Off-Campus Coalition leads homecoming
By Skye Graham Collegian Reporter
The Off-Campus Coalition leads midway through homecoming week after Sohn Residence won Wednesday’s trivia competition on a tiebreaker question with Kirn “New Dorm” Residence.
“We’ll use this momentum to carry us through the rest of homecoming week,” junior and OCC member Charlie Cheng said. “Our goal is to win it, and we’re confident that we will.”
OCC is now in first place with 360 points after ranking fourth in trivia, winning the video competition, and ranking second in the banner competition earlier in the week. Sohn currently stands in second place with 285 points, and Simpson Residence ranks
third with 280 points.
Wednesday’s trivia night ran more than half an hour over schedule, coming down to a final question between the Sohn and New Dorm teams:
“How many tons of treasure were on the Whydah Galley when it was sunk?”
The answer was 4.5 tons, and Sohn answered 20 tons. Kirn overestimated by more, according to junior and Sohn team member Olivia Finch.
“We were closest, so we ended up in first place,” Finch said. “It was a pretty harrowing experience. Simpson was in first for three rounds, and then suddenly we pulled ahead.”
Trivia included questions on pirate history, pirate ship trivia, books and movies about pirates, and sea monsters. Junior and Sohn resi -
Waffle fries on wheels: Chick-fil-A food truck may come to campus in spring
By Eleanor Whitaker Assistant Editor
A Hillsdale College education may soon come with a side of waffle fries and Zesty Buffalo Sauce as Chick-fil-A and the college work toward bringing a food truck to campus next semester.
“The plan right now is to get a food truck to come down and be at sporting events or as a dining option for students and the community to come and purchase food,” said Tyler DeKoekkoek, owner and operator of the Battle Creek Chick-fil-A.
Tim Wells, associate vice president for administration, said plans for the food truck have not yet been finalized.
“At this point, we are continuing to discuss options and what might be possible and feasible,” Wells said in an email to The Collegian. “A food truck would allow the college community to be the recipient of the Chick-Fil-A product to a greater degree, which I believe would be well received.” Wells said the food truck would be owned by the Battle Creek Chick-fil-A.
“Our hope, from what they have shared, is that the Battle Creek store may be awarded one in the 2025 calendar year and given our relationship with that location currently, that we may be able to benefit from it being
at select college events and dates,” Wells said.
According to DeKoekkoek, the food truck would likely arrive on campus early next semester, but Chickfil-A is still in discussions with the college right now, and plans are not yet set in stone.
“I don’t have a ton of confidence in when exactly it’s gonna happen, but I know the goal is really just to be available second semester,” DeKoekkoek said.
DeKoekkoek said the food truck will offer a wide range of food items from the Chick-fil-A menu, and students may have an opportunity to be employed on the truck.
“If and when, really just when, the food truck comes into action, the hope and plan is to have students work on the food truck, which will hopefully create excitement around the brand,” DeKoekkoek said.
DeKoekkoek said to start, the food truck will not be available every day on campus.
“I think the goal is to come more often than the Chick-fil-A in the dining hall, but I know that is a conversation that the college and Chick-fil-A is having together,” DeKoekkoek said.
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dent assistant Abi Laiming said the team studied for an hour in A.J.’s before the event.
The team’s best category was pirate history, she said, but Finch got almost every question in the sea monsters category correct.
“Olivia knows an incredible amount about Greek mythology and other kinds of mythology,” Laiming said, “so she rocked the sea creatures section.”
While waiting for the final results, Finch said the Sohn team started doing the macarena to the Jeopardy theme song for five minutes.
“I’m pretty sure we were descending into madness,” Finch said.
Laiming said either team could have won the competition.
“It was literally a coin flip,” she said.
Cheng collaborated with junior Joshua Burnett to direct and film OCC’s winning video, released on Instagram Tuesday.
Cheng said the video was inspired by a humorous ad from the TV Show “The Sopranos” called “Life is Short.”
“It’s essentially a dark humor ad encouraging people to try something new everyday,” Cheng said. “I thought the same idea could be applied to pirates very well.”
Despite not being in the lead midway through the week, junior Jonathan Williams, a Simpson resident assistant, said that the effort and enthusiasm Simpson puts into homecoming week is about more than just winning.
“Simpson dorm has this idea of taking silly things really seriously,” Williams said.
“And that’s not just because it’s fun, but it’s also because our brotherhood unites around it. We get to hold on to the great parts of childhood while we also grow older.”
Kappa Kappa Gamma’s banner took first place after banner drop Sunday night with the Off-Campus Coalition and Sohn ranking second and third, respectively.
Sophomore Eva Bessette and junior Maggie McWhinnie collaborated to design Kappa’s winning banner, which depicted a pirate ship and a detailed drawing of a mermaid. Below this image, the black-and-white banner displayed a line of Latin in gold lettering: “Ex libris Kappa Kappa Gamma,” which means “From the library of Kappa Kappa Gamma.”
“We found a lot of old me-
dieval book stamps, which we took inspiration from,” McWhinnie said. “It’s supposed to look like the first page in somebody’s personal book. We featured a lot of Kappa icons like the pearl and the shell, the key, and we did a bunch of little irises, which is our sorority flower.”
Senior Phoebe Vanheyningen, a member of Hillsdale’s Students Activities Board creative team, said SAB decided very quickly on the pirate theme because it could be easily incorporated into banners, homecoming videos, and mock rock performances.
“There’s always a big discussion around the homecoming theme,” Vanheyningen said. “This year, I think it was pretty unanimous from the first mention of pirates.”
Senior class donates fire pit to foster community
By Tayte Christensen Assistant Editor
The 2025 senior class gift will be an outdoor fire pit, the Legacy Board announced Oct. 4.
The gas-powered fire pit will be located on the south quad outside Lane Hall. Faculty and students will be able to use it to warm themselves as they hold outdoor classes, study, and host events.
“The Legacy Board is very excited about a new space on campus for gathering, community, making use of the space that is already the south quad that is often underused, and making that a new space for gathering,” said Braden VanDyke ’21, associate director of alumni relations.
College President Larry Arnn delivered remarks at the gift unveiling ceremony and said the firepit will add beauty to an already beautiful campus.
“You will be connected to this college for the rest of your life, and we’ll be proud of you,” Arnn said.
Legacy Board member and senior Micah Hart said the board hopes to give a gift that builds community on campus.
Hart said after years of
being told “no” to in-person activities in high school due to COVID, Hillsdale told the current senior class “yes” when its members arrived as freshmen.
“Our senior class left high school with a fractured sense of what it means to be in community, as schools shut down and classes were moved online,” Hart said. “We, however, walked onto a college campus where community wasn’t denied, but rather was a must.” Hart said with the main quad currently under con -
struction, students are lacking community gathering spaces. He said the Legacy Board hopes the senior gift will make up for that.
“As we await these new developments, it is important that we ensure that there are additional spaces for students to gather together,” Hart said.
“Although our buildings and green spaces change, our community doesn’t have to.”
According to Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé, construction on the project could begin as early as this fall.
Péwé said the class gift is one of two firepits the college plans to install on the south quad. The Legacy Board aims to raise $15,000 for the project, but the total project will cost closer to $50,000, according to Péwé.
“I think the senior class gift will be a nice cozy area for students to gather on campus,” Senior Olivia Michiels said. “I’m sure it will become a beloved study spot soon.” Senior Maggie Baldwin said she is excited for the firepit to be installed.
“I’ve always wanted one, and I thought ‘the Legacy Board wants what I want,’” she said. “I hope they put the firepit on that one stump that I always trip on.”
Arnn said the project will connect current seniors to the college and he hopes they will return to campus after graduation to see the completed product.
“Thank you for the gift. It’s really great,” Arnn said. “Come back and I’ll buy you a marshmallow.”
Students counted down
Rendering shows plan for the fire pit outside Lane Hall.
Courtesy | Hoerr Schaudt
Q&A: Pakaluk offers advice for marriage, family
By Sarah Katherine Sisk Senior Reporter
Catherine Pakaluk earned her Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University and now serves as an associate professor of social research and economic thought at the Busch School of Business at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. She and her husband currently reside in Hyattsville, Maryland with their eight children.
What advice do you have for young people who want families?
My number one advice is “don’t wait.” If you’ve found someone you want to marry, start a family immediately. It’s become really common to view marriage as one step and having kids as a second step, discerned apart from the marriage decision. So, a couple gets married after college, say, but waits until after a master’s degree or a special job to welcome a first child. But once you subject the timing of your family to the “right time” then the qualitative requirements can get bigger and messier. When we have this much financial savings. This much security. This much room in our house. When I finish this one more opportunity. Search the internet briefly, and you will find thousands of advice columns about the right time to start a family.
What’s wrong with waiting?
The problem with this approach is that you don’t have all the information you need to make the decisions. You don’t know how much you’re going to love that child and how much — looking back — you’ll wish you started sooner. I heard this from so many people in my interviews. When you finally clear away the obstacles and have your first child, two things happen. First, you realize nothing really makes you ready, and that’s OK. Having your baby is what makes you ready. Second, you discover how wonderful, meaningful, and delightful it is to be a mother or a father. Looking back, you’ll often think, if I had known it was this good, I would
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Wells said it is unlikely that students would be able to use meal swipes at the food truck.
“Those decisions will be made at a later date,” Wells said. “However, it would be more likely that any meal swipe utilization would be kept to times that the product is offered in the cafeteria.”
Wells said no definitive decisions have been made regarding a brick-and-mortar Chick-fil-A location on campus.
“Given the college’s current plans regarding capital projects, anything in this regard as it relates to a physical location on campus is not on the current horizon,” Wells said.
Chick-fil-A announced last month that a new location will open in Jackson next year, bringing the taste of a crispy chicken sandwich only 45 minutes away.
Junior Joseph “Hinson” Peed said if a Chick-fil-A food truck came to campus, he would eat there every day.
“I’m so glad we’re continuing our Christian legacy by bringing a Chickfil-A food truck to campus,” Peed said. “This might just bring the college back into my good graces after tearing up the quad.”
have started sooner. I would have cleared the obstacles.
This matters because a very important predictor of the size of your family is when you start. Because your fertility falls so dramatically in your 30s. If you start later in your 20s, by the time you know how much you enjoy mothering (or fathering), it might be too late to fill out your family the way you want to. Women have so many regrets about not starting sooner, so my number one advice is to go against the grain and start as soon as possible. Don’t listen to the voices who say you’re being unwise. Your friends will come to regret their single-mindedness and see your “foolishness” as wisdom.
Is it possible for a woman to have a career and a large family?
For sure. In my book, I introduce women with large families of all types—some with careers (doctor, professor), others with part-time jobs, and others who are staying home at the time when I interview them. What stood out to me was that the women I met had planned for their families. Practically, they picked jobs and careers that could be fitted around their kids, rather than what usually happens — fitting your kids around your career.
This is how it works, I think. We all know that career and family will be in conflict at least sometimes. You can’t do everything at the same time. When two things rub up against each other, something has to give. You have to choose where you’re willing to put something on the back burner for a bit. If your family is the most important thing to you, then for a while at some point in life, you’re going to let your career suffer a setback or a time out. That’s OK — it won’t be forever. But this approach — putting family first in a conflict — leads to happier, more well-adjusted children, a peaceful heart, and fulfillment in the long run. In the long run, you have a family, and you develop your pro-
fessional contributions, just not in the same time frame as others.
In my case, just to spell it out, I took double the normal time to finish my Ph.D., double the normal time to get tenure, and I work professionally a lot more in my 40s than I did in my 30s (my last baby was born when I was 40). It doesn’t track with my husband’s career time frame, and that’s OK. I wouldn’t trade any of my kids for writing my first book earlier in life.
How can young women resist buying into the “girl boss” narrative when society praises careerists?
Sometimes I think the answer to this question is: grace, grace, and more grace. Yes, there are some helpful tips for not measuring yourself by a worldly standard. Build a network of real role models — women you’d like to be like someday. Learn what makes them wonderful, notice things they do and don’t do. How they dress and don’t dress. How they prioritize their time, and what they don’t waste time on, etc., but ultimately, I think prayer and grace are essential parts of resisting the alluring messages of the world. We know that in all things, there is a struggle between good and evil. Why not here, too? Like the devil tempting Jesus in the desert, the world will offer us so many images of success that compete with a Christian life. We are going to be vulnerable to these temptations without prayer and God’s grace.
