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Campus News

Gillette Hosts Disney Channel Throwbacks

Disney Channel Throwback poster - Courtesy of Emily Fausnaught
By Anna Catherman ('24)

If you walk through Gillette Hall on a Monday night, you’re more than likely to hear laughs on at least one floor. Second New is no exception. Laughter and eyerolls both abound on Mondays starting at 9:30 p.m., when the floor has its weekly event: Disney Channel Throwbacks.

Every floor in Gillette has its own events, tailored by each foor’s Resident Assistant (RA) to the residents. When Emily Fausnaught (‘24) became the RA of Second New, she turned to a bulletin board in one of Gillette’s corners for inspiration. A musical themed board featuring Troy Bolton stirred up her nostalgia for Disney Channel originals. 

“There’s something a little cringey…and also wonderful about them,” Fausnaught said. “I wanted to share that with everyone else.” 

The first week of the movie nights began with the classic Disney Original, “High School Musical.” A few dedicated watchers joined Fausnaught in the floor’s lounge. Week two featured the “Princess Protection Program.” It was met by an even larger crowd, with couches and floor space filled. Attendees munched on popcorn and pretzels. 

One of the enthusiastic attendees was Gabby Wiltse (‘27). She scoured the internet for lists of Disney Channel originals, so she could suggest what the floor should watch next. 

“I kind of love Second New,” Wiltse said.

Others were less thrilled, but still supportive. Adelaide Sullivan (‘24) noted that she is an avid anime watcher. Watching Japanese-style animation, such as Demon Slayer, One Piece and My Hero Academia, taught her to analyze things closely. She finds the drama in the Disney Channel Original Movies to be a little over-the-top. 

“It’s hard not to overanalyze High School Musical,” Sullivan said. “It was not a terrible movie, but I think it could have been a more complex [storyline] instead of having drama just for drama . . . it was easy to tell what the bullies were going to do because their actions were predictable, as were the actions of others.”

Disney Channel Throwbacks will continue every Monday throughout the rest of the semester, with selections announced weekly prior to the event. The next gathering is on Feb. 5. ★

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Columns

The Creator (2023) Review

Written By: Joseph Schmidt (’24)

Set in 2070, 15 years after a nuclear detonation in Los Angeles that started a war against AI, Sergeant Joshua Taylor, played by John David Washington, an ex-special forces agent, is recruited to hunt down a mysterious terrorist going by the name Nirmata, or “Creator”. The United States military has gained valuable information that Nirmata has created a super weapon which could cause the US to lose the war against the AI threat. But when Joshua discovers the super weapon is a robotic child, he finds himself at a loss of what to do.

“The Creator” honestly surprised me as a movie. When I first saw the trailers for the movie, it looked like it was nothing more than a Star Wars rip off, which I suppose is what happens when you get the fantastic Gareth Edwards, the same director who created “Rogue One”. But when I first watched the movie, I was pretty interested in all the concepts of robots, humans and AI all interacting together in a shared universe, only to have AI become the main threat. However, “The Creator” shows an interesting perspective from both sides of this war against the AI. It shows the fear and anger of the US and the US military, who have vigilantly fought against robots, simulants and AI in order to make sure there is no more threat of nuclear extinction, but it also shows the perspective of New Asia, the country harboring and supporting the robots, simulants and AI because they believe that these beings are as real as humans are.Yet, the story never shifts away from Joshua and the super weapon child known as Alphie, played by Madeleine Yuna Voyles.

Joshua’s reason for going after this super weapon is because he’s trying to find his wife, who is in New Asia and supposedly helping the New Asian forces create Alphie. Joshua’s mission was to collect the super weapon or destroy it in order to find his wife and return home with her. However, after the mission goes wrong, Joshua and Alphie must find their way across New Asia and avoid the New Asian forces looking for them both. As Joshua understands what’s at stake, why begin to see and understand more of the perspective of New Asians and how that convinces Joshua to switch sides over the course of the movie. This was something I appreciated, that Joshua didn’t have a quick moment where he changed sides in the middle of a battle, but instead slowly began to understand why Alphie was created as a defense for the New Asians, not an offense.

