could afford to do as a gift.” She continued, “Originally we had planned on buying a seedling to put in the area of the Tree of Life but when administration heard of our idea, they informed us that they actually had some of the original seedlings, which is fantastic because it would have so much more sentimental value, and would allow us to purchase more benches.”

According to Kopa, planting the Tree of Life seedling does connect directly to the class of 2017’s experience at Houghton.

“We were the last class to have the Tree of Life be a part of the majority of our time here,” said Kopa. “My hope was that the class would feel connected and united by our gift, and I think this gift accomplishes that.”

While the logistics for planting the seedling have yet to be confirmed, Kopa said that the rock benches have already arrived, and the cabinet hopes to place them after Easter Break. The cabinet also encouraged their class to help finance the gift through a pledged donation of $20.17. Seniors who give before May 1 will have their donation commemorated in the Commencement program.

On Tuesday, April 18, the Ortlip Gallery opened the annual Senior Show, an art exhibition dedicated to showcasing the work of students graduating with art degrees. This year, there are 12 seniors being recognized for their work, including Hannah Banks ‘17, Michael Carpenter ‘17, Thomas Rhett ‘16, Andrew Foster ‘16, Emily Friesen ‘17, Marta Gowett ‘17, Meredith Guffey ‘17, Kimberly Logee ‘17, Jill Magara ‘17, Sarah Ritson ‘17, Jennifer Zacchigna ‘17, and Rachel Rava ‘17.

According to the director of the Ortlip Gallery and assistant professor of art and printmaking, Alicia Taylor-Austin, these 12 seniors have spent this year preparing works for the show, along with writing a thesis paper to address the ideas that went into their pieces. She said, “This thesis is a part of the grade for their senior studio class, but the exhibition itself is not, since showing in the gallery is a privilege that they can attain, but not a requirement for completing the program.” Taylor-Austin has met with the seniors a few times to go over their exhibition proposals. “I’ve also viewed their work in progress over the spring semester and given feedback,” she said.

Carpenter is showing over a dozen digital photographs and a deck of cards he designed. “The work is all related, and about one subject, which I’ll leave you to see at the show,” he said. “I will say, though, that you can play cards in the gallery with the deck I designed.” He expressed excitement for the campus to experience the hard work done by him and his fellow classmates. He added, “I hope our work sparks conversations and new ideas within those who see it.”

Zacchigna is showing a collection of 12 pieces in watercolor and ink. She said, “They mostly depict abstracted natural objects, such as flowers, nature scenes, and human figures.” In regard to the planning that went into the show, she discussed the process of choosing work and getting it approved by the art faculty. “We had to create a layout plan for how our work would hang in the gallery,” she continued. “We learned how to frame, prepare, and hang our pieces properly.” Zacchigna is most looking forward to the opening reception of the show.

Gowett is showing a single installation piece made of found objects, fabric crafts, and ink. She said, “This semester has been very different for me, as I usually work in 2D materials such as pencil or charcoal drawings. As such, a lot of the planning that went into the show started back at the start of the spring semester, when I began gathering material for the installation.” Gowett is looking forward to seeing everyone’s reactions to all of the different artwork that the seniors have made.

Magara has one installation piece titled “Let Myself Feel” and one sculptural piece titled “Beauty From Dust.” Both pieces include ceramics, and the installation includes photographs. She will also have an assortment of functional ceramics in the atrium. “I had to plan a ton to make sure things were gallery ready,” she said. “I’ve also been doing tests all summer to get my ceramic pieces to look the way I wanted them to.” Magara is excited about having her friends and family be able to see her pieces, and the culmination of four years of work.

Foster will show a few drawings, as well as several stoneware bowls. He talked about the work that went into getting the show ready. “We have to select what we think is both our best work, and what works best as a whole group” he said. “Then we have to submit a proposal to the gallery director, who divides up the gallery into sections for each of us to display our work.” Foster looks forward to showing artwork which is a result of a full year of creating his own art, as opposed to assigned work.

The opening reception for the exhibition is on Friday, April 21 from 5-7 p.m., and will remain open for visitors until May 13, the day of Commencement.

