Tag: alumni

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Campus News

Ted Murphy Legacy

Ted Murphy standing in front of Gallery wall
Ted Murphy standing in front of Gallery wall - Courtesy Kaitlyn Avery
By Evan Babbitt ('25)

UPDATED: OCTOBER 8, 2024 7:32 PM EDT | ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED OCTOBER 4, 2024 11:50 AM EDT

The Ortlip Gallery will host a reception for the Ted Murphy Legacy exhibition on Saturday at 7 p.m. 

The show is composed of 77 alumni artists and includes over 80 pieces—ranging from landscapes to abstracts, and watercolors to fabrics. It celebrates Professor Ted Murphy’s 38 years of teaching art and art history at Houghton University. 

“It means a great deal to me,” Prof. Murphy said. “It is visual evidence of not only my influence on past students but our entire department’s.”

According to the Gallery Director, Linda Knapp, about 80% of the alumni represented in the show are full time artists. Murphy also notes that 12 of the alumni shown are now professors as well. 

“Many are professional artists,” he said. “Some just manage to continue to work despite their complicated lives with family and their other work. It is gratifying to see such outstanding work from these wonderful people.” 

One of the alumni presenting work in the show, Jeff Babbitt (Class of ‘96), recalled: “It was during Painting I class with Murph when I decided I wanted to major in art. Murph was the perfect combination of hilarious and brilliant. He was a true connoisseur of the liberal arts, seamlessly blending literature, history, and culture into classroom discussions and everyday conversation.” 

Knapp noted that a flood of people wanted to be in the show when asked, which stands as a testament to Prof. Murphy’s presence in the classroom.

“[Murphy] is really adept artistically and has created a safe space for generations of students to find their calling as artists,” Knapp commented. “He has influenced people by his works, but more greatly by who he is—not flashy, but by his daily interactions and listening ear.” 

People are flying in from the Netherlands and California to come to this show, Knapp added.

“Houghton has [had] a rich art tradition here long before I arrived,” Prof. Murphy said. “The artist that preceded me fought the good fight to make Art matter.”

Prof. Murphy finished his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1980 at Mount Vernon Nazarene University, and then received his Master of Fine Arts in 1983 at The Ohio State University. Before coming to HU he was an assistant professor at the University of Maine in Orono, Maine.

“[T]o be a teacher you must have students. But nowhere is it required that we like them,” Prof. Murphy noted. “Just teach them.”

Many who came into the art program were glad to be able to study art seriously and have many mediums to work with. Prof. Murphy feels blessed to have students who he loves and appreciates.

“In the twilight of a career,” he said, “every person is aware of the question Henry James said we should all ask. “Was it worth it”? I believe it has all been worth it. It has been a very privileged life here in Houghton. Nancy and I raised our children here and by their reports they each also love this place. God has blessed us beyond measure.”

Prior to the beginning of the show’s reception will be an open panel discussion hosted by alumni artists at 4 p.m. in the CFA Recital Hall. ★

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Campus News

Alumna Returns to Perform in Organ Recital

Jennifer Velázquez playing the organ - Courtesy of Savannah Stitt
By Rebecca Dailey ('25)

At 7:30 p.m. on this Friday Jan. 26, Houghton welcomes back alumna Jennifer Velázquez (‘91) to perform an organ recital in the Wesley Chapel. Velázquez’s husband also graduated in the Class of ‘91, and her daughter and son-in-law both graduated from Houghton with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music.
Judy Congdon—Professor of Organ and Harpsichord, and Houghton’s Organist—speaks highly of Velázquez, “Jennifer is one of many, many very fine organists who have been trained at Houghton over the years. Jennifer is a gracious, lovely person and a musician of formidable talent. Though I was not her teacher I have watched her musical journey through the past several decades, and I consider her a treasured colleague and friend.” 

At eleven, Velázquez began learning to play the piano, and then started playing the organ at fourteen and really liked it. 

“I talked to my teacher about organ junior-senior year of high school,” Velázquez commented, “and ended up at Houghton.”
For 25 years, Velázquez was the Organist and Associate Director of Music and Worship at Independent Presbyterian Church (IPC) in Memphis, Tenn. She has previously performed at Houghton, and in England, Scotland, and Ukraine (for a mission trip). She now focuses on organ repertoire and performance.
Velázquez explained that she “Mostly plays music already written and will be playing One Piece by Dr. William T. Allen [in the upcoming recital].” 