Overall, “The Creator” is definitely one of my new favorite movies. A compelling story, a new approach of conflict and love and trying to understand that just because something isn’t alive doesn’t mean it’s not real. We watch Joshua struggle as a soldier taking care of Alphie as she learns the world, trying to avoid threats while guarding what he had considered a threat. We watch Alphie gain more understanding of her enhanced abilities and how they impact the people of New Asia in many different ways. We watch the brutality of war, the tactics used in the midst of fear, and the sacrifices and losses that come as a result. No one in this movie is safe. It made the movie seem so real despite being set in 2070.

However, some things were predictable in the movie. While deaths are inevitable and some are definitely shocking and surprising, some events are incredibly predictable. In fact, some are pretty stupidly coincidental as well. And while these coincidences and predictable events aren’t relied upon for the story to continue, it did make me a tiny bit disappointed by such cliche scenes.

In conclusion, I did enjoy the movie. I loved this movie. It surprised me, made me emotional on my first watch through in a few parts, and played into tension beautifully. Not to mention that the cinematography was impressive. It’s definitely worth the watch if you’re a Sci-Fi fan, and it keeps you engaged from start to finish. Seriously, watch it for yourselves!

Final Grade: 8.7/10 ★

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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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Campus News

Senior Recital: Lucas Myers

By Olivia Kleinau ('24)

On Monday Jan. 29 at 8 p.m., Lucas Myers (‘24) will perform his Senior Recital in the Center For the Arts Recital Hall. 

Myers, a pianist, explained that most of his preparation is a mix of practice as well as studying music scores. He will be performing a broad variety of pieces at his recital, including works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Claude Debussy, Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann, Frédéric Chopin and Philip Glass. Myers’ pieces include aspects of German Romanticism, French Impressionism and Contemporary Minimalism. 

​​Fellow piano major, Katrina Kauffman (‘26) shared, “I’m super excited for his upcoming recital, I have always really admired his playing. He is definitely someone I look up to as also a piano major.”

Myers shared his excitement for this upcoming recital as it is his first real attempt in creating a themed recital. He will be combining piano repertoire with other art forms to create an overarching storyline tying all the pieces together. The theme Myers’ chose for the recital centers around the idea of rebirth. 

The recital itself will center around the theme of rebirth, and will explore the way in which we as people often go through an internal death while going through times of intense hardship only to be reborn again,

“[The recital] will explore the way in which we as people often go through an internal death while going through times of intense hardship only to be reborn again,” Myers explained, “finding a deeper capacity for love and joy as well as a heightened capacity to appreciate the beauty of life when we reemerge into the land of the living.”

Myers also stated that he finished his coursework last semester, giving more time to prepare for this upcoming recital. Last semester he was taking 19 credits on top of commuting from Rochester, NY to Houghton University. He had to find as many pockets available in his schedule to practice as he could manage, and on top of that make sure he was intentional in balancing heavier practice sessions with periods of rest on the weekends. One benefit of the commute was that it gave Myers the opportunity to do a lot of listening and mental practice.

Myers expressed that overall he is, “super pleased with the way it is shaping up.” ★

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Stories In Focus

Feature: Dean Jordan

By Jiana Martin ('26)

Dean Michael Jordan has been Houghton’s full-time Dean of the Chapel for 12 years. Additionally, he works half-time as a professor for various theology and biblical literature classes. After marrying his wife, Jill, and graduating from Houghton in the class of ‘99, he attended seminary and earned his master’s in 2002 from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary. For the next seven years, he pastored the Exton Community Baptist Church Church in Exton, PA, and returned to school to earn his Doctorate. In 2009, he received his Ph.D. in Liturgical Studies from Drew University. 

“I like that I get to have a pastoral connection with any student that wants one,” Dean Jordan thoughtfully replied. 

Dean Jordan enjoys being a teacher, but his role as a pastor has allowed him to have a different type of relationship with anybody who wants to “just talk.” In regards to students, he can connect with them and get to know them as people without worrying about their academic achievements.