How should young people hoping to get married and start families prepare financially?
Save, save, and save. Commit to living comfortably below your means and saving the extra, even if it seems small. You might be tempted to think: it’s too far to go, we can’t save enough. Not so. The habit of saving compounds in our lives, and it’s a wonderful discipline that helps us grow up. Because we live in a culture of “easy credit,” which says borrow for
the things you want today and pay it back later. This means you can have whatever you want when you want it.
But the consequence is living a life burdened by increasing debts and interest payments. What looked like freedom to consume ends up limiting your freedom. It commits your future earnings to payments when you don’t know what you’ll want to be free to do later. Having kids is the long game — God’s recommended savings. Beginning to save early, high school ideally, or college, puts you in a position to see everything with a view to the long term and not those immediate gratifications. So, the act of saving young will make starting your family easier, both because you’ll be in a stronger financial position but also because you practice a virtue that makes it easier to do hard things in the short term for the sake of longterm gain. This is a deeply biblical principle.
How and where should single people look for a partner with similar values?
Well, in a nutshell, church. Seriously — we know that the practice of faith provides the values and spiritual resources to do hard things, and Judeo-Christian communities value children. Normally, single people are going to benefit by looking for friends and partners in religious communities. For a lot of young people this will mean a college that is religious, or at least friendly to serious religious communities. But of course, I also recommend being open about looking. Your family, friends of your family, may have recommendations. That’s not a weird thing, it’s been done for centuries. Finally, pray without ceasing. We know that God wants to bless us with marriage and family. The words of scripture declare it. But he also wants us to ask for our needs. He wants us to go to him as we would to a good father. He can do all things. Pray daily to find a godly, holy spouse. Then, try to stay open to the still, small voices. And trust that God will provide. He is always faithful.
College considers Jewish studies program
By Maggie O’Connor Collegian Freelancer
The college is currently discussing ways to increase Jewish studies in its curriculum and facilitate a stronger Jewish community on campus, administrators said.
These discussions are preliminary, but they include plans for creating classical Jewish studies opportunities at the undergraduate and graduate levels and better accommodation of Jewish faculty and students.
In spring 2023, Hillsdale welcomed Robert Holmstedt, professor of the Hebrew Bible and West Semitic language at the University of Toronto, as a visiting professor. Holmstedt taught a one-week-upper-level religion course called “Reading Genesis with the Rabbis,” and will be teaching another course this spring on early Judaism.
“He is a very skilled scholar,”
Associate Professor of Classics Joshua Fincher said. “Having him here is a wonderful thing because he’s very knowledgeable and has an excellent body of secondary work.”
Fincher himself has taught Hebrew grammar classes, upper level Hebrew reading classes, and various religion and classics classes at Hillsdale that explore the Rabbinic tradition. He said that Hebrew language classes are essential to an indepth study of Judaism.
“The history of the process
of Jewish interpretation of Scripture is very complicated, and Hebrew is inextricably bound up with these Jewish studies and Jewish identity,” Fincher said.
Associate Vice President for Curriculum David Whalen has been a part of these discussions for increasing Judaic studies at Hillsdale and said College President Larry Arnn has led the plans.
“Dr. Arnn is at the heart of all thinking about the possible amplification of Jewish presence on campus and possible initiatives regarding future academic programs,” Whalen said. “He’s been thinking about this kind of thing for many years.”
Arnn said in an email statement that Hillsdale has always been welcoming to Jews, and reading more Jewish literature can enrich Hillsdale’s study of the story of humanity. The college’s possible plans include hiring more Jewish faculty to teach this Jewish literature.
“Reading the classic Jewish literature from the Bible to the moderns more deeply can only be good,” Arnn said. “There are Jewish teachers who can enrich our understanding of that literature.”
Fincher said having knowledgeable and skilled instructors would be essential to teaching Judaism properly.
“My biggest concern is for the Rabbinic tradition to be taught with authenticity,”
By Sarah Katherine Sisk Senior Reporter
The self-imposed obligations of family life could save American democracy by providing a safeguard against selfish individualism, said Catherine Pakaluk, author of a new book on college-educated women who have large families, in a speech hosted by Praxis Oct. 3.
“My subjects described their choice to have many children as a deliberate rejection of an autonomous, customized, self-regarding lifestyle in favor of a way of life intentionally limited by the demands of motherhood,” Pakaluk said. “They are motivated by a deeply biblical worldview, characterized by trust in God and hope in his providence.”
Praxis, Hillsdale’s political economy group, hosted Pakaluk, an associate professor of social research and economic thought at the Catholic University of America, to speak about her book “Hannah’s Children: The Stories of Women Quietly Defying the Birth Dearth,” which was published in March.
In the book, Pakaluk seeks to understand why a small fraction of American women are having at least five children, despite the nation’s current “birth dearth,” which has lowered the demographic standard greatly.
Fincher said. “Because it is different from Christian tradition, I would like to see those differences reflected rather than being papered over.” College Chaplain Reverend Adam Rick said studying Judaism can help Christians better understand their faith.
“It’s good for Christians to engage with the Jewish roots of our faith,” Rick said. “Jesus was a Jew. All the disciples were Jews. All the authors of the New Testament books were Jewish except Luke, and so the influence of the Jewish patrimony on the formation of Christian faith is major.”
Assistant Professor of Religion Don Westblade said he hopes to see Judaism practiced, expressed, and better understood on campus.
“Jerusalem’s in our mission statement, and I don’t think it gets the attention that Athens gets here,” Westblade said. “Having a Jewish presence on campus is going to help us. Part of the complication is that we just don’t have the infrastructure for Jewish life.”
Westblade said practical accommodations like a synagogue and a kosher kitchen would make it easier for Jewish students to find a home at Hillsdale.
“Anything that will elevate the profile of Jerusalem is worth supporting,” Westblade said. “I like to see Jerusalem get its fair share of our time.”
Pakaluk interviewed 55 college-educated women raising five or more children.
Pakaluk said her subjects had a few things in common — they spoke of a life of religious seriousness and viewed openness to children as a way of living, not just a specific window of time.
“They spoke of self-sacrifice, but not of losing themselves,” Pakaluk said. “They believed they found themselves in having children and that their personalities and capacities expanded indeed so richly as to give rise to other persons.”
These women said raising children for a large portion of their lives cultivated the characteristics necessary to live well with others and work for the good of the community.
“They believe that living with needy, young children for an extended period of life fosters other regarding virtues necessary for egalitarianism and civic friendship, such as empathy, generosity, solidarity, and self-denial,” she said.
One of Pakaluk’s subjects, called “Hannah,” said the family structure links everyone like a chain, imposing a communitarian existence.
For example, the subjects frequently may have grandparents, children, or grandchildren living nearby, sometimes within a few blocks of each other.
“Across generations, individuals have ancestors to whom they have debts and offspring to whom they have responsibilities,” Pakaluk said. “Childbearing cancels debts, as it were, giving rise to new obligations. We would say, paying it forward.”
By having kids, “Hannah” believes one can become part of a “chain of infinity,” Pakaluk said.
According to Pakaluk, “Hannah” said the eternal status conferred on an individual for having kids makes her “equal in dignity to her kin for all time.”
The family embodies elements of egalitarianism, communitarianism, and hierarchy simultaneously, Pakaluk said.
Self-imposed responsibilities within a flourishing family life counteract selfish forms of individualism, according to Pakaluk. Through strong families, democracy in America may successfully cultivate the private and public virtues that concerned political philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville, she said.
“Hannah’s familial chain is a perfect image of the paradox that she and my subjects describe,” Pakaluk said. “A single link in the chain cannot do its own thing, but the link is never alone. She knows where she’s been, she knows where she’s going. She finds her purpose in the ties of the chain.”
Pakaluk’s idea that pro-natalist policies are bound to fail because people have children for “reasons of the heart” particularly resonated with senior Olivia Michiels, the public relations officer for Praxis.
“Pakaluk’s talk is quite pertinent to the lives of many women on campus,” Michiels said. “Sharing the words and beliefs of such a small slice of the population — women with five or more kids — is so valuable and allows people to consider different ideas about what family can mean.”
Senior Kelly Behling said she disagrees with the implication that women have to choose between motherhood and career.
“I don’t think those things are mutually exclusive,” Behling said. “Having children should absolutely be encouraged and viewed as a blessing. But if a woman elects to pursue a career at the same time, I think that’s perfectly fine too.”
Behling said Pakaluk’s lecture shed light on very pressing issues, including declining fertility rates and the breakdown of nuclear families.
“There needs to be more individuals like her speaking on this topic,” Behling said. “Especially to college students, who are approaching a stage in their lives where the main concern is balancing career and family needs.”
Catherine Pakaluk is an associate professor of social research and economic thought at the Catholic University of America. Courtesy | Catherine Pakaluk
Hillsdale ranks in top 50 of liberal arts colleges
By Micah Hart Senior Reporter
Hillsdale College ranks 50th among national liberal arts colleges in the latest annual survey of U.S. News & World Report, released Sept. 24.
“I believe we stand out from other universities because our faculty work diligently to offer our students an education that encourages both the pursuit of virtue and the love of learning,” Provost Christopher VanOrman said.
In the survey of more than 1,500 colleges and universities, Hillsdale also ranked fourth for first-year retention rate and seventh for financial resources for national liberal arts colleges, according to a press release from the college.
Zachary Miller, senior director of admissions, said the retention rate, which is 96%, sits as high as it does because admissions looks for students who are up for the work and will thrive because of their desire to learn about the classical liberal arts.
“We go through a painstaking process to really find the best fits from across the country,” Miller said. “Once they get here, the college wraps their arms around those students in so many ways, so it’s a partnership, but it starts in the admissions process and goes all the way through to graduation.”
U.S. News and World Report is a media company that publishes these annual ratings alongside statistics and information on each college. Since 2013, Hillsdale has landed in the top 100 national liberal arts colleges in the U.S. News and World Report rankings.
Miller also credited the work in the admissions process with other recent rankings from the Princeton Review, which ranks Hillsdale second for friendliest students and 13th for happiest students.
“I think the students that we end up admitting are the ones who have demonstrated they really know what Hillsdale is
about, “ Miller said. “That usually does parlay over to seeing at least they’re happy here.”
Patrick Flannery, vice president for finance and treasurer, said a lot of the college’s success comes down to the work of College President Larry Arnn, specifically in terms of financial resources.
“These donors, students, and students’ parents have realized all the work he’s done — our quality faculty and curriculum that we have,” Flannery said. “People have seen that. They’ve been willing to trust us with the resources that they have.”
This financial responsibility is something Miller said sets Hillsdale apart.
“If you look at a lot of the top schools on that list of the top 100 liberal arts colleges, we have one of the lowest total costs of any of those schools by far,” Miller said.
Flannery, Miller, and VanOrman, however, emphasized the greater importance of the college’s mission as compared to ratings.
Flannery said donors are interested in the mission of the college.
“I think a lot of the donors find it appealing that we’re able to bring in a great student,” Flannery said. “I think, in general, our donors are really interested in our mission and how we educate kids in the liberal arts.”
Hillsdale’s education and environment distinguishes Hillsdale from other liberal arts colleges, VanOrman said.
“While we are pleased to receive these rankings, it’s important to note that such accolades are subjective and are not something we chase,” VanOrman said. “We are confident that Hillsdale’s unique culture, rooted in a classical liberal arts education and a commitment to intellectual and spiritual growth, offers a truly exceptional learning environment.”
Beeswax, tote bags, jewelry: SAB hosts Maker’s Market
By Cassandra DeVries Collegian Reporter
Junior Allie Springer laid out homemade lip balm, hair wax, soap, candles, and honey from her family’s bee farm last Saturday at SAB’s annual Maker’s Market.
“It’s a perfect event,” Springer said. “I usually make things at home during breaks but do not have to commit to a full business.”
Students sold homemade bee products, tote bags, jewelry, paintings, baked goods, stuffed animals, and more on the south quad.
“Personally, this is my favorite SAB event, just because I like shopping,” Springer said.
Springer’s first market was last fall.
“My family started beekeeping a couple of summers ago,” Springer said. “We will harvest the honey and then will filter out the beeswax from what’s left.”
Springer said she found most
of her recipes on Google or in her own book on bee alchemy.
“It’s like being in a chemistry lab, just troubleshooting why things aren’t having a good consistency, whether they’re not dissolving,” Springer said. “Soap making has definitely been the hardest thing for me, so that’s not perfect yet.”
