Category: Opinions

By Ethan Oakes

I have fond memories of my life as a homeschooler.  My family’s curriculum gave me a lot of room to pursue my interests.  As a result, I grew accustomed to having a large amount of freetime which I often spent developing animation projects, tutorials, or just talking with friends online. I didn’t have a lot of major challenges or stressors in my life at the time, so when I came to Houghton in 2018, I was in for a pretty jarring experience. Between classes, homework, and sharing a dormitory with strangers, I quickly realized that my life was taking a drastic turn, but despite the new opportunities Houghton gave me to grow, a part of me refused to let go of the past.

Throughout freshman year, I desperately hoped to keep all of my personal projects going, but I also strived for academic perfection and spent an excessive amount of time making sure all of my schoolwork was immaculate. Ultimately, when I was unable to make the progress I wanted on my personal projects, I grew frustrated. I quickly began fantasizing about how much better things would be once I didn’t have to worry about college anymore, and I could finally get back to working on my projects full time, just as I did during homeschool.

My idealistic mindset had me exhausted by my sophomore year. I started pulling all-nighters in an attempt to fit in everything I wanted to do and wasn’t taking the time to explore the relationships or activities that Houghton offered me outside of academics.  As fate would have it, those offers would soon be off the table, as COVID would force me to return home in mid-March. Taking advantage of my circumstances, and recognizing my deteriorating mental state, I decided to spend a year taking classes from the comfort of home. I hoped that it would buy me the time and energy I needed to recognize what I was doing wrong, and come up with a new gameplan.

This ended up being the right move. The relatively lax nature of online lectures had finally given me the chance to let go of my past, recognize my own limitations, prioritize my health, and accept my life as a college student.  By the end of junior year, I felt refreshed and ready to return to campus. I could have remained online through my senior year as well, but by this time, I had come to miss friends and faculty on campus, and realized that staying off-campus would have likely thrown away my last opportunity to hang out with some of these people in-person. So with my newfound resolve, I promised to keep my ambitions in check, and walked back onto campus grounds.  I do not regret this choice for a single moment, as senior year ended up being the highlight of my academic career.

We may not always like the way our life flows, but if there’s anything the last few years have taught me, it’s to embrace change, and make the most of wherever we find ourselves in life.  It is easy to fantasize about how good our lives used to be, or even how great our lives could be if we could only obtain that one special thing, but in doing so, we could be neglecting the joys of the moment. Our ideals may be important, but they shouldn’t consume us to the point of melancholy.  Rather, we should look to our ideals for direction, while allowing ourselves to appreciate the simple pleasures of the day. Each day provides a unique experience from the last, and by seeking these experiences out, I believe we can live more fulfilling lives.

When I graduate a few weeks from today, I will once again be presented with the hardships that come from facing a major life change, but this time, I am prepared.  I will not fall back into the hole I fell in four years ago. I will use the lessons I learned from my time at Houghton to live my life in the moment, remain thankful for my blessings, and by extension, create a happier future for both myself and others.★

By Cassie Cavell

The Student Council wanted to take a moment to recap our projects and share how we served YOU- the Student Body, Faculty, and Staff this school year. One of our most exciting collaborations this year led to the reinstatement of Merit-Based Scholarships coming fall of 2022 through our meetings with Jason Towers and Marianne Loper in the Financial Aid Office, as well as with President Lewis! We also were graciously involved in providing feedback on reward letters explaining financial aid to returning and incoming students. It is Houghton’s goal to provide transparency in an often complicated process for all students of financial backgrounds and the added complications that come with being an international student. Jason and Marianne joyfully expressed their willingness to meet one-on-one with any student who has questions or concerns. They are also able to set up a three-way meeting with the student and their parent’s/guardians. I took advantage of this opportunity, and my mom said, “It alleviated the stress of the changing scholarship structure that Cassie and I were unable to figure out on our own.”