As for Dean Jordan’s favorite places on campus, he really likes how the new Spiritual Life office turned out. In general, he enjoys quiet, sacred and sanctuary spaces, such as the prayer chapel space in the basement of the Wesley Chapel. 

“I also like how outdoorsy Houghton is and I like having so much that is walkable and breathable,” Dean Jordan added. 

Last Thursday, Jan. 18, Dean Jordan spoke at the first faculty lecture of the semester, based on his upcoming book, “Worship in an Age of Anxiety.” This is his first book and he is excited for its release later this year on June 2. 

“I have always valued writing,” Dean Jordan commented and was encouraged by his friend, a professor from Yale, to write a book. 

A couple of years ago, InterVarsity Press reached out to him about a series they were planning to do called Dynamics of Christian Worship. This gave him the opportunity to put pen to paper. The first part of the book looks at anxiety and discusses how churches have often talked about it in the past. Dean Jordan explains that the book contemplates the question: What are some ways that churches can do what we do in a way that is more anxiety informed?

During his lecture, Dean Jordan talked about the prevalence of anxiety and how it has increased in American culture over the past 20 years. He also touched on what people are learning when they get help for anxiety and in what ways the church helps or hurts them. 

Dean Jordan hopes the lecture was a good opportunity for attendees to start reflecting more conscientiously on the ways they practice worship.

“Hopefully, a lecture like this can help people understand some of the backstory to a lot of these worship practices and help them be a little more informed in the way they think about worship,” Dean Jordan concluded.  ★

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Opinions

Good Tidings & Good Grief

By Molly Connolly

As the holiday season runs its course, we see familiar scenes of warmth: being wrapped up in flannel and knit blankets, lilting melodies drifting through the air with warm sugar and spice scents swirling around us. We see friends and family gathered around tables filled with favorite foods as good conversation and love abounds. However, in those beautiful moments of fellowship and company, it can sometimes make the spaces once taken up by loved ones who aren’t with us anymore that much more obvious.

Grief in a season marketed on the basis of curating an exuberant display of joy, excitement and sociability can make an already incredibly complex experience that much more difficult to process. The ever-looming pressure to be a chipper Kris Kringle for Christmas can make the growing and groaning of grief feel Grinchy. If we’re lucky enough to not be the ones grieving, which can be complicated in its own right, seeing friends, family or loved ones in pain, being distant, or just not quite being themselves can be tense, awkward or even isolating, not just for us, but for all involved. 

I want to encourage all of us to take those tense or awkward moments, or the moments where we feel alone in our grief, and embrace the heart of our hurt. When we are missing the loved ones we no longer gather with, I want us to reflect on the memories and traditions we had with them. Continue those traditions or make new ones in remembrance of them. Allow yourself to be sad, angry, and hurt when those feelings come up. You do not owe anyone the comfort of convenient emotions, and you deserve to feel fully and deeply in all circumstances.

 For those who are not grieving but have someone close to us who is living with grief, don’t be afraid to be beside them at this time. Be a constant and supporting presence. Ask them about their lost loved one. Don’t force a silver lining, but give them a way to share the love they have for the person they are missing. In those moments we are given the bittersweet blessing of getting to share this love, and learn about the love we wouldn’t have been able to experience without that person.

There isn’t any right way to process loss and there isn’t a set way to support someone going through that process, but I urge each and every one of us to take those opportunities to grow closer together rather than to shy away from those “uncomfortable” or “inconvenient” emotions. Instead, embrace it all throughout the holiday season. Ways we can incorporate the grieving process can take a myriad of different forms, whether that’s trying to follow their famous cookie recipe, watching their favorite Christmas movie, singing along to their favorite seasonal songs, hanging up their stocking and filling it with some of their favorite snacks. Regardless of its form, let that love be lifted up in ways the season already encourages. Let laughter, tears, and everything in-between flow freely and make space for those feelings to be felt for those around you. ★

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Campus News

Christmas Prism

Christmas Prism Photo - Courtesy of Savannah Stitt
By Isabella Bratton ('26)

Houghton’s Christmas Prism will be held on Friday, Dec. 1, at 7:30 p.m. at the Victory Highway Wesleyan Church, and on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 8 p.m. in the John & Charles Wesley Chapel. After Saturday’s performance, there will be a After Prism Party in Van Dyk Lounge at 9:30 p.m.

