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SEC, CAB, and STAR Offices Undergo Remodeling

By Anna Catherman (‘24)

A few of Houghton’s most prominent student organizations will be playing musical chairs this spring. Soon after students move off-campus, remodeling efforts will begin on the current Student Government Association (SGA) and Campus Activity Board (CAB) offices. These spaces, located in the campus center’s basement, will now be home to the newly-formed Student Experience Council (SEC), CAB, the Houghton Star and the Boulder.

Talk of the renovations began in the fall, when the new Committee of Student Organizations (COSO) realized that there would be funds left over from the Student Activity Fees due to decreased in-person programming as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. 

Mary Vandenbosch (‘23) of the SEC explained that COSO asked, “Ok, what can we envision that’s going to be a place that is welcoming for the student body and that can also act as a professional space for their meeting, and also just be a great place for students to plan ideas and come up with new ways to promote events and organizations?” 

COSO’s vision for the project is apparent even in the initial drawings, which promise a bright, user-friendly space. AC Taylor shared an artist’s rendering with The Star which shows a bright future for the office. Gone will be the SGA office’s red walls, replaced by glass doors which will allow passersby a peek in at the office’s occupants. The doors will be open during office hours and allow students to wander in and talk with their representatives. The built in countertops are being removed, and some of the desks are being moved to other areas. The space will be equipped with a brand-new conference table which will seat 10-12 students, and allow for larger meetings to take place in the space.

The new space will be able to be rented by any student group or organization looking to host an event – just like the Van Dyk lounge. Vandenbosch hopes it becomes an important resource for the clubs in the future. 

The former CAB office is being transformed into a student publication suite. There, writers and staff for the Houghton Star and the Boulder will have a space to meet and plan newspaper issues and yearbook publications, as well as design the printed copies of The Star. 

“[The Star]’s been stuck in a very small, barely 15 foot across, office.” Josiah Wiedenheft, co-editor of The Star, explained. “Especially difficult during the time of COVID. We can only have like two people in there at the time.” 

The new publication suite will allow for higher occupancy and promote collaboration between colleagues of each of the organizations. 

Most of the work is set to be done in May, with a few finishing touches possibly occurring later in the summer. Students staying for Mayterm will doubtless get a glimpse of the construction being done. Those returning home for the summer will be able to check out the new space when they return in the fall. ★

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Houghton Archery Club Coming Fall 2021

By Anna Catherman (‘24)

Students will have an exciting new extracurricular activity to join in the fall semester when the recently formed Archery Club begins meeting. Just approved by Houghton College, the Archery Club is designed to allow students to come together to practice their skills on-campus, as well as in surrounding areas. 

Archery Club aims to cater to all levels of archers, from beginners to pros. So far, around 25 students have expressed interest in joining the club, including 11 students who already own their own bows and want to practice. Most of these students are hunters, although a few have competed.

Freshman Kamaron Hillman (‘24), the club’s founder, was already an expert archer when she came to Houghton. She competed in the Junior Olympic Association in high school and is a certified level one USA Archery instructor. She hasn’t practiced in months due to lockdowns in the spring and summer. She decided she wanted to change that. With three years left on campus, she reasons it will be a great investment for current and future students to benefit from.

“I talked to some students here, and they were like ‘Oh, I’m a junior here, and I really wish we had an archery club when I first came here, because it really would have benefited my archery skills. It would’ve been a fun club to join and participate in and get to know other archers on campus.’” Hillman explained.

Cassie Caval (’23), the club’s treasurer, is new to archery. Her boyfriend introduced it to her, and they have been taking trips off campus to shoot on nearby state forest lands. She said it will be nice to have a place to practice on-campus, as well as a group to practice with. “It’s such a relational thing and also a very competitive thing…it’s definitely something that’s not an individual thing. It’s very much about the people you’re doing it with. So I’m super glad we get to do a club and incorporate a lot more people into our passion.”

The response to the new Archery Club has been positive both on and off campus. Belmont Archery in Friendship, just a 20-minute drive from Houghton, has offered to lend a helping hand. According to Scott Neville, the shop’s owner, Belmont has an indoor range which some Houghton students have already been frequenting. He hopes to see more Houghton students at the range in the future.

