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Braden Taylor, Abby Almodovar | April 16, 2026
IGNITE Program Ends, but Students Continue to Shine Forth
MVNU’s IGNITE program, which allows people with intellectual disabilities to receive a college education and community on campus, will conclude at the end of this academic year...
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IGNITE Program Ends but Students Continue to Shine Forth
By Braden Taylor, Staff Writer & Abby Almodovar, Editor
MVNU’s IGNITE program, which allows people with intellectual disabilities to receive a college education and community on campus, will conclude at the end of this academic year. Due to financial complications and a series of staff decisions, the administration decided that the current students completing the program will be the last.
“This decision is not a reflection on the program or the incredible staff and students who have been, and continue to model independence, advocate for belonging, and help foster meaningful engagement in academic, social and campus life,” said an official statement from administration. “It is the result of our responsibility to provide a balanced budget to our board of trustees.”
IGNITE was started by Erin Tenney and former VP of Academic Affairs Amy Kovach after Kovach saw a similar program implemented at another college and found herself inspired. Other staff members of the IGNITE program got started from personal experience. “I just personally have seen the struggle with my own family in trying to figure out what’s next after high school,” reflected program director Kami Owen, “I feel like kids are capable of a lot more than we give them credit for if they have the opportunities and the support.”
While the second class of IGNITE students will not be able to finish out their two-year program, all six students will be included in the upcoming graduation ceremony.
In their time here, IGNITE students made a visible impact, finding ways to work and play all over campus, making friends and memories. In addition to joining clubs and activities, students like Jacob Barno obtained internship experience that will propel them onward. He currently works a paid position at the Mount Vernon water plant while taking employability classes taught by Rev. Dave Angle.
Many students on campus seeking opportunities were assigned to help the IGNITE students along on their campus journeys. These students witnessed firsthand the growth and achievements of the students attending the program. “We’ve had great students that we’ve trusted. I feel like this program has built a lot of empathy on campus,” expressed Owens.
According to housing mentor Jack Davis, “A good thing that is coming out of this is that we have one of our students returning next year as a full-time student, which is absolutely amazing,” speaking on the success of one of the IGNITE students, Jordyn Hubert. Following her experience with the IGNITE program, she decided to fully integrate into campus life and academics as a traditional student. Davis continued, “That really is the goal of IGNITE, I feel, is to equip people in our society that have intellectual disabilities with skills and abilities to allow them to attend university full time.”
While the student body wishes each IGNITE student continued success after their time here, the joy and vibrancy they brought to campus will be deeply missed.
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The Sound of Music: Chapel Volume Impacts Hearing Sensitivities
By Zoey Hover, Assistant Editor
At MVNU, chapel services provide an opportunity for the campus community to gather together spiritually, with worship music offering a significant means for students to express praise. However, some students have voiced concerns about the music’s volume, expressing that it causes auditory discomfort, particularly for students with hearing sensitivities.
In a social media poll conducted by The Lakeholm Viewer, 43 out of 86 respondents, or 48%, described the chapel volume as “too loud.”
This concern is not unfounded. According to campus sound coordinator Phillip Stinson, the chapel sound team aims to set the music between 90 and 95 decibels—a range above the widely accepted 85 decibel noise safety threshold (Stinson explained that it would take an extended period of time beyond the time spent in chapel for the volume to cause any hearing damage).
Though the high volume is not harmful, Spiritual Life began offering earplugs to students to address any discomfort caused by the sound levels. Rev. Dave Mills, vice president for Spiritual Life, said that they implemented this after receiving complaints from students and the accommodations office.
However, for students with hearing sensitivities, earplugs may not always be an effective solution. One such student, Gracelynn Hoggatt, stated, “Even though I use headphones and the earbuds that they provide, it’s still way too loud… after chapel, my head will be buzzing, and it’ll feel like the world is spinning.”
Hoggatt—along with several other students—expressed a desire for the volume to be turned down, with some stating that they have even noticed an increase in the volume compared with previous semesters.
Regarding these issues, Phil Stinson explained that the number of instruments in the worship band has increased and that the drum cage was removed recently. “Sometimes it’s hard to control drums. Just if there’s cymbals, pretty much—very loud—kinda washes over a lot of stuff. So we have to try to balance, within reason, the rest of the vocals and instruments,” he said.
Mills shed further light on the drum cage removal. “It was an eyesore on the platform,” he said. “With us redoing this—the chapel—last year with new carpet, screens, it would have been even more of an eyesore…so we experimented with not putting our drums in a cage.”
After this test run, Mills stated that Spiritual Life is discussing the possibility of installing a new drum cage by next fall—a decision that, if reached, would likely bring a significant reduction to the current volume of the worship music.
The Final Beat: Communication Professor Jayme McMillan to Depart MVNU
By Ethan Cline, Staff Writer
After eight years of teaching students the art of communicating and creating here at MVNU, it has officially been announced that Jayme McMillan, a beloved professor in the communication department, is leaving the university at the end of this semester to pursue a new opportunity at Western Colorado University.
McMillan, an MVNU graduate himself, is a well-known and well-liked figure on campus thanks to his unique sense of humor and commitment to students and their development.
“Being an alum of MVNU, this school means a lot to me,” McMillan said. “I have met some incredible people who have led me to where I am at today and have taught me everything that I know, so leaving here is bittersweet.”
During his time at MVNU, McMillan taught a wide range of communication courses, including video production and communication seminar classes, helping students develop both digitally and conversationally. With an upbeat teaching style in all of his classes, he has left a lasting impact on all those in the major.
Students have voiced a deep appreciation for McMillan. Xander DeVault, a junior communication major, shared his thoughts on McMillan’s teaching and impact during his three years of schooling thus far.
“Jayme is one of my absolute favorite professors here,” DeVault said. “He is super easy to talk to and learn from and is incredibly understanding when it comes to working around my schedule for volleyball when it comes to my assignments. I wish him nothing but the best in his new job.”
While his departure is difficult for both students and staff alike, McMillan looks ahead to an opportunity that closely aligns with his long-desired passions and interests. At Western Colorado University, he will focus exclusively on teaching film, a field that has always been central to his work since he was in school.
“Filmmaking has always been my passion, so having the opportunity to move out to Colorado and focus solely on teaching classes about film and what goes into them is something that I am incredibly excited about,” McMillan said.
Besides teaching, McMillan also held many other roles on campus, including directing chapel livestreams and creating short films alongside students. The school is still in search of a replacement, but they are optimistic about the future that lies ahead for the communication department.
Even so, MVNU’s goodbye to McMillan is also bittersweet, though he leaves behind a legacy that will continue to shape the department long after his departure.
