Category: Campus

This past Monday, October 2, Houghton’s extension campus in Utica, New York, opened its doors to a group of students who are new not only to college life, but also to the American experience.

Following the success of Houghton’s Buffalo extension, which opened in 2013, the new extension was designed to serve the growing refugee and immigrant population in downtown Utica. The extension will offer two-year Associate of Arts degrees to members of the community, particularly immigrants and refugees whose access to a Christian liberal arts education would normally be restricted by their lack of finances or prior academic opportunities. Over the next few years, the extension plans to admit around twenty-five students annually.

Dr. Mark Caruana, Dean of the Utica campus, came to his role from a previous position as senior pastor at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in downtown Utica. During his twenty years of ministry, he has focused on developing multiethnic ministries and helping his congregation welcome nearly nine hundred ethnic Karen immigrants who had escaped refugee camps in their native Burma. Caruana’s experience also earned him a place as a representative to the Burma Refugee Commission of the American Baptist Churches/USA and a spot on the board of directors of the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees, which provides a range of essential services and resources to recently arrived families.   

The Utica extension’s first incoming class was drawn from diverse backgrounds. The majority are English language learners, and most have not benefitted from a formal post-secondary education. Nearly all are first-generation college students. Many have fled danger or poverty in their home countries. However, Caruana believes that the students’ experiences have also given them the strength and courage to tackle these new challenges. “These same students are resilient, hard-working, engaged, and hopeful,” he said.

Over the past several years, the city of Utica has earned a reputation for its robust integration programs and welcoming attitude toward refugees. Immigrants from many countries and ethnicities now make up nearly 20 percent of the city’s general population. Around four hundred are resettled within the Utica borders each year, many from areas of the world that have been ravaged by war, disease, or other hardship.

The curriculum blends Houghton’s traditional liberal arts approach with a unique emphasis on workplace preparation and English speaking and writing proficiency. Students can earn degrees across a wide variety of disciplines, including literature and writing, history, philosophy and theology, communication, mathematics, and fine arts. Specialized business classes will prepare graduates to enter the workforce or start their own ventures, while intensive tutoring sessions will help them keep up with the demands of a high-quality education. Students will also participate in internships around the city, helping them to gain experience in the private sector.

Although Caruana’s main ambitions center around giving students a rigorous education and preparing them to enter the workforce, he also values the opportunity to embody Christian hospitality and service. “Ministry is always relational and contextual,” he said, adding that he hoped to build not merely a college campus, but also a “caring learning community in which we know our students by name and walk alongside them in a supportive role.”

“I believe Houghton College Utica is another expression of Houghton’s core commitment to serve its neighbors in Allegany County, across New York state and the nation, and around the globe,” Caruana said. He also invited anyone connected to Houghton to participate in the new extension’s goals and mission: “We are part of Houghton College and welcome Houghton students and faculty to visit us and experience Houghton College Utica for themselves.”

After surviving one-third of a semester as the new dining service on campus, Metz Culinary Management is working hard to satisfy the various dietary requirements of students and to promote sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Metz Culinary Management sets high corporate standards. Advertising that they “bring you the best on-campus food program with a variety of tastes that is sure to please,” Metz is concerned not only with appealing to the wide-ranging nutrition preferences and needs of students and faculty, but also with prioritizing sustainability and minimizing the company’s imprint on the environment. Metz also voices a commitment to providing vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options daily. For students with dietary restrictions like these, it is vitally important for Metz to dependably live up to this pledge.

From the perspective of one first-year student who consumes a vegetarian diet and preferred to remain anonymous, Metz has so far done a satisfactory job of providing vegetarian options. She noted that, despite her dietary restrictions, “There is always something I can eat.” However, this student also pointed out that “sometimes there is not a variety” among the vegetarian options. In spite of this, she has been satisfied overall with the diversity and quality that Metz offers with regard to her vegetarian requirements.

Likewise, in the opinion of Alexis Lamb ‘18, Metz is doing well at providing nutrients for her limited diet. Lamb is restricted to consuming wheat-free foods, and she appreciates the simplicity of the gluten-free section provided by Metz. This station in the dining hall, which generally serves a meat, a grain, and a vegetable option, offers a reliable source of nutrients for Lamb and other students limited to gluten-free foods. As a senior, Lamb cannot help but compare Metz with their predecessor, Sodexo. She decided that Metz is “definitely a step up from Sodexo. More fresh, I think.”

