Author: Bethany Cheesebro

A Sodexo Story: Pam Wilkinson

Post author By Bethany Cheesebro
Post date April 16, 2015

Since the fall of 2009, Pam Wilkinson has worked as a Sodexo greeter in the dining hall where she scans ID cards for meals, does other miscellaneous jobs when needed, and gets to interact with Houghton faculty, students, and other community members.

Pam first became affiliated with Houghton when she attended one of the college’s programs at its West Seneca satellite campus in the early 1980s. She graduated with an associate degree and remembers her time with “fond memories.” Shortly after graduating, Pam met her husband and became a stay-at-home mom to their three children.

In 2006 Pam reconnected with Houghton when her daughter, Candace, attended as a student from 2006-2010. At this time she was not working and since her children were all beginning to leave home, she decided she “wanted something to do with [her] time”. She would often visit her daughter while she was a student at Houghton and began thinking, “I would like to work here”. Following her daughter’s encouragement, Pam decided to go ahead apply at the dining hall. She wasn’t aware that a food service ran the dining hall so she was told to go online and apply. After she applied, Pam ended up earning the position as a greeter in the dining hall. While this was good news, Pam was still nervous, “I haven’t been in the workforce since the early ‘80s, so I was nervous” she said.

Although she has a 40 minute commute each day from Delevan, Pam loves her job and the college atmosphere. “The students are what I love most about Houghton. They are so friendly and so full of energy,” said Pam, who especially enjoys having conversations with students throughout the day. “The faculty and staff are also very friendly,” said Pam. Pam’s most memorable experience occurred when she came into work on her birthday and found three huge birthday balloons at her register, “I have never seen such huge balloons. To this day I don’t know who they were from. I will always remember that! That really made my day!”

Pam doesn’t quite know what is in store for her in the future, but she does know that she wants to continue her work here at Houghton. She and her husband are grandparents to one twenty-one month old grandson and a granddaughter on the way this coming July. During her time off, Pam enjoys hobbies like crocheting, painting, quilting, decorating, and shopping. She also enjoys reading, walking her dog, and watching Jane Austen and Bible movies. Pam can always been seen at the top of the dining hall stairs, wearing a smile, ready to greet everyone entering the our dining hall.

Tags college, dining hall, food services, Houghton, sodexo, sodexo usa, student

News

City Harmonic Headlines Houghton’s First Accepted Students Weekend

Post author By Bethany Cheesebro
Post date March 19, 2015

Featuring The City Harmonic, Houghton College, will host its first Accepted Students Weekend, allowing prospective students to experience Houghton before many of them make their final decision.

The weekend, beginning on Thursday, March 19 and will conclude Saturday, March 21. Friday, March 20 at 8 p.m. in the Wesley Chapel, Houghton will welcome multi-award winning rock and worship group, The City Harmonic, with special guest and recent Houghton graduate, Taylor Wilding ‘14. The performance will take place as a stop on their nationwide tour. Friday, March 20 at 8 p.m. in the Wesley Chapel.

The Admission Office has put together a weekend “geared toward providing accepted students an opportunity to visit campus, meet other potential classmates, and interact with faculty and staff,” said senior admission counselor, Zina Teague. Accepted students will arrive on Thursday evening and will stay through the weekend, leaving Saturday morning.

Each accepted student will have the chance to stay overnight with current Houghton students, view a movie in the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex, and attend The City Harmonic concert. Following the concert there will be an after party in the Center for the Arts building and all current and prospective students are welcome. Teague said of the accepted students, “Overall, we want them to have a chance to experience what it’s like to be a Houghton College student.”

Houghton offers many Visit Days or Opportunity Days for prospective students to have a tour of the campus, attend classes, and meet other current and prospective students. However, this Accepted Students Weekend offers high school and transfer students the opportunity to spend a weekend on Houghton’s campus, while attending events to make their stay more memorable.

Accepted Students Weekend is unique to other Visit or Opportunity Days because it offers accepted and current students the chance to attend The City Harmonic concert. According to Housing Liaison and Resident Director of Lambein, Krista Maroni, the concert is helpful due to a lack of activities during overnight visits. Maroni said, “I’ve found that hosts often struggle to find creative activities to share with their visitors. The concert provides an easy way for current and prospective students to share an experience and connect. Ideally the concert and the after party can be a jumping point for future connections.”

Maroni also mentioned how the concert will leave accepted students with a “lasting memory of their visit”. In past years, Houghton has hosted bands such as Jars of Clay and Sanctus Real, so The City Harmonic will add to Houghton’s repertoire of award-winning performers. Having The City Harmonic perform during Accepted Students Weekend enables accepted students to engage in an energetic, exciting weekend that is different from the typical weekend here at Houghton. Maroni stated “Prospective students are vital to Houghton’s future and the culture we want to create; this concert is an expression of that value.”

Tags accepted, admission, decision, group, houghton college, office, rock, students, the city harmonic, worship

News

Title IX Changes Affect Houghton

Post author By Bethany Cheesebro
Post date February 5, 2015

Last summer, the state of New York made changes to the Title IX policy regarding sexual assault and harassment. Title IX, a federal law under the Department of Education, was enacted in 1972 and states “No person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program receiving Federal financial assistance.”

