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Campus News

End of Semester Events // FROTH and Backyard Fest

There will be two events happening this evening, Froth and Backyard Fest.  Both are available to all students and offer free food.

Froth is Rothenbuhler (Roth) Hall’s annual party dedicated to milk.  According to the Houghton College website, the event will take place tonight from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m.

“Part of the fun about Froth is not completely knowing what to expect,” said Joe Miner, a Resident Assistant (RA) at Roth. “But, I can say that there will be lots of music, milkshakes, ice cream, and more. We will have lactose-free products as well for our lactose intolerant friends. For the most part, though, Froth is something you really need to attend to understand all that’s happening.”

Miner has been working with Jon Craton, the Resident Director (RD) of Roth,  to organize the event. “However, to make it all run smoothly,” Miner added, “It will take a group effort of some Roth residents, RA’s, and our friends.“

He continued to explain the history of the odd theme, and how it returned once more to Houghton.  “Froth was created in the Spring of 2015. It was a combined effort from students who have now graduated from Houghton,” Miner said

The turnout of the first Froth was, according to Miner, a bit unexpected.  “I don’t think they expected many people to show up because it’s literally a milk-themed party, but a lot of campus ended up coming. It’s one of those funny things that had no right to be successful, but was a success anyway.”

According to Miner, the event is back for it’s third year in a row because “we heard so many positive reviews.” Because it was such a success, when Miner and Craton were planning events for Roth’s upcoming academic year, they “decided to bring it back again.”

The timing of the event is strategic for the sake of pacing events and also for the mental health of students. He said, “We intentionally planned this for the end of the semester. Most of Roth’s traditions take place in the Fall, so it’s nice to have something else happening in the Spring.” Miner continued, “Froth is great to have at the end of the semester because it’s an opportunity to let some of the crazy out. It’s one last chance to dance your heart out, and I think students appreciate that.”

Also hosting an event this evening is the class of 2020.  Backyard Fest, which will take place on the Ski Hill, will happen  from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.   Following the backyard theme, according to the Houghton College website, the event will feature lawn games, s’mores, and live music.

Hannah Sievers ‘20, class president, explained the inspiration for Backyard Fest.  “So actually I had a dream about this event. I woke up and realized I had to throw this event, so starting in January or so I began talking to the executive cabinet and my class cabinet to get the wheels rolling.”

The class cabinet worked alongside several members of the executive cabinet to create the event.  Their goal was to create a “chill hangout coffeehouse kind of vibe” for the evening.

Sievers added, “I am super excited to hopefully have Backyard Fest be an annual tradition to be carried on even after our class graduates.”

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Campus News

College Choir Kicks Off Spring Tour

At seven this morning, the College Choir departed for their week-long tour of the East Coast. Their path includes performances at nine different churches and several schools.

“The College Choir tours to re-connect with Houghton alumni, engage with prospective students, promote the college to those in communities we visit, and provide an opportunity for current choir members to perform at a high level in a variety of quality performance spaces,” stated Director Daniel Black.  According to Black, the choir has been touring for decades, continuing the long tradition of Houghton excellence that started when Wilfred Bain founded the College Choir in the 1930’s.

The tour this year is planning to make stops in a variety of states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Maryland. Per graduate assistant Alessio Tranchell, the first performance will be in North Wales, Pennsylvania at a Lutheran Church on Main Street and the week will finish out with a performance of the National Anthem at a Rochester Red Wings baseball game. Choir members will get to stay and watch the game afterwards. Of the places on the itinerary, Black was most excited about performing at the New Life Church in Maryland, the Aisquith Presbyterian Church which is the regular host of the Maryland State Boychoir, a nationally recognized group, and his own home church in Rochester. Choir members are perhaps most excited for stop the choir will be taking in New York City.

