Category: Stories In Focus

Science Honors Tackles Climate Change

Post author By Thomas Eckert
Post date March 22, 2014

In Paine 212, there are 11 students working to analyze and learn more about climate change. They are the selected members of Houghton College Science Honors.

This year’s Science Honors Program is centered around learning about climate change while collecting data to add to the compendium of research on the topic. At the same time, students also study the humanities through the lens of science.

The course incorporates two foci of research, the primary being to design and build a radiosonde. A radiosonde is a box of sensors that records atmospheric data and sends it by radio to students on the ground. It will be attached to a weather balloon and sent into the upper atmosphere when the students launch this May.

The secondary focus is researching the effect of climatic variation on fish. Using chillers, the students will alter the temperature of their aquaria to simulate forecasted climate change. They will then measure cortisol levels in the fish compared to the water temperature. This will attempt to measure the survivability of fish in the altered climatic state of the future.

Students will also record the rate of melting of the ice at local lakes over the next few weeks. “This is the beginning of a long data set that we will be trying to collect. A lot of people are doing this all over the world,” explained biology professor Dr. Wolfe, “We’ll also be taking representative shrubs and trees on campus and we’ll be measuring when they start to leaf out and flower.”

To tackle the task of building a radiosonde, the students have split into three groups. These being so named Sparkles, Maple Leaf, and The Flying Monkeys. Each has its own hypothesis it is looking to test. Team Sparkles is working to find out how the amount of UV radiation absorbed by the ozone layer affects temperature in the stratosphere. Team Maple Leaf is collecting data on how the concentration of carbon dioxide changes as altitude increases. The Flying Monkeys is researching the levels of infrared light that is absorbed by the atmosphere at each altitude.

Each group will build their own system to attach to a weather balloon. They will be programmed to record data relevant to what the students are testing and send it to them while in flight.

When they are not investigating the science of climate change, the students of Science Honors have been able to take trips relevant to their studies. Last semester, they took a trip to Canandaigua Lake to study glacial recession, took a boat cruise, and ate grape pies on the way back home. They went ice fishing on Cuba Lake earlier this semester. Right before spring break, they visited the oldest fish hatchery in the western hemisphere in Caledonia, NY.

These trips are designed to grow the students’ understanding of science and the world around them, but they also serve to unite them in a bond of camaraderie. “I will never forget the day in Science Honors on our way home from Canandaigua Lake when Dr. Wolfe bought us grape pies. We sat in the grass surrounding a Dollar General parking lot and chatted together as we ate our dessert. The adventures that we encounter on field trips: priceless!” said honors student Olivia Morse.

Another student, Ruthanna Wantz, said, “One of the most unexpected fun things about being in Science Honors has been hanging out with prospectives when they come for the interview weekends. And hearing the stories of the upperclassmen who were in Science Honors before.”

Though challenging, the students enjoy accomplishing tasks that get them closer to their goals. Said student Jordan Scott, “Science Honors has been a very enjoyable experience thus far. I have made 10 great new friends and developed relationships with three professors from different science disciplines that I never imagined I would have had when coming to college. This program has helped me further my thinking in all aspects of science and created a unique culture for learning through experience with assistance from professors and peers.”

The students have been very successful in working in a new and more flexible scientific environment. Guided by professors rather than fed knowledge, they are beginning to emulate the methods they will use when working as scientists in the future. Dr. Brandon Hoffman applauds their efforts, “It has been great to see the students getting excited about their projects. Some have charged far ahead, downloading manuals and developing systems they believe will be helpful to their project.”

The students have been recording their scientific adventures and discoveries in a blog at balloon2014.blogspot.com. They encourage all who have an interest in science to follow them as they prepare to launch their balloons during Mayterm this year.

Tags biology, cuba lake, dollar general, flying monkeys, science honors, uv radiation, weather balloons

Stories In Focus

Faces Behind the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex

Post author By Savannah Doviak
Post date March 22, 2014

If you have walked by the Kerr-Pegula Complex construction site in the past few days, you will have noticed a great deal of work has been done on the project in the past few months. Each day progress continues to be made from the finishing touches being put on the softball field, to the more major construction underway on the field house.