Dr. Allen was a former Houghton Professor of Piano and Theory, and later a composer in residence.
The organ, a unique instrument with a rich history of being played in churches and concert halls, is both a keyboard and a wind instrument. This is due to the varying sized pipes that are grouped together on the instrument. 

 Benjamin VanTine (‘25), a current student studying organ explained, “The organ which is the oldest keyboard instrument is also a wind instrument, different knobs are used to achieve the desired sound. This is where the phrase ‘pull out all the stops’ comes from. An Organ has to be preset to create the wanted sound.”

Wesley Chapel’s organ was built in 1961-1962 by Walter Holtkamp Sr., who was one of the leading American organ builders of the mid-20th century. 

“Its many sounds are produced by 3153 individual pipes,” Professor Congdon shared, “the largest of which are 16’ long and the smallest only about the size of a drinking straw.  The pipes are controlled by a player seated at the 3-manual console . . . the recital will feature sounds from the hushed to the colorful to the robust and magnificent.” 

VanTine leaves off with, “[playing the organ is] a way of expressing what you want to be heard but you need to work to develop music abilities. Inner musical ability, which must be learned but often starts with inspiration or a gift from God.” 

Velázquez developed her gifts through rigorous training at Houghton, which prepared her for graduate school and her church work later on.

“[I am] very grateful the Lord brought me to Houghton,”  Velázquez stated.

All attendees of the recital have the opportunity to hear for themselves the sound Velázquez has developed over years of perfecting her art. ★

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News

We Are All Houghton Project Challenges School to Listen to Past and Present LGBTQ+ Experiences at Houghton

Credit: instagram.com/weareallhoughton/

We recognize that controversy surrounding this topic is ongoing, particularly regarding the recent paintings of the Spirit Rock. The STAR is still working to prepare our coverage of those events, and would invite anyone with thoughts or information on the subject to get in touch with us at star@houghton.edu.

2020 has been a year riddled with controversy, what with the U.S. Presidential Election looming, ongoing discussions concerning the best handling of COVID-19, and protests over racial tensions still dominating the streets of cities across the country. Small, rural Houghton has not been an exception to tensions and polarization, as disagreements have been anything but tepid, especially concerning the We Are All Houghton project recently rolled out by alumni Josh Duttweiler (’15) and Amy Coon (’14). 

We Are All Houghton, presented during the alumni art exhibition RECOLLECTIVE (held September 4, 2020 to October 3, 2020 in the Ortlip Gallery), consisted of light projections of quotes by LGBTQ+ alumni around notable spots on Houghton’s Campus, including buildings like Fancher Hall, Luckey Memorial, and Wesley Chapel. Quotes came from a group of recently graduated alumni—Collin Belt (’15), Mitch Galusha (’14), Sally Jacoby Murphy (’13), Sarah Jacoby Murphy (’13), Holly Chaisson (’16), and Emilie Powles Ocock (’14)—along with some who opted to remain anonymous, including current students.  

This project incorporated an anonymous survey which encouraged any person connected to Houghton College, whose sexual orientation and/or gender identity is “unaccepted by the college”, to answer and participate in. The survey served purposes twofold: one, “to allow those who would like to participate in the show in the Ortlip gallery to do so,” as select quotes would be projected in the gallery in hopes of amplifying additional LGBTQ+ voices from the school, and two, to present findings to the college after the show’s closure, so “administration can both hear from and better understand its students,” the survey form explained. 

Along with the physical exhibit in the Ortlip Gallery, the project has a website, weareallhoughton.com, as well as a page on Instagram (@weareallhoughton) which currently has 705 followers (as of Monday, October 5). The website explains the background and purposes of the project, introduces the alumni involved, and links to the survey. The Instagram page portrays photographs of several of the projections as well as quotes submitted as part of the survey. 

As the website explains, the project was largely in response to Houghton College’s involvement in the Supreme Court Cases regarding interpretation of Title VII and Title IX. The Supreme Court, in August 2020, concluded that firing an employee on the basis of being gay or transgender constitutes a violation of the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This is pertinent because it interprets that Title VII protects LGBTQ+ Employees. Houghton College’s involvement, which became known to a group of alumni in August of 2019, was as an amicus curiae. Essentially, this means that they provided insight or a perspective to the court that they might not have considered or been aware of. The position that the amici took, which included Houghton College, was that the language in Title VII (which also relates to Title IX), does not and should not include protection for LGBTQ+ employees. 

