Category: Campus

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Campus Stories In Focus

Student Leader Profile: Hello, Jeffrey!

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.”

a photo of Jeffrey Hansen
Jeffrey Hansen ‘18 is a music composition major with minors in linguistics and philosophy.

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.”

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Campus Stories In Focus

The Joys of Lifelong Learning

“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.

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Campus Stories In Focus

Student Leader Profile: Hello, Jacqi!

Since the start of her freshman year, Jacqi Lewis ’18 has been a natural student-leader on campus. From her job as a Visit Intern at the Admissions Office, which she’s held for three years, to her position as captain of the women’s tennis team, to her role as a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC), Lewis has grown into her leadership strengths.

Lewis applied for the Visit Intern position during her first year at Houghton. After three years, she still holds the same passion and appreciation for the job. “I make a lot of schedules and call a lot of students. We also contact a lot of professors to coordinate when they can meet with visiting students and if they can go to classes,” she said. “I love the people I work with. Everyone in admissions is so fun and it’s a really laid-back environment.” Lewis has found that working in the admissions office has grown her confidence in sending emails, talking on the phone, and managing conflict.

a photo of Jackie
Jacqi Lewis ‘18 is a biology major who works in the Admissions Office as a Visit Intern, serves as the captain of the women’s tennis team, and is also a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC).

In addition to this position, Lewis served as captain of the women’s tennis team this past season. She was responsible for coordinating team bonding activities and being a representative voice for the team.

Lewis was nominated by her team to sit on the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC), a nationally organized group that meets “to provide insight on the student-athlete experience and offer input on the rules, regulations and policies that affect student-athletes’ lives on campus.”

“Every school with an athletic program has a SAAC,” Lewis explained. “It’s basically leaders from each team that are on it, and they do a lot of different things like fundraising and special Olympics, but it’s also the group that discusses current issues on sports teams and how we can make them better.”

In these meetings, the committee discusses a range of issues that student-athletes encounter and works towards a collaborative solution. “SAAC is anything that happens with students and athletics,” Lewis said, adding that the committee later gives “an overview of what’s going on the Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics (CIA).” Lewis was further nominated to join the CIA, which meets once a month to help maintain a healthy relationship between academics and athletics.

Although Lewis is involved in a range of commitments, she feels like she’s struck a healthy balance in her time management strategy. “My freshman year I tried to do everything,” she admitted. “I was in Organic Chemistry, I was in Calculus 2 and I did Science Honors and I played tennis and it kinda burnt me out my freshman year. I think freshman year should really be about building those connections, and then once you have your support group it’s easier to focus on your studies because you have those friends. I’m glad I worked hard in school, but I’m really glad for the relationships I’ve built.”

“Ultimately,” Lewis concluded, “branch out and try to make friends, because when you leave that’s really what you’re going to remember.”

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Arts Campus Stories In Focus

Theater Review: A Mixed Bag

I walked into the recent production of Woyzeck not truly knowing what to expect. The play was experimental to begin with, and with an unfinished original script, a hodge-podge cast from all walks of life, and a clear emphasis on tech and atmosphere, this avant-garde project could go anywhere.

The audience was instructed to go on stage, and was told that the first performance was also the first complete run through. (I will admit that I was concerned, but also amused.) The arts are a moving, breathing thing, and this just spontaneity added a whole new layer to that element. The play started with a slow, disorienting, recording of typical ‘40s instrumental music that played on a vintage record player. The record player was carted off the stage and we began the real performance.

a photo of the cast
On February 16-18, Houghton students produced, designed and performed a new adaptation of Georg Büchner’s play, Woyzeck.

Its atmosphere started out dark, cold, and unsettling, and the performance never departed from that aesthetic. With fog machines between scenes, and disjointed dialogue filling the script, the audience never felt quite at ease with the characters’ actions. The play moved on to show how the main character, Woyzeck, was horribly dehumanized, dejected, and manipulated by different elements of society, whether it be by his doctor, the army, or his wife. The use of a kind of Orwellian doublespeak and lighting changes really hammered home the confusing orders and confounding, controlling world where Woyzeck lived.

