Category: Stories In Focus

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Stories In Focus

Houghton’s Best Kept Secret: Reference Librarians

Although the Willard J. Houghton Library may be a familiar place for most students, often the reference desk goes unnoticed even though it is adjacent to the computers by the entrance.

While the reference desk is barren, this absence of clutter is in direct contrast to the immense knowledge which each librarian can access. In addition to being reference librarians, David Stevick oversees the library, Glen Avery works with Houghton’s instructional technology such as Moodle, Brad Wilber heads up reference as a whole, and Betty Bunt specializes in cataloguing. Yes, they are quite busy, but each puts student needs first when at the reference desk.

When you attempt to do research on the Internet, “the whole realm of knowledge may confront you,” Stevick said. Therefore, it is necessary to “separate the chaff” of information, finding the best resources one can. Avery said when he is searching for information a student needs, “I become Sherlock Holmes and try to find resources the student can use for that paper.” Indeed, Wilber said one quality he would like to instill in students is persistence in finding resources. “Seek quality,” Avery said, “no matter what you do and in the resources you seek. Never give that up. Never say, ‘This is good enough.’”

Reference Librarian

In order to aid students in finding materials, Wilber said reference librarians accept requests in person, by email, and even by text message. “If there are new ways of reference,” Wilber said, the library “jumps on board.” He also mentioned that librarians will follow up by email with students who initially come into the library for help, establishing a relationship where Wilber said “we get to see the same student through the process” to see how he or she is doing with the project or paper. In addition to searching for information, the reference librarians provide students with skills such as narrowing the focus of one’s paper. Avery said he helps his clients hone in on their topic. Whereas one might say one would like to work on the topic of war, Avery said his job is “to find materials a student is passionate about,” bringing the topic down to a more manageable one on the Japanese internment during World War II, to name one possibility.

In selecting an area to study, Avery said one might find a “void, what’s not been written”; while one may need to modify one’s topic, Avery said he hopes to encourage students to fill that void. However, not all voids can be filled. Wilber mentioned that, at a previous reference position, he received several requests he couldn’t fulfill, much to the disappointment of someone looking for a photograph of Julius Caesar and another trying to locate a sound-recording of dinosaurs.

As part of being a reference librarian, Stevick said one must have an M.A. in Library Science. In his own case, Stevick noted that he was a Humanities major when he attended Houghton in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. This has especially prepared him for his work since he received a broad introduction into many subjects; therefore, “things ring a bell quickly,” he said, allowing him to direct students to appropriate topics and databases. Gesturing to a number of photos taken around the world including Machu Picchu and notable European landmarks, Avery said “travelling extensively and experiencing life in its various aspects” has made him a better librarian.

There are so many “subjects, questions and people to meet,” Wilber said, talking about how he enjoys being “exposed to all of the disciplines the college is teaching.” And yet, the reference librarians love working with students just as much: Avery said that “when a student comes a sits down beside me, that makes my day.” Students do not recognize “how eager we are to be of service,” Wilber said. Many times students will wander over to the desk and say “’I’m sorry to bother you,’” Wilber said. “No! That’s what we want to do and like to do.”

 

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Stories In Focus

Film Review: “The Book Thief”

The recent release of the enthusiastically anticipated film, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, completely overshadowed what I thought more worthy of enthusiastic anticipation: the Thanksgiving night debut of The Book Thief. When asked about my plans for break, after expressing my excitement towards seeing my family, my bed, and The Book Thief, I often faced the question, “The what?” Nevertheless, Black Friday found me not in line to buy that seventy-five-percent-off sweater, but rather waiting to purchase that full price movie ticket.

And the film proved well worth the anticipation along with the sacrifice of the sweater, even if my affection for Black Friday shopping was questionable to begin with.

