8.31.17 Hillsdale Collegian by The Hillsdale Collegian

Culture shock Students share their strangest summer stories after traveling to new locations. A6

Michigan’s oldest college newspaper

Solar eclipse Two physics students and a professor traveled to Kentucky to obtain measurements of solar activity during the eclipse. A7

Vol. 141 Issue 1 - August 31, 2017

Research earns national attention Chemistry professor Courtney Meyet presented synthetic chemistry research at the American Chemical Society’s national meeting. A7

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Freshman class is the best ever By | Breana Noble Editor-in-Chief

Hillsdale College’s class of 2021 is the smartest on record, according to preliminary data from the admissions office. The freshmen set new highs for average ACT scores and high-school GPAs, surpassing the class of 2020’s averages. The 199 women and 195 men make up the most selective class in the college’s history, benefitting from the admissions office’s increasing emphasis on meeting with prospective students. “Admissions counselors are meeting with more students looking at the college and at more times,” said Zack Miller, senior director of admissions. “It helps us get to know everyone and make sure Hillsdale is the right fit.” First-year students had an average 30.26 of 36 on the ACT, up from 30.13, and 3.87 on a 4.0-GPA scale, up from 3.84. The college accepted 41 percent of more than 2,400 applicants, an increase of nearly 300 submissions. “It’s the lowest acceptance rate we’ve ever had,” Miller

said. “It’s our goal to not grow the size of the freshman class, which can make for harder and tougher decisions. Competition for slots of entrance is very competitive.” For that reason, counselors engaging with prospective students, even more than once, is becoming more important in determining acceptance. As a result, admissions is increasing the number of admissions counselors based in the regions where they are recruiting from three to four this year. “As our selectivity increases, we want to make sure we are accepting the right kind of student,” said Kelsey Drapkin ’15, an admissions counselor based in Dallas, Texas. “We know very little from what is written in applications on who people are. When we meet with them, we get a feel for their personalities, what impact they could have on Hillsdale’s campus.” Plus, with only 30 percent of freshmen coming from Michigan, a drop of two percentage points from last year, it is logistically more convenient to have more counselors out in the field to accommodate students

from other states, 40 of which are represented in the class of 2021, said Lily Carville ’17, an admissions counselor based in Washington, D.C. Meeting with admissions counselors, all of whom are alumni, also gives prospective students a better understanding of the college. Several freshmen told The Collegian those meetings made a difference. “We spoke a lot about the Honor Code, which is the main reason I came here,” said Michaela Frohnen, who met with her admissions counselor, Matt Sauer ’16, six times before coming to Hillsdale. “We got to talk about different topics that I couldn’t at my high school. That’s something that really interested me.” Carville said Hillsdale wants the best students and going to their schools and college fairs is how to keep the college on their minds. “We want to have a personal relationship with them,” Carville said. “We want them to be able to trust us. Counselor is part of our job title — counseling people is part of our job.”

It worked for freshman Grace Schoenle, who met with admissions counselors a total of seven times. She said insights from them made Hillsdale’s academic rigor less daunting. “The way they express personal interest in you and want to know things about you, that made me comfortable coming here,” she said. Even faced with the prospect of studying among the smartest incoming class Hillsdale has seen, Schoenle said she is not fazed: “Awareness of how smart the class is helps me, because it’s OK if I’m average because everyone is super smart.”

Katherine Scheu | Collegian

Chargers leave GLIAC for G-MAC By | Stevan Bennett Jr. Sports Editor

A sign outside of a campus parking lot. Josephine von Dohlen | Collegian

Pay up to buckle up

Car registration now costs $50 By | Jordyn Pair News Editor It now costs to have a car on campus — $50, to be exact. Effective this semester, Hillsdale College is requiring students to pay $25 per semester to register their cars. If a student’s vehicle is found without registration, they must pay $75. The school will use the collected fees to pay for parking lot maintenance, including paving, patching, and sealing. Dean of Men Aaron Petersen called the fee a “small and reasonable amount,” saying other schools charge “in the hundreds” for registration. Student parking at Michigan State University costs between $106 to $306, and it’s $125 to $350 at Hope College, according to their websites. “Parking on campus is at a premium, especially with all the construction projects underway,” Petersen said in an email. “It’s probably human nature to cringe a little at any increase, but our students are responsible and good at partnering with the college.” The college’s previous policy

“All a fee does is create a disincentive for students to register their cars.”

did not charge students to register their vehicle and ticketed only $35 for a non-registered vehicle. There is still no charge to register a bike. Hillsdale College security did not respond to requests for comment. Some students said they are Follow @HDaleCollegian

unhappy about the policy. “All a fee does is create a disincentive for students to actually register their cars,” senior Josh Orlaski said in an email. “Everyone knows that if you don’t register your car in the first place, it is very difficult for Hillsdale security to give you a ticket, so it is silly to add a fee to something students don’t want to do anyways.” Orlaski, who had a car on campus both last year and again this year, added the college should reward registration instead. He suggested a bookstore gift card for students who register on time. Senior Maria Theisen expressed similar feelings, saying that because she registered her car last year, it is easier for the school to ticket her. “Someone who evaded this rule the past three years could continue to do the same thing — the college does not have their plate on file,” Theisen said. “By following the rules in the past, I was punished by having to pay the $50 fee, [which was] put in place because people weren’t following the rules.” Some students took issue not with the policy but with the amount of the fee. “While I fully understand that our college is much less expensive than many in the nation, it’s still a lot of money,” junior Corinne Prost said in an email. “Adding $50 to those charges is another burden, and I don’t think an altogether necessary one.” The college would disagree. “The college prides itself in being responsible and efficient with its physical plant and its maintenance,” Petersen said. “These fees help support the college in this.”

Two years after announcing its intentions to change athletic conferences, Hillsdale athletics has entered a new era. All 14 of Hillsdale’s varsity sports moved to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in July, after more than 40 years in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Hillsdale College Athletic Director Don Brubacher said the move, which the college announced in June 2015, falls in line with the overall blueprint for Hillsdale College. “The strategic plan for Hillsdale College states we will strive to associate with like-minded schools in our athletic affiliations,” Brubacher said. “The member schools in the G-MAC help us accomplish that goal.” Brubacher also expressed gratitude to the GLIAC for more than 40 years of association. Eight colleges and universities previously comprised the G-MAC, which began competition in the 2012-2013 season. These schools included Alderson-Broaddus University,

Cedarville University, Davis & Elkins College, Kentucky Wesleyan College, Malone University, Ohio Valley University, Trevecca Nazarene University, and Ursuline College. Four other former GLIAC institutions joined the G-MAC fully alongside Hillsdale in July: Lake Erie College, Ohio Dominican University, University of Findlay, and Walsh University. Former GLIAC member Tiffin University has also committed to join the G-MAC in 2018. Although Hillsdale is leaving a renowned conference in favor of a younger one, Brubacher said the competitive aim of Hillsdale’s athletics remains the same. “Our goal with all of our teams is to compete at a national level,” he said. “That was the case, is the case, and will always be the case.” Brubacher acknowledged there are those who have the perception Hillsdale is moving conferences to find a lower competitive level, but he was adamant in dismissing the idea. On this front, Head Volleyball Coach Chris Gravel noted that while Hillsdale may be leaving the GLIAC, it’s obvi-

New look for And new dorm Whitley for campus

By | Brooke Conrad of Women Rebekah Dell. Its Assistant Editor coffee house, which will likely Starting next fall, the col- have booth-style seating, will lege will have a new women’s be open to anyone on campus. The finished product will cost residence on campus. The new dorm will allow $3.2 million. “This has actually been a Whitley Residence, which was conversation that we’ve been renovated this past summer, to become a men’s dorm. In addi- having for several years,” Dell tion, the college plans to start said. “We’ve met with three or renovating Galloway Residence four student building commitnext summer. These projects tees to discuss what the stuare a continuation of the col- dents would want on campus lege’s goal to update much of its if we built a new residence hall. housing, following similar ren- It’s a very well-thought-out, ovations in Simpson, McIntyre, comfortable living space.” The new dorm, still unMauck, and Olds residences in named, will feature an outrecent years. door patio, situated between The new dorm for sophthe dorm and the neighboring omore, junior, and senior dorms, Benzing and Mauck. women will be three stories high, with 55 beds and double Dell said the patio could likerooms. It will also have com- ly be used for musical events munity bathrooms with cubby and other activities, such as an spaces and changing rooms, a open mic night. The new dorm will provide community lounge, a glassedextra housing for many stuin study room with whitedents who would otherwise boards, and a study balcony, have to live off-campus, acaccording to Associate Dean www.hillsdalecollegian.com

ously not leaving the region. Each program will, therefore, continue to play many of the teams they competed against in the GLIAC, just in non-conference tilts. This will allow Hillsdale to continue historic on-field rivalries, rekindle old ones, and also foster new rivalries in the G-MAC, according to Head Football Coach Keith Otterbein and Head Men’s Basketball Coach John Tharp. “It’s different, and there will be some changes, but we already have some great rivalries as we move forward,” Otterbein said. “As we move on to the conference games, we have had some great games against Ohio Dominican, and Lake Erie, and Findlay, so those will continue to develop … and there’s some really good-looking football players in this new conference.” Tharp mentioned the excitement of squaring off against several “very good” men’s basketball programs in the G-MAC, including Kentucky Wesleyan, which has appeared in 19 NCAA Division II Final Fours, resulting in eight national titles. Brubacher said G-MAC officials approached Hillsdale about two and a half years ago.