However, Lamb did have a recommendation for Metz: “One thing I really liked about Sodexo was that they had the labels that said what was in the food,” the upperclassman recalled, “so right now [with Metz] there are items that I’m not sure if there’s wheat in them, so [labels] would be helpful.” Despite this point of criticism, Lamb described herself as “definitely satisfied” with the gluten-free food options provided by Metz.

Aside from their commitment to serving quality food for students with various dietary restrictions, Metz Culinary Management is also dedicated to sustainability. On their corporate website, Metz states, “We pledge to be environmental stewards by working closely with clients, sustainability partners and vendors on dining concepts, products and programs that meet your needs while protecting resources for future generations.”

According to the Houghton College’s sustainability coordinator, Brian Webb, “Metz actually walks the talk.” In Webb’s opinon, the college as a whole benefits from this transparency and dedication. Webb explained, “Metz has already begun investing in significant water and energy conservation measures in the kitchen that are projected to save the college thousands of dollars by reducing water usage, cutting electricity, and conserving heat in the building.” Moreover, Webb praised Metz for putting “their money where their mouth is” by “investing $15,000 every year in Houghton’s campus sustainability initiatives.” Regarding Metz’s commitment to sustainability, Webb concluded, “I’m very proud to have them on campus.”

Homecoming 2017 kicks off this Friday night with its annual Collage Concert.

This concert features nearly every ensemble in the Greatbatch School of Music. According to Dr. Armenio Suzano, the Dean of the Greatbatch School, the concert “will be a collection of not only different styles, genres, and groups of people, but it will also be a collection of everything that music has to offer in terms of beautiful compositions…both sacred and secular, traditional and contemporary, from classical to jazz. It will be literally a celebration of life, color, and Christian spirit.” The School of Music uses this concert to both maintain tradition and display the multitude of diverse talents its students possess. It is a way for the school of music to join the larger community in celebrating the past and anticipating the future of what God is going to be doing at Houghton College.

The ensembles that will be performing at the homecoming Collage Concert include Gospel Choir, College Choir, Houghton Acappella, Houghton Symphonic Wind Band, and the Houghton Symphony Orchestra. Although some of these ensembles are relatively new, each one boasts a rich history in the Greatbatch School of Music. The respective ensembles have been preparing for this concert since the beginning of the semester. Many hours of work are have been devoted to creating such an extravagant display of talent, including several extra hours of rehearsal time in the week leading up to the concert.

The concert will also feature several solo performances. Dr. Judy Congdon, professor of organ and harpsichord, will debut one of her original solo organ arrangements. Mrs. Amanda Cox, instructor of voice, will be performing the comical and divergent “The Girl in 14G.” Dr. William John Newborough, professor of piano and Director of Piano Studies, will also be performing a solo piece.

Professors both old and new will direct the concert, including Dr. Daniel David Black, Director of Choral Activities; Dr. Tim McGarvey, Director of Instrumental Activities; Mr. Jerome Bell, class of ’15 and 3rd year graduate student; Mrs. Amanda Cox; and Dr. Armenio Suzano.

As is tradition, the Collage Concert will feature a powerful performance of “Total Praise” which features nearly every musician in the Greatbatch School of Music. “Total Praise” exemplifies the level of musical talent and Christian devotion that the Greatbatch School of Music strives to display. Dr. Suzano stated that the entirety of the Collage concert will display the “high level of excellence that is a trademark of everything that we do at the Greatbatch School of Music and at Houghton College.”

The 2017 Homecoming Collage Concert will take place in the Wesley Chapel on Friday October 6 at 8:00 pm. Free to all.

On Monday, October 9th, Houghton College will host STEM at Houghton Visit Day, a full-day event that will provide prospective students with a chance to delve into the programs Houghton offers in science and mathematics.

This year marks the fourth year that Houghton College has offered this visit day, which is specifically geared towards high school students interested in science and mathematics careers, according to Associate Director of Admission Events Betsy Rutledge. This year, Rutledge said, the event has been moved to Columbus Day to make it “more accessible for visiting students,” who now “will not have to miss a day of school to attend our visit.”

