Category: Stories In Focus

Eliza Burdick-Risser ’18 showed no signs of hesitation in getting involved on campus when she transferred to Houghton during her sophomore year. As a senior biochemistry major with a minor in chemistry, Burdick-Risser serves as Executive Director for the NYFCR (New York Federation of College Republicans), president of the Houghton College Republicans Club and Sigma Zeta, the SGA class of 2018 chaplain, and an RA in Gillette for the past two years.

Burdick-Risser transferred from Campbell University after her freshman year. “My freshman year of college I was a Division I athlete at Campbell and was really involved there. We did a lot of outreach programs like helping out with the local schools,” she explained. “Then I got plugged into student government, and I was a freshman RA there, so when I transferred to Houghton I wanted to have the same level of involvement here as well.”

If you would have informed her as a senior in high school about everything in which she would be involved for the next four years of her life, Burdick-Risser admitted that she “would have laughed.” She advised students to not get involved with various opportunities “just because it will look good on a resume, do it because you’re really passionate about it and do it because you enjoy it.” Speaking directly from her own experience at Houghton, Burdick-Risser encouraged students to not waste their college years, but to “take these four years to really cultivate who you are and who you want to be as you transition into adulthood.”

Expressing her passion for politics, Burdick-Risser joined Jonathan Libby ’20 to form the Houghton College Republicans Club last year, which led to their involvement on a state board. “Since September I’ve been serving as the western region chair for the state board of NYFCR, and then a few days ago I accepted a position as the executive director of the federation,” she said. In this position, Burdick-Risser oversees all the regional chairs, and plans different deployments for various candidates.

Additionally, Burdick-Risser serves as president of Sigma Zeta, a STEM honor society on campus. “In order to be in [Sigma Zeta], you have to be completing your sophomore year, be declared as a STEM major, so science, technology, engineering or mathematics, and have above a 3.0 GPA,” she said. STEM hosts a “Lab Saturday” once every semester when local high school students “come participate for the afternoon and kind of get a feel for what college labs are like in chemistry or biology or physics, and we also share a little bit about what we do here as well.” Burdick-Risser appreciates the society’s emphasis on using their gifts to give back to the community.

Burdick-Risser concluded by clarifying the purpose of keeping Christ central in all our pursuits. “Put God first in what you do. Be confident in your identity as a Christian, knowing that everything you do doesn’t define you. [Being a Christian] is what defines you.”

As of now, Burdick-Risser plans on attending New York Chiropractic College in Seneca Falls where she received a scholarship to pursue her passion for sports medicine.

“Hi, I’m a student at Houghton College. I’m calling on behalf of our Student Scholarship Fund. Do you have a couple minutes?” For five weeks out of every semester, from Monday through Thursday, a dedicated group of students gathers on the top floor of the Luckey Building to raise funds for their classmates. Affectionately known as the “Phonathon Loft,” the spacious room is home to two rows of desks—and a lot of phones.

During Phonathon, student callers use brightly colored “calling cards” to learn more about the people they contact. To spark a conversation, many use questions about classic Houghton activities like SPOT, chapel, and cafeteria tray sledding. They share fond memories from their time at Houghton and stories of how generous student scholarships have positively impacted their lives.

The current caller script prominently focuses on the “Access and Affordability” element of Houghton’s Impact Campaign, which the college describes as “a multi-year campaign celebrating the many ways Houghton College and its students have a kingdom impact on the world.” Every donation made to these students goes directly into the Student Scholarship Fund, rather than to other building initiatives or academic funding—which is one of the reasons why having student representatives is such a crucial component of the program.

Some reliable yearly donors graduated as far back as the 1950s, while others left Houghton less than a decade ago. Many graduated with majors that are no longer offered the school. Almost all are delighted to speak with current students, swap stories about their favorite Houghton memories, and learn more about the institution’s plans for the future.

Jessica Jennings, who served as administrative supervisor of the Phonathon initiative, recently vacated the position to pursue overseas missions opportunities with YWAM. She handed management of the fund drive to Bec Cronk, whose work in alumni engagement and advancement dovetails naturally with the Phonathon mission.

