From the President | Summer 2026

Dear Friends,

I came to Houghton in 2021 without specific plans for where we would invest or what we might change. I came with the intention of listening, learning, and discerning what our greatest opportunities for growth and development might be. It took very little time to determine that Houghton’s Equestrian Center and equestrian studies program were both rare and exceptional, and that these should be central to the University’s plans for investment and growth.

Houghton is an historic and highly esteemed Christian liberal arts and sciences university. Programs most often associated with Christian liberal arts universities include history, philosophy, English literature, or mathematics—not equine management. Equine studies is not what comes to mind when most people think of Houghton. But that is changing. Located just a bit off the main residential campus, you only find Houghton’s Equestrian Center, if you are looking for it. But once you have experienced it, you will not forget it. Neither will you question the way its faculty, staff, and curriculum provide a beautiful complement to the traditional liberal arts and science disciplines. Equine Studies is not tangential to Houghton’s mission. It embodies Houghton’s mission.

Demand for Houghton’s equine programs far exceeds our current capacity. Undergraduate academic programs and the Summer Equestrian Camp have been at maximum capacity for several years. The quality of the faculty, facilities, and academic program, coupled with an idyllic setting in rural Western New York, and integrated with a Christ-centered, academically rigorous liberal arts curriculum make equine studies at Houghton a highly sought option for students. I believe our opportunities for growth are tremendous. It is time to expand. By God’s grace and with the support of generous donors, we will make needed repairs and upgrades, add faculty, enhance program offerings, and expand the number of seats available to both university students and summer campers.

This issue of Houghton Magazine is a celebration of the faculty, staff, and partners who have made equestrian studies at Houghton the beautiful program that it is today, and the students and alumni whose lives have been forever impacted by their time in equine studies at Houghton. As you read, I invite you to dream and pray with us, as we plan for the next chapter of the program’s story, and prepare for the students and horses the Lord continues to send to us.

With the love of Jesus,

Wayne D. Lewis, Jr.

About the Author

A noted teacher, scholar and leader in higher education, government and P12 schools, Wayne D. Lewis, Jr. serves as the 6th President of Houghton University. He is recognized as being a champion for students and families. He writes, speaks and teaches on Christian leadership, organizational leadership and federal and state education policy.