Category: Campus

This summer, art professor, Ryann Cooley, restructured the photography courses offered at Houghton College.

When Cooley came to Houghton in 2013 and began teaching photography there were only two courses offered, Foundations of Photography and Advanced Topics in Photography. Foundations of Photography, according to Cooley, is a black and white film class which “spent most of the time learning techniques through the chemistry, printing, and camera functions.”

Advanced Topics in Photography, however, focused more on elements of photography beyond the darkroom.

Cooley, however, felt it was not particularly advanced. This largely had to do with the lack of time to teach more than just the basics. “There’s not enough time to really go into everything in any kind of detail. You’re kind of glazing over everything,” he said. “I wanted to offer more depth for people that really wanted more out of photography.”

According to Cooley, one of the new classes, Introduction to Digital Photography, is a better way to teach beginning photography. In Foundations of Photography, film was processed, or developed, the traditional way in the darkroom, making the process much longer. Cooley said, “You don’t get to see the results until you’ve processed, printed, and you finally get to look at it.” Variables like exposure, development, and printing of the film could affect the outcome of the photo. A student would not be able to see the results of a single photo until the week long printing process was completed.

The Introduction to Digital Photography class still teaches all the fundamentals of photography, but allows students to learn the same things they would have learned in Foundations of Photography, but a much faster pace. Cooley said, “I can do it in 2-3 weeks versus 7-8 weeks in the film class.”

This also allowed Cooley to bring in some of the topics typically learned in Advanced Topics in Photography. “So not only do they learn how to use the function of the camera, but they also get to learn how to make a good picture,” said Cooley. “I think it’s a much more fuller class to take things further.” The original black and white film class, Cooley says, will become more ‘exploratory,’ “it’s kind of more of a fine arts class because people aren’t using film so much, everything’s digital these days.” The Advanced Topics class will now serve as more of a thought based photography class, discovering the ramifications and effects that photographs have.

In addition to restructuring the photography courses, a new lighting studio was added to the inside of the Stevens Art Studios. A lighting studio is a space that allows for the creation, control, and modification of light in a photograph. Lighting, according to Cooley, is essential to photography, “Lighting is so fundamental to photography itself that I wanted to designate an entire course to just lighting.”

The lighting class, utilizes both the studio and natural, outside light. “The fall gives us a good range where we can learn how to use outdoor lighting and modify that lighting,” Cooley said. “Then we can also spend time indoors learning how to control the lighting and create the lighting, versus just the lighting we’re given through nature.”

Assistant professor of art and printmaking, Alicia Taylor, thinks the addition of the lighting studio will be beneficial for many students, “The lighting studio is really great opportunity for students to have experience in both a commercial setting and setting up their own dynamic photoshoots, whether it’s still life photography or portrait photography.” Taylor said,  “It really expands the program to be more competitive with bigger schools that have a lot large facilities and more access to equipment.

Junior, Elizabeth Vigna, pursues photography in her free time and thinks the addition of classes will add variety and be helpful to many. He said, “Having a substitute for lighting during the winter time will be really useful, I had to teach myself, so taking that class would be really cool because there’s probably a lot of stuff I’ve missed.”
Lastly, the Professional Practices class, the last of the new photography classes, will focus on photography in the professional world. This entails learning the business side of running a photography business and creating a marketable portfolio.

The Chemistry Department at Houghton College hired Doctor Michael Selig as visiting professor for the academic year. Selig was selected through a process that began in the Spring of 2015 and came to completion this past August.

He quickly transitioned into his first semester of teaching from defending his doctoral thesis in late August. Fellow chemistry professor Doctor John Rowley likened such an experience to, “writing a book one week and teaching someone to read the next.” The change has been made easier by Selig’s familiarity with the area. He grew up in Buffalo and had spent time in Rushford. “Summers in the area, at the lake, on boats, with campfires, clay pits, and visits to the bog at Moss Lake have made this area a special one in my heart. Despite that, I had never been to the Houghton campus until my interview and I will say I was pleasantly surprised to find such a hidden gem in an area that I had always held in my heart a special one,” he commented.

The bulk of Selig’s research is in analyzing and manipulating the chemical structure of plant biomass. His particular interest is in producing “green” energy. Speaking on his research, Selig said, “Lately, I have been interested in the hydration of plant cell wall polymers (complex carbohydrates and phenolics) and surfaces and general concepts relating to biophysical interactions. I have spent the last dozen years working on problems associated with the enzymatic deconstruction of plant cell walls; this is what makes up the bulk of most plant biomass. While biomass may seem a little boring it is the most abundant renewable resource available for the production of fuels, materials and chemicals and has been for millennia.” This research makes Selig well-suited for work with the biochemistry major.