The concert showcases several of Houghton’s music ensembles such as the Men’s and Women’s Choir, Symphony Orchestra and soloists. 

The ensembles have been preparing for months, and are looking forward to seeing their work come together. 

Freshman Zoe Zachery (‘27) expressed excitement for her first choir concert at Houghton. While she’s excited, she explained how it is also nerve-wracking due to Prism’s commendable reputation. 

Zachery stated, “The most challenging part of preparing for prism is the memorization of all the songs that we are performing … it’s kind of nerve racking but I know that I’m prepared. It’s just the fact that prism is such a big concert and it’s really important to people.” 

Sophomore Anthony Fry (‘26), a member of the Houghton Choir, reiterated Zachery’s statement, specifically noting that the most challenging moment for him was memorizing a song in Haitian Creole.

A member of the Women’s Choir, Sophomore Elizabeth Wertz (‘26), is looking forward to showcasing the hard work all the ensembles have put in. 

Wertz said, “The song I’m looking forward to most is called ‘What Strangers Are These?’. This song really builds and it tells an incredible story.”

Senior Kaitlin Kleinau (‘24) appreciated the efforts of her choir director, Dr. Kevin Dibble, to keep their heads in the right place before performance. 

Kleinau wrote, “Dr. Dibble always reminds his ensembles, during prayer and devotional time right before the concert, to be present, spiritually and emotionally. The audience before us will never be the same group again, and our peers will be ever-changing. However, God is with us in this moment, and we simply have to make music for Him. If we can reach one soul because of our worship, then all praise be to God.”

Wertz hoped that the audience would not only enjoy the concert but take away something valuable. 

“I hope,” Wertz wrote, “that the audience will be able to see God’s glory from our performance and realize that nothing is possible without Him. He is the reason for our successes, and He is the one that should be praised.” ★

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Campus News

Houghton Announces Spring 2024 Commencement Speaker

Commencement Speaker - Courtesy of Marketing and Communications
By Joshua Carpenter ('24)

Today, Dec. 1, Houghton administration announced that Dr. Wayne Schmidt was selected as the commencement speaker for the senior class of spring 2024.

President Wayne D. Lewis, Jr. met Schmidt early in his presidency and has been working closely with him ever since. When the time came to select a commencement speaker for the Class of 2024, there was more that stood out to Lewis than Schmidt’s experience in pastoral ministry and higher education.

“In addition to being the capable leader of our Wesleyan movement in North America,” says Lewis, “[Schmidt] is a trusted friend and mentor … I thank God for his continued guidance and encouragement as a Christian leader, husband, and father.”

Serving as General Superintendent of the Wesleyan Church since 2016, Schmidt has attended various Board Meetings over the years, which is how he met Provost David Davies.

“While we’ve not had extensive interaction,” says Davies, “I’ve found him to be a humble, Godly man with a clear heart for the students of Houghton University.”

Before he was elected General Superintendent, Schmidt served as the chief administrative officer of Wesley Seminary at Indiana University from 2010-2016. In 1979, he co-founded Kentwood Community Church (KCC) in the Grand Rapids, Michigan Area, first serving as a co-founding pastor and then as a senior pastor until 2009. His contributions to KCC include leadership in planting the church, as well as 10 other daughter churches across his tenure.

“With a career in both academic and church environments,” says Davies, “and a lifetime commitment to our sponsoring denomination, he is well suited to serve as Houghton’s commencement speaker.”

When asked what he would like to say to the senior class, Schmidt says, “I believe God honors a heart of humility with abundant measures of His grace. Being humble and hungry (lifelong learner) leads to fullness of life.”

For more information on Dr. Schmidt, visit his blog on the Wesleyan Church’s official website where he discusses what he has learned from 40 years of ministry. ★

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Campus News

Naughty vs. Nice Professors

Naughty & Nice Pie Chart - Courtesy of Christian Welker
By Juliana Schmidt ('25)

The results are in for the Naughty or Nice Professor Poll!

