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The Senior Art Show

Senior Art Show Poster - Courtesy of Houghton Art Department
By Rebecca Dailey ('25)

This Friday, on April 12, the 2024 Senior Art Show will open in the Ortlip Gallery in the Center for the Arts. Thirteen senior art students will be showcasing their work in tonight’s gallery, including, Tamara Edwards (‘24), Aubree Niles (‘24), Hannah Smith (‘24) and Savannah Stitt (‘24). Various art pieces such as paintings, sculptures and photography will be displayed throughout the gallery for viewer appreciation. 

Professor John Rhett is the Senior Art faculty advisor and instructor for Senior seminar and Studio. His main goal is making sure the students exhibit a maturity within the medium of their choice.

“We are creative beings, God is the Heavenly creator,” Professor Rhett stated. “There is a need to create with these gifts gracefully through challenges and be grateful for them.”

A few seniors took time out of their busy schedules to speak about their work and the gallery.

Smith explained her process around her work, “A big part about it is being balanced and coming to your artwork with a peaceful mind and not cluttered with everything you have to do … I like to think of it as forever honing my craft. I am a tinkerer. I like to play with different mediums. I’m not afraid of losing art and not doing it because I’ve been doing it my whole life.”

Niles has been working in art since childhood. It has been her way of expressing herself even when words cannot. 

“Looking back to my work from freshman year,” Niles stated, “I am blown away by the development of quality and sincerity in my work. I started college with little education on art and had this horrible opinion that abstract art wasn’t art … I quickly learned that abstraction (well, good abstraction) is difficult. I am so thankful that I was taught the importance of abstract work. It reveals something true, raw, and honest about the artist. 

Edwards transferred to Houghton in the Fall of 2022. 

“I learned the importance of process,” Edwards explained, “art develops with time and a support group who challenges me in the quest to understand art not as an individual activity. Individual as an artist but built in community and communication.” 

Stitt reflects on her growth as an artist and in life.

“I have learned that a huge part of growing as an artist involves time, and within that time, experience.” Stitt explained that “Some things are only learned through the process of doing something over and over. And other times, I have grown as an artist because I am growing as a person and that informs and influences my art.” Rhett shared his excitement about seeing the students’ work be displayed and the growth they have shown.

“The show is a time of celebration,” Rhett stated. “They’ve been students their entire lives sitting in class and doing assignments. This is their chance to start taking ownership of who they are as artists.” ★

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The Moon Campus Closure (April Fools 2024)

The Moon Campus - Courtesy of Savannah Stitt
By Abigail Bates ('26)

Houghton University’s Moon Campus will be closing on October 1, 3909.

Houghton has officially stated that there were many issues, including the difficulties for students to adapt to the environment of the Moon, territorial disputes with other national and international colleges and universities, and the interplanetary issues involving an organization associated with students of Houghton’s Moon Campus who call themselves the STAR Empire.

The university made an official statement on September 2, 3909 that “The STAR Empire organization is not affiliated with Houghton University, therefore no legal implications of the STAR Empire’s actions can be imposed upon the institution.”

Despite this, Houghton has faced tumultuous protests and public criticism about the actions of the STAR Empire in other planets’ territories, which include, among many, hijacking and destroying supply shipments, refusal to cooperate with android and cyborg officials, and offensive posts on BlaRK against technology providers and users.

Dr. Revekstus Iedoma, a well known historian and visiting professor from O-AI University, who gave the recent lecture “The Age of ChatGPT: Its Effects on Early Society” on Wednesday the 12, said that the “closing of the Moon Campus is a result of the STAR Empire’s Moon Campus hostage situation. There’s no doubt about it.”

During the Moon Campus Hostage Situation on June 5, the STAR Empire took over Houghton’s Moon Campus and held the Moon hostage using Advanced Directed-Energy Weapons (ADEW) stolen from the Hoffman Science Center. Cullen Arndt (‘10), a Houghton student and official spokesperson of the STAR Empire, stated that the hostages and the moon would be released if both the National Council of Earth (NCE) and the Interplanetary Alliance (IA) withdrew their involvement in the interplanetary political crisis caused by the STAR Empire’s actions. Within the day, the situation was settled with the arrest of 27 students and 3 staff who were members of the STAR Empire, and the removal of the ADEWs from the Moon’s orbit. The hostages were rescued with minor injuries.

