Category: Stories In Focus

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Stories In Focus

Expanding the Community // New Registrar

In June, Houghton welcomed a new Registrar to the community. Kevin Kettinger, described by his colleagues as “devoted, kind, caring and committed,” as well as “professionally competent” started his new position in Registrar Office this fall. This may be his first time working with Houghton, but Kettinger is not foreign to this position.

Photo by: Nate Moore
Photo by: Nate Moore

Kettinger spent 17 years in higher education at Roberts Wesleyan College, 13 of those years working in the Registrar’s Office, and four years in Student Financial Services. In his position in the Registrar Office at Roberts Wesleyan, he had been responsible for the day-to-day operations of the office, as well as continuing to further the efficiency of it through the use of technology within the department. John Wise, Director of Institutional Research and Assessment, said regarding Kettinger’s credentials, “Kevin has a real concern for student success as well as an understanding of technology applications in the Registrar’s office. He will help to apply our data systems and processes to improved student services and satisfaction.”

Prior to his position at Roberts Wesleyan College, Kettinger worked eight years in finance at the credit union for the Ford Motor Company in Dearborn, Michigan. He received his B.A. degree in philosophy at Asbury University and a M.S. degree in organizational management at Roberts Wesleyan College.

The Houghton search committee , Jack Connell; Eric Currie; John Wise; and Dale Wright, strongly endorsed Kettinger, as well as did President Mullen, Area Associate Deans and the Directors of Student Financial Services and Admissions.

Jack Connell, Dean of the College and Vice President of Academic Affairs, believes Kettinger’s previous experience has prepared him well for his new position. “Mr. Kettinger has a deep commitment to and understanding of Christian higher education. For the past 13 years he has worked in the Registrar’s office at a Christian liberal arts college, and prior to that he graduated from one himself. He knows who we are and what we are about, and embraces all of that warmly.”

Although uprooting from Rochester was not an easy decision, Kettinger and his family are looking forward to integrating into the life of the community and have already been made to feel very welcome.

“I have enjoyed the thoughtfulness and community feel of this institution as I observe and interact with students, staff, and faculty members,” Kettinger said. “This is a special place and I am very blessed to be here.”

Kettinger and his wife have five children. Their oldest is a transfer at Houghton, in her junior year. Jack Connell speaks highly of Kettinger’s honorable character. “Mr. Kettinger is a man of rock-solid Christian faith , deeply devoted to Christ and to the church. He honors and adores his wife and five children. He is a genuinely kind and caring person. He works hard, is thoughtful in his decision-making, and seeks excellence in all things.”

As one of the newest members of the Houghton community, Kevin Kettinger is looking forward to furthering the development of the Registrar’s Office. “My goal is to work with the great staff here to continue to move the Registrar’s Office forward to best aid and serve the students through their academic journey. We do all of these things ultimately for God’s glory.”

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Reviews Stories In Focus

Review // SPOT (Mostly) On

Fall SPOT is as much a part of Houghton culture as are lanky white boys playing the acoustic guitar, so naturally this year’s show was hyped to be the perfect sendoff for Homecoming 2016. Having experienced six of these during my tenure as a student, as both performer and audience-member – overall, I’d call this one a success, though sure, there may have been a number of missteps over the near-ninety-minute running time.

puple-and-goldHosts, Sarah Duttweiler ‘17 and Travis Trotman ‘17, exuded a palpable energy onstage, doubling down on their peppy “Purple vs. Gold” theme. They did the whole “shoot a video of the hosts frantically racing to SPOT, making it to the chapel, and then entering through the aisle doors as the video ends” thing, and as overdone of a concept as that may be, I couldn’t help but smile watching the two of them shimmy up to the stage in all of their wavy-armed, leg-flailing enthusiasm. Their overall contributions to the show were minimal as far as skits were concerned, but they did handle the job with a whimsical nonchalance.

The acts were a mixed bag, as has come to be expected. It is surely no easy task to cobble an act together in the three weeks between the first day of classes and the week of auditions, much less one that is original, funny, and well-orchestrated all at the same time. While several acts managed, only two of those conditions there were certainly a handful of acts that had me gasping for air between fits of laughter.