Courtesy of imdb.com
Courtesy of imdb.com

Based on a book published in 2005 by Markus Zusak, the movie shows us part of a young girl’s life in Nazi Germany. The film generally stays true to its novel predecessor, leaving out, as films often must, only the unnecessary. Descriptions of both the book and the film include the setting of The Book Thief in WWII Germany, the hidden Jew in the main character’s basement, and the hobby of the book thief herself: stealing books from grave sites, Nazi book burnings, and a wealthy man’s library.

Though the excitement may initially sound thrilling and the plot may appear dangerous, the movie in fact points more toward the lover of a simple story, not an action-oriented or passion-inspired audience. It rather targets the sort of person that probably enjoyed the book before seeing the movie; more than half of the occupants in the theatre I sat in looked to be older than 60.

Still, the slow-moving plot gains appeal through lovable characters and clever scenes. We meet the Book Thief, Liesel Meminger, as a child of about ten, introduced to us by the surprisingly enticing, velvety voice of the film’s narrator, Death. We first encounter Liesel sitting on a train, lifting her enormous blue eyes to discover her just-dead brother. At his burial we watch her steal her first book, a neglected handbook for gravediggers, which she keeps as a memory of the one buried.

From the graveyard we move to Heaven Street, where Liesel spends the rest of her movie-life. We learn that her mother entrusted Liesel to the foster care system, and as a result, the child meets her new parents. Rosa, a secretly softhearted woman encased in a hostile, insensitive shell, and Hans Hubermann, a large-nosed, winking, immediately lovable father figure, form a duo dubbed “Mama” and “Papa.” The pair repeatedly provoked chuckles from the audience, through Rosa’s witty nagging and Hans’ silent expressions and gentle retaliation.

During her time at Heaven Street, Liesel forms loving relationships between the two foster parents, the Jew, Max, whom the Hubermanns harbor in their basement, and Liesel’s new best friend, the neighborhood energy-filled, “lemon-haired” boy, Rudy.

Though I found the film as a whole enjoyable, many aspects of the story seemed too beautiful for the plot and subject matter they surround. One scene in particular shows Liesel and Rudy just after the latter receives news that Nazi authorities selected him to enter into an early elite training program for the military. We see the two inexpressibly adorable fair-haired children laughing and yelling, “I hate Hitler,” across a clear lake, before a screen of bright green trees and sunshine.

In another more sober scene, following a shower of bombs from foreign planes, the camera focuses on burning rubble, shattered buildings, and a lineup of intact bodies, the occupants of each dismembered home lying peacefully on the ground, simply sprinkled with a little dust.

Overall, I suppose this lack of realistic representation also appeals to the same story-loving audience, who may in turn cringe at accurate gore or the expression of depressed emotions. Nevertheless, for those who crave a spirit-lifting tonic every so often, I found The Book Thief, with its charming protagonist and touching performance just the film to do so.

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Behind the Scenes of Prism

The Houghton College website says, “The 2013 Christmas Prism, Savior of the Nations Come!, is an artistic exploration of the joy of Christmas manifest through music, dance, visual art, and poetry.” Although the show itself is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the performers, hundreds of hours of effort go into the production before any performer takes the stage.

PrismPhyllis Gaerte, Director of Community Relations, opened the conversation by joking that she has had so many interviews with the Star this year that she should be well prepared for any questions. As a part of the Department of Community Relations, which organizes all the public and signature events for the college, being a target for interviews is quite understandable.

Although not a part of the onstage performances, Gaerte plays an integral part. She said, “For Prism, this means giving a birds-eye view of the whole Prism event…Outside of the performance itself and what the music department needs to do to make sure that is the quality is what it should be, community relations is responsible for all the other aspects of Prism.”

The Community Relations Department works closely with the Marketing Department on promotion, handling box office issues, providing ushers at events, organizing the upscale dinner for over 200 people–including finding decor and planning a menu in conjunction with Sodexo–that precedes the performance, and developing the budget alongside other administrative offices.