Hillsdale’s immediate response was that the college could not engage in discussions about the possibility of a change in conference membership until it notified the GLIAC that Hillsdale was considering the change, but eventually, Hillsdale’s administration did. After about two months of communication and consideration, Hillsdale made the decision to change conferences. A move of this magnitude does come with some logistical difficulties. Primarily, according to Brubacher, a new conference means new schedules for conference competition, as well as new options for non-conference matchups. “We have been working a lot with the Great Midwest Athletic Conference over the last two years to plan for athletic schedules, including conference schedules, in all sports beginning this year,” Brubacher said. “At the same time we had to understand the GLIAC, even though we had continuing membership there for those two years, had to look beyond that timeframe in developing schedules, as well.”

See G-MAC A5

The outside of Whitley. | Courtesy

cording to Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé. “We had around 60 sophomore men off-campus this year,” he said. “When you’re a sophomore, it’s better if you can be on campus, both for retention and the Hillsdale experience. So long-term, we’re increasing the number of men’s beds on campus by building this dorm.” The Whitley renovations this summer cost $260,000, allowing for new blinds, windows, sinks, vanities, and new wood, tile, and carpet flooring. Renovators also painted the dorm in neutral grays and blues and refurbished the kitchen with new countertops

and cabinets.The renovations began at the beginning of the summer and were completed by mid-August. Resident Assistant Kirsi Eby ’18 said after a year of living in Whitley with stained carpet floors and bugs crawling in through the windows, she said she thought the place could use a “little TLC.” “You could just tell it’s been around for a long time,” she said. “When everyone heard Whitley was getting renovated, everyone was like, ‘Oh, praise the Lord!’ and they were so excited.” Emily Rinaldi, a senior RA

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A2 Aug. 31, 2017

Hip-hop club brings new moves to campus

Senior Kirsi Eby and junior Hannah Socolofsky promoted the new Hip-Hop Dance Club for the first time at The Source on Tuesday. Josephine von Dohlen | Collegian

ally introduced a few hip-hop dance steps to a few friends in the basement of Simpson Residence. They were hooked, One night in the spring of and the three started practic2016, senior Kirsi Eby casu- ing regularly and spreading the

By | Josephine von Dohlen Assistant Editor

Whitley from A1

around for a long time,” she said. “When everyone heard Whitley was getting renovated, everyone was like, ‘Oh, praise the Lord!’ and they were so excited.” The Galloway renovations will be more extensive than those in Whitley. They will cost a total of $3.5 to $4 million and will be completed by June 2019, according to Péwé. In addition to new study spaces and lounges, the dorm will get new plumbing, air conditioning, heating, lighting, electrical upgrades, dry wall, and bathrooms. The floor plans will also change in order to make them more consistent with other recently-renovated dorms

like Simpson, McIntyre, and Mauck. Dell said smaller projects like the Whitley renovations are handled by local contractors and the college’s maintenance facilities. “It probably would not be wise of us to take on three to four projects at a time, both financially and staff-wise, as far as residence halls,” she said. “So we just have had an eye from the start to try and do one to two a year.” For now, the women in Whitley are looking forward to enjoying their freshened space. Emily Rinaldi, a senior RA in Whitley, said she thinks her dorm’s renovations will bring the residents together.

word. Now a senior, Eby leads Hillsdale’s hip-hop dance club, a weekly practice dedicated to the upbeat environment of hip-hop lessons and choreo-

graphed dances. Eby said she appreciates the opportunity to bring hip-hop to Hillsdale College’s campus, which has outlets for more traditional dancing, such as the swing dance club or the ballroom dance club. “I like that I’ve seen the college branch out and diversify,” Eby said. At the end of last year, five students consistently attended the club’s weekly meetings, which consisted of a warmup, a lesson teaching simple steps, and choreographed practice for a longer form piece. While the club does not currently have any performances, they do videotape their dances, and share them on social media. Junior Hannah Socolofsky has been with Eby since the beginning, and she said she has enjoyed the weekly classes and finds the environment fun and welcoming. “We like to do things for their own sake here at Hillsdale,” she said. “It’s good to do

things that make you happy.” Socolofsky had very little dance experience prior to joining the club, but has found herself able to pick up the pieces because of Eby’s teaching style. “She’s a great teacher; she makes it understandable for those who don’t know how to dance,” Socolofsky said. Those who attend speak highly of Eby’s instruction, and Eby says they have improved a lot. Eby choreographs each of the pieces that the club practices. Although it requires a lot of preparation and work, she said her extensive background in dance, which ranges from ballet, to jazz, to hip-hop, makes choreography “almost like writing music.” Eby’s lessons became such an inspiration for the members of the club that one student even contributed to the final choreography last spring, without having any dance experience prior to joining the hip-hop club. In addition to the club,

Eby’s talents helped her lead her residence hall, Whitley, in last year’s Mock Rock, where she contributed to the choreographed dance. As the club moves forward, they hope to find more interest. Those in the club praise Eby’s dedication to the club. Reuben Blake, a senior and founding member of the club who was also with Eby from that very first night in Simpson, said that she is the “real champ.” “She does all the planning and choreography; I just happened to convince her that it was important to continue in that passion and share it with others on campus,” Blake said in an email. “There’s no judgement, just dancing,” Eby said. Those interested in the hiphop dance club can contact Kirsi Eby at keby@hillsdale. edu.

“I think there will be greater community within the dorm,” she said. “It’s not that we lacked community at all; it just kind of makes the dorm cheerful and happy and more exciting to be in.” (Background) A blueprint of the exterior of the new women’s dorm, which will be on the east side of campus. Elizabeth Gray| Courtesy

(Right) Whitley resident sophomore Mayim Stithe cuts bread on the dorm’s new counter tops. Brooke Conrad | Collegian (Below) Whitley residents and juniors Sabrina Barlow, Genevieve Suchyta, and Audrey Cooley talk in the dorm’s newly renovated lobby. Brooke Conrad | Collegian

Prim joins Student Activities Office as assistant director

The Collegian now ranked 7th in nation

By | Jordyn Pair News Editor The Hillsdale Collegian has moved its national ranking up from ninth place to seventh place, according to the 2018 Princeton Review rankings. “The Collegian’s high ranking is a tribute to the hard work and skill of our students, who pour themselves into the paper week after week,” said John Miller, director of the Dow Journalism Program. Hillsdale’s paper beat out publications from institutions like Fordham University, University of Virginia, and University of Iowa and finished behind schools like Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Columbia University. The Collegian did climb the ranks past the paper from Brown University, which beat The Collegian last year but was No. 8 this year. “Words cannot express how

full my heart is,” former editor-in-chief Thomas Novelly ’17 said. “Every sleepless night, every laugh shared among staff members, and every story we relentlessly pursued led to this moment. The staff should be incredibly proud.” Assistant Director of the Dow Journalism Program Maria Servold agreed. “This award is due totally to the hard work and enthusiasm of The Collegian staff. They publish good issues week after week,” she said in an email. “I know they will continue to improve the newspaper as well, with plans to add a new science and technology section and more online content this coming school year.” The Princeton Review ranked Hillsdale at No. 2 for schools with the most conservative students, falling behind only University of Texas. Hillsdale also placed No. 4 for Most Religious Students, No.

3 for Future Rotarians and Daughters of the American Revolution, No. 9 for LGBTQ Un-friendly, and No. 18 for Best-Run Colleges. The school also broke top ten in the categories Professors Get High Marks, Most Engaged in Community Service, and College City Gets Low Marks. The Princeton Review monitors more than 2,000 schools and chooses 382 to put into its ranking book. These 382 schools are then ranked in over 20 categories. “I think it would be hard to find a school as mission-focused as we are at Hillsdale, and it’s nice to see folks outside of campus recognize what we do here,” said Zack Miller, Senior Director of Admissions, in an email. “It’s truly a testament to everyone associated with the College coming together to pursue the mission.”

things to know from this week

North Korea missile launch over Japan confirmed The Pentagon confirmed Aug. 28 that North Korea fired a missile launch over Japan. Both Japan and the U.S. will be analyzing the launch, which landed in the ocean. Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, called this launch a “serious and grave threat.”