In addition to usual visit activities such as touring the campus, going to chapel, and eating at the dining hall, prospective students who visit on Monday will be given the chance to “attend a science or math class in their specific area of interest, work with faculty members doing a lab experience, and have a question and answer time with faculty members,” Rutledge said.

Opportunities in STEM fields are actively growing: data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest that by 2022, job opportunities in occupations related to STEM will have increased by over 1 million compared to 2012 levels. Rutledge highlighted this nationwide growth in STEM, and said that the visit day was created to make students “aware of the academically-excellent program we have here at Houghton.”

Mark Yuly, physics professor and Associate Dean of Sciences and Mathematics, said that Houghton’s programs in science and mathematics are rigorous and prepare students well for both graduate school and careers in STEM fields. Noting that the practical applications of Houghton’s science classes can be difficult to show prospective students in a setting like a college fair, Yuly stressed that “Part of the reason for wanting to do STEM day is so the students have a chance to come over to the building and see what it’s actually like—to be in a class, or to do research and be involved in doing science, as opposed to just learning about science.” Assistant professor of biology Ransom Poythress also said that this visit day is a valuable chance for students to engage with Houghton’s science and mathematics programs. He said, “I always enjoy visit days because it gives me the opportunity to show prospective students why I love teaching and more specifically why I love teaching at Houghton. I get to demonstrate how a Christ-centered foundation can undergird high caliber science and deep mentoring relationships.”

Yuly said that Houghton has a highly practical approach to “doing science.” He said that introductory courses at many other schools are designed to give students a general overview of a scientific discipline in a logical, connected way. “That’s valuable to have, but the only problem is that’s not what science is really about at all.” He continued, “That’s a good way to learn a lot of information about science, but it’s not a good way to prepare someone to be a scientist.”

At Houghton, students have the opportunity to participate in research as early as their freshman year. Yuly described Houghton’s innovative Science Honors program as “an experience where students actually get to think like scientists, even in their first year.” Rutledge also praised the “opportunity students have to do hands-on research with faculty members while pursuing their undergraduate degree,” which she said is an experience reserved for graduate students at many other universities.

At Houghton, Rutledge said, students “learn what it means to study science and mathematics within a Christian context, led by professors who know them personally. [They are] surrounded by a community that enables them to grow into the people they are supposed to be: young adults prepared to change the world.”

Starting this fall, Houghton’s incoming first-year students will experience history in a whole new way.

Rather than rotating through the standard gamut of “first-year” courses—such as Western Civilization, Literary Voices, and Metaphysics, Morality, and Mind—incoming students will participate in a three-semester integrative studies course that fulfills requirements in history, literature, and philosophy. True to its name, the “Enduring Questions” course was designed to help students contextualize further studies and situate themselves within the wider Christian liberal arts tradition.  

The course was primarily designed to “get students to think about some of the questions that are important to us,” said Dr. Linda Mills-Woolsey, professor of English and former academic dean. The course’s scope is chronological rather than topical or thematic, progressing from the earliest histories of the ancient world to the literary masterpieces of the 20th century. “All things being equal, this kind of thing has worked very well,” Mills-Woolsey said in reference to the program.Yale University, for instance, has for several years required its first-year students to participate in a uniquely integrative “Directed Studies” program, which was created to guide them through the study of literature, philosophy, history, and political theory. Similar programs have thrived at other private colleges in recent years.

In speaking about the course, Mills-Woolsey emphasized the importance of giving first-year students “a context, a picture they can plunge in-depth into later.” She elected to use a mixture of pedagogical practices in her teaching, from full-class Socratic discussions and short lectures to small group conversations focusing on specific attributes of the text. According to Dr. Peter Meilaender, each professor drafted their own unique syllabus, reading list, writing assignments, and exam materials based on the historical events and cultural milestones that they considered to be the most vital to a study of the Western cultural tradition.

“Many faculty,” Meilaender added with a smile, “have wondered how much history students actually remember.” By presenting historical events alongside the philosophical musings and literary works that influenced them, these professors hope to build a more cohesive—and comprehensive—contextual structure. Students work their way through readings from the book of Genesis, the Iliad and the Odyssey, the love poetry of Sappho, and the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle, among others.