Senior Kody Richards sold tote bags, zipper pouches, and makeup bags made with Rifle Paper Company fabric at a booth.
“I did it first time sophomore year after seeing it freshman year,” Richards said. “When I’m home over the summer, I usually just go over to my Nana’s
once a week, and we sew together. We spend the whole day making bags and getting lunch, too.”
Senior Emma Turner sold gold-plated jewelry from her own company, Star Girl Jewelry, at her booth, including necklaces, earrings, and charm bracelets.
“We had our best year on record this year,” Turner said. Turner said she has been making jewelry since she was 10 years old.
“I started it because it was 2020, and I had a ton of extra time on my hands,” she said. “I decided to pour that extra time into creating a business.”
Springer said she loved seeing what other students sold as well.
“They sold musubi, like a little rice sandwich — that was fire this year,” Turner said.
Richards said she thought Maker’s Market was a great outlet for students since homework typically takes up so much of students’ time.
“It’s a fun way to encourage people to do fun, creative, hands-on things,” Richards said. “There are a lot of people who have creative talents or interests that you would never know about because we live in such an academic environment.”
Turner agreed and said the lack of an entry fee and provided tables made the event better than a typical farmer’s market.
“It’s a great way for student entrepreneurs and small business owners, or even just people who have a side hustle, to share that with campus,” Turner said. “It’s a really great opportunity for students to test out their ideas in an affordable way.”
Hillsdale dads on the bench discuss role of the judiciary
By Joshua Mistry Collegian Reporter
Nobody screamed at a pair of federal judges in the Hoynak Room Oct. 2 — unlike what happened to one of them last year at Stanford Law School — while they discussed the common misunderstanding that the role of the judiciary is to create policy rather than apply law.
The Federalist Society hosted the conversation with two Hillsdale dads, Justice Jay Mitchell of the Alabama Supreme Court and Judge Kyle Duncan of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Mitchell’s daughter Elizabeth “Tully” Mitchell and Duncan’s son Joseph Duncan are both juniors at the college.
While appearing before the Federalist Society at Stanford Law School in March 2023, Duncan was verbally accosted by protestors.
“We have both been the subject of some pretty intense public controversies surrounding opinions we’ve written and oth-
er things I’ve done in my career,” Duncan said.
The protestors were angry over his role in Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board, which stopped transgender individuals from using the bathroom of their choice at state institutions.
“They were screaming at me,” Duncan said. “All these protestors came in and they occupied the room.”
Duncan said the protestors made it difficult for him to give his speech by overtaking the meeting.
“It’s really hard to give a speech when, after every other word, people make visible retching sounds and scream at you,” Duncan said.
For Mitchell, his controversy surrounded the majority opinion he wrote in the case LePage v. The Center for Reproductive Medicine this past February.
The opinion garnered claims that the Alabama Supreme Court was abolishing IVF, said Duncan, who spoke for Mitchell regarding the case.
Alumni talk conservative journalism, left-wing media
By Luke Miller Collegian Reporter
Left-wing media is being used as a political tool to sway elections, but conservative journalists should try to hold it to account, according to panelists at the “Communication is Key” political journalism panel hosted by Hillsdale College Republicans Oct. 3.
“How are you supposed to infiltrate a 95/5 institution?” said panelist Nainoa Johsens ’18. “Do you want the mental drain of being that person? I would say yes, I would love to see that happen, but I feel bad for the person that has to do it.”
Johsens is former RNC Director of Asian Pacific American Communications, and he was joined by three other alumni working in political journalism: Elizabeth Troutman Mitchell ’24, reporting fellow for the The Daily Signal, Reagan Reese ’22, White House Correspondent for the Daily Caller, and Haley Strack ’23, a
William F. Buckley Jr. Fellow at National Review.
The panel focused on the bias in legacy media, the need for journalistic integrity, and the strengths of each party’s messaging.
“Bias has eroded almost every legacy media institution that we have,” Strack said. “They handle Democrats with kid gloves and treat Republicans with contempt, and more often than not, Americans listen.”
Reese spoke firsthand on her reporting about legacy media bias, saying top executives at CBS news made major donations to Democratic campaigns.
“It’s pretty damning how many top executives who work with the news department at CBS are pledging their allegiance to the Biden campaign, to the Harris campaign now,” Reese said. “I think that is a violation of the ethics of journalism.”
Journalistic integrity is an extremely important practice for conservative journalists who
want to hold left-wing media to account, according to the panelists.
“When you see people who started off at the conservative outlets going into mainstream media, they usually change,” Mitchell said.
Reese said practices like barring political donations and fact-checking both sides have helped her organization defend itself from accusations of bias when holding the left-wing media to account.
“I think sometimes conservative journalists can turn a blind eye to the things that Donald Trump and J.D. Vance do, but you have to be really disciplined as a journalist,” Reese said. “I’m sure conservative media can show bias, but I would hope that I am not amongst those journalists.”
The panelists also said Republicans are worse than Democrats at serious political messaging, but Democrats are not as effective at appealing to humor.
“The left can’t meme,” Johsens said. “The RNC research guys are really good, whether it is a clip of Biden stumbling over himself or what, the left just loses its mind, and the DNC equivalent is just not funny.”
Strack said conservative journalists are frustrated by the Republican attempt to use leftwing media for messaging.
“Republican operatives in D.C. give the best stories to liberal outlets, but the Democrats through the media are very good at messaging to their own base and within their own base,” Strack said.
Hillsdale College Republicans President and junior Joseph “Hinson” Peed said he hoped people would leave the event with a different perspective on the media from behindthe-scenes players.
“We see the negative effects of the left-wing media, but you know, all four of these people are great people, great journalists,” Peed said. “As Hillsdale College Republicans, we were really looking to show students all the different options they have to get involved in politics, including journalism and communications.”
Sophomore Josiah Jones said he took from the event an appreciation for Hillsdale’s alumni network.
“We had panelists who worked in the upper ranks of the RNC and are in the White House press conference room who just graduated from Hillsdale a few years ago,” Jones said. “We have one of the most impressive alumni networks of any institution of higher education in the United States.”
“I read in the newspaper, ‘Jay Mitchell of Alabama Supreme Court abolishes IVF,’” Duncan said. “But the Alabama Supreme Court doesn’t have the authority to abolish IVF. That’s just not what courts do.”
Sophomore Jackson Casey said he appreciated this point and hopes students and the public at large takes this into account.
“I’m glad they each stressed the importance of the judiciary’s apolitical and independent role in a society that so often hopes for judges to be activists for progress,” Casey said. “Only by consistently interpreting our state and federal constitutions according to their own words, and not by our own convictions or the influence of public factions, can we steer our legal system in the right direction.”
Duncan went on to articulate the fact that courts have the sole duty to interpret the laws in specific situations.
“Courts don’t sit around and
wave wands and say, ‘we abolish this,’ right? That’s what emperors do,” Duncan said.
The judges spoke well to the way in which to react and handle controversies, said sophomore Bradley Haley.
“Both have been the subject of public criticism and scrutiny in recent times, and they had a great discussion about handling that with the composure and character befitting a member of the judiciary,” Haley said. Mitchell said the public must decouple the common misconception that courts tackle big issues while that power is returned to the elected representatives of the people.
“The American public and probably the legal academy have become very conditioned to the wish that the judiciary will just decide our big questions in society,” Mitchell said. “There must be an unwinding — now we gotta do democracy, and now we gotta reason with each other and go through the democratic process.”
Poet James Matthew Wilson visits campus
By Ty Ruddy Assistant Editor
Poet and critic James Matthew Wilson will lecture on his work as a poet, critic, and professor this week as part of the Visiting Writers program, hosted by the English department and the Collegiate Scholars Program.
The idea to bring Wilson to campus began when Eric Hutchinson, professor of classics and chairman of CSP, ran into Dutton Kearney, associate professor of English and head of the Visiting Writers program, in the parking lot after commencement last May.
“I had been thinking of having James Wilson on campus for some time,” Hutchinson said. “Dr. Kearney mentioned during a discussion that he needed a visiting writer. During the conversation, one of us said our programs should combine.”
Wilson will give an introduction to the poet Richard Wilbur at 4 p.m. in the Heritage Room Oct. 10, followed by a lecture titled “On the Nature and Ends of Poetry: Making, Memory, Metaphor, and Meter” at 8 p.m. in the Hoynak Room.
Kearney said he is familiar with Wilson’s work and lectures on formal poetry.
“In the age of slam poetry and poor free verse, Wilson has been the main voice saying that we need to return to form,” Kearney said. “He really emphasizes working with the tradition rather than against it.”
Wilson is the author of several books of poetry and scholarship, including “The Fortunes
of Poetry in an Age of Unmaking” and “Praying the Nicene Creed,” both of which gained national recognition. Wilson, who lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has also published countless scholarly articles that seek to furnish a holistic account of the influence of classical, scholastic, and neo-scholastic thought on modern Irish, British, and American literature, according to his website.
“As a critic, I get to spend a good deal of time showing up the failures of contemporary poets,” Wilson said. “It should be the case, and it is the case, that one can only really make a negative judgment in light of an understanding of what the actual good to be realized is.” Wilson is also the the Cullen Foundation Chair in English Literature and the founding director of the MFA program in Creative Writing at the University of Saint Thomas in Houston, Texas. He is also the editor of Colosseum books, a series of religious poetry, and poetry editor at Modern Age magazine. Kearney and Hutchinson said they think many students would be interested in Wilson’s view on modern creative writing and its relationship to the classics and traditional Christianity.
“One of our goals this year is to involve more people,” Hutchinson said. “We know James’ message resonates with many students around campus. We want them to participate and be inspired.”
Junior Allie Springer sells honey, candles, and more at Maker’s Market. Cassandra Devries | Collegian
Members of College Republicans pose with alumni panelists at the “Communication is Key” political journalism panel.
Courtesy | Braden VanDyke
Don’t be conned by beauty content
By Ally Hall Design Editor
Being a woman is a never-ending rat race. It started off so innocently — I just wanted to refresh my blonde highlights. After a particularly bad night on Manning Street my freshman year, I decided to reward myself with a trip to Sally’s Beauty Supply in Jackson to take the edge off the Hillsdale winter. I had seen a YouTube video of a girl doing the same thing to “glow up.”
Two hours and the wrong product later, I stared at myself in the McIntyre Residence vanity: I had bright orange, fried hair. In the name of “self care,” I had unintentionally launched myself into a twoyear-long pursuit to return my brunette locks to their natural state.
I think about this every
time I see a piece of content online trying to convince me to make some major adjustment to my physical appearance or diet. When entranced by seemingly perfect women with morning routines so strict they’d put a soldier in basic training to shame, I almost start to believe it. Maybe I should be journaling for three hours a day and “protecting my peace” while simultaneously whitening my teeth and making cleaning concoctions that could nuke a small city.
I begin to scroll. I crawl onto my wheel.
Wake up with the sun to reset my circadian rhythm (the sun isn’t out seven months out of the year).
Eat a properly balanced breakfast (some tell you to drink raw milk, others swear by yet another nut subjected to the milking process).
Exercise to align with what phase of your cycle you’re in (rest when you’re menstruating but run a 5K if you’re ovulating).
Go shopping weekly to keep your cravings at bay (but if you touch a receipt the BPAs will seep into your skin and make you infertile).
Buy a hair gloss so you can make your hair
look like it’s been laminated (don’t read the ingredient list because everything is toxic and you will die in seven days if you do).
The endless slew of lifestyle content from different extremes will trap you before you have the chance to notice.
If you don’t have the awareness to jump off your mental wheel before you start to lose feeling in your legs, you will be trapped feeling like no matter how airtight your morning routine, no matter how clean your diet is, no matter how beautiful you are — it will never be enough.
It’s important to remember that in the age of influencers, even the most well-meaning and relatable figures online are selling you something. And if an Amazon storefront isn’t already linked, count your days.
There’s nothing wrong with consuming lifestyle content — I’ve learned more about my body from Instagram reels than anywhere else. But I also have the media literacy to consume this content with a grain of salt, to consult further sources when presented with obviously groomed studies, and to have the discretion to notice what works for my life.
Younger generations are
beginning the slow process of honing their own media literacy skills, and we should continue to encourage a healthy amount of skepticism with content on the internet and to know this goes for more than just news headlines. If you don’t, you could end up like me, a Carrot Top look-alike.