The way that Michael Carpenter declaimed “Smack it” again and again, reading Beyoncé’s 7/11, with equal parts drama and articulation had me absolutely rolling, regardless of the fact that I’d already basically seen the act several times before (and once again that night, strangely enough). The Impractical Shen Men skit was something I’d hoped to someday see in SPOT, and it did not disappoint. I’d love to see it again a few more times, next time maybe outside of Houghton or at another college campus (Roberts, let’s go). But my favorite act of the night had to be Bad Anniversary Presents, its success resting squarely on the shoulders of Ian Smith and Luke Duttweiler. Their originality, wit, and delivery easily made it the highlight of the show. Ian Smith, if you’re reading this, I would happily watch an act of you reading ingredients off the side of a cereal box. Kudos to you, sir.

Comedic acts aside, while Laura Johnson’s voice may have been noticeably absent from this fall’s SPOT there was certainly no lack of singers to fill the void. The pipes on some of these people, my word. Their voices were beacons of hope. Their voices were islands I wanted to live on. They were lighthouses I wanted to swim to. They were silverback gorillas in the Cincinnati Zoo and I wanted to protect them. All who sang, bless you. Now… there were a lot of you and variety is the spice of life, but there was admittedly an overabundance of singing acts, and some did fall a bit flat as a result.

Some acts, unfortunately, fell inordinately flat. Watching swing dancing is like watching the Presidential debates. When everything’s going well it’s a decent watch, but more often than not we spend the whole time waiting to see if something terrible is going to happen. It’s stressful. My favorite part of the Hannah Montana skit was watching a gangly freshman dancing up in front of the stage trying to cut a jig. And then there was THAT act. Yeah. That one. All I’m saying is that it would be great to stifle too much further tongue on tongue action moving forward to Spring SPOT, Snow Patrol notwithstanding (Just kidding guys, congrats on the new relationship).

Overall, it was fine, to me, a net positive. Inoffensive hosts, some hilarious skits, some amazing performances, and another fabulous turn by the SPOT band (Never stop, SPOT Band), were enough to balance out some of the cringier moments sprinkled throughout. It was a good night as far as good nights in Houghton are concerned, and for that I’d call it a success.

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Stories In Focus

Houghton Athletics Celebrates Major Milestones

Houghton College is embarking on a new chapter of athletics starting this year as it enters a full membership in the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. According to Jason Mucher, the Empire 8 (E-8) category has proved to be a great fit for Houghton College. “It’s allowed for less travel time, keeping students around,” said Mucher, who also mentioned how the schools themselves were more like Houghton, with the E-8 mainly composed of “small to midsized, private liberal arts colleges who emphasize good academics.” The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes (NAIA) ceased to be a viable fit for Houghton geographically, and was slowly diminishing, which led Houghton to pursue membership into the more widely known NCAA Division III.

The college embarked on a five-year process to earn this new status. The process began with one exploratory year, and then four provisional years. Each year, the college received a promotion until full membership was achieved. In order to start the process, Houghton had to add multiple sports, including baseball, softball, men and women’s lacrosse, men and women’s tennis, and men and women’s golf. When they first started on the path to NCAA Division III, athletic director, Harold “Skip” Lord, met with the Commissioner and the Council President of the E-8 to look at Houghton’s facilities. At the time, the campus only had Burke Field, a practice soccer field, and a field hockey field.

“The question was, what would we do for facilities,” said Lord. Houghton needed all-weather facilities to be viable along with a baseball and softball field. Mucher and Lord both commented that they started looking into what they would like to see built. This is when the Pegula and Kerr families asked what they could do to help. They then decided to give the gift of the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex (KPAC) that includes the Kerr-Pegula Field House (KPFH), baseball field, and softball field.

As Houghton celebrates a new chapter in athletics, it also celebrates its athletic history with this year making 50 years of athletics at Houghton. Lord praised Mucher and stated, “Jason Mucher has been doing a lot of the work.” He also stated it was a team effort and that “many have vision casted what it would look like.”