John Buteyn also gives much of his time to making Prism the astounding display it is. He is both the designer and engineer of the lighting at the performances not just in Houghton, but also in Rochester and Buffalo. Additionally, Buteyn will be assisting with the live sound and recording for each performance, and in order to organize everything, he begins his work months in advance.

This year, Buteyn said that the budget was used to purchase lighting gear, instead of merely renting it. Although this is believed to be a better use of the budget, there is now much less lighting gear available than in the past. To create a visual experience on par with previous years will be quite a challenge. Buteyn joked, “I think I’m up for it.”

Buteyn describes other challenges such as older venues in Rochester and Buffalo that sometimes aren’t equipped to handle Prism’s power demand, where he “can’t tell you how many breakers I’ve tripped…Last year, I even stationed a student worker at the breaker box for the entire performance just in case.” Challenges allow an opportunity to improve though. Such as switching to LED lighting to reduce the power required. He said, “There is always something to learn, each year, at each performance, at each venue…  I better understand the layout, architecture, and natural beauty of the venues to highlight with the lighting design.”

It is not without a humorous side though. “Let’s just say, when all the techs are working on very little sleep and very few calories, laughter keeps us going.  Well, laughter and caffeine,” Buteyn joked.

Gaerte sums up Prism by telling a story from Houghton’s first year in Buffalo. This young woman came out to the ticket table with both her mother and grandmother: three generations of people familiar with the church. “Her words to me were: ‘This church seems to be dying, but it came to life tonight.'”

 

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Paddle Sports: Throwing Caution to the Waves

“Sometimes I see a rough wave or hole and know exactly what will happen if I hit it, which is usually something like being tossed upside down, scraped along the bottom, and spit out the other side. At these times, I remember something my great-great-grandmother told me right before she went base jumping off the grand canyon on New Year’s Eve: ‘Sonny, if you’re not living life on the edge, you’re taking up too much space,’” said junior Zach Kitchen.

As an authentic, fun-loving group, the paddle sports club is among one of the most unique and adventurous clubs on campus.

Kitchen, president of the paddle sports club, has an undeniable passion for the exciting – and perhaps dangerous – world of paddle sports. “Even though I never actually had a great-great-grandmother that went base jumping, I still think it’s kind of fun to throw caution to the waves and get gobbled up by a giant, crashing wash of water,” Kitchen joked enthusiastically. “I think it’s a great alternative to energy drinks, anyways.”

Courtesy of Eliza Kelly
Courtesy of Eliza Kelly

The club seeks to provide an exhilarating outlet from all the stresses that students face in everyday life by participating in an important life skill: boating. Twice a week, members meet at the college swimming pool to practice skills such as rolling kayaks, handling water rescues, and practicing paddling techniques.

“We really want to get people on live, moving water, which is where they need experience. It’s too fun to watch folks on their first white water kayaking trip – such wide eyes and pale faces!” Kitchen laughed, “That’s exactly how my first river trip was. Other events we may do usually have to do with our fearless advisor, Charlie, such as sailing when he can take us out, making apple cider at his house, or kayak sledding. We wouldn’t be able to do very much without his help.”

Working alongside Charlie Smith, their long-time and faithful advisor, the paddle sports club has also been able to coordinate trips to places such as the lower falls of the Genesee River at Letchworth State Park, Rushford Lake, and Zoar Valley. There, they not only learn to paddle class 2, 3, and 4 river rapids, but also serve as Christian witnesses to those they meet along the way.

“It really gets some students out of their comfort zone. It’s good fellowship and bonding with each other, and students are learning a skill they can use for life,” Smith said, “It’s a joy to watch these students grow and learn from the first time in a boat until they are able to roll a boat and surf on a big wave on the river.”

Not only does the club take part in meaningful fellowship and learn valuable life skills, they also share in many humorous instances during their time together.

“There are many exciting and funny moments in paddle sports,” Colleen Winton, a junior and the treasurer for the club, said, “Anytime that someone gets their roll for the first time, everyone is ecstatic. There are also plenty of hilarious moments – just the faces that we make when we roll out of the water, or how silly we look with nose plugs on, or how ridiculous – but awesome – we look with all our paddling gear.”