The endeavor was assisted by many faculty members, including Dr. Laura Sayers, AC Taylor, and the Safety and Security Department. They were key in helping students find and secure space to practice on campus, next to the Field of Dreams. Safety and Security has approved the club’s operations; all equipment will be stored with the department when not in use.

While the club is primarily an educational and recreational endeavor, the members are open to competition. Belmont Archery already hosts some casual competitions for colleges, including Alfred University. Houghton Archery Club members will likely have an opportunity to join in on these events in the coming months.

Both Hillman and Caval were enthusiastic when asked why and how interested students should join. For Hillman, archery is an excellent stress reliever that she hopes to share with her fellow students. “You don’t think about anything else when you’re shooting, you only think about the target and improving your form. If you need a break from school, the stress of college, you can come and we can teach you archery.”

Caval had similar thoughts. “It’s a really fun thing to do. I’ve grown up hunting and fishing, and it’s the best way I’d share my passion with people.” While she also rifle hunts, she said that shooting a bow and arrow is a unique and special experience.

Those interested in joining next semester should plan on bringing their own bows, if they have them. If not, students shouldn’t be worried. The club is planning on purchasing two basic recurve bows for those who don’t already have their own equipment. ★

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2021 Commencement to be Held in Person

2017 graduates filing to attend their Commencement cerremony. COURTESY OF AMY TETTA

By Elise Koebl (‘22)

It has been a little over a year since Covid scared the world and was thrown into a pandemic. Houghton College students were sent home a little over halfway into their spring semester, and the class of 2020 saw their graduation ceremony performed online through a virtual stream on Youtube. With so many changes to daily life and starting to see the world regain some normalcy, many have been wondering what this year’s graduation will look like compared to last year. 

Michelle Miller has good news to share for the class of 2021. Houghton College is planning to hold commencement on May 8th in person this year with a modified in-person event. Seniors will get to walk around the quad led by the bagpipers like they did four years ago. “Specifically, graduates will be located in the CFA to watch the ceremony until they are ready to walk across the stage in Wesley Chapel to receive their diploma. Each senior is invited to bring two guests to campus to view the ceremony via live stream at various locations around campus and then join their graduates for an outdoor reception.” There is also going to be a baccalaureate service that will be for seniors only, no guests are allowed as there is no guest seating. 

Due to current Covid guidelines, Miller expressed difficulty with preparations for commencement, “Planning has been challenging to say the least due to the ever-changing COVID guidance from New York State.  We have considered nearly every possible option on campus, with the exception of the ski hill, for hosting the events in-person for graduates and all of their guests.  While the creative juices were flowing for the past few months on behalf of our 243 graduates, we are ultimately constrained by NYS guidance which is in place for the safety of everyone.  This year’s weekend is a step forward from last year’s full virtual events, but not as “normal” as the 2019 in-person, traditional events that we’ve enjoyed for so many years.” 

Both Commencement and the Baccalaureate will be viewable to the public via an online stream. While it is not completely back to normal as most would hope, it is very welcome that the seniors can march on the quad like they did several years ago. ★

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14th Annual Film Fest on April 16th

On Friday, April 16th, the Houghton College Campus Activities Board will be hosting the 14th annual Film Festival. Guidelines for the festival state that this is “an evening” to “highlight and celebrate the best of student-made films” as well as for students to “show your hard work and to share your talent with your peers”. There are also several different categories that students can submit films to.

Sarah Phillips (’22), this year’s coordinator for the Film Festival, said that her first time attending a Film Festival was “a great experience”, also discussing that some of the elements that were involved in the festival included “a red carpet and a backdrop to take fun pictures with, and music playing in the background.” Phillips also added that “It was amazing seeing all of the creative videos that people sent in.” For the Film Festival this year, Phillips wants to “bring back some of that feeling”, while still keeping the event COVID-safe. 

Makena James (‘22), who is learning remotely this semester, is one of the entrants in this year’s Film Festival. She submitted “about three films.” Two of them were about Corg, her family’s Corgi, while the third one was “a compilation of photos set to organ music” that she “played and recorded.” 