Hurricane Harvey hits Texas, flooding Houston Hurricane Harvey hit southeastern Texas on Aug. 25, causing severe flooding and rain throughout Corpus Christi, Houston, and the surrounding areas. Now categorized as a tropical storm, the rains are moving east toward Louisiana and up toward Kentucky and Tennessee. Death counts have reached 38.

-Compiled by Josephine von Dohlen

How to: Advertise with The Collegian

If interested in placing an advertisement in The Collegian, please contact ad managers Daniel Drummond at ddrummond@hillsdale. edu or Montie Montgomery at mmontgomery@hillsdale.edu.

By | Josephine von Dohlen Assistant Editor Graduation from Hillsdale College often takes students to different parts of the country and the world, but for Hank Prim ’17, commencement didn’t take him away from Hillsdale full time. Seven days after graduation, Prim started his new positions as the assistant director of the Student Activities Office and director of residence life, jobs which encapsulate both his outgoing personality and his own Hillsdale experience. While at Hillsdale, Prim was a resident assistant in Simpson Residence for three years. In addition, he served as the Pep Band director and participated in various other groups in the music department. Prim also took on leadership roles such as a head resident advisor in Simpson and as a student security manager. Prim said he remembers speaking with a professor after the Student Leadership Workshop leading into his junior year, saying he would love to work in Student Affairs some day. But, he said he thought: “There will never be a job opening during my time, never.” Two years later, that dream came true. “The college is so cool, and I think Student Affairs has such a unique element to it,” Prim said. “There is so much more to college than just sitting in a classroom. The relationships that you build, the friendships that you make, and the experiences that you have are sometimes just as educational as sitting in a classroom.” More Confederate statues to be torn down After the outbreak of a protest by white supremacists over the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville, Virginia, earlier this August, Confederate statues are being torn down in states throughout the country. In Madison, Wisconsin, the mayor announced two Confederate memorials will be removed.

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Hank Prim is the new assistant director of student activities and director of residence life. Hank Prim | Courtesy

Prim said he loves fostering both learning and college community, and he is grateful for the opportunity to do it as a full time job. Ashlyn Landherr, the director of student activities, has been working with Prim all summer in preparation for the upcoming school year. She said the balance of both of their personalities will add to this year’s various student activities, with each of them playing to their strengths. “We’re really excited to have him on the team,” Landherr said. Josh Bailey, a junior and Simpson RA, spoke to Prim’s passion for working with residence life and his ability to throw great parties as well as make great connections with people. “He’s already so connected,” Bailey said. “He is a familiar face.” Junior Andrew Sheard, a fellow Simpson RA, also spoke highly of Prim’s inviting character. MSU professor to run for Michigan office Joseph Guzman, a Michigan State University professor who assisted with Trump’s 2016 state campaign is running for Michigan secretary of state. He plans to “have a significant presence” at the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference in September, according to Detroit News.

“He is always really inclusive; he hated to see someone left by himself,” Sheard said. Prim said his relationships with the people who are now his bosses has helped him throughout the transition from student to college employee. “I lived in the dorms for four years, three as an RA, so I have a lot of relationships with students, so sometimes now being seen as a staff member is sometimes strange,” Prim said. “But I think that plays well to the benefit because I’m still connected with the folks on the ground, so to speak. Having those open lines of communication I think will be super beneficial.” Now that orientation is over, Prim says he plans to shape an “awesome, common, unified sense of what dorm community means,” under his role as director of residence life, where he looks forward to working with each of the individual RA teams.

Alexa and Cortana will soon be able to chat Two popular voice computers, Amazon’s Alexa and Microsoft’s Cortana will soon work together, allowing them to talk to one another. The two tech companies announced their partnership on Aug. 30.

How to: Join The Collegian

If you want to find out more about how to contribute to The Collegian through writing, photography, or videography, please contact Breana Noble at bnoble1@hillsdale.edu.

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Advice from an old-timer By | Brendan Clarey Senior Writer

ways: No matter how deeply you fall in love, please do not, under any circumstances, sit on the same side of the booths in A.J.’s Café or in the cafeteria and cuddle. It will invoke disdain from all around you, and it’s not your happiness they are scorning. It’s your PDA. The college allows room visitation for a reason, and the student union, despite its name, is not a sanctuary for couples. You must also determine how you want to stand out. Unfortunately, many freshmen seem to think that it’s imperative to have a special skill or interesting schtick in order for people to notice them, but it’s going to be okay if, by the end of your first year, only a few hundred people know your name instead of the whole school of 1,500. You don’t need to be the unicycling, bagpiping, fire-breathing kid who gets all A’s to be noticed. Just be humble and study hard — I guarantee you’ll make friends that will last all four years and you won’t singe yourself and your pipes while accidentally dropping your unicycle in the road where it gets run over by a maintenance truck before you can get it to the curb. That would be bad, not that I would know all of that from experience. This won’t be the last bit of advice that anyone will ever give you in college, but it is definitely the most important you’ve heard so far. So please heed my warnings. Remember, we all make mistakes. Some just happen to damage the front end of a maintenance truck and leave scorch marks on those really expensive bagpipes. Take it easy. Make friends. Have fun. Pursue truth.

All you freshman have undoubtedly received so much advice by this time that you are sick of it. Your family surely told you what to do freshman year to get by, your church back home offered advice, your friends have put in their two cents. You got even more useful advice if you went to Convocation on Sunday. But I have more of it, even though every person you have come across in recent days has a different secret survival guide for your university years. I’m about to tell you the two worst sins Hillsdale College students commit during that pitfall-riddled first year. Thou shalt not spring for a ring by spring, and thou shalt not show off. Despite everything you’ve heard about Hillsdale and Hillsdating, you don’t have to get married your freshman year. Why not take the year to get to know your peers, get situated in your academics, and try to figure out what you want to study? By all means, go on some dates and get to know people, but for all that is righteous and holy, take it easy and wait until at least second semester sophomore year to put a ring on it. To all the guys who’ll inevitably hang around Olds Residence looking to pick up a girlfriend by proxy, it might make more sense to hang around the library or professor’s office hours. Focus on school, which is ideally why you’re here in the first place. Hillsdale should not be your dating arena before it becomes your intellectual coliseum. You are here to learn, not to marry (I think Dr. Arnn Brendan Clarey is a sewould agree with me, but I nior studying English. don’t know). And remember this al-

The opinion of The Collegian editorial staff

In your hands, you hold the first issue of this year’s Collegian, which recently was ranked the seventh best college newspaper in the United States by the Princeton Review. For that, we thank you for supporting The Collegian, from picking up a copy around campus every Thursday to taking the time to speak with us so that we can write the stories that fill these pages. We recognize being among

the top comes with great responsibility, but it also shows that there is room for improvement. The No. 1 goal of The Collegian is to train students in the craft of journalism. At a time when trust in media is at an all-time low in America, we as the editorial board of Hillsdale College’s newspaper recognize the necessity of upholding the highest journalistic standards and ethics and teaching them to our writers.

It is our mission to provide the most accurate information as possible, and that begins with trust. That is why we are emphasizing communication with our sources and fact checking because we want to serve our campus and community to the best of our abilities. To do that, we hope to work with you to keep readers informed of what is happening in Hillsdale. Our names and positions are listed to the left. Please

email us ideas for stories to pursue, events to cover, and opinions that you want to share. At freshman convocation, President Larry Arnn reminds students and parents that collegium, the Latin word for college, means partnership. As The Collegian, we hope to partner with you this year to bring you the best news and stories concerning Hillsdale’s campus and local community.

Confederate statues and American history: A Democrat, Republican, and libertarian respond Keep Confederate statues but recognize history of oppression By | Madeline Hedrick

Special to the Collegian College Democrats

Outside of Española, New Mexico, stands a statue of Don Juan de Oñate. For his direct descendants, and many Spanish-American New Mexicans who trace their ancestry back to colonization, he is symbolic of the spirit of exploration and of Spanish culture in New Mexico. For the Pueblo peoples of New Mexico, however, Don Oñate has a far darker legacy. Oñate was the governor of New Spain from 1598 to 1610, in what is now New Mexico. In retaliation for the killing of several Spanish soldiers, including his nephew, Oñate ordered what became known as the Acoma Massacre, which killed 800 to 1,000 of the Acoma Pueblo Indians. He ensalved the surviving women, and Oñate commanded that every Acoma man’s right foot be amputated as a horrific warning against further resistance. The statues of Confederate heroes such as Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee occupy the same contentious place in the consciousness of the South as Oñate does in northern New Mexico. Both are symbolic of a romanticized past and simultaneously represent centuries of oppression. Among their respective communities these positions are deeply rooted and difficult to dislodge. In an ideal world, none of these statues would exist. The wartime heroes of the Confederacy fought against and killed soldiers of the United States government. They fought for many causes, but among those causes was slavery, an evil so great it canceled out anything else they stood for. The idolization of these men is a betrayal of the dream of American society: a nation where everyone, regardless of race or heritage, has a chance of success. It also reveals a willful ignorance of the shameful history of American slavery and of the bloodshed required to keep our country in one piece. Even the immortalized men opposed the erection of Confederate monuments. Robert E. Lee, in a 1869 letter, remarked, “I think it wiser, moreover, not to keep open the sores of war but follow the examples of those nations who endeavored… to commit to oblivion feelings engendered [by civil war].” He realized, as early as four years after the Civil War, that building monuments to the goals and ideals of the Confederates would only lead to the idealization of the rebellion and a continuance of the bitter post-war sorrows of the South. The statues were built, however, and over the years they became

part of the fabric of their communities, which now oppose the removal of their landmarks. A recent NPR/PBS poll showed national support for the survival of Confederate statues at 62 percent. Support in Southern states is even more entrenched: A Louisiana State University poll reports 73 percent of residents of that state oppose the removal of the monuments. Taking the monuments down without the support of local residents would be nearly impossible and also a folly. If accomplished, this effort would do nothing but further divide communities. On the other hand, leaving Confederate statues to proclaim the nobility of rebellion is morally unacceptable. In this case, a compromise between idealism and practicality is necessary. The best solution is the simplest

