By MADI FLUERY ’28
Updated 11:50 a.m. EDT, 2 Oct. 2026
There’s something special about a night when Houghton University (HU) campus crowds together to cheer, laugh and soak up each other’s creativity. SPOT is that night, and it’s getting ready to take over the semester once more tomorrow, Oct. 3, from 9-11 pm!
SPOT is a Campus Activities Board (CAB) event at HU that brings together students and faculty alike. SPOT occurs every semester to entertain and produce a variety of acts so that there is something for everyone. Chiara Iantorno ‘28, a music education major involved with the event, emphasized that “You get a flavor of all different parts of campus through the different SPOT aspects. It just makes it a fun time.”
This year’s SPOT hosts are Carson Schmieg ‘29, Drew Shaner ‘29, and Elijah Hungerford ‘27. The theme was presented by Schmieg and Shaner for the “amazing story and plot it could carry!”
As quoted from the 80’s film, “Your future is whatever you make it so make it a good one!” With that being said, the theme for this semester’s SPOT is “Back to the Future”!
One thing that makes SPOT particularly unique is the live SPOT band, performed by students. The musicians in the band include: Nathan Newcomer ‘28 and Elijah Hungerford ‘27 on drums, Job Theobald ‘28 on keys, Ethan Howell ‘28 on saxophone, Corban Gibson ‘29 and Wyatt Christansen ‘28 on electric guitar, Jackson Collins ‘28 on bass guitar, and Grace Bailey ‘28, Cora Paige ‘27, and Henry Sardina ‘28 on vocals. Their music will transport you back to the times of Michael Jackson, Simple Minds and 80s pop culture movies.
Part of SPOT’s magic is the way it dissolves the usual boundaries of campus life. One might find themselves smiling ear to ear for a best friend, a resident assistant, a lab partner, or the professor whose class they barely survived last week. Somewhere between the laughter and the applause, one can start to see the campus differently. Music professor Dr. Kevin Dibble observes “It’s very easy for people to see us as faculty and them as students. But we’re all humans. We can all have this shared joy.”
Our hosts are ecstatic to entertain the student body this Saturday. Hungerford said, “I love entertaining and talking to people. I want the opportunity to just show off what I got and give people a good time.” That’s truly what SPOT is about and exactly what we want our hosts to be focused on.
The campus dance club is doing a parody of “Dance Moms”, surrounded in the drama and chaos that goes down in the hit reality show. Weeks of planning and filming occurred for the short film to come into place. Members of the dance club will play various roles of characters for the film, from dancers to moms to Abby Lee Miller. The SPOT act also includes a professor as a special guest with a comedic role.
As a student, college and its workload can be intense. But, SPOT is not an event to miss and will not be a waste of a Saturday evening. As Iantorno puts it, “Let yourself have a fun time. Some people get kind of critical of SPOT sometimes, but that’s really lame. Just come to have a good time and don’t take yourself too seriously.” SPOT is an event for everyone of all majors, personalities and interests. There is something for everyone to enjoy.
Following the event, head over to the Highlander Shop to receive an extra 25% off all clearance items as well as additional “get ready for winter sales.” On top of that, if you come dressed in your finest 80s attire, you can receive an extra discount!
Rumor has it: there is a special appearance at the end of SPOT as well. Great Scott! ★