Mucher talked much about how Houghton is celebrating the milestone. The department created a timeline of milestones, a logo, the mural, giveaways, events, contests, and many other different ways to encourage students to come to athletic events, while also celebrating the legacy and tradition of sports at Houghton. Events started early in September and many students have participated through Homecoming weekend, the legacy chapel, and attending sports games on the Saturday of Homecoming weekend. According to Mucher, the original sports teams at Houghton in 1967 were all men’s and included soccer, cross-country and basketball. In 1968, Houghton added baseball, track, tennis and golf. Finally, in 1969 Houghton added its first women’s sport, basketball.

Students have been enjoying the celebrations and revisiting Houghton’s athletics history. Olivia Bullock ‘20, a women’s soccer player, said, “It’s meaningful to be a part of such a long tradition of high level athletics focused on glorifying God through sports.”

Mucher and Lord agreed this celebration has been a team effort throughout the department. Mucher is proud of the well-rounded teams at Houghton, and the attitude being taken beyond the school. As Houghton continues to celebrate its athletics, the department is looking to plant major events in February and April. There will be continual celebratory events throughout this semester, the next including Throwback Thursdays on Houghton social media, athletics panels, and reminders at games.

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Stories In Focus

Sojourning to Belfast // Sojourner’s Mennonite and the Houghton Community

Photo courtesy of: Sojourner's Facebook Page

At 4 p.m. on Sunday, when many Houghton students are resting up for another week of classes, or finally turning their attention to a neglected bit of homework for Monday morning, a small, but diligent group of community members, students, and faculty gathers in Belfast for their weekly church service. This is Sojourners Mennonite Fellowship, led by Houghton College professor, Connie Finney.

“Anyone who’s been to Sojourners could tell you that the services there are… different,” said Bonnie Huegel ‘19, who began attending Sojourners last fall, after professors Benjamin and Susan Lipscomb invited her and several other London Honors students to visit the church. “When I went to my first service it felt almost more like a Bible study or small-group worship session than a ‘real’ church service,” she said. Since then, however, she said she has come to appreciate this aspect of attending Sojourners.

“I like that there’s so much focus on the community,” said Huegel. “I don’t only feel like a member of a congregation; I feel like a part of a family. Yes, it’s different; I still feel that sometimes, but I feel it in a good way.”

Raisa Dibble ‘17 said, “When I first came to Houghton, I wanted to commit to a church.” She talked to upper and underclassmen about her desire for a smaller, more informal place to worship. “Everybody kept recommending ‘This Mennonite church, this Mennonite church.’” She visited Sojourners for the first time without knowing much about it, but has attended regularly ever since.

“It’s very comfortable,” she said. “The pastor preaches in her sweatshirt sometimes. I really like that, because, even if you just rolled out of bed, it’s totally fine. They just want you there.”

The format of a service at Sojourners focuses on congregational involvement, encouraging both adults and children to help choose songs during the service, rather than having a worship leader prepare a set list beforehand. Sojourners also stresses the importance of communal prayer expressed in tangible ways, whether through stacking rocks, lighting candles, or some other symbolic, active representation of the spiritual aspects of prayer.

The service also includes a weekly teaching, though it isn’t treated as the “meat” of the service with worship or other elements as appetizers. “The message is very short,” said Huegel. “In most churches, the pastor’s sermon is the main emphasis of the service; at Sojourners, it’s easy to tell that worship and prayer are much more important, and the focus is on the church as a whole, and not only the pastor.”

According to Dibble, Finney preaches about twice a month, with congregation members volunteering to speak on most other weeks. Occasionally, said Dibble, the service will forego a sermon altogether: “We’ll split into small groups and look at a question and talk about it, or in small groups we’ll read a passage and have some reflection prompts,” regrouping afterward to discuss thoughts within the larger congregation.

Finney sees her role as pastor not so much as a top-down leadership role, but predominantly as one through which she serves and empowers the members of her congregation. “If you came to our church on a Sunday, it might not be obvious that I’m the pastor,” she said. Her goal is to serve as a welcoming presence for newcomers, and to identify and encourage giftings within church members, but not to be the star of the show. “A lot of pastors consider themselves to be the main people responsible for the life of the church,” she said. “And so they overfunction, and other people let them do all the work. At Sojourners we try really hard to keep a balance.”