Slavery is part of American history, not American identity By | Ross Hatley

While many defend Confederate statues as part of our history, monuments are fundamentally a matter of both a community's history and identity. We as Americans must determine what parts of our history we claim, identify with, and idealize. A monument is a symbol of our aspirations as a society. The Confederacy is undoubtably a part of American history. When given a charitable interpretation by its defenders, the Confederacy is viewed as a symbol of the states’ rights movement. Yet the Confederacy fought for the states’ right to destroy the foundation of the United

The statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, North Carolina, that sparked violent protests and a national debate about American history. Wikimedia Commons

one. Rather than taking down the monuments, local communities should make a small addition to them: a plaque, explaining the subjects’ role in the Civil War and the consequences thereof. This would add to the educational power of the statues for citizens on both sides of the conflict and ensure that the statues serve a constructive purpose. The legacy of Don Oñate, like that of confederate heroes, is always going to be mixed. History is fact, but it is interpreted through emotion: the actions of individuals accumulate into the heritage of families. We can never expect to agree on what to make of our history. We can only agree that it belongs to all of us and try to understand that for some, the burdens of the past have been carried into the present, and show no signs of disappearing soon. Madeline Hedrick is a sophomore studying the liberal arts. She is the vice president of College Democrats.

claim, conservatives stand for

Special to the Collegian the fundamental equality of all mankind on both legal and College Republicans

moral grounds. Defenders of states’ rights need not canonize the Confederacy. Support for constitutional federalism can be attained without the baggage of racial bigotry. The removal of Confederate statues is fundamentally a local decision. So stand, voice your opinion, and make a choice for you and your house. With what part of your history does your community identify and venerate for all to see? The heroes of an ill-founded “lost cause” or legitimate exemplars of our American experiment? Less a question of public sculpture, the monument debate points to the fight against racial hatred in the United States. For those who do not live in communities with Confederate monuments, your voice matters — this is a battle for national identity regardless of where you live. Join the debate, and advocate for an American identity of liberty, unity, and equality. The best way to promote these values and combat racial hatred is open debate and civil goodwill. The United States does not consist of half “White-Supremacist-Nazi-bigots” and half “Antifa-Communist-totalitarians.” Talk of civil war is only the latest iteration of the narrative that has magnified and legitimized political violence. Just beyond the bloodstained headlines, the belief in free speech, peaceful protest, and the rule of law remain cherished in America. To heal and reconcile neighbor with neighbor and citizen with country, Americans must have the moral clarity to stand up in unity and decry hatred. “With firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right,” Abraham Lincoln said, “let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nations wounds.” Considering the damage done to the civil fabric of America following Charlottesville, it’s time to revisit his advice.

States through rebellion and the right to own other human beings as property. American character and Southern pride should not be represented in the public square by the malefactors of its foulest chapter. Except on battlefields and in museums, where monuments commemorate the dead and ought to be honored, communities must take up the debate regarding their identity and must vote to remove or relocate Confederate statues. Excepting monuments erected immediately following the Civil War and during its centennial, the vast majority of Confederate statues were Jim Ross Hatley is a senior studyCrow-era artifacts, erected in ing politics. He is the president opposition to racial equality. of College Republicans. Regardless of personal meaning, the heritage and message of these monuments ought to earn them few defenders, even among conservatives. Despite what the “Unite The Right” rally members would

Confederates statues represent slavery and tyrannical government By | Brendan Noble

Special to the Collegian Young Americans for Liberty

A statue in a public place can serve many purposes, but outside of the proper context of a battlefield or other specific location, its main role is to honor someone. That is what Confederate statues do: honor generals, soldiers, and politicians that represented the Confederacy. The Civil War was about slavery, and these statues were placed in prominent locations to honor those who protected the institution of slavery. This becomes painfully obvious when you look at the dates on which these statues were erected. The majority of Confederate statues were built during the Jim Crow era and the Civil Rights Movement, times in which southern states enforced the strictest and most racist policies since the end of slavery. These statues portray General Lee

and others as powerful leaders on horseback — as heroes. There is a sense of irony when Lee’s statue sits in the center of “Emancipation Square” and there are schools with majority black student bodies that bear his name. These statues, which show Confederates as heroes, should be removed, not by a destructive mob, but by the state or local government. We must not repeat the actions of those in the past who decided to burn anything they disagreed with. Instead, these statues should be placed in a location of suitable context, in a public or private museum, or sold to a private owner. We must not bury the sins of our past, but more importantly, we must not portray those who fought a war to defend one of the most evil institutions in the history of the world as heroes. General Lee and others may

have been great generals, and Americans can correctly remember on a battlefield, as Gettysburg has done, or in a museum. For school names though, they should be renamed as there is no proper way to place them in the correct context. It is a tragedy for students to attend a school named after someone who fought for their ancestors’ enslavement. This libertarian argument breaks from both conservatives and progressives, as private ownership of monuments and statues allows them to exist without the government owning them or having them in public squares. Museums holding the statues will ensure the preservation of history. It will allow the intricate history of General Lee and the Confederacy to be documented and presented with adequate context, both good and bad. This must not be mandated by the federal government, however, because

it is far outside its constitutional powers and role. Polls show the majority of people want statues to remain when given the option of complete removal or having them stay, but another poll states that when given the option to place statues in the adequate context or in museums, most people support this option. This is a key difference: Remember them but do not venerate them. Black children should not have to grow up looking at statues honoring the men that fought to keep their race enslaved. White children should not grow up looking at statues honoring men who fought to enslave another race. Instead, these statues should show the power tyrannical government has whenever natural rights and rule of law are not cherished and protected. The oppressive history of American slavery also teaches us a lesson about

the threat government can pose to our liberties. The same government that can choose which races and religions to specially protect can also promote the enslavement of a race, imprison people of different nationalities in internment camps, beat non-violent protesters in the streets, prevent people from speaking about controversial ideas, and restrict the right to worship freely. In the words of F.A. Hayek: “We shall not grow wiser before we learn that what we have done was very foolish.” We must accept mistakes of the past without dwelling on them, so that we ensure they do not happen again. Brendan Noble is a senior studying economics. He is the president of Young Americans for Liberty.

City News

A6 Aug. 31, 2017

Hillsdale County Fair employees set up for last year’s concert. Mark Williams | Courtesy

Quad Chaos, one of All Star’s monster trucks, will be featured at this year’s Hillsdale County Fair. Brian Wagner | Courtesy

Hillsdale County Fair to feature monster trucks By | Kaylee McGhee City News Editor The Hillsdale County Fair has entertained thousands of people with big name country concerts, but this year, the fair’s headlining entertainment will be taking a new direction. Instead of bringing in a top artist like it has for the past several years, the fair will host a monster truck motorsports event. The decision to set aside the traditional concert was because the fair was spending more than they were making on the event, fair manager Mark Williams said. “We just weren’t getting enough support from the community,” Williams said. “We only sold 1,600 tickets to Justin Moore last year, so we actually lost money on the production.” One of All Star’s performing monster trucks, named Master of Disaster. Brian Wagner | Courtesy

Williams said the price for concert tickets has steadily increased over the past few years because the musical acts continue to get more expensive. He said the higher charge and the change of weather contribute to locals foregoing the concerts. “People hesitate to buy tickets because of the weather,” said Rod Beach, director and chairman of the fair’s Entertainment Committee. Beach said unlike the concerts, the monster truck event will occur, rain or shine. “It’s more reasonable for us to put on,” he said. “Monster trucks can go on during rain or snow or whatever else hits us.” The event, sponsored by All Star Motorsport Productions, will take place on Sept. 24 and will feature four trucks driven

by nationally renowned, professional drivers. Brian Wagner, president of All Star, said the Hillsdale County Fair is one of 70 shows at which his trucks will be featured. Although this will be All Star’s first event in Hillsdale, Wagner said his team travels more than 100,000 miles across the country throughout the year, bringing their trademark “roar” with them. “Hillsdale contacted us because they wanted the best monster truck entertainment, and that’s what we’re here to do,” Wagner said. Beach said the Hillsdale County Fair hasn’t seen monster trucks in 15 years, and he said he believes they will draw large crowds. “It’s the speed, the motor part of it, the noise, the thrill. That’s what people want,” he

said. Future concerts at the Hillsdale County Fair might still be a reality, however, Williams said. The fair board is already revisiting the idea and is considering sponsoring a summer rock ’n’ roll concert. “I’m a concert guy,” Beach said. “I want to be able to continue that tradition in the future.” In the past, the fair has brought headlining artists like Justin Moore and Florida Georgia Line to perform. Williams said he hopes the fair will be able to eventually continue that trend. “This doesn’t mean we won’t have music in the future,” he said. “But we needed to give something else a try.”