The sense of community and genuine fun that the paddle sports club possesses is that which no one should want to miss out on. The club meets on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00 – 8:00 pm.

Winton said, “I can always look forward to paddle sports not just as a time to kayak, but as a time I can laugh, be silly, and enjoy hanging out with people I love. It is a blast!”

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Jillian Sokso Attains Competitive Artist Residency

Professor Jillian Sokso, Associate Professor of Art, has recently returned from a two week residency at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts (VCCA). With the help of the faculty development committee Sokso was able to achieve the great honor of attending the VCCA.

For over forty years, the VCCA has supported the work of about 350 artists, painters, sculptors, photographers, filmmakers; composers and writers. Typically there are 23 fellows in residency at one time. This includes anyone from a renowned artist to an eager young artist at the beginning of their professional career. Sokso, ever so humbly, said “I am still baffled I was able to get in, it was gratifying being among that caliber of people” as she reminisced about her time at VCCA.

SoksoThe VCCA provides artists with their own bedroom, three meals a day, and a private studio allowing for the artists to work for hours, days, or weeks completely uninterrupted. “My studio was 700 square feet, had large windows and a skylight,” said Sokso. The VCCA is also surrounded by 400 acres of rolling Blue Ridge farmland, a view Sokso was able to enjoy from her studio.

Artist who have done a residency at VCCA say they were able to accomplish more work there in a matter of weeks than they would have in a year at home. “Time. Time was the most precious commodity and richest blessing,” said Sokso. The VCCA provides a quiet and creative environment for the artists, allowing them to get away from everything as well as giving them the opportunity to be surrounded by more than 20 other highly talented artists which allows for in-depth discussions and new ideas for artists to ponder. “Writers would host readings in their studios and visual artists would invite the fellows to their studio for art critiques,” said Sokso. Along with completing sculptures, an artist book, and a series of 24 drawings, Sokso was also able to trade prints with a printmaker from Virginia.

Past fellows of VCCA include recipients of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, the American Academy in Rome, the Pollock-Krasner Foundation, as well as winners of National Book Awards, Pulitzer Prizes, and MacArthur genius awards. Due to the great accomplishments of past fellows, VCCA has become a highly desired residency, making admissions extremely competitive. According to one of their fellows, the VCAA is “one of the most important sources of art in the world.”

Despite her talent and amazing accomplishment of being accepted into the VCCA, Sokso was nothing but humble throughout the interview. She continually expressed her gratitude to the faculty development committee who made it financially possible for her to attend, as well as the Dean’s office that helped provide a stand-in instructor for her students.

Sokso has now set her sights on VCCA’s satellite program in France which requires fellows to have first been to VCCA. “I would like to apply to the program in France, it’s more of a narrow pool and would be a challenge to get in.”

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Behind the Scenes: Life as a Resident Director

Living in a dorm allows you to experience an instant bond among your floormates, your RA, and even your RD. The RDs here at Houghton College include Jon Craton (Roth), Jason Stephens (Shen), Ashley Dean (Lambein), and Laura Cunningham (Gillette). This is Jon, Jason, and Laura’s first year here at Houghto456451_124673374344848_122592524_on, while it is Ashley’s third year as an RD here.

Many students wonder what their RD does all day since they do not have the typical 8am to 5pm work day. Their job is two-fold: administrative and relational. For administrative work, they send emails, send maintenance requests, and attend meetings. For the relational part, they connect with the students themselves and interact with their RAs, empowering them to reach out to their floors.

Jon Craton, the RD of Roth, is very passionate about what he does. The one factor that drew him to Houghton is the factor that others despised: that Houghton is located in a rural area. What challenges Jon to do his job is to see “students where they are, but then have a vision for what they can become, and then do what [he] can to help them get there.”