James chose to submit a film about her family’s Corgi because “it has been a blast” to spend “a lot of time” with Corg, also adding that “everyone just seems to fall in love with her, and I really wanted to show love to my Houghton community by sharing and extending my experiences with Corg to them too.” In discussing her choice to submit the third film, James said “I love snow and the organ. Back in 2017, it snowed a ton down here in Western NC, and I took a lot of pictures. I found them again last Christmas and decided to put them to organ music.” 

Overall, while the festival may not be as “big” as previous years, Phillips is “looking forward to seeing people’s creativity and for there to be a time for others to come together and listen to music, take pictures, and have fun.” ★

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Despite Difficulties, Spring Sports Deemed Success

Houghton’s men’s soccer team celebrates on the field at a recent game. COURTESY OF JASON MUCHER

By Vanessa Bray (’21)

Houghton’s athletic department has had to make several adjustments for this unique sports season. From mandating masks for both games and practices, to routine COVID tests for all student athletes, coaches, and staff, Houghton athletics has had to adapt accordingly. Athletics Director, Matthew Webb, discussed some of the differences this season has brought. One of the main differences being that all sports, including those which would traditionally be in the fall or winter seasons, are being held in the spring. Webb explained, “Basically, we are doing all of our sports. Where we typically would do them in August through May, now we’re doing all of our teams in March, April, and May. So, that’s been a little challenging.” 

According to Webb, one of the biggest challenges has been the balancing act for dual athletes. “In a normal year…,” says Webb, “If you’re a fall sport athlete and a spring sport athlete that’s pretty manageable. This year because we’re doing all of our sports in the spring, for those athletes that play for two teams, that has become much harder to balance and manage. There are some cases where a small handful of our student athletes are playing a lot of games in a short period of time…that’s a burden that isn’t easy to manage.”

To help mitigate this challenge coaches have made efforts to work with and support athletes involved in dual sports. Allowances and accommodations have also been made for those who have needed to prioritize their academics and take brief hiatuses from athletes. “Trying to meet the needs of the students in terms of what they need relative to their academics is something our coaches have been really good about,” says Webb.

All dual student athletes were given the option at the beginning of the season to participate in both of their usual sports or opt out of one. Dual athlete, Nathanial Zedomi (’21), who has taken part in both men’s soccer and track since freshman year, had to make the difficult decision to opt out of soccer this season. “Especially since I’m graduating, I’m bummed that I couldn’t do soccer this year…,” says Zedomi, “but if I want to be really good at track right now having played a soccer game the day before I go to run our meet is probably not a good idea. So, I had to pick one…that was super hard.”  

Other challenges consistently faced by student athletes have been the anxiety of receiving a positive COVID test result, having to undergo quarantine (resulting in a week’s worth of missed practice), or accumulating enough COVID violations to result in being kicked off their respective teams. 

The anxiety surrounding each week of testing has stirred uncertainty in the athlete’s opportunities to compete. Zedomi explains, “…if someone tests positive then we have a handicap on our team…you are always kind of on edge because you just never know. Every week we’re not sure if we are going to be able to compete that weekend…we’re kind of training and hoping that we can…but there is lots of anxiety around COVID testing…”.

Equally challenging has been adjusting to shorter practice slots, fewer games, and the absence of fans. Senior field hockey player Hannah Daniels (’21) comments that, “One of the most difficult things to adjust to is the lack of games we have this season…we usually play around 18 games a season, but this season we’re only getting 5. It’s disappointing not to play as many games as usual, especially since this is my last season…”

Despite these disappointments both Zedomi and Daniels expressed their gratitude for being able to compete again. “It’s frustrating but we’re just happy that we can…” says Zedomi. “I am very grateful that I have a season,” says Daniels, “and for every chance I get to step onto the field.” Although both Zedomi and Daniels have had less opportunities to compete their teams have had good results.   

Given the unique circumstances Webb credits this season as a success. “We haven’t finished yet for everybody, but for the most part it’s been pretty successful. We’re still competing and we’re getting into playoffs for some of our teams…Some of our teams have done really well, some have struggled a little bit…Overall, it’s been a successful spring. As a department we sort of redefined success a little bit this year because of COVID, and one of our definitions of success was making it through the spring.”