Less visible are the faces behind the project that include the contractors, architects, and construction workers from companies outside of Houghton who are working long hours in tandem to reach their goal: a completed and open-for-business athletic complex.

Harold Lord, executive director of athletics, explained that bi-weekly OACM (Owner, Architect, Construction Manager) meetings are held to keep everyone up to date on the project. Lord, who has been heavily involved in the complex during all of its stages, discussed the major progress in construction, ensuring a finished complex by this coming summer.

In addition to Lord’s involvement, Keystone Associates architect Kenneth Gay has served in the role of senior architect for the construction of the complex. In charge of the architecture, engineering, and surveying, his company has been there since the beginning stages which included meetings with the owner, selecting locations, and drawing up designs, and they will see the project through until the end.

For Gay, the Houghton community is no stranger, having his wife and daughters as both alumni and current Houghton students. During a phone interview Gay explained, “We’ve been coming to Houghton from 1983 to now, so for me to have a project at Houghton is neat; it’s a unique community.”

“In the end, Houghton is going to be proud, the donors are going to be proud, and I know that our office is going to be proud,” expressed Gay. “It’s a great project with so many elements that fit with our company.”

Mike Norton, owners’ representative from Pike Company, has also put in a lot of work on the complex. “I represent Houghton College in the project,” Norton explained. When describing his job, he explained he works as the representative of the complex. This means overseeing the site and making sure everything is being done as it is supposed to be. Apart from these responsibilities, he participates in numerous meetings discussing the complex, as well as supervising the pay schedules.

Growing up in Hornell, Norton is familiar with the area; as is Pike Company, a fifth generation, family business, located in Rochester, NY. When discussing the project with Norton he simply replied, “Every project is kind of exciting in its own little way because what it means to its owner.” “What I like about this business is when its done you can step back and say I was a part of that and it stays for many years,” said Norton.

Apart from the planning and supervising, LeChase Construction Company is responsible for the actual building of the complex. They are the general contractors, having numerous employees working long hours in often not-so-friendly weather conditions. Recently, LeChase workers have been busy putting up the steel, roofing and siding, and even beginning stages on the second floor. LeChase is also involved in the hiring of subcontractors for other work including things like electric and plumbing.

Other Houghton staff involved in the project includes Phyllis Gaerte and Jason Mucher, who aid in design; Robert Pool, vice president of student life; and Dale Wright, chief business officer.

“The Houghton team has been very focused on making sure that this building responded to a bunch of different needs and uses; not just athletics but campus wide and community wide,” said Gay. The field house will be a future home not only to athletic events, but also youth events, concerts, graduation, and many other things.

Tags allegany, complex, empire 8, faces, kenneth gay, kerr-pegula, keystone associates, mike norton, new york, pike company, ralph, rochester, western new york

Stories In Focus

High Hopes for Bruce Springsteen’s New Album

Post author By Jim Vitale
Post date March 22, 2014
5 Comments on High Hopes for Bruce Springsteen’s New Album

We cannot say that Bruce Springsteen is at it again because, honestly, the man never stopped. On January 14th, 2014, the Boss released his 18th studio album. It was his 11th #1 album in the U.S., putting him in third place for most hit albums ever. Previously, Springsteen had success with albums such as Born to Run (1975), The River (1980), Born in the U.S.A. (1984), and The Rising (2002) to name a few. Springsteen is famous for his immensely poetic song lyrics, for representing the “working man,” and for performing concerts upwards of four hours without once stopping to take a break.

But for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, it is not just about making hit albums and staying afloat. With so many old rock bands attempting to revive themselves these days, it is easy to write him off as just another nostalgic, fuddy-duddy who should put his guitar away and enjoy his wealth and fame. No, for Springsteen, new music is about spreading his gospel. In an interview with Jon Stewart in Rolling Stone, Springsteen said, “It’s never going to be wrapped up. You’re never going to hear anything called an E Street Band farewell tour – that’s never going to exist. It just goes until it stops, and then it keeps going.” For Springsteen, it is about the music, the message of hope it represents, and the joy it delivers.