“In some ways, though, it’s not completely new,” Mills-Woolsey said. “I’m teaching stuff that I would have taught in London.” Every faculty member who was hired to teach the course, with the exception of President Mullen, had previously spent a term teaching in the London Honors program. While Humanities 101 does not boast the same totally immersive experience as the overseas honors program—and also lacks its intense reading lists and writing requirements—it does mimic its integration of multiple connected disciplines.

Attempting a survey course so ambitious in scope must, of course, entail some logistical and organizational challenges. “It stretches the professors a little more,” said Mills-Woolsey, “because nobody is an expert.” However, many of the course’s professors have completed extensive study in multiple . Mills-Woolsey’s graduate studies examined literature within a historical context, while President Mullen attained degrees in both history and philosophy and Meilaender’s professional work has focused heavily on the intersection between political theory and literature. “When you’re a small faculty,” Meilaender said, “you have to do a lot of different things.” In this case, that might mean learning to teach across your discipline or illuminate the ties between Athenian philosophy and ancient military strategies.

“It’s a challenge trying to balance, to get [students] to be involved,” Meilaender said, while still ensuring that everyone in the class is “getting deep enough into the meat” of the material. How has the process gone so far? According to Meilaender, students “were actually pretty enthusiastic.” Mills-Woolsey also spoke highly of her students’ comments, calling them “very perceptive.” In the future, both hope that asking—and answering—these questions alongside students will open new doors for further study.

This September, Buffalo Business First honored President Mullen, along with ninety-nine other woman, with a position on this year’s “Women of Influence” list.

According to the organization’s website, the women chosen for the list “have demonstrated an incredible dedication to their organizations, their families and to the City of Buffalo.” In 2006, President Mullen became the fifth president and first woman to assume the office of the presidency at Houghton College. A recent Houghton press release states that the women named for this honor “are fostering change in their communities and Western New York.”

When asked about which of her contributions have been the most gratifying for her, President Mullen responded that she was “most grateful for anything that has been done to make Houghton a more inviting place for students to discover their gifts, realize their full God-given potential, and imagine where their gifts might be connected to places of effectiveness and service around the world.”  She adds that success is measured by what others judge success to be, and that “everything is a team effort.”

Despite being named for an honor that showcases powerful and influential women of Western New York, President Mullen noted that she does not think about being a woman in power “much at all.” Instead, she emphasized her own commitment to “trying to do what I believe God has asked me to do.”

“The only time I link this to ‘being a woman’ is when I remember that others are still sometimes getting used to the idea of women being in this kind of role,” she said. “Sometimes we have to help others become comfortable with our being in the places we are in.” Mullen stressed how important it is for women to pursue God’s calling, not because they have something to prove, but because “God has gifted them in particular ways.”

Her statement addressed the truth about what it means to be a strong woman. “A ‘strong woman’ is someone who can face the circumstances of one’s life—including the challenges—with ruthless honesty, with self awareness, and with a deep desire to use one’s gifts to make a difference for others,” said President Mullen. She added that grit, resilience, and humility are necessary traits for those in leadership, and noted that “doing good for the people whom we have been entrusted to lead” is crucial.

Several other college presidents received the honor alongside Mullen: Cynthia Zane of Hilbert College, Virginia Horvath of SUNY Fredonia, Katherine Conway-Turner of SUNY Buffalo State, and Lorrie Clemo of D’Youville College. Kim Pegula, who gifted Houghton College with $12 million in 2011 in order to build the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex, was also given a place on the list.

President Mullen also believes that, rather than pursuing positions of leadership, women and men alike should “seek to develop the gifts God has given [them]. Learn to know yourself—your strengths and your weaknesses.  Learn to be comfortable with criticism.  Do the tasks before you with all your heart—and let the long term take care of itself.”

Every year on a morning in September, students in countries across the world gather at their school flagpoles to pray for their communities. Middle schools, high schools, and colleges alike have participated in the event, called See You at the Pole. since it began 1990. The event was first staged by a few teenagers in the United States, who felt burdened for their schoolmates. On a Saturday evening in 1990, they drove to several schools and gathered around the flagpoles to pray together. Since then, See You At The Pole has grown into an international event with more than 3 million participants across more than 20 countries.