Selig completed his Ph.D. this August at the University of Copenhagen. His doctoral thesis, titled Molecular Scale Drivers of Biomass Recalcitrance: Hypotheses and biophysical study on mechanism limiting the conversion of lignocellulose to constituent sugars for fermentation to products, focusses on the intentional breakdown of cell wall material and the inherent difficulties therein. He received his masters and bachelors degrees from Cornell.

In addition to his teaching at Houghton, Selig is an adjunct professor at Canisius College teaching an evening class in Thermodynamics twice a week. The change of pace was a quick acceleration from his past year which was mostly spent writing his thesis – a time he described as, “relaxed and fairly unstructured.” On adapting to the busyness, he said, “I often found myself longing for a place to go to work, a place to be part of again, and so even though things are really busy getting started with three courses this semester I am enjoying the challenge and the constant pace of life. I try to get a decent night’s sleep every day, but that does not always happen yet.”
Science drives Selig in both discovery and community. He finds fulfillment in pushing forward scientific knowledge and sharing that knowledge with minds fresh to the task: “There is nothing more enjoyable to me than to bring a new little story to the scientific dinner table that gets people excited to dig deeper, think differently, and want to go out and explore a bit on their own.”

In an effort to reach budget goals, Greg Bish’s position, Director of Student Programs and Student Leadership was cut. Bish’s former responsibilities were distributed among the Resident Directors of Shenawana Hall, Lambien Hall, Rothenbuhler Hall, and the Townhouses.

Vice President of Student Life Doctor Robert Pool emphasized Bish’s position being cut “was due strictly to the need to find budget savings.” Previously, Bish also oversaw the Campus Activities Board (CAB), student clubs and organizations, event funding, and student led spiritual programs. Pool said, “We mourn the loss of an individual who was instrumental to our student’s [time at Houghton]…[Bish] fulfilled his role beyond expectations.” However, Pool noted, the ‘silver lining’ in Bish’s absence is there are now four individuals involved in student programming, allowing for more one on one interaction.

Marc Smithers remains the Assistant Dean of Residence Life and Student Programming. He said the fact that Resident Directors are now taking on student programming responsibilities simply adds another “level” to what they already do. “They’re simply adding on campus level programming to floor and hall programming,” said Smithers.

Resident Directors have always had additional positions in relation to their main job title. These positions have included tasks such as overseeing hall chaplains.

Jason Stephens, Resident Director of Shenawana Hall, is now the Assistant Director of Student Programs. He oversees “campus identity” events, such as SPOT. He is also the staff advisor for CAB.

Krista Maroni, Resident Director of Lambien, is now the Assistant Director of Student Organizations. No longer working in the Admissions office, she will be working closely with club advisors, and students looking to start a new club. Her goal is to keep clubs and activities thriving, as well as get new students involved at Houghton.  She also will work overseeing international student programs such as Interconnect and the host family program.

JL Miller, Resident Director of the Townhouses, is the Assistant Director of Campus Ministries. He is the acting liaison for Christian Life Funding. This affects student programs and events such as Mercy Seat and The Cry. Miller also oversees event club funding, such as Paddle Sports and the Drawing Board.

Laura Cunningham’s role has been somewhat less affected by the administrative changes. According to Smithers, this is due to her position as Resident Director of Gillette Hall, the largest dorm on campus. However, Cunningham will be more involved with service opportunities this year, as the Assistant Director for Service Opportunities. One of these opportunities include a potential service trip to Buffalo during October Break.

Along with these changes, Maroni added, “We’ve [Student Life Staff] changed the role a bit by limiting the student programs involvement in non-student related events to maintain healthier boundaries for student leaders.”

Maroni added these changes aim to present a “unified message” to students by connecting Residence Life and Student Programming. She said, “In the past these messages has been a little disconnected or competing. It’s also convenient that we have a lot of control over the calendar so we will try and find more balance for students between activities, hall events and other commitments students are pulled between. This change gives us one more avenue to create a great student experience”.

Smithers agrees. He said he is “excited to see how this [new arrangement] will help students become more involved” during their time at Houghton.

Since Tina Power’s departure to Disney World in May, Sodexo-run facilities on campus, such as the dining hall, Big Al’s, and Sandella’s have undergone various changes. Kathie Guyler, the new general manager, has been working in the college dining business for thirty-three years, with Houghton College being the sixth college she has worked at. Guyler said, “Honestly why I do what I do” is because “I really enjoy working with students.” Benjamin Hardy, a Houghton College ‘14 alumni and supervisor of student workers, said, “She has brought a few new perspectives on things, mostly on food safety”

The dining hall now has a self-service omelet bar where students can control ingredients being put into their eggs, portion size of ingredients, and how they want their eggs cooked. In addition, Sodexo has brought back the stir fry station. The revival of the station is already a “big hit” among students because of their increased participation in the creation of their meals. Guyler said, “Feedback they got [from surveys] was that students prefer to make it themselves.”