At the collegiate level, this means the revision of policies and procedures to ensure that reasonable efforts are made to prevent sexual violence and to respond to reports promptly and effectively. As a result of the new guidelines, Houghton College is in the process of revising the sexual harassment and assault policy in order to promote a healthier, safer environment for all students and faculty.

Houghton College’s Title IX Coordinator, Nancy Murphy, described Title IX as a law that is “critical for assuring that people of all genders are equipped to thrive in learning communities that are free of discrimination and violence.” The prevention of sexual harassment is very important because a college campus is an environment where many young people are not reporting cases of assault or abuse. Even when they are reporting, there are often times when college administrators fall short of the goal of taking care of the victim and holding the perpetrator accountable.

Previously under this law, Houghton’s sexual harassment policy was based on a “No means No” approach where investigation into an alleged sexual assault focused on whether or not the victim verbally said or behaved in a way that communicated a “no” in denial of sexual consent. However, Murphy stated, “many sexual assaults occur in the absence of a ‘no’ but without a ‘yes’”. She referred to the difficulty institutions are having determining whether or not a verbal “no” was stated by a sexual assault victim and, as a result, New York made a necessary adaptation.

The new motto for the Title IX policy is “Yes means Yes.” This motto places responsibility on the accused assaulter to state why he/she thought the sexual behavior was consensual. The changed policy challenges the assaulter to prove the words or actions that were present for him/her to believe he/she was wrongfully accused. The major reason for the policy change is often due to the inability of assault victims to speak or take action for themselves under the circumstances they are in. Victims are frequently unable to give their consent due to incapacitation by fear, age, or alcohol.

However, since Houghton College is an institution that requires students to abstain from alcohol, Murphy asked, “What does this have to do with Houghton College?” She answered, “Though the number of assaults against Houghton students is arguably much lower than that of many college populations, our students do experience sexual assault, sometimes here on campus and sometimes off-campus. It is important that we as a community are educated about sexual assault for the primary purpose of prevention, but also to make sure that victims receive sensitive and helpful follow-up care and that student perpetrators of sexual assault are held accountable.”

There are debates on whether or not this new change will be more beneficial in helping victims of sexual assault and harassment and Murphy believes, “There are elements both good and bad.” If we abide by the “Yes means Yes” policy, then it may be favoring the victim’s rights more that the perpetrator’s rights. But with the old policy too much pressure was placed on the victim and it often resolved in a lack of action being taken.

SGA’s Executive Officer of Student Life, Jared Cram, said “I’m interested to see how this will pan out on a campus like Houghton where some of these issues may not be as obvious or prevalent. I’m part of the committee on Harassment Policy and Prevention and we had a lot of training on what to do in certain situations. It seems like they’re doing a very good job of making sure the victim is cared for above all else.”

One of the ways the college will inform students, faculty, and staff on the new policies is through a campus-wide survey that is due to come out in Fall of 2015. This survey will measure the rate of sexual assault on campus, how aware students are of current policies and procedures, and the likelihood that they would feel comfortable reporting sexual assault.

Stories In Focus

Brothers, Sisters, Teammates

Post author By Bethany Cheesebro
Post date December 8, 2014

Many pairs of siblings attend Houghton, but one aspect of their college experience heightens through their relationship at teammates. Brothers Jared and Jesse Toth and Sisters Lindsay and Hattie Burgher have experienced life at Houghton as both fellow students and teammates.

Sophomore Jesse Toth’s decision to attend Houghton last year came almost completely from the fact that his older brother, now a fifth year senior, Jared attended Houghton. Jesse and Jared had the opportunity to play on their high school’s soccer team together for one year, while Jared was a senior and Jesse a first year. Because of an injury during Jared’s sophomore year playing for Houghton, he gained an extra season of eligibility. He was able to play for an additional season and this was “surprisingly a blessing” to Jesse. He said, “Playing with my brother in high school was one of the best experiences I ever had and I wasn’t about to pass up playing two years with him here at Houghton.”

The brothers shared nothing but positive experiences and benefits of attending the same college and playing on the same team. They said the biggest benefit they bring to their team is their chemistry and understanding of each other on the field. While playing together, Jesse says “we constantly know what the other person is thinking” which is what makes being on the field together fun and exciting. Jared describes their experience as “unexplainable” because there is nothing like being able to “battle everyday on the soccer field with your brother.”

When asked to share a memorable experience they’ve had while being at the same college, both Jesse and Jared described hard-fought soccer victories. Both games were ones they were not expected to win, but they both credited their victories to their brother’s hard work. This year being Jared’s last season, he shares he was glad he got to play his college soccer career with his “own blood” and is proud of what his brother has brought to the team.

