Dear Friends,

I write to you today as the sixth president of ����ɬ. The recent change in our name has been an exciting opportunity for Houghton’s students, faculty, staff and alumni to celebrate and give God thanks for all that He has done for us.

As we celebrate, I want to assure you that, even as our name has now changed, our mission remains the same. We remain steadfast and unapologetic in our commitment to providing a Christ-centered, academically challenging education to students from diverse traditions and backgrounds, equipping them to lead and labor as scholar servants near and far. We hold fast to our roots as a Christ-centered institution of The Wesleyan Church, remaining true to scripture and the convictions of orthodox Christianity and sensitive to the movement and guidance of the Holy Spirit. We continue to integrate our Christian faith into each and every aspect of the university.

While our resolve and commitment are as strong as ever, our mission is now manifested in some new and exciting ways. These include new or enhanced undergraduate and graduate programs, renewed vision and excitement around Houghton Online, and, most recently, the launch of Houghton’s Early College. With this issue of Houghton Magazine, we highlight some of the ways ����ɬ is moving fearlessly forward in proclaiming the Gospel and equipping scholar-servants for disciple-making, service and leadership in diverse fields and sectors, all in the context of a rapidly changing 21st-century environment.

With Christ as our rock and our foundation, we move fearlessly forward with the relentless pursuit of excellence in every aspect of our being. We pursue excellence in leadership, in service, in teaching and learning, in scholarship, and in Highlander athletics. But we do so not out of vanity or for our own glory but for the glory of God. With Christian humility, Houghton’s students, graduates, faculty and staff continue to lead the way. This moment in Houghton’s history and the history of Christian higher education demands that we be prayerful and deliberate. To that end, we humbly solicit your continued prayers and partnership in what God is doing in and through us at ����ɬ.

Yours in His Excellence,

Wayne D. Lewis, Jr.
President

When Melvin Eugene Warburton 1888 enrolled in Houghton Seminary in the mid-1880s, he couldn’t have imagined the impact the institution would have on himself and his family for generations. In 1888, M.E. Warburton became the first graduate of Houghton Seminary and spent his life serving as a Wesleyan pastor.

Likewise, in 1901, the first graduate of the “advanced department” (i.e., the college program prior to accreditation) – John Starbuck Willett 1901 – couldn’t have dreamed that, over 100 years later, his family would still play a significant role in life at Houghton. Both a Houghton Seminary preparatory graduate and an “advanced” graduate, Willett became a Wesleyan pastor, the editor of the denominational magazine, a frequent campus guest and an occasional baccalaureate speaker.

Mr. Warburton’s niece Edith (Warburton 1916) and Mr. Willett’s nephew Charles Pocock 1923 continued the legacy when they married after graduating from the advanced department at Houghton Seminary and subsequently completing bachelor’s degrees. Edith threw herself into life at Houghton, serving as Editor-in-Chief for the Houghton STAR, competing in intramural Basketball, and becoming well-known as a campus debater and orator. Charles was also engaged on campus, playing three different intramural sports – basketball, baseball and track – and writing for the Houghton STAR. Charles later served on the Alumni Board, and the Pococks were named Alumni of the Year in 1989.

While the Pococks were raising their two children, another legacy family enrolled at Houghton College. In 1939, Allen R. Smith ’43 (whose father, Henry R. Smith, began teaching at Houghton in 1908) and Esther (Fulton ’43) Smith began their studies. Allen graduated alongside his future wife – Esther – with a dual major in physics and mathematics and a minor in German. Esther completed a dual major in Christian education and Greek with a minor in history. Allen was active in the Boulder and band while Esther joined intramural basketball and art club. Allen and Esther dedicated their careers to Houghton College, Allen as the college’s printing press manager and Esther as a linotype operator and then a receptionist. Allen served the college for over forty years, and they both retired in 1986.

Richard Pocock ’55, son of Charles and Edith Pocock, studied at Houghton, where he completed a BA in social science and mathematics and minored in education. He was active on campus, participating in band, choir and Science Club. After completing advanced degrees, he returned to his alma mater as a professor of mathematics in 1959, teaching until his retirement in 1995, when he was named Faculty Emeritus. His wife, Betty Jane (Goodwin ’56) Pocock, was also a Houghton graduate, majoring in English and German and minoring in education.