As the members were led out of the campus, they proclaimed, “Long Live Tim Martian! We are one!”

Tim Martian, founder of the STAR Empire, was a Houghton alumnus of the Class of 3820. He worked for The Houghton STAR for three years before rising to his position as Editor-in-Chief which lasted three months until his forceful removal in the Fall of 3819. 

According to an email (messages distributed by electronic means via a network) sent by the succeeding Editors-in-Chief, Neo Stitt (3820) and Kira Tiedemann (3821), Martian was removed from his position “due to his conflicting interests with the direction of The Houghton STAR, and the negative impacts of his android views on the factually credibility of the paper.”

Alia Welker (3822), an alumna who had worked in the Columns Section under Martian, said that “Tim was terrible to work with. He acted like a dictator … he even abolished our digital paper and wasted our budget on physical [paper] copies!”

When Martian’s removal from his position as the Editor in Chief was officially declared, Welker said he barricaded himself in the STAR Office for three days—without food or water—before he was dragged out. She added that he was clutching onto one of the old relics of the STAR Office, a rolling chair, as the campus security sent him to the emergency room.

“It was that crazed look in his eyes,” Welker stressed. “I just knew he would do something. I knew it right from the beginning.”

Welker reflected that because of her experiences working with Martian, she didn’t feel surprised when she saw his name appear on Galaxies Transmissions.

“Tim had always been a vengeful guy,” Welker explained. “But, you know, I never expected he would’ve created that secret organization right under our noses.”

Martian began the organization back in the 3819-3820 school year, when he was still a student at Houghton University. Although he died in a manual hover car accident only three years after graduating, the members of the STAR Empire continued to pass down his teachings. 

“We reject all malevolent technology!” Ardnt, who’s currently held in the Ceres prison, was reported to have said. “We will destroy all technology as stated in the STARBook.”

Although a copy has never been seen before, organization members claim the STARBook contains the life teachings of Martian and the origins of their mysterious chant, “We are one.”

The NCE has been attempting to locate other members of the STAR Empire since the apprehension of the students and staff after the Moon Campus Hostage Situation, but only a few have been uncovered since the investigation began (including celebrity Abvi Bats). An alert was sent out by the NCE on Galaxies Transmissions about the high likelihood of numerous secret members of the organization within the territories of Earth and other planets. Tensions have begun to rise on BlaRK in response to the possible threat the STAR Empire poses to the treaties between Earth and other planets, with Houghton University and its affiliates receiving the hardest judgements and surveillance. In spite of this, Houghton has maintained its stance on the situation and continues to operate.

“While Houghton University bears no responsibility for the Moon Hostage Crisis, we have no plans to reopen the Moon Campus program and intend to follow all new NCE mandates,” President Joshua Carpenter stated. “However, there are many future programs currently underway that students can look forward to.” ★

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A New Humanity (April Fools 2024)

Deus-9 - Courtesy of Savannah Stitt
By Joshua Carpenter ('24)

People used to say that the android could never equal that of the human. But no more. 

With the release of the Welker Corporation’s latest series of Homo-replicants—the Deus-9s—the United World Government has granted citizenship to all 9s under the condition that they contribute to the World Relief Effort for the duration of their five-year lifespan. 

As the mastermind behind the Deus code and former alumni of Houghton University, Christian Welker defends his latest creation.

  “Unlike their belligerent predecessors,” Welker says, “the 9s are programmed to love, not hate. They are not the Deus-8 war machines that invaded Zanzibar, or the Deus-7 nuclear reactors that took half of the U.S western coast off the map. 

The Welker Corporation has since apologized for their destructive past, and have devoted their latest series to rebuilding the earth they assisted in destroying during the Corporate Wars of the 3rd millennium—to much success.

Millions of mass produced 9s are employed at various organizations around the world, with the U.S accounting for 34% of 9s in residence; in second place is China with 29%; and then in third Russia with 26%. In the state of New York alone resides the majority of 9s in the U.S, a remarkable 1:1 per capita that sociologists project will double by the end of the next decade as ties between the U.S and the Welker Corporation tighten.

German sociologist Hanz Schneider is known for his relentless criticism of the U.S-Welker relationship. In his notorious essay “The War for Humanity,” he argues for the annihilation of all 9s as their predecessors were annihilated before them, and for The Welker Corporation to dissolve itself and donate its assets to the World Relief Effort.