Dibble said one of the things she appreciates most about Sojourners is the feeling of belonging that the small, tight-knit congregation brings. “Almost everybody there is Houghton students or professors,” she said. “So I feel like it’s taking my big church of Houghton and giving me a small portion of that.”

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Reviews Stories In Focus

Where Antelope Roam // A Book Reviewed and an Author Revered

A book review ought to start, more than likely, with the book. But my review can’t begin there. It begins with the man. The man who wrote the book, who gathered days and moments, adventures and seasons, who recalled and reminisced and turned memories to words, to pages, to chapters, to book: a collection of short stories bound in Where Antelope Roam.

Photo Courtesy of: Amazon.com
Photo Courtesy of: Amazon.com

I cannot separate the book from the man; but then, I don’t need to. This is autobiography—what makes the book worth reading is the man who lives a life worth reading. I vouch for the value of both.

I begin, however, with the author. An author I first knew as a professor.

With an energy and eagerness (either endearing or embarrassing) of my college freshman self, I sat in his Cultural Anthropology classroom. Before the end of his two hour class, I remember clearly thinking “I want to do what he does.” Now this, I’m coming to learn, has less to do with the specifics of doing—with mimicking job or education or, not to give too much away, the handling of horned vipers—but the being. And this is harder to articulate and harder to enact.

What I sensed in that classroom, and what I sense in the pages of this book, is this fullness of life. A character and a being, a posturing, that is wonderful—that is, really, full of wonder. It is this unwavering joy in life—a firm confidence in the value of here: this place, this person, this landscape and moment before me. It is this seeking and spotting of goodness that is wholly refreshing and inspiring. It is wise. In being lost, in carrying out difficult work in a sometimes difficult climate and context, in childhood and career and aging, in adventure and misadventure, there is a lightheartedness and there is always learning.

This is an incredible life and these are incredible stories about a person and a place, beloved. Africa, a continent so often stereotyped or skewed, is given life and image through Arensen’s stories: it is spectacularly beautiful and complex. much like the people that we are, like the lives we live, and the countries and continents we inhabit. This is a life and a continent that cannot be painted with a broad stroke. And it isn’t. Arensen’s stories, instead, are threaded with themes of humour, culture, spirituality, sorrow, knowledge, and wisdom.

This anthology, these stories, provides snippets and snapshots of a patchwork life, colourful, pieces unique and wonderful, each with a pattern and shade of their own.

My sophomore self, with a slightly more subtle enthusiasm, did end up doing what he did (or at least one of the things he did—it was a start). I signed up for his study-abroad program, a program he founded and directed for many years, in Tanzania. And on our first full day, he shared with his cohort of students this Anglican catechism: “What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” This is something Arensen, and his book, embodies. And it is this I hope to do—and be.

This is a book you ought to read, and a man you ought to know.

Rachel Woodworth is a Class of 2015 Houghton Alum.

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Stories In Focus

Art Exhibition Honors Houghton Alum

In 1953, a young student discovered his passion for painting in a Houghton College studio art class, one of the only ones offered before the art program was officially established. This artist, Ben Frank Moss III, went on to become a distinguished artist, a successful professor at two institutions, and eventually, the department chair at Dartmouth College after pursuing his desire to create and later teach art.

Photo by: Nate Moore
Photo by: Nate Moore

This weekend, Houghton College and the Art Department will have the honor of hosting Ben Frank Moss III for an evening reception and artist talk on October 7. This event is the first show in the new annual Ben Frank Moss III Exhibition series, and will feature paintings from over a 30-year span of Moss’s impressive career as an artist and educator. Moss has maintained a close relationship with Houghton over the years and has continually supported the college. Alicia Taylor-Austin, director of the Ortlip Gallery exhibits and professor of art, recognized Moss and his dedication to Houghton. She said, “His commitment to the field and ongoing contribution to our institution has made it possible to provide financial means for continued growth and development of the students and faculty in the Art Department.”