With a wordy script, and a large emphasis on atmosphere, the audience was reeled into a surrealist nightmare. We were completely enraptured by each scene, which were independent vignettes of social commentary that added their own complexities to the plot. You never knew where the next scene would take you. One might hammer home the idea of toxic masculinity and how it affects people, another might show a character ignoring the nuances of the world, and another may place its emphasis on human beings’ tendency to force the world into impossible categories.

Very little of the performance was humanist. The theme of dehumanization through control and toxic social norms was rampant, leading to Woyzeck ultimately perverting control at the end because of the bad effects others’ control has caused him. In fact, in what is arguably the best scene in the play, the audience glimpsed true humanity in a Jewish shopkeeper, the first person to show true care to Woyzeck.

However, as much as I can regale you with my analysis of the performance, I should also tell you how it actually went. The script, while at times bewilderingly wordy and somewhat inefficient for the live stage, was solid. It certainly fit the avant-garde direction the performance was going for. As someone who has only encountered the surrealist art form in film, television, and music, I was unsure what to expect in a live performance. However, the atmosphere was delightfully bleak, and that each scene was framed to make the audience feel boxed in and trapped in the story, a manner of helping one empathize with Woyzeck.

The acting was frankly phenomenal, considering the lack of a formal runthrough and the dearth of acting practices. Although the production did not feel put together, the actors stepped up and did well. The leads were deeply convincing, and the smaller roles were executed with fantastic humor and pacing.

However, there was a downside to the experience. Sometimes scene changes were so long that they destroyed the performance’s momentum. When a scene had stretched on for a long time, the audience lost interest in this dialogue-heavy play. Frankly, this was the fault of no real runthrough and no opportunities for stagehands to practice the scene changes. A problem that could have been solved by such an easy fix was at points excruciating for the audience to watch, knowing full well that its consequences were avoidable.

The biggest downside, and most disappointing one, was the length. Most college students couldn’t stay through the entire performance because it was simply too long. With a run time of four hours, even the lightest schedule cannot handle that kind of commitment. This was sloppy organization at the highest level. Frankly, it detracted from the experience. Overall, the performance was enjoyable and thought-provoking, albeit unpolished. I would give Woyzeck 3.5 out of 5 stars.

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Campus News

1917: “Prohibition’s Comin’”

This is the second installment of an ongoing series that will investigate theHoughton Star archives.

If you would like to check out some old issues of the Star, they can be found in the periodicals stacks on the basement level of the Houghton Library.  The full college archives, also located on the basement level, are open to the public from 1-4 p.m. every Friday  afternoon.

The included on this page was originally published roughly one hundred and one years ago, in the February 15, 1917 issue of the  Houghton Star.   

 

No longer is anyone in doubt as to the success of Prohibition. Already has the public-mind with loud acclim and with hand outstretched to heaven declared that Rum shal be no more. And why this extreme confidence?

First—Because of the world-sentiment against it;

Second—The legislative action taken by the governments and states;

Third—Because the right must win;

Not only have the belligerent nations adopted the no Rum propaganda, but other nations are petitioning for its destruction. The world as a unit is awakening, and thinking twice, loses its desire to remain a dupe or to permit others.

This very moment we have twenty-four states who have voted “no liquor,” and besides there is cold, bleak Alaska, and the “islands who lift their frouded palms in air” called Hawaiian. Then too, the District of Columbia has been voted and passed many other bills favorable to the advancement of prohibition. The spirit of America free from Rum is impelling, the victory is sure.

The press is especially intolerant against it. Not many papers are open for the advertisements of the liquor interests. No, their fight is lost!