Craton, who mentioned to me that he still plays with legos, jokingly stated that he likes to think he can do anything. “I like to be a superhero. That’s actually part of the RD job description. Be a superhero.” Craton realized, though, that he cannot do everything, to which he emphasizes the importance of being vulnerable, and said, “As an RD, I want people to be able to watch me, whether that is in my relationship with Karin or how I work or how I interact with them and I want them to be able to see that and learn from it and look up to it. But I also have to be myself and if we’re honest, I’m not perfect.” Craton knows that in order to develop deep relationships with students, there is a give and take, as well being real, vulnerable, and being true to yourself.

Jason Stephens, the RD of Shen, understands that RDs “don’t always see the rewards immediately, but when you do see it, it makes your job super meaningful.” When asked what motivates him to do his job, he responded, “I think what motivates me the most is having students come to me and share their residential life experience and sharing how they have grown.” It’s these small moments that Stephens loves.

Stephens is all about building personal relationships. After his wife, Kendra Stephens, goes to bed around 11pm, he walks around the building and hangs out with the guys – he tries to do this about five times a week. After that, he has about an hour to himself, whether that is watching West Wing, reflecting, or just relaxing. He finally tucks himself into bed around 2am, only to wake up at 8am.  Stephens strives “to be on the floor with no other purpose than to just say hi to the guys. I’m there just to be a presence on their floor and get to know them.”

Stephens enjoys his Saturday morning drives to McDonald’s with Kendra Stephens for their weekly breakfast together. He realizes the importance of relaxing to prevent burnout. What made Stephens want to become an RA and ultimately an RD was his relationship with his RA when he was a freshman in college. “My RA my very first day took me under his wing.  It really made me feel like I was at home.” Jason hopes to help students grow and develop holistically in a lot of different areas.

Ashley Dean, RD of Lambein, sees the importance of knowing the names of the girls living in her dorm, even if she does not have one-on-one interactions with all of them. Dean attended Houghton College as a student, moving right into the RD role after graduating in 2011.  Even though she had originally planned on leaving Houghton after graduation, she says, “I wanted to invest back in this place and this department specifically that played such a key role in my development.”

With a smile, Dean talked about how she “loves students’ a-ha moments. When students can point out areas where they have grown, I like that.”  And through the growth of students and herself, Dean strives to be open and honest with her residents.

Even though Dean and her husband, Nathan Dean, are married now, they still embrace the child within them. For Halloween, Dean was a fish while Nathan Dean was a fisherman. They also like to turn their apartment into a fort and have a movie night in the living room.

Laura Cunningham, the RD of Gillette, likes trying new things and new adventures, which is what brought her from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to rural New York. Being an RD is the first experience Cunningham has ever had with student development. Cunningham received her degree in Christian ministries and spiritual formation and leadership after attending Asbury University and Spring Arbor University. Cunningham explains that what really drew her to the RD role was that students are “connected in so many different ways: academics, social, spiritual. So it is great to watch that unfold and support and empower you as you are experiencing those things.”

Cunningham loves that her job as RD is people-focused; she loves getting to know students and RAs and then supporting them all. Cunningham understands that her RAs are students and that sometimes one-on-ones can be rescheduled until after a big test or project is completed.

Cunningham, in jeans and a sweatshirt, playing with her tea in front of her, speaks very intelligently. Through conversation with her, I wrote down four books that I know need to read.  She also knows her strengths, listing some as ‘individualization,’ ‘connectedness,’ and ‘learner.’ She draws upon what she knows and loves to see the bigger picture, looking at how things are interconnected. She said, “For now, this is where God has led me.”

The RDs of the dorms are passionate about what they do. They realize the potential that college students have and they want to be here for encouragement, to be a listening ear, and to help us out with tough situations.  But more importantly, Craton, Stephens, Dean, and Cunningham have a desire to get to know us as people.