Union sues local landscapers Munchers on Hooves accused of stealing jobs from Michigan workers by employing “undocumented goats” By | Nic Rowan Assistant Editor Coldwater landscaping company Munchers on Hooves has got one union’s goat. The company, which uses goats to clear lots overgrown with invasive plants, drew criticism from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees local union in July when it contracted business with Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. The union’s newsletter alleged Munchers is stealing jobs from outdoor workers by employing “undocumented goats.” Munchers’ co-owner Gina Fickle said the goats are not taking work from workers; They’re making work safer for human laborers to follow in their place. Additionally, she told The Collegian her business has never stirred controversy before. “This grievance wasn’t even filed against us. It was filed against the goats. We were never really approached or contacted about the goats being an issue,” she said. “We ended up finding out about it when my mom called us, and

told me she saw the story on Detroit Channel 4 News.” According to WMU spokeswoman Cheryl Roland, no WMU workers have been displaced by the goat project. Roland told the Associated Press it would not be appropriate for her to make any detailed comment because WMU has a process underway for addressing the grievance. Project manager at WMU Nicholas Gooch told the Associated Press that the school is pleased with Munchers’ work. “We have been very happy with the progress, impact, and PR generated from this project from both the campus community and the community as a whole,” he said. “There have been no complaints of any nature prior to the news of this union ordeal.” The union did not respond to request for comment. Although the incident has given Munchers significant media coverage, Fickle told The Collegian the grievance has not hampered her business’ future work. “We completed our job on Aug. 26, and we will be back at WMU next year,” she said.

The outside of the downtown market, which will reopen this fall. Kaylee McGhee | Collegian

Broadstreet set to reopen this fall By | Kaylee McGhee City News Editor Six months after accumulated back taxes buckled Broad Street Downtown Tavern and Market, the well-known restaurant is set to reopen its doors this fall. Co-owners Ben Baldwin and Dallas Russell said they hope to give the space a new identity by renaming it 55 Broad Street and labeling the market as a go-to spot for craft and domestic beers. Baldwin, who also owns the Sand Lake Party Store, told The Hillsdale Daily News their short-term goal is to bring beer, wine, and eventually liquor to downtown Hillsdale. The revamped tavern will also

close its doors in February, due to more than $18,000 in unpaid back taxes and high operating costs. Despite previous owners’ attempts to rebrand the popular market, Broad Street was not able to stay in business. Jason Walters, former manager of the the Hillsdale Municipal Airport and the owner of JWA consulting group, told The Collegian in February that the previous owners asked his company to evaluate the restaurant’s financial situation. “The staff at JWA worked diligently and exhaustively to identify paths to success for Broad Street,” Walters said in a statement. “Unfortunately, based on the analysis performed by JWA, the owners

of Broad Street Market Tavern have decided the best option is to close and focus on working on a plan to restructure Broad Street’s operations.” Josh Colletta, a Hillsdale resident who once considered himself a regular customer of Broad Street, said in order to avoid repeating the previous owners’ mistakes, Baldwin and Russell should listen to what the community wants. “As strong and well-intentioned of an effort was made to make it something of a nightlife hotspot, that wasn’t really what downtown needed from it,” Colletta said in a Facebook message. “If they stick to being a straightforward, demand-based specialty store, that, I think, is the way to go.”

Meijer not looking to expand to Hillsdale By | Nic Rowan Assistant Editor

Coldwater-based Munchers on Hooves uses goats as an alternative for landscaping. Wikimedia

offer food, like chicken wings. The focus, however, will remain on providing top-notch alcohol, according to Baldwin. Hillsdale residents are looking forward to seeing the downtown-centered business open its doors again. Penny Swan, a city council candidate, said she thinks the new business will bring life to the downtown area. “I think Broad Street opening back up is a huge benefit to downtown. It will bring more people to downtown which is always a great thing for other businesses downtown,” she said in a Facebook message. “It really has been kind of dead downtown since Broad Street closed.” Broad Street was forced to

Despite rumors that the Meijer franchise was looking to expand to Hillsdale, a spokesperson told The Collegian on Wednesday that the Grand Rapids-based grocery store is “not currently looking to expand to the Hillsdale area.” Hillsdale residents thought Meijer was planning to possibly build a store in Hillsdale in mid-July when a Meijer corporate jet was spotted at the Hillsdale Municipal Airport. Residents had mixed reactions toward the idea of a Meijer in Hillsdale. Some believe the corporation could bring the jobs and economic development Hillsdale needs. “I love the company and

would love to see a Meijer in Hillsdale in the future,” senior Cassidy Splawn, who interned with the corporation,

through donation and involvement in community enhancement programs. It really is a family-owned, family-focused

The outside of Coldwater’s Meijer, which is not currently looking to expand to Hillsdale. Wikimedia Commons

said. “Every community they go into, they touch the lives of those in the community

company and I think that culture would fit well in the Hillsdale area!”

Others, like local Casey Sullivan, disagreed. “I have a feeling a Meijer would put a lot more people out of work than it would employ, and end up being a net negative for the community,” he said in a Facebook post. While they might not go out of business, there are a ton that would lose business and have to cut staff. You can’t just add another huge retailer to a small area and not expect it to have a major impact.” Members of the corporate team would neither confirm nor deny the rumors, but told the Hillsdale Daily News the grocery chain was “always looking to expand.” A public roster of the places to which Meijer plans to expand in 2017 released earlier this year did not include Hillsdale.

Charger

31 AUG. 2017

FOOTBALL RETURNS 20 STARTERS FOR Level of competition INAUGURAL GREAT MIDWEST SEASON By | Nathan Grime Assistant Editor

After a 5-5 campaign in its final season as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the Hillsdale College football team returns with revamped expectations in its debut season in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. In a preseason coaches’ poll, the Chargers ranked second in the eight-team conference. The Chargers begin their non-conference season on Sep. 2, when they visit Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania. Their home opener comes a week later, when they host Michigan Tech University on Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. at Frank “Muddy” Waters Stadium. The first conference game on the schedule for the Chargers is on Homecoming, Sept. 30, against Kentucky Wesleyan College. The final seven games of the eleven-game season will all be against schools in the G-MAC. On Oct. 14, ESPN3 will broadcast the game against the University of Findlay at “Muddy” Waters Stadium, as part of the NCAA’s Division II Showcase. This will be the first time ESPN has ever broadcasted a Hillsdale College football game. On the field, the Chargers return 20 of their 22 starters

from last season. Head coach Keith Otterbein said he expects that continuity to benefit the team. “This is a fun group to coach. They show up, they work hard, they enjoy being around each other,” Otterbein said. “We have great leadership out of our senior group. We’ve got a bunch of guys in this leadership group that are doing the extra things in order to help themselves play at a higher level, which, in turn, helps our whole football team play at a higher level.” The players seem to share their coach’s confidence. “I think we’re talented enough to win the conference,” tailback Joe Reverman said. At the same time, Reverman cautioned against looking too far ahead in the season, saying the team’s priority is always the next game on the schedule. The junior returns for his third season as the team’s primary running back after being named honorable mention all-GLIAC last season. Junior quarterback Chance Stewart, who joined Reverman as an honorable mention all-GLIAC selection in 2016, also returns for his third season as a full-time starter. “Coach Otter has set the expectation every year,” Stewart said. “We go in every year expecting a championship. That stuff doesn’t change at all.”