As the choir tour falls over holy week (ending the day before Easter), Black had no easy task selecting songs. “I started with pieces with which I had a personal connection” he said, “and that I thought the choir would like and sing well. As the list of pieces grew, the theme that emerged was that of gratitude for the many blessings God bestows on us.” Black’s song list is a little bit of everything, representing a range of styles. From Bach to Italian Madrigals to contemporary gospel pieces, few genres are missing. The set will end with the standard piece Give me Jesus, which is sung at the end of almost every college choir concert. Black’s theme of thankfulness splits itself into five different categories, sung sequentially throughout the program. “I identified a few categories of things for which I think we ought to be thankful,” he added, “and finished the program by finding pieces that fit into those categories.”

College choir members are looking forward to traveling together and performing. “I’ve never been on tour with the choir,” said member Gabrielle Sheely ‘19. “It sounds like a lot of fun. Members have been working on some of the pieces since the beginning of the year, and are excited to get to perform them.”

“It’s a great opportunity” added Gena Hartman ‘19, another member.

“What I love most about this process is that I have the privilege of bringing together students from many different backgrounds, majors, and walks of life, in order to build something beautiful that points the singers and our audiences to Christ,” stated Black. “I believe that part of our responsibility as Christians is to work to renew the world, to be the new Jerusalem here on earth, and that putting things of beauty, such as music, into the world, is part of fulfilling that responsibility.”

Dates and locations for the tour are available on the Houghton website.

 

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Campus News

Music Student Selected for National Conference

Victoria Pitre, a graduate student at the Greatbatch School of Music, was one of eight national finalists at the 2017 American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) national conference.  The competition for the ACDA took place on March 9 in Minneapolis.

Daniel Black, Director of Vocal Music and Conducting, said of the ADCA, “The membership is more than 20,000 representing more than one million singers across the United States.”  Black continued, “[The competition] has been around for many years and takes place at every national ACDA conference. For choral conductors, it is widely known.”

To qualify for the competition, Pitre conducted two pieces which changed meter. “Last October, we arranged for Victoria to record herself conducting the Houghton College Choir in a twelve minute video,” Black explained. “Additionally, she was not able to work with the choir prior to the recording so they were prepared by me. My goal was to have the choir function at a very high level so that she could spend her twelve minutes shaping the music they produce to her liking.”

“Victoria’s [also] incredibly gifted when it comes to conducting,” commented Carolynne Waddington ‘19, a fellow music student. “Whenever she conducts us in College Choir, everyone responds so well.  She has so much energy that just radiates off her and makes its way to us. She is so talented and the school of music is so blessed to have her.”

Black went and said “The competitors were looking at gesture, rehearsal technique, and demeanor on the podium. Each graduate student had only eight minutes to work on two pieces with a choir they had never heard before. Obviously, with that kind of constraint, efficiency in achieving one’s goals is paramount.”

Chosen from over a hundred applicants, Pitre successfully secured one of the eight national finalist positions along with an invitation to compete at the conference.  She is the first student from Houghton college to receive this honor, according to Armenio Suzano, Dean of the Greatbatch School of Music.

“It is a testament to the music program offered at Houghton College that one of our students was selected to be in that small, extremely select group,”Suzano said.  “Furthermore, it reflects the unwavering commitment of the Greatbatch School of Music and our Music faculty toward excellence in all levels of music education, regardless of style or genre – from Opera, to Collaborative, to Technology, to Worship.  Uncompromising, relentless pursuit of musical excellence, with solid Christian values. Victoria Petri’s ACDA competition is a validation of that mission”

“Victoria has many accomplishments in and out of the music building.  She is such a wonderful person that lights up any room she walks into,” Waddington added.  “She has one of the most beautiful singing voices and I’m so happy she has been able to really show it off this year.”

“Having the fact that I was a semi-finalist on my resume will be something that helps to establish to future employers that I have a solid skill set,” Pitre recognized. “ Also, I had the opportunity to meet the other competitors, and network with peers who have similar strength of goal and vision for the future.