Our Food Advisory Committee had the opportunity to speak with Chef Terry, Bryon Richards, and Phyllis Gaerte Wednesday, April 6th, to discuss concerns and questions with Metz. While our discussion acknowledged the extreme supply shortages that have affected the globe over the course of the pandemic, the team is eager to see progress for more options inclusive to student input during meal planning next year. Some highlights of our conversation were the personalized options for students that we were unaware of. For example, if you are on a special diet (gluten-free, lactose-free, vegan, or vegetarian), the pizza station can often make you a personal-sized allergen-free pizza upon request. To address the issue of several students missing lunch, two resolutions have been proposed. First, it has always been an option for a student to request a bag lunch which includes a sandwich of choice and something like chips or an apple. To request this bag lunch, you would go to the scanner station ahead of time, fill out the request and pick up the lunch earlier in the morning. This can be a one-time solution or set on a weekly basis for students who are unable to get a meal due to a scheduling conflict. Secondly, we are also grateful for the collaboration between the Academic Departments and Food Service Department to change the fall class schedule to accommodate more students during the lunch hours. For example, the 50 minute classes on Mondays will now run from 12:00-12:50, and the next block will start at 1:30 rather than 1:15. We hope this is particularly helpful for the nourishment of our students as they work hard to balance their school and their self-care. Student Council also advocated for the specialty diets and allergen-free people expressing some of the major concerns regarding the lack of variety and the coveted special desserts. We were thanked for bringing specific concerns to their attention, and they are willing to continue bi-semester meetings for collaboration with the future Student Council. Regarding the comment board in the dining hall for constructive criticism Chef Terry shared he loves to hear when the food is good and appreciates knowing where there is room for improvements. 

Outside of these above-mentioned changes, we have also had the opportunity to meet with Cathy Freytag in the Academic Department to address the campus-wide syllabus policy. We worked with Karl Sisson to promote the One Day Giving Challenge. Additionally, Safety and Security will be continuing to address the lighting and pothole issues in our parking lots this summer and into next year. Along with navigating the logistics of changing the structure of a historically rich and tradition-based organization (formerly Student Government), the first Student Council comprised a hard-working group of students who made tangible changes this year. 

Our comments and concerns questionnaire is available in the Linktr.ee in our Instagram @houghtonstuco and will be accessible to this year and next year’s Student Council. We would really love it if you could take a moment to share your thoughts, constructive comments, and ideas for next year with us!! We want to hear from you and are excited for our future council to continue our work. ★

By Jacqueline Johnson

Like many others, I have been trying my best to follow the issues and events concerning the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Recently, I was granted an eye-opening experience to which I am very grateful. On Friday, March 11 Ukrainian Catholic University hosted a conversation involving over 200 universities worldwide, where several Ukrainian students shared their experiences and thoughts surrounding the conflict and what it means in their lives. 

I am a history major here at Houghton, and it is moments like these that strike a renewed realization in me on the importance of history and the importance of listening. The first woman who spoke cried for her friend, who had recently been killed as a result of the conflict. Another shared how she and fellow students had been spending their time writing letters, making blankets, and baking cookies to aid Ukrainian soldiers and refugees. While my free time is spent playing nerf or enjoying the fleeting spring weather, these university students spend their time thinking about the growing conflict all around them. 

Following this experience, I was also thankful to have a conversation with Dr. Francesca Silano,Assistant Professor of History, who specializes in Soviet History, and who organized the live viewing of this conference here at Houghton. During this conversation, I asked about her perspective as a professor during this conflict. She said, “The responsibility of teaching history is always the responsibility of teaching students to meet people…trying to meet them, and understand them, and be where they are.” Thinking back to hearing the student’s stories, I think I can understand that. 

I think that when one looks at history or current events, it is extremely important to remember that history is made up of people. People with their own motivations, fears, wishes, and lives. I recognize that I am in a position of great privilege. I am able to pursue my education, and I am able to do so with relative stability. I am grateful for this. I am also grateful to know that I am privileged. We live in such a globalized world, for better or worse, and one of the most important things to be gained from that is the ability to see others and try to understand. I am grateful to the professors who organized this event and events like this, and I am grateful for the students who shared their lives with strangers all over the world so that they might understand. I urge others to pray for peace and to listen to the stories that people need to share. ★

By Christian Welker

Houghton College is advertised as a safe, God-fearing campus, for the most part. Students are comfortable leaving their things out without fear of them getting stolen, leaving their doors unlocked at night because they have no fear of their dorm-mates, and having conversations that, at least in theory, align with godly values and our Community Covenant. It’s a good system, a fantastic one even, but it could be better.

