On February 1, a group of Houghton students boarded their plane for a semester-long adventure in Tanzania. This off campus opportunity offers “the unique opportunity to experience life as most Africans themselves experience it, to be exposed to Africa on a broad front including history, anthropology, environment, languages-Swahili, politics and religion.” The program’s classes include East African Culture, Human Ecology, Wildlife Behavior, Missions in Africa, and Introductory and Conversational Swahili.
Every semester, students embark on this journey abroad, and every semester, emotions run high and mixed in the anticipation of it. Miranda Hayes ’19, an education major with a concentration in intercultural studies, found herself both excited and nervous for the upcoming semester. She is most looking forward to disengaging with technology. “I think probably one of the things I’m most excited about is not having that access to social media and my cellphone 24/7, because I know for a lot of people and especially for myself, it’s so easy to get addicted,” she said. “I’m hoping God will help me to be present in Tanzania.”
(Left to right) Maggie Clune ‘19, Paige Collins ‘19, Emily Conn ‘19, Hannah Sievers ‘20 and the rest of their team have safely arrived in Tanzania and are settling into their new home for the semester.
The semester will surely come with plenty of growth as Houghton students engage with a completely different culture for an extended period of time. Kyla Nies ’20 is hoping to take advantage of being a student of culture. “I think it’s just an amazing opportunity to be exposed to things that most people in their lifetime won’t get to experience, so even though it’s far away, it’s worth it to grow and learn about a culture we don’t know much about.”
In a similar fashion, Carolyn Duttweiler ’19 is “looking forward to the opportunity that Tanzania provides as a respite from the usual and the routine of the Houghton bubble. A change of setting can sometimes be the best instigator for learning and growth and I’m hopeful that Tanzania will be that for me,” she said.
Gabi Sheeley ’19 was first drawn to the program because of her interest in human ecology, which is the main focus of many of the courses taught by Linda and Eli Knapp. Sheeley is excited to gain experiences in “someplace completely unfamiliar, with unfamiliar people.” Sheeley explained that, when we encounter these unfamiliar experiences, “you end up feeling a little empty because all of those things that you’re comforted by aren’t there anymore,” but also highlighted how we can use fresh experiences “to build ourselves back up with new things or with God and just be comfortable with those confused empty spaces. I’m really excited for that experience.”
These moments and memories will last long after the semester ends. Like all of the Houghton students embarking on this journey abroad, Sheeley is hoping that its impact will leave a deep imprint on her heart andmind in the years to come. “I hope to become more comfortable in a new culture, and hopefully I’ll be able to take those experiences with me and transfer them to more new cultures that I’m going to be visiting in the future,” she explained. “I’m hoping to have an overall increased cultural competency and an appreciation for new people, as well as having some new stories to bring home and carry with me.”
On January 26 and 27, representatives of Houghton’s athletic department attended the annual Empire 8 Summit at the Woodcliff Hotel and Spa in Fairport, NY. Each year, Houghton sends two male and two female members from the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) to the Empire 8 Summit. This year, Houghton’s four student-athlete representatives were Bjorn Webb ‘18, Tanya Hatton ‘19, Taylor Sile ‘19, and Darcy Mitchell ‘19. Deanna Hand also attended the event as the college’s SAAC advisor and assistant to the Empire 8 Associate Commissioner.
At the Empire 8 Summit, Houghton’s representatives joined student-athletes from other schools within the Empire 8 conference (which consists of Alfred University, Sage, Elmira, Hartwick, Nazareth, St. John Fisher, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Utica) to discuss multiple issues faced by athletic teams. This year’s discussions focused on diversity and inclusion as well as Title IX and sexual assault. The importance of core values and leadership were also addressed by the Summit’s speakers.
On January 26th-27th, Darcy Mitchell ‘19, Taylor Sile ‘19, Tanya Hatton ‘18, and Bjorn Webb ‘18 served as representatives for Houghton College at the annual Empire 8 Summit at the Woodcliff Hotel and Spa in Fairport, NY.