In the 1970s, the Smith and Pocock families had students enrolled at the same time. Audrey (Smith ’79) Pocock, daughter of Allen and Esther Smith, completed a degree in Christian education with minors in Bible and psychology. Steven Pocock ’79, son of Richard and Betty Jane, completed a major in Bible with a minor in Philosophy. The rest, as they say, is history; these two legacy Houghton families joined when Audrey and Steve married. Today, Audrey serves at ����ɬ as the Senior Financial Aid Counselor.

Between 2004 and 2012, 10 grandchildren and grandchildren-in-law of Richard and Betty Jane Pocock attended Houghton, pursuing degrees as varied as music performance, psychology, intercultural studies, computer science and English.

While the youngest generation of the Smith-Pocock family are too young to peruse college brochures, the Smith-Pocock connection is still in the student body today. In December of 2022, Audrey’s great-nephew, Jacob Kuhlkin ’22, received one of the first degrees from ����ɬ as an international development major.

In the April 8, 1911, edition of the Houghton STAR, John Willett remarked, “Our Alma Mater stands for a period in our life when we needed, and she so faithfully gave, the right kind of help; broadened our vision and erected ideals that have held us steady in the stress and strain of life.”

In a remarkably similar manner, Jacob Kuhlkin remarked in September of 2021, “Houghton has provided me with a spiritual backbone while away from home. I lean on chapel services and Godly friends…Houghton helped me see that what I really want is to humble myself and put my intelligence to work for the world.”

It seems we can say, with M.E. Warburton, “The Houghton of then was different from that of today in many ways, yet the most important elements that characterize the school today were in evidence then…” (Houghton Star, April 7, 1912).

Images from left to right:
Melvin Warburton is labeled in this photo as standing in the back row.
John Willett
The Warburton Women
The Class of 1923 including Charles Pocock
Steve and Audrey (Smith) Pocock from the 1979 Boulder
Allen R. Smith ’43, is surrounded by 14 of his 19 grandchildren at a gathering in 2010, 8 of the grandchildren graduated from Houghton.
Jacob Kuhlkin ’22

Houghton Recognized as #KingChasing Institution of the Year

Houghton was named the first-ever #KingChasing Institution of the Year by the National Christian College Athletic Association following the 2021-22 academic year.

The award was presented to Houghton Director of Athletics Matthew Webb at the NCCAA National Convention in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on June 2, 2022.

The #KingChasing program uses the four values of the NCCAA Game Plan 4 LIFE – Love, Integrity, Faith and Excellence – to enhance the purpose of collegiate athletics beyond winning championships. The mission of the program is to keep Christ at the center of the student-athlete experience and showcases the institution’s commitment to integrating Christ within the athletic department.

“It is an honor to receive this recognition from the NCCAA. This is a testament to who our coaches and student-athletes are as we strive for a higher purpose than just winning games,” said Webb. “When we were introduced to the #KingChasing program, it resonated with what we already value and aspire to in Houghton athletics. Last year, we focused on Love as the primary value, and this year, we are focusing on Faith. We want to win championships, but we want to do it the right way. Ultimately, we are about developing young men and women who compete with excellence, lead by character, and exemplify Jesus Christ in our world. The #KingChasing program provides an umbrella under which we can make this a practical focus.”

Points for the program are earned in a variety of ways, including minimizing ejections, excelling in the classroom, praying for colleagues at other institutions, and engaging in community service and missions. The #KingChasing Standards are foundational elements that athletic department staff and student-athletes commit to represent and uphold.

What does it mean to celebrate 75 years as an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)? That is a fair question, especially since most people understand the importance of accreditation but not the process. (Don’t worry, I’m not going to explain the ins and outs of that here). What I will say is that continued membership in NASM is indicative of our ongoing institutional commitment to excellence. It is a choice to pay membership dues and to go through the lengthy decennial process of self-evaluation and reaccreditation. It is a choice to subject every new program to NASM scrutiny for approval. That choice, though costly in terms of time, is also a choice to engage with an organization that is dedicated to setting high standards of excellence in higher education for music programs across the country. It is a choice not just to conform to those standards but to lend our voice to their creation and upkeep as a we get the opportunity to vote on every change to the NASM handbook.