“[The Deus-9s] are all goblins posing as humans with a soul,” Schneider writes. “Is humanity so careless to ignore its own history, that dark hole we all call the 3rd millennium?”

At first most of the world agreed with Schneider’s criticism, but after homes and schools re-emerged from the rumble of a bygone era, few remembered his words, and even fewer remembered the 3rd millennium. Now 9s are everywhere—in our cities, schools, and, for some of us, even in our own homes. Life is thriving, with scholars and government officials alike crediting the 9s for their service to humanity. ★

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Alice by Heart

Alfred (Jon Hutmire) and Alice (Lydia Reich) - Courtesy of Anna Catherman
By Jiana Martin ('26)

On Friday, March 22 at 7:30 p.m. the Lyric Theatre will hold its second of three performances of “Alice by Heart” in the Tysinger Auditorium of the Houghton Academy. The first performance was on March 21 and the final performance will be on Saturday, March 23 at 7:30 p.m. 

“Alice by Heart” is a pop rock and folk musical which opened Off-Broadway in 2019. 

“It’s a very new production,” Professor Amanda Cox, the director of Houghton’s Lyric Theatre, explained. “It’s very unusual and a little experimental.”

Professor Cox enjoys the newness of the musical as it has not been re-done multiple times and has allowed her to add a Christian perspective to the ending, pointing to hope and redemption.

The musical follows Alice Spencer during the Blitz (a German bombing campaign against the the United Kingdom in WWII) in 1941. She is forced to shelter in an underground tube station with a group of young people, including her childhood friend Alfred who is fatally ill with tuberculosis. Alice and Alfred share a love for the book “Alice in Wonderland,” which Alice begins reciting as a way to cope and process the traumatic events happening around her. She imagines the people around her as the different characters from the story, representing the ways she deals with her grief. The Caterpillar represents her avoidance of grief, the Mad Hatter is her anger about Alfred dying and the Jabberwocky is her fear of losing Alfred. 

“We’re inside Alice’s head and experiencing her imagination as she’s working through the stages of grief,” Professor Cox described.  

Senior Lydia Rech plays the feisty, imaginative and hopeful Alice Spencer. 

“It has been such a privilege to bring this bold and determined girl to life and process, alongside her, so many different emotions,” Rech commented. 

Although her life has been quite different from Alice’s, Rech has been able to use her own experiences to help her convey the emotions she wishes to get across. 

“I often think about the fact that I am a senior – that I am ‘growing up’ and preparing to say goodbye to so many wonderful people here at Houghton. Remembering that I am not alone in this journey, like Alice comes to discover in the show, has been really special,” Rech reflected. 

Rech has enjoyed slipping into Alice’s head and the challenges it brings as well as getting to know the Wonderland characters. To help her prepare for her role, she read the original “Alice in Wonderland” book for the first time. It helped her understand the context of the lines her character quotes from the book and why the book means so much to Alice.

Several cast members for this musical were also in Our Town, the Lyric Theater’s Fall 2023 production, so Rech has also enjoyed the opportunity to perform with them again. 

“I’ve enjoyed getting to pick up right where we left off, in a sense, and get to practice sharing some of those deep emotions that we explored in the fall, only, now, in a musical setting,” Rech said. 

Senior Jonathan Hutmire, who plays Alfred, is one of the people Rech has the privilege to perform with again. In Alice’s imagination, Alfred is the White Rabbit who is always in a rush saying he does not have time and needs to go. 

For Hutmire, “the best part of seeing this show come to life is seeing each person really starting to add their own personal touches to each character.”

Because the musical is fairly new, Hutmire was not sure how he felt about it. However, he came to like it as Professor Cox brought her different vision to the story. 

“She has given new levels of depth, meaning, and beauty to this show and has created something absolutely extraordinary,” Hutmire said.

As seniors, Rech and Hutmire look back at their time in the Lyric Theater program with fond memories and admiration. 

“One of the greatest joys I have taken from the experience is just getting to bond with each different cast,” Rech said. “Here at Houghton, we have each other to lean on and figure it out together.” 

Rech has learned the importance of finding her identity in Christ, not in her abilities or performance, and reminding her fellow actors and actresses of the same thing.