 

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Home for the Holidays? International Students and Breaks

A homecooked meal, relaxing with your family, and the simplicity of being home are things most of us take for granted. International students on the other hand will not be experiencing these luxuries for the upcoming Thanksgiving break. Rather than with their families, most international students spend their Thanksgiving breaks with friends or host families.

Houghton’s intercultural student program has set up programs for the international students who do not have the option of going home with friends. “Internationals who want host families are connected with a family who will ‘friend’ and provide some home atmosphere for them,” said Margo Kettelkamp, intercultural student program coordinator.  Senior Danny Kim, a student from South Korea, said “Houghton has done a great job with adapting international students to the campus and making sure there are places for the students who don’t have anywhere to go during breaks.”

Senior Paul Seddon, a student from the United Kingdom, was previously unaccustomed to celebrating Thanksgiving, “It was strange at first but I enjoy it now.” It was the extreme extent to which we celebrate holidays which took Kim off guard. “Thanksgiving I understand, Christmas, of course. But why on the Fourth of July do you all need to get together and eat a hamburger, hot dog, sausage, and everything else in sight to celebrate our founding fathers? That’s something about one of your holiday’s that confuses me.”

Along with adapting to celebrating our holidays international students also have to go without celebrating theirs. Kim misses Hangul Day, the holiday celebrating the Korean written language. Seddon misses Guy Fawkes Day on November 5th when, in the early 17th century, Guy Fawkes planted gunpowder under Parliament but was caught. Also, on November 11th, the United Kingdom celebrates Remembrance Day. “It’s similar to veterans day, except 11 minutes after 11 we have a minute of silence for our veterans,” said Seddon. Then, with a smile, Seddon added “There’s also Pancake Day, it’s the day before Ash Wednesday, everyone uses all their eggs, flour and milk and make pancakes. It’s called Shrove Tuesday.”

One group of international students that are often overlooked as internationals are the Canadian students on campus. While some of them live close enough to be able to travel home for the weekend if they wish, they still experience the feelings of not being “at home.” Canadian Thanksgiving takes place on the second Monday of November. Senior Sarah Munkittrick said, “It would be nice if October break could be extended to a week so we could celebrate Thanksgiving with our families.” Munkittrick also said, “Houghton does do a lot for the Canadians during Thanksgiving; there’s a special meal, a chapel, and dessert at the Lucky’s. It’s just nice to be home though.”

While celebrating holiday’s away from home is something most international students have grown used to, it is not always easy. “After a while you can start to feel like a bit of an intrusion being at someone’s house for so long,” said Seddon. As Kim spoke about the challenges of being away from home he paused, then thoughtfully said “No one can listen as well and make my comfort food like my mom and there’s no one who loves me unconditionally.” With a slight chuckle, he added, “like my dogs.”

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The Howards: A Houghton Legacy of Love and Learning

It is fascinating to watch professors David and Irmgard Howard together, and it is difficult to explain why. If you ever have the privilege to sit down with the two of them and have a conversation, this feeling will make sense to you as well.

Howards_NewFor example, if there is a question presented to them that requires both partners to answer, there will be a slight pause when the Howard’s look at each other. This is the part that is hard to explain, because you can feel the presence of the information highway that is passing between David and Irmgard, a connection that slows down time and allows the two of them to non-verbally communicate with each other before answering the question. Perhaps that’s just the power two people gain with forty-five plus years of marriage.

The Howards have been teaching here, David in History and Irmgard in Chemistry, since 1970. This effectively makes them the most experienced faculty couple here on campus. The swing set near the science building used to be the place where their home stood. There, David and Irmgard raised four children while continuing to teach at the college. “I was teaching full-time and she part-time,” said David. “This allowed us to switch off with child care, so we never really had to hire a babysitter. We always had a parent right there with the kids. We lived within walking distance to our job as well, so it was as convenient as you could possibly imagine.”