High Hopes does not shy away from its heritage. If you listen to it alongside Born to Run (1975), you will notice some major differences. First of all, the folk sound that Springsteen adopted during The Seeger Sessions (2006), has continued to influence his work in subsequent albums. Wrecking Ball (2012) is probably the best example of this. Another major difference is that the E Street Band has sadly had to replace the legendary sax-player Clarence Clemons who passed away just before Wrecking Ball was released. Although the loss of Clemons is noticeable, Springsteen chose his replacement well: Clarence’s nephew, Jake Clemons. In addition, the E Street Band has added the legendary skills of Tom Morello, guitarist from Rage Against the Machine, to its inventory.

The album High Hopes is a conglomeration of songs that Springsteen has been writing since the turn of the century. Most of the songs are ones that did not make the cut on previous albums, and a few are songs that have been revamped for this album specifically. “The Ghost of Tom Joad” and “American Skin (41 Shots)” are songs that have been revamped, taking their original acoustic sound and transforming them into proper hard rock ‘n’ roll. “Tom Joad” specifically features solos from Tom Morello, and vocals from producer and songwriter, Phil Spector.

Other songs that previously did not make the cut are the rock ballad, “Frankie Fell in Love,” the jumpy “Just Like Fire Would,” and the stark, grimy, ode to the mafia, “Harry’s Place.” “The Wall,” which features organ music from another deceased band member, Danny Federici, depicts the grief of one standing at the Vietnam War Memorial. “This is Your Sword,” and “Heaven’s Wall” take on the feel of gospel tunes and reflect the message of hope found there, while “Down in the Hole” and “Hunter of Invisible Game,” are heavy laden with sorrow and nostalgia.

Most notably, High Hopes starts and ends with two cover songs, something never before heard on a Springsteen studio album. The Havelinas’ full-blast “High Hopes,” and Suicide’s restrained “Dream Baby Dream” reflect the E Street Band’s ethos: hope in the face of adversity, faith in the face of doubt, and acceptance for all who struggle through this life.

High Hopes is by no means Springsteen’s best work, and with his band on tour so often, it is not hard to see why. Bruce and the E Street band have come to focus more on their performances and less on their recordings. Ultimately, nothing will ever live up to Born to Run, or Born in the U.S.A., but what the Boss has created here with High Hopes is something special. It is a reminder of hope in hard times, and it is, for all intents and purposes, just some really great music. For a man his age and a career that long, it is a marvel that he can continue to produce such high quality music. And for that I say, keep the albums coming, and keep the shows long!

Tags “Frankie Fell in Love, ”, # 1 hit, album review, born in the usa, born to run, bruce springsteen, Down in the Hole, e street band, Heaven’s Wall, Just Like Fire Would, This is Your Sword

Stories In Focus

Torraca-in’ Her Way to Tenure

Post author By Thomas Eckert
Post date March 15, 2014

Dr. Karen Torraca has pulled more all-nighters as a professor than she ever did as a student. This semester, they paid off. She was recently awarded tenure after six-and-a-half years at Houghton.

Tenure is recognition of a professor as an integral part their institution. Dr. Torraca’s tenure solidifies her relationship with Houghton College. She has come a long way to earn it.

Long before her professorship, Torraca came to Houghton as a student trying to get out of Delaware. “I’m the youngest of four kids; I’m the only girl,” she stated flatly. By the time she had finished high school, she was ready to leave home and go somewhere new.

For Torraca, Houghton was a perfect undergrad choice. It was the furthest her father would allow her to get away from home. Her uncle was a professor of physics at the college. It had a reputable science and math program. Also, it was small enough that she could still play the sports that she held so dearly.

Coming to Houghton in 1989, she pursued an interest in both math and science while playing on the field hockey team. The outlet of sports allowed her to get away from her studies and keep her mind fresh. In her first year at the college, she wasn’t sure what discipline she should follow. By her sophomore year, her love of organic chemistry made the answer clear. She made a pact with herself. If she could make it through the year and enjoy chemistry, she would stick with it.

Having survived the semester still keen on the subject, she made her decision. She declared as a chemistry major with the help of her advisor, Dr. Christensen.

In her junior year, she began dating her future husband. He was an english major – a year younger than her.