The Summit encouraged these student-athlete participants from Empire 8 schools to interact and connect with one another various learning opportunities and teamwork activities. Deanna Hand viewed this collaboration as an important part of the event. She explained, “It is great to see the relationships that are built because of these opportunities. To see an opponent other than on the court or field gives [student-athletes] an opportunity to see each other as more than just student-athletes. They get to know more about each other and hold each other at a different level of respect.”
The Summit’s goal is for the ideas discussed to be dispersed with the students as they return to their respective campuses. As Houghton’s SAAC president, Bjorn Webb expressed a hope “to see a further commitment to unified teams and unified athletic departments” as a result of the Empire 8 Summit. He also thinks that the topics of diversity, inclusion, Title IX, and sexual assault are relevant beyond the realm of Houghton athletics. Webb stated, “The larger student body can help address these issues by identifying them in their own circles.Our athletes seek to address these issues within our teams and department and hope that all other students are addressing these issues within their academic departments, clubs, [and] organizations.”
Like Webb, Tanya Hatton hopes to “bring back what we learned and talked about and find ways to implement those things on our campus,” both within and beyond the athletic department. She suggested that continuing education on topics such as sexual harassment is one significant way in which her experience at the Summit can be translated to the Houghton campus. Hatton also offered practical advice following the Summit messages on ways in which athletes and the entire college community can create a more welcoming campus environment. She explained that the Summit speakers “talked about how inclusion is an action, and I think our campus could be transformed if athletes and everyone on campus took time to actually talk to and listen to people that they wouldn’t normally talk to. There’s a difference between inviting someone to an event and actually engaging with them during that event and then following up and showing that you care and want to hear their story.”
In the future, this transformation of campus life through increased inclusivity and sensitivity will hopefully be stimulated by the Empire 8 Summit and the Houghton student-athletes who attended the conference. As Deanna Hand expressed, “I see the Summit as a leadership opportunity for SAAC reps. They are able to bring back what they have learned to campus, the department and their teams.”
What started out as a simple hobby for Garrett Bock ’18 has recently morphed into a full-blown passion and creative pursuit. As a Wellsville native, Bock and his brother grew up skateboarding and snowboarding, all the while making videos to capture their experiences.
Bock was first drawn to Houghton because of the opportunity to learn more about film. As a communications major with a concentration in media arts, Bock has been continuously refining his creative style. “I was kind of the nature photographer at first. Now I’ve tried to find my style a bit more, which is more towards fine arts and conceptual works,” he said. Anything involved with the psyche, Bock continued, “is fascinating to me. I mean, we have this gift to think, so we should use it.”
Garrett Bock ‘18 is a communications major with a concentration in media arts and a passion for conceptual photography. He is also the president of the Houghton College Ski Club.
Many of Bock’s photography classes have been formative in his maturation as a photographer, especially Introduction to Digital Photography with Professor Ryann Cooley. “I learned all the technical aspects, but it was also cool learning the formal elements of photography, like what should be in an image, what makes it meaningful, and how to create a concept,” Bock said. “Before, I would just point and shoot a camera at something because it looked really cool, but it didn’t really have a meaning. Now, I’m finding things that have meaning. It means something to me, but I also want it to have that same feeling for someone else.”
Bock’s professors and classmates have been extremely influential and supportive in all his endeavors. “Before I came to Houghton I was homeschooled, so it was a huge change for me because I had to go to class every day and communicate with these people all the time,” he said. “But it was actually really helpful because everyone has all these different ideas, so being able to get some critique on ideas steered me in the right way of my style which I’m still working on. I probably will be working on it for a long time,” he added. “You just never stop creating things.”
For aspiring photographers, Bock advised, “Bring your camera wherever you go. Shoot something every day whether it be self-portraits or nature, or something that really inspires you. Eventually you’ll find out exactly what you love to do and you’ll meet so many new people that way, and have all these new connections just through doing something that you absolutely love to do.”
Bock is also the president of the Houghton Ski Club, an adventurous crew that travels every Sunday to Holiday Valley for a day of skiing or snowboarding. Bock has been snowboarding since he was twelve years old and has always seen it a way to escape for a while from everything going on in his life by getting outside and enjoying nature with friends.