“Although it makes for a long day,” Cronk said of her job, “I love listening to students make calls to alumni and friends of Houghton! It’s rewarding to hear so many stories and experiences from a spectrum of different people. The common thread in conversation is always a love for the Houghton experience.”

When asked about the challenges of her new role, Cronk said, “The hardest thing about managing so many students has got to be the scheduling! A college schedule is not one I envy. The part I am so excited about is the relationship building. I love the students and can’t wait to get to know them better. And of course it’s difficult to know that so many will leaving after this semester. Jessica has left me an exceptional group of students who are making positive connections on Houghton’s behalf.”

Casey Greene ’18, who began working as a Phonathon caller during her sophomore year and now works as a student supervisor, fondly recalled hundreds of conversations through the years. “I just love being able to form relationships with alumni and being able to hear their crazy stories,” she said, “as well as seeing the ways that Houghton has changed…and the ways that Houghton never changes.” While she recalled some bizarre discussions (and outlandish answering machines) Greene’s most enduring memory stems from a single conversation. “I called a woman this year who I had called my sophomore year,” she shared. “She could tell me my name, my major, and where I was from. She’d been praying for me for two years.”

The parents of former Houghton College president Daniel Chamberlain funded the Chamberlain Lecture Series. According to official language from the Office of Spiritual Life, the lectures are for the purpose of keeping the challenge of missions before the Houghton community.  For anyone interested in missions, this is a great opportunity to get practical advice from someone who is well acquainted with the missions field and has an academic background as well. The series is named in honor of the Chamberlain family.

Dr. Daniel Chamberlain, the fourth president of Houghton College and predecessor to current president Dr. Shirley Mullen, was president from 1976 to 2006 and is the namesake of our current Chamberlain Center. According to his biography on the Houghton Highlander athletics site, where he is a member of the Hall of Honor, he oversaw much of the updated infrastructure of Houghton College. His educational background was also extensive, including a Master’s Degree from California State University in Los Angeles and a Doctor of Education from the University of Southern California. Currently Chamberlain is on the Board of Directors for the Wesleyan Bible Conference Association, a preaching assistant at Brooksville Wesleyan Church in Florida, and a member of the board of World Hope International.

For this year’s Chamberlain Lectures, Houghton College welcomes Dr. Stanley John. Dr. John is the director and assistant professor of Missions and Intercultural Studies at Alliance Theological Seminary in Nyack, New York. Stanley received his master’s degree and doctorate at Asbury Theological Seminary. Stanley’s main focuses of study are migrant Christianity in the Arabian Gulf, global Pentecostalism, and World Christianity and transnational networks, according to his biography through Alliance. Stanley is a licensed minister in the Christian Missionary Alliance. He has traveled and spoken in multiple ministries including those in the Arabian Gulf, Canada, India, Kenya, Nepal, and the Ukraine and has spoken in multicultural churches domestically. He also is a member of the Board of Directors of India Gospel Ministries, a member of Lausanne Global Diaspora Network, and is a member of the United States Board of Directors of Langham Partnership. He is also the author of multiple books and journal articles you can find online. You can hear Dr. John speak in chapel  on March 21. He will also be giving a lecture in Library 323 at 7:30 p.m. of the same day.

When Jessica Robinson ’18 first came to Houghton, she was mainly interested in pursuing an Art Education degree. Over the next four years, Robinson “accumulated majors” and is now graduating as a triple major in business administration, communications, and human resources.

Robinson holds a deep appreciation for how well she believes Houghton has prepared her to step into the professional world after graduation. “The business department is especially very intentional about real world experience and driving us to be the best that we can be.” As a native of south central Pennsylvania, Robinson plans to move back to that area in May, “work for a little bit, and then down the road get an MBA once I solidify what I want to do.”

Robinson’s primary leadership role is serving as the senior RA for her staff, “which means I’m kind of the point person for other RAs for questions, and things like that.” She’s also serves as the president of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) and holds multiple jobs around campus.

One thing that Robinson explained “really shaped my Houghton experience” was becoming an RA. She encourages other students to “not look past the opportunities God is giving you.” Robinson had told herself she would “never” become an RA, “and my mom says as soon as I say, ‘I’m never going to do something,’ God is like, ‘You sure? You sure about that?’”