Big Al’s and Sandella’s also now have new hours. Big Al’s is only open at night for dinner while Sandella’s is open during lunchtime. Smoothies, however,  can be purchased at any time.

Big Al’s has its first event on September 14, “Wings with the Dean.” During this event students will have the opportunity to watch the Monday night NFL opening game for the Philadelphia Eagles with Dean Jordan. Wings will be sold for only twenty-five cents. Near the end of the September, the dining hall will have a fall event, “Apple Week.” This will use apples from a local vendor will food items such as apple pancakes, apple cakes, and caramel apples. Students will have the opportunity to bob for apples and make their own candy apples. As done in the past, there will be Wing Night every Friday at Big Al’s and events such as Barbeque Blues and Bodacious Burgers. There will also be a raffle for the Superbowl which will feature prizes donated by Pepsi such as a Mini Jambox, small wifi speaker, and an iFit.

James Ward, operations manager who oversees all retail operations in Java, Big Al’s, Sandella’s, and all catering events, said this year that they are focused on “enhancing their current program.” This year, Sodexo offered four marketing internships where students gain experience in sustainability, marketing, and wellness. “They help get messages out to students and connect with students on a more personal level,” said Ward. “I encourage students to start a conversation with me in the dining hall.”

Guyler encourages students to fill out comment cards and to send her emails. Her goal to get more feedback from students is to have open dinners where everyone is invited to come, have dinner in the dining hall, and ask questions about the health, safety, and choice of food being served. Sodexo also  issues a survey every year where students can voice their opinions and have the chance to win something through the giveaways.

Hardy said, “I enjoy working with the students, training the students, and providing quality food service for the students” and as a past student of Houghton College, he “tries to do for the students what he would’ve wanted done as a student.” In the past, student supervisors have recruited students from the previous year so that they would have plenty of workers in the fall. However, some workers graduated, moved, and got promoted so there are several spaces open for students interested in a job. The success of Sodexo depends on the student body so as it decreases or increases, so does their revenue.

Recently, interest in having a real mascot, complete with a full costume, has peaked among staff members and the athletic department. Currently Houghton has mascot garb including a plaid kilt and bagpipes for the Scottish highlander, but not a full costume and it has not been worn consistently in the past. The new mascot, according to Jeff Babbitt, director of marketing and communications, would be, “a real-feeling mascot, like an animal costume” and would similar to “one that you would recognize when you think of mascots like the Syracuse Orange or the Texas Longhorns.”

According to Babbitt, this past semester two focus groups were held. Twelve students were brought in and asked questions in regards to the idea of having a mascot, what a mascot could do, and the qualities a mascot should possess. From the students, they received quality feedback on the characteristics the mascot should have. First, students felt that the mascot should be gender neutral. The school thought about getting a mascot that looked like a Scottish man with the highlander garb for the sake of consistency, but it would be an accurate representation of the student body and the athletics program because most of Houghton’s students are women.

Also, the students mentioned the mascot needed to connect with the athletics branding Houghton already has in place. It became apparent a lion would perhaps work with that. Additionally, the idea of the lion would be unique because it would be different from other schools Houghton’s athletics teams often play against in the Empire 8 Conference. Lastly, students wanted the mascot to look professional and to be kid-friendly.

Houghton has never had an official mascot, but became the Highlanders in 1967 through a student vote due to the additions of intercollegiate sports the same year. According to Babbitt, in 2004 the athletics department undertook a rebranding project in which they brought in a company from the outside that specialized in logo design. Babbitt added, “It was a time where we needed a fresh look.” Ultimately the company produced the lion, Houghton’s current purple and gold colors, and the “HC” that appears in athletics and on Campus Store merchandise. Originally the lion was just meant to be a secondary logo, but it gained traction and began appearing on everything associated with Houghton. The rampant lion does tie into the Scottish heritage however, since it is the unofficial Scottish flag. It symbolizes bravery and courage and comes from a seal of Scottish nobility.

According to Babbitt, there will be tryouts for the mascot in the fall. The mascot will then be launched at an event like Homecoming. The student chosen to portray the mascot would be compensated through a work study job, or a similar form of compensation. Babbitt said, “[We] want someone who is energetic, has athletic ability to jump around and dance, could help develop the personality of the mascot, would pump the crowd up, and would mingle with people at events.” The mascot would be present at sports games, events such as Homecoming, Purple and Gold Week, Help day, campus visit days, and Kingdom Bound. According to Babbitt, the true test of success of the mascot will be if people try to take selfies with their mascot because that means they are excited to see it.

Houghton College’s English, Writing, and Communications departments are conducting a search for a Theater Workshop Director who would produce a spring 2016 theater production. Communication Professor, Douglass Gaerte said, “This new initiative is intended to bring a bit more continuity as well as professionalism to the drama offerings on campus.”