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Campus News Sports

Spring Sports Near Season End

Highlander softball snapped a six game win streak in two close losses to Utica College last week, 5-8 and 6-7. The Utica double header commenced conference play for the women, followed by Ithaca College on Wednesday and an away double header this afternoon at Elmira College. While the six-win streak was non-conference play, it was the longest streak Highlander softball has been able to string together since the program rebooted in 2012. Now in its fifth year and under its fourth set of coaching staff, it remains to be seen how the team will fare this season.

Baseball sits at 8-10, with one win and four losses in conference play. On Tuesday, the team faced Alfred State College. The team will face Empire 8 foe, Utica college, at home this afternoon at 4 p.m., and tomorrow for a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.

Men’s tennis turned out strong, shutting out their first two conference competitors Hartwick and Alfred University 9-0. The men will continue their season at home tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. against conference opponent Stevens Tech.

Women’s tennis closed last Saturday with a loss to Geneva College. After making steady gains in conference play since the program was inaugurated in 2013, the women have stalled with nearly the same overall and conference records as last year. They finished 3-5 in the Empire 8 conference, and 7-8 overall.

Men’s and Women’s lacrosse, both relatively new programs in their fifth season, have struggled to find their footing this year. Each team recorded a 0-3 start in the Empire 8 conference. The men face Steven’s Tech at home tomorrow at noon. The women will battle St. John Fisher away tomorrow at 1 p.m.

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Campus News

Covenant Revisions Progress

Edits to the Community Covenant’s language regarding LGBTQ students may be formalized as early as May according to Vice President of Student Life, Rob Pool.

The language in question in the current community covenant reads, “We believe that Scripture clearly prohibits certain acts, including drinking alcohol to excess, stealing, speaking or writing profanely or slanderously, acting dishonestly, cheating, engaging in occult practice, and engaging in sexual relations outside the bonds of marriage (including premarital sex, adultery and homosexual behavior).” Last year, students began a petition to review this language, specifically “homosexual behavior.” President of the LGBTQ student group Philip Maenza ‘17 said this phrase “sexualizes LGBTQ students”.

The petition stalled at the end of last year, though the issue was put on the Student Government Association (SGA) agenda this past fall. A committee was formed by Student Life staff to rewrite the paragraph in question. The revision was then presented to the SGA for approval. In part, the revisions read, “…We also believe that sexual expression should be confined to marriage between one man and one woman as legally assigned at birth. Therefore, we expect members of the Houghton College community to refrain from engaging in premarital sex, adultery, and same-sex sexual behavior or dating relationships….”

The proposed edits were rejected by voting members of SGA after two weeks of public discussion. SGA then formed its own committee to propose another version of edits. The edits proposed by the SGA committee read in part, “We [Houghton College] affirm, endorse, and teach traditional marriage as between one woman and one man.Practicing Christian hospitality we remain an open and welcome community of friendship and shared Christian learning to LGBTQA+ community members. We value and welcome all individuals, and the perspective and gifts they bring to Houghton College, while committing to live within Scriptural and Wesleyan ethics together. We expect that all community members refrain from pre-marital sex and adultery….”

SGA President, Joanna Friesen ‘17, said this language was purposed to reflect “the suggestion from a number of students that ‘no pre-marital or extra-marital sex’ be the common community standard.” This edition of revisions was approved by SGA on November 21.

For any edits to be codified in the official community covenant, they must by approved by faculty, President Shirley Mullen, the president’s staff, and the Board of Trustees. Three drafts of edits have been presented to the faculty, according to Pool. “One is the original draft from the Student Life Council, one from the SGA resolution passed in the fall, and the third is a draft proposed by a faculty member that blends a bit of both. The drafts were presented before February break for discussion and again last Thursday. The faculty moderator took a vote to narrow the options from 3 to 1 (via consensus) with plans during the next meeting to discuss any edits.”

He continued, “I expect we’ll have a faculty approved draft to then be shared with the staff cabinet and then the President’s staff. With [the President’s staff] approval, it goes to the Board.” While May is the earliest the board could encounter proposed revisions, Pool said he “would not be surprised if it was an October board agenda item.”