After much encouragement from Krista Maroni, Robinson’s Resident Director at the time, she filled out her application and stepped into her role as an RA as a sophomore. Speaking from experience, Robinson said, “Take those opportunities and be open because college is all about shaping yourself, and you don’t know how you’re going to be shaped.”

Even though Robinson never saw herself stepping into this position when she came to Houghton, her role as an RA has “pushed me to interact with others because I’m an introvert and I kind of like just sitting by myself, but pushing myself to talk to others and get to know others has made my college experience more well-rounded because of all those people I’ve had the opportunity to meet or mentor through my position.” She has learned the importance of time management and what it takes to balance a heavy work load and meaningful relationships.

On March 23, Robinson will have the opportunity to share her faith journey in chapel which she explained “is a lot about my learning disability, which I wasn’t diagnosed with until 5th grade, but it’s a severe learning disability that I’ve had my entire life and will have my entire life.” Robinson described her struggle with learning how to speak and how to read, and how even though “I looked normal from the outside, internally it’s hard to function on an everyday basis.” Robinson is looking forward to sharing with the Houghton community how she’s seen God’s hand at work in her life in the past twenty years.

Last month, the library reinstated an old tradition: asking faculty members to recommend a list of books, which are displayed in the library with annotated bookmarks tucked into their pages. The first of these book lists, which will be on display at the library until mid-March, was created by Professor of Art Ted Murphy.

“There’s nothing like walking into the library and seeing Professor Murphy’s face staring back at you from bookmarks,” said Matt Young ’18. Librarian Brad Wilber, who graduated from Houghton in 1991, said the Faculty Picks display is something he remembers from his time as a student. Murphy approached Wilber recently and suggested that the library revive this old tradition, saying that he had “enjoyed seeing what colleagues thought were books formative to their thinking and education.” Wilber responded with his own suggestion: that Murphy compile the first book list. Wilber said he hopes Murphy’s selections “will be something students and community members will gravitate toward.” The next Faculty Picks display will be compiled by President Shirley Mullen.

Some students have already found the Faculty Picks display to be a useful guide. Young noted that books lists “provide insight into the intellectual and emotional lives of people we admire or respect.” Wilber agreed, saying that the exercise of reading Murphy’s book list “has made me feel closer to him.” Tyler Stetson ’20 was also appreciative of the display, saying “I think the faculty recommendations at the library is an awesome idea, especially since there is a bookmark in each book explaining why the professor found it particularly worthwhile. This program shows that developing expertise such as Houghton faculty possess requires reading broadly and deeply.” Even though some students may not have the time in their schedules for extra reading during the semester, Wilber said he has noticed many students reading every annotated bookmark in the display. The annotations can also be viewed on the library’s website, a feature created by Librarian Doyin Adenuga.

Many of the books Murphy chose are philosophical in nature, ranging from works by Fyodor Dostoyevsky to Cormac McCarthy. Murphy said he enjoys reading books lists himself: “I like them as guides,” he said. Anthony Burgess’  list titled “The 99 Best Novels in English Since 1939” introduced Murphy to “authors [he] still finds unfamiliar to many serious readers of literature.” He noted significant examples: Olivia Manning, Brian Moore, Budd Schulberg, and Angus Wilson. A self-described “generalist,” Murphy was grateful to become familiar with the work of these writers. 

Murphy reflected on the idea of the book list, observing that lists claiming to contain the best novels are “not looked upon well today in college literature.” He explained that there is “far too much hegemony at stake and the exclusivity of voice is a serious risk.” He then concluded lightly, “But I am a painter. I don’t have to worry about what I read in terms of the academy. No one is concerned that I don’t read enough in their particular ilk.”

Murphy made it clear that to him, reading is both a passion and a serious commitment. He spoke of the formative power books have in our lives, highlighting their ability to connect us to others. “Books, like all art, are conduits to other lives, he said. Further, he expressed that “Books have a life of their own…books branch out and connect you to the authors that inspired the novel you just read.” 