Ben Frank Moss III entered his sophomore year before realizing a desire to pursue art as his primary focus. He took the advice of his professor at the time, Aimee E. Ortlip, to transfer to a school that offered a full art degree. After transferring to Whitworth College and earning his Bachelor’s degree, Moss went on to earn a Masters in Fine Art (MFA), at Boston University. He began his teaching career at the University of Iowa, and later moved to Dartmouth College, where he continued to teach and serve as chair of the art department.

According to professor of art, Ted Murphy, each year the department will exhibit an artist recommended by Ben Frank Moss III. They will begin the series with Moss’ paintings this year and feature his drawings next year.

“Moss works to articulate a unique, visual vocabulary that depicts his relationship to the world around him,” said Taylor-Austin. “From abstract dreamscapes to formal interpretations based on careful observation of the landscape, he has refined a style of painting that places him among the most admired painters of his generation.”

According to the Houghton website, the gallery will open to the public and all members of the Houghton Campus community from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on October 7 for the event. Visitors are encouraged to tour the exhibit before the Artist Talk with Moss at 6:00 p.m. in the Recital Hall. The Artist Talk will include an introduction to Moss, recognitions and special honors, a summary of his artistic process and work, and also a time for questions from the audience. A reception with refreshments will be held in the Center for the Arts Atrium following the talk. More information about the reception can be found on the Art Department webpage.

 

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Stories In Focus

Investing in the Future: Student Group Practices Investing at Houghton

Investing money may seem like an activity reserved for business professionals, but over the past fifteen years, Houghton College students have participated in this pursuit. Last year, Houghton College’s Investment Group outperformed professional investors by a wide margin, according to member Joseph Gilligan ‘17. This dynamic group uses their shared perspective as students to take risks and gauge the market in unconventional ways. The skills that they hone in the process make them better candidates for jobs and internships.

Photo from STAR Archives
Photo from STAR Archives

When the Investment Group was endowed by Houghton College in 2001, a select group of business students were given $20,000 to invest. Today, these funds have been increased to $350,000. To be eligible for the Investment Group, a student must hold a 3.5 grade point average and have taken several finance courses. Only juniors and seniors are accepted, with two exceptions in the history of the club. The first is Gilligan, who joined his freshman year. The second is Tyler Stetson ’20, who joined this semester. Both Gilligan and Stetson said they began investing in middle school. The group currently has 10 members, according to member Ryan Buckley ‘17.

To invest, the group must reach consensus. Their advisor, assistant professor of business administration Pil Joon Kim, has the ability to veto stock decisions made by students if he believes it is a poor decision, but this veto power has never been used. According to Jesse Toth ’17, that consensus is a very important part of the group dynamic. He said that senior members Buckley and Gilligan have differing views: “They present two sides of the argument, and you’re weighing the options. I’ve learned so much from watching them just going at it,” he said.

Buckley said his approach is more specific to companies, or microeconomics. Gilligan, meanwhile, prefers to focus on macroeconomics, or the big picture of economic trends. “Through our different approaches on investing, I always am confident in a stock choice we both agree on,” Gilligan said.

The group members attributed some of their success to their perspective as students. “Professionals wait until the hard numbers come in, but we look at the media and the big picture to predict where the best returns will be,” Buckley said. He gave two examples of stocks the group invested in recently that proved to be wise investments: Netflix and Disney. When Netflix’s monthly price went up, many people stopped investing in the company, Buckley said. However, as students, the members of the Investment Group knew that a few more dollars a month is a small price to pay for the ability to binge-watch shows. “People aren’t going to give up their Netflix,” Gilligan said.

The investment in Disney was also a choice that professional investors would not have made, because it was based on expectations rather than numbers. “We knew that Disney was opening a new park in China and lots of people would want to go to that. We also knew that Disney owned the Star Wars franchise and a new movie was about to come out,” Buckley said. These unconventional methods have helped them beat not only the stock market return, but top hedge funds, according to Gilligan.

In the past, the Investment Group has had many opportunities open up to them due to their success, Gilligan said. “Two years ago, we were invited to Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, and Archegos Capital.  It was a great experience where we learned great trading techniques, gained a better sense of the nature of the work, and provided us with a great opportunity to network with top investment banks and hedge funds,” he said. He also said last year Hedge Fund Manager Bill Hwang visited the group. “It was a great experience to present our stock techniques to a person I have read about in books,” Gilligan said.

