Category: Campus

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Campus News

Counseling Through Community

This semester, Houghton’s Counseling Center will hold regular group activities to encourage community connection, reduce stress, and teach useful handicraft skills.

The new events, snappily named “Wellness Wednesdays,” were the brainchild of Dr. Bill Burrichter, Houghton’s Director of Counseling Services. “A few years ago,” said Burrichter, “when I first came into Houghton, I was tasked with thinking about comprehensive wellness program. I had designed a wellness wheel with 7 dimensions, including spiritual, physical, nutritional, and emotional. Within each of those dimensions, we started to think through current things we do here at Houghton.”

a photo of the counseling center
Wellness Wednesdays seek to support students by connecting them with community members and teaching them valuable hands-on skills.

Although development of the program stalled due to slim financial and personnel resources, the Counseling Center staff continued to brainstorm new ways of connecting with students. “We kept circling back around to it,” Burrichter continued. “We kept asking about what kinds of things we could do to instill wellness among students here at Houghton, in areas that logically connect with social and emotional wellness and would still be beneficial to them.” The program was also designed to provide an enriching alternative to individualized spaces like dorm rooms and library carrels, allowing students to interact with each other and fellowship with members of the broader Houghton community. 

Intergenerational connections are, according to Burrichter, an emotional and spiritual blessing that modern college students sorely lack. “One of the greatest tragedies of the current generation is that the blind are leading the blind,” he said. “Emerging adults are leading emerging adults, and there’s a great sense of disconnect between older generations and the emerging adults. One of the intents behind the knitting night was to bring some cross generational interaction.”

During the next Wellness Wednesday, which will be held on Feb. 21 between 6-9 p.m., Prof. Alicia Taylor-Austin will show participants how to create durable, elegant handmade journals. After the instructional session, Burrichter added, “several women from the community will talk about what journaling has done for their spiritual and emotional wellness,” adding another dimension of wellness to the program.

In a later workshop, he said, retired Houghton psychology professor and “phenomenal woodworker” Daryl Stevenson will guide participants through a simple project. According to Burrichter, this low-key session will give students a chance to “do a project together and glean some wisdom from Dr. Stevenson, who’s been here for almost 40 years. And he can benefit from youthfulness and enthusiasm of the current students.” Another planned activity, an evening of sushi-rolling with licensed nutritionist Rebecca Harter, was designed to “bring people together around an engaging activity and create a sense of wellness” while teaching a valuable skill.

“We needed to think more creatively about how we deliver service,” Burrichter said, summing up his motivation behind designing such interactive events. “We’ve been sitting in our office and waiting for students to come to us. That has worked for many years, but we can’t possibly serve all students in that capacity.” He described the traditional mental and emotional intervention process as “a funnel going upward,” which most students enter at the bottom through individual counselling sessions.

“This is an attempt to flip the funnel upside down,” he said, “and get as many students as possible into the big part of the funnel through programs and services, so that they can access the benefits of this programming.” While some students immediately feel comfortable in one-on-one conversations with a counselor, others connect more naturally to hands-on activities. “Maybe these wellness activities will give some students what they need,” Burrichter said, expressing a hope that students who attend the sessions will join one of the many support groups available or visit the Counseling Center on their own time.

“We’re trying to think differently and find a more efficient way of delivering services to an ever-expanding need,” Burrichter said. At the most recent knitting circle event, 20 current Houghton students and eight community members came together to share technique tips and encouraging words. “Those kinds of relationships are really valuable,” he added. “They reinforce what makes Houghton a valuable place.”

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Campus Stories In Focus

Admissions Bridges The Gap

The first encounter many prospective students have with Houghton comes through the Admissions Office, whose employees are essential to the Houghton community. The office helps enlarge Houghton’s campus by bridging the gap between prospective students and the faculty, staff, and current students. “We do our best to give prospective students the best glimpse of Houghton and all that this community can do to equip them to lead and labor as scholar servants in a changing world,” said Rebekah Smith, the Assistant Director of Admissions. Our hope is to add other students who will be difference-makers and will add…to this already beautiful community.”

a photo of Duncan at a computer
Working as a telecounselor at the Admissions Office, Duncan Shalda ‘19 speaks with prospective students about his Houghton experience. The work of the Admissions Office is essential to the Houghton community.