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Campus News

College To Host Over 100 Accepted Students

This weekend, over one hundred accepted students will be visiting the campus. Betsy Rutledge, Assistant Director of Admission Events and Office Operations, explained “We expect that number to keep growing right up until the event. It’s our biggest visit event of the year.”

Prospective students will have the opportunity to attend meals, classes, meetings and events similar to those available to current students.  According to Rutledge, “All things Houghton students do daily. We want them to be able to envision themselves as Highlanders, asking themselves, ‘Is this the place for me for the next four years?’”  

According to the schedule provided visiting to students on the college website, the students will be occupied from registration Thursday evening to Saturday morning departure.

Rutledge explained during their packed weekend at Houghton, visiting students can “visit classes in their major area, meet with faculty during the department receptions, attend chapel, have breakfast with Provost Connell, watch a movie in the KPAC Field House, tour campus, go on a photo scavenger hunt, get an in-depth tour of the residence halls led by the RDs and RAs, play games, customize t-shirts, talk with various campus group leaders, attend a worship night, and go to our After Party dance in the Nielsen Center. Many of these activities will be available for current students too, and we hope everyone will attend.”

“One of the hallmarks of the Houghton experience is the close friendships that current students form with each other. As a Houghton alum myself, I have seen first-hand the lifetime impact that these relationships have had,” Ryan Spear, Director of Admissions, explained.  In the context of the upcoming weekend, he said “We wanted to provide prospective students the chance to experience a taste of that first-hand and begin to make those important connections and see how Houghton is an ideal place not only to receive a high-quality, Christ-centered education, but to make lasting connections.”

He emphasized the importance of connections not only between the new students, but with the rest of the campus. “To truly show students what a distinct college we are, it takes a whole team, admission, current students, faculty, administrators, staff members, you name it. It’s a pretty neat experience to see the entire campus come together and show the ‘Houghton hospitality’ that we have become known for.

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Campus News

KPFH Hosts Regional Basketball Tournament

The Kerr-Pegula Field House will host the Western New York 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament tomorrow. The tournament is a daylong event in which teams, organized by age and gender, will compete in at least three games.  According to the website, both male and female teams are divided into the following age groups: 11-14, and 15-18; 19-34, and 35 and over for the adult division. Each team includes between three and four players. Additionally, up to ten individuals were invited to sign up for slam dunk and three point shooting contests.

Harold “Skip” Lord, Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, explained this is the “first time” Houghton College has hosted the WNY 3 on 3 Tournament.  He said, “It is unique in that most of these kinds of events are hosted outdoors in the summer in a kind of street ball format. Holding it in the field house will allow us to start before any of the other outdoor tournaments happen. We are hoping it will eventually grow into a fairly large and popular event.”

Because of this is the first time Houghton has hosted an event such as this, there is no verdict regarding how the tournament will stack up to the popularity of other 3 on 3 tournaments, such as the summer Gus Macker Tournament in Olean, New York.  However, Marshall Green, KPAC Facilities Marketing and Scheduling Coordinator, stated, of the 66 teams that are registered, the 14-18 boys and girls make up the largest age group.

 Adult participants may win cash prizes at the tournament. The tournament website stated whichever men’s and women’s teams of the Elite Division win first place will receive trophies and $400 cash.  Additionally, trophies and $100 cash will be awarded to the winners of the slam dunk and 3-point contests.  However, any participants in high school are ineligible and cannot win cash prizes.

Lord stated the men’s and women’s basketball teams will help run the event. “We couldn’t do it without them,” he said. “It will have a positive impact on our ability to hit our KPAC missional revenue goals. ”Green added, “Houghton is very excited to be hosting the first annual WNY 3-on-3 Indoor Basketball Tournament. This is an amazing opportunity to get players together of all ages and skill levels from throughout the Upstate region. With the size and scope of our venue, we will be able to host upwards of 200 teams so I am expecting some extreme basketball talent to show up.”