It only takes one bad apple to ruin the bunch. To keep Houghton the safe, God-fearing campus we know it can be, some changes must be made.

Firstly, Curfews. Anyone with a Student ID, at any time, can enter a residence hall. Now that may be “convenient for the students” but it also becomes possible for undesirable people to enter the building under the cover of darkness. Therefore, to keep our slumbering students safe, we should lock the doors to residence halls soon after quiet hours end. This would both encourage students to return to their dorms promptly and encourage people who are not part of those dorms to stay away.

While on the subject of Residence Halls, they are one of the only places on campus where students can remain almost completely unsupervised. What could be happening within those halls or behind those closed doors? Perhaps something that isn’t God-honoring, or worse, breaking the Community Covenant. There is of course an easy solution to this. Cameras. Everywhere. We are already putting them at the entrances to most buildings, why not in the halls, bathrooms, and individual rooms of every building, including dorms? Only to encourage them to maintain their righteousness no matter where they are. Remember, God, and the Office of Safety and Security, is always watching.

Now some students may protest putting cameras in previously “private” areas of the campus. However, we shouldn’t let that deter us. What do they have to hide? If they have nothing to hide, then they have nothing to fear. The fact that they are protesting against this indicates that they are afraid they will be caught doing things that don’t respect our Community Covenant. These whistleblowers should be put on academic probation for calling our actions into question so callously. Additionally, if they continue making a scene over such trivial matters as “Privacy,” or “Free Speech” their position at our campus should be called into question, perhaps removal is in order. We simply cannot have naysayers like that ruining the close, happy, covenant-based community we have worked so hard to build.

Speaking of Student Delinquents, some refuse to use our convenient, safety-oriented internet services. Some dare to use mobile hotspots to circumvent our lovingly crafted firewalls. This, above all previously mentioned offenses, cannot stand. The internet is a terrifying place and must be kept well guarded by our brave protectors at the Help Desk. We simply cannot have our students exposed to such Anti-Covenant ideas.

To combat these issues, we must strive to assure the student body is both purged of Anti-Covenant Thought and instilled with the proper moral values. A new group of Covenant Enforcers will become necessary to ensure this is properly done. These enforcers should conduct random searches of students’ phones, computers, backpacks, and dorms to assure all materials that are within align with the Community Covenant and properly use the services that have been provided by our campus. Additionally, during chapel times, they should patrol both the outside of the chapel building and the campus at large to assure all students are receiving the message we have provided for them today, no more of this “chapel skip” nonsense, would you try to use a “heaven skip” during the rapture? Didn’t think so.

These Covenant Enforcers, along with new eye-tracking cameras and microphones installed in the chapel itself, will assure that all students are paying utmost attention to the speaker and not talking out of turn or being distracted by worldly pleasures like homework or friendships. With these methods in place, Houghton College can rest easy with the knowledge that the students within are growing into the lovely young people we want them to be. These changes would make Houghton a better, more God-fearing place. After all, nothing makes you more fearless than the looming presence of our brave Covenant Enforcers.★

Christian Welker (Sophomore, History and Writing Major) was later accused of being a Privacy Advocate and found guilty of anti-covenant behavior. He was last seen being led off-campus by Covenant Enforcers to protect Houghton from his corrupted ideas.

By Elise Koelbl

I have always found history to be fascinating. So many different cultures and worlds have existed on the same planet as we do in our own current time period. Even going back a few decades, the world was a completely different place than it is today. Our history is filled with so many heroes and adventures, protagonists and antagonists, empires and cultures that I’m surprised I don’t see people talk about the stories of old with more passion. There are so many fans of fictional stories, such as Harry Potter and Chronicles of Narnia, who love to invest in a good engaging plot. I almost wonder if people stop to consider that this earth has fascinating stories and people of its own to tell about.