After hearing of this, a group of alumni wrote a letter to President Shirley Mullen to voice their disappointment, both in Houghton’s decision to sign on the amicus brief, as well as their lack of communicating about it to current students and alumni. President Mullen responded, saying “The reason that Houghton signed the amicus brief was to say that the petitioner’s claims should be reviewed in Congress…The question at stake is whether the very best way to provide protection for LGBTQ persons is to ground that protection in the definition of ‘sex’ as that was established in Title VII and Title IX.” 

The exhibit was in response to the college’s involvement in these Supreme Court cases, as well as the experiences of LGBTQ+ students at Houghton at large.

Responses have been multitudinous. Mullen shared an open letter which was posted on the school’s website (see: https://www.houghton.edu/blog/an-open-letter-from-president-mullen/). This addressed the issue and also introduced the panel which they scheduled into Homecoming weekend: Houghton Alumni Family Dinner Conversations: Learning to Discuss Difficult Topics in a Polarized Context, which was held on Friday, October 2. Duttweiler was glad that this panel was being hosted, but “was disappointed that Amy and [him], as the artists of the project would not be included in any further conversation.” 

In terms of general reactions, Duttweiler and Coon expressed their overwhelmed feelings at how many positive responses they received from both participants and allies, saying they received many personal messages of gratitude for the project and, overall, received nearly 100 survey responses from LGBTQ+ current students, alumni, and staff/faculty. Duttweiler said, “their stories are heartbreaking. It’s a sobering reminder of the pain that the college’s policies have caused.” 

Of the matter, Coon shares similar sentiments, but wanted to add that she was “feeling a little disappointed in the reactions of those who are looking for a theological debate,” saying the project is not about that but rather “about truly listening to those who are hurting and learning how to sit in those feelings. I hope when people hear the hurt of their community, they then ask themselves how they can help and what they can do better instead of arguing about who is right and who is wrong.” 

Many of the responses from current students did take this theological approach in showing their disagreement with the project. 

Cory Messerschmidt (’22) believes that the project is a direct attack on the principles of the college. “The college has a God-given duty to shepherd its students…you have to truly love someone to share the truth with them, and the individuals involved with this need to hear the truth of the biblical gospel. This is a great opportunity to love them, but instead we’ve given them a platform for their attack on the college,” he said. 

Another student, Blythe Gilbert (’21), had a similar attitude, focusing more on the aspect of steering LGBTQ+ people away from “homosexuality, or any variety thereof, [which] is forbidden in the Bible.” As Messerschmidt said that Houghton should shepherd its students to the truth, Gilbert emphasized his belief that Christians are called not just to love, but to lovingly correct people to help them move closer to Christ. “To be sure, Houghton should tolerate and welcome LGBT students. I agree, certainly, that they should not be afraid to speak. However, they should not expect a Christian institution to be anything less than truly Christian.” 

Students who expressed their support of the movement focused less on theological debate and arguments, and more on their gratitude for the movement, along with acknowledging the need for support and inclusion for the LGBTQ+ members of the Houghton community. 

Emily Warner (’21) values the way that the project has called Houghton to act, both now and in the future. “Houghton has claimed to care deeply for its queer community. I would love for that to be true. We Are All Houghton is holding Houghton to its word—demanding that Houghton apologizes and does what it needs to ensure that queer students’ experiences are better in the future. I sincerely hope that Houghton will follow through and make concrete changes to care for and support the Houghton queer community, without feeling the need to remind us how wrong they think we are along the way.” 

Skye Chaapel (’23) and Caroline Zimmerman (’24) both pointed out how the project has displayed how the LGBTQ+ community is marginalized and excluded from the overall population on campus, and thus shows the “overwhelming need for [this] representation,” as Zimmerman said. The project, in giving voices to these people, both in alumni and those currently on campus, chipped away at just that. 

Another major focus of many of the supportive responses to the project was the fact that it showed the deep pain that has been inflicted on the LGBTQ+ community on campus. “There may be backlash and misunderstandings, but our classmates, friends, and people we haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet are hurting. I just hope that from this we learn to not corner someone into some category or theological argument, but learn to listen to understand,” said Rachel Caine (’23).

If nothing else, it is clear that We Are All Houghton has given voice to those who have not always had the platform to share their experiences safely, and that Houghton’s “community” may have work to do to reconcile that term we value so much with those who have felt anything but welcomed into the community here. 

Duttweiler and Coon plan to continue the project “as long as it is helpful” and are seeking feedback on how to best go about doing this in the future. 

What are your thoughts on the We Are Houghton project? Angered? Validated? Comment below or get in touch with us via Instagram, Twitter, or email (editor@houghtonstar.com)!

