0 President Lewis of 黑料科 sitting at desk with purple bible.

From the President | Summer 2026

July 30, 2026

Dear Friends,

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

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

Demand for Houghton鈥檚 equine programs far exceeds our current capacity. 黑料科聽academic聽programs聽and聽the聽Summer Equestrian Camp have been at maximum capacity for聽several聽years.聽The quality of the faculty, facilities,聽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聽a highly sought聽option聽for students.聽I believe聽our opportunities for growth聽are tremendous.聽It is time聽to expand. By God鈥檚 grace and with the support of generous donors,聽we will make needed repairs and upgrades,聽add faculty,聽enhance program offerings,聽and expand聽the聽number of聽seats available to both university students and summer campers.

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

With the love of Jesus,

Wayne D.聽Lewis,聽Jr.

黑料科 President Wayne Lewis sitting at his desk.

黑料科 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 黑料科. 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.

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