This semester, the Investment Group is on the cusp of discovering for themselves and implementing a brand new model. Their advisor has worked out a yet-unpublicized model of investing to predict where the price of a stock is going, and Toth said that Kim has asked the Investment Group figure it out for themselves using Excel. “Having a model that no one has used before,that’s huge. We can take advantage of that,” Toth said.

This semester, the Investment Group will have the opportunity to participate in a stock market competition at Temple University. The team will consist of Buckley, Gilligan, and Stetson.

“We will be competing against all of the best schools in the nation, but I am confident that with our investing strategy that we will win,” said Gilligan.

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Stories In Focus

Equestrian Center Invites Houghton Community to Open House

For the second year in a row, the equestrian center will be hosting an open house, allowing community members and students to see a glimpse of the elusive equestrian lifestyle. Last November, Houghton’s equestrian program hosted its first open house, opening riding demonstrations, and lesson opportunities to non-majors and the surrounding community. The equestrian center will be hosting an open house once again this year, planned by equestrian student event organizer Grace Walker ’18. The event will take place on October 1, running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Photo by: Nate Morre
Photo by: Nate Morre

The open house, like last year’s, is intended to bring both income and awareness to Houghton’s Equestrian program. Among the events and activities, the open house will be advertising lessons, which the equestrian program offers throughout the year. “We teach lessons to students, little kids, middle-aged people,” Walker said. Walker also emphasized the hope the open house will attract people who have had little previous interaction with the equestrian center. “A lot of people go through the year and have never been up there,” she said. Equestrian student Hannah Levesque ‘18 also looks forward to the event for the same reason,          While last year’s open house took place in November, this year’s has been planned for early October, when, Walker hopes, the weather will be warmer. The event will also differ in using the entire facility instead of only having indoor events, and being “more of a day fair than a night time event,” Walker said. The event will have a variety of activities including face painting, hay rides, pony rides, a bounce house, concessions, and riding demonstrations, which Walker said she “hand-picked.” She noted there will be more opportunities for riding demonstrations at this year’s event, with five hours-worth as opposed to last year’s two demonstrations that only last ten minutes each.

Walker and the equestrian students look forward to showcasing their program this year. They expressed their appreciation for the professors, who Rebecca Rex ‘18 described  as “super knowledgeable. Levesque also discussed their faith and the influence it has. “I am encouraged by God-fearing professors who push and guide me to be the best that I can be as an equestrian, and as a follower of Christ,” she said. Walker echoed this by acknowledging their  relationships with the equestrian professors are intimate, that they are “your coach, mentor, professor, everything.” Smiling, she remembered a professor inviting her over for pancakes at 3 a.m..  

The equestrian majors are eager to share their passion with other students. Levesque said, “Not many people even know that Houghton has a barn, let alone what we do, and it will be great to show everyone what I am so passionate about.”. The equestrian program, according to Levesque, has allowed her to pursue her passion and, in addition, has given her an escape when things get tough., She said, “Horses have always been a good escape for me when life gets busy and Houghton’s Equestrian program has definitely allowed me to do that in various ways.” Walker, who is working toward one day participating in the Olympics, also appreciates the day to day benefits. “It’s the most mentally challenging thing I’ve ever done, yet also physical,” she said. “When you get it right, there’s no comparable thing.” Rex expressed enthusiasm that “the equestrian students and members of the Equestrian Society get to show our love of the horse industry to our friends and family.”

The open house encourages students, faculty, and community members to come regardless of having any experience with horses. While the open house celebrates the equestrian center, much of the intention is making people more aware of the center.  “You can never have been on a horse and we’ll welcome you with open arms,” Walker said. Walker also expressed a want for understanding, “I hope they come away with more understand of what equestrian means.”