Ally Hall is a senior studying rhetoric and media.
llustrated by Maggie O’Connor, a sophomore studying art.
Focus on the economy, Trump
Talking inflation and growth can win Trump the black vote
By Joshua Mistry Collegian Reporter
With less than four weeks until Election Day, 30% of black voters identify as Independents or Republicans, and now is the time for former president Donald Trump to hone in on his administration’s plan for economic revival. This is a crucial part of the electorate Trump must win over before Election Day.
While a vast majority of older black voters support Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s ability to reach younger black voters might not only aid him in securing four more years, but also the broader Republican party’s efforts to make inroads with historic Democratic constituencies.
Trump received 8% of the black vote in 2016, a higher percentage than any other Republican candidate since George Bush in 2000. He in-
creased this number to 12% by 2020.
A vast majority of black likely voters in key states will vote for Harris, according to a recent Howard Initiative On Public Opinion poll. While the Democratic Party has enjoyed constant and overwhelming support from black Americans, Trump has made serious gains among young, black, male likely voters.
This shift is part of a larger trend in which Republicans are beginning to win over more working class and minority voters, especially with high inflation and cost of living under recent Democratic administrations.
Young black voters could be future homeowners, school board members, and community leaders, but under the Biden-Harris economy, more must rent rather than own homes, live paycheck-to-paycheck, and are
pessimistic about their economic future, according to a report from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.
Inflation is up almost 15% since Biden and Harris took office in January 2021. Life is getting more expensive. It might not affect some people, but it means everything to the roughly three-fourths of Americans currently living paycheck to paycheck, according to Forbes.
While this constituency doesn’t make up a massive percentage of the electorate, it has been crucial to the success of Democrats in recent elections, especially in cities like Detroit, Philadelphia, and Atlanta that can make or break a swing state election.
The election this November will likely come down to a handful of swing states that President Joe Biden won last cycle by a margin of around 45,000 votes.
Honing in on this issue — instead of the 2020 election and Haitian eating habits — will win Trump the presidency.
Trump just has to ask Harris why she was unable to accomplish her plans during this administration. Why must Americans grant Harris four more years to reap the benefits of policies she claims to support?
Then Trump must remind Americans of the economic boom that the nation enjoyed under his presidency.
Voters’ memories are often fleeting, something Harris is attempting to take advantage of. Trump still has time to remind black voters how he made America great again, so they can give him a chance to do it again.
studying
White people have culture, too
By Adriana Azarian Collegian Reporter
We’ve all heard that white people can’t handle spicy food and have no culture. We shouldn’t be sensitive to self-deprecating mildly-offensive jokes. But generalizing and downplaying all “white” cultures isn’t even offensive. It simply makes no sense.
I grew up Sicilian and Armenian in Minnesota, where the population is very Northern European. Even though my friends and I checked the same “White/Caucasian” box on government forms, we certainly didn’t inherit the same cultures. My family proudly displayed oriental rugs and Armenian crosses in our house and ate stereotypical big Italian dinners.
The white label covers Europe as well as nations in the Near East and North Africa. Countries like Latvia, Turkey, and Morocco bring vastly different images to mind. We dare not group all individual African or Asian cultures together, and rightly so. So why does it happen to white cultures?
The argument is that since Europeans have been in America for a long time, they forgot their cultural origins and blended into a dominant, overarching white American culture. Non-white cultures, by deviating from the white-dominated norm, are the real possessors of culture. It is true that many white Americans have lost touch with their ancestral cultures to a degree, but that’s true for any group, white or otherwise, that’s been in a new county for a few generations. Even America’s most vibrant immigrant communities will assimilate in a few decades, while their influences still remain. It’s hard to imagine New York without Jews and Italians. Louisiana wouldn’t be Louisiana if not for the lasting French and Spanish influence. Historically, there’s never been one overarching white culture. In terms of the spice jokes, sure, some white cultures like bland food – I’m looking at the Brits who eat beans on toast. But that’s not a remote-
ly accurate representation of white people broadly. Weren’t the Americas discovered by white people who got lost looking for spices? Try my dad’s shish kebob and tell me white people have no taste. Northern Europeans often get the brunt of the jokes. Minnesota Gov. and Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz echoed the sentiment in a recent campaign video in August.
“Black pepper is the top of the spice level in Minnesota,” Walz said to Vice President Kamala Harris during a discussion about tacos.
Of course, it’s only a joke, but continually beating down the Germans, Irish, or Scandinavians isn’t helping anyone’s cause.
Plus, spice tolerance is not the objective measure of having culture. When I drive around Minnesota’s small towns, I see breathtaking German churches built by immigrants in the 1800s. Come
Christmas, my high school classmates looked forward to enjoying their family’s Norwegian recipes. That’s culture. That’s something to be proud of, too.
I’ve been open about my ethnic background at Hillsdale. People ask about my family’s story surviving the Armenian Genocide, and I’ve taught friends how to make baklava and pasta from scratch. But I often hear others immediately respond by putting their Northern European ethnicities down, saying they’re “just white” or “not interesting.”
It doesn’t matter if someone is Scandinavian or Mediterranean; there is a cultural history that should be explored, not downplayed or dismissed.
Wherever people exist, so does culture. White people are no exception to that. Just like every other race, white includes a myriad of vibrant cultures. Let’s not erase them.
Adriana Azarian is a junior studying politics.
lllustrated by Maggie O’Connor, a sophomore studying art.
Tattoos provide a gateway to adulthood
By Anna Broussard Assistant Editor
When I walked into the Gilded Unicorn Tattoo Parlor in Charlotte, North Carolina, to get my first tattoo at 19 years old, the voices of my grandparents and parents in my head reminded me I might never get a “real” job because of it.
But now, four tattoos later and after a summer spent in Washington, D.C., interning for a “real” job, it would seem that — respectfully — I proved both my grandparents and parents wrong.
When I told my parents I was leaving to get four small flowers tattooed on my arm, the argument that ensued was filled with hyperbolic statements about the trajectory of my life.
“Tattoos are a gateway,” my
mother told me.
A gateway to what specifically? She did not seem to know herself.
And unsurprisingly, it is not just my mother who feels that way. According to Pew Research Analysis, in a study on Americans’ impression of tattoos, 22% of non-tattooed Americans reported a negative impression upon seeing a tattooed adult. More consequentially, 40% of adults 65 and older reported negative impressions when seeing tattoos on adults. Yet the same study found that Americans with and without tattoos have grown more accepting of tattoos in general and in the workplace. Cultural acceptance of tattoos is increasing with each generation. According to the Statista Research Department, by gen-
eration, adults getting tattoos has increased, peaking with the Millennials and slowing down with Generation Z. The report showed 13% of Baby Boomers have tattoos, 32% of Generation X, 41% of Millennials, and 23% of Gen Z. It is no wonder that older generations have stronger feelings toward tattoos. My grandparents are driven by their concerns about the morality of getting a tattoo, which is taboo in the southern Christian circles where I grew up.
Non-Christians understand tattoos primarily as a fashion or stylistic choice. For Millennials and members of Gen Z, tattoos have grown in popularity as a fashion statement, especially as social media influencers have gained prominence.
Emma Chamberlain, who
boasts 15 million followers across social media, is one of the most popular social media and fashion influencers within Gen Z. Chamberlain, who has 11 tattoos, popularized “micro tattoos,” which means having multiple small tattoos that lack sentimental meaning.
The Statista Research Department also found 19% of Gen Z Americans with tattoos have more than one, fitting into the “micro tattoo” trend. The fashion and stylistic trend is heavily promoted by social media influencers, increasing the cultural acceptance of being tattooed.
The trend of “micro tattooing” has normalized two ideas: tattoos are not as serious as our parents might have made us believe, and they don’t necessarily need meaning beyond a state-
ment of fashion and style.
All of my four tattoos mean something very significant to me, which is how I won over my parents. But regardless of their meaning, they communicate an important life milestone: an exercise of my adult discernment. People can have tattoos with and without significant meaning. Getting a simple and unsentimental tattoo just for the sake of getting a tattoo is not immoral or irresponsible and it will not stop you from getting a “real” job. It simply boils down to personal preferences, stylistic choices, and recognition that tattoos are permanent. While tattoos can range from simple doodles to elaborate artwork, they deserve intentional consideration — just like most decisions in adulthood. Contrary to the opinions
of older generations, getting a tattoo is an exercise in discernment that pushes young adults to understand the consequences of permanent choices. Even if that exercise in discernment is not motivated by some deep sentiment and you’re simply getting a tattoo you’ve always thought was cool, it still holds meaning. While a new 19-year-old with little real-life experience is not incapable of mistakes, getting my first tattoo was a lesson in considering the permanence of my choices. I fully intend to get more tattoos and I have also grown more confident in my ability to defend my adult choices.
Anna Broussard is a junior studying politics.
Joshua Mistry is a junior-
politics.
Opinions
The Collegian Weekly
The opinion of the Collegian editorial staff
Still your seas, Mateys
Scavenger hunts, Baw Beese ventures, and Mock Rock practices consume the life of an average student during homecoming week — sometimes to an unhealthy extreme that distracts from the main purpose of the event.
Ultimately, homecoming is about the alumni who return to campus. They are coming back to reunite with friends and to reminisce about their time here that was so formative. Excluding the culminating Mock Rock
See beyond stereotypes
By Caroline Kurt Opinions Editor
The best artist at my school was a girl named Kass. She was funny, intelligent, and a great friend. Kass made ripples midway through high school when she cut her hair short and started wearing suits to formal events.
I could easily see a world in which her peers and even the parents in our community reacted too strongly to Kass’ unorthodox style choices, calling her a lesbian or forcing her to wear a dress. But Kass never seemed to want a label, and to all of her friends, she was just one of us. To this day, I have no idea what her sexuality is.
It’s often uncomfortable when we encounter someone, whether a sibling, barista, or classmate, who doesn’t fit easily into gender stereotypes. I’ll admit it: My first reaction is to judge. It’s the threat of the unknown — how do I categorize this person whose makeup, body language, or interests lie outside our typical models of masculinity and femininity?
We do ourselves a great disservice when judgment prevents us from forming authentic relationships with people like Kass.
Had I not run cross country with Kass and worked alongside her in art class, I would have had a much harder time seeing how much we had in common.
Kass — like many of us — was sincerely wrestling with her identity. She needed a way to explore, even through her appearance, who she was as a woman. We shared many moments in which she opened up about her home life and mental health struggles. Her vulnerability was a gift. She was brave enough to ask all of the hard questions out loud, and in turn seemed receptive to the answers.
To write her off as a mere rebel for her lack of stereotypical “femininity” would have been a grave mistake. Kass wasn’t asking people to affirm an LGBTQ identity. She needed people to take
her seriously so she could figure out her femininity. We must do the same for our peers.
Labels are easy. It’s simpler to call the guy with the earrings and dyed hair “bi” and the girl with androgynous style “lesbian” than to form sincere friendships with them and find out who they really are.
Our teens and twenties are an especially crucial time for figuring ourselves out. It’s natural to manifest some of our interior drama through our physical appearance, mannerisms, or interests. What we don’t need is the additional social pressure of conforming perfectly to gender stereotypes, lest we face ostracization and slander. Have some mercy.
After all, gender norms are just that: norms. Men and women are called to be virtuous, truthful, and treat their bodies and souls with deep respect. Beyond that, so much is arbitrary. Gender norms aren’t a bad thing: they serve as guideposts as we grow into our masculinity or femininity. At their best, they’re funny, formative, and helpful. But we betray a terrible anxiety about the truth of our own convictions when we obsess over whether our peers or we ourselves conform perfectly, as if salvation rested upon it.
The healthy models of masculinity and femininity we gain through friendships help us live up to our potential.
Thanks in part to the quality of her friendships, Kass became visibly more comfortable with her femininity later in high school. She grew out her hair and wore the occasional dress, but more significantly, she seemed happier in her own skin. Best of all, the femininity she embraced wasn’t quite like anyone else’s. She had discovered what so many of us are still learning: There isn’t just one way to be a woman, and the world’s a better place because of it.
competition, most alumni don’t care about the homecoming rankings. Sure, it’s sweet to cheer on your old dorm, but seeing old friends is far superior to witnessing the points and victories.