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Stories In Focus

Ceramics Alumna Invitational in CFA

Photo by: Nate Moore

Former Art Students Return for Ceramics Alumni Invitational

Each year Houghton graduates art students who use a variety of mediums, clay being one of them. On Monday, November 18, the Houghton Art Department will host some of these former students and their artwork in a Ceramics Alumni Invitational in the Ortlip Gallery.. This event will feature various pieces of ceramic art from seventeen Houghton graduates in the Center for Fine Arts from 6-8 p.m.

Alicia Taylor-Austin, director of exhibitions for the Ortlip Gallery and assistant professor of art, said she looks forward to this unique opportunity. “Houghton hosts exhibitions of both established and emerging artists every year,” she said. “This is a unique Alumni Invitational Exhibition specifically focused on artists working in clay who have graduated from Houghton with a degree in art and are actively making ceramic work.”

Gary Baxter, professor of art, serves as the curator of the show. Last year, when he announced his plans for retirement after 35 years of teaching ceramics, sculpture, 3D Design, furniture design, and ancient art history in the department, Baxter and his colleagues planned for a show to exhibit the work of his students who came through Houghton’s program under his teaching and are currently active in the field. He had the privilege of inviting seventeen artists to participate in the gallery. “I was impressed when I saw the work,” he said. “What they’ve done in the gallery in this exhibit will be quite different than what they did while they were students here. They’ve progressed quite a bit over the years.” After receiving work from artists living and working across the United States, Indonesia, and Tanzania, Baxter and Taylor-Austin worked together to design the show.

As a current student, Jill Magara ’17, a studio art major with a concentration in ceramics and photography, is also excited to observe the artistic progress that alumni have made. “It’s exciting for me to see how Professor Baxter’s students’ styles have developed after undergrad. It’s always a really great opportunity to talk with Houghton alumni about how they’ve gotten to the place in the career that they’re at.”

This invitational will provide current Houghton students with the opportunity to not only enjoy the art, but also to learn from alumni. “I think this opening is important because it’s filled with Houghton alumni. These are students that have been in our place years before us and we get to see their successes and talk with them one-on-one about their experiences, successes, and failures,” Magara said. “This doesn’t happen often as an undergrad studying art.”

This invitational is a special opportunity for both professors and students alike to observe professional ceramic art. “There will be a variety of ceramics in the show. Some will be sculptures, some will be low-fire pottery. There is a wide variety of different ways of working as well as the different material they’ve used,” Baxter said. “I was impressed with the students’ work. In fact, it occurred to me that many of them have surpassed me. That was very gratifying to see that.”

Not only that, but this exhibit will be a celebration of Baxter’s loyalty to the art department. “One of the most exciting elements of this show is that you can see the result of Gary’s dedication to teaching,” Taylor-Austin said. “He has instilled very lasting impressions of technique and skill along with a thoughtful approach to working in this medium, conveying ideas, and creating both functional and sculptural work.”

The Ceramics Alumni Invitational Exhibition will feature works by Aaron Harrison, Alic Drew, Arryn Vogan, Barb Arensen, Betsy Addison, Elizabeth Addison, Eric Holbein, Jason Herring, Jennifer Depaolo, Lisa York, Lydia Ferwerda, Marc LeMaire, Nancy Petrillo, Naomi Woolsey, Patricia Ocock, Paul Christensen.

This will be Houghton’s first time hosting a Ceramics Alumni Invitational, making it a rare privilege for the Houghton community to come together and celebrate the ceramic artwork done by Houghton alumni. The work will remain in the Ortlip Gallery from November 14 to January 13.

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Stories In Focus

Feeling the #BuffaLove

Photo courtesy of Morgan Loghry

Recent Alumni Make Buffalo, NY Home

As one of two major cities that are driving distance from Houghton College, Buffalo, New York is a favorite spot for students to go on weekends, whether they are shopping, jumping the stress away at SkyZone, or volunteering with Journey’s End Tutoring (JET). But the second largest city in New York State is not only home to the Walden Galleria mall and the eclectic shops of Elmwood village, it is also the home of many former Houghton students. Sarah Hutchinson ’14, Alexandra Hood ’15, Liana Wool ’16, and Morgan Loghry ’16 all moved to Buffalo shortly after graduating from Houghton, and have since settled in the city.