Professor Kevin Dibble of the Music department, Professor Don Wilcox of the Biology department, and Professor Hannah Kim of the Psychology department tied in third place for the Nicest professors. 

Freshman Kareena Ulfig comments on how kind Professor Kim is to her students. “She’s so sweet and thinks everyone’s ideas are worth mentioning.” 

Junior Olivia Carr adds, “She understands and asks about you daily and always incorporates our lives in class.” 

Professor Poythress took the poll (wait, was that allowed?) and wrote of  Professor Wilcox: “Prof Wilcox is the sweetest, kindest, and most eager guy to help!” 

In second place for the Nicest professor is Professor Craig Whitmore, who is the Assistant Professor of Education. 

Freshman Elizabeth Borchers comments, “[he’s e]nergetic, always willing to help and hands out minimal homework!”

In first place for the nicest professor is, unsurprisingly, Dr. Douglas Gaerte! He is a Professor of Communications at Houghton.

Senior Cody Johnson says, “Dr. Garte answers my emails faster than Santa.” 

“He is always the first to ask how you are doing, and he notices if you look upset.” Freshman Madeline Bailey states. 

Sophomore Warren Torraca says the reason he voted for Dr. Garte was because of his, “Demeanor and care for his students. He will just listen for hours or teach for hours or just talk for hours.” 

With the Nicest out of the way, time to find out who’s on the Naughty List this year!

In second place for the Naughtiest professors is Professor Kevin Dibble, making him the only professor on both the Naughty and Nice list.

Torraca says, “Oh he’s great. He just goes off on tangents and occasionally makes unhinged comments.”

Tied for first place are professors Benjamin Wheaton and Sarah Massey, although no one was brave enough to say why.

While he ultimately did not make the list, one of the funniest comments received from the poll is about Professor Jonathan Case.

Junior Faith Coolbeth states that Dr. Case deserves to be on the Naughty list because “He tried to show an episode of South Park!”

Maybe next year Dr. Case.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Poll, and a big thanks to all of the Professors. Whether Naughty or Nice, we appreciate all the work you do for Houghton. Thanks for taking part in this light-hearted competition. ★

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Columns

The Grinch (2018)

Written by: Kat Wojsiat (’24)

The Grinch (2018) was a controversial movie upon release. The 1966 Dr. Seuss story already had a classic cartoon rendition that lived in the hearts of all, and a 2000 goofy, well-known live action film featuring Jim Carrey.

When the 2018 remake was announced, many people felt as though it was unnecessary, and that Benedict Cumberbatch was not a good fit for the role of the Grinch. I, myself, did not have high hopes for the movie, and I actually didn’t even bother to watch it for the first couple of years after it was released. During the first Christmas of Covid, I was in desperate need of more Christmas movies to watch, so I gave it a try – and quickly fell in love.

The rich, vibrant colors of the animation, the aggressively intense Christmas decorations, the lack of physics, the carolers chasing people down… No movie better captures the Christmas spirit for me. It has become a yearly staple of the Christmas season for me to wrap myself in a fuzzy blanket with a peppermint hot chocolate and watch this movie. Benedict Cumberbatch’s energy is goofy and fun, but it also brings something new to the table that separates it from the first two movies.

This Grinch is given more of a backstory and a more fulfilling redemption arc. He also appreciates Max more than the previous two Grinches, which I greatly appreciate as an animal lover. I also love the addition of Bricklebaum, a jolly Christmas-loving man who lives at the bottom of Mount Crumpit and thinks he and the Grinch are best friends. It adds a psychosocial dynamic to the story of the Grinch only being able to accept love when he lets go of his deep-seeded bitterness.

One of the best things about this movie is that it is wonderfully ideal for us college students who are in the finals season leading up to Christmas, because it is only 90 minutes long. It is the perfect short, easy-to-watch, light-hearted Christmas movie to take your mind off finals for a few minutes before diving back into work, and I look forward to it every year. ★