Alcoholism must go for it is right that it should go. The Supreme Court has decided the constitutionality of the Webb-Kenyon Bill. The people are saying prohibition is right, old John Barleycorn is wrong. “Truth crusht to earth shall rise again.” The eternal heavens stand back of it. Righteousness will ever win. Booze will lose, is losing—nearly lost. And when she is once gone, her hope like Lucifer’s will be no more. Then strike with a hand of fire! Believe as we act, —for “to doubt would be disloyalty, to falter would be sin.”

—G. BEVERLY SHULTZ

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Arts Campus News

Congdon To Offer Valedictory Lecture

On March 8, Professor of Organ and Harpsichord Judy Congdon will be presenting her valedictory lecture. This lecture is part of a series from faculty in a variety of disciplines, providing an opportunity for faculty, staff, students, and community members to learn from local experts.

At Houghton, Congdon is well known as the chapel organist, and has performed in venues across the United States. She holds degrees from a variety of universities: Wheaton College, the University of Colorado, Eastman School of Music, and Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies, according to her faculty profile on Houghton’s website. In 1996, Congdon was featured as soloist in Poulenc’s Organ Concerto with the Buffalo Philharmonic orchestra.

She frequently uses her musical talents for worship: she served for eight years as Organist and Choirmaster at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Olean, NY, and presently serves as organist at Houghton Wesleyan Church. She also served as presenter, recitalist, and service organist at the January 2006 Calvin Symposium on Worship.

Congdon has served as Dean and Board Member of the Allegany Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (AGO) and member of the Music Commission for the Episcopal Diocese of Western New York. She currently serves on the board of the Portageville Chapel, a national retreat for organists. In recent years, Congdon has presented workshops by invitation for several AGO chapters on topics of organ pedagogy, organ repertoire, and use of the organ in contemporary worship styles. Additionally, she has been a judge at numerous organ competitions, both local and national.

Congdon’s organ performance is featured on two compilations recorded on Houghton’s Wesley Chapel Holtkamp organ. These are With Heart and Hands and Voices: Hymns and Chorales for Organ and Love So Amazing: Organ Hymns for the Church Year.  Congdon is also featured in two CD recordings on the James Louder organ at Houghton Wesleyan Church: Jesus Priceless Treasure is a recording of her all-Bach recital presented during the inaugural series for the organ and In Sweet Rejoicing features a bouquet of organ works for the Christmas season. All CDs are available through the Houghton Campus Store.

Congdon’s valedictory lecture will take place in Library 323 from 4:25 to 5:30. All are welcome to attend.

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Campus News

Multiple Faculty Hirings In Progress

Looking forward to the next school year, the search is on for new professors.  Positions are still open for psychology, history, art, international development, music industry, and music education. 

“We have a number of faculty searches underway right now, and they are all at different stages of the process,” said Academic Dean Jack Connell.  The current plan is to have all positions filled in time for the 2018-2019 school year.  Already, the searches for the two open education and philosophy faculty positions have reached a successful conclusion.

When asked what Houghton looks for in candidates, Connell answered, “To be considered for a faculty role here, a person must of course be a committed Christian and have the appropriate academic credentials, typically the terminal degree in the field.” He went on to explain that, “Once those foundational requirements are met, we look for people who are effective teachers, active scholars, able to integrate their faith into their academic work, and eager to serve our students, the college, and the church.”

a photo of students in class
The departments of Education, Philosophy, Psychology, History, Art, International Development, Music Industry, and Music Education expect to hire new faculty members for the coming year.

President Mullen added, “In this season, we are especially on the lookout for faculty who can sharpen the distinctives of Houghton’s academic programs and the connections between a Houghton education and post-college opportunities.”

Among the openings is one for a new psychology professor.  The new faculty member will take up the classes of Dr. Van Wicklin, who “plans to retire at the end of this academic year after teaching at Houghton for 35 years,” according to Paul Young, Psychology Department Chair. The courses affected include “Developmental Psychology,” “Adolescence & Emerging Adulthood,”
“Lifespan Development of the Family,” and “Introduction to Psychology.”  The new professor would be taking up teaching both on campus and online courses.