One of the stories that draws me in just as much as that of Harry Potter or Prince Caspian is the story of Christa McAuliffe. For those that don’t know, Christa was selected out of thousands of teachers for NASA’s Teacher in Space program, the first of what would have been many “citizens in space” programs. By the 1980s, space launches had drastically faded from the public’s attention since their peak in the late 60s, leading NASA to decide to allow citizens to fly in space in order to gain publicity. Out of 11,000 applicants, Christa stood out as the best teacher for the job. She showed an unrivaled passion for teaching as well as abundant kindness for others. Not only would she help NASA gain publicity, but she could also help the teachers and students of America gain a passion for learning. Unfortunately what was supposed to be a joyous adventure for Christa ended with catastrophe; she perished along with the six other astronauts on board the Challenger. In just seventy-three seconds, she was gone. The Challenger disaster struck the lives of many with grief, but though the excursion ended in death, Christa unknowingly left a legacy of inspiration for the world with her passion for living. She was the kind of person that celebrated others with a homemade batch of cookies, pushed her students forward by writing college recommendation letters even moments before the launch, and without hesitation, and always became a listening ear to those that needed it most. Though she lived almost two decades before I was born, she taught me the value of living each moment to the fullest.

While looking to the stars, there is another person that took flight in the hearts of many– Amelia Earhart. I’m sure many people are familiar with her story, as Amelia Earhart was the first woman ever to cross the Atlantic by airplane. She achieved many great feats in her humble plane as she performed dangerous feats and crossed a variety of landscapes. She did all this with a strong will and passion to push herself to do more than what was already done. One of the things that stands out to me about Amelia Earhart is that she didn’t start with an easy, wholesome childhood but rather her life had a rocky start. Her father lost his job and as a result, turned to drinking. His addiction to alcohol became so bad that eventually, Amelia’s parents had to divorce. Even though Amelia Earhart had such a painful childhood characterized in many ways by her difficult relationship with her parents, she never lost her drive and passion to overcome obstacles. The thing that strikes me the most is that Amelia Earhart was fearless. She wasn’t afraid of what people thought of her and wasn’t afraid to challenge how things were at the time. She did things simply because she wanted to. The thing that inspires me the most about her is her drive and fearlessness. She didn’t let her past define who she wanted to be. 

What is it that makes history itself so inspiring? Why look to figures of the past? It’s true our world has changed since the times of long ago. Some people alive today experienced realities that are now incredibly foreign to us; but that doesn’t mean that we can’t experience them in a different way. If we’re willing to listen, there are so many people whose lives can tell stories just as exciting as fiction, if not better. If you need inspiration and guidance on how to live your future, look to the past. History is still alive and it’s waiting for you to add your chapter to its ever-expanding story. ★

By Elise Swanson

With Valentine’s Day a few weeks behind us, I have been thinking a lot about love.  Not the romantic, chocolate and flowers kind of love, but the love that we, as Christians, show each other.  We are called as Christians to love our neighbors as ourselves and to strive to live like Christ.  In this, we fail as often as we succeed.  

Someone recently told me that the people who are the hardest to love need it the most.  This, I think, is accurate.  It is easy to love those we like and get along with, and easy to dismiss those we don’t agree with. It’s very easy to say that we want to exemplify Christ, and then to pick and choose who we show our love to.  I, too, am guilty of this.  I lose patience with some people much faster than others, and this is not okay.  Just because someone has a different belief, personality, or interests, it is not our place to judge them.

Houghton is a unique place.  We show love here more than other colleges.  We leave our bags unattended without fear and hold doors open for each other (even when the person is at an extremely awkward distance).  We even buy each other Java drinks for each via pay it forwards.  I am thankful to be part of a campus where love is shown daily.  

And yet, we forget far too often that those who have different fundamental beliefs deserve our love too.  Covid-19 has just made the ways we fail to love each other clearer.   Just because someone is or isn’t vaccinated doesn’t mean they are undeserving of love.  If someone has a different political belief, they still deserve love.  If someone does not believe in God, or is of a different faith, they still deserve our love.  God loves them even when we fail to, and this is something we cannot forget.  If we truly want to exemplify Christ, we must stop widening the divide between each other through love.  

Loving each other should not be something determined by choice.  It is about setting aside our differences and seeing each other as fellow humans who were created by God and in His image.  We can’t choose to love one person and not another.  To truly exemplify Christ, our love needs to be consistent for everyone. 

