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The Houghton Wind Ensemble

By Abigail Bates

On Feb. 11 – this Saturday – at 7:30 p.m., the Houghton Wind Ensemble (HWE) will perform their first concert of the 2023 spring semester in the Wesley Chapel. Conducted by Dr. Timothy McGarvey alongside two guest ensembles, the Fillmore Senior High Band and Genesee Valley Concert Band, the performance will be free of charge with a focus on community engagement.

“So, for this concert, we have been told that we are also performing with a couple of high schools from the area,” Freshman Sarah Hoppough explains. 

The Houghton Wind Ensemble claims a major part of the concert, with sections delegated to each of the guests. In addition, all the ensembles will collaborate together on a piece called “Conzensus”, written by the Dutch composer Jan Van der Roost.

Before going onstage, the ensembles only have one rehearsal together.

According to graduate student Derek Jaques (‘22), “the piece itself is about the concept of consensus and so it’ll be kind of interesting to play that in consensus, if you will, with the high schoolers; sort of all getting to play that together.”

It’ll be a test of their collaboration, and an opportunity to bring high school students on stage with college students who are pursuing higher education in music. 

The highlight of the Wind Ensemble Concert is the war piece “Firestorm”, composed by Stephen Bulla and played by the Houghton Wind Ensemble. Bulla composed the piece in 1991 for the United States Army Band, which, for the Houghton Wind Ensemble, is a high energy, technical piece at the center of the performance. 

“It’s definitely the showpiece. It’s very, very fast, and it was written about a war,” Hoppough remarks. She plays alto saxophone in the ensemble, and is excited to perform the piece. “It’s pretty difficult,” she adds, “It’s definitely the most difficult one we’re doing, but it’s very worth it.”

All the pieces prepared for the concert Saturday are ones the Houghton Wind Ensemble has been working on since the beginning of the semester.

Jaques emphasizes that, “in all of our Wind Ensemble performances we seek to make music that’s beautiful and that’s honoring to God and ultimately points to Him and glorifies Him, and that’s the main takeaways that we want the audience to have with it and everything that we do.”

All are invited to attend and listen together to the collaboration of the Houghton Wind Ensemble, Fillmore Senior High Band and Genesee Valley Concert Band. ★

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Women in STEM Day

Sigma Zeta Poster for Women in STEM
By Timothy Rasmusson JR.

This upcoming Saturday (Feb. 11) is International Women and Girls in STEM day, and to commemorate this, the members of Sigma Zeta’s all-female cabinet will be hosting an event tonight called “Women in STEM”, from 7-8 p.m. in the South End dining hall. 

Sigma Zeta President and Senior Skye Chaapel noted that Around the Table Credit is available for this event, and all are welcome to attend. 

 Chaapel further explains that this event was designed to “promote equal access of the sciences to women”.

Sigma Zeta Treasurer and Sophomore Faith Coolbeth expressed agreement with Chaapel’s statement, saying, “The STEM Field has long been predominantly men, which gives women an experience worth sharing.”

Junior and Sigma Zeta Vice President Abigail Wheeler emphasized that the professors that will speak at the event are all professors in STEM-related fields at Houghton University: Dean of Natural Sciences & Mathematics and Associate Professor of Mathematics Dr. Jill Jordan, Assistant Professor of Physics Dr. Katrina Koehler, and Professor of Chemistry and the Alan & Florence Johnson Distinguished Chair in Health Sciences Dr. Karen Torraca. 

Chaapel also states that the Women in STEM event focuses on listening to the professors talk about their experiences in STEM. When asked about the various benefits the event has, Chaapel said, “You can learn more about some of the science faculty on campus as well as supporting students in science who are overly underrepresented.” 

When asked about the type of discussions that will take place at the event, Sigma Zeta Secretary and Junior Cedar Smith emphasized that women in the STEM faculty will talk about “how their faith plays a role in their mission/passions.” 

She also mentioned the fact that the “event aims to highlight the inspiring women in STEM faculty”. 

Wheeler states that she and Sigma Zeta want to show how much they appreciate this important day, as well as the work they’ve done with Dr. Jordan.

If you have any questions about this event, get in touch with a member of the Sigma Zeta. 