The Admissions Office hosts three main departments: Operations, Recruitment, and Visit and Events. The operations department is responsible for marketing, communications, data, and admissions materials. The Recruitment Department cares for individual prospective students, acting as a bridge to other places and people on campus. Admission counselors, who operate under this department, play a large role in admissions and recruitment. They are responsible for a certain territory or student type, and are tasked with assisting each student within that area through the admission-to-enrollment process. They care for the needs of a prospective student from the time they inquire about admission until the time they step onto campus as a Houghton student for orientation. The position requires strong communication skills, excellent work ethic, and attention to detail. The Visit and Events Department organizes all incoming visits and the hosted by the Admissions Office, both on and off campus.

A wide variety of people work in the admissions office, and they fill a vast array of roles. According to Smith, the variety and quick pace of the work draw people to working in the Admissions Office. “Every day is different. Each day has a new set of surprises and challenges. The work keeps up on our toes! I think the constant change and movement of the seasons is what attracts people to this line of work,” she said. “This is not always an office job and there is plenty of room for new ideas, new challenges, and new ways to grow.”

Although the Admissions Office plays an essential role in bringing new students to Houghton, the office also greatly enjoys working with community to bring new people in. Smith said, “We don’t want to be remembered by the students coming to Houghton as the reason they came. We want Houghton to be the reason they came! Staff, faculty, and fellow students who will be walking alongside new students as soon as they come to Houghton through graduation are the most significant, and can be huge difference makers.”

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Campus Stories In Focus

Student Leader Profile: Hello, Matt!

When Matt Young ’18 graduated from high school in 2010, instead of immediately going onto higher education, he enlisted in the Army. For the following three years, Young was stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. In those years, he married his wife, Arielle, and welcomed their first son, Liam. The Young family later moved to western New York, where he worked one year for the Buffalo News before enrolling at Houghton in the fall of 2014.

As a non-traditional student, Young found the transition into civilian life after the Army “weird.” He said, “It was weird because the army is not a normal work experience. It was weird getting out of the Army and going into the normal workforce for a year, and then to come here is just completely different.”

a photo of Matt Young
Matt Young ‘18 is an Army veteran and philosophy major who also serves as vice president of the Student Government Association.

Young is a father of two young sons, Liam and Owen, who was born during the year that he worked for the Buffalo News. Owen suffered from several birth defects, an experience that Young described as a “punch in the gut to my faith.”

“It was during that time that I was considering which college to attend, and we settled on Houghton because of its Christian focus. I hoped to find some answers to why a good and powerful God would let things like this happen to children like my son,” Young said. “What I found at Houghton was a religious faculty that was willing to sit with me in my pain, frustration, and confusion, without shrinking away. They looked at the hard questions with me and did not offer trite and simplistic answers. I am very thankful to them for that.”

Although Young’s faith is not what it was when he arrived at Houghton almost four years ago, he still values Jesus “and his message of self-sacrificial love for our neighbors. Maybe one day the faith will come back,” Young said. “But as the author of Ephesians says, that will be a ‘gift of God.’”

Young is a philosophy major, and dreams of using his degree to “teach at some level, either as a professor or to use it as a springboard for a masters of education work,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind being a high school teacher either.”

Not only is Young an active voice in the philosophy program, he is also the vice president of the Student Government Association (SGA). Although his position came about a bit unexpectedly, Young filled the role with grace. “Last spring, the former vice president, Daniel Merriam ’17, and Joanna Friesen ’17 invited me to lunch and they said, ‘We think you should run for Daniel’s position in SGA. Have you ever thought of it?’ I said, ‘Not really, but tell me more about the position.’” After hearing more, Young was highly interested in stepping into the job. “I really like trying to make a difference in whatever community I’m a part of,” he stated. “I thought it was a good opportunity to represent the students’ needs to the administration, and vice versa. I try to do whatever I can.” All of the campus clubs fall under the SGA’s administration, so each club has to register and report to the SGA. In some cases, the SGA partners with clubs on campus.