The Houghton Ski Club is open to anyone who enjoys being outdoors in the winter and is interested in either learning or improving in their skiing and snowboarding skills. “If you’re still not sure how to ski or snowboard, there are people will will help you,” Bock said.
Just like artistic sensitivity, Bock has found that these adventurous pursuits are best developed in tandem with others.“Spending time trying to figure it out on your own is difficult,” he said. “Honestly, it’s open to anybody who’s interested in those kind of activities. I highly encourage it.”
“Houghton has been a home for me and a place where I have grown and changed,” stated Emma Steele ’18 as she reflected on the past four years. As a major in business administration with minors in math, art, data science, Bible, and communication, Steele embodies what it looks like to be a passionate student-leader with a host of diverse interests.
Over the past three years Steele has been involved in her class cabinet, serving as vice president her sophomore and junior year, and the senior class president this year. She was also a Highlander leader and an EMT, running with the Houghton ambulance for the past two years.
Emma Steele ‘18 is a business administration major with minors in math, art, data science, Bible, and communication. Over the past three years Steele has been involved in her class cabinet, serving as vice president her sophomore and junior year, and the senior class president this year.
One of Steele’s passions is student engagement on Houghton’s campus, since “there is so much more that Houghton has to offer than simply taking classes and getting a degree.” Her leadership roles also reflect her deep-seated desire to “reflect God’s love for me in the way that I interact with and help others.” These motives have manifested themselves in her leadership roles, and have led her to cultivate a deeper love for people. “Serving in these positions has fostered my love for people and desire to help them,” she said. “And, of course, working in these positions has helped me see Houghton’s needs as a campus in a much clearer light.” Her passions have “given me the drive I’ve needed in order to take on these positions and fulfill all that they require. It hasn’t always been easy with classes, friendships and life in general, but I would say that it has definitely been worth it!”
Steele considered it “an absolute joy” to serve as a Highlander leader. The role involved “working with another leader to guide a group of incoming students on a wilderness adventure in the Houghton woods and then the Adirondacks. Along the way, a Highlander leader not only needs to have the hard skills required in outdoor living, but also the soft skills required to help mentor the Highlander participants through this change in their lives. Working the ropes course and balancing decisions and viewpoints with my co-leaders were fantastic experiences for me.”
Steele would encourage underclassmen “to pursue any and all interests or passions they have energy for, and intentionally invest in the people around them. Houghton is this unbelievably cool opportunity where you can dive into areas of study that most people would never have the time to explore, and do it with the support of faculty that care deeply about their students holistic growth.” She added, “As a side note, I think all students should take a math class while at Houghton because our math faculty rock. And try to get involved in Highlander. If you missed the chance to do the actual program, take Outdoor Leadership Training from Coach Smalley!”
Following graduation, Steele will be getting married to Luke Duttweiler in May and moving into the Rochester area, where she is currently job hunting. “Even though it will be bittersweet for me to graduate, I feel confident in leaving that I am ready for what God has prepared next.”
Ever since she arrived at Houghton two short years ago, Gwen Stokes has been turning heads on the track. On January 19, at the annual Highlander Invitational, she blazed ahead to set a personal best in the high jump— her main event—while also setting a season best in the long jump. Along with her teammates Mikayla Gaffney, Madelyn Kruth, and Emma Fox, she also finished third in the 4x400m relay. In the high jump, she is now ranked #1 in the Empire 8 and #15 in the nation among NCAA Division III athletes.
Although Stokes has only been setting records at Houghton for the past few years, her love for the sport goes back to her toddler days. “This is my 5th indoor track season doing the high jump,” Stokes said, “but I’ve been doing track since 7th grade and have been around track since I was born.”
On January 19, at the annual Highlander Invitational, Gwen Stokes ‘20 set a personal best in the high jump and a season best in the long jump. In the high jump, she is now ranked #1 in the Empire 8, and #15 in the nation for NCAA Division III athletes.
Patrick Hager, Houghton’s track and eld coach, also highlighted Stokes’ lifelong familiarity with the sport as one of her most valuable assets. “Gwen was a very touted recruit for our program a couple of years ago,” he said. “Her high school accomplishments in cross country, and as a power athlete in track, were unique. What I really like about Gwen is that she comes from a track and eld family, and has deep knowledge of the sport. She’s what you would call a true ‘track junkie.’” Stokes’ passion for the technical aspects of the sport, such as progressive rankings and times, keeps the entire team on their toes.