This upcoming Saturday (Feb. 11) is International Women and Girls in STEM day, and to commemorate this, the members of Sigma Zeta’s all-female cabinet will be hosting an event tonight called “Women in STEM”, from 7-8 p.m. in the South End dining hall. 

Sigma Zeta President and Senior Skye Chaapel noted that Around the Table Credit is available for this event, and all are welcome to attend. 

 Chaapel further explains that this event was designed to “promote equal access of the sciences to women”.

The professors that will speak at the event are all professors in STEM-related fields at Houghton: Dean of Natural Sciences & Mathematics and Associate Professor of Mathematics Dr. Jill Jordan, Assistant Professor of Physics Dr. Katrina Koehler, and Professor of Chemistry and the Alan & Florence Johnson Distinguished Chair in Health Sciences Dr. Karen Torraca, which is what Junior and Sigma Zeta Vice President Abigail Wheeler emphasized. 

Chaapel also states that the Women in STEM event focuses on listening to the professors talk about their experiences in STEM. When asked about the various benefits the event has, Chaapel said, “You can learn more about some of the science faculty on campus as well as supporting students in science who are overly underrepresented.” 

When asked about the type of discussions that will take place at the event, Sigma Zeta Secretary and Junior Cedar Smith emphasized that women in the STEM faculty will talk about “how their faith plays a role in their mission/passions.” 

She also mentioned the fact that the “event aims to highlight the inspiring women in STEM faculty”. 

Wheeler states that she and Sigma Zeta want to show how much they appreciate this important day, as well as the work they’ve done with Dr. Jordan.

If you have any questions about this event, get in touch with a member of the Sigma Zeta.★

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Paddle Sports Club Returns

Paddle Sports Club Members on Kayaks 
By Sarah Burton

For the 2023 academic year, the Paddle Sports Club has returned to Houghton University. With many students enjoying the re-opening of the pool in the Nielsen Center, this club channels their enjoyment and provides students with another way they can utilize the pool.

One main event the club offers is a pool session, which is typically held every Tuesday night from 6:30-8 p.m. to practice kayaking skills. 

Ryan Ballard, an instructor, describes the sessions by saying, “At these we will do a skill lesson right at the start and then we provide students with time to work on skills at their own pace either by themselves or with one on one help from an instructor.” 

All of this is in preparation for several kayaking trips and a white-water rafting trip, which will take place later in the semester. 

Ballard also explained the opportunities for learning and gaining experience from the club, stating, “It has been great refining my leadership and teaching skills through doing something that I am passionate about but not an expert in.” 

For students unfamiliar with kayaking or paddle sports, instructors such as Ballard are there to offer their assistance and guidance. 

Ballard expressed great passion for the club, providing personal accounts of how the club has allowed him to grow as a person. 

For any students interested in the club or looking for something new and fun to do, he states, “I believe that students should join this club because oftentimes it pushes them outside of their comfort zones and it inspires confidence.” 

With leaders and instructors such as Ballard, Paddle Sports Club is an opportunity for students to learn something new while building a greater community together. ★

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How Activate Leadership Creates Positive Change

Conference Attendees listen to a presentation
By Jennifer Page

This past weekend, Houghton University held its fifth annual Activate Leadership Conference in the MVP lounge at the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex. During the two-day conference, students listened to presentations from Keynote Speaker Marlena Graves and Chair of Religion, Associate Dean of the Chapel and Adjunct Professor of Youth Ministry  Rev. Dr. J.L. Miller; after which, they came up with their own proposal for positive change on Houghton’s campus.

“The Activate Leadership Conference,” said Rachel Wright, Director of the Office of Vocation and Calling and Associate Director of the Center for Student Success, “is an opportunity for students to explore their strengths, develop spiritual disciplines and practices and learn how to use their gifts and talents to create positive impact as leaders in their chosen fields.”

Unlike previous years, when only sophomores could attend the event, the Center for Student Success and Office of Vocation and Calling decided to open up this year’s registration to all Houghton Students.“My sisters participated in the conference their sophomore years and they encouraged me to go,” said junior Will Allen. “I’m very happy that it’s offered to all years now so that I didn’t miss out. I learned a lot about myself and how to work well with others who do not share my strengths.”