Homecoming week is one of the greatest weeks of the school year. Each day brings a new tradition and new memories to go with it. But the stress and drama that ride the high seas of the week is never worth the sacrifice of friendship, community, and encouragement across
leagues. Yes, it’s OK to fraternize with the enemy crew. It’s not criminal to encourage or even congratulate other groups — they may be competitors, but more importantly, they’re also your peers and friends. So stop complaining about the extra 50 points OCC got or about the cruelty that Simpson didn’t place. In a week, it won’t matter.
Senior year homecoming is especially sweet because the oldest of us are cognitively preparing for the “lasts”
and for the “goodbyes.” Don’t let tensions and competitions ruin that gratitude and appreciation. Celebrate the king and queen, no matter whom you think deserved it. Seniors, enjoy this final voyage at Hillsdale. Remember to prioritize time with friends and the alumni who sailed the sea before you, not just those Mock Rock practices. Find your treasure in the people, not the trophy.
Make Kamala president now
By Nathan Stanish Ad Manager
After seeing the antics of a crazy old man clearly unfit for office, I want Vice President Kamala Harris to be president.
No, I don’t mean former President Donald Trump. I mean the other crazy old man: President Joe Biden. And I don’t mean Kamala should take office in January 2025. She should take office now because Biden is no longer mentally fit for office.
We all know what happened in the 2024 TrumpBiden debate: Trump played the usual bully, Biden seemed confused and inarticulate, and most outlets declared Trump the winner, while 60% of debate viewers wanted Biden replaced in the presidential race.
Presidential candidates often lose the spotlight after dropping out. They take a few weeks to nurse their pride and consider who to endorse, before finding an angle to pursue. But Biden is the first
current president to withdraw from the election after receiving the nomination.
If Biden was not mentally fit to run for office in 2024, how can he be mentally fit to serve as president through January 2025?
Biden should step down from the presidency. His debate struggles and disappearance from the spotlight suggest he cannot reasonably run the country for the last few months of his term. Harris should take over.
I do not intend to vote for Harris in the 2024 election, as I do not approve of many of her policies. But I would rather have a mentally fit person in the White House who could be counted on in emergencies than Biden.
Last week, first lady Jill Biden attended the cabinet meeting to update it on initiatives for women’s health. This is not unusual, as first ladies regularly attend meetings to address their projects.
However, her attendance draws comparison to Edith Wilson, Woodrow Wilson’s
wife who ran his presidency after his stroke and successfully fooled the cabinet into believing he was still fit for office, rather than let the vice president take over.
Jill Biden is not Edith Wilson. But we are confronted with the same question Americans faced in 1920: When should a president throw in the towel and allow the vice president to assume duties?
Taking over the presidency might damage Harris’ reputation or force her to take greater responsibility for current economic struggles, but that is a price she should be willing to pay for national security. If war breaks out in the Middle East or another pandemic breaks out in the mainland, I would rather Harris handle it than Biden.
Somebody should have taken over for president Wilson after his stroke in 1919.
Instead, his wife quietly led the government and Wilson’s League of Nations idea fell apart without America’s support.
We do not need to repeat
history. Biden should step down now and embrace his retirement. According to The National Desk, Biden has already spent 40% of his presidency away from the White House. It’s time he spend 100% of his time away from the White House and allow Harris to take the reins. Either Harris will extend her administration after the election or Trump will succeed her. Both are better options than keeping Biden in office.
It’s possible Republicans would prefer Biden stay in office because he’s less likely to pass any progressive policies. That may be true, but that would also guarantee voters have a clearer idea of Harris’ priorities as president — something that might benefit both campaigns. Kamala Harris should be our president. Whether she stays president would be up to the voters.
Nathan Stanish is a senior studying religion.
Milton merits more aid
This time, Americans should receive adequate hurricane relief
By Catherine Maxwell Assistant Editor
As Hurricane Milton crashes across Florida, Americans hope the Federal Emergency Management Agency is “tremendously prepared,” just as Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas promised it would be in July, at the start of hurricane season. But top officials in the Biden administration seem more interested in preparing for the presidential election than in providing disaster relief.
More than 200 people died in the recent Hurricane Helene, and many are still missing. Helene destroyed roads and homes and leveled entire towns such as Chimney Rock, North Carolina, which must completely rebuild its main street. Many towns still lack power and cell service.
The U.S. had several days to prepare before Hurricane Helene hit Florida on Sept. 27 — enough time for the government to have aided evacuations and gathered emergency supplies. Instead, President Joe Biden vacationed at his beach house, and Vice President Kamala Harris attended fundraisers in California.
Meanwhile, in a White House press briefing on Oct.
1, Mayorkas said, “FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the [hurricane] season.”
No one knows exactly what happened to FEMA’s disaster relief money. But over the past two years, Congress has separately allocated more than $1 billion to FEMA for housing and services for illegal immigrants, and the U.S. has spent billions in foreign aid.
American citizens who lost homes, families, and livelihoods to Helene will receive a $750 check.
It’s important to support foreign allies and help American cities manage migrants. But if the federal government can spend billions on illegal immigrants and wars, it should find the cash to help its own citizens.
FEMA defenders say the check is just the first step in relief to cover food and first aid until Congress approves additional funds and insurance reimbursements arrive. But many Appalachians on X say FEMA is denying them aid, in some cases because they already have home insurance.
On Oct. 4, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the federal government is “committed to supporting those in
need and delivering essential aid to displaced civilians,” and announced $157 million in humanitarian aid for Lebanon. At the same time, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg announced $2 million to fix roads and bridges in South Carolina.
The administration has since approved $32 million for Tennessee and $100 million for North Carolina. But the problems go beyond money.
FEMA workers arrived in disaster areas in North Carolina a week after the hurricane with no plan for helping victims. They recommended survivors use an app to access FEMA’s system, watch the news to find FEMA assistance locations, and use their cars to charge phones and listen to the radio.
Never mind that many of the survivors don’t have internet access, TVs, or cars.
And the administration isn’t content to botch its own aid. Elon Musk tried to deliver Starlink satellite devices to help rural areas get internet connection — and then the government limited the use of private helicopters and planes in the airspace above disaster areas, crippling aid from Musk and other private
citizens. (Musk later reported he had worked out a solution with Buttigieg, but only after the situation caused widespread outrage on X.) Conspiracy theories abound, of course. Some conservatives on X say the media will spin the hurricane as an election-altering event to prevent Republicans from voting. Others suggest the Biden administration didn’t help because it wants to suppress Trump voters.
All of that is speculation. But what is undeniable is the federal government has failed its people. As Hurricane Milton blows toward Florida, the federal government has a chance to do better. Troops should be on standby to assist. FEMA should be ready to send aid and workers once the storm is over and approve aid requests (and perhaps give Americans more than $750). It won’t repair the administration’s image. But Americans deserve a government that at least tries to care.
Catherine Maxwell is a junior studying history.
Caroline Kurt is a junior studying English.
City News
Keefer project delayed at least to end of year
By Elizabeth Crawford Senior Reporter
CL Real Estate now has until Dec. 31 to complete construction on the Keefer Hotel after the Hillsdale City Council voted to extend its previous August deadline.
Internal construction stopped on the hotel to install more structural support for the building’s outer facade, according to a press release from CL Real Estate. The building’s foundation also suffered significant water damage, to the point that it was nearly undermined, chair of the Tax Increment Finance Authority and COO of HJ Gelzer & Sons Inc., Andrew Gelzer said.
The hotel’s first proposed completion date was Dec. 31, 2021, according to public documents. But Gelzer said the pandemic, shipping delays, inflation, and unexpected costs and repairs pushed back the hotel’s opening multiple times. Last month, the city council pushed the deadline to the end of this year. Until the deadline, CL Real Estate pays taxes on the property as if it were still worth its purchase value, without renovations.
TIFA voted unanimously on Aug. 13 to extend its deadline beyond April 2025, Gelzer said, because of the committee’s familiarity with the construction.
After the build is done, Gelzer said the primary focus shifts to opening the hotel, and that TIFA did not want to insert another deadline before the end of the year. As a result, the committee voted to extend its deadline until April 2025.
“We anticipate announcing the ribbon-cutting date and grand opening date as soon as the last details of the 34 luxu-
ry hotel rooms, historic public spaces, and fine dining restaurant are all completed, and the new staff are well-trained to make our guests happy, which we are working tirelessly to achieve,” CL Real Estate CEO Nathan Watson said in an email.
In August, CL Real Estate asked the city council to extend the Keefer’s completion deadline, according to public documents. The extension is subject to the Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Act, which freezes the assessed tax value of an eligible blighted property until fully renovated.
“The OPRA program was created to encourage and assist developers and property owners in the redevelopment of blighted
buildings to make them vibrant commercial properties,” Senior Development Associate at CL Real Estate Brant Cohen wrote in the amendment’s proposal. Without the council’s approval, CL Real Estate loses the tax freeze on the Keefer hotel, Cohen said.
TIFA purchased the Keefer Hotel and the adjacent Dawn Theater for $410,000 in 2014, according to Gelzer. The Keefer Hotel was appraised at $260,000.
In 2017, TIFA received two offers after spending years searching for a developer, Gelzer said. The first bid involved the purchase of the property under a land contract, with renovations occurring over 25
years. The other offer was from CL Real Estate, who offered to purchase and renovate the hotel in a 10-year window.
“What we have learned through the city’s and TIFA’s development of the Dawn Theater and now CL’s development of the restoration of the hotel, is that both buildings were within a year of collapse,” Gelzer said.
TIFA sold the Keefer Hotel to CL Real Estate for $60,000 in 2018, giving the company a promissory note for the difference upon completion of the hotel’s renovation as a way to keep the project moving, according to Gelzer.
Because of unexpected repairs, Watson said the total cost
for the project has been approximately $16 million.
“The project involved a complete structural steel replacement of the nearly 140-year-old building’s timber-frame structure, and the return of an obsolete and long-neglected, but prominent downtown landmark into a luxury hotel,” Watson said.
“Many local workers have been doing amazing work in this building. They’ve been working long hours and helping turn the Keefer into the pride of Hillsdale.”
Mayor Adam Stockford said he voted against the extension out of an obligation to be consistent.
“I think CL is moving along
at the best pace they can, but the fundamental issue with the project has been a failure to manage expectations with the public,” Stockford said. “I will be pleasantly surprised if it’s done by December, but my experience and intuition tell me they’ll be open by early to late summer 2025.” Councilman Josh Paladino, who voted to extend the deadline for the project, said he had other reasons for extending the project beyond economic development.
“Government has very little, if any, role in economic development,” Paladino said. “It does have a role in historic preservation, because some things have a value that isn’t in dollar terms, particularly when our history is so much more grand than our current time.”
Paladino said the public would have to bear the heavy burden of externalities if the building was not fixed.
“It’s a threat to the health and safety of people in the area,” Paladino said. “If it falls apart, it could hurt someone.”
Watson said that competition with Hillsdale College’s Dow Hotel and Conference Center and its proposed expansion will keep the Keefer on its toes to provide the best lodging in Hillsdale.
“We’ll attract the region’s guests along with the many college visitors that desire a high-quality stay at a unique boutique hotel in a charming downtown,” Watson said. “Our rooms, amenities, location, and service will set the Keefer apart from the Dow. There will be times, however, when we will support each other to accommodate the displaced hotel demand.”
Chronic absenteeism in Hillsdale lower than state average About
By Sophia Mandt Collegian Freelancer
Chronic absenteeism is lower in the City of Hillsdale’s public schools than in other Michigan districts, but the number remains higher than pre-pandemic levels in both cases.
About 22% of Hillsdale students missed more than 10% of school days in the last academic year, qualifying as “chronically absent” under state guidelines. Hillsdale Community Schools includes Bailey Early Childhood Center, Davis Middle School, Gier Elementary School, Hillsdale High School, and Horizon Alternative School.
About 30% of students statewide were chronically absent during the 2023-24 school year, 10% higher than Hillsdale students. That number is down across the state compared to its peak in the 2021-22 year, when it reached 38.5%.
Still, chronic absenteeism remains higher than before the pandemic, when about 20% of public school students were chronically absent in the 201819 school year. In the same year, only 14% of Hillsdale students were considered chronically absent.
Molly Macek, director of education policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, said chronic absenteeism has been an issue for several years. But the pandemic exacerbated the problem.
“These numbers are incredibly concerning because they are still significantly higher than what they were pre-pandemic, which tells us that something happened,” Macek said. “There was perhaps a cultural
change that happened in terms of the perception surrounding school.”