Both President Mullen and Dean Connell actively recognized the importance of the decisions Houghton faces when choosing its professors.  Mullen commented that “Each new faculty member brings an original set of experiences, new perspectives on a discipline, and a fresh set of insights on how we can more effectively prepare graduates for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century world.”

“I view the selection of faculty as among the most important decisions a college ever makes, and so we have high standards throughout the entire process,” said Connell.  He detailed the procedure for selecting new faculty. 

A specifically formed search committee, normally headed by the relevant department chair,  considers all applications submitted before choosing which candidates will receive an interview.  One or two final candidates successful in their interview go on to visit Houghton for a more practical evaluation.  During their visit, the potential professor interacts with a variety of people on campus, including students, faculty, and administrators.  The visit also provides an opportunity to teach a sample class.  “The committee then recommends one of the candidates to me,” Connell explained, “and I in turn make a recommendation to the president.”   

The president makes the final decision for hiring new faculty members, according to Connell.   President Mullen appreciated the importance of selecting the right candidate, saying, “Part of the richness of an academic community is the way it is renewed annually by the arrival of new faculty.”

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Campus News Sports

Women Place In 4x400m Relay

Among the stories of success at the RIT Track and Field Meet was the women’s 4×400 relay team, who placed first in their event.

“This was such a fun race for all of us. The intensity was high in the KPAC and we all knew the importance of this race, knowing how close we were to breaking the school record,” related Emily Fox ‘20. “We had run the best we had all season, all thanks to our amazing coaching staff. It was a race to remember with an overall team improvement to 32 PRs (Personal Records).”

a photo of some of Houghton's female runnersAll of the runners interviewed mentioned how they valued competing together as a team.

“We all want to run our fastest, and there is some intra-team competition, but we also want each person to be at their highest level, as well, to make us the best team we could possibly be,” said sophomore Gwen Stokes.

Despite the sense of competition, Stokes explained that the relay prompted the team to act as a whole. “The 4x400m is always one of my favorite events because the whole team comes together to not only race, with the four of us who are running for each other, but also the entire team, who always cheers,” she explained.  “It is so nice to run for the team instead of yourself.”

She went on to speak specifically about how it felt to win a relay, opposed to as a solitary runner.  “To me succeeding in a relay event versus an individual event is much more meaningful, as it means that not only did I have a great day, but some of my best friends and teammates also had an awesome day,” she reflected.  “It shows everyone how hard we all are working as a collective team, and doesn’t just highlight me as an individual.“  “The 4x400m relay is always the last event of a track meet, so at this point, each of us had already competed in at least one individual event, and some of us had competed in two events, and it was probably close to 5 hours after the meet had started,” explained Stokes, “but we had to maintain our intensity, energy, and competitive spirit long past the start of the meet even while we may have been tired.”  Elisabeth Tate ‘21 credited her ability to maintain her enthusiasm and pass it on to the other members of the team, saying, “I usually don’t like racing, but working with these girls was energetic and exciting.”

When asked how she prepared for the relay’s success, Stokes answered, “At this meet, I was not originally supposed to run the relay, but I was asked to fill in shortly before we needed to begin warming up.”  Despite the surprise change of plans, Stokes was ready to compete thanks to her work in practicing for other events.  “In general, we have prepared as a team for the 4x400m relay by working hard in practice every day and pushing each other to our best,” she explained.

Coach Patrick Hager expressed confidence in the future success of the team, especially in the 4x400m.  “We have 5 of the top 8 fastest times in the conference thus far, and it’s late into the season,” he commented.  “So we have no shortage of options to run a team that can compete with the best in the conference. Make no mistake that our goal on 2/24 is to win that relay and qualify for the All Atlantic Regional Championships (4:07).”