Lindsay and Hattie Burgher bring a slightly different relationship to the aspect of sibling teammates because their relationship broadens to one of a player and coach. Junior Hattie Burgher’s decision to attend Houghton came with a bonus, having her sister already on campus. Her sister, now assistant volleyball coach, Lindsay Burgher, was a senior when Hattie started at Houghton so they only played one year on Houghton’s volleyball team together. Hattie said, “I wish I had more than one year of playing with her… but I’m so grateful for that one year.”

Both sisters commented on the reward they’ve received in watching their sister grow and develop as a player, and for Hattie, seeing Lindsay as a coach. Lindsay and Hattie played two years of volleyball together in high school, but Lindsay said “I valued playing with her a lot more than in high school, because I wanted to make the most of (what I thought was) our time playing together for the one season we had.” When thinking of her transition from player to coach, Lindsay shared how “natural” it was to have Hattie at her school and as a teammate, but the struggles it brought transitioning into a leadership role. Lindsay had to learn to balance her relationship as a sister, friend and now a coach.

Hattie’s most memorable experience with her sister at college was hearing about her recent engagement. Hattie shared her excitement in being able to “revel in that monumental moment with her and to see the ring and give her a hug” which is something she would not have been able to do if Lindsay wasn’t still at Houghton. However, Lindsay’s presence on campus brought some struggles, as Hattie stated “we are sisters.” She said of her sisters coaching position, “she legitimately has the right to boss me around” but said that their relationship would experience some arguments which is natural and expected.

Lindsay’s greatest experience has been watching her younger sister “transform before her eyes” on the court and work to earn her position as a leader on the team. Lindsay is grateful for the opportunities she’s been given while at Houghton with her sister and said, “Whether coaching or playing, I am proud and thankful we can continue to be a part of the Houghton volleyball program together.”

Stories In Focus

Recent Graduates Return as Faculty Members

Post author By Bethany Cheesebro
Post date October 31, 2014

Recent Houghton graduates Madison Murphy and Bretta Hixson have Facebook to thank for their newly hired professor positions. Murphy, a 2011 graduate, and Hixson, a 2010 graduate, were alerted by current Houghton professors on Facebook of positions in their fields that became available.

After graduating with a degree in Communication, Madison Murphy went to Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) in Georgia and earned a master’s degree in Computer Animation with a concentration in 3D Computer Character Animation. Realizing the range of possibilities her field offered, Murphy attended SCAD knowing that she wanted to teach at a small school.

Murphy got this opportunity earlier this year when she found out Professor David Huth, the current professor of media arts and visual communications, was taking a sabbatical. “It was a Facebook message that sort of kicked it off,” Murphy said, “Professor Huth asked, ‘Would you mind coming back for a year?’ Then it got a little more professional from there.” Huth will return next fall and Murphy’s position will no longer be available but she would welcome the opportunity to stay. “Would I like to [stay]?” asked Murphy, “Sure, I love it here. I think everything this department is doing is fantastic. I think it’s producing awesome students.” Since her current position will end, Murphy decided she will either look for another teaching job at a place like Houghton or for work in the industry of computer animation.

While a student at Houghton, Murphy was a Teaching Assistant (TA) and very involved in the communications department, so the teaching aspect of her job was a swift transition from student to professor. However, some aspects caused for a more difficult transition. For example, instead of being all around campus like she was used to as a student, she now spends a great amount of time in the building where her office is located. The most prominent difference, Murphy said, were the “little things” like “walking into the cafeteria and noticing that they switched all the chairs around, or that the NERF club is now officially a student-recognized activity.” Murphy also describes the ups and downs of eating in the cafeteria and mentions she doesn’t eat in the cafeteria as much, but complains because she doesn’t get to “hear as much of the buzz”.

Also new to Houghton is Bretta Hixson who graduated with a degree in Biology before moving to Boston in 2011. Hixson received a master’s degree of public health in international health from Boston University. After graduating she traveled to Cap Haitien, Haiti to work for a non-profit organization, strengthening the medical supply chain of the public Haitian hospitals. When that project finished she moved back to Boston and worked at a coffee shop until hearing from Houghton.

LukeLauer_MadisonMurphy

Hixson was Facebook friends with the previous genetics professor, Matthew Pelletier, and saw that he was leaving Houghton. Shortly after she received an email from the biology department encouraging her to apply and after applying Hixson recalls, “Within a week, I flew out to teach a sample lecture and interview.” Less than two weeks later she got the job.

Hixson describes her first few months at Houghton as a “through-the-looking-glass” experience. She said “I had moments in faculty meetings and division meetings and department meetings – we have a lot of meetings – where I felt a keen sense of absurdity. Not that the meetings were absurd, just the idea that I belonged in them.” The teaching itself brought more comfort, as Hixson had been a TA and tutor while a student at Houghton. She does admit, however, “Lecturing a class of fifty-six in Schaller is quite different than sitting down with one or two students to drill them on the finer points of a fetal pig anatomy or the polymerase chain reaction.”

Both Murphy and Hixson shared their gratitude for the opportunity to be back at Houghton and felt privileged to be able to continue their experiences at the college. As Hixson said, “I do remember day-dreaming about what it would be like to come back some day and teach at Houghton…”