I still remember the first game I played as a member of the Houghton softball team.  After the game ended, we stood alternating with the opposing team, holding hands, and prayed.  I remember thinking how strange it was to hold the hands of my “opponents,” who I had just spent three hours playing against.  I soon realized, as we bowed our heads in prayer, that this was not strange.  This was what showing the love of God to others should look like.  

It was a beautiful experience, to know that we could put down our bats and come together with the singular goal of worshipping God.  We were united by a love of Christ that overcame all dividing factors.  This is what putting aside our differences can be.  It can open the door to truly loving each other consistently and exemplifying God as we are called to do. ★

By Mary Chichester

Lately, my For You Page on TikTok has shown me a very specific niche of content. This content is what inspired me to write this piece. TikTok user @immarollwithit has been documenting their experience as a wheelchair user at UMass. Their story has led to a lot of publicity on the accessibility of college campuses and led me to find another TikTok page @CampusAccessNetwork. This page advocates for more accessibility in higher education. All of this inspired me to do some research into our schools policy and practice when it comes to accessibility. 

The first perspective to look at is that of the individuals who need accessibility in order to thrive on our campus. Abigail Pixly (‘24) is one of these people. Last school year, after knee surgery, she was required to use crutches and wear a straight leg brace. She was also not allowed any weight put on her leg. Soon, she will be getting another surgery and needing to use crutches again. In sharing her story she shared that she was very lucky to live in Lambein, where the elevator (known as Otis) could prevent Abby from having to take the stairs. “However,” She said, “Otis is not the most reliable elevator in the world and there were many times that he had broken down and I had to use the stairs, which was not only hard for me but also dangerous.” I hate going up the stairs period, but on one leg sounds horrendous. 

Abby doesn’t have all bad things to say though, she ended her interview with me by saying, “Mr. Plymale then reached out to me asking if there was anything that his department could do to make getting around with crutches in the snow easier and this gesture was immensely appreciated.” If you don’t know who Mr. Plymale is, he’s the director of facilities, and has been since 2012. Upon reaching out with questions about the state of accessibility on campus, he was very forthcoming with the way his department approaches accessibility. He first explained that they do much of that kind of work on an individual basis. He meets with students, faculty, and guests as needed to address their needs. Some of the accommodations they have offered in the past have been “installing railing, handicap door openings, ramps, intercom systems, changing door hardware, renovating spaces, identifying other spaces on campus that can be used instead of inaccessible areas, upgrading fire alarm systems, installing elevators, grinding uneven sidewalks, patching holes in roads and sidewalks, and providing transportation means to students with mobility issues to name several of a long list.” A long list indeed! 

From this response, a few things stick out. Firstly, the mention of handicap door openings. This is something that falls under the term Universal Design (UD). I first learned about UD in my education classes as an important factor for having an accessible classroom. UD is when an environment is accessible to all parties. This doesn’t just mean people with disabilities. A handicap door opener is helpful for wheelchair users, but also carrying a big pile of boxes to the campus center, texting and walking, people with strollers, and so many other situations. Personally, I have a nerve condition that limits the use of some of my limbs. On days when it is too painful to pull open a door, those buttons are so helpful. Mr. Plymales willingness to install them when needed on an individual basis is great, but they should be in every building and every doorway. 

A response I often get when discussing accessibility at Houghton is “then those people [people with accessibility needs] shouldn’t come here”. Instead of using this rhetoric, I think we should look to my old pal, Jesus. Jesus was accessible. He did not sit in the temple where not all could reach him and leave those who couldn’t without his lessons saying “Then they just shouldn’t bother seeking my truth”. He met people where they were and accommodated for their needs. When the rest of the world shunned those with disabilities or chronic illness, Jesus advocated for them and brought lessons of inclusion. 

Practically, I think those in charge of construction, remodeling, and accessibility should take a Universal Design stance and consult those with disabilities before they have to reach out for help. Being proactive in our approach to accessibility not only shows how committed we are to following Jesus’ example, but how committed we are to the safety and well being of our siblings with accessibility needs as well. Students can partake in the push for accessibility by advocating to those with the power to make these decisions. We can be advocates.  

Marc Smithers summed up the way we should strive for accessibility best in his response to my inquiry for questions: “Houghton has always strived to be a welcoming community to people from all backgrounds and the accessibility of our campus is an important measure of our ability to do that well.” ★