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“See You At The Pole” Houghton Community Gathers for Worldwide Event

On Wednesday, September 28 at 7:00 a.m., Houghton’s Student Government Association (SGA) will host a See You At the Pole event around the flagpole in front of the Chamberlain Center. All students, as well as faculty and staff, are invited to come out and support one another in prayer and encouragement. In order to accommodate class schedules the event will run for a brief 20-30 minutes, and drinks and breakfast refreshments will be provided.

seeyou-at-the-poleSee You At the Pole is a worldwide event with a long history. The first See You At the Pole was a grassroots gathering held in 1990 at a Texas high school, when ten students gathered around the flagpole in defiance of their school’s ban on public prayer. In following years, the movement has experienced a vast expansion from its original purpose as a religious liberty protest, and now defines itself broadly as an event “committed to global unity in Christ and prayer for your generation.” See You At the Pole events now serve as an opportunity for students and faculty on campuses across the globe to come together in prayer for their schools and nations, and draw in students from Germany, Ecuador, Indonesia, Japan, Nigeria, and dozens of other countries.

In the North American region, See You At The Pole takes place annually at 7 a.m. on September 28. This falls in the middle of the Global Week of Student Prayer, an initiative dedicated to supporting student ministries and prayer groups. Houghton College began participating in the event several years ago, and has since seen a steady growth in attendance ever since. Last year’s See You At the Pole event attracted over one hundred Houghton students, the largest turnout the college has ever seen.

Melissa Maclean ’17, one of the event’s organizers, fell in love with See You At the Pole during her first semester at Houghton and is thrilled to help continue the tradition this year. “I think one of the most memorable moments is to see students and faculty from all different backgrounds and friend groups coming together as one body of Christ, praying with one another,” she said. “Prayer is such a unifying and transformative experience that I could not imagine a better way to start the semester.”

Houghton’s opportunities for spiritual growth are numerous, but it is rare for the whole campus to be able to come together in prayer. The Student Government Association hopes that this year’s See You At the Pole will continue a long tradition of encouragement and unification.

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Music Review: The Heart Speaks in Whispers by Corinne Bailey Rae

After the untimely death of her husband and scaling back on writing music for a while, Corinne Bailey Rae has come back with the highly anticipated album The Heart Speaks in Whispers. In this newest affair, Bailey Rae has found a way to integrate the vintage style of R&B with a modernized Synthpop. While this album is much more instrumentally heavier than her last, she finds a way to still let her full-bodied, yet silky voice sound relaxing and effortless while doing so. She is not as lyrically raw in this venture, much more akin to her first album, and her vocals are much more soulful, allowing listeners to hear her more unrefined and powerful voice. We get to hear a range of her abilities, from her edgier, more bluesy efforts, her classic smooth R&B sound, and in this effort she experiments more on the very 80’s, Prince styled, pop sound that listeners experienced on her last EP Is This Love.

The Heart Speaks in Whispers is easily her most eccentric work to date. We get tastes of how unique she could be with previous songs like “The Blackest Lily” and her cover of Belly’s “Low Red Moon.” Her latest venture starts out with the biggest sound and most instrumentally diverse track that she has ever attempted with “The Skies Will Break”. It suits her well and allows Bailey Rae to venture away from her usual sound that generally tends to be more of an urbanized version of easy listening.

 

She eventually fills the album with a mixture of 80’s inspired Synthpop styled songs such as “Been to the Moon,” “Horse Print Dress,” and soulful R&B such as “Green Aphrodisiac” (the album’s biggest hit) and “Hey, I Won’t Break Your Heart.”  The lowest point is “Stop Where You Are” a surprisingly cookie cutter song similar to what Jason Mraz or Sara Bareilles have made popular. Eventually, the album mellows out to her attractive and typical strings heavy, blues tinged love songs. This album’s biggest strength and overall theme is experimenting with what Corinne Bailey Rae’s voice can do, along with a more diverse and full instrumentation than she has previously attempted.

The album, for Bailey Rae, is a step in the right direction to what she wants to be as an artist. Each of her albums has a unique air, but this one ventures into new territory for the singer and also allows her to show off her instrumental tastes, something she is shy to do in her first two albums. It’s also simply a good album for music listeners. Some may find it a tad too eccentric or not quite their style, but no one would really go away feeling like they had listened to a bad album. The album itself is beautiful. It’s rich and quirky, while still maintaining the quirky chic vibe that is Corinne Bailey Rae. It should satisfy fans of hers and draw a few more in.