Since most of the DIII conferences in New York state did not have conference seasons, Houghton’s ability to take part in a fuller conference season has been a morale booster. 

“Our athletes and coaches have been great,” says Webb, “Not that there aren’t moments that are frustrating, but our perspective has been all along that we need to do whatever we have to do to compete again. We want to compete. The athletes, coaches, they just wanted to compete. If it means we have to wear masks all the time, we’ll wear masks all the time. If it means we have to test, we’ll test…our perspective was it was important to get back to competing and having a little of that routine again in terms of what we are used to and for many of the athletes the thing they love the most. They’ve done great. They’ve responded really well…We’ve had some bumps and hurdles along the way. We’ve had to cancel a game here and there…but for the most part they’re doing great and our vast amount of negative test results I think is a testament to how well we’ve done.” 

Since New York state restrictions on spectating outdoor sports events has loosened, Webb encourages students to look out for the registration sign-up emails sent out each week and come support the teams as this unique season comes to an end! ★

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Sharpe Announced as Faculty Model Reader

2021 Faculty Model Reader poster, featuring professor Jesse Sharpe. COURTESY OF WILLARD J. HOUGHTON LIBRARY

Houghton College has once again held a Faculty Model Reader contest, voted on by the Houghton students. This was the third year for the contest. This year, Professor of English Jesse Sharpe has been selected as the winner, and The STAR recently sat down with him for an interview: 

Hock: What have been some of the highlights of your Houghton experience thus far?

Sharpe: The in-class conversations. I’ve had some situations at other schools where it was like pulling teeth to get students to have a conversation, but here the conversations have been a lot of fun, with good insights.

Hock: What is your favorite thing about teaching?

Sharpe: Learning, which is why I love the conversations so much.

Hock: Why did you choose the English field?

Sharpe: I love stories, storytelling and language, and this has both, so it’s where I’m happiest.

Hock: What would you say to someone who is thinking about pursuing a degree in English?

Sharpe: Do it! You won’t regret it. There’s not a job out there that doesn’t need you to read well, understand well, and write well.

Hock: What is your favorite book genre (or genres)?

Sharpe: I don’t actually have one. There’s not one I’ve come across that I didn’t like. I really enjoy reading and I really enjoy book recommendations.

Hock: Who are some of your favorite authors?

Sharpe: Christopher Morley, Dashiell Hammet, John Donne, George Herbert, Aemelia Lanter, Mat Johnson, Douglas Dunn, and Kate Atkinson.

Hock: What are some of your all-time favorite books?

Sharpe: The Man Who Made Friend With Himself by Christopher Morley, Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammet, The Temple by George Herbert, Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, Ballad of Peckham Rye by Muriel Spark, Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin, Pym by Mat Johnson, and Affections by Rodrigo Hasbun.

Hock: Are you currently reading any books?

Sharpe: There is a book that I am saving for when summer begins: Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart.

Hock: What would you say is the best thing about books?

Sharpe: I only do physical books, and it’s because I love every single part of them-front cover to back, every part of the inside, as a story and as an object.

Hock: What would you say is the best thing about the library?

Sharpe: I used to be a librarian, so I have a very strong love of libraries. I think it’s that you can have the world’s ideas sit peacefully side by side and you can just go and read and see whatever you want. No violence, no judgement, everything is right there. And I never get tired of it, I love it. I don’t think there’s such a thing as a bad library (at least I’ve never found one yet). ★

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Easter at Houghton

Koinonia team leads Good Friday worship. COURTESY OF HOUGHTON COLLEGE ON YOUTUBE

In a typical year, the Easter holiday means a five day break for students—from Holy, or “Maundy” Thursday to the Monday after Easter Sunday off of classes. This means that most students usually travel off-campus, whether to their or a friend’s home. But, with the changes to the schedule for the Spring 2021 semester due to COVID-19, the Easter holiday was just three days—with just Friday off of classes. 

With students being encouraged to limit travel, this left the college with a unique position to try to plan events on-campus for students to celebrate the holiday. AC Taylor (’14), Director of Student Engagement, led the charge on this. To best inform decision-making, students were emailed in February to share what their Easter traditions are and to invite students to aid in planning for Easter in Houghton. 