Ultimately, it is a choice to engage in dialogue about values, needs and best practices in music education with other institutions that have agreed, through their own membership in NASM, to keep each other accountable. In fact, if we think of accreditation as a dynamic process for ensuring ongoing excellence even as necessary changes are made, it becomes apparent just how much participation in the process aligns with the institutional goals and ethos of ����ɬ.

As I reflect on this, it is not without recognizing certain ironies built into the nature of change in higher education. We encounter students at a time in life when change is occurring rapidly, which allows those of us who are educators the great privilege and responsibility of speaking into their lives at a time that is incredibly formative. I am sure many Houghton alumni, myself included, can look fondly back to some of those educators who had a profound impact on our lives.

The concept of scholar-servant goes back to the heart of Willard J. Houghton, the “Sunday School Man,” who traveled throughout Allegany County preaching the Gospel and ministering to the poor. He famously signed his letters “yours for fixing up the world,” and, throughout the institution’s history, Houghton students have been brought face to face with the idea of scholar-servanthood from their earliest days on campus.

Jeff Thompson ’01 still remembers a message delivered by Dr. Daniel Chamberlain at the welcome chapel service in the fall of 1997, presenting the idea of the Christian scholar-servant. Jeff’s time at Houghton ended in the spring of 2001, when he graduated with a degree in biology and minors in chemistry and music, and was subsequently presented with a servanthood towel to remind him of his calling to go forth as a scholar-servant. He still has that towel, as many of us who graduated in the late 1990s and early 2000s do.

The message of scholar-servanthood framed all of Jeff’s studies at Houghton, and he lives out the life of a scholar-servant today. When asked how he quickly summed up the many roles he plays in life, Jeff answered, “I call it the three Ms: music, ministry and medicine.”

An emergency room doctor in Buffalo, New York, Jeff also serves as a church organist, a youth ministry volunteer, a mentor and teacher to aspiring physicians, and a medical missionary through World Medical Missions. He also serves his alma mater as a member of the President’s Advisory Board.

As a Houghton student, Jeff excelled at discovering ways to thrive in scholarship, serve his community and prepare for his career. He took the opportunity to be certified as an EMT, eventually completing his critical care certification as well. He volunteered with the Houghton Volunteer Fire Department, where he built a deeply meaningful relationship with Dr. Ken Boon ’62, professor of biology and fire chief. Additionally, Jeff participated in class service days and the London Honors service project and served as a Boys’ Club leader at church.

Jeff is highly relational, demonstrating one aspect of his Christlikeness in the value he places on people. Whether he’s connecting weekly with Houghton classmates on video chat, checking in with EMT colleagues when he sees them in their work capacity, touching base with international friends via social media or building friendships with medical residents, Jeff views his relationships as the biggest blessing of living a live of scholar-servanthood.

The “scholar” aspect of Jeff’s life isn’t neglected either. This fall, Jeff is beginning a master’s degree in medical education through John Hopkins University. As he grows in his role as an educator and mentor to physicians locally and abroad, Jeff is dedicated to learning more about how to do so effectively.

Jeff is not only a model Houghton alumnus, representing so many graduates who go forth and live out lives of service; he’s also an example of today’s ����ɬ student: a Christ-centered dedicated scholar-servant equipped and driven to “fix up the world.”

I was acutely aware from an early age that God had a call on my life, and this was confirmed with every event that neatly guided me towards vocational ministry. What I wasn’t aware of, however, was that this would, in turn, lead me into church planting and church revitalization. I have been blessed to serve in a diverse range of areas, from urban to suburban and even rural. Although the environments have been different – one thing has been a constant for me: how God used ����ɬ in my life, call and ministry to encourage me to be attentive to hear his voice and develop a love for his people. I can still recall the ministry and Bible professors from 20 years ago who poured into me. While I did not know or realize at the time, God was using Houghton to develop a strong foundation.

I have carried this foundation as I planted Mosaic Church along with Rev. Wayne Botkin. Mosaic is in Dayton, Ohio, and is a five-year-old church plant. Mosaic, as the name suggests, is unapologetically multiethnic and a glimpse of God’s kingdom as people. Indeed, those from all walks of life – those who look different from each other, speak different languages, are multi-economic, multigenerational and in recovery – gather together for worship. In this sense, Mosaic is living its vision of “becoming a dynamic mosaic of Jesus-followers.”