Between her junior and senior years, she took an internship at Dow Chemical. She loved the experience of working in an industrial environment. She was ready to go to grad school and get out into the field as soon as she could. Yet, the journey would not prove to be so simple.

As her Senior year ended, she was set for a slot at the University of Florida. Pressure from those above her made her feel that she had to attend grad school right away. She was hesitant. Struck by illness and worry about her ability to handle a long-distance relationship, her gut told her not to go.

In the midst of this struggle, a friend of her now husband reached out to her. “They said to me ‘You know, if you don’t go to grad school, if you take a year off, and you end up not going to grad school. Maybe you weren’t supposed to go.’,” she recounted, “All of a sudden, a lightbulb went off.” She concluded that she would defer a year before attending graduate school. Now the challenge came in the execution of such a plan.

She nervously called the University of Florida and spoke to an admissions counselor. Having not known what to expect, she was surprised at how accommodating the school was with her deference. Adding to that, the school’s waiting list for married housing happened to be about a year long, making it a perfect fit for the couple.

The deftness with which these plans fell together seemed unthinkable at the time. However, when she looks back, Torraca said it all makes sense to her, “In hindsight, when I was hitting my head against the wall, I needed to realize that maybe that’s not where God’s leading right away.”

Torraca spent the year living with her husband only a few houses down from the home they live in today. They had married in July of 1993 after deciding to do so only three months earlier. While her husband finished undergrad, she worked as a custodian and tutored for organic chemistry in the evenings.

In Autumn of 1994, she began attending the University of Florida. While being at a large school was a change from her roots at Houghton, she found that the work ethic she developed here provided a seamless transition. After five years studying organometallic chemistry – how metals interact with organic compounds – she had earned her PhD. Finally, she could get out of academia and into the real world.

“God had other things in store,” she said, nodding wistfully. Her advisor recommended that she do postdoctoral research. As much as she did not want to, a poor economy and dearth of industrial jobs led Torraca to accept her advice.

She went on to do research at MIT in the laboratory of Steve Buchwald. Two years later, she had finished her research and was ready to begin interviewing for jobs. After many interviews with companies who wanted her, she decided on Eli Lilly and Company.

The plant she would be working at was in Lafayette, Indiana. She and her husband moved there having never lived off of the East Coast. The experience was new, but rewarding. She remembers,””I felt guilty for earning money doing what I did because I just loved it so much.”

After several years of working her dream job, she got a call from Dr. Irmgard Howard, Professor of Chemistry at her alma mater. She was offered a job at Houghton and promptly answered, “No”. However, in the weeks following, she and her husband talked the offer over. They prayed about it together and began to reconsider. She thought it might be better for their family to be in the environment that Houghton offered, even if that meant taking a pay cut to do so.

Torraca always felt that one day she would teach. It was the profession of both her parents and a passion of her’s to mentor. She came to Houghton in 2007. It was a rough first year. She had no experience teaching before Houghton. She was suddenly thrown into a unknown territory: selecting textbooks, writing notes, and creating exams. At the same time, she had to develop a series of labs to parallel the coursework. Thankfully, her advisor from her undergraduate years, Dr. Christensen, was still in the community. She tapped him and her graduate advisor to help her develop notes for organic chemistry. She expresses great respect for those students who labored with her through the first year. Now, almost seven years later, she has fully reined in professorship. She understands how to cultivate learning in her classes, as well as in the lives of her students.

She is often lauded for both her work in academics and her joyful spirit. “Dr. Torraca is incredibly knowledgeable in her field of study. Her organic chemistry classes are very fast-paced and packed with a lot of information.” Sophomore David Tse stated, continuing,”Students in the past have said that the MCAT chemistry sections are a breeze after taking Organic Chemistry from her. She is usually in her office and is always willing to provide explanations for homework or life advice.” Junior Jina Libby added, “One time, I was studying for finals in the science building, and she and her kids came in with a tray of homemade crème puffs to give away to the students.”

She will oftentimes have students plop themselves down in her office and begin a conversation with, “This has nothing to do with school.” Dr. Torraca sees these four years as a formative time for her students. They are trying to define the world through a new perspective. In some cases, she can see organic chemistry acting as the first barrier that students hit, forcing them to stop and reconsider the path that they are taking. She enjoys mentoring them through these times and hopes that she can help them discover something about themselves.