“Houghton College arranged our schedules so that we could…” Irmgard began, but then was cut off by her husband. “Well, we arranged our schedules and they agreed to it,” said David, and both professors shared a laugh. “Right, we could always switch off,” finished Irma.

Remnants of this schedule remained in the class schedule until very recently. Some science labs used to begin at 2:15pm instead of 2:00pm like it is done now. This was so one Howard could run home to take care of the kids while the other Howard ran to begin the next set of classes. One couple affected the schedule of a whole college for almost forty years.

When asked if the school has changed over the years in terms of hiring both men and women as professors over the years, the Howard’s explained that the college has employed married couples since they started back in the 1970’s and has been willing to work with couples and their complex schedules. They also agreed that working as a married couple is not any different today than it was back then.

“My conclusion is that, if you’re not in direct competition with each other, that working together is a great way to strengthen a marriage,” explained David.

After forty-four years of working as a team and teaching at the same school, retirement is on the horizon for at least one Howard, with Irmgard in semi-retirement this semester. As far as the other Howard is concerned, it may still be a while longer before he’s ready to move on.

In response to the question if he was looking forward to retirement as well, David answered with a definite “No.”

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Differing Perspectives on the Military Spark Discussions of Conviction and Support

Courtesy of houghton.edu

Bowing his head over the chapel pulpit on Monday, November 11, Michael Jordan gave thanks for the sacrifices of those in the military, confessed the mistakes of this and every country, and asked earnestly for peace. His prayer observed Veteran’s Day and the Canadian Remembrance Day. Also, whether intentionally or not, it honored those at Houghton involved in the military while showing respect for those here with pacifist convictions. This is a necessity for a college that strives to offer support to individuals with ties to the military but also to recognize those who have other perspectives on Christian involvement in the military.

“The Christian tradition as a whole has within it two long standing traditions regarding the use of violence and the military—pacifism and just war theory,” explained Shirley Mullen, president of the college.  “As a Christian college, I believe we have a responsibility to familiarize students with both of those traditions.”

One way the college does this, while providing for the needs of students in or aspiring to join the military, is through the Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) program. The ROTC program on campus began in the late 70s, following years in which Houghton students participated in ROTC through St. Bonaventure University.

“The benefits [of ROTC] are too great in number to achieve an accurate count,” said Alyssa Kiser, a senior cadet in the Houghton ROTC program. Formerly part of a high school JROTC unit, Kiser said “[JROTC] taught me to be honest, be courageous, and how to be proud of not only my achievements, but the achievement of the team working together to reach a goal.” Kiser said the benefits of her college ROTC involvement include “a four-year scholarship awarded right out of high school (for contracted cadets), a monthly stipend (for contracted cadets), relationships with people from all over the United States and abroad, a guaranteed job after graduation, and skills that will last a lifetime.”

Others at Houghton do not share this enthusiasm about ROTC. “There have been some in our community and some in our alumni constituency who believe that we should not have ROTC on campus,” Mullen commented. “My own position on this is the following:  If we were a college of one of the Peace Denominations, then we would not have ROTC…But the Wesleyan Methodist denomination has historically had within itself both pacifist and just war advocates. So our denomination does not dictate our position on this issue…In supporting ROTC, I have always encouraged our ROTC group to be proactive in creating a forum where these issues can be discussed. So that the presence of ROTC is, itself, an educational opportunity for students at a Christian liberal arts college.”

Connie Finney, professor of education, is among those who question the role of ROTC at a liberal arts college. Finney described herself as “not personally against the military, but…against some of the ways it functions.” While making it clear that she respects and cares about the individuals involved in the ROTC program, Finney commented “The ROTC program being housed at a Christian liberal arts college is a bit puzzling to me in the sense that my understanding of the military is that you are not encouraged to be an independent thinker – you are encouraged to follow orders.  It would be difficult to have a well-functioning military otherwise. This does not, in my mind, seem consistent with liberal arts thinking.”