During the Saturday session, Allen and the other attendees got the chance to propose a Positive Change Project to a board of reviewers.

“Groups of students come up with an idea of something they want to address or offer either on campus or in the community, which is their proposal for positive change,” said Wright.

  The students do not have to plan the proposal on their own, however. Student coaches (students who have previously attended the conference) ensure that the people on their team get everything they can out of the conference.

  “I loved the experience of both leading and learning about leadership,” said junior Cody Johnson, one of the student coaches for this year’s conference. “It was a fun opportunity to network with people I might not see on campus any other time and grow together.”

  “The Positive Change Project,” continued Johnson, “was a cool opportunity to brainstorm (or “ideate”) with other students about how we can positively influence something at Houghton. It is a reminder to all of us that students and young leaders have the power to implement, regardless of their position or ‘the way things have always been done.’”  Although there is no way of telling if one of the Positive Change Projects will actually be implemented on campus, there is a precedent for it to happen, since both the Mosaic Center and the Campus Groups app started as Positive Change Projects. Perhapsanother  idea first thought of at the conference will be implemented on campus in the coming year. ★

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Kindschi Faith and Justice Symposium

Artwork from Joel Mulindwa's "Chaos Portfolio"
By Jax Johnson

Beginning on January 30th and continuing through February 2nd, the Center for Faith, Justice and Global Engagement will host their annual Kindschi Faith and Justice Symposium, which will be centered around the theme of “War and Conflict: Creating Sanctuaries in Times of Violence”. 

The Symposium will feature five different events throughout the week:(1) a lecture with Belinda Bauman, (2) a workshop with Elsa Barron, (3) an art gallery opening and discussion with Houghton alumnus Joel Mulindwa, (4) a lunch discussion with Theodore Kuchar, and (5) a panel discussion on conflict-induced migration. 

As the director of the Center for Faith, Justice and Global Engagement, Brian Webb has worked to organize this event and says that he is, “excited about this year’s speakers, who will address conflict from many different perspectives, including its impact on immigration, the environment, social justice, and interpersonal relationships.” He also talks about this year’s theme, saying, “‘War and Conflict: Creating sanctuaries amid the violence’ is certainly appropriate for today. While the war in Ukraine looms large in our minds, there are many other conflicts going on around the world today from Afghanistan to South Sudan to the Congo to Yemen. Conflict is not only horrific in its own right, but it also exacerbates other global challenges including human migration, hunger, and poverty.” 

Of the five symposium events, all will host a variety of perspectives and ideas. The first event is a lecture given by Belinda Bauman on Monday, Jan. 30., from 7. to 8:15 p.m. in Library 323. Bauman’s lecture is titled, “From Wrong to Strong: How Trauma Can Forge Resilience” and follows the topic of trauma and how to overcome it. 

The second event is a symposium workshop with Elsa Barron called “Faith in the Future: Environmental Peacebuilding in the Face of Conflict and Climate Change”, which discusses the connection between conflict and climate change, and how the two can have a strong impact on the other. This workshop will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 31, from 4:30 -5:45 p.m. in Library 323. 

On Tuesday, Jan. 31.,from 7-8 p.m. in the Wesley Chapel Art Gallery, there will be an art gallery opening and discussion with Artist and Houghton alumnus Joel Mulindwa, who brings light to the stories of both the victims and the perpetrators of war. 

On Wednesday, Feb. 1, a lunch discussion will occur from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. in the South End Dining Hall with conductor Theodore Kuchar, who will  talk about the dynamics between Russia and Ukraine to illuminate the complexities of the situation. In conjunction with this event, Kuchar will lead the Lviv National Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine in the Westley Chapel at 7:30 p.m. that same night;tickets for the concert can be purchased from the Houghton Hub. 

The symposium will close with a panel discussion on conflict-induced migration on Thursday, Feb. 2, from 7-8:15 p.m. in the Center for the ArtsRecital Hall. This event will present stories of those who have been affected by conflict , while also showing the hope that can be gathered. 