“While it’s only my fourth production with Lyric Theater, it never ceases to amaze me how all these intricate details and beautiful moments can come together to create something even better yet,” Hutmire reflected. 

Looking back at her time directing “Alice by Heart,” Professor Cox admires the student’s dedication to their characters and performances. 

“They do such beautiful work and they’re so willing to throw themselves into creating these beautiful characters,” Professor Cox expressed. “[The show] is stretching the cast members to do things they haven’t done before. They are just fantastic and I’m really proud of it.”

Audiences can expect something that is unusual, fascinating, fun, thought provoking and beautiful. The story goes deep, so audiences should be prepared to cry, but also laugh. 

Rech concluded, “Because of Professor Cox, we perform stories that are more than just a fun show, but a show with incredible depth behind them. Which is what Alice by Heart will be!” ★

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SPOT Returns!

SPOT 2024 Poster - Courtesy of CAB
By Joey Schunemann ('23)

In the Fall of 2021, SPOT was teetering on the edge. On a post-COVID campus that had grown weary of the campus wide spectacle even before the bi-annual variety show went remote, the chance of SPOT’s permanent cancellation was high. During the host auditions, AC Taylor told stories of previous acts gone awry and hosts who butted heads with the Campus Activities Board (CAB) at every turn. The list of auditionees to host a significant opportunity was low; one duo and one individual. The duo came in with a constrictive theme and a loose set of goals. The individual was Steve Harper. 

Harper, recent graduate with the Class of ‘22 had a vision of a renewed SPOT where the host was not awkward glue between the main event, but an act in and of itself with monologues, songs and games all driven by the charisma of a natural performer. In retrospect, Harper said that when he is an audience member, he wants to laugh more than once, like the host and feel that “when the show is over… to be surprised that two hours just passed.” Harper also said that hosting was not without its challenges, and that if he could have found a partner that would have fit his high expectations he would have rather not work alone. 

Harper said that he “had big plans that didn’t happen and [he] had to be OK with that because [he] was a solo host.” 

This was not the experience of this year’s SPOT 2024 hosts, Levi Webb (‘24) and Sam Carpenter (‘25).

Harper’s extremely high standards of excellence set the standard for spots to come, and the immediately following duo had big shoes to fill and an idea to make it happen. “Blockbuster movies, like the rental store not the concept” was what Luc Pereira (‘23) and Ansley Green (‘22) pitched to the same CAB staff as before, but with a new idea of what to be looking for. 

Pereira and Green brought the chemistry of a pre-existing friendship, not only key for stage dynamics but also the natural expectation for an event where hours of work are needed in preparation. Pereira and Green were on top of logistics and advertising in a way that showed the failings of a single host. While Harper poured all his effort into excellent skits and shaping the evening in a way that ensured highs and lows that would keep people on the edge of their seats, Pereira and Green could split up their manpower enough to start with the goal of getting people in the door. 

“I worked on silly skits and host dialogue while she took on a lot of the overarching logistical issues,” Pereira said. 

Recreations of old movie posters with photoshopped energetic hosts were plastered on walls all across campus. In addition to the advertising, SPOT band candidates were reached out to well in advance, and auditions ran smoothly. When the actual night came, the dual host power showed its merit, and cemented the formula that the last five shows have followed. They did not have to sacrifice quality for logistical mastery, they did not have to sacrifice as many great sketch ideas as Harper did. The night was tight, well planned, and well executed. 

This year so far has largely been a mystery. With a slew of duos auditioning with different plans, Webb and Carpenter had a theme that was creative, interesting and put lots of focus on live entertainment. This felt like an exciting change of pace, but was followed by a bit of radio silence. 

When auditions came, a kindly smiling Carpenter sat casually on the stage and gave encouragement to the groups there that “we believe that if you want to be in [SPOT], you can be in [SPOT], and we will just talk through what that might look like.” 