This year for National Poetry Month, Houghton’s Department of English and writing will host two visiting poets on campus.

The first of the visiting poets is Suzanne Rhodes, a New York native who now makes her home in Virginia Beach and teaches at the Muse Writers Center. The author of five books of poetry and lyrical essays and a finalist for the Pushcart Poetry Prize and the Library of Virginia Prize, Rhodes is currently at work on her second full-length poetry collection. She describes her work as an exploration of “the natural world with its Otherness and beauty ever summoning, and the human complicated, often contradictory human self.” After sharing a short on-campus poetry reading on Monday, she had dinner with students from the department and answered questions about her work.

On April 24, Canadian poet, Suzanne Nussey ‘74, will visit Houghton to read excerpts from her published works and sharing insights into her writing process, which she says “hope(s) to bring to light something that was previously invisible to me, to find out what some part of me already knows but has not reached the level of language.” Nussey, a Houghton alumnus, has won the Nick Blatchford Occasional Verse Contest and the 2014 National Magazines Award, and has published articles and poems in a variety of publications.

Professor of English, Linda Mills-Woolsey, a published poet herself, invests great worth in the experience of hearing from accomplished and experienced authors. “The immediate value is getting to know about another writer,” she said. “If you have the chance to talk to other writers, they become part of your network.” In the past, visiting writers have given aspiring writers valuable advice and have been open to students contacting them later for advice and feedback. This makes  these events especially valuable for those who wish to enter the writing community or even consider publication.

Mills-Woolsey also emphasized the value of interacting with “people who once sat where you are sitting now,” and who have learned to transfer academic truths into their lifelong writing practice. While both Rhodes and Nussey have advanced degrees, they are also women who have balanced careers, family responsibilities, and creative pursuits. While Nussey describes her Houghton education, particularly the influence of fellow poet Jack Leax, as “foundational in my development as a writer,” she also said a lifetime full of diverse experiences has given her “more self-confidence as a writer, more empathy, an ear for different voices, and a real appreciation for the absurd.”

Both writers have drawn on own experiences as well as poetic tradition, providing a model for student writers who have other career ambitions.  “Each of them decided not to go the full academic route, to do other things,” Mills-Woolsey shared. Rather than pursuing a career as a full-time writer or professor, Rhodes remained at home to raise her children, work with various homeschooling groups, and write grade school curriculum materials, while Nussey has worked as an editor, teacher, and tutor.

“These sorts of writers are accessible,” Mills-Woolsey said. “They give you useful patterns for the writing life, because not everyone is going to be famous one day.” She believes that these two particular writers showcase the rewards of “keeping at it.”

For those who may be unable to attend the events but still wish to hear from these exemplary poets, Suzanne Nussey offers a few words of encouragement for aspiring writers: “Expect to go through periods, sometimes seemingly unending, of self-doubt, bad writing, or no writing at all. This is pretty common for most writers I know. Pay no attention to the little devil on your shoulder who says you’re a failure. Be patient.”

Every year since 1990, Houghton College has selected one of its faculty members to receive the Excellence in Teaching Award. This award is intended to recognize, publicly acknowledge and reward faculty for outstanding teaching. This year, Ron Oakerson, professor of political science, is the recipient of this honor.

Oakerson completed his undergraduate studies at Taylor University, then continued on to earn a Masters degree and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Indiana University. The end of this semester will mark his twenty-fifth year of serving at Houghton, including two years as the chair of the department of history and political science, and seven years as the academic vice president and dean of the college.

Faculty colleagues of Oakerson have “unquestionably” noted him as “one of the college’s top scholars.” They admire his ability to “devise new, creative, and innovative classroom experiences” that create a “remarkable” educational experience for his students. Peter Meilaender, professor of political science, said, “Ron is a tremendously innovative teacher who has continued to experiment with new approaches. He has developed multiple new courses, and he has introduced an important element of fieldwork into his teaching.”