The Kindschi Faith and Justice Symposium offers a wide variety of events that shed light on the impact of world conflicts, as well as the stories of those who have been impacted by them.   By participating in these events, people have the opportunity to learn something new while connecting this knowledge with a foundation in faith. ★

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ACCESS Club

Access Club Table welcomes a Visitor during Activities Fair
By Anna Catherman

First-year student Kendra Warner is seeking to make Houghton a more accessible campus and foster community among its disabled students through a new support group. 

Warner, who has several disabilities herself, immediately felt at home when she first toured Houghton University during a Highlander Preview Day last year. She came primarily to visit a friend, but fell in love with the campus and stayed for ten hours straight. She liked the community, classes, and professors. “Literally all of it,” she said with a smile. 

Warner, a Communications major, is willing to speak candidly about her disability. On this particular day, she walked unaided, dressed in blacks and grays, wearing high-heeled shoes. But on many other days, Warner uses forearm crutches or a wheelchair due to her functional neurological disorder. The disorder, she explained, can cause “a lot of havoc”: epilepsy, paralysis, fatigue, tremors, and tics. She also has amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome. 

Warner has a deep appreciation for the Houghton community and all she’s experienced here. She has had flexibility from professors when she has been unable to attend classes due to pain or sickness. “Ever since move-in day, life has been 10 bazillion times better than high school, and I could not be more grateful for Houghton,” Warner said. 

Still, there are challenges. She struggles to attend some events, especially outdoor events like picnics, in her wheelchair. And disabled students on campus can feel isolated in their unique challenges. 

Warner yearned for something she’s wanted since high school: a dedicated disability support group.

That dream is becoming a reality. Warner has founded a new group: ACCESS, short for “ACcessibility, Cohort, Encounter, Student, Support”.

ACCESS will focus on two areas: providing support for students with disabilities and raising awareness of disabilities campus-wide. Warner, who will be the club’s president, has had the vision for ACCESS since her sophomore year of high school. She suffered from bullying and has never had a support group for her chronic illnesses and disabilities. 

“I wanted to create a place where people feel safe and supported,” she said. 

Fellow first-year student Lee James is a co-founder of ACCESS. James, a History and Education double major, met Warner at a workshop about getting involved on campus during orientation weekend. When Warner asked questions about starting a support group for disabled students, James, one of the other attendees, expressed interest in joining the club once it was started. Warner invited her to help found it. James, who has a tic disorder, shared Warner’s passion and enthusiasm for providing support to disabled students. “Me and Kendra [Warner] were a really good combo,” she shared. Warner used her communications skills to advertise the club, while James enjoyed pounding out the logistics. 

Sharon Mulligan, Director of Academic Support and Accessibility Services, will serve as the faculty advisor for the club. Mulligan’s job is to communicate and advocate for students and their needs. Mulligan said that Warner approached her “[S]o excited to be in a place where others were experiencing the same things.” She is glad to see a student-led organization that will provide ongoing support. 

ACCESS is planning to begin full-force this semester, providing regular support meetings, awareness activities, and accessible events. Meetings will be open to all students, not just disabled students. And their campus-wide events will be accessible for those with disabilities.

ACCESS’s mission, according to Warner, is simple. “We want to engage the campus.”

For information on meeting times and locations, contact Kendra Warner. ★

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Houghton University Announces 2023 Commencement Speaker

Taken from The Chapel Website
By Joshua Carpenter

For the 2023 academic year, Houghton University has announced Pastor Jerry Gillis as its commencement speaker. 

Pastor Gillis is the Lead Pastor of The Chapel: a church based in Western New York with campuses in Cheektowaga, Getzville, Lockport, and Niagara Falls. 

According to The Chapel’s official website, its mission as a church is “to ensure that every man, woman, and child have repeated opportunities to hear and see the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” and to see through good news and good deeds that “God loves you.” 

Houghton University has “enjoyed [its] relationship and partnership with The Chapel over many years,” says President Lewis. “Pastor Jerry and I connected immediately as brothers in Christ and as Southerners.”