“We knew she could help us take the next step as a program,” Hager said, but added that Stokes’ introduction to the Houghton track team had not always been an easy one. “[It] came with some growing pains,” he said. “A lot of it was just adjusting to new coaching and new training. Thus far this year, she’s jumping at as high a level as she ever has.” Stokes also spoke of the difficulties she had encountered since transitioning from high school to college track, describing a year filled with injuries and missteps. “I wasn’t performing to the level I was capable of or the level I wanted to be performing at,” she commented. “But my coaches and teammates were all very supportive. It has also been extremely challenging working through injuries while still balancing training, and trying to get my athletic workload just right to minimize injury and maximize performance.”
That consistent, enthusiastic support from teammates has been crucial not only to Stokes’ exceptional standout performances, but also to her fierce and consistent dedication to the sport. “One of the most special and encouraging experiences for me in track was at NCCAA Indoor Nationals last year in the high jump,” she recalled. “A bunch of my teammates came and sat and watched me jump the whole time, even though I wasn’t jumping particularly well. To me, that was more meaningful than the All-American award I received that day.”
“I’m really happy to have reached this level in jumping,” Stokes said of her recent accomplishments as a Highlander. “I am so thankful to have had such supportive coaches, who will do anything to help me succeed, and amazing teammates, both in high school and now here at Houghton. My entire family has also been very supportive and encouraging, trying to help me achieve the most I can, so I am just very happy to have been able to perform well for all those who have invested in me.”
From freshman class president to Assistant Resident Director (ARD) of the townhouses, Tess Taggart ’18 has remained a consistent embodiment of student leadership on campus. As she has re ned her leadership, academic, and relational skills, her goal has always been “to use them to my best ability to help others.”
Taggart has also served as an RA, the townhouse representative for CAB, and a committee member of the Sophomore Leadership Conference. Her favorite position that she’s held is ARD of the townhouses. “My favorite part of the position is planning events with a staff that’s just so excited about crazy little things that we can do in the townhouses just to make it feel more like home,” she said.
Tess Taggart ‘18, a biochemistry major and data science minor, hopes to translate her passion for scientific research and helping others into a career in drug discovery.
As a biochemistry major and data science minor, Taggart entered college in her freshman year with a different career in mind than the one she plans to pursue now. “When I came to Houghton, I thought I wanted to be a pediatrician or some sort of doctor,” Taggart said. “But then I did Science Honors and really just enjoyed research so much, and really enjoyed working with professors one-on-one.”
In her sophomore year, she partnered with Dr. Williams in a research project involving different sh species. In the spring of her junior year, Taggart conducted muscle biology research with Dr. Poythress, and is currently continuing that project. “Our experiment last spring was focused on electrical stimulus,” she said. “This semester we’re looking at that more in-depth, and also what proteins are expressed in the cells.”
Taggart’s current career goals are geared toward medical research. “I’m not totally sure where that will bring me,” she said, “but I’m really interested in drug discovery.” Last summer, Taggart worked for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, a biotech company located in Albany, New York. “I really enjoyed seeing their labs and seeing all the hard work that goes into discovering drugs and manufacturing them and then making sure they’re safe for consumption. I would love to be a part of all that,” Taggart exclaimed.
In regards to advice concerning underclassmen, Taggart was quick to share some encouragement. “I would say don’t be afraid to try new things. There are times you just want to sit in your room, but if you just get out and try something new, you’re bound to meet interesting people and find passions you didn’t know you had,” Taggart said. “And don’t be afraid of how those passions alter your life goals for yourself because the goals we have for ourselves aren’t anything compared to God’s goals for us,” she added.
On February 7-9, the END IT Movement, organized by Taggart, will host an event to raise awareness of human trafficking. Last year, Taggart headed up the event by selling handmade items made by human trafficking survivors through Women at Risk (WAR) International, an organization that “unites and educates men and women to create circles of protection and hope around those at risk.”