“Dean Jordan and I approached the weekend with two spheres, the religious observance, and the ‘fun’ things,” Taylor explained. The original plans were to have a Good Friday Service on the quad, an Easter Egg Hunt and Scavenger Hunt on Saturday, and a Sunrise Service on the quad and Koinonia worship service on the Chapel Steps on Sunday. 

Just as most plans have in the past year, a wrench was thrown into this programming. On the afternoon of Thursday, April 1, it was announced that Houghton was entering a Tier One designation due to a spike in cases in a cluster of students. This meant that in-person gatherings were to be limited to essential ones only. 

Quickly, though, plans were pivoted to allow for celebration to occur, albeit in a bit of a different form. One of these switches was that Friday’s service with Dean Jordan was streamed. Although Dean Jordan expressed disappointment in not being able to hold the Good Friday service as originally planned, he was grateful for a chance to observe the day in some capacity. “We are thankful for the chance to read the word of the Lord together, and to pray together,” he said. The service also included music in worship from the Koinonia team led by Izzy Murch (’23) and the Houghton Wesleyan Church. 

As the weekend progressed, there was a different egg challenge spanning Saturday and Sunday, and there was virtual Easter Trivia on Saturday night. The dining hall also had a special Easter dinner on Sunday night, with lamb, rolls, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and more. The Student Life Office also also provided Easter bags filled with goodies and Bingo boards for the weekend. 

While large gatherings did not occur, the weekend saw temperatures in the 50s and 60s and some sun on Sunday. Small groups could be seen sitting outside on the quad, enjoying meals outdoors, or going on walks and doing schoolwork out of their rooms. 

The Catholic community on campus also organized transportation services so that students wanting to attend Catholic services throughout the weekend could do so, according to Jeffrey Fawcett (’23). These included vehicles traveling to Our Lady of Angels in Cuba on Maundy Thursday, St. Patrick’s in Belfast on Good Friday, and St. Patrick’s in Fillmore for Holy Saturday. 

Taylor seemed pleased with how the holiday went. “I think the weekend went well. We ran out of Student Life Easter Bags, had students hunt for large eggs, and students opted out of other events. Our main goal was to provide students opportunities to interact with each other and know they were supported,” he said on reflection of the weekend. ★

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Houghton’s New Apiary Running Smoothly

Houghton’s new bee hives. COURTESY OF ANSLEY GREEN

By Ansley Green (’22)

Last June, with assistance from the Houghton Class of 2020, the Center for Sustainability (CfS) purchased three bee hives for campus, marking the beginning of the official Houghton apiary. Brian Webb, Environmental Studies professor and Sustainability Coordinator at Houghton, cited several reasons as to why the CfS made the apiary their next big project. “Students have been interested in beekeeping for years,” said Webb, “Bees also perform a vital ecosystem service by pollinating crops.” The hives are placed by the campus garden near the college flats for this exact reason, this way the nearby bees are able to pollinate the produce that the Center for Sustainability grows in the garden each year. Bees can pollinate within a range of up to five miles, so, in Houghton’s case, the campus hives work to pollinate the orchard that stands near Nielson and even the Houghton woods. 

Mary Chichester (‘22), the student intern for the Center for Sustainability who first lobbied for the addition of the bee hives to campus, mentioned an additional reason for the new hives: “It is important that we try and support our local bee population by raising bees because they are integral to the local ecosystems.And they are very cute!” they added. With the recent decline in the bee population, the addition of well-regulated hives is very important to the growth and survival of the flora in the area. 

The apiary is currently home to two surviving hives of honey bees. The third hive was not able to survive the winter due to a bad queen bee, which goes to show how difficult it can be for bees to stay alive even when they are being tended to by a keeper. The two good hives produced nearly five gallons of honey in the first harvest, which occurred in late September of last year. 

The honey produced was processed and bottled by the student interns at the Center for Sustainability and is now available for purchase at the CfS office in Chamberlain 322. The hope is for this honey to be available not only for purchase in the campus store, but also for general use in the dining hall. The bees also produce wax and, in order to stay as low waste as possible, this wax was collected and is being used by the art students in their creations. 