Hillsdale Community Schools Superintendent Ted Davis said the district communicates with parents and students to understand why students are missing school and to offer support.
Davis said he is unsure of the exact reasons why absent rates
notifies parents if their child is chronically absent.
“We will then follow up with phone call communication,” he said.
Davis said administrators have made home visits to talk with the parents to better understand the situation.
“I feel it is extremely important to understand the reasons why students are missing
many times fail to make sufficient academic progress,” Davis said. “This puts them at risk for being held back and tends to put them at a higher risk of not graduating on time from high school or dropping out of school.”
Davis said the district relies on alternative school programs to help students succeed.
“We have had several stu-
School districts in Hillsdale County are allowed to travel into neighboring districts to pick up students who take advantage of the alternative school program, allowing them to attend a different school. In other parts of Michigan, parents are responsible for getting students to school if they choose to attend a different school than the one in their district. By allowing
are lower than the state average because this is his first year working in Hillsdale County.
“I believe that many of our students live in close proximity to the school they attend,” Davis said. “They are able to walk to school and do not depend on a form of transportation.”
Davis said the district also
school,” he said. “If we understand, there is a better possibility we can help the students.”
Davis said Hillsdale Community Schools also works with the court system as a last resort to prevent absenteeism.
“When students don’t attend school, they tend to fall behind in their classwork and
dents who were struggling to make academic progress and were off track for graduation for multiple reasons, including attendance issues,” he said. “The use of our alternative school program allowed those students to make academic progress and eventually graduate from high school.”
buses to travel into neighboring districts, Davis said, it is easier for students to attend school.
Hillsdale Community Schools are showing a recent trend in increased attendance rates.
“This is only going to contribute to the achievement gap between lower income and minority students and the rest of the population,” Macek said. She said increased education options can help chronic absenteeism rates. Macek said virtual school might be a better option for some kids in the short term if physically attending school is difficult based on their residence. About 83% of families in the Hillsdale Community Schools district have broadband access, just lower than the statewide 87%.
Macek suggested using local and state money to secure private tutoring services or to cover transportation expenses.
“State and local dollars could be used to provide an education that might be a better fit,” she said.
Assistant Provost for Hillsdale College’s K-12 Education Kathleen O’Toole said the effects of lockdowns on education were devastating for students.
“You can think about how your own habits were disrupted by COVID,” O’Toole said. “Imagine if you were a child and you went an entire year without being in school in person.”
She also said spending time away from school can inhibit a young student’s development.
“It’s hard for a kid to be gone for a while and then have to catch up,” O’Toole said.
“According to Michigan School Data, graduation rates are improving each year since the pandemic,” Davis said. Chronic absenteeism tends to be higher among urban districts, Macek said. Districts that have a higher poverty rate and a larger share of minority students were among those who faced the greatest learning loss from the pandemic.
The Keefer House Hotel renovations could be finished by the year’s end, according to developers. Catherine Maxwell | Collegian
Courthouse scaffolding to come off by Nov. 15
By Moira Gleason News Editor
A renovation to the Hillsdale County Courthouse costing more than $10 million will wrap up this fall after more than two years, according to County Commissioner Doug Ingles.
The scaffolding could come down as soon as Nov. 15, Ingles said. The project will be finished and all construction equipment and workers off the property by Dec. 1, according to Brian Lockie, business development specialist for contractor Renaissance Historic Exteriors.
“The Hillsdale County Courthouse is a structure that was built utilizing lifelong building materials,” Lockie said. “With continued proper maintenance and stewardship, the building’s new roofing and guttering with the restored masonry will enable it to serve the residents of the county for another century.”
What originally started as a roof repair became a full renovation project when Renaissance discovered deterioration to the stonework of the building, according to Ingles. After an evaluation, Ingles said the company discovered damage to the stonework, cupola, bell tower, and clock tower.
Ingles, who represents District 1, said the construction of a new courthouse would exceed $40 million, according to estimates.
The county signed contracts for the current project in February 2023, according to Lockie, and set the original completion date for the spring of 2024.
County Commissioner Mark Wiley, who represents District 3, said the commissioners took each setback as it came.
“I believe we resolved all is-
Brewing Co. to host comedy night
By Gemma Flores Collegian Reporter
Sgt. 1st Class Steve Strachn received Hillsdale County’s Veteran of the Year Award on Sept. 23.
“We look for qualifications like character, military service, veteran advocacy in the community, and community engagement,” said Jenny Spahr, the Veteran of the Year selection committee chair. The award is presented annually at the Hillsdale County Fair.
According to Sphar, Strachn had been on the committee’s radar for the past couple of years.
Each year Strachn said he came close to earning the award, however, he would turn it down. This year, Strachn joked he found out about his nomination too late to thwart the plans.
“It was really quite a surprise,” Strachn said. “There were so many other deserving veterans out there.”
Strachn said he felt called to serve the country from a young
sues and were able to keep the project moving,” Wiley said. Ingles said after about 100 years without maintenance, it is not surprising that the building needed serious repairs. “There have not been unexpected delays,” Ingles said. “The scope of the project has grown. It grew because of safety and structure.”
The renovations included replacing or repairing a significant number of stones from the courthouse, which were in danger of falling, according to Ingles. A few years ago, one
years, have rusted and disintegrated so that they no longer were attached. So gravity was the only thing holding that stone in.”
The stones have now been
stone did fall from the clock tower onto the lower roof.
“These stones, when they were initially built, were anchored with iron bars,” Ingles said. “The iron bars, in 100
replaced or refurbished and re-anchored, Ingles said.
Other renovations included replacing the rotted wood of the coppula and recovering it with copper, replacing 116
Strachn awarded Veteran of the Year
age. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1975, two years after he graduated from Pittsford High School.
“After Vietnam, I knew that it was what I wanted to do,” Strachn said. “After almost 21 years of service, it’s an honor and privilege to continue to serve the community.”
Strachn continued his ser-
“He has a long history of military service but also service to the community,” Spahr said. “He’s just a humble and upstanding guy.”
The first Hillsdale Veteran of the Year award was given out in 1962, according to Spahr.
Peter Jennings, associate professor of leadership at Hillsdale College and U.S. Marine
“It’s an honor and privilege to continue to serve the community.”
vice as an officer with the Michigan Department of Corrections.
Following his retirement, he remained in service by volunteering at Leighr A. Wright American Legion Post 53 in Hillsdale, where he has served in positions such as first vice commander and the post’s chaplain.
Corps veteran, spoke at the ceremony on what it means to be an American veteran today. Jennings served in Iraq and Afghanistan before obtaining his doctorate in management from Arizona State University.
“We call our military the service. And when you join the military you go in not to serve yourself but to serve your coun-
try,” Jennings said. “American veterans have always been exemplars of what it means to be a citizen. They have exemplified the ideal of civic service.”
In his speech, Jennings stressed the importance of the responsibilities American citizens have to their country. He focused on George Washington’s call to soldiers returning from the frontlines of the Revolutionary War to continue their service as citizens.
“As citizens, we have obligations,” Jennings said. “Christ purchased our eternal freedom and salvation. But our veterans purchased for us our civil freedom. We know that our freedom isn’t free.”
Strachn emphasized the importance of thanking veterans in the community. He mentioned fellow volunteers at the American Legion Post 53 who put on events and give back to the veterans in the area.
“We try to honor everybody in the community,” Strachn said. “There are a lot of vets that really deserve our thanks.”
windows, and replacing the clock face.
The clock and bell mechanisms are now connected to a programmed software controlled by the county facilities team. Ingles said the bell has not worked in years, and the clock did not keep time before the update this summer.
“By my Apple Watch, it’s to the minute,” Ingles said.
The company is going through punch cards to finish construction, according to Ingles.
“One of the mansards still needs copperwork, which is why the scaffolding is still up,” Ingles said. “Once they do the copper work, then the top layer of scaffolding will come down. They will finish up the roof at that point where the scaffolding currently stands. And then the roof will be complete, and they’ll be able to take down everything else all the way around the building.”
At the top of the coppula, construction workers found damage to the spire and ball, according to Ingles.
“On this spire, they had bullet holes,” Ingles said. “I think they counted 37 bullet holes. Through the 100 years, people have taken shots at it.”
Renaissance has suggested regular maintenance to the building every five years, according to Lockie.
The original funding for the project came from American Rescue Plan Act money, according to Ingles, which amounted to $8 million. Additional funds came from an interdepartmental loan in the county.
“We are spending money, yes,” Ingles said. “We are being the best stewards that we possibly can be, and we’re maintaining a building that’s a historic building for our community, and that means something to a lot of people.”
By Jillian Parks Editor-in-Chief
Hillsdale Brewing Compa-
ny will host a comedy show with headliner Billy Reno and opener Ronnie Rohrbeck Oct. 24.
The doors open at 7 p.m., and the show will run from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $20.
“If you have a sense of humor and love to laugh, this show is for you,” Reno said. “While the content will be geared towards adults, we’re not vulgar or overly explicit. I adapt to the vibe of the crowd and, as a bar comic, I thrive in that kind of atmosphere.”
According to Reno’s post, he started in the Detroit comedy scene, and he now travels across the country. He was a finalist at the Detroit to LA Comedy Competition and a finalist at the Border City Comedy Festival in Windsor, Ontario. He released his first comedy album, “Can’t Handle the Thought,” in October 2019, which spent three weeks at the top of Apple iTunes charts.
“Hillsdale offers the charm of a small town with a touch of big-city energy,” Reno said. “Honestly, I often prefer performing in small towns over big cities.”
Rohrbeck, of Shelby Township, Michigan, has opened for comedians such as T.K. Kirkland, April Macie, and Ian Fidance. According to Reno’s Facebook post, Rohrbeck lives with cerebral palsy and pursues comedy to turn challenges into punchlines.
“I’m thrilled to be heading to Hillsdale, Michigan, for my upcoming show,” Rohrbeck said. “I can’t wait to connect with the audience and share some laughs. It’s going to be a great night of comedy.”
City Council Recap
News from the Oct. 7 meeting
By Alessia Sandala Assistant Editor
Seventy-five percent of city roads are in “failing condition,” City Engineer Kristin Bauer told the Hillsdale City Council Monday night.
Bauer said Hillsdale’s roads are becoming worse each year and declining faster than the city is able to repair them.
“Even with all of the investment we have made since 2020 until now, we have slowed the decline of our roads but we have not turned it upwards where we are catching up,” Bauer said.
In the past the city has attempted to patch cracking roads, but some must be completely redone, according to Bauer.
“We’re making that better but we’re still losing ground because of the amount of funding we have,” Bauer said.
College-funded endowment could help failing
streets
Councilman Tony Vear said he hopes a portion of the money from the Hillsdale County Community Foundation endowment given to the city by Hillsdale College for the closure of a block of East Galloway Drive and a portion of Summit Street could be used for street repairs.
City Council approves adding new special assessment districts
The city council voted 6-3 to establish Arch Avenue, Monroe Street, and Barry Street as special assessment districts.
Each property owner in a SAD is required to pay $5,000 to fund city road projects and improvements for their district.
Hillsdale Mayor Adam Stockford and Councilmembers Josh Paladino and Cindy Pratt voted against the motion to add the SADs.
New My Hillsdale app available for download
The new My Hillsdale app provides news updates and information on construction, community events, and more.
Walk of Remembrance
The 17th annual Walk of Remembrance event will occur on Oct. 20 at 1 p.m. at Owen’s Park Pavilion for Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day.
Turn in working appliances
The Appliance Recycling Rewards event will be held Saturday, Oct. 12, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Residents can earn $100 from Efficiency Smart by turning in a working dehumidifier, window air conditioner, or mini fridge to 149 Waterworks Ave., according to the Efficiency Smart’s website.
“The appliances need to be in working condition in order to receive the rebate,” City Manager David Mackie said.
Brush and leaf collection reminder Curbside brush collection will begin Oct. 14. The round one leaf collection dates are: Ward 1, Oct. 28; Ward 2, Nov. 13; Ward 3, Nov. 6; and Ward 4, Oct. 31.
Jenny Spahr hands Sgt. 1st Class Steve Strachn Hillsdale County’s Veteran of the Year award.