“Last year we made $1200, which is enough to house 3-4 women in a safe house for a month,” Taggart said. “That was really rewarding, and I saw a really positive response from it and I decided to make it bigger this year.”
On Wednesday, February 7, between 8-9 p.m., the organization host a prayer night, followed by a coffeehouse on February 8 and a WAR International sale on February 9. “Hopefully between those three events, we’re not only raising money, but raising awareness and praying for all the survivors and victims and everyone involved worldwide,” Taggart said, “so that people on our campus have a better understanding of what [human trafficking] is and how they can get involved.”
While the new trilogy certainly offers much of the humor and charming cheesiness of the original Star Wars movies, it is clear that the new writers are doing what they can to add a few more “deep questions” to our little space epic. For the most part, it seems safe to welcome them as fresh material to what could otherwise be an old story. Concerns arise, however, when they try to squeeze in a few too many.
The Force Awakens called viewers to root for the little guys, to believe in a few scrappy youngsters defying the Empire and even the rules of the Rebellion and the Jedi. A lot of the plot seemed to encourage the more individualistic “go with your gut” sort of approach to adventuring. Finn (John Boyega) is the lone stormtrooper to escape his ranks, Poe (Oscar Isaac) attempts risky and unorthodox military maneuvers to win important battles, and Rey (Daisy Ridley) manages to successfully wield the Force simply by giving it a go.
The Last Jedi, however, seems to pull back from that mindset. Finn now needs to stick with the Rebels, even if it means giving up his personal priorities of protecting Rey. His unapproved mission with new character Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) goes horribly sideways. Poe is scolded like a misbehaving school boy for not having more faith in the leadership hierarchy. Rey learns that to effectively use the Force, she first must understand its overall structure. Even Luke (Mark Hamill), who takes on the GandoWhile the new trilogy certainly offers much of the humor and charming cheesiness of the original Star Wars movies, it is clear that the new writers are doing what they can to add a few more “deep questions” to our little space epic. For the most part, it seems safe to welcome them as fresh material to what could otherwise be an old story. Concerns arise, however, when they try to squeeze in a few too many.
The Force Awakens called viewers to root for the little guys, to believe in a few scrappy youngsters defying the Empire and even the rules of the Rebellion and the Jedi. A lot of the plot seemed to encourage the more individualistic “go with your gut” approach to adventuring. Finn (John Boyega) is the lone stormtrooper to escape his ranks, Poe (Oscar Isaac) attempts risky and unorthodox military maneuvers to win important battles, and Rey (Daisy Ridley) manages to successfully wield the Force simply by giving it a go.
The Last Jedi, however, seems to pull back from that mindset. Finn now needs to stick with the Rebels, even if it means giving up his personal priorities of protecting Rey. His unapproved mission with new character Rose (Kelly Marie Tran) goes horribly sideways. Poe is scolded like a misbehaving schoolboy for not having more faith in the leadership hierarchy. Rey learns that to effectively use the Force, she first must understand its overall structure. Even Luke (Mark Hamill), who takes on the Gandolf type role of aged advisor, must return to the Jedi fold if he is to correct his mistakes.
For much of it, the two schools of thought operated in balance. Indeed, it was refreshing to have a film that didn’t just encourage rugged individualism as the solution for all problems. There were points, however, when their attempts to surprise the viewer made for a poor argument. For instance, we were apparently supposed to agree with Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) in the end that Poe was foolish for distrusting the plans of Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern). As we watched, however, viewers joined Poe in asking “What plan?” With the lives of the entire Rebellion at stake, it is difficult to blame him for putting his confidence elsewhere. His plan fails and Holdo’s succeeds, but in a different Star Wars movie it could have easily been the reverse.
A bit later, Finn seems to have developed a plan that would marry independent thinking and concern for the group: sacrificing himself to destroy a deadly cannon. Instead of the heartbreaking loss of a charming character, however, we get Rose Tico’s moralizing about what they should and shouldn’t be fighting for. Thanks, Rose, but now the cannon’s going to kill all twelve of you instead of just Finn. It might have been a touching moment if it weren’t so tactically stupid and if viewers had actually had the chance to grow fond of Rose. Instead, it felt like the beginning of a forced romance that would clear Finn out of the suspected Kylo-Rey-Finn love triangle. Apparently the maneuver was necessary, because otherwise viewers would have to accept that a single, male character could maintain a strong, platonic relationship with a female character without resentment or jealousy towards her romantic entanglements. (There is also something uncomfortable in putting two strong representatives of racial minorities together so the two white leads can be together unhindered, if that is what they have planned).