Having thought back on her past few years and where she has ended up, Torraca reflected,”I’m amazed at the places that God has led and allowed us to be.” She looks forward to a future at Houghton: teaching and learning from her students, having them over for dinner at the end of each year, and going into each new year watching the light bulb moments that flash in their eyes when something clicks. This is why she teaches.

Tags all nighters, chemistry, dow chemical, eli lilly and company, mcat, mit, poor economy, proffessorship, steve buchwald, university of florida

Stories In Focus

High Stakes on High-Seas: Captain Phillips Review

Post author By Sally Murphy
Post date March 15, 2014

Out of all the films nominated for best picture this year I will admit I was least excited about Captain Phillips. Though based on a true story, I could not imagine it anything more than another “go America!” “Win!” “Kill” shoot-’em-up fest on the high seas.

I could not have been more wrong.

Besides winning me over and finding a place in my top three for this years’ Oscars, the film earned respect from the Academy and claimed fame for its storytelling, acting, and filming.

The movie follows the true story of the US-flagged cargo ship MV Maersk Alabama which, in 2009, was hijacked by Somali pirates. Captain Richard Phillips, played by Tom Hanks, finds himself facing an almost impossible situation as he tries to keep the peace, stay alive, and employ as much diplomacy as possible.

The plot is uncomplicated. The ship is at sea, the pirates are spotted, and they soon invade the vessel. Since the ship is a cargo ship they have little weaponry, thus soon the Somali pirates take control and hold the ship hostage.

What makes the film not only good but great, however, is the nuanced storytelling. Director Paul Greengrass chose to have the movie filmed fairly raw, and the footage runs along with the hurried crewmen and shakes when disaster strikes. The colors are dulled and tinted with cool tones that makes it seem metallic and lonely. There are often close-ups of faces and objects, drawing the viewer onto the ship which will soon turn prison. The viewer knows that what is on this ship is all that there is, no greater world surrounds them. The viewer then understands that every emotion from fear to hope is encapsulated in this small space. By the time the hostage situation is underway the feeling of claustrophobia is so strong that the viewer cannot help but hang on tight to each moment. As a result, the second half of the film is both thrilling and terrifying.

Much of the success of the pure terror one eventually feels can be attributed to the stellar acting of the cast. From each Somali pirate to each American crewman, the acting is spot-on and extremely interesting. Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips) plays his character with a stark authenticity that encompasses all of the insecurities that even such a strong leader would feel. The viewer sees a smart, seasoned, and well-prepared captain, yet it is clear that what he feels is genuine fear. He is not a superhero; humanity has failings and there is no telling whether this will end well. Tom Hanks brilliantly balances the line between unwavering control and lingering fear, all with a Boston accent. In a year full of amazing performances, Hanks’ is surely the almost overlooked 6th candidate for best actor.

The only person who could match Tom Hanks (and even surpass him in this case) was found in the most unlikely of places. Plucked from his job as a chauffeur, Barkhad Abdirahman plays Muse, the acting leader of the Somali pirates. Abdirahman’s stunning first and only acting performance carries all of the desperation and confusion of a man caught in his situation. Muse (Abdirahman) creates the crux of the film’s strongest aspect–the leveling of humanity. We see a man bent to depravity, trapped in a world where he must choose between absolute poverty or rise to the promise of wealth and satisfaction. He is not merely an enemy or a villain, rather he is a fellow human, striving for the same things we all desire. The most powerful testimony to this is when he is told he will see the elders of his village and the viewer sees a softness wash over him, but just for a moment. After all, those elders hold his respect, his admiration and his love. And we are reminded constantly that he and his fellow pirate embodies all of those things.

This film is not so much about war as it is about humanity- the evils, the hopes, the good, and the bad found in so many parts of it. It is scary, tense, heartbreaking and beautifully filmed. And the story it tells is an important reality.