Courtesy | Jenny Spahr
The scaffolding will come off the Hillsdale County Courthouse by Nov. 15. Catherine Maxwell | Collegian
Volleyball
Chargers stay undefeated after home and away wins
By Ellie Fromm Assistant Editor
The volleyball team swept the Kentucky Wesleyan College Panthers and the Thomas More University Saints at home over the weekend and beat the Findlay University Oilers Wednesday night. On Friday, the Chargers beat the Panthers in three sets, winning 25-15, 25-16, and 25-21.
The Chargers then overcame the Saints the next day, taking the first set 25-19 and the last two sets 25-18, 25-12. On Wednesday, the Chargers defeated the Oilers in three sets, winning 25-17, 25-22, 25-17.
The Oilers still lead the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in kills and points.
Head coach Chris Gravel said the team practiced some techniques from training, such as switches, in the game against the Panthers.
“Everybody had a chance
to get in there and contribute and do what they’ve been doing in practice,” Gravel said. “That’s a good thing to see.”
Senior Sydney Sahr said she believes the team did well adapting to different lineups from the Panthers.
“We all did well at coming out and figuring out how to execute certain things, even if it wasn’t immediate,” Sahr said. “We figured out how to be successful against Kentucky Wesleyan.”
Going into the weekend, the Chargers were ranked first in the G-MAC North standings, and the Saints were ranked first in the G-MAC South standings. The Chargers now hold a nine game win streak and a conference record of 6-0. Their overall record is 11-1. They are the only unbeaten team in the G-MAC. Both teams have held their place at the top of their divisions.
“If they remain up there, and we remain up there, we’ll see each other again in the playoffs,” Gravel said. “This puts a little memory in the back of our heads of what we can do and what they can do.”
Junior Josie TeSlaa said the Chargers knew the Saints’ success statistically and made certain changes, such as running a new lineup each set.
“We used that knowledge as a drive to want to ace them more and defend their serves well,” TeSlaa said. “It was a very successful game that showed our strive to prove ourselves.”
The Chargers will play the Tiffin University Dragons away at 12 p.m. on Oct. 12.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do, and we’re on the road for a while now, so we’re going to miss our fans because they’re great,” Gravel said. “Hopefully, when we get back home, they remember us.”
Games
ABCD Sports
Difficulty:
Each row and column contains 1 each of A, B, C, and D, as well as two blanks.
The letters around the border indicate the first letter to appear on that end of the corresponding row or column.
Noughts & Crosses
Difficulty:
The numbers around the border indicate the length of the longest runs of consecutive noughts or crosses in that row or column (a zero means that symbol does not appear in that row or column).
10/3 Puzzle Solutions
Battleships
The NFL's new kickoff rules are safer and more exciting
By Joshua Mistry Collegian Reporter
The new National Football League kickoff rules will not only be beneficial for player safety but also begin games with more exciting action than the previous rules had promoted.
The NFL unveiled new kickoff rules this season, changing the starting posi tions of the returning team's blockers and adding new zones that determine where the ball will be placed after the kickoff.
Previously, the receiving team lined up in a cone shape away from the kicker and would begin blocking as soon as the ball was kicked. Now, no players can move until after the ball hits the ground or the returner’s hands.
then it is placed on the 30yard line.
These new rules will help to decrease unnecessary injuries by removing the aspect of full-speed downhill blocks
run blocking schemes, reverses, and plays as if the kickoff is a more extended handoff.
Additionally, the new rules add a landing zone between the receiving team's end zone and the 20-yard line, where the ball must land. If it doesn’t, it is designated as a kick out of bounds and placed on the 40-yard line.
Under the old rules, a touchback would automatically move the ball to the 25yard line, whereas now if the ball lands in the landing zone and rolls into the endzone it is placed on the 20-yard line. If the ball lands in the end zone,
Instead of the coverage team having the advantage of running full-speed at the blockers, they will now begin within the setup zone, removing a lot of the difficulty for the blockers.
The receiving team also has the option to place two returners in the landing zone, opening up the door to trick plays like reverses, backward passes, and hook and ladder returns.
In the setup zone, teams can now organize their blockers by size to have pulling
guards, trap concepts, and speedy edge blockers to create explosive plays. The NFL has made changes over the last few years to the kickoff to reduce injuries, but with these new changes the league will increase returns and big plays without forfeiting the reduction in injuries.
According to preseason data from this season and last, over 30% more kickoffs are being returned, with 18 being returned over 40 yards, the most in the last decade.
The new rules are also giving offenses a slight advantage in field position, which could help increase scoring and production, especially since the average points per game has decreased for the last five years. While these new rules might make the game look different than last year, they will ultimately keep players safer and fans happier.
Sports Opinion
Trump is dead wrong about Pete Rose and the Hall of Fame
By Lewis Thune Collegian Reporter
Pete Rose, one of the most prolific hitters in MLB history and a member of the all-century team, died on Sept. 30 at the age of 83. The following day, former president Trump reacted to the news via X.
“Major League Baseball should have let him in the Hall of Fame many years ago. Do it now, before his funeral,” Trump said.
Rose was deserving. He was the centerpiece of Cincinnati Reds’ “Big Red Machine,” a 1963 Rookie of the Year and 1973 Most Valuable Player, a 17-time All-Star, a three-time World Series champion, and the MLB all-time leader in games played, at-bats, and hits.
Math Maze
However, Rose is best remembered for his post-retirement scandal. In 1989, while he was serving as the Reds’ manager, the MLB determined that Rose gambled on Reds games during both his playing and managing careers. Rose became permanently ineligible to participate in professional baseball, and by extension the Hall of Fame.
There are three standard objections to Rose’s exclusion: the MLB profits off of sports betting, Rose’s actions as a manager have no bearing on his playing career, and he only ever wagered that his team would win.
The first two are easily addressed. To the first, the fact that the MLB makes money off of sponsorship deals with sportsbooks changes nothing – players are well-compensated for being able to wager on everything but MLB games.
To the second point, the documented cases of Rose’s baseball betting began in a season where he played in 119 games for the Cincinnati Reds. The third is the most common and the most troubling because it fundamentally misunderstands baseball. In baseball, more than every other professional sport, losing is part of the game. For the 2023-24 season, the NBA’s top regular-season winning percentage was the Boston Celtics at 78.04%. In 2023, the NFL’s best regular-season winning percentage was 76.47%. In the MLB, the best regular season winning percent-
age in 2024 was 60.49%. A personal stake in winning is just as game-changing as a personal stake in losing because, in certain situations, losing a game is more important than winning one. When down 7-0 or worse, managers will routinely pitch subpar relievers so as to not waste their best arms. In instances like these, winning is a bonus. Rose, as a manager, had a clear conflict of interest in making these judgments. The game took a backseat to a few thousand dollars. In short, Rose committed an offense against baseball itself. He wasn’t gambling his money against Vegas, he was doing it against the health of his players and the interests of the Cincinnati Reds. President Trump is dead wrong. Regardless of the statistical merit he accrued, Pete Rose’s behavior was completely unbecoming of a baseball player or manager and, as such, undeserving of the Hall of Fame.
Men's Tennis Chargers finish fall season with confidence boost
By Jamie Parsons Collegian Reporter
Tennis team freshman
Rintaro Goda secured his first collegiate win in the first round of singles play at the Chargers Fall Invitational on Oct. 5.
“Being able to win in front of my teammates after a rough few weeks of competition is incredible,” Goda said.
He won 6-4, 4-6, and 10-8, beating a Wayne State University competitor. The home event was the men's tennis team’s last competition of the fall semester, and included opponents from Wayne State
University and Purdue University Northwest. The event featured a round of doubles matches and two rounds of singles matches. The invitational started off with the Chargers handed losses in the doubles round.
Sophomores Henry Hammond and Ellis Klanduch lost their doubles match 8-6 against a team from Wayne State, and freshmen Alex Cordero-Lopez and Samuel Plys lost 8-4 against a team from Purdue.
Hammond said the team quickly tried to forget about their performance at doubles and focus on their future
matches in order to secure as many wins as possible. Hammond also said bouncing back from a loss at doubles is something the freshman must learn to prepare for dual matches in the spring.
“In the spring season, for dual matches, there are singles immediately after doubles and you aren't going to always win the doubles point,” Hammond said. “So there's a lot of encouragement to the freshman to forget about any doubles losses straight away and focus on the next match because dwelling on it achieves nothing.”
Wayne State and Pur-
due brought a high level of play to the competition, but Hillsdale was able to make a strong showing at singles.
In the second round of singles, Cordero-Lopez secured a win over 2024 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Midwest Regional runner-up and top-15 ranked singles player in NCAA DII Cedric Drenth from Wayne State, where he pushed Drenth to the third set, winning in a 6-2, 4-6, 10-3 match.
Cordero-Lopez said his win against Drenth gave him a confidence boost.
“I was able to see that my level had increased since the
start of the fall and that I am able to play and win against the top guys in our region,” Cordero-Lopez said.
In round two of singles, freshman Eddie Bergelin also claimed a victory after defeating a competitor from Wayne State 6-4, 6-2.
The Chargers are now headed into winter training to prepare for the spring season.
“The plan for winter training is to go through a lot of pain and struggle, and try to build ourselves up strength and fitness wise as much as possible,” Hammond said.
trophy
Swimming Season kicks off
By Ty Ruddy Assistant Editor
The swim team dove into the 2024-25 season by defeating the Campbellsville University Tigers and the Indiana Wesleyan University Wildcats in a meet hosted by the Wildcats Sat. Oct 5. Hillsdale topped the Wildcats by a score of 161.595.5 and the Tigers by 19951, according to a press release from the Charger website.
Seniors represented well for the Chargers this weekend, according to sophomore Inez Nichols.
By Ty Ruddy Assistant Editor
Charger football kicked off a new era with a 14-13 win against Northwood University last weekend in Midland.
Hillsdale made a defensive stand late in the 4th quarter to hold off the Timberwolves. The victory adds a few tallies under Hillsdale’s name in the competition for the “Jack” as fall sports reach their stride.
When legendary Hillsdale head football coach and athletic director Jack McAvoy retired in 1996 after 21 years as the face of Charger sports, he earned a trophy.
He did not win this trophy for his own display, but it bears his namesake as a tribute to his legacy. In 1996, the Hillsdale College Chargers and Northwood University Timberwolves allsport rivalry was coined the “Jack.” The rivalry forged an
all-sports traveling trophy named for McAvoy and longtime Northwood University Athletic Director Jack Finn. That trophy will be awarded this year for the first time in seven years.
The Hillsdale College and Northwood University athletic departments announced that they will step back into tradition this season and once again award the “Jack” to whichever program wins the rivalry this 2024-25 allsport season.
The “Jack” has collected dust since 2017 after Hillsdale left the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to join the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Northwood stayed in the GLIAC, and the rivalry went dormant as the two schools no longer went head to head in every sport. But in July 2022, the Timberwolves left the GLIAC and joined their former rival in the G-MAC. The tradition
picked up where it left off, with only the trophy missing.
“We have had a competitive and respectful rivalry with Northwood for a long time and this trophy celebrates that tradition,” said Hillsdale athletic director John Tharp. “It also gives our athletes something more to battle for in these matchups, and something that connects all our teams together in pursuing a unified goal.”
Jack MacAvoy oversaw Hillsdale Athletics from 1975 to 1996. He also coached football for four seasons before stepping down to focus on his duties as athletic director. He facilitated Hillsdale’s jump to the GLIAC in 1975, eventually guiding the program from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics to the second division of the National Collegiate Athletics Association in the early 1990s.
Jack Finn served as athletic director at Northwood for
20 years and coached football for 18. During his tenure, he was a founding member of the GLIAC and led the Timberwolves to three conference championships. He was inducted to the Northwood University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006.
“He was certainly a man who got stuff done,” said Shreffler. “He bled Charger blue more than anyone I’ve seen in my time here.”
MacAvoy also helped start and foster women’s sports during his time at Hillsdale. That legacy lives on as Hillsdale women’s volleyball continues a rampage through the conference this fall. The Chargers defeated the Timberwolves 3-0 a few weeks ago to score the first points in the competition for the “Jack.”
“We were fortunate to get the win,” said head volleyball coach Chris Gravel. “We are hoping to repeat that perfor-
mance and result in a couple of weeks.”
Gravel, who was McAvoy’s last hire, said the Hillsdale legend was the kind of person anyone would want to work hard for.