This was an inclusive change from the careful planning of Harper’s crafted narrative but one that could certainly yield more positive than negative. Without much more from them in terms of follow-up communications to the CAB team, there has been a sense of mysterious anticipation across campus. Will the show follow strongly in Harper’s footsteps of crafted skits with less of an emphasis on Pereira and Green’s advertisement skills? Have other commitments delayed planning for both impacting quality? Or are we on the verge of another revolution in the variety show on the ravines edge? The answer will be on stage Saturday, March 16 at 10 p.m. in the Wesley Chapel. ★

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The 35th Annual Juried Student Show

35th Annual Juried Student Show poster - Courtesy of Linda Knapp
By Rebecca Dailey ('25)

The 35th Annual Juried Student Show Exhibition will open on March 8, 2024 in the Ortlip Gallery, housed in the Center for the Arts. The gallery reception opens at 6:30 p.m. and continues until 8:30 p.m.. Students of both art and non-art majors may participate in the exhibition, and have leeway in both the subject and art form of their works. However, they are limited to the number of works they can enter. The art featured in the exhibition will be a range of ceramics, sculptures, photos, drawings, and oil and watercolor paintings, among others. The exhibition judges will be accompanied by a guest juror, who decides the pieces that will appear in the show, as well as the pieces that will receive awards.

“The Student Juried Show provides a really neat opportunity for students to demonstrate their artistic abilities to their friends, family, and all of us in the Houghton Community,” Professor Linda Knapp, the Ortlip Gallery Director & University Art Collection Manager, stated. “My role as gallery director falls under the leadership of the Art Department. I work alongside our art faculty and help them to make the gallery function smoothly. It’s so much fun to see the different works that get submitted and then solve the puzzle of figuring out how to display them in a way that’s aesthetically and visually pleasing.” 

The Ortlip Gallery has previously featured works from professors of Houghton University and outside artists. 

“The Ortlip Gallery serves to further educate our art major students by exposing them to outside artists, as well allowing our students to have the hands-on experience of displaying their own work in a professional gallery,” Professor Knapp added.

Some of the students entered in the Juried Student Show are Savannah Stitt (‘24), Hannah Smith (‘24), Aubree Niles (‘24) and Aubrey Armes (‘25). 

This is the third year Stitt has displayed her work in the Gallery. She predominantly works with photography, but has submitted oil paintings in the past. 

“In my experience as an artist, I have come to realize two things. I am creative in ways I didn’t realize for a long time, and inspiration comes and goes in waves,” Stitt explained. “It’s important to grab hold of those ideas when they come because they’re not guaranteed to stay.”

Niles is also participating for the third year. Her main art form is oils, but she also works in watercolor, ceramics and photography. 

“Art has been a way for me to process difficult emotions and complex life events,” Niles stated. “My current body of work is especially evident of that. I focus the most on my use of color and brushstrokes to convey emotion.”

Professor Knapp would like to express her gratitude towards being able to open the Juried Student Show and playing a role in the Gallery’s exhibitions. “I love how the Gallery brings us all together into these sacred spaces and moments,” Professor Knapp said, “granting us pause to reflect on our lives and to understand each other better. It has been a real honor for me to be a part of such a successful Art Program here at Houghton, and I just want to send out a big thanks to all the students who have submitted their work for this upcoming show!” ★

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Hall Brawl 2024

Hall Brawl 2023 Photo
By Juliana Schmidt ('25)

Another year…another Hall Brawl! The week-long, Olympic-style friendly competition between Gillette, Lambein, Roth and the Townhouses will begin on March 11. There will be daily events for each hall to complete as well as Spirit Days. 

Monday, March 11 is the first day of Spirit Week and the theme is Pajama Day. Come out ready to support your hall in this fun and easy way to show some school spirit. Additionally, prizes will be offered to the first fifty winners of Monday’s first event called the Opening Ceremony Splosion. Look forward to tasting some yummy food on Wednesday for the Bake Off!

The Hunt takes place every day where each team will have to solve a clue, and the team who solves it first will win points for their team. 

“RA and CAB and other student leaders have been working really hard to put this event together. I worked on the Just Dance event happening on Thursday and it will be taking place in the CFA recital hall. It will be super fun!” Jenna Strahan (‘24) an Resident Assistant (RA) of Gillette shared. “Hall Brawl is a time for all of us to come together in the spring semester and compete against each other and have a bunch of fun!”

Alexa Binney (‘24) a member of the Campus Activities Board (CAB) said that although it is her first year involved in the planning process, it has been very cool to get a look at what goes into making the Hall Brawl 2024 happen. 

“All members of CAB and reslife teams get split into randomized teams, each gets assigned to one day of the week, and it’s been a fun experience getting to work with people outside my usual team,” Binney revealed. 