A political science major with minors in history, Hutchinson, who had also worked for The Star throughout her time at Houghton, did not know what she wanted to do with her degree upon graduation. She ultimately decided to pursue an AmeriCorps term in Buffalo at a nonprofit community health center that serves refugees and people trapped by poverty, Jericho Road Community Health Center, which was founded by a Houghton graduate. After her year-long term of service, Hutchinson was hired full-time by her organization.

“Initially I was attracted to Buffalo because of the high population of refugees,” said Hutchinson. “Since about the early 2000s, thousands of refugees from Burma, Bhutan, Somalia, Iraq, and other countries have been resettled here. They have been instrumental for the renaissance going on in the city right now, lots of vacant houses in the city are now occupied, new businesses are opening.”

Hood, meanwhile, chose Buffalo because she was looking for an artistic community to engage with. While at Houghton, she majored in art and worked for both the Campus Activities Board and Caffeinated Creative Studio. She also directed Printed Matter Press (PMP), a small group of art and design students who printed and sold their work to attend the annual Southern Graphics Conference. She credits PMP with revealing her passion.

“I was constantly surrounded by artists who were creating,” she said. “It was easy to for me to feel encouraged in what I was making when there was always someone to share ideas with. I wanted this when looking for a new place to live.” So far, she has found this creative community in Buffalo, where along with working as a barista, she is interning at the Western New York Book Arts Center and selling her own work, which includes stationary and handmade books. She added, “Art is meant to be experienced and I believe it is an incredible outlet for all types of people. Buffalo is certainly a place where that is possible.”

Wool graduated from Houghton in December 2015 with a major in Intercultural Studies and a minor in Human Ecology. In college, she participated in several off-campus programs, including the East Meets West honors program, a semester in London, a semester in Tanzania, and the Buffalo City Semester. In her sophomore year, she interned at a refugee-based nonprofit in Buffalo that inspired her to dedicate her life to working on behalf of individuals with less of a voice in their new culture. After some searching following her graduation, she now works as a case manager at Journey’s End Refugee Services in the city.

When asked what she likes best about Buffalo, Wool replied, “I would say the ability to live in a place that pushes you to look challenges in the face that in other environments you might be able to ignore is incredible.” She continued, “ Living and working in a city with your eyes wide open challenges to you live and have your being in a way that truly reflects the Gospel.”

Also a 2016 graduate, Loghry moved to Buffalo with the intention of working in a creative field.  At Houghton, she majored in fine arts with a minor in graphic design, and worked in several creative jobs on campus, including as a graphic designer in the marketing and communication department, and as a campus photographer for events and portraits. She helped to co-found Caffeinated Creative Studio, now Gild Studio, and was a gallery assistant in the Ortlip Gallery her senior year. The summer after her junior year, she moved to Buffalo, and decided to stay there and look for work after graduating.

“Living in Buffalo has articulated what I discovered about myself when I was in Houghton,” said Loghry. “I have had a variety of jobs in my time here so far. No one ever told me that finding a job I loved would be this hard.” She began working in a design position for a high-class fashion company, but soon realized that she did not share the same values as her bosses. “My background at Houghton taught me where to draw the line when it comes to commercial advertising and how to use tasteful tactics to appeal to your desired audience.”

For now, Loghry is working part-time as a photographer for the food delivery service GrubHub, and full-time at a photography studio. She added, “I am open to trying anything in this beautiful city. My time here has taught me that is matters less what I am doing, but that I am actively living creatively around people who challenge me.”

All of these alumni agree that there are many reasons to love Buffalo. And while they miss certain aspects of Houghton, like the natural scenery and the security, they also agree that Buffalo is an excellent place for graduates to take their first steps into post-graduate life.

“I would encourage Houghton students looking to work in Buffalo to really get involved with the city, to study and love its particulars, to volunteer, and to really consider it as a unique place and your place in it,” said Hutchinson. When asked what she would say to students looking to move to Buffalo, Loghry echoed Hutchinson with one pithy statement:

“Come join the party!”