Whatever their views on Christians in the military, Houghton students, faculty and staff are generally supportive of individual members of the college community who are involved with the military. The support takes various forms. It may be prayers in chapel and elsewhere. It may be, as Kiser described, “excusal from classes in understanding of training events for the military, attendance at military functions, silence when performing in color guards (the parading of the National flag), and not disgracing the personnel in uniform.” It may be the respect which John Van Wicklin, faculty advisor for ROTC, said “starts from the President of the College and works its way down.” It may be former ROTC advisor Robert Danner’s challenge to Houghton cadets: “that they be good leaders in the Army, and good witnesses for Christ…”

 

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Catholic Students at Houghton

Though Houghton College professes Christian Wesleyan religious affiliation, many students enrolled at the school inevitably differ in denomination, tradition, or religion in general. Such differences serve to produce a conversation between contrasting beliefs and a resulting respect for others regardless of his or her religious tradition.

One such presence, differing from the Wesleyan denomination, is students affiliated with Roman Catholicism. Approximately 30 students currently enrolled at Houghton College this fall identified themselves as part of the Catholic religious tradition.

Kayleigh Gurney, Houghton freshman and Catholic, explained some of her experience as a Catholic student in a Protestant institution. Sometimes people will “talk about Roman Catholics as some completely outrageous religion,” she said, but for the most part people at Houghton prove understanding and accepting.

Courtesy of stpatsbelfastfillmore.org
Courtesy of stpatsbelfastfillmore.org

College often serves a time for exploration in a student’s beliefs or practices, an idea that may contribute to the accepting nature of the campus. Andrew Gibson, senior, though raised Catholic, takes the opportunity to attend a Protestant church while at Houghton. “Most of the backgrounds and views are the same,” he said, “so it’s a fairly easy transition to be Catholic at a Protestant school.”

Though students like Gibson participate in a different religious tradition, others continue to pursue the tradition they know. A family from Buffalo recognized the need for a ministry to provide a link between Catholic students at the college and a Catholic church. Consequentially, the family requested that Saint Patrick’s Catholic Parish in Fillmore initiate such a ministry.

Officially beginning in 2007 and initially aimed at engaging students affiliated with the Catholic tradition, the ministry surprisingly brought in equal numbers of Catholic and non-Catholic Houghton students from the start. The result, according to the ministry’s website, was a “dynamic, organic, and personal Campus Ministry,” in which Catholic students desiring a connection with a parish community and non-Catholic students interested in exploring the Catholic tradition might come together with a “mutual respect for each other” and their differing religious traditions.

Debra Fitzgerald, current campus minister to Catholic students at Houghton College along with her husband, Dan, first encountered the ministry through her children attending Houghton. When the previous campus minister left the position, Fitzgerald had been actively involved and the former minister subsequently recommended her to take over.

Through her experience in the ministry, Fitzgerald emphasized the importance of the church’s availability to college students interested or involved in the Catholic tradition. “We try to incorporate the students into the life of the parish,” she said, “so that they feel like they have a church home while they’re away at school.”

While the main focus of the ministry lies in providing transportation between Houghton and the Fillmore Parish every Sunday for Mass, on Holy Days, and on Saturdays for Confession, the ministry also provides access to other related events.

Consistently focusing first on the needs of the students, Fitzgerald proves attentive to their busy schedules and academic concerns. “We’re fulfilling the needs that the students have without piling things onto them,” she said.

As a result of such a focus, events such as Donut Hour on Sundays after Mass, a time when students eat donuts and drink coffee provided by the church while socializing with each other as well as local parish members, often promote a low-obligation atmosphere, while intentionally building relationships between the church and the students.

Fitzgerald encourages both Catholic and non-Catholic students to take advantage of the ministry, to produce even more conversations and relationships between different religious traditions. She believes there is more opportunity and understanding now than before, especially between Catholics and Protestants.

“Houghton has a very good atmosphere in terms of social morality and seriousness of study, as well as respect for the whole Christian tradition,” said Fitzgerald.