Aside from its flaws in reasoning, the film brought several wonderful moments. Luke’s last scene was a stunning parallel to when we first saw his silhouette step up against the twin suns of Tatooine, with John William’s brilliant theme sweeping us into the story. Yoda’s opinions on passing along mistakes as well as successes was interesting, especially given previous movies’ obsession with refining and cleansing the use of the Force. The temporary alliance between Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Rey inspires all sorts of theories about what it really means to have balance in the Force.
Overall, it was a building movie. It is the middle film in a new trilogy and the writers needed to sneak in all the questions they hope to answer in the finale. So far as the plot goes, it was almost entirely set up for the next movie, but it was worth the watch to see the characters back again. The 2 hours, 32 minutes essentially provided a new playground for the new fan favorites to develop and complicate in preparation for their coming return. lf type role of aged advisor, must return to the Jedi fold if he is to correct his mistakes.
For much of it, the two schools of thought operated in balance. Indeed, it was refreshing to have a film that didn’t just encourage rugged individualism as the solution for all problems. There were points, however, when their attempts to surprise the viewer made for a poor argument. For instance, we were apparently supposed to agree with Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) in the end that Poe was foolish for distrusting the plans of Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern). As we watched, however, viewers joined Poe in asking “What plan?” With the lives of the entire Rebellion at stake, it is difficult to blame him for putting his confidence elsewhere. His plan fails and Holdo’s succeeds, but in a different Star Wars movie it could have easily been the reverse.
A bit later and Finn seems to have developed a plan that would marry independent thinking and concern for the group: sacrificing himself to destroy a deadly cannon. Instead of the heartbreaking loss of a charming character, however, we get Rose Tico’s moralizing about what they should and shouldn’t be fighting for. Thanks, Rose, but now the cannon’s going to kill all twelve of you instead of just Finn. It might have been a touching moment if it weren’t so tactically stupid and if viewers had actually had the chance to grow fond of Rose. Instead, it felt like the beginning of a forced romance that would clear Finn out of the suspected Kylo-Rey-Finn love triangle. Apparently the maneuver was necessary, because otherwise viewers would have to accept that a single, male character could maintain a strong, platonic relationship with a female character without resentment or jealousy towards her romantic entanglements. (There is also something uncomfortable in putting two strong representatives of racial minorities together so the two white leads can be together unhindered, if that is what they have planned)
Aside from its flaws in reasoning, the film brought several wonderful moments. Luke’s last scene was a stunning parallel to when we first saw his silhouette step up against the twin suns of Tatooine, with John William’s brilliant theme sweeping us into the story. Yoda’s opinions on passing along mistakes as well as successes was interesting, especially given previous movies’ obsession with refining and cleansing the use of the Force. The temporary alliance between Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Rey inspires all sorts of theories about what it really means to have balance in the Force.
Overall, it was a building movie. It is the middle film in a new trilogy and the writers needed to sneak in all the questions they hope to answer in the finale. So far as the plot goes, it was almost entirely set up for the next movie, but it was worth the watch to see the characters back again. The 2 hours, 32 minutes essentially provided a new playground for the new fan favorites to develop and complicate in preparation for their coming return.
Dr. Warren Woolsey, professor emeritus of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at Houghton College, passed away on Christmas Eve last year. He was 95 years old.
Dr. Woolsey’s life and legacy ranged across continents. He was born in Marion, Indiana on April 2, 1922, the son of Pierce and Mildred Woolsey. “He was raised in a very straight-laced Christian home, rejected it, and later came back to faith,” his son, Dr. Stephen Woolsey, remembered.
Pulled away from his studies at Houghton by active service training as an Air Cadet, he graduated in absentia in the year 1942. His squadron conducted 30 missions throughout southern Germany, occupied Austria, and Italy’s Po River Valley.