Mosaic has always been the type of church I wanted to be part of. Before moving into its first permanent facility, Mosaic was on the move, worshipping in movie theaters, schools, community centers and malls. During the height of the pandemic, the church hosted pop-up parking lot worship venues throughout the greater Dayton area.

Unfortunately, Dayton has become known for being one of the overdose capitals in the nation, but, as God would have it, Mosaic has one of the largest recovery worship services in the area called “Fighting Chance” Recovery. It strongly espouses the belief that God does not call us to run away from the problems our city is facing but to run towards them – just as he calls us to run towards him. In an age of post-Christendom, it is rare, but Mosaic has managed to surpass its pre-pandemic attendance. The key has been an utter reliance on the Holy Spirit; being nimble to carry out the vision over methods; and, of course, spiritual entrepreneurship to get to the next level in reaching God’s people.

While at Houghton and even during other educational pursuits, I never had received or taken a single class on what I am doing now. However, it was not a class that prepared or changed the trajectory of my call; it was my entire Houghton experience that developed me into who I am today. For that, I will be always grateful for ����ɬ.

Those who know me know I love being highly involved on campus through student leadership, programs and events. However, my Houghton journey has been more about my discovery of biology and God’s calling on my life. I began my college studies as a communication and international development major. I had considered studying biology and had worked towards this most of high school, but the summer before my first year, I changed my mind. And that was not the last time – I changed my mind 10 more times!

However, through the impact of participating in Houghton’s first-year Science Honors program, writing my own research reports, and preparing a research study presentation, I realized the STEM fields are where I am called to be.

Committing to become a biology major did not come without its challenges. I received low grades, struggled with assignments and failed to prioritize my time well. There were times I thought I had made the wrong decision and tried to switch courses just to get a break from the extensive work. Looking back, I see the ways in which God helped me through those times. He helped me grow in my study skills, self-confidence and self-discipline.

As I begin my senior year, during which I will take some of Houghton’s most difficult courses, I am now prepared for the challenge. Two or three years ago, if I’d been taking those same courses, I would have felt defeated and extremely overwhelmed. I would never have asked anyone for help. I have learned that, despite my indecision and mistakes, God was still with me, guiding my path. He helped me become more disciplined, confident and patient. I have learned how to balance relationships, work, school, activities, family and more. I have discovered what I don’t like and what I want to spend my life doing. Most importantly, I have renewed my relationship with God. I am more patient with God’s timing, knowing He has a plan for me and has placed me where I need to be at this moment in my life. Coming to Houghton has not just been about the friends I have met, the conversations I have had or courses that I have taken. It will not even be about the degree I receive. My Houghton experience has been about learning to choose God first and allowing Him to align the rest.

Sleight of hand magic fascinates me. These magicians excel at the art of distraction from a clear, and often simple, truth. They employ elaborate displays of showmanship and misdirection to keep us from seeing what’s right under our noses. When the trick is revealed, we’re left wondering how we missed something so obvious!

Teaching in the sciences at ����ɬ reminds me a lot of this kind of magic. It makes my job both easy and difficult. It’s easy because the truth of the “trick” is simple and obvious: Christ is at the center. It’s difficult because so many forces attempt to hide the truth and lead us astray.

Fortunately, no amount of enticement can change the truth. Christ has always been at the center. Everything we study shouts his name (Psalm 19:1-2). God has deliberately made himself clear in creation so that we are without excuse (Romans 1:20). What we study in the sciences reveals God, but it goes even deeper than that. Science itself presupposes God—that is to say, if God did not exist, neither would the sciences. For science to be possible, we need three things: a world for science to act on, minds to examine the world and lawful regularities for minds to describe the world. God clearly shows in Scripture that he created the world (Genesis 1:1, Colossians 1:16-17), made humans with rational minds to examine the world (Genesis 1:26), and upholds the world by his laws so that we may understand and describe it (Genesis 8:22).

Yet, this clear and beautiful arrangement is twisted by a secular culture and our sinful hearts. The culture tries to mar, distort or otherwise hide the image of God in His creation by tempting us with substitutes. This cultural allure is frequently successful because we’re so easily led astray. Our hearts are naturally bent towards rebellion, refusing to see God’s clear presence (Romans 1:18, 21). Instead, we pursue hollow and unfulfilling idols (Jeremiah 2:13) that usurp Christ’s central position (Colossians 3:5-7).