Stewart also lauded the depth of this year’s team. “Guys from last year’s freshman class will be stepping up and playing,” he said. “For the first time, we really have depth at all of the positions. When you have that depth put in with a lot of talent, it’s exciting to see.” As the signal caller, Stewart said he believes a healthy balance of running and passing will be the key to the Chargers’ offense this year. He also mentioned the importance of having honorable mention All-American wide receiver Trey Brock back for his junior year. On the defensive side, Otterbein said the group has been “playing really hard” and “running to the ball” in practice, something he expects to translate well into the season. Nevertheless, he still sees

some room for improvement. “An area that I would say we have to get better on the defensive side of the ball is putting pressure on the quarterback,” Otterbein said, “which generally is in third down situations, so our ability to get off the field on third downs becomes a critical factor for us.” On special teams, Otterbein is relying on younger players to step up and make an impact on the field. The special teams squad will be critical to the success of both the offense and defense, since field position is important to any team’s ability to execute their game plan. While the transition to the new conference brings a degree of unfamiliarity to the season, the Chargers said they are committed to staying focused on the day-to-day process that they hope will propel them to the top of the G-MAC.

Junior quarterback Chance Stewart threw for 2,546 yards and 19 touchdowns in his sophomore season. Rachael Reynolds | Collegian

Thirteen schools from Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, and West Virginia will make up the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Junior quarterback Chance Stewart threw for 2546 yeards and 19 for the 2017-2018 season. touchdowns in his sophomore year.Rachael Reynolds | Collegian Katherine Scheu | Collegian

G-MAC from A1

Other challenges include not knowing every single opposing coach Hillsdale will square off against. Tharp mentioned the need to learn

the various schemes of the new conference foes. Gravel echoed this sentiment and added that he will have to use Mapquest to find the best restaurants on road trips. Additionally, overall travel

schedules will change for each Hillsdale program. Tharp expressed relief over not having to worry about getting stuck in the Upper Peninsula. These long U.P. trips, however, are exchanged for long drives in

the opposite direction as far as Tennessee. At least it is toward more agreeable weather, Tharp added. The decision to leave the GLIAC after more than 40 years was not taken lightly, but

not a driving factor in conference move

By | Scott McClallen Assistant Editor Some have argued Hillsdale College left the GLIAC because Hillsdale’s athletic programs couldn’t compete. Hillsdale’s 40-plus-year history in the GLIAC proves otherwise. For instance, in 2017, both men’s and women’s track and field finished second in the GLIAC, while several other programs posted impressive seasons. Junior Joel Pietila won the 2017 GLIAC Men’s Golf Individual, while the second-year men’s tennis team finished fourth in the GLIAC. Junior Justin Hyman and sophomore Charlie Adams ranked the No. 8 doubles team in the region. One only has to scan past achievements to see that Hillsdale holds GLIAC records and awards in sports across the board. In 2016, Kyle Cooper was the GLIAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. Luke Ortel won the Player of the Year honor in baseball in that year, as well, setting the conference record for hits in a season, while leading the team to the NCAA tournament. Katie Cezat won the GLIAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Year in 2008 and 2009 — averaging 29 points and 17 rebounds a game to lead the 2009 GLIAC champions. Last year, Emily Oren shattered the GLIAC steeplechase record. Three different Hillsdale players received four GLIAC Volleyball Player of the Year honors from 2006-2011. Three Hillsdale football players won GLIAC Player of the Year in six years, and the Chargers currently have two players starting in the NFL. “If you were to rank the [reasons for leaving] from 1-10, and this was on the list at all, it would probably be right at the bottom,” said Brad Monastiere, assistant athletic director for media relations and event management. Hillsdale athletics have consistently stood out in the region and even competed nationally. Emily Oren was a nine-time national champion in women’s it’s one Brubacher said he believes will benefit the college both immediately and in the years to come. “I think the G-MAC already is a wonderful conference association for us and will grow

track. The teams she was a part of consistently placed on the podium on a national level. Two years ago, women’s cross country was ranked first in the nation during the regular season. “That’s a first for us, to have a team that got ranked No. 1 in a Division II poll, and yet it happened within the two-year window that we gave our notice and is another shot to the theory that we can’t deal with the competition,” Monastiere said. Hillsdale volleyball has qualified for the NCAA tournament nine times, which requires an outstanding season and a top eight spot in the region. “When someone wants to point to competition [as a reason for leaving], it just simply isn’t true,” Monastiere said. “If it was, where is our 1-10 football season where we bottomed out and got crushed by everyone? That hasn’t happened.” In fact, it hasn’t happened in any sport. If Hillsdale left the GLIAC because they could not compete, embarrassing records would have preceded the announcement in 2015. Between volleyball and men’s basketball, Hillsdale finished under .500 just one season in the past 10 years. From 2003-2017, women’s track and field placed in the top five all but two seasons. From 2007-2012, Hillsdale won at least seven football games every year, and only had two losing seasons from 20052015. They also won the GLIAC in 2011, and have all-time winning records against 13 of 16 GLIAC teams. “I’m not saying we dominated the GLIAC, but we were never a doormat to anybody — going back to when we joined the conference in the 70s,” Monastiere said. Other teams may hold more conference titles, but Hillsdale has consistently finished in the top half of the GLIAC and boasts impressive records. Softball has won 20 or more games for four consecutive years. Two years ago, the team was picked 10th in the preseason poll and finished third in the regular season. From 2007-2009, Hillsdale went 50-9 in women’s basketball and has continued to impress since. If a school limps away from a conference dragging last place records, then they probably just couldn’t compete. Hillsdale has no such records.

into an even more outstanding association for us in the future,” he said. “We feel very good about the conference leadership, and we feel really blessed to be in this position.”

VOLLEYBALL TO OPEN SEASON WITH FOUR HOME GAMES THIS WEEKEND By | Michael Lucchese Senior Writer The Hillsdale College women’s volleyball team is preparing for its first season as members of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Last season, the Chargers went 16-12 overall. Six of the team’s seven starters are returning to the team, along with the addition of five promising freshmen. In a recent preseason coaches poll, the team was ranked third in the G-MAC’s western division. Junior right side hitter Paige VanderWall said that the new conference offers the Chargers an opportunity to establish themselves with a new set of teams and also vye against familiar competitors. “While we will see new opponents, some of the teams from our old conference, like Lake Erie and Findlay, are moving with us,” she said. “It’ll be nice to keep our rivalry

with Findlay and play different teams, as well.” Head coach Chris Gravel explained the biggest challenge that comes with the transition to the G-MAC will be more time on the road. “The conference will not be a big change for us,” he said. “We will, however, spend a little more time on the bus.” VanderWall agreed that the demanding schedule will be a serious hurdle the Chargers will need to overcome. “Our team has talked a ton about playing each match hard, because the season does get long and each one of those matches is an important step to where we’d like to end up at the end of the season,” she said. “We also have a lot of weekends of back-to-back traveling, which is tough, both physically and mentally. So being able to be each other’s support systems and keep each other focused on our goals will be important for all of us.” Gravel said every part of the

team’s preseason preparation is aimed at building the kind of habits and skills which will translate to enduring success throughout the season. “We know we can play at a very high level. Playing at that level often is always a challenge,” Gravel said. “Since our last match of last season, the team has made it their mission to improve the way they represent the college through its program. The stakes are high, the expectations are high, and preparation is a constant reality.” Freshman libero Madelyn Schider said the team is concentrating on preparing for the season in two specific areas — focus and communication. “One challenge has been focus, so our coach has made sure to incorporate many drills to keep us alert, which has helped substantially,” she said. “In addition, every team faces some communication problems at the start of a season, but through mental and phys-

ical training we have already made progress to understand each other.” Schider said one of the reasons she chose to play for Hillsdale is the close-knit team community. VanderWall said this family-like atmosphere is really motivating the team to get a strong start and combat those early challenges with communication. “During this preseason, I’ve felt, even more than my past two years, a strong familial bond amongst the team that I think we all really buy into,” VanderWall said. “I think that will really be a strength going into regular season, because we play as a family and play for each other which is really special.” The Chargers open their season with tilts against Michigan Tech University, Indianapolis University, Glenville State College, and Saginaw Valley University at Dawn Tibbetts Arena this weekend.

Sophomore Emily Lachmann is one of six sophomores on the 2017 Hillsdale volleyball roster. Rachael Reynolds | Collegian

www.hillsdalecollegian.com

Aug. 31, 2017

Katherine Scheu | Collegian

An alumna asks: What is the Hillsdale playlist?