Sergio Mata ’19, who serves as the SGA president, frequently shares responsibilities with Young. “I basically assist all the other executive officers with their duties. I keep track of all our office hours and attendance at our meetings,” Young said. “I also run all the blood drives in partnership with the Red Cross. That’s actually my favorite part.”

At the most recent blood drive, Young reported that they processed roughly forty donors. With each donation on average saving about three lives, “we literally saved 120 lives as a campus.” Houghton will host one more blood drive in April.

When asked what he would advise underclassmen to do in order to make the most of their time at Houghton, Young focused on the opportunity students have to learn from professors outside of the classroom. “One of the things I’ve enjoyed the most at Houghton has been the faculty lecture series,” he said. “It’s something that not a lot of students go to, but some of the most interesting research topics get covered from a variety of the faculty every semester and it always surprises me how few students are actually there. It’s a great opportunity to learn things outside of class.”

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Campus News

Summer Showcase

On February 20, the VOCA center is offering an opportunity for students to interact with potential future employers and internship opportunities.

From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., the Van Dyk lounge will host representatives from career fields in finance, mental health, engineering, ministry, equestrian activities, music industry, education, TV broadcasting, and many more. Students are invited to talk to these visitors and see where they may end up this summer or during the next few years. Along with the employers, a variety of summer camps will be represented for students who are interested in that type of ministry.

After the fair, there will be an informational session entitled “Are You Ready for Summer Camp?” These sessions, one at 3:15 p.m. and another at 4 p.m., will address issues that camp counselors often encounter, such as the  increasing prevalence of technology among children, dealing with students who are homesick, and ministering to childen with mental health struggles.

After the sessions, there will also be a panel discussion from 5:30 p.m. until 6:15 p.m. with camp directors, full time staff, and Houghton students who previously worked at summer camps. This event will end with networking and light refreshments from 8:00 p.m. until students clear out.

If students are interested they can contact Kim Pool at the VOCA center about the job and internship fair, and Laura Alexeichik about the “Are You Ready for Summer Camp?” events in the late afternoon and early evening.

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Campus News

Valedictory Lecture: The Joy of Teaching

On Thursday, February 15, Professor Gary Baxter will deliver his valedictory lecture, the capstone to his thirty-seven-year career as professor of art at Houghton College. Baxter said that he intends to focus on three points: “things that go into making art, things that go into teaching it, and how you maintain the balance between the two.”

These have been key elements of Baxter’s career as artist and teacher. Having begun as a student of architecture, he discovered his fascination with art and became an art major, eventually finding his niche in ceramics. “I took a ceramics course and fell in love with the material, and I’ve been working in clay ever since,” he said.

A photo of Professor Baxter
Professor Gary Baxter will present his valedictory lecture this coming Thursday, from 4:25 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Library 323.

Yet his interests also encompass other materials, such as wood and stone, as well as other mediums, such as drawing—an influence which, in fact, he has applied to his ceramics. “It’s all good,” he said with a smile.

Baxter’s lecture will address the “challenge” of the balance between this personal work and his work as teacher. “I have to be prepared to drop some of what I’m doing on my own time and spend it with a student,” he said, particularly because so much of his work as a teacher takes place outside of class, working with students and answering their questions. 

Kimberly Logee ’17, a Houghton alum and former art student, observed this as one of his strengths as a teacher. “He is extremely knowledgeable,” she said. “He can teach you how to do pretty much anything you might want to learn in the realm of ceramics.” Baxter identified this as a key aspect of the balance: “They pay me to have some expertise too.”

Accordingly, in the midst of teaching, he continues to develop his own interests and knowledge, whether this be considering the unexpected connections between nature and glazes or contemporizing ancient art in his pieces. He continually translates his knowledge and observations to students. Baxter reflected, “It’s interesting to me that trees have within them most of the stuff necessary for making a good glaze—all you have to do is doctor it up a little bit.” He communicates this not only to art majors but ito ntroductory ceramics students who are just beginning to learn the art of glazing.