For example, many things in the sciences are aesthetically pleasing, even beautiful, but instead of acknowledging the Artist and glorifying the Creator, we can settle for merely natural explanations. We resort to “survival adaptation” or “sexual selection” in an attempt to explain the beautiful, repeated fractal patterns in ferns and cauliflower or the exquisite symmetries of the Fibonacci sequence in shells, galaxies and birds’ head shapes.

But thanks be to God! Even the boldest attempts to veil God’s glory in Creation will ultimately fall short. The Holy Spirit convicts us and draws us towards him, revealing the truth about God that’s always been there (John 16:7-11). And once you see Him, you wonder how you ever missed Him. Any education that fails to affirm this centrality of Christ is a deficient, second-rate education; to strive for excellence is to put Christ at the center. It’s like trying to fully appreciate a rainbow using only black and white. So, the beauty, delight and privilege of my job is to highlight the truth that we already know in our hearts: Christ is at the center as Lord.

Campus leaders weigh in on what Houghton’s name changes means to them.

On July 11, 2022, when President Wayne D. Lewis, Jr., announced that, following the approval of the New York State Board of Regents, Houghton College had officially become ����ɬ, there was an atmosphere of celebration on campus. We had a birthday party for our founder, Willard J. Houghton, celebrating a step into a new future while reflecting back on the roots of our beloved institution.

While board members, faculty and staff were celebrating, however, for our alumni, students and friends there was an equal mixture of celebration and questioning.

Why would our nationally recognized college of the liberal arts and sciences become a university?

For many of us in the United States, “university” is a moniker that comes with rowdy football games, sororities and fraternities, and institutions of immense scope where students become a number instead of a name. Certainly, thought our alumni and friends, that is not the fearless path forward Houghton has chosen!

And – certainly – they are right! Houghton remains thoroughly committed to its historic mission of providing a Christ-centered, academically challenging education in the liberal arts and sciences to students from diverse traditions and economic backgrounds and equipping them to lead and labor as scholar-servants in a changing world. From the members of the board of trustees to our partners at The Wesleyan Church to our administration, faculty and staff, at every level of the Houghton community there has been a strong insistence that Houghton (whether Seminary, College or University) remain dedicated to our founding principles and vision.

Which returns us to why?

Reflecting the Diversity of God’s Kingdom

Since 1883, Houghton has sought to serve those who have otherwise struggled to obtain an advanced education. Whether educating impoverished youth from rural communities where educational opportunities didn’t exist, women in times when only men were perceived as college candidates, or minority students refused admission into most schools, Houghton has always desired a student body that reflects the diversity of God’s Kingdom.

Today, for many of our international students, first-generation students and master’s degree-seeking students, the word “college” suggests a junior or community college or even a less-rigorous education. This creates challenges for them, particularly as they return to their communities to seek employment. By changing our name to University, we lighten the burden on these students.

Continues Commitment to Academic Excellence

If you graduated from Houghton, or know someone who has, you know Houghton offers academically rigorous educational programs. In addition to our long-standing undergraduate programs, Houghton today offers graduate programs in three distinct fields, maintains multiple centers and institutes, and provides pathways to degrees in multiple geographic locations and online. All these features are commonly associated with exceptional academic universities, so, as Houghton continues to invest in these areas, the name ����ɬ better reflects the variety of excellent educational opportunities we offer.

Embodying Our Competitive Advantage

Although Houghton is the Wesleyan Church’s oldest established college, until now, we were the only one remaining not at university status. Additionally, as New York State definitions of “university” have changed, many of our main competitor institutions have recently changed to university status. By changing our name to ����ɬ, we are better able to embody our distinctive advantage and the values of our sponsoring denomination.

In many ways, it isn’t Houghton that has changed at all; it’s the way words are used both in New York State and within the international community. As such, through this transition, Houghton has been and will remain an institution committed to our mission and vision, as we have for the last 140 years.

Our Christ-centered Mission

At the very heart of our mission is the Gospel. As a Christ-centered institution, our shared Christian faith unites our community of faculty, staff and students. It guides our decision-making and our daily work as we equip the next generation to become Christ-like leaders in a world that desperately needs them. Our faith in Jesus Christ serves as the keystone of ����ɬ and the gateway to the Houghton experience.