Fox shared Hager’s optimism for the event, saying “Our next step forward is a goal to win the Empire 8 conference and to be E8 Champs in the 4x400m and to qualify for the All Atlantic Regional Championships!”

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Campus News

Staff Attend CCCU Forum

On Jan. 31 through Feb. 2, President Shirley Mullen, along with several other Houghton faculty and administrative staff, attended the quadrennial Council for Christian Colleges & Universities International Forum in Dallas, Texas. The event united representatives from CCCU member institutions across the globe, including board members and ministry directors to participate in “purposeful reflection on the past and collaborative engagement for the future,” according to the Forum website.

President Mullen participated in two panels: “Faith In Action: Politics and Policy In Changing Times” and “Preparing CCCU Graduates For The Pluralistic World of the 21st Century.” During the first panel, which also featured the presidents of Roberts Wesleyan College, Biola University, Azusa Pacific University, and Point Loma Nazarene University, she discussed practical ways of approaching issues like LGBTQ inclusion, financial aid, and governmental regulations. The second panel, which included Houghton alum and commencement speaker Richard Mouw, as well as Eboo Patel of InterFaith Youth Core, addressed cross-cultural and inter-faith dialogues at Christian universities. 

a photo of the venue for the CCCU
President Shirley Mullen, along with multiple Houghton staff, gathered at the Gaylord Texan Resort for the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities’ 2018 International Forum in Dallas, Texas on Jan. 31 through Feb. 2

According to Mullen, “The most valuable thing [about these conferences] is the encouragement that comes from seeing the global scope of Christian higher education, interacting with fellow colleagues who are dealing with the same challenges, and hearing from speakers that none of us would have access to on our own.” According to Mullen, the conference also bestowed on university administrators “a deepened sense of the importance of Christian colleges like Houghton in preparing graduates who are competent to be problem solvers, confident enough to be agents of civility and community, and creative and surprising witnesses to Christian hope in our increasingly pluralistic and divided world.”

Vincent Morris, Vice President for Finance, co-led a session titled “Strategies for Implementing Enterprise Risk Management,” which explained how college administrators can better identify risks, take advantage of opportunities, and prepare for the tumultuous financial future of higher education. According to Morris, these strategies are more necessary now that 2.7 million fewer U.S. high school students have chosen to attend Christian colleges in the last few years, putting pressure on enrollment numbers and financial assets.

“Some of the sessions I attended at the CCCU conference that were most beneficial,” Morris said, “included presentations on freedom of speech and freedom of assembly for Christian colleges (both possibly challenged by societal trends), an instructive but rather depressing session on demographic, enrollment and financial trends for Christian colleges and universities…and the session on cyber security co-led by Houghton’s own Don Haingray of IT. Some nasty people out there trying to break into college systems!”

Kim Pool, Director of VOCA, presented at a breakout session entitled “Faith-Informed Approaches to Vocation: Four Institutional Strategies.” At the session, she shared information about Houghton’s

vocational programs, paying particular attention to the yearly Sophomore Leadership Conference and to the college’s “goal of providing intentional time and space for vocational reflection and discussion about God’s callings in our lives.” She enjoyed swapping ideas on best practices and learning from other career services professionals. “It was refreshing to be reminded of the importance of our work and the mission of Christian institutions in Higher Education,” she said. “I was grateful to see Houghton well represented and contributing to impactful conversations.      

H. “Skip” Lord, Houghton’s Executive Director of Athletics, also attended the event to present in a panel titled “Inclusive Intercollegiate Athletics in Christian Higher Education” alongside the Executive Director of the National Christian College Athletic Association, among others. “Our presentation grew out of our involvement with the NCAA’s ‘Common Ground’ program,” he said, “with which I’ve been involved for a little more than 3 years.” According to the NCAA website, the “Common Ground” initiative was formed to establish “inclusive and respectful” athletic communities for all sexual orientations, gender identities, and religious beliefs. Along this theme, Lord also attended sessions titled “Cultivating Capacity for Inclusive Excellence through an Active Bystander Strategy in Christian Higher Education” and “Caring for LGBTQ students at CCCU Institutions.”