Oakerson is passionate about bringing students into an unfamiliar environment where they come face-to-face with issues that are only understood when experienced. “Increasingly, I have been more interested in getting students out of the classroom,” he said. “I love the classroom, but I also think students need to come into contact with people who are immersed in doing things and accomplishing things and reflecting on how they do and accomplish these things.”

Issues related to community governance and international development have taken Oakerson and his students to numerous communities around the country and around the world. In his course on urban governance, Oakerson has taken students to meet and talk with government officials and community leaders in Buffalo to interact with principles they learn in the classroom. Perhaps his most well-known endeavor would be the “Mango Out-Growers Project,” a joint outreach of Houghton College and World Hope International that Oakerson has led in Sierra Leone since 2009. In this experience, students engage in field research in the rural villages of Sierra Leone and investigate various issues that are related to development. “For many of those students, it has been a life-changing experience,” Oakerson said.

“The ‘Mango Project’ has been a remarkable opportunity for students not only to put their political science study into practice, but also to perform Christian service at the same time,” Meilaender said.

One of the most important lessons Oakerson has learned over the past 25 years of teaching at Houghton has been the value of respect in the classroom. He said, “I’m sure I have not always succeeded in this, but my effort and my aim has always been to try to accord respect to students for their thoughts, their ideas, and their articulation of those ideas.”

From April 6 to 8, five English students and their professor, Laurie Dashnau, will take part in the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in Memphis, Tennessee.

Established in 1987, NCUR “is dedicated to promoting undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity in all fields of study by sponsoring an annual conference for students,” according to their official website. They welcome undergraduate students “from all institutions of higher learning and from all corners of the academic curriculum.” The conference was founded at the University of North Carolina Asheville, but it is hosted by different institutions every year. This year it is taking place at the University of Memphis. Their official statement says, “We look forward to showcasing the best in undergraduate research and the creative and performing arts during the conference.”

In 2011, the NCUR was hosted by nearby Ithaca College, and several Houghton students learned about the event and attended. Last year, five Houghton students majoring in English and writing attended the conference when it was hosted by the University of North Carolina Asheville.

This year, five Houghton students, including Bethany Kuiken ‘18, Emma Carpenter ‘18, Emily Friesen ‘17, Alyssa Rogan ‘18, and Grace MacKay ‘17, will join over 4,000 students from across the country to share their work in the form of 15 to 20 minute presentations. Dashnau, who has overseen their research projects all semester, will accompany them.

“Their presentations are culminations of proposals they submitted last fall and independent studies done with me this spring,” she said.

Kuiken, who is presenting an analysis of  the work of two modern American poets, said that she wanted to participate in order to challenge herself and learn from other students around the country. “I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone and engage in this conference that I knew would stretch me in many ways,” said Kuiken. At the conference, she and the other students will have the opportunity to learn about research from several different disciplines. When asked about what she is most looking forward to, she said, “I am most looking forward to supporting my peers from Houghton who will be presenting and interacting with other students who share the same passions.”

Carpenter, another English student going on the trip to Memphis, also decided to attend to stretch herself. In response to why she wanted to attend the conference, she said, “I thought it would be a great opportunity to gain experience presenting my work in a formal academic context.” Carpenter is presenting on the elegy and eulogy poems of W.H. Auden, a twentieth-century writer, and will also share some poems she wrote herself in Auden’s style. Carpenter is most looking forward to learning and absorbing knowledge from other presenters. She added, “It will be a great opportunity to represent Houghton College, and to take what I’ve learned here and share it with other conference attendees.”

Friesen  is also going to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research. She was invited by the English department, and plans to share her paper, “Joseph Beuys and the Performance of Jacques Derrida’s Writing Difference.” The paper compares the writings of Derrida, a seminal literary critic, with Beuys, a late twentieth-century German performance artist. Friesen is most looking forward to hearing from other undergraduates, and going to Memphis for the first time.

While it is her third time attending the conference, Dashnau remains excited at the prospect of attending. She thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to see her students share their work with others at the conference, and have the opportunity to present research as students in the humanities. “They now have the privilege and joy of sharing these papers with students invested in undergraduate research,” she said. “Students who are especially interested in cultivating the life of the mind beyond the traditional classroom setting.”