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Houghton College Commencement 2010
Students await their turn to receive their diplomasHOUGHTON, N.Y. – Under the proud gaze of parents, family members, friends, professors and administrators, 271 undergraduates and 11 master’s graduates walked across the stage at the John and Charles Wesley Chapel on the campus of Houghton College to receive their diplomas during ceremonies held on Saturday, May 8, 2010.
These graduates are the embodiment of an educational journey filled with life-learning, community involvement, strong friendships and the commitment to bring to their communities the gifts of a Christian liberal arts education. 73 undergraduates achieved double majors, while 124 graduated with honors – including 22 recognized as Summa cum laude, 48 recognized as Magna cum laude and 54 recognized as Cum laude. The graduates hailed from the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Guatemala, Kenya, Nigeria, Slovakia, Taiwan and Tanzania and joined a distinct group of more than 16,000 Houghton alumni around the world.
Valedictorian Brittany IosetShirley A. Mullen, president of Houghton College, welcomed the class of 2010 and commended them for their passion, questions and authenticity. “We have a special connection,” remarked Dr. Mullen. “I came to Houghton four years ago, as did you. The difference is that while I am staying you are now leaving – I will miss you.”
Dr. Mullen was assisted by Dr. Ronald Mahurin, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college, and Harriett Olson ’80, chair of the academic committee for the Houghton College Board of Trustees, in the presentation of academic degrees to students representing 41 different areas of academic study. Special honors were given to Valedictorian Brittany L. Ioset – a biology major with a minor in chemistry from Hamilton, N.Y. and Salutatorian Josiah B. Nunziato – a double major in psychology and philosophy with a minor in theology from Badger, Calif. Additionally, the musical selection “Ab-Irato,” Grande Etude de Perfectionnement, S.143 by Franz Liszt was performed by Johanna Schilling ’10 of Sheboygan Falls, Wis.
Recognized during the ceremony were those students completing senior honors research projects:
Caitlin Cleland of Anaheim, Calif. for Intercultural Studies Title: “Determinants of Health Care Systems: Building a Better Model Using Case Studies of the United States, Norway, and Tanzania.”
Emma Fitzgerald of Houghton, N.Y. for Education Title: “Effects of Digital Gaming on Higher Order Thinking: Exploring Correlations between Digital Gaming and Reading Comprehension.”
Amara Gorman of Cumming, Ga. for Psychology Title: “A Behavioral Analysis of Habituation Within Simple Invertebrate Nervous Systems.”
Josiah Nunziato of Badger, Calif. for Psychology & Philosophy Title: “Is Virtue a Virtual Impossibility? Situationism’s Challenge to Virtue Ethics and Implications for Spiritual Formation.”
Thomas Rounsville of Birdsboro, Pa. for Biology Title: “Interspecific Hybridization Analysis, Population Estimates, and Genetic Relatedness of Coyote (Canis latrans) Conspecifics in Northern Allegany County Using Mitochondrial DNA Collected from Hair Snares.”
Angela Smalley of Houghton, N.Y. for Therapeutic Recreation Title: “Establishing a Standardized Assessment Tool to Predict Orthosis Adherence.”
Benjamin Stanford of Brunswick, Maine for Philosophy Title: “How Moral Can a Good Person Be? Aristotle and Kant on Pleasure, the Highest Good, and Moral Worth.”
Dr. Eugene Peterson Addresses The Class Of 2010
Commencement Address Given By Eugene H. Peterson
Graduates from the Houghton College class of 2010 were addressed
by Dr. Eugene H. Peterson, an author who since 1976, has written
thirty-six books on various aspects of spiritual theology, most
notably, his paraphrased translation of the Bible, The Message.
His writing brings together the scholarly literature of Biblical
and theological studies, a lifetime of reflection on the whole
of the scriptures, and the belief that the message of the Gospel
is intended to make a difference in how we live daily as
individuals and in community.
Dr. Peterson reflected on his own life story and asked the graduates, “Are you going to live cautiously or courageously?” He called attention to the lessons learned from the Hebrew prophet, Jeremiah. “I, like Jeremiah, realized that God was waving his huge windmill Jesus arms, calling me into something far larger than anything I had imagined – a way of life that absorbed me into the great story of salvation.”
In honoring Dr. Peterson with an Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters, Dr. Mullen remarked, “We want to recognize with gratitude your gifts and how you have chosen to steward these gifts for the glory of God.”
Houghton Medal Honors Eugene D. George ’60
Dr. Eugene George ’60, Dr. Shirley A. Mullen, president of Houghton College, and Dr. Eugene Peterson
Dr. Eugene D. George ’60 is the 2010 recipient of the Houghton Medal, an honor bestowed on individuals who in the words of our founder, Willard J. Houghton, take seriously the task of “fixing up the world.”
Upon graduation from Houghton, Dr. George enrolled in medical school at the State University of New York Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse. During his first year of residency, he chose neurosurgery as his specific area of study and specialized in micro-surgery for aneurysms and blood vessel problems of the brain.
After serving with the military during the Vietnam War, Dr. George became the Neurosurgery Chairman at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC. According to Dr. George, his eleven years at Walter Reed were some of the greatest of his life. He became friends with roughly 75 percent of his patients and enjoyed being a source of support for them and their families during difficult situations.
Dr. George left Walter Reed in 1990 and became Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Rochester and later at the University of Texas. “I really enjoyed teaching the most,” said Dr. George, reflecting on his career. “A lot of medicine involves helping to teach the next generation of neurosurgeons.”
Dr. George thanked the college for the honor and remarked, “A Houghton education makes you look at things in a different light – it is not always black and white – you are required to make choices.”
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Senior Class Gift
Members of the class of 2010 presented the college with an
outdoor classroom situated near Wesley Chapel. The purpose of
the classroom is to allow for academic studies to take place
within the natural setting of the college. Conducting classes
outside is a long-standing tradition at Houghton College and
having a formal space will add to the experience for future
Houghton students.
At the conclusion of commencement, graduates gathered on the Quad to celebrate their achievements and spend additional time with fellow classmates and professors who have accompanied them during their college experience. While one phase of their journey is ending, the excitement was palpable as the new graduates looked forward towards a world of opportunity and further life experiences.