 

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Campus News

VOCA Leads Networking Trip

Thirteen  Houghton students traveled to Buffalo for a networking event hosted by the Vocational Opportunities and Career Advising Center (VOCA) and the Alumni Engagement Office. Buffalo has a very high concentration of Houghton Alumni that are intentional with maintaining strong relationships with Houghton College.

According to a campus wide email, the event took place on Monday, March 20, and gave students “an opportunity to meet with alumni in one of five career areas: communication, non-profit and human services, ministry, business/finance, or law.”

The day started off with a panel discussion. The panel was made up of four alumni from the Buffalo area that offered advice on transferring from Houghton to the real world and tips on what to do now to prepare for the future. Some recommendations included finding mentors, investing in relationships with current professors, and asking God for guidance. After the discussion, students were given a tour of the Houghton Buffalo site, where the event was held. Longtime history  professor and director of Houghton College Buffalo, Cameron Airhart, shared how Houghton Buffalo offers education to refugees in Buffalo and the way God is at work in their program. Following the tour was a luncheon where students could engage with alumni in smaller groups to ask specific questions about their area of interest.

After lunch, the students departed for their first site visits of the day. A few students went to Jericho Road, which provides medical care to refugees and low-income families. Students interested in the areas of healthcare and human services had an opportunity to engage with people in their desired field.

The rest of the group went to New Era. A panel of employees including alumna, Becky Juroe, told students about the business, their specific positions, and offered advice on how to find a career worth waking up for. Students then had an opportunity to ask questions and talk with the panelists one-on-one. Erik Sorensen ‘20 found this part of the trip particularly beneficial. He said,“I gained a greater understanding what companies are looking for in a Data Science. They are looking for someone who can communicate with others and who have a great personality. ‘Attitude over aptitude’ as Fil Szabluk, the Senior IT Manager for New Era, put it.” The students then embarked on a tour of their headquarters. Ashley Hughes ‘17 said this was her favorite part of the trip because it is such a unique work environment. There was music playing, bright colored walls, turf in place of typical flooring, and ping-pong tables in a few rooms.

The group met back together at the Upstate New York Transplant Services office (UNYTS). A representative from UNYTS gave a presentation on what the organization does, including common misconceptions regarding organ and tissue donations. Employees from the company then met with students in small groups, which were organized by area of interest.

The students that attended the trip said they found the event to be a huge success. Aaron Esienhardt ‘17 said, “I enjoyed meeting with recent Houghton graduates and hearing their perspectives on how they handled transitioning from the Houghton bubble into the real world. Seeing how employees perceive working for nonprofit organizations versus working for regular companies was eye opening. If you ever are presented with the opportunity to network, I recommend taking full advantage of it.”

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Campus News

Professors Host Variety Show: One Willard Way

Four professors will host One Willard Way, a variety show built around comedy and music, this Saturday. Professor of education Connie Finney, who organized the show, said that she hopes One Willard Way will “showcase some of the talent on campus, especially among faculty, staff, and community members.” Department chair and professor of communication Douglas Gaerte, a participant, said “We’ve had fun doing it. For those of us who live here, we have lives outside of the classroom and it’s fun to do some creative kinds of things.”

Finney said there are a variety of acts lined up for the show on Saturday. Gaerte will act as an MC, giving “comical advertisements for local businesses,” according to Finney. Finney also said she plans to perform a storytelling act, “Conversations with Laura.” Paul and Debbie Young will perform a song from the musical “Fiddler on the Roof,” and a student readers’ theater group will dramatize a scene from “General Hospital,” a TV medical drama. Additionally, Laurie Smalley will play the folk harp and professor of visual communication, Dave Huth, will display some of his photos of amphibians.