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Stories In Focus

Fall Sports Alumni Weekend

This past weekend, the Houghton College Athletic Department hosted its first Alumni Weekend for four fall sports teams: women’s volleyball, women’s and men’s soccer, and women’s field hockey.  The women’s volleyball had five alumni attend while the men’s soccer team had about twenty alumni. The women’s soccer team had fourteen alumni players return to campus, among which there were four former All-American players. Although the weather was not ideal, it was a good turnout for the first combined sport alumni event. “Saturday was a lot of fun. Always great to have our alumni back and get a chance to catch up” said Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Nancy Cole. “Wish we could see them more often. ”

Screen Shot 2016-04-14 at 8.37.00 PMMost of the alumni came in on Friday or early Saturday morning to campus for this special weekend. Some stayed in the community or at some of the current players’ houses where they had the chance to reconnect with old teammates. The events started on Saturday with games taking place  around noon. At Nielsen, the women’s volleyball team played against their alumni, then the women’s field hockey played against their alumni immediately right after at 1:30pm. While the women’s and men’s soccer games were scheduled to play outside on Burke Field,  a snow covered field caused them to relocate to the Kerr-Pegula Field House. They followed the same time schedule as the teams at Nielsen with the women playing at noon and the men going right after. Once the men’s soccer game ended, everyone was invited to a reception where there was food served and a couple speeches given. “The play was fast-paced and the alumni showed that they still have their touch and can play a quality game” said Head Women’s Soccer Coach David Lewis. “Overall, it was a great opportunity to catch up on player’s families, jobs, and grad schools.” Head Men’s Soccer Coach Matthew Webb added, “Seeing the alumni back on the field playing with each other is always so fun to see.  Seeing the relationships that were formed while at Houghton sustained over the years is so rewarding.”

Throughout the years, athletic teams have always had alumni games where they played against other alumni, the junior varsity team, or the varsity team. These were more separate events that each team was in charge of coordinating and were held on different dates during the year. Often, the women’s soccer team would co-host an alumni event with the men’s soccer team but have two single events. However, the combined alumni event was a very relaxed occasion where everyone from different aspects of the college and alumni can reunite and have some fun together. “Opportunity to bring everyone back on the same day and the various departments of the college can support everyone in their competitions and talk with the alumni” commented Athletic Director Skip Lord. “It’s almost like a family reunion seeing a bunch of people that you haven’t seen in awhile.” A lot of athletes have relationships outside of their own teams and having a combined event where they can all reconnect and network helps to build that sense of community.

Sometimes alumni will drop by a visit or make a phone call, but for everyone to be in the same place at one time is definitely something that is  very special for coaches, players, and the school. One person who has only missed one women’s soccer alumni event, due to just giving birth, is a 1999 graduate and former All-American Jennifer Ricard. Webb said, “It is always great to have our alumni come back to campus…not only to see them and catch up with what they are doing, but also for our current players to be able to meet and interact with players who came before them and helped lay the foundation and traditions of our program.”

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Stories In Focus

Innovation Coming to Houghton

More than just a college town.

It can be safely said that Houghton is not the biggest, most notable town on the map. Yet a number of Houghton administrators want to make Houghton, New York more than a small college town. Through a set of varied initiatives, they are hoping to make Houghton “a destination,” as Rob Pool, vice president for student life, put it, “for visitors and guests.”

This plan has already been partially implemented through the opening of the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex (KPAC) this past September. Pool explained that because of the KPAC, “there are rich, varied events we now offer that we couldn’t do before.” Athletic director Harold “Skip” Lord indicated the KPAC’s capabilities. “Obviously, the size is a big factor. The flexibility of arrangement and the ability to break it into smaller or larger units are plusses.”

Accreditation4RGBSince the KPAC has been built, a concert has been held, which Lord noted “was twice as big as any ever held here.” There have also been twelve high school and college indoor track meets. Pool explained that with the KPAC’s size and capabilities, Houghton is “reaching out to section five and six schools,” which increases the amount of people who will “hear about the college, hear about this tiny place called Houghton, New York.” In addition to concerts and sporting events, the KPAC has also hosted youth events and a Frisbee tournament. Overall, Lord said there have been “almost 18,000 visitors this year.”  Regarding future opportunities, Lord said “we are looking at many different options ranging from athletics to concerts to trade shows and special events.”

While the KPAC is bringing in visitors and guests through hosting events, Pool has his own plan to bring in new life to Houghton. Pool is working toward a Houghton alumni village, meant as a place for “active retirees” to spend part of their retirement. Here, they could play an active role in campus life. Pool noted the possibility of taking classes at a reduced or waived fee or even auditing them. Beyond this, they could act as mentors, advisors, or career coaches.  Pool explained that at such a stage in life, they are often “at the top of their careers, with vast amounts of wisdom to share. Thus in playing such roles, they could create “a multi-generational learning community,” where students could have “the complementary benefit of older generations.” Pool explained that for students, “it’s so inspirational to see flesh and blood people who have had the Houghton experience and went out and lived.”