When asked about highlights of the event, Lord mentioned worship sessions led by musician Matt Maher and devotionals delivered by speaker Andy Crouch. Mullen also highlighted Crouch’s devotionals as highlight, reflecting that “God’s work has always gone on in the midst of stressful conflict, opposition from the larger world, and divisions within the community of God’s people. The deep sense of God’s Sovereignty and his faithfulness in accomplishing his purposes was overwhelming.”

Speaking about the continuing impact of the event, Lord said, “I came home even more motivated to be part of what God is doing in our ever-changing world and privileged to play even a small part.”

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Campus Opinions

1918: Houghton Goes to War

This is the first installment of an ongoing series that will investigate the Houghton Star archives.

If you would like to check out some old issues of the Star, they can be found in the periodicals stacks on the basement level of the Houghton Library.  The full college archives, also located on the basement level, are open to the public from 1-4 p.m. every Friday  afternoon.

Both articles included on this page were originally published one hundred years ago, in the February 15, 1918 issue of the  Houghton Star.   

 

That age which was characterized by chivalry is no more. Those black years of Inquisitional suffering are a thing of the past. The days in which chauvinism and militarism held sway are fast disintegrating in the fiery cataclysm of war, but the attainment of Freedom and Democracy may be measured in terms of moments. History is being made and completed so rapidly that the human mind is staggered by the inferences deduced. So rapidly do events transpire in these strenuous days that wars, revolutions, and treaties may result in only a few hours, which if in any former period, would require years and years to accomplish so much. Like the phantasmagoria of the magic lantern are introduced abruptly, tarry a while, and are cut off soon to give place to other scenes, so now are events precipitated upon us, endure for a time, then vanish into interminable forgetfulness. These hours are more pregnant with meaning than any since “God’s eternal heart-ache on Calvary.” If one has accepted the opportunities to which the world is giving birth today, he may awake, after a pleasant dream, to find himself in the hinterlands of success. If he has, on the other hand, failed to see the meaning of things, he will soon be aroused by the inexorable sting of unaccepted opportunities. Not all, therefore, who sleep beneath an unmarked grave in the war will be clothed in the immortal robes of Freedom and Liberty, but the dazzling garments will be given also to those who did not by one supreme effort “pay life’s glad arrears” on the battlefield, but who gave their little all, day by day, year by year, in bringing the world up to the note which vibrates with the Infinite, struck to the rhythm of eternity. Get into the habit of thinking in world term, crowding each moment so full of God-directed, constructive effort that there will be no reconstruction period after the war because constant ameliorative industry has not been found wanting during the progress of the war.

—G.B.S.

 

    A problem is facing us. You know it, I know it, everybody knows it. War time is leaving its unhesitating footprints on the schools and colleges of our land; and war has not spared Houghton. The personnel of our students is different, many who have fought the hardest for Houghton and for scholarship record are now fighting for the land of the free and the home of the brave. Those faces, familiar but no longer with us, cannot be forgotten. Yet they are gone and we who are left must fill the vacant ranks. Yet we still must play the great part of a great school whether we want to do so or not. We are being watched, we are being imitated; as we go, so go others who will fashion destinies woven into existence by the governing force of our counsel.

    Let us wake up! A conflict is awaiting the best that is in us. It is a fight for Houghton Seminary. You are a slacker if you wouldn’t give your life for Houghton! And your school needs your spirit now, faculty and students, she needs all the life, loyalty, and the pep, pluck, perseverance and red-blooded patriotism you possess. And are you ready to get busy with a smile and help the Star make this semester the best that Houghton has ever known?

—L.K.H.