Finney also said that there will be a game show to engage the audience, called “Hymn Sing Dutch Blitz.” She said, “There will be a line from a well-known hymn, but the line will not be as well-known, and the contestants will have to be the first to slap down their Dutch Blitz card and guess the hymn.” Laurie Smalley, a teacher at Houghton Academy,  said Hymn Sing Dutch Blitz is the portion of the show she is most looking forward to. After a hymn is guessed correctly, Smalley will play the first stanza on her harp.

A production of One Willard Way also took place last semester during homecoming weekend and “had a great crowd,” according to Gaerte. For Saturday’s show, Gaerte said the participants have tried to “incorporate things that are similar [to the last show]” and he continued, “even if you went last fall at homecoming, you should come to this one because there will be fresh material.” Finney said she hopes to establish the variety show to occur at least once a semester, and she also noted in the future she envisions the show being livestreamed so that alumni and other online viewers can participate. In addition to the performance this Saturday, One Willard Way will take place on the Saturday of graduation weekend in May. This week’s hour long variety show will be at 3 p.m. in the Center for the Arts Recital Hall (CFA) and is free to attend.

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Campus Stories In Focus

Gillette Hosts Annual Banquet at Old Olean Library

On Saturday, March 25 at 7 p.m., Gillette Hall will host their annual banquet at the Old Library in Olean, New York. The theme for this year’s banquet, “Be Our Guest,” will feature red roses, candles, and high bookshelves to bring guests into the magical world of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. The banquet will include music and dancing, with unlimited dessert, including multiple flavors of cheesecake, apple pie, fruit, and a chocolate fountain.

This year’s banquet is a continuation of a long standing tradition in Gillette Hall. A history so long, according to Resident Director (RD) Laura Cunningham, “I’m not sure when it actually began. It has always, just, existed.” Cunningham said she even checked with René Stempert, Head of Custodial in Gillette, who has worked at Houghton for 23 years. Stempert said the banquet was already a tradition when she began working at Houghton. In regards to the location of the banquet every year, Cunningham said that it varies. “During my time here it’s been held in Mount Morris, Olean and Wellsville.” She continued, “I like that we explore different venues in the area and encourages residents to visit different communities outside of campus.”

Rebecca Firstbrook ’18, Assistant Resident Director (ARD) of Gillette, is the one in charge of overseeing the event. About the banquet, she said, “This is one of our three dorm identity building events and it is often considered the most significant because it is off campus and people pay to attend.” Firstbrook said that her favorite part of planning the banquet is watching the Resident Assistants (RAs) come together to help organize and pull off the event. “This will only be the second year where RAs are overseeing the entire event, it used to be overseen by the Event Planning Committee,” she said. Firstbrook is also excited for this year’s theme and venue of the Old Library center. “The towns that they [banquets] are hosted in are a chance to hangout with friends” she said. “A lot of fun memories are made there.”

This will be the third year Kathryn Moore ’18, an RA in Gillette, attends the banquet. She said, “I have always loved seeing classmates get dressed up and for us to all share an experience off campus.” This year, she has been a part of the planning process for the banquet. “It has been an amazing experience” she said, and then went on to describe her specific role in helping to plan the banquet. “I had the opportunity of helping out with the playlist this year, which is one of my favorite things to do. I love the thought of bringing people together through music, and I am confident that the music this year will do that,” she said. “There will be some classics played, a swing dance song, current pop music, some rap, Disney, oldies but goodies, and lots more,” she added. Moore is confident that this year’s banquet will be unforgettable, especially with the elegant venue, decorations, and desserts.

Jensyn Elliott ’17 first went to the banquet when she was a sophomore. She said, “We had a good time at the banquet. We loved the food, and we had a blast dancing as well.” Elliott also stated she felt honored to be a part of Gillette, and she plans on attending this year as well. She said, “I’m really looking forward to it.”

Gillette will also host their tradition of having a prep night on Thursday night before the banquet, which will consist of dancing lessons, makeup and nail tutorials, and crafts in the main lounge. Residents will be able to take what they learned at prep night to get ready for Saturday night, when the real fun begins. Gillette Hall is looking forward to hosting a magical night for all who choose to be their guest.