From Bob Dylan to Macklemore, Hillsdale’s music is as diverse as its students

ing alternative artists? Have By | Brigitta Burguess Special to The Collegian you heard that Chairman and Professor of Theater and Dance Editor’s Note: This playlist, James Brandon’s theme music compiled by Hillsdale alumni via is a strange conglomeration of a Facebook post by the author, Nirvana, Iron Maiden, Anthrax, represents a range of songs, most- and Megadeth? And isn’t it nuts ly older, that defined the campus that Frank Zappa played at Diexperience of some in the classes rector of Sociology and Social before you. While it doesn’t rep- Thought Peter Blum’s wedding? resent the musical tastes of all Well, okay, that last one isn’t Hillsdale or contain the top hits true. But he wishes it were. More shocking still to my of 2017, we do believe that it offers insight into the atmosphere quiet freshman self were the of the college, as experienced by outrageous contradictions I many and as exhibited in these found in the music tastes of my songs. We hope the selection fellow students. I was baffled to entertains and informs, and we see the same people I saw dancwelcome your feedback. What ing to a Kesha song at the Garden Party songs should be sitting on on the Hillsdale porches playlist? singing Before I “How could Irish folk came to Hills o n g s sdale in 2009, my new friends hours later. I had spent a How could good deal of sing songs by my new time studyfriends ing music. I Johnny Cash and sing songs played music, I by Johnny taught music, I LMFAO with Cash and listened to muM FAO sic, and I wrote the same raucous Lwith the about music. It same rauhad become my desperation and cous desprimary tool for peration understanding joy?” and joy? and relating to Nothothers. ing about But, when I this made arrived at Hillssense to dale, I was completely thrown off by the musi- me. But by my senior year, I realcal interests of the people I met on campus. The faculty are a ized that a Hillsdale song didn’t prime example of the full spec- need to fall into any specific trum of musical appreciation. category. Things like genre, era, For instance, did you know that format, and style didn’t really Associate Professor of English matter at all. Some songs, like Dutton Kearney is a veritable fun.’s “Some Nights” or Kesha’s encyclopedia of up-and-com- “Timber,” seemed to require

being belted out over the loudspeakers at the President’s Ball until you forgot, for a time, about your paper that was due on Monday. Others, like Noah and the Whale’s “5 Years Time” and Matisyahu’s “Jerusalem,” teamed up with your unhealthy coffee intake to get you through those tough late-night study sessions in the Old Snack Bar. Still other favorites, like “Wagon Wheel” and “The Parting

Glass,” were delicately harmonized as you gathered beneath the Donnybrook’s chandelier at the end of the night with friends-turned-family. As long as they brought you all together, arm-in-arm—growing up, certainly, but fighting it all the while— they had a special place. The following is a playlist of essential Hillsdale songs spanning many different classes before and after my own. Surely,

as I am an alumna now four years out of touch with you all, I will have missed some of your favorites. But you will likely still recognize many of these tracks now as you begin your school year ahead. And, years down the road, when you are headed to the office, studying for a higher degree, or tucking your babies into bed, you will listen again. And the songs will be old,

and they will be new, and they will forever be your own. The top tracks from the Hillsdale Essentials playlist are here printed. For more favorites, check out my Spotify playlist. Brigitta Burguess ’13 is a writer, graduate student, and mother of two from Royal Oak, Michigan.

Katherine Scheu | Collegian

Students plan music festival at off-campus house

Culture Shock Compiled by Anna Timmis | Assistant Editor

By | Hannah Niemeier Senior Writer

Senior Emily Barnum

Courtesy

While splitting her summer break between three corners of the world, senior Emily Barnum experienced new ways of life in Dallas, TX, Southeast Asia, and Greece. The language barrier in Southeast Asia was one of the biggest culture shocks she experienced.

Senior Abraham Ourth

Courtesy

After studying abroad in Spain, senior Abraham Ourth took a short trip to Morocco during Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, where observers abstain from food from dawn until sunset.

“I’ve never been in a majority Muslim country during “People would Ramadan. All the yell, ‘Hello Mister, restaurants are closed Hello!’ whenever during the day. As they would see me because they know soon as it gets dark, that mister is a pro- everything becomes noun, but they don’t wide open. It’s like the end of school know the difference between the female where everyone’s like, ‘We’re done—we’re pronoun and the going to have masculine pronoun.” fun now.’” Editor’s Note: Quotes have been edited for length and clarity.

Junior Kathryn Duhadway

Jessie Wilcox

Vacationing with her family in Puerto Rico, junior Kathryn Duhadway experienced the effects of the debt crisis, the recession that has gripped the country for more than a decade.

Junior Jessie Wilcox spent her summer experiencing an American culture different from her own: living in a barn and working at a guest ranch in Wyoming.

Courtesy

“It was like step“There were people ping back in time. who would stand in you’ve a public parking spot, Everything heard about and they would shout boys in moviescowand at the cars that went country songs is by, ‘Do you wanna true. One weekend, park here, do you trail was right wanna park here?’ inour the middle of this And if the people in herd of buffalo, and the car said yes, they’d they were all staring be like, ‘Okay, give me at us. And they’re five dollars and you massive. We had can have this to cross, like, 6 feet parking spot.’” away from them.”

The first annual Wombstock music festival will kick off Saturday. Located on the lawn of a local off-campus house named the Womb, at 36 E Fayette St., the festival plays off the legendary music festival Woodstock, and will feature music from local bands and musicians and those who hail from as far away as Chicago and Iowa. “There will be a good variety of music—acoustic, electronic, indie pop. We’ll have some original music and some covers,” senior and performer Dean Sinclair said. Sinclair will perform with August Hotel, his band based in Chicago, as well as Deaf Davey and the Wineboxes, a band made up of many members of

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Sinclair’s house. The lineup also includes Catherine Coffey ’16, Joel Calvert ’17, Declan James from Dallas, the Chicago-based group Ember Oceans, and Adam Jensen from Iowa. Doors open at 12:30, and the festival will run from 1 to 7 p.m. The event is free, but promoters of the event have created a GoFundMe campaign and promotional videos to support the event. Proceeds will supplement travel expenses for the musicians. “We can’t promise all the flower power of Woodstock,” Sinclair said. “But if people want to show up looking like it’s Coachella, that would be all right.”

“There will be a good variety of music: acoustic, electronic, indie pop. We’ll have some original music and some covers.”

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Aug. 31, 2017

This composite image shows the progression of a partial solar eclipse as seen from Northern Cascades National Park in Washington. Bill Ingalls of NASA | Courtesy

‘Hearing’ solar activity: Students, professor study eclipse By | Madeleine Jepsen Science & Tech Editor Millions of people across the country traveled to get a prime view of the solar eclipse as its path stretched across the continental United States on Aug. 21. In addition to the visual spectacle of the moon crossing in front of the sun, solar eclipses offer unique insight into solar activity and its effects on Earth. Assistant Professor of Physics Timothy Dolch and two

students, freshman Nathaniel Birzer and senior Daniel O’Dette, traveled to rural Kentucky to see the total eclipse, photograph it with an optical telescope, and contribute data for a NASA citizen science project called Radio JOVE using a radio telescope to monitor solar activity. During the total solar eclipse, the sun’s outermost atmosphere or corona, which is normally overpowered by light from the sun’s photosphere, is

Freshman Nathaniel Birzer (left) and senior Daniel O’Dette (right) prepare the optical and radio telescopes for the eclipse. Timothy Dolch | Courtesy

easily visible. Additionally, as the moon covers different parts of the sun, scientists are able to determine the location of solar activity. “Because of the moon’s presence, you know where the emission is not coming from,” Dolch said. “Interestingly, people around the country doing this simultaneously see different parts of the corona blocked off.” Through the Radio JOVE project, these student observations will help consolidate data showing the sun’s activity and its impact on Earth. O’Dette helped construct the radio telescope and monitor solar activity as a part of his senior project. Over the semester, he will be analyzing the signals recorded during the eclipse, writing about the observations, and continuing to work on the telescope, O’Dette said. Part of this work will include sorting through the recorded radio waves from solar activity, which the radio telescope records as a sound file. O’Dette said the natural activity in the recording sounds like a rushing wave, while interference from objects such as police scanners sound like beeps and trills. Once Earth-based interference is identified, the sound files will be converted to graphs and analyzed, O’Dette said. Though a partial eclipse

was visible throughout North America, only a narrow band across the United States experienced a total eclipse, in which the moon completely obscured the sun. Birzer said totality lasted a little over two minutes where their equipment was set up, but time felt sped up during the eclipse. “Certainly during the entire event, time felt very weird,” Birzer said. In addition to the visible corona, an eclipse causes other natural phenomena, Dolch said. Of particular interest to physicists is the area of the atmosphere with high amounts of charged particles and electrons, the Earth’s ionosphere, which changes in response to the temporary darkness. During the eclipse, the ionosphere is temporarily shielded from the solar radiation that gives energy to the charged particles, and as a result, the ionosphere can behave unusually, Dolch said. The group observed other eclipse-related phenomena as well. “There’s a lot of subtle physics during the eclipse,” Dolch said. “Of course you hear crickets and cicadas come out in the middle of the day, you see all the nighttime lights turn on. We also caught an interesting phenomenon known as shadow bands. Just before totality or just after … you have all this

light that’s coming from exactly the same direction going through the atmosphere, and the density variations in the atmosphere cause interference. The result is that you get these dark bands moving across any white surface.” Dolch said he and O’Dette are just beginning to go through the observations from the eclipse, and will continue working to prepare the radio telescope for use in future projects.