When Pastor Gillis received an invitation to deliver the commencement address for the 2023 graduates, he responded with “surprise and honor”. President Lewis had earlier reached out to Pastor Gillis, along with other pastors and leaders, and developed a relationship with him over a meal and a few other occasions, which is why Pastor Gillis was surprised to find that he had been selected to speak at one of Houghton University’s most significant events of the year. 

Though they may not have been long and frequent, the meetings the two spent together highlighted what President Lewis was looking for in a commencement speaker. “Central to [Pastor Gillis’] leadership and service are his conviction and burning desire to teach, preach, and demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am confident that he will deliver a message for the Houghton class of 2023 that is both inspiring and challenging.” 

As a preview of the speech to come, Pastor Gillis shared what he expects to accomplish with his speech. 

“My hope in addressing the graduates,” Pastor Gillis writes, “is to celebrate with them, encourage them, and challenge them to begin this new chapter of their lives on the foundation of Christ. Basically I want to remind them to never graduate from Jesus.”★

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Spring 2023 Activities Fair Introduces New Clubs

Provided by Savannah Stitt

This Thursday, Houghton University hosted its Winter Activities Fair in the Campus Center Basement, from 6 to 7:30 p.m.. Less extensive than the Fall Activities Fair, this Fair was a space for students to refamiliarize themselves with opportunities to engage with student life.

Several returning clubs represented themselves at the Fair, such as MANRRS, Journey’s End Tutoring, and Rock Climbing; joining the others are newer clubs, namely Fellowship of Christian Athletics, Sports Marketing, and Archery. To encourage visitation of each club’s booth, students can participate in a Bingo game.

Junior Alisabeth Crandall is the president of Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She defines the purpose of the club as “bringing together athletes and coaches to talk about the connection of sports and daily life to our spiritual walk and our personal relationship with God.” 

Furthermore, she details various activities that students can participate in, such as biweekly Huddle group meetings for CORE devotionals and biblical discussion relating to sports and daily life, as well as larger events later on in the semester. Any student can join and is encouraged to email her to join their email list and become a member on the Houghton Hub.

She states her conviction of leading the club, saying, “I was a leader in my high school FCA group… God has used FCA in my own life to serve others and show me that life is bigger than myself, and my own needs… I am grateful that FCA has taught me valuable lessons about the love of Jesus Christ.”

  She finds inspiration from this conviction with Philippians 2:3-4.

Another student leader, senior Timothy Lund, discusses the Intercultural Student Association. The club’s mission, he claims, is “to help students of various cultural backgrounds form strong relationships built on healthy cross-cultural communication.” 

The club is designed to be all-inclusive, giving students from all different backgrounds a place to celebrate their differences. One way the club works to accomplish this is by offering several different opportunities throughout the semester to “try new foods and make new friendships by bringing us together to celebrate cultures.” Their biggest event is ‘Around the World in a Night,’ which will have activities and food to highlight cultures from all over the globe.

By attending the Fair, students were able to speak with club leaders like Crandall and Lund to learn more about their respective purposes and what opportunities they can provide students with to broaden their understanding of different topics, people, and God. ★

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Racing Into a New Season

By Megan Brown

On Saturday, Nov. 12, Houghton University’s Cross Country team competed at the NCAA Regional Championships, with the women placing 13th and the men 17th. This marked their last cross country meet of 2022, but not all of the athletes are done competing for Houghton this academic year.

Senior Amanda Burrichter is one of many students moving directly from cross country to competing with the indoor track and field team, which has its first meet at 4:00 p.m. Friday, Dec 2 at Houghton University’s Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex.

“It’s really exciting to get to go into indoor track, and we know we’re fit,” said Burrichter, who won an individual title at the Empire 8 Cross Country Championships this fall. “We’ve been training all through the fall, and we get to start indoor track on a high note.”

For long distance runners moving indoors, it also marks shorter distances at which they will compete. Female runners, like Burrichter, run for 6,000 meters for cross country, whereas the longest race for indoor track is 5,000 meters.

While Burrichter participates in cross country and excels, her favorite races are the 1,500 meter and the 3,000 meter.

“I’m just looking forward to running those again,” she said.

Cross country runners who are participating in indoor track and field have a week or two of rest before practicing again. This is one of the aspects Head Cross Country and Track & Field Coach Patrick Hager insists upon. Since some of his runners participate in all three seasons, the third being outdoor track and field, Hager helps his athletes have sustainable practices.