In practice, the alumni would likely be housed in the flats. The inherent difficulty is mobility for the retirees. The flats have multiple floors, and although the retirees are specified as “active,” not requiring constant care, stairs could still be arduous. Pool is still working to find a workable solution to housing, but he affirmed his overall hopes for the idea. He noted other small colleges that had accomplished a similar idea, and reiterated his feeling that alumni would like to be involved on campus in this way. “Many retirees don’t want to lounge in the sun,” Pool explained. They want an active role, and “what better place to do that than at your alma mater?”

Phyllis Gaerte also wants to make Houghton a destination, specifically through theRIVR Group, an organization working toward reinforcing Houghton economically. They were responsible for bringing in Three-Bums and Addie’s, and have hopes of creating a new park by the fire hall. “It’s all designed to make the area around 19 more attractive,” Pool explained. The goal is a Houghton “filled with thriving businesses.”

“It’s a beautiful place,” Pool says of Houghton. “Not the scenery, the people.” Lord, Pool, Gaerte, and several others share a vision of a thriving Houghton where many more people can see its beauty.

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Stories In Focus

The Role of Social Media Outlets at Houghton

“Students have a lot of influence on what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to social media at Houghton,” said Amy Tetta, Development and Communication Specialist. “Current students bring a certain aspect to social media at Houghton that I can’t provide. When students go on fieldtrips or have class experiences that I am not able to see, take a photo, and then upload it to Instagram, it gives prospective students a way to see what life is really like at Houghton.”

JoshDuttweiler_AdmissionsWith the multiple social media outlets that Houghton College has, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and a Pinterest page, alumni, students, faculty, and prospective students are able to connect with each other from all over the world. Tetta said, “Social media is allowing students to have a voice in the community. I am always looking for fun photos that we can put on our Facebook page or Instagram of a student’s perspective on dorm life, the dining hall, and just everyday life at Houghton.” Senior social media intern, Meagan Hummel, said, “Technology is becoming more and more prevalent in society. Prospective and current students use social media all of the time.”

While social media allows for current students and alumni to stay up-to-date on upcoming events that are happening on campus, social media plays a role in drawing prospective students to Houghton. As an intern, Hummel manages the Instagram page and said, “it is more than just showing them [prospective students] the nature and what Houghton looks like, it is showing them what it is like to be a student. Things like SPOT, Chapel, concerts, art gallery openings, sporting events that make Houghton more appealing”. Felicia Rynzowski, a first-year student, said that as a prospective student, she noticed many of these student events held on campus through Facebook. “I like that Houghton posted things that students were involved in,” said Rynzowski. Alanna Paris, also a first-year student, added that prospective students can see what it is like to be a student on campus.  In addition to the main Houghton Facebook page, other Houghton Facebook pages exist to connect accepted students and alumni from different graduating classes.

Social media, specifically Instagram, which is run primarily by Tetta’s social media interns, allows prospective students to see what life is like at Houghton from the eyes of a current student. “It wasn’t long ago that I was a prospective student. I have a pretty good idea what students like to see and how they use social media so I am able to use my insight to help Amy,” said Hummel.

Along with all of the helpful uses that social media plays in the Houghton community, there are ways that some posts or pictures can sometimes be taken in a negative way. “I always try to put myself in the place of a prospective student, current student, alumni, and faculty member to see if the post can be taken in a negative way,” said Tetta. Because social media allows individuals to post whatever he or she would like to, “it can start great dialogue, but it can also start negative dialogue. That is when it needs to be closely monitored,” said Hummel. Additionally, Tetta mentioned that social media is meant to be a conversation with people that might have different backgrounds and experiences than someone else might have. “It’s hard to sit back and watch an argument take place online. But Houghton is filled with a kind group of people that can sort out issues,” said Tetta.

Social media plays a role in every student’s life here at Houghton College. One of the ways that it influenced student’s lives was last April during the One Day Giving Challenge. Social media was used throughout a majority of the day and made the giving challenge a success. The funds raised from that day were used to help current and prospective students with the scholarships and grants that they received this year.

By tagging Houghton College or using the hash tag “#houghtoncollege” you may possibly have your Facebook posts, tweets, or Instagrams reposted by Houghton College. “The students are our biggest asset,” said Tetta, “They make Houghton what it is.”

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Stories In Focus

New Coaches Join the Highlanders

Houghton welcomed two head coaches and six assistant coaches to the highlander coaching staff this year, bringing a season of change for nine athletic teams. Among the teams that welcomed new coaches include cross country, track and field, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s lacrosse, field hockey, softball and women’s basketball. Numerous Houghton alumni have returned to take roles of volunteer assistants as well.