Birzer said the group was able to enjoy the eclipse, despite scrambling to set up their observation equipment in the park and make some last-minute repairs to the telescopes. “It was a bit of a scramble because we were also busy standing and watching and just forgetting what other things we were supposed to be doing,” Birzer said. “It was incredibly beautiful.”

The diamond-ring effect, visible just before and after the moon completely blocks the sun, as seen from Kentucky.

Timothy Dolch | Courtesy

Hillsdale research presented at national ACS meeting By | Madeleine Jepsen Science & Tech Editor At one of the largest scientific conferences of the year, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Courtney Meyet presented research carried out by her Advanced Organic Synthesis class and spoke about the unique format of the class at the 254th

National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society. Her presentations were two of nearly 9,400 presentations given during the conference, which was held in Washington, D.C., Aug. 20-24, according to the American Chemical Society. The research focused on the

The 13 Hillsdale students who participated in the Advanced Organic Synthesis class. Their work was presented at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Courtney Meyet | Courtesy

process of synthesizing two types of molecules: allenes, which can be a useful tool for building other chemical compounds, and propargylamine, which can have pharmaceutical applications. The project, carried out in spring 2016, examined the different conditions for a set of reactions used to synthesize propargylamine and allenes in order to find ways to exclusively synthesize one compound or the other, rather than make a mixture of the two. In a series of presentations about chemical education, Meyet also spoke about the class format, which sought to simulate graduate-level research in an undergraduate setting, she said. The class consisted of 13 Hillsdale students, all but one of whom have since graduated and gone on to graduate school or a career in chemistry. “When I entered grad school, I felt prepared, but I noticed other students were not,” Meyet said. “I wanted my own students to have the proper preparation.” In the class, each student was responsible for a portion

of the chemistry and looked at variables such as temperature, the concentration of different compounds used in the reaction, and which compounds produced the largest amount of the desired end product. The students also participated in weekly brainstorming meetings, gave presentations, and designed and wrote about their portion of the project. Meyet said these students’ efforts in the class had a trickledown effect for other students in the department, and helped improve the presentations in the chemistry department’s weekly research seminar, which were similar to the presentations they gave during the Advanced Organic Synthesis class. “They were able to lift up the discussions in our seminar,” Meyet said. “Other students, even those not in the class, had even gotten into that culture of participation in the chemistry.” Meyet said she is in the process of writing a paper about the research, and plans to submit it for publication in a scientific journal once it is complete. She also said the ACS meet-

ing allowed discussions of possible mechanisms responsible for the chemistry she presented on. Haley Banovetz ’16 took the class in her final semester at Hillsdale before attending graduate school to study organic chemistry and said the class helped prepare her for the presentations and work she does as

a part of her current research project. “The structure allowed us to really take control of the project as a class,” Banovetz said. “I think having that only furthered my interest in going to grad school. The presentations you give in her class are very similar to those you have to give in grad school.”

Assistant Professor of Chemistry Courtney Meyet (left), Haley Banovetz ’16 (middle), and Kate Wierenga ’16 (right). Banovetz and Wierenga were students in Meyet’s Advanced Organic Synthesis class.

Courtney Meyet | Courtesy

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing

Cassini’s final days NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, currently in orbit around Saturn, is making its final orbits of the planet after almost 20 years in space. Cassini observations provided in-depth data about Saturn, its rings, and its moons. Before the spacecraft burns up after entering the planet’s atmosphere September 15, Cassini will have completed 74 orbits of Saturn, 44 fly-bys of its moon Titan, and numerous other fly-bys of Saturn’s other icy moons, according to NASA.

Modifying gut bacteria A new study suggests a method for genetically engineering gut bacteria to produce metabolism-altering molecules which may treat certain disorders. The research, published in Nature, capitalizes on new discoveries about commonalities between gut bacteria and human cells. In a test of the method on mice, the researchers found modified gut bacteria reduced blood glucose and caused other metabolic changes in mice.

For the first time in the United States, scientists have successfully edited genes in human embryos to repair a disease-causing mutation, according to a new study published earlier this month in Nature. The researchers used CRISPR-Cas9, a gene-editing tool based on a naturally occurring enzyme in certain species of bacteria.The study represents a significant improvement in efficiency and accuracy over previous efforts, according to Nature.

Shrinking ice shelf An iceberg roughly the size of Delaware broke off from the fourth-largest ice shelf in the Antarctic, Larsen C, according to images observed by NASA’s Aqua satellite. The detached iceberg caused the Larsen C shelf area to shrink by approximately 10 percent. Images from another NASA satellite show new rifts in the Larsen C shelf that could threaten its future stability, according to National Geographic News.

A8 31 August 2017

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Orientation for international students is a remedy for homesickness By | Nicole Ault Assistant Editor When senior Ema Karakoleva moved to Hillsdale from Bulgaria, orientation didn’t just involve navigating classrooms and meeting the deans. It meant getting used to American food, small talk, and even a different style of door knob. “Everything is different,” Karakoleva said. “Freshman year was very stressful.” This year, Karakoleva and sophomore Ritah Ogayo — who came to Hillsdale from Nairobi, Kenya — decided to help this year’s five incoming international students bypass some stress by organizing an orientation just for them. Held in the Grewcock Student Union’s Formal Lounge on Monday, the orientation was the first of its kind students and faculty members could remember happening at Hillsdale. “I thought, ‘I don’t want anyone else to go through

this,’” said Ogayo, noting that cultural differences and practical matters contributed to anxiety and loneliness during her first semester. “I’d be missing out because no one talked to me about college culture and American culture. That will affect a student mentally and physically.” Although Karakoleva had the idea for the orientation last year, Ogayo acted on it this summer while working for the Hillsdale College Contact Center. She talked to college faculty, researched international student programs at other colleges, and reached out to international students at Hillsdale — this year, there are 20 from 11 countries — to come up with a program for the orientation. “Little tips here and there make everything go so much more smoothly,” said Karakoleva, who presented a PowerPoint explaining everything from how to obtain a driver’s license and social security number to where to go for counseling

CAMPUS CHIC How many weddings did you attend this summer?

and what food and weather students can expect. Hillsdale College nurse Carol Drews spoke about food and nutrition, and Director of Health Services Brock Lutz talked about mental health and where to go for help. Most international students deal with homesickness and loneliness, Ogayo said. Karakoleva — an out-

“I thought, ‘I don’t want anyone else to go through this.’” going person and president of the International Club — said she retreated to her bed during her freshman year and would only talk with friends back home. In Bulgaria, she said, no one does small talk — so she didn’t feel comfortable approaching people to strike up a conversation. And speaking with an accent can discourage students from talking in class or with friends,

What’s essential to alumni wedding guest outfits? GH: Wear shoes that not only look great but also feel great. Be the last girl in her heels dancing the night away.

tation was an excellent way for students to be prepared for unexpected challenges. “You’re out of your country and culture, and it can be a very difficult transition,” he said. “Because of that, you can feel anxious or isolated or confused. The orientation gave international students resources on campus.” Students from abroad don’t struggle with loneli-

ness because American students don’t care, Karakoleva and Ogayo clarified — they just often don’t know what international students are dealing with. “You don’t know how to help someone if you don’t know what their difficulties are,” Karakoleva said. American students can show they care by asking about international students’ home cultures and how they’re doing, said Professor of Spanish Carmen Wyatt-Hayes, a faculty adviser for the International Club. Sherri Rose, assistant professor of French who also advises the club, said American students have a lot to gain from getting to know students from abroad. “International students bring a wealth of diversity to campus,” she said in an email. “They bring with them the languages and cultures of their homelands. This might come to light in the food they cook in their dorm, what music they like to dance to, or

how they react to a current event in the news.” Lutz connected the presence of diversity with an opportunity to work toward the college’s mission. “In our culture, diversity is a challenging concept — what it means, whether it should be a goal,” he said, noting that at Hillsdale, diversity has a purpose: finding truth. “The more perspectives you have, the better.” Just as encountering American culture changed her perspective, Karakoleva said, interacting with exchange students can help Americans expand their understanding of the world. “We’re very interesting, and we have a lot to show,” she said. “If you hang out with people from different places, you’d be very surprised that they have cool stories to tell. We want people to be a little more interested.”

Summer florals & alumni weddings

Gwendolyn Hodge

GH: Six. That’s what happens when you go to a Christian high school and then Hillsdale.

Ogayo said. “I had a very lonely freshman year,” Karakoleva said. “I was concerned about credits and what classes to take. You have to worry where you’re going to live when they close the dorms.” Lutz, who talked about counseling services and ways for students to connect with families in the community, said the orien-

How did you choose this dress? RO: You can’t go wrong with florals. The wedding was during the summer — my favorite season in America — and summer is just full of color. It was in the Slayton Arboretum and I wanted to match the location as well as the season What’s your favorite Kenyan wedding tradition?

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RO: The dances during the reception, especially the traditional dances. Kenyans are great dancers.

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Ritah Ogayo By | Features Staff

Ritah Ogayo | Courtesy