Reading, however, does not come easily for Murphy. He explained that he reads very slowly, and said that “from what I have investigated I can be pretty sure I have dyslexia. A great many of the conditions clearly describe my struggles early on in learning to read.” Murphy reads about 30 pages a day, which “most of my students can do in a half hour. Me…it takes hours.” He said that his slow reading pace does have its benefits: “I tend to recall well what I have read. Ernesto Sabato’s El Tunnel, which I read 40 years ago, is still clear enough in my memory I feel confident I could take a quiz on it.” Murphy reads between 35 and 50 books each year, “but it requires a big commitment.” 

This commitment has proved invaluable. “Reading has saved me,” Murphy said. “I am who I am in many ways because of the ideas books have exposed me to. I am lucky to have a job where I am essentially paid to read,” he said. For college-aged adults at a formative time of life, Murphy encouraged an exercise suggested by one of the writers on his list, Borges. “The first important thing an adult should do is establish a personal library. Buying a home and a car are typically what we think of as adults…Borges said it is the books you have brought into your life,” Murphy said.  “I hope a few people will read some of what I have been most inspired by.”

There’s more to Jeffrey Hansen ’18 than the fact that he’s never seen without his iconic name tag. In fact, when asked about the reasons behind the name tag, he responds, “You know, a lot of people ask me this question, and I always wonder why people don’t ask me other questions, like, ‘Why do you always wear blue polos to class?’”

What people might not know about Hansen is that he is “the sole remaining undergraduate music composition major,” with minors in linguistics and philosophy, and that he is formally “the philosopher-king of the Gadfly Society, Houghton’s Philosophy Club, and also the president of the instrumental council of the Houghton Symphony Orchestra.”

His main “duty” as the president of the Gadfly society is, as he described, “to be infuriatingly annoying.” Although, Hansen admits that he seems “to be doing poorly at that job in general, seeing that I haven’t been sentenced to death by the Athenian Parliament, or even kicked out of Rothenbuhler by Residence Life.” In this position, he gets “to decide the least convenient time of the week to have meetings and choose topics which I hope will get people to vehemently disagree with each other in a manner which is conducive enough for civil discussion, but meaningful enough that you stay up at night wondering if that person was being serious or just playing devil’s advocate.”

As a man with many musical talents, including being an organ and horn player as well as a choir member, Hansen gets to participate in “chapel music and other campus worship events fairly frequently.” As president of the Houghton Symphony Orchestra (HSO), Hansen takes on “a somewhat different role” than his presidential role in the Gadfly Society, due to the fact that the orchestra “is actually formally a class, which has graduate students and multiple professors, so a lot of what would normally be associated with a typical president of a club is not formally ascribed to the president of the orchestra.” Hansen has led devotionals, given interviews for the STAR, and assumes that he “would be involved with the planning of a reception if our concerts needed such things.” The HSO is currently working on music for upcoming chapels and planning for various concerts.

Hansen is also involved in “slightly less formal roles” which include his participation “in numerous musical ensembles for the duration of my tenure, including the Houghton Wind Ensemble, the Houghton Symphony Orchestra, Men’s Choir, Gospel Choir, and College Choir. In College Choir, for example, I have been given the mighty power of having my own daily entertainment segment on the Tour Bus called ‘Curious Quips With Jeff,’ a power I have used solely for nefarious self-serving ends.”

“My time at Houghton has been very interesting,” Hansen explained. He came to Houghton with the intention of studying Physics and Music Composition, maybe with “a little study of linguistics on the side. I certainly was not expecting to be applying to linguistics school.” As a freshman, Hansen said that he “was not initially accepted into first year honors (for more than good reasons; could you imagine a poor human doing Physics, Music, and East Meets West all at the same time?).” Hansen participated in  the Highlander Program during his first year, then joined the Gadfly Society, which led him to his philosophy minor. Although he didn’t plan to join choir, he explained how “Men’s Choir ‘mysteriously’ showed up last second on my transcript, and that turned out to be smashingly successful.” Hansen was in the first cohort of Scholastica Honors “because I had done well my first year and adopted more realistic educational aspirations (dropping down solely to a music composition major, freeing up a lot of free time) and I got hit like the brick by the plight of those without their own cultural access to Christianity, despite formal inclusion in the Church, and that messed my perspective on a lot of things up.”