Moving forward, the Chargers and the Timberwolves will receive points for victories in head-to-head regular season competition between the two schools, as well as for the team with the better finish at conference championship events in sports without head-to-head contests, according to the Charger website. The winner will take home the “Jack.”
“Jack McAvoy is a legend who accomplished big things for Hillsdale while representing this college with honor and dignity for over two decades,” Tharp said.
“We couldn’t be more excited to continue to recognize his impact on this college through this trophy.”
“We have an amazing class of seniors right now that I am confident will lead us to huge success in the last year of their swimming careers,” Nichols said.
Senior Megan Clifford, a 2023-24 All-American, won the 200 yard butterfly with a time of 2:06.09 and the 100 yard freestyle 53.62.
Senior Elise Mason, also a former All-American, took home the 1,000 yard freestyle title for the Chargers in 10:51.21 and junior Jamie Parsons took third. Mason also won the 200 yards backstroke with a time of 2:13.17. Sophomore Inez Nichols took third.
“This year we did a good job at focusing on having a good time and lifting each other up which helped the team perform well and win the meet,” Parsons said.
Senior Joanna Burnam also helped the team with two individual wins of her own. She won the medley relay for the Chargers with a time of 2:19.50 and the 100 yard breaststroke by 21-hundredths of a second with a time of 1:10.25. Sophomore Lauren Kamp came in second for the Chargers behind Burnam.
Adding to the Hillsdale victory, freshman Ella Shafer won the 200 yard freestyle in 2:00.16 and sophomore Isabel Ondraceck won the 500 yard freestyle in 5:32.80.
“It’s been a while since we’ve all competed together, so to be back racing and cheering for each other is really exciting,” Nichols said. “I’m excited for the team to continue to bond and grow together as we take on new teams.”
The Chargers travel to Detroit to compete against Wayne State University on Oct. 12 at 11 a.m.
Inez McnIchols, WoMen's sWIMMIng Charger chatter
What was your favorite toy growing up?
Maybe not quite a toy, but I loved my scooter.
What is your hottest take?
I prefer driving without much leg room.
Compiled by Sydney Green
What is the strangest gift you have received?
My little sisters gave me coal one Christmas.
What is your favorite family tradition?
Summer vacations in Idaho! Lake days are the best.
Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department
Jack McAvoy in his office.
COURTESY | HILLSDALE COLLEGE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
Jack McAvoy takes a telephone call.
COURTESY | HILLSDALE COLLEGE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT
Charger Sports
Charger football records first victory of the season
By Alex Deimel Senior Reporter
The football team won its first game of the season and snapped a four-game losing streak in a 14-13 victory against the Northwood University Timberwolves in Midland on Oct. 5.
The win marks the first victory for new head coach Nate Schreffler and extends the team’s win streak over Northwood to 10 games.
“It feels great to finally get that first win, and it was even better that it was an away win,” sophomore quarterback Colin McKernan said. “There’s always room for improvement but we’re really picking it up and heading in the right direction.”
“We’re getting the run game going for sure,” McKer nan said. “We still have a lot to work on passing wise and that’s on me but I’m confident in where we’re at.”
On the ground, Hillsdale welcomed back senior captain and running back Logan VanEnkevort, who was injured in the first game of the year. VanEnkevort ran for 81 total yards on 15 attempts in his return, which is the most by any Charger so far this season.
think it’s a bit of a sigh of relief to get this first win as well.”
Senior running back Kyle Riffel and sophomore wide
five yards out to give Hillsdale a 14-3 lead with three minutes left in the second quarter.
All of Hillsdale’s scoring
“I had been itching to play and it was such a relief to be back,” VanEnkevort said. “I
McKernan finished his first collegiate win as a starter with nine completions for 113 yards and one touchdown. McKernan leads Hillsdale quarterbacks this season with 666 total passing yards and six touchdowns.
a combined total of 62 rushing yards. The Chargers lone rushing touchdown came from redshirt freshman running back Zach Tetler, who punched the ball in from
McKernan found
junior wide receiver Connor Pratt for a 14-yard touchdown to open the scoring for Hillsdale earlier in the quarter.
“We know we’re a good
football team despite being on the losing end of some close games, so it was great to be on the winning end of a game against a great team,” Pratt said.
Defensively, the Chargers held the fourth-best scoring team in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference to only 13 points. Senior defensive back Matt Soderdahl and junior linebacker Carson Ingram led the Chargers in tackles with seven each.
The Hillsdale defense also combined for six tackles for loss, and recovered a crucial fumble in the red zone to prevent Northwood from scoring in the second quarter.
Senior defensive lineman
Hunter Sperling and freshman defensive lineman Christian Herrema also contributed to the defensive effort with
sacks on back-to-back plays to start the fourth quarter. Sperling now has two sacks this season, while Herrema earned his first career sack in a Charger uniform.
The win gives Hillsdale a 1-4 record on the 2024 campaign, as well as a 1-2 conference record. The Chargers will play in the annual homecoming game this Saturday against the Walsh University Cavaliers at 4 p.m. at Frank “Muddy” Waters Stadium.
“We have one job this week: win,” VanEnkevort said. “Our only job as the football team on homecoming is to win and to make sure that when our alumni return we show them that our tradition and character has always remained the same.”
Shotgun team blows away the competition in Peru, US
By Alexandra Comus Collegian Reporter
Four members of the Hillsdale shotgun team competed in Lima, Peru at the International Shooting Sport Foundation Junior World Championship, from Sept. 26 to Oct. 7 to represent the USA Junior National Team.
Sophomore Madeline Corbin shot a 112/125 and finished 5th in the women’s final. Senior Joshua Corbin shot a 116 and lost a shoot-off to make the final, receiving 7th place in the men’s competition. Junior Jordan Sapp shot a 115, and sophomore Ava Downs shot a 102 in Trap.
According to Joshua Corbin, Madeline was a part of the USA women’s three person team and they won bronze, while Sapp and Joshua
Corbin were a part of the USA men's three-man team, taking home the gold.
Madeline Corbin and Sapp competed in a mixed-team competition and won bronze.
“Overall it was a good match,” Joshua Corbin said. “The travel went well and the US shot well and won a lot of medals.”
Joshua Corbin said he is grateful for the opportunity to represent Hillsdale as a member of Team USA.
“The four of us are very fortunate for Hillsdale College and the support they give us,” Joshua Corbin said. “Coach Jordan Hintz and the Shotgun Team provided us with the coaching, training, and funding that allowed us to compete and do well on a world stage.”
At home, Hintz said the Hillsdale shotgun team stayed
strong.
The team took first place in both international skeet and international trap, according to junior Leif Anderson.
Hintz said the members of the team who weren’t in Peru rose to the occasion.
“There were pretty tough conditions all weekend, but Kyle Fleck and Davis Hay continued to be fantastic in skeet,” Hintz said.
“Luke Johnson performed great in both events. Taylor Dale took home the women's bunker national championship.”
Hintz said the Chargers were defending champions in both events, and they were determined to remain champions.
“High performers in the international disciplines typically do well in American disciplines, so it gets us great
momentum going forward,” Hintz said.
Anderson said the team did well in both international skeet and bunker trap and that the team hopes to keep the momentum they have gained.
“Looking forward, we are going to try and defend our repeat national championships in these events in the coming year,” Anderson said. “We also are moving out of the international competitions to the American disciplines.”
The Chargers compete next at the ACUI/SCTP Fall Central Midwest Conference Championship Oct. 10-13 in Sparta, IL.
“This is our next big competition, and we are looking forward to competing in the American games,” Anderson said.
Football favorite sport among students
Senior Logan VanEnkevort is swarmed by defenders. COURTESY | JACKSON HARRIS
C L T U R E
‘I
sing
By Zack Chen Assistant Editor
arms and the man’— emphasis on the singing
They’re singing arms and the man — no, seriously: singing — in a new musical rendition of Vergil’s “Aeneid” written in part by sophomore Nate Shackelford.
Shackelford never thought that he would wind up writing an adaptation of one of the greatest epics ever penned for his senior musical because he wasn’t supposed to have another performance. Shackelford’s school, Westside Christian Academy, only performed musicals every two years.
“We thought that was going to be our last musical,” Shackelford said. “And they announced that night that we were going to do two musicals in a row, and we thought, ‘You know what? This is our chance.’”
Rather than choosing to put on a previously written musical, Shackelford, his friend Casey Calderhead, and a group of their high school classmates decided to write their own magnum opus: a two-hour musical version of the “Aeneid.”
“Our senior thesis teacher had decided that she would let us count that as our thesis project,” Shackelford said. “And the director of the theater program said that if we got her the script by the time auditions needed to
happen, which was going to be about five months from when we had that conversation then, she’d decide then. So we had a chance, and we took it.”
According to Shackelford, Calderhead, who is now attending Capital University’s Conservatory of Music, wrote all of the music for the musical. Shackelford was a driving force in the script’s writing and revision. Around five people were involved in writing lyrics while approximately 15 helped in writing dialogue, including freshman Alceo Pierre, who led the team working on the original draft of act two.
The original script contained eight songs and has since been expanded to 16. It was originally performed in three sold-out performances at Shackelford’s high school, Westside Christian Academy, in Westlake, Ohio.
“Before the ‘Aeneid,’ I had been regularly experimenting with electronic composition for about a year leading up to it,” Calderhead wrote in an email. “I would even post my compositions on Youtube. Besides that, however, I had been composing very sparsely since my first piece composed at the age of 10. I love the golden era style of musical theater, so I think some of that shows through in the soundtrack.”
Jim Whiteman, headmaster emeritus of Westside Christian Academy, said in an interview with Shackelford that he had immediately liked the proposal of an “Aeneid” musical.
“This adaptation of ‘Aeneid’ was brilliantly done,
Whiteman said. “It’s perfect for a classical school who’s always asking when it comes to theater, ‘What’s appropriate for us?’ And so it was perfect in the sense of using ancient literature, but bringing it to a modern-day stage in such a way
conflict, humor thrown in, well choreographed. It was entertaining and yet meaningful — it had depth to it,”
relevant.”
Karen Pattee, theater director of Open Door, said in an interview with Shackelford that she, like the rest of the audience,
Students tell tales from reading the ‘Iliad’ in a day
By Skye Graham Collegian Reporter
Junior Micah Thomas stayed for all 24 hours of the Homerathon — the only student to make it through the entire epic reading of Homer’s epic poem on Oct. 4 and 5.
“The things that make Homerathon so great are experiencing a Homeric epic as a cohesive whole and the camaraderie the participants who stick around develop,” Thomas said.
Hillsdale’s classics honorary, Eta Sigma Phi, hosted the event in the outdoor amphitheater, beginning at 4 p.m. Friday and ending at 4 p.m. the following day. Visiting Assistant Professor of Classics Joshua Benjamins read the opening lines of the “Iliad” in Greek and students took turns reading each book. Through the night, there was a fire burning in the center of the stage.
“It was pretty tough to go all 24 hours,” Thomas said. “I kept nodding off, even while standing or walking around. In the morning, I was so tired that I fell asleep standing up and almost fell into the fire. Fortunately, Zack Chen grabbed me and I didn’t get burned.”
The “Iliad” is an epic poem of 15,793 lines written by
what I do.”
Freshman Masha Logvin said she also enjoyed the feeling of attending late into the night. She stayed from midnight until one in the morning.
“It was dark and cold, the stars were bright, and the fire was blazing, and Homer was being read aloud,” Logvin said. “As a classics and history double major, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my Friday night.”
Greek poet Homer more than 2,500 years ago.
Alumna Emily Rose Willis ’24, attended the event and was invited to read a couple books. Willis said she liked the atmosphere of attending the latenight hours.
Thomas said although he was tired, he managed to stay awake for most of the 24 hours.
“I really liked the vibe of reading in the dark with the fire,” Willis said. “I also really like the ‘Iliad,’ and enjoy reading it with other people, despite classics not often being
Many of the readers spoke with impassioned tones as they read from the “Iliad.” It was one of her favorite things about attending the Homerathon, Logvin said.
“I really enjoyed how passionately the readers were reading from the text,” said Logvin. “Homer was done great justice with their readings.”
Willis said the group of students who attended found the epic much funnier while reading it late into the night.
“It was probably 12:30 a.m. and everything is funnier that late,” Willis said. “It’s great.”
was moved by the musical.
“The staff and the students were singing the songs in the halls weeks leading up to the show,” Pattee said. “And then weeks after, they were still singing. It was so wonderful to see how all of the