Later in life, this period of military service became a touchpoint of emotion. According to Woolsey, his father was “basically, increasingly, a pacifist. He knew that innocent and guilty people alike had died. He never talked about it…I know it was disturbing to him.” Regardless, a conviction that his role in the war had been necessary, given the cruelty of the Nazi regime, remained with him for the rest of his life.
After the war ended, Dr. Woolsey briefly attended Columbia University. Scholasticism later gave way to missions, as he and his wife moved from the halls of the seminary to the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky. By 1950, they were living in Sierra Leone and wholeheartedly dedicating themselves to evangelism and education. After moving to Freetown, Sierra Leone, Dr. Woolsey took up a position as the first president of the institution now named as the Evangelical College of Theology. After returning to the United States in 1966, Dr. Woolsey joined the Houghton College Religion and Philosophy Department to teach classes in New Testament Theology, Christology, and missiology.
The well-known Bible scholar was intensely private man, who not only maintained a steady devotion to personal virtue and cared deeply for his students, but also grew to reject some traditional conventions. “He was such a true introvert,” Woolsey shared, “but he gave everything he had to give. Since he died, so many people have sent cards saying ‘Your father helped me through such a dark time.’ He had a kind of availability to his students.” On Facebook, former students described the elder Dr. Woolsey as a “sweet, godly gentleman” who changed lives through his “incredibly kind and generous” scholasticism.
That integrity also manifested itself in a rare sense of administrative dignity. “In faculty meetings where feelings were flying,” Woolsey said, “he would quietly stand up and make a pronouncement that clarified things and allowed faculty to reach a conclusion they could all live with.”
“Another thing is, he was pretty traditional when it came to gender roles,” Woolsey said. “For most of his life, probably, he was ambivalent about women in ministry and in positions of leadership. But when my sister came along, and was exploring her own vocation in ministry and graduate education, he started giving her books that we would now view as very positive studies of Christian feminism. By the end of his life, he was not just accepting of, but a huge advocate for, women in all kinds of leadership, whether scholarly, ministerial, or political.” Woolsey also remembered a time when Dr. Woolsey agreed to serve as faculty advisor to a controversial theatrical performance, which pointed out hypocrisies in the church and had drawn the ire of some administrative staff.
“He had this deep integrity,” said Woolsey, who remembered his grandmother’s daily admonition: “The honor of the family is at stake.”
“A while ago, for some reason, I was assigned to an Honors interview in the seminar room where his painting was hanging,” Woolsey said. “I was doing this interviews with Dad literally looking over my shoulder, it was sort of an extension of that mentality. Remember…the honor of the family is at stake.”
Emilia Gildemeister ’18 has been trekking through her past four years at Houghton with a spirit of constant curiosity, ambition and adventure. As a biology major with an environmental emphasis and a chemistry minor, Gildemeister is an avid explorer of the passions she thrives under. She has taken advantage of the opportunities Houghton has given her in pursuing what she deems as important and vital for the fullest life.
“I have been very involved in research here at Houghton,” Gildemeister began. “I did Science Honors here my freshman year, and then over the past three summers, I’ve done research with one of my professors through the summer research institute. That was super cool.”
In the summer after her sophomore year, Gildemeister and her small team experimented with salamanders, examining predator-prey interactions in northern California and Oregon. This past summer, they hiked through the Mojave Desert and the Sierra Nevada. Both summers were part of a biodiversity study.
“Because I had worked with salamanders in the past, for my seniors honors project I wanted to design an experiment to test associative learning in salamanders, which kind of relates to climate change,” Gildemeister stated. “I’m super interested in how we are impacting the world, our responsibility to take care of it, and how complex God’s creation is in its ability to adapt to all these changes.”
When asked more about her experience hiking in California, Gildemeister explained the thrill of having a job where she explored the west coast. “We’d be on the trail for a week at a time, and we would just wake up every morning as soon as the sun came up. My job was to do vegetation assessments and also every time we spotted a reptile or an amphibian we would stop and do a vegetation assessment in that place.”