Although there has never been a stand-alone theater department at Houghton, there are two theater related classes, Introduction to Theater and Oral Performance of Literature, which students can be involved with. Students interested in being in the college play can sign up for the one credit class, Comm 236: Theater Workshop, and try out for the play in the fall. According to Gaerte, in the fall of 2015, the director will have auditions for actors, assign the parts, and interview others interested in being crew members for the production. This will allow students to begin working on their lines in preparation for the spring semester.

In the spring of 2016, the director would then teach a theater workshop where they would work with the cast and crew for about a month, running through rehearsals and preparing for the public performance of the play that would happen at the end of the month. English Professor, James Wardwell said, “[We are] inviting a different voice into our community…This person will be really in touch with outside experiences and [will] bring that voice in and give that voice a means to communicate with the entire community.”

Over the years, Houghton has had various student theater groups who performed some original productions of dramatic pieces they wrote. This has allowed students to have more opportunities to direct and perform. According to Gaerte, in the past, there were around eight or nine drama productions on campus consisting of School of Music productions, college plays, series of one-acts directed by students, and a Broadway musical revue directed by students. According to Kaitlyn McKinney ‘17, there was a collection of skits put on by a drama club last year that lasted for about thirty minutes in the recital hall. However, not many people attended. McKinney, who starred in the “Odd Couple” at the Fire Hall last year said one of the reasons she loves theater is, “You build a family in theater and become really close to the people in the production.”

According to Gaerte, a student Shakespeare club was formed from a Shakespeare class that Wardwell taught. Wardwell believes theater is a “potentially marvelous community building activity where people interact with one another in significant ways about significant ideas” and then “invite a larger community [an audience] to come in and interact with those relationships through a performance.”

The English, Writing, and Communication departments hope that bringing a guest director to campus each spring to direct a play will help get more students interested in theater here at Houghton.  Wardwell hopes, “this can stimulate a growth path that can lead to something legitimate academically in theater.” Gaerte said, “We will be advertising for this position, as well as reaching out to our alumni who work in theater as we try to identify good candidates for this position.” According to McKinney, an individual who knows how to advertise and get people interested in theater will help develop the theater program.

This past year, the Campus Store has set up a selection of their inventory in the Kerr-Pegula Field House (KPFH) during highly attended sports events like the Section V and Section VI track and field meets. The arrangement is still being treated as an experiment, but it has the potential to allow for the Campus Store to increase its revenue on weekends and at special events, as well as to increase exposure for the Houghton brand.

Since the KPFH officially opened in October of 2014, the building has hosted approximately 18,700 guests for multiple events held by outside groups, a figure that does not include Houghton College students, faculty or staff. However, these guests do not necessarily travel from the KPFH to the college’s main campus during their visits. Anticipating this, Campus Store Director Heléna Oden asked to meet with Executive Director of Athletics Harold “Skip” Lord to see if plans might include space for a storefront in the KPFH at the time of the building’s design. While there was no room in the plans for a permanent store, they agreed that the Campus Store should have a presence in the KPFH, especially at events attended by non-Houghtonites.

“To my mind, our main goals have been to increase revenue for the store, as well as to increase brand exposure for the college,” said Lord. Robert Pool, Vice President for Student Life, agreed the arrangement could help advertise Houghton.

“It’s a way to get the Houghton name out there,” he said. “It’s strange, because when you get outside of Allegany County, not many people have heard of Houghton College unless they have some sort of formal connection through family or a close friend; it’s just not in the consciousness, even in Buffalo. Getting the word out there, getting the exposure is a key opportunity.”

Oden agreed with this statement, adding that the set-up would also allow for Houghton families to find apparel even on weekends when the Campus Store has limited hours. With these goals in mind, Oden and Lord worked to find a trafficked area in the KPFH to set up a temporary space. They decided it would be best for Oden to set up her stock at the brick wall between the men’s and women’s restrooms by the concessions stand.

With help from her intern, Lauren Campbell ‘16, Oden then selected items from the store’s inventory to sell at events. At first, they chose mostly brand name products, but they quickly received feedback that attendees would prefer less costly options. In response, the duo included Houghton foam fingers, blankets, hats, and less expensive t-shirts to lower the price. In order to increase the variety of stock, Oden and Campbell tried setting up an iPad to display their website so that visitors could see the store’s full inventory. Visitors were also given the option of ordering an item on the website while at the event, and then picking it up at the store when they opened again the following week.

“We’ll do more of that in the fall, too,” said Oden. “We also thought we could make specific t-shirts for certain events, or even more specifically athletic related items. That way we don’t have exactly the same inventory moving in both locations. It’s still a big work in progress.”

This work in progress will continue next year at other major events hosted at the KPFH, including Homecoming and other sporting events.