Unfortunately, the Townhouses have been going through a streak of bad luck with previous Hall Brawls and have not won in quite a while. To help prompt their residents into a more competitive spirit, Esther Tse (‘25) an RA of the Townhouses revealed a shocking surprise if they win. 

“I’m excited to see what Hall Brawl will look like,” Tse said, “and if the townhouses win Josh Bailey [Resident Director of the Townhouses] will shave his head.” 

The winner of Hall Brawl 2024 will be announced on Saturday, March 16, during SPOT! 

May the best hall win…and the odds be ever in your favor. ★

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Lambein’s Got Talent

Lambein's Got Talent poster - Courtesy of Caleb Welker
By Isabella Bratton ('26)

Lambein’s Got Talent will take place on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 8-9 p.m. in the CFA Recital Hall.

11 Lambein Hall residents will be showcasing their unique talents with the potential to win up to $100. At the end of the show, the audience will have the opportunity to choose a winner to receive the prize. 

Senior Nuri Park (‘24), the Assistant Resident Director, explained that they took the name “Lambein’s Got Talent” from both the famous show “America’s Got Talent” and “Britain’s Got Talent.” The talent show was started last 2022-2023 school year by the male Resident Assistants (RA) of Lambein.

All of Lambein’s RAs have been involved in the preparation process in different ways; advertising, emailing, hosting and judging.

Park said that, although the audience will be choosing the winner, the RAs have a part in making sure it’s a fair competition. 

“The RA’s,” Park stated, “mediate the votes to make sure there is no audience bias, but the audience ultimately decides the winner.”

The performers will provide a wide variety of entertainments for the audience, such as singing, poetry recitation, dancing, playing instruments, a weather forecast and more. Park mentioned an exciting act called “Master of balance,” although he wouldn’t divulge the details about it. At last year’s show, Junior Ethan McCarthy (‘25) remarked that groups played kazoos, the piano and danced.

“Guys are excited to show off to the school,” McCarthy, a judge for the event, said, “we have put a lot of work into this, and it will be a fun night.”

It won’t just be one person walking away with $100. There is a second place award of $50 and third place will receive $25.

Students are highly encouraged to attend, and the hosts are sure audience members will walk away entertained. 

“I think the campus needs an event where people can just have fun and relax,” Park stated. ★

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Houghton Baseball Team’s Double Header

Men's baseball team practicing - Courtesy of sophia templeton
By Caleb Welker ('26)

Houghton University’s baseball team is scheduled to open the season with a Double Header in the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 12 p.m. and then at 3 p.m. against the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The team will then travel to Florida for the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational Tournament over Winter Break.

Last season the baseball team finished in third place with a record of 19 wins and 20 losses (11 wins and 7 losses in conference play) and clinched a spot in the Empire 8 Conference Playoffs. Although the Highlanders fell short in the double-elimination tournament, they look to bounce back and work their way into the playoffs again this semester. 

After ten seniors graduated last Spring 2023—including the leader in batting average (Zach Parr), the team’s ERA Leader (Hunter Kendall) and the program’s all-time stolen base leader (Jason Kauffeldt)—the Highlanders welcomed in twelve new players: ten freshmen and two transfer students.  

Another addition to the team includes the new Graduate Assistant Pitching Coach Nick Pettit. Coach Pettit graduated in the Class of 2023 after four years at Covenant College in Georgia, and joined the team in Aug. of 2023. His wife, Riley Pettit is the Graduate Assistant Coach of the women’s volleyball team.

Freshman pitcher, Marshall Cummings (‘27) commented, “Coach Pettit, has brought a new sense of life and rejuvenation to the pitching staff and has helped us tap into our full potential, both mentally and physically.”

Senior Captain Chris VanCheri (‘24) noted that many upperclassmen, and even sophomores, have been stepping up into leadership roles after pivotal players graduated from the team. VanCheri pointed out that this highlights the Highlander baseball team’s ideals.

“We always say in our program that as you progress through your four years, each year you have to start putting others before yourself,” VanCheri stated.

“Nothing excites me more than taking the field with my brothers,” VanCheri expressed. “At the end of the day, we truly are a family. We have a tight-knit group that I see only getting closer as the season progresses. I’m excited for the younger guys to get their first taste of college ball, and I’m excited to see the challenges we will face and how we will overcome them.” 