Tags 2009, alabama, america, barkhad abdirahman, best actor, cape, captain phillips, muse, mv maersk, oscars, paul greengrass, pirates, richard phillips, somali pirates, tom hanks

Stories In Focus

Little Surprise: Downton Abbey Season Four Disappoints

Post author By Sarah Hutchinson
Post date March 1, 2014
2 Comments on Little Surprise: Downton Abbey Season Four Disappoints

PBS’ Downton Abbey was only ever an elegant soap opera dressed in period costume, but, following the recent closure of the fourth season, it appears as if the show has finally abandoned its pretensions and fully embraced itself within the genre.

It comes as a little bit of a disappointment. The first season, set between 1912 and 1914, appeared to be aspiring to something greater. Viewers were introduced a set of intriguing characters (upstairs and downstairs) and plot themes centered around class division, the general uneasiness surrounding the time period just preceding WWI, and cultural changes taking place at the turn of the century. The efforts of the first season were well-rewarded with a strong viewership and countless awards for both its writing and acting. Viewers hoped that the following seasons would be a little like the AMC show Mad Men in maintaining its historical accuracy along with strong storylines and character arcs.

But whatever its initial aspirations, subsequent seasons of Downton just could not reach the high bar set by the first season, with unbelievable plotlines and characters becoming more and more commonplace. Regardless, fans still clung to the show. Whatever the series’ shortcomings, the world of Downton is irresistibly charming. (Maybe it’s the clothes.)

The just-ended fourth season, though, takes the cake for implausible plot threads and shallow characterization.

To be fair, this season was going to be rocky from the beginning. For the past three seasons, the backbone of the story has been centered on the relationship between Lady Mary Crawley (daughter of the Earl of Grantham who is current owner of Downton) and Matthew Crawley, her very distant cousin and heir to Downton. However, at the very end of season three Matthew was killed in a car accident (an actor’s contract is as good as a Grim Reaper), leaving Mary, not to mention the show, in a bit of a lurch.

Writer and creator Julian Fellowes attempted to make up for Matthew’s noticeable absence by introducing three drab and hardly distinguishable suitors, with little success. (Even Mary herself seemed bored with them.) Outside of this tedious storyline, there were multiple instances during the season where Fellowes appeared to be taking plots from a basic soap opera’s playbook: an unexpected pregnancy, a mysterious disappearance, a juvenile love triangle downstairs, and a case involving blackmail.

Suffice it to say, the only storyline that seemed to matter this season was the fallout resulting from the rape of Mary’s maid Anna by a visiting valet. Regular viewers of the show were shocked at the initial event, which was no doubt Fellowes’ intent as Anna has remained a fan favorite since season one. (Equally appalling was Tom Branson’s rape that occurred in the same episode, but this [regretfully] did not receive due attention from Downton’s viewership.)

However, the handling of this storyline was mismanaged from the get-go. Rather than taking the opportunity to explore Anna’s perspective and personal development following what happened to her character, the plot instead centered on the potential actions of her husband who, we are lead to believe, would be so infuriated over what happened to his wife that he would inevitably murder the rapist (and thence be sent to prison, etc.) So Anna spends most of the season silent about what happened to her, while viewers are meant to be more concerned about her husband and whether he will attempt to seek his own closure.

Besides implausible storylines, even some of the strongest characters of Downton were horribly reduced. For instance, Thomas, the evil butler, had been outed last season (increasing viewer’s sympathies for this otherwise dastardly character) but this storyline was completely dropped, maybe even forgotten. Meanwhile, Tom Branson – the former fiery Irish rebel – was forced to re-tread old “adjustment to aristocracy” plotlines.

And then other characters were treated merely as backdrops. Cora, for instance, did nothing of significance this season except, as quipped by the Washington Post, tilt her head and give “a legal-in-Colorado smile” during any conversation. Even the Dowager Countess (played by the excellent Maggie Smith) was reduced to one-liners at the dinner table and not played to her full force. (Given Smith’s acting chops, this was a real pity.)

Still, there were glimpses of the old Downton in season four that sparkled through the (very) muddy plot. Part of what made Downton so rewarding in earlier seasons was its constant celebrations of loyalty, love, forgiveness, and hard work. Those themes still persisted in season four. One of the most poignant scenes of the season took place in the nursery where Lady Mary, Isobel Crawley, and Tom Branson (all grieving for the loss of a spouse or a son) reflected on their losses and experiences of love, commenting, “Aren’t we the lucky ones?” Additionally, the developing mother-daughter relationship between Mrs. Patmore and Daisy was also well done.