The skills Hansen has acquired at Houghton have helped him prosper in his musical endeavors, including an experience with the Youth Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, his attendance at various music festivals, and his employment as an accompanist for the Presbyterian Church of Wellsville.

After graduation, Hansen hopes to attend the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics in Dallas, Texas “to take part in their Master in World Arts Program.” He wants to study music at a linguistics school because of his interests in “the fields of Ethnomusicology, and Ethnodoxology, especially in regards to how the Christian faith might be manifested within particular cultural contexts. Perhaps the most important work done in this field is done in the field of Bible Translation, but the process of Bible Translation involves an entire community. Not only are literacy and language development essential for the effectiveness of a translation,” he added, “it is essential that cultural objects such as music and art likewise become adapted culturally. I am really interested in the Bible Translation movement and all of the disciplines that can serve and function in aid of Bible Translation, particularly in the discipline of music.”

In a few words of advice to underclassmen, Hansen would like to “tell all substatuspeople to not sacrifice their roommates to Marduk as burnt offerings. There is probably at least one ethical problem with such an action, maybe even two.” In addition to that, Hansen believes in the importance of having “a good sense of humor in regards to oneself.” This, he would argue, “helps you realize your own faults and sins, and to confess them to others. It also leaves you open to relationships with others you might not necessarily suspect or plan. In other words, be confident in oneself to be open to dialogue with ideas which will change you and your perception of other ideas. Acknowledging ones’ vices and failures very frequently paves the way for its corresponding virtues and successes.”

“I want to see what the Houghton of 2018 is and be a part of it,” Diane Emmons said when asked why she was compelled to audit classes as a community member. Emmons, along with fellow auditor Eileen Spear, are two community members who are far from losing their passion for learning.

Spear started auditing classes in 1999 after retiring from working in the International Development department and the library at Houghton. “I’ve audited fifty-seven classes and they varied from Bible, English, writing, theology, science, communication, history, psychology, church music—note, there were no math courses in there,” Spear said.

Eight of Spear’s grandchildren graduated from Houghton, and she was able to audit a class with each one of them. She also went “on the first semester to Australia” and “on a ten day trip with an English class to see movies and theater productions.” Spear graduated from Houghton in 1952 with a degree in music education, which she admitted “limited my liberal arts education.” Auditing classes has given her the opportunity to learn in new disciplines. This semester she is auditing a class that examines the Pentateuch.

For Emmons, who also graduated from Houghton with a degree in music, auditing classes has provided her with a “fresh opportunity.” Emmons has audited Outdoor Leadership Training, and is currently enrolled in Western Civilization and Old Testament Theology.

“Coach Smalley’s Outdoor Leadership Training (OLT) class on the ropes course challenged each student to contribute toward group success and to set personal goals,” Emmons stated, reflecting on her experience. “Knot tying, rock climbing, and shelter building became catalysts for stretching and strengthening the bonds among classmates and emphasizing our dependence on God’s grace at all times.”

This semester, Emmons joined Old Testament Theology because she wants to grow spiritually and enjoys being in the presence of Dr. Derck, whom she describes as “a model of grace in action.” Emmons is also auditing Western Civilization this semester. “When I told Dr. Pearse that my understanding of Western Civ was pathetic, he still welcomed me to join the class,” she remarked. “Of course, one great benefit of auditing classes is the freedom to learn new things without the pressure of papers to write, tests to take, or grades to earn!”

“Personally, I’m at a stage in life when I struggle to know where I belong and how to contribute in meaningful ways,” Emmons said. “I’m finding that auditing a class can help keep vitality in life—even after loss of precious loved ones.” She smiled as she explained how auditing classes makes her feel “like a child in a way—an old lady, yet free to experience the wonder of a five-year-old.” One way Emmons seeks to contribute is by creating intentional and meaningful relationships with fellow students and teachers. “I feel connected that way,” she said.

Regardless of the stage of life where we find ourselves, Emmons and Spear model how it looks to be a lifelong learner.