Jordan Cady, senior and member of the track team, expressed his positive outlook toward welcoming a new coach saying, “I’m looking forward to seeing how this season plays out. It’ll be much different than years past, but with change comes growth. God’s been with us through this transition and He’ll continue to run along side us throughout the season.”

Patrick HagerPatrick Hager was named head coach for both men’s and women’s cross-country and track and field programs. Hager previously served as graduate-assistant coach at Messiah College for the past two years. Prior to his role at Messiah, Hager worked as the first ever head cross-country coach at Rosemont College for two years.

“It seemed like Houghton was the fit for me, I prayed a lot about it and took a chance,” said Hager as he discussed his new job. He described being a full-time head coach as, “Everything I thought it would be,” as he discussed his excitement for the cross country and soon-to-be track season.

Hager spoke of his impressions of Houghton so far saying, “The community here is second to none. Even the support from the other coaches, no one’s overlooked. It’s nice to know there’s intentionality within the administration.”

Women’s lacrosse looked closer to home, welcoming Amanda Zacchigna, a 2014 Houghton graduate, as head interim coach. Rachael Snelgrove, former women’s lacrosse will continue to be a consultant to the program, while remaining head coach for the field hockey program.

“Coach Rachael Snelgrove laid an exceptional foundation for the team as she served as the head coach for the past two years; her involvement this year will come in the form of a mentor to me as I transition into this new position,” said Zacchigna.

Snelgrove also spoke of her role to the women’s lacrosse team saying, “I am there to help the transition run smoothly- to help Amanda with all of the finite administrative details- and to be a listening ear for her.”

“I am extremely excited to be able to serve the women as their coach,” said Zacchigna, “I understand where the program came from and what it has accomplished thus far; and I am invested in pushing these accomplishments even further.”

Joining Zacchigna as assistant coach is Marissa Meassick, Houghton 2014 graduate. Meassick will also work alongside Snelgrove as assistant field hockey coach.

Men and women’s soccer welcomed new assistant coaches as well. John Carpenter, 2014 Houghton graduate, will serve as men’s soccer assistant coach, while Erin Miller, 2014 Houghton graduate, will assist with the women’s program.

When speaking with Carpenter about his new role and shift from player to coach he said, “As a player you are constantly being told information by your coaches. Now that I am on the other side of that, I am not only trying to help the guys in that aspect, but also take in and learn from the rest of the coaching staff, what it takes to be successful from the coaching side.” Carpenter briefly added, “In this first season I am really trying to find the ways in which I can most benefit this team.”

Miller spoke in similar ways of her new role, “In the last couple months, I have had to transition my mindset as a player to a coach and find the most effective ways to translate those ideas to other players.” When speaking of the challenges she has faced as a new coach, she offered, “Finding the balance between knowing when to step in and when to allow the team to bond together and step up themselves is something that I constantly have to keep in check.”

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News

Alumni House Renovations

After recent renovations, Houghton’s new Alumni House is almost ready to welcome former students and their families.

Previously used for student housing, the Alumni House underwent significant changes to become what President Shirley Mullen, described as a “place on campus set aside specifically for alumni—for them to network among themselves and with students.” Mullen says the house will give returning alumni a place to stay with their families in addition to “making it clear that we value alumni.”

Alumni_HouseNumerous alumni have contributed to funding the renovations for the house, which Mullen estimated to cost between $550,000 and $600,000. Daniel Noyes, executive director of alumni relations, said that “the project was 100% funded by gifts from alumni, particularly alumni from families who have a strong connection with the college.” The names of rooms in the house honor nine of those families: the Luckey, Essepian-Tysinger, Stevenson, Ries, Larder, White, Mills, Alderman, and Mullen families.

Joshua Derck, building trades leader, said that the renovations on the Alumni House were extensive and included work on walls and ceilings, heating and cooling systems, plumbing and electrical services, and windows, siding, and gutters.

The house also received changes to meet “ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements: a fully accessible room as well as access to the building,” Derck said. “So the updates were for usage and cosmetic. This is a virtually new building.”

Anna Maria Johnson, a 2001 Houghton graduate who lived in the Alumni House while it was still student housing, said that she has “mixed emotions” about the changes to her old home. She talked about the “incredible community” that formed among the women living in what was then called Walldorf House and described the shared dinners, Bible studies, and book discussions that added to her “formative…and meaningful experience” there. However, she also said it is “fun to think that we could come back and have a reunion in the house where we lived.”