Overall, yes, season four was unremarkable. Yes, it appears that the series is near the end of its run. And yes, it is disappointing that, given the brilliance of its first season, Downton could have been great. But, given that it has clearly asserted itself as one, there’s no reason not to sit back in your armchair and enjoy the show exactly for what it is: a good ol’ fashioned soap opera with beautiful clothes.

Tags amc, black mail, downton abbey, mad men, rape, season 4

Stories In Focus

Cinephiles Rejoice, The Oscars are Here

Post author By Sally Murphy
Post date March 1, 2014
1 Comment on Cinephiles Rejoice, The Oscars are Here

There is a magical day near the beginning of February when all of America comes together to sit in front of the TV and eat chicken wings and bean dip until their guts burst. It is a day for greasy fingers, team sweatshirts, and high adrenaline. Most families gear up for this; they throw parties, check stats, and dedicate a Pinterest board to cakes shaped like footballs. But for some reason this was never a “thing” in my family. While the rest of the country hummed to the tune of (hopefully) witty commercials we largely took this as a day to run numbers, read reviews, watch the main completion, and prepare for our main event: The Academy Awards.

Ah, the Academy Awards. The event that fuels the two dreary months after Christmas. It is just an awards show, of course. It is flawed and any real critic will roll their eyes at you if your only citation as to why a film is great is “it won an Oscar.” But behind all the bureaucracy, the politics, and the movie money machine, the Oscars remain the only place where real Hollywood glamour still exists.

The Academy Awards made their debut in 1929 at a closed, invitation-only event costing those present $5 a head. Their intention was simple: to recognize and award those in the film industry who were exceptional at their craft. It began with directors, writers, producers, and the cast and as its popularity grew so did the award list. By the time it was aired on television in 1953 the Academy Awards had achieved the pinnacle status for any person in the American film industry to achieve. To win an Academy Award was beyond words. As Audrey Hepburn stated in her win for Roman Holiday that first televised year, “I am just so… terribly happy.”

Now, at the 86th Academy Awards, despite cynicism and an over-abundance of hipster film buffs, the Oscars are still the crowning night for American film. There will be no half naked Miley Cyrus, there will be no Madonna in white spandex (there will be a fabulous Ellen DeGeneres with all her wit and blue eyes rockin’ the MC however). No, instead there will tuxes and gowns as far as the eye can see. And America will get to wallow in some beautiful people that are honestly really just damn good at what they do.

This year the star of Hollywood is undeniably Cate Blanchet and heavens is it her time for a leading lady Oscar. The Australian actress was robbed in 1998 by Gwyneth Paltrow, and although she has one truly earned Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for playing the legend Katherine Hepburn in The Aviator, she should rightly have a few more alongside it (she played BOB DYLAN in I’m Not There for pete’s sake!). Her (fingers crossed!) award this year would be for her lead in Woody Allen’s somewhat mediocre film Blue Jasmine for her stunning performance of a woman on the edge of a post-marital mental breakdown.

The 86th Academy Awards, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, will air on Sunday March 2nd, live on ABC.

Tags 1929, artists, aviator, buffs, cate blanchet, directors, kathryn hepburn, oscars, statue, sunday march 2, vfx, when are the oscars

Stories In Focus

Julian Cook: Houghton Legend Returns

Post author By Megan Specksgoor
Post date March 1, 2014
1 Comment on 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.”

As 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.”

Tags boston university, divinity, heritage club, howard therman center, julian cook, MLK, reverend martin luther king

Stories In Focus

Sabbatical Stories: Professor Murphy, Art

Post author By Rachel Wright
Post date February 22, 2014

Q: Why did you choose to take a sabbatical this year?

