secretary – Houghton STAR

With the new changes brought to SGA this fall, positions entail different responsibilities. Senior, Katharine Labrecque, serves as this year’s president, heading up the newly organized student government.

Labrecque has been involved in student government since her freshman year in high school. She served as secretary for four years and continued that role her first and sophomore year at Houghton for the class of 2015. Last year, she served as a senator for the political science department. This year she begins a different role, as president.

“There are a lot more responsibilities. It’s hard because I am overseeing the different officers, making sure they are carrying out their roles while also being supportive,” said Labrecque regarding the transition, “I like having a clear goal in mind and to write notes. But I do carry that into this role, I still take notes. And just being organized… that has been a strength.”

Her role is to oversee all of the executive council and to represent the student body: their needs and their voice. One of her biggest objectives is to make herself available to receive feedback from students.

“Whether that is from personal interaction with students in my classes or on the soccer team, a suggestion box, or just having people come in the office,” said Labrecque, “I think [my role is] just about the students and I don’t think that I am any more important than they are, but I am a way that they can get their voice heard to faculty, staff and to people who are in charge of the college.”

Through the reorganization of the cabinets, there are less members total. Without senators, the power of SGA is much more concentrated. Due to having a fewer amount of representatives, Labrecque has encouraged members to seek student input.

“It’s a whole new system set up and we are working on our constitution and bylaws and making sure that they align with the college policies,” said Labrecque, “A huge focus now is on the non-traditional students, in Buffalo, and what role we can have there.”

As a dual Political Science and International Development major, Labrecque’s interests of studies converge in her role. Although not knowing where she will end up, she knows how she has been called to act. Her involvement with SGA at Houghton is in line with her goals to prepare for the future.

“I definitely feel like God has put on my heart that I need to be a voice for people who are not heard,” said Labrecque, “And I feel that whatever it is, whether it is politics, which I am interested in, or for government agencies, specifically in development or public policy, that I can really advocate the people and make it about the people.”

Currently, Labrecque is lending her voice to Houghton students. Yet, beyond the population of Houghton, Labrecque is concerned with justice and advocacy on a broader scale.

“I feel like our politics, in the US, are very much separate, there is a lack of unity,” said Labrecque, “It has been frustrating to see that people are suffering because we can’t get along and we can’t make trade-offs.”

Labrecque’s passion to serve has allowed her to take on many roles. As president, Labrecque launches SGA into a new year structured by new organization. Perhaps students will respond to her vision of a refurbished SGA, sharing her passion for the voice of the individual, and creating the necessary dialog between the two.

“This is new for me. I want to make SGA something that is not a governing body, but a resource. It can be a way that we can communicate with students and let them know about the things that are going on in the world and on campus, just make it transparent.” said Labrecque, “I think there have been a lot of negative connotations attached to SGA and I want to rid that. I want to make it a place that people associate with this comfortable body of student leaders who are desired and work for the rest of the campus.”

Different ways to connect with Labrecque and other member of SGA include: looking for SGA members around campus, emailing SGA at sga@houghton.edu, sending a comment or sharing feedback through intra-campus mail marked SGA, scheduling a coffee date with the president, or visiting the office in the basement of the Campus Center and leaving a prayer request.

Mim Case is the reason that the Paine Center for Science has not yet imploded. By her title, she is the Academic Coordinator for Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

In her day-to-day life, she makes sure that everything in the building is running smoothly so that the professors are able to focus on their teaching. She may find herself orchestrating building maintenance or researching new programs. Sometimes, she proctors exams for students when they fall behind on work.

Mim moved to Houghton with her husband, Jon Case, in 2005. Prior to their residence in Fillmore, they lived in Melbourne, Australia. Jon had met several Houghton professors through the school’s Down Under program while teaching at Kingsley College. During a furloughed trip to the United States, they got a call – “If you’re stateside, come see us at Houghton.”

The move was a huge change for the family. Melbourne is a city of 4 million people. Fillmore is a town of about 600. Mim is used to changing scenery. Although she self-identifies as a Texan from birth, she has held drivers licenses in seven different states.

Even still, Fillmore is a new experience for her. “I’m not really a country kind of person, so this has been a really different experience, but I’m learning all kinds of things,” she said in our interview. Being an avid baker, she is happy that she can get fresh ingredients from local farms through community supported agriculture.

Case_Mim

At home, she has quit cooking, “My husband does all that,” she says, “He’s a great Punjabi chef. This year he’s beginning to try Chinese and Thai.”

One thing that might catch your eye as you walk by Mim’s office is Mim herself, standing upright in front of her computer. When she first came to Houghton, she found that she was in a lot of pain at the end of her workday. Doing some research, she discovered that her desk was too high for good posture. Her solution, however, was to get an even higher one.

Mim began using a standing desk, supplementary to her sitting one. If you ask her, she’ll laud its use,”It’s great! I use it so much that one day, I came in the morning and set my things on my chair and by four o’clock I realized they were still there. I had gone the entire day standing and didn’t even notice it!”

Even if it weren’t for her desk, Mim would spend much of her day on her feet running around just keeping the department working properly. Despite her busy schedule, she still finds time to make Paine a brighter place. She very proudly tells me about an idea she executed alongside Dr. Brubaker – a mosaic of Houghton science majors which together form a single image of the Paine building. Mim collected the photos and found a company to design it. It is hanging by the second floor entrance to Schaller Hall.

Outside of school, Mim is very involved with her church, Houghton Wesleyan. She leads the missions convention work team. The church is looking to work more with Buffalo refugees in the next year. The focus of such missions work, aside from ministry, is to enable refugees with tools or skills that help them become more self-sufficient. She says,”It’s great to see a different side of the city and to see how you can help.”

When I asked Mim what she looks forward to in the upcoming year, her face lights up. Meic Pearse, professor of history, has asked her to be a part of the East Meets West travel team. This May, she’ll get to go to the Balkans with the honors program in order to provide logistical support. When she goes, she will bring her husband and daughter, Carolyn, too.

Mim’s hard work is invaluable to keeping Paine together. If you have ever enjoyed a math or science class, stop by her office this week and thank Mim for making it possible.