For the beginning of the indoor track season, participants only have three mandatory practices a week to ease them into it. Hager also insists that athletes go home for breaks, instead of staying on campus to train.

“We send them home because, especially for cross country and indoor and outdoor track, if you want to sustain it the whole year, you need to be able to get away mentally,” Hager said. “And we understand that. We’re a collegiate sport, but there’s a tact and an art to coaching that reads the room, for lack of a better term.”

Part of Hager’s care for his team’s athletes is logging data about performance to know which exercises and practices increase people’s performance.

“The workouts are basically the same, but the volumes are different,” he said. “So that’s, again, reading the room and understanding who you have as athletes.”

And the athletes are dedicated, especially athletes like senior Collin Nasso, who runs track and field while also majoring in biochemistry.

“I’m going into this season a lot more focused and mentally prepared,” Nasso said. “It’s my last season, and I don’t wanna have to look back at a season and have any regrets.”

Last year posed as one of Nasso’s most academically challenging yet, and while he looks forward to competing with a lighter schedule this year, he recognizes the crucial part track played for him during his junior year.

“Track, honestly is my release. It’s my refresh…” he said. “Last semester, I would have gone insane if I didn’t have track because that was my kind of release for the day, where I could just forget about school and everything that was going on and just focus on something else.”

Junior Caleb Kasper also uses running competitively as a break from school, and does so from the fall with cross country to the spring with outdoor track and field. While it is not always easy, his teammates and his desire for improvement continue to drive him forward.

“It’s a long haul, but we’re here for it, and the grind is one of the most revealing parts,” Kasper said. “If you put in the work, you’ll reap the benefits.”★

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Gillette Thanksgiving Returns

By Sarah Burton

Tomorrow, Nov. 19, starting at 1:00 p.m., Gillette will host their annual Gillette Thanksgiving. For the first time since COVID, the event will be held in Gillette Hall, meaningall the Gillette residents are welcome to attend in their home.

The event will begin with Thanksgiving ‘dinner’ and will go for around an hour or so, after which all the girls are invited to change into sweats or pajamas, to come back later and play games, eat pie, and enjoy their own rendition of the National Dog Show.

In an interview with Raegan Zelaya, the Gillette Resident Director, she laid out the event in great detail with matching enthusiasm. “Dress code for the event is awkward family photos… to lean into not only coming together to have really special times, but really crazy times… because sometimes you just have to lean into the awkward.”

Zelaya has added  a multitude of personal touches to the event, in hopes of drawing more girls in and adding to the already existing community in Gillette.

She said, “we have been dreaming about ways to make it super fun and relationally intentional, but also bringing in some fun pieces like different traditions people have.” She related the events planned to family members napping on the couch after dinner and all the cousins getting a chance to hang out.  

She noted excitement for the community of women, as this is the first year Houghton University has had only one girls dormitory.

  She believes “this event really aligns with the culture we’ve been trying to establish this year.” One main point of the event is “coming together in unity in one community of women is, and being able to come together, take time, and reflect, and be grateful for the community we have so far… and how to pursue that.” 

Julia Collins, a freshman, also stated enthusiasm for the event. She exclaimed happily that the event would take place in GilletteHall, seemingly having heard from upperclassmen how the event had taken place in the KPAC during COVID-19. 

She remarked on the community aspect of the event, saying it will be a lot of fun for the community to come together. In her own words, what she is most looking forward to is  “seeing a bunch of people I know and celebrating with them that we’re thankful for our lives.” 

Rachel Domaracki, a senior, is also looking forward to the event, as it will be the last one she gets to participate in before graduating. Having gone to the event in past years,  she is always looking forward to having a time to “give thanks and celebrate all of the wonderful friends I have in Gillette.” 

She is also looking forward to eating good food with her good friends, stating how important it is to engage in a greater community over a plate full of food in the building that unites them all. 

Gillette Thanksgiving is an event that Gillette residents often look forward to with anticipation. This year especially, with the new changes of residential living, the Gilladies are ecstatic and ready to celebrate their thankfulness in community. ★