There are now plans to expand the apiary by this upcoming summer break. There will be an additional three hives purchased, along with a hive to replace the one that was lost during the frigid winter. In adding these hives, the expectation would be for the honey production to at least double for each harvest. With a goal of two harvests in this year, the bees could produce almost twenty gallons of local honey. Furthermore, the Center for Sustainability is purchasing more beekeeper’s suits so that a larger number of students would have the chance to appreciate the hard work of our newest residents on campus. According to CFS garden intern Clayton Hardiman (‘22) “If you love bees, or even if you’ve never worked with bees but love an adventure, we would love to have you come and help us out!” ★

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Campus Undergoing Construction

Faith of a Mustard Seed atrium under construction. COURTESY OF LARISSA STRAPELLO RIES

Next year, Houghton students will be able to enjoy several newly renovated facilities around campus.

One project nearing completion is the addition of the Faith of a Mustard Seed Atrium to the Equestrian Center. Construction of this atrium began at the end of January and is expected to be completed in mid-April. Larissa Ries, the equestrian program director, explains that the space will serve as the “first location people go when arriving at the Equestrian Center, [to] check in, register for competitions, gather information or hold meetings,” as well as a comfortable lounge space for students and visitors. The atrium space was anticipated when the Equestrian Center was built in 2018, but the original anonymous donation which funded the construction did not cover the costs for fully furnishing the atrium, according to Ries. Since then, one large donation and a number of smaller gifts funded the completion of the space, which will include a fireplace and TVs for watching indoor equestrian events.

Houghton’s Director of Athletics, Matthew Webb, says that numerous improvements to the athletic facilities are “in the works,” either as quick projects this semester or as renovations this summer. Donors have funded new turf for portions of the baseball and softball fields, new netting and protective tarps, as well as upgraded and reorganized equipment within the press boxes. Additionally, the college received a grant to build the KPAC KidsZone, a playground area near Burke Field. Webb calls the KidsZone “a beautiful addition to our facilities which will have great community impact.”

Paine Science Center will continue to receive upgrades according to the plans that began in the summer of 2019 to use funds raised by Houghton’s IMPACT campaign. Miriam Case, Academic Coordinator for the STEM departments, says, “There was too much to accomplish in one summer so it was planned for two, but with the closure of campus last summer we have stretched it another year.” The most noticeable changes will be completely renovated Anatomy & Physiology and Molecular & Cell biology labs. Remaining funds will help update the labs for General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Physical Chemistry.

Shen’s KPAC-side fire escape will be replaced out of the college budget. Between internal and external staircases, the building currently meets fire code requirements, according to Vice President for Finance Dale Wright. However, the “deteriorated” fire escape will be replaced with a covered stairwell similar to that on the Nielsen side of Shen. ★

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Grant Enables KPAC Kids Zone

By Elise Koebl (’22)

Houghton College has had its doors open to many different kinds of visitors. Whether they are prospective students, families, or friends, many have enjoyed what the college has to offer. Now, Houghton College is opening the doors wider to young children who visit with their families. Amanda Zambrano and the college have been working with the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation and KABOOM! over the past few years. “The idea grows out of the Play Everywhere Challenge through the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation and KABOOM! The challenge is to transform places where children naturally gather and help them incorporate play into their everyday lives,” said Zambrano. The KPAC KidsZone is planned to open in the triangular grassy area behind the bleachers at Burke Field during the summer alumni weekend, July 31st-August 1st. 

Their first priority is, of course, safety. Zambrano stated that they plan to install fencing around the underside of the bleachers, keeping kids from playing in a dangerous space with little visibility for supervision. Zambrano also mentioned they intend to put up a “natural border”  to deter kids from wandering into the parking lot.

“While I have personal interest in this project because I have little ones of my own, there were a number of factors that played into Houghton’s pursuit of this funding opportunity. Until the playground opened by the Field of Dreams, there were only two public playgrounds in Allegany County (data courtesy of the Wilson Foundation’s State of Play report), making Allegany County children some of the most underserved children in Western New York as regards to places to play. Our children also don’t get enough outdoor play time or physical activity. Houghton providing this kind of access is an important way for us to benefit our community and the children who live here,” Zabrano said. This interest to create a playspace for children is so that children have a space to use their imaginations and play within an area their parents and families can watch them safely. ★