“The main goal is to gather together to pray for the country, our communities, and schools,” said Andrew Sherman, SGA Executive Officer of Spiritual Life, who helped to organize the event this year. But besides offering a chance to pray and connect with fellow students, SGA also arranged to provide free coffee and donuts for attendees.

Students who have gone in the past admit that donuts may have been their original motivation to go, but that it was the power of the event that had the greatest impact on them. “I had heard there would be donuts there, and that seemed sufficient motivation to get up extra early and stand in penguin huddles around the flagpole,” said Jordan Trautwein ‘19, who had also attended See You At The Pole events in the past. “Once I was there my focus shifted to the true purpose of the event.”

She went on to add that See You at the Pole was one of the first events she went to at Houghton, and she continued to be amazed by how welcoming people were. “There aren’t a lot of times you get to gather with a bunch of strangers on a misty morning to talk about your hopes and concerns for the semester,” she said. “People shared honestly and prayed sincerely.  It was a poignant example of how Houghton is not only a school, but also a form of congregation.”

This feeling of connection and congregation struck her as the most important aspect of the event. “A huge focus in the news, both national and global, is how divided people are,” Trautwein said. “Unfortunately, the Church is not always above such division. See You At the Pole is a practice in unity, encouraging us to bring our different issues to the same God.”

This “practice in unity” gathered a large group of students early on Wednesday morning. Students came together at the flagpole, enjoyed donuts and cups of coffee, and took time to pray for the coming school year, for everyone at Houghton College, and for broader issues around the world.

Andrew Sherman said that Houghton College plans to participate in this event for years to come. Students will continue to have the opportunity to participate in this student-founded event, which, as Trautwein says, “doesn’t rely on older generations to pray on our behalf, but calls students to be involved in their community’s issues and their own faith.”

This year, Houghton’s music industry program is now in the hands of two of its newest professors: James Bowman, hailing from Buffalo, and Carlton Campbell of Rochester.

Director of Technical Arts James Bowman, who also spent time in Sioux Falls, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, graduated from Full Sail University with a BS in Music Business. He is also stepping in as the Interim Instructor of Music Industry. Campbell attended the University of Buffalo, where he originally met Bowman, and fills the role of Assistant Director of Technical Arts.

If it seems like there’s a bromance brewing between the two, don’t be fooled—that’s old news. Friends for over eleven years before coming together to teach at Houghton, both professors felt called to the rural school and its music program: “Carlton pointed me in the direction of an amazing opportunity. I believe it was God’s divine leading and I’m glad Carlton heard His voice,” said Bowman, who is also related to several Houghton alumni. Campbell’s family had built a home studio, which they opened to Bowman; they refused to accept any compensation for the time he spent tucked away in their house, learning about music production.

Both professors bring years of expertise at arranging, producing, recording and mixing music, yet a conversation with them reveals two very down-to-earth and approachable guys who value fun in the classroom. Campbell’s love for New York sports teams, for instance, led him to structure one of his classes like a fantasy football league, with points earned for completed “offensive” and “defensive” actions. loves bowling, gaming, and family time. Bowman is also a sports fan and a family man, but has also always enjoyed travel and “anything that has to do with marine/aquatic life.” This passion could have led him along a vastly different career path. Said Bowman, “When I was a kid I dreamt of being an oceanographer, until my father told me I couldn’t play the drums underwater.”

In conversation, it’s also very apparent just how much they both love music. Campbell, before coming to Houghton, served as one of his church’s musical directors and performed as a touring drummer and occasional bassist. His music has been featured on The Sopranos and CBS’s sitcom The King of Queens, and he once played alongside Robert Randolph & the Slide Brothers on The Tonight Show. Bowman grew up in a musical family and says that it has been a part of his life since the day he was born: “Music is what I do and it’s around me everywhere I go,” he said.

But don’t let these fun-loving antics fool you. Campbell and Bowman share a vision for their department and a passionate dedication to advancing the music industry program. When asked about goals for their students, their passion is impossible to hide. Both professors aim to give every student who passes through their doors the tools they’ll need for success. The extensive musical and technical expertise they bring, as well as their commitment to faith and their enthusiasm for interacting one-on-one with students, are all promising signs at the commencement of a new school year.