A: Sabbaticals are very competitive. Not everyone who applies is awarded one. Houghton, like most colleges awards up to four sabbaticals per year. A faculty member is eligible for one after 7 years of teaching (hence the name- reflecting the 7th day of rest) this is my 3rd sabbatical in my 28+ years teaching at Houghton. No matter what year I took a sabbatical some group of students would feel a bit abandoned. I applied for a reduced load sabbatical, which is a bit different from the typical half year or year long versions most faculty elect to take. A half-year is one semester off with full pay. A full year is half pay. I extended a sabbatical over the entire year by teaching 1/2 year throughout the enter year. This gives me only a few contact hours per week on campus and the rest of the time working at my home. I did not want to leave my senior painting and drawing majors completely. This way I still have some limited contact with them in their final senior capstone studio work. I only teach. No committee work or academic advising. It has worked out very well for me. I hope my students feel the same.

Q: What are some of the projects you have worked on?

A: I stated in my application that I wanted to concentrate on three areas of my professional work.

Studio work
Reading in my field and in literature
Reading and research in Film

I feel the best so far about the studio work. I work about 30- 50 hours each week on my paintings (they are really not strictly paintings…mixed media pieces). I average about 2 per week. The drawing phase for each piece takes about 12-18 hours. The painting and mixed media another 10. They are all 7X10 inch works. So far I have completed about 45. By September I hope to have between 75-100 from which I will exhibit about 20-25. These are far more labor intense than work I have done is many years. For the past 7-8 years my watercolor paintings could (and should ) be done in about an hour. At the end of each year I had typically about 200 paintings. From which I would exhibit about 10%.

My reading has gone about as I anticipated. I have concentrated on several postmodernist writers.

David Markson, David Foster Wallace, William Gaddis, George Saunders, and Borges.

I have also immersed myself in poetry- particularly 20th century Polish poetry by Wislawa Szymborska, Zbigniew Herbert, Bronislaw Maj, and Czeslaw Milosz as well as the Portuguese writer Fernando Pessoa. There are many others- Louise Gluck, Mary Oliver, Tomas Trasnstromer , John Berryman and James and Franze Wright.

I have continued my interest in Shakespeare over this sabbatical with a couple of works of criticism Shakespeare After All and Shakespeare and Modern Culture by Margorie Garber, and Tony Tanner’s Prefaces to Shakespeare. This and the plays themselves which I can listen as I paint.

Film has been mostly work in a few directors I have become more interested in Yasujiro Ozu, Andrei Tarkovsky, and Robert Bresson. I have also been reading in art. Works on Magritte, Balthus, Deibenkorn, Gorky, and Amy Sillman.

Q: How has it affected your work as an artist?

A: I needed time to to immerse myself in a new body of work. Creative work is unlike scholarly work in that no clear ideas can be set out as a plan. The work grows out of the working process. This time to just work and see where it leads has been very productive. I also had opportunity to see several important exhibitions is New York. The Magritte show at the MOMA and the Balthus exhibition at the MET. As well as The Art Institute of Chicago.

My sabbatical really began with my participation in the CIC (Center of Independent Colleges) Seminar at the High Museum in Atlanta where I was one of 20 faculty selected nationally meet and discuss 17th century Dutch art and patronage. This was centered on the Royal Picture Gallery of the Mauritshuis from The Hague, Netherlands, on exhibit is Atlanta.

(home of the Girl With A Pearl Earring, Vermeer) and 38 other works. (the Show started in San Francisco at the Young Museum, High Museum of Atlanta and concluded at the Frick Museum in New York City) This seminar was fully funded by the Kress Foundation and was a magnificent experience. This has also impacted greatly my work.

Q: Have you read/learned anything interesting during this time?

A: NO…just kidding…I have already covered this above.

Q: Do you think it has given you the time and rest you need?

A: I feel a relief from the teaching responsibility. But more so from the committee and departmental day in and day out complications. This is all part of the job for a faculty member. Last year I was very busy with Rank and Tenure committee, Honors student work and interviews and preps, departmental hires and decisions and advising. This year my colleagues have relieved me of this and it has been very helpful. That is what we do for each other.

I am grateful to the school for this time and look forward next year to exhibiting my new work and giving a lecture on this material. Currently I have an exhibition of 10 paintings At Milligan College is Johnson City Tennessee. Some of these works will be included in my show post sabbatical.

Tags art, center of independent colleges, film louise gluck, john berryman, major, mary oliver, milligan college, sabbatical, shakespeare, tomas trasntromer, tony tanner

Stories In Focus