While hiking through the Mojave Desert, Gildemeister and her team had to carry approximately seven liters of water at a time. During the later part of their adventures, Gildemeister came down with altitude sickness. “It was pretty insane,” she said. “We were in the middle of the wilderness so the two options were to get helicoptered out or hike out. I couldn’t really breathe and it was like that for like four days. Every time I walked, I would start coughing and it felt like I was either gonna pass out or throw up and I couldn’t sleep for three nights straight.” Eventually, Gildemeister was medically evacuated from the wilderness and to the hospital. “Once I was off at a lower elevation, I did a lot better. It took me a few weeks to feel back to normal.”
In addition to her fearful experience, Gildemeister shared how dynamic these trips have been in her life. “I think it was really eye-opening in some ways. I was living in a backpack for two months and I had like three T-shirts, and when you’re on the trail, you’re starving, but you can only carry so much food. It was hard coming back here to a closet full of clothes that I never wear. I learned what’s important in life because your priorities are really different.”
Gildemeister is “still trying to figure out” how to marry these two radically different lifestyles because “I don’t want to live my life feeling so safe. I like that feeling and that reliance I had that God’s gonna look out for me and protect me.”
As she looks forward to pursuing a career that gives her the freedom to explore the world, nurture curiosity, and ask important questions, Gildemeister ended with some advice for Houghton students. “I think that I was really scared my freshman year. I think if you are bold and you reach out, you’re going to have opportunities like this. I would recommend being bold and further yourself as much as possible. When people know you’re curious, or interested in things, professors are going to do all they can to help you.”
Located on the idyllic Main Street of Wellsville, the Wellsville Community Arts Center is a fun little stop for anyone interested in local artisans, coffee, and free Wi-Fi over lunch. The center boasts an art gallery, a pottery studio, The Little Gem (a store selling products from local artisans), along with a full out café that serves a variety of lunch items from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
I happened to stumble upon it by accident while perusing Wellsville with a group of friends. My experience was fantastic, as I am a sucker for public funding of the arts and coffee. We walked into the Little Gem and browsed kinds of things artists from all over Allegany County were producing and selling.
As we stepped into the connecting doorway we became excited as we realized we were in a café. We ordered coffee before perusing the pottery for sale on the cabinet in the main dining area. The barista was incredibly friendly, and told us to check the downstairs. We all clambered down to find that there was a large pottery studio with moody, stone walls and at least a dozen wheels. We found out that lessons are available so community members could be exposed to the arts.
We went back upstairs to get a table and were told that, if we wanted, we could play the piano in the corner. I decided to poke around the spacious dining room and see everything there. There was a corner with old school chairs and a bookshelf with a collection of books and magazines to borrow while sipping on some coffee. As well, there were a variety of board games for anyone interested in hanging out for a little while at the center. I also found posters for events hosted at the center, including open mic nights, trivia, and karaoke, along with the occasional live music.
My friends and I sat down and realized that there was a full lunch menu as well, which included everything from breakfast burritos and salad, to sandwiches and quesadillas. We each ordered a meal, and were delighted to find that it even accommodated for a friend of ours who was gluten intolerant.
The atmosphere was great, the service was fantastic and the décor was a perfect showcase of local artwork. All of us were stunned we hadn’t heard about this place in all of our four years of college, and definitely wanted to come again after such a great experience.
The Center is open Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hours change based on special events or when certain art classes are in session.
Every Wednesday night the Center hosts an Open Mic Night from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Check their website or Facebook page for any upcoming events or times for classes held at the center.
That integrity also manifested itself in a rare sense of administrative dignity. “In faculty meetings where feelings were flying,” Woolsey said, “he would quietly stand up and make a pronouncement that clarified things and allowed faculty to reach a conclusion they could all live with.”
“I have been very involved in research here at Houghton,” Gildemeister began. “I did Science Honors here my freshman year, and then over the past three summers, I’ve done research with one of my professors through the summer research institute. That was super cool.”
I happened to stumble upon it by accident while perusing Wellsville with a group of friends. My experience was fantastic, as I am a sucker for public funding of the arts and coffee. We walked into the Little Gem and browsed kinds of things artists from all over Allegany County were producing and selling.