“Pitt-Bradford is returning off of a decent season, and we know they’re going to be competitive,” noted Senior Captain and pitcher, Ethan Cetton (‘24). “This game is going to be our first stepping stone to finding success as a team with lots of raw talent.” 

Houghton lost to Pitt-Bradford (8-3) at the beginning of last season, so they look to push back and take two wins against the Panthers on Saturday. ★

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Senior Composition Recitals

By Jiana Martin ('26)

Two senior composition recitals are coming up with Citlali Sanchez-Acosta’s (‘24) occurring on Monday Feb. 19 and Kaitlin Kleinau’s (‘24) recital on Wednesday Feb. 21. Both will be in the Center for the Arts Recital Hall at 6:30 p.m., and each hour-long performance will feature the artists’ original works.

Sanchez-Acosta is a music composition major who transferred to Houghton University from her local community college and has enjoyed her time in the Greatbatch School of Music program.

“It’s a really good program. It’s pretty close-knit, which is really nice and everyone supports each other,” Sanchez-Acosta reflected.  

Her recital will include eight to nine pieces, most of which she has written while at Houghton, which will be performed by around 20 performers. It will be a mix and match of solo instruments, smaller ensemble pieces and vocal songs.

Inspiration for her music comes partly from need-based occasions and partly from pure inspiration. 

“Inspiration comes and goes and sometimes I just start messing around. This recital is a little bit of both necessity and inspiration,” Sanchez-Acosta commented. 

Although there is no overarching theme, identifiers for the pieces are developing skills and time passing. The recital is a culmination of everything she has written.

“The pieces themselves are not a series of anything,” Sanchez-Acosta explained, “there are a bunch of different themes and motifs. I’m bringing back a lot of my old works. One thing I know I’m definitely going for in this recital is seeing the progression.”

She likes keeping the original versions of her old works and then later refine them to see how she’s progressed and improved. During her time at Houghton, the community and her professors have greatly influenced her.

“My professors have definitely been a part of [influencing me]. Dr. Magin and Professor Ashbaugh have been super helpful in guiding,” Sanchez-Acosta thoughtfully said, “and community has definitely helped motivate.”

Kleinau is also a transfer student pursuing a music composition major with an additional vocal performance minor. The theme for her recital is “Woman Becoming: Love Letters” which deals with the idea of love in different forms, especially grief and love. Her inspiration for this theme came from an interest in different types of love such as familial and agape love, and wanting to explore more of it. 

“I usually come up with a cool title and see how that works out,” Kleinau explained.   

One of the pieces, “Echo” talks about a lost love and begging him to return while another piece, “Daffodils Never Die” is about her grandmother who passed away.  

Kleinau’s recital will include eight pieces that are both vocal and instrumental ranging from choral pieces to a piano solo to a flute piece, and more. She will be performing in “Daffodils Never Die” and many classmates will help bring her music to life. 

“Most of them have been so gracious and willing,” Kleinau gratefully said. 

Reflecting on her time at Houghton, Kleinau considers it being a sort of rebirth as she has grown so much since she started. Kleinau attributes inspiration for her music to classes, professors and music she has listened to. Helpful advice she received from Dr. Carrie Magin was to listen to a hundred pieces before writing an original. 

“Theory classes and music history are helpful. A lot of times it [composing] comes from listening and from what you want to write and hear. It is creativity paired with prior knowledge,” Kleinau noted. 

For Kleinau, a valuable part of being in the Greatbatch School of Music program is that she is seen as a person first and a musician second. She’s experienced grace and care as a person and has been encouraged to become the best musician she can be. 

“I see music as an expression of one’s soul; therefore, you want to do it in a way that honors God,” Kleinau expressed. “You want God to be a part of that. It’s not for my own glory, but for God’s glory.”

Dr. Magin, Associate Professor of Music Composition and Theory, has enjoyed working with both Sanchez-Acosta and Kleinau, and watching their growth. As a professor, she loves hearing how audiences react to her students’ compositions.

“I look forward to the final product as their work is shared with our community,” Dr. Magin commented. “It’s a unique gift to be able to create something that moves people, and even more special to help bring that ability out in student composers. These students have worked very hard to put on their recitals, and it’s a great joy seeing and hearing it all come together.” ★