Logee observed the practice, noting that his teaching encompasses not only technical skills, but also conceptual ones. “Learning to think conceptually about practical objects like mugs and plates is difficult, but important for an aspiring artist,” she said, “and Professor Baxter doesn’t let any of his students avoid learning how to do so.”

Baxter emphasized his enjoyment of teaching, and that he often finds students inspiring, both art majors and non-majors. “We oftentimes develop ideas in concert,” he said, describing a process of comments and changes in which the student grows, and he finds “new directions” for his work.

As his time at Houghton draws to a close, Baxter was not apprehensive of retirement. “I’m very much looking forward to it. I’ll probably be as busy, if not busier,” he said.

Yet he reflected positively upon his time at Houghton. “It’s been really good, I really love this place.”

The lecture will run from 4:25 to 5:30 p.m. in Library 323 this coming Thursday.

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Campus News

SPOT On The Spot

Once again, SPOT is coming to the Wesley Chapel stage.  Tomorrow at 10 p.m., students, faculty, and staff will take the stage to show off their talents and welcome laughs.

The hosts for this year’s spring show will be juniors Mason Sebian and Silas Philbrik.  Their key focus, they report is to provide a heavy dose of humor. “We wanted to bring back the ‘classic’ SPOT feel and tie in as much humor as possible. Life’s too short to take everything too seriously all the time,” Sebian commented.  He mentioned that the point of the show will be to take a break from everyday stresses and set aside time to “just be ridiculous.”

A photo of the hosts
Long-time buddies Mason Sebian ‘19 and Silas Philbrick ‘19 will be hosting Spring SPOT tomorrow night at 10:00 p.m.

Similar to past SPOTs, the acts will consist of both videos and live acts.  Sebian mentioned, however, that when judging auditions for this performance, they were intentional about finding acts from a variety of sources.  “As far as acts go, we have a combination of videos and live acts mostly following our theme,” he said. “We tried to include ‘representatives’ from all parts of campus, including sports teams, Res Life, as well as faculty and staff.”

He also included a cryptic warning, saying that faculty and staff “have some surprises waiting for them.”

The theme this year is “On the SPOT,” punning on an old term for improv.  “Since we were going for the light-hearted feel, we needed some inspiration and stumbled over the old show Whose Line is it Anyway? We pretty much laughed until we cried and couldn’t breathe. I was wheezing…it was wonderful,” Sebian reflected.

For those who are unfamiliar with the show, IMDb sums it up as “an American version of the popular British improvisational comedy show. Host Drew Carey, taking suggestions from the audience, assigns roles and scenarios to the comedian contestants, who must then improvise a skit on the spot.” Further lending itself to use as a SPOT theme, the show typically showcased visiting celebrities, similarly to how Sebian and Philbrick will highlight the talents of their peers.

When asked to reflect on what he was excited for when hosting SPOT, Sebian answered, “Honestly what I’m most looking forward to is the opportunity to allow myself to just be goofy with Silas. We bring out the inner 4-year-old troublemakers in each other and it has been an absolute blast incorporating that into some of our skits and style of hosting.”  He added that there may be some form of “uncomfortable-awkwardness” as they go all out with their material, commenting, “I live for those moments and they’re ten times more enjoyable when it’s in front of people.”

Overall, the SPOT hosts expect a fun and funny show. “We figure we’d give everyone a break from their normal stressed-out lives and just be ridiculous-—which we do pretty well both individually and as a team!” Sebian explained.  He remarked on how much he appreciated working with his long-time friend on the project and the chance to act ridiculous for the audience’s entertainment.  “I love this dude like a brother and being able to be absolutely ridiculous with such a close friend – probably making fools of ourselves at times- will be one of the most important memories I’ll have during my time here at Houghton.”

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Campus International News

A New Kind of Adventure

After graduation, some Houghton students will head home to their families for the summer. Some will take the plunge into new jobs and internships. But some will travel abroad for a few weeks to seek a new kind of adventure.

This Mayterm, in a joint venture between the departments of political science and international development, Houghton will offer a Mayterm course in Sierra Leone.  “The Mayterm is designed as a field research experience for students of international development,” said Oakerson. “Because I’m a political scientist, there is always a political element.” Being so specialized, the course’s enrollment is strictly limited and normally only extends to international development students. However, Oakerson shared that he is “always willing to talk with any interested student to see if their background and interests are appropriate to be considered for enrollment.” He has personally approved every participant. The course was offered every year between 2009 and 2012, shelved for several years due to the Ebola epidemic, then revived from 2016-2017.

A photo from Mayterm.
Mayterm options this year include a political science and international development course in Sierra Leone, as well as several art courses across the Mediterranean.

“All of our work has been in the Northern Province, mostly in the vicinity of the City of Makeni, the provincial capital,” Oakerson continued. “We usually begin with a few days in Freetown, the capital of the country. Most of our work, however, takes place in rural villages, where we do intensive interviews with groups of village leaders. We choose research projects that we think will make a contribution to development. We have studied political decentralization, traditional agriculture, village governance, and customary land tenure.”

“Last year,” he recalled, “we did a comprehensive baseline development study of a traditional chiefdom—40 villages—located in one of the most remote sections of the country. In previous years we became involved in the design and implementation of a development project that connected village mango growers to a maker of juice concentrate for international export.”

“The research experience is essentially the same for everyone, except that students with

particular expertise and interest may be asked to work on some particular aspect of the course,” he continued. “For example, students minoring in public health may work on a healthcare aspect if relevant; students with a second major in environmental biology may work on a natural resource aspect.”

This May, Oakerson hopes to continue the past year’s work conducting feasibility studies for future development initiatives. “One [is] related to conservation and ecotourism possibilities,” he said, “and the other to the development of agricultural cooperatives able to process and market tree crops, including mangoes.”

Departing at roughly the same time, several art classes will immerse themselves in the most iconic settings of the Mediterranean: Rome, Venice, Florence, and Athens. On the trip, professors will lead two separate art history classes, a watercolor studio, and a photography seminar. Students will tour major historical sites like the Acropolis and Coliseum, cultural institutions like the Vatican Museum and Uffizi Gallery, and religious destinations like the Sistine Chapel and St. Mark’s Basilica. 

A photo of Houghton students posing overseas
This year’s Mediterranean art Mayterm will include a street photography tour to develop artistic sensibilities, along with plenty of time spent in museums to inspire papers, projects, or the student’s own art.

“It’s going to be based in travel documentary,” said Ryann Cooley, Houghton professor of photography, who will lead students on a street photographer’s tour of the Mediterranean. “My goal is to take a documental, cultural view of the people, the culture, and the environment.”

Although each student can choose their own stylistic direction for the course, Cooley has planned a variety of “exercises and assignments that teach how to see and compose photographs.” One capstone project will encourage students to “work on developing a story” about the people they meet and places they visit.

Rather than guiding participants through the intricate technical aspects of camera operation, the walkabout studio course will focus on developing artistic sensibilities. “It’s learning how to take good pictures,” according to Cooley. “But there will be no smartphones,” he elaborated, “because I want people to understand how to control different aspects of the photograph.”

The course will also take advantage of the rich cultural and artistic pedigree of the region. “We’ll be spending a lot of time in museums,” Cooley said. “All the people on the Mayterm will go to every museum. Those taking the art history classes will answer questions and write papers. The studio classes will create work based on things that we see in the museums. Other projects will simply be inspired by the work, by having it in the back of your mind.”

Cooley has taught similar Mayterm photography courses across Europe and in New York City, and was immediately fascinated by the prospect of seeing classical Athenian architecture and Venetian canal system. “Each [location] has something very intriguing to me,” he said. “I think they’ll all bring a sense of street life, which will be fabulous for shooting.”

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Campus International Stories In Focus

Being Present: A Semester Abroad

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.”

Photo of the students at a table
(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 and  mind 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.”

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Campus Sports Stories In Focus

Four Athletes Take the Lead

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.

A photo of the athletes.
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.”

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Campus Stories In Focus

Student Leader Profile: Hello, Garrett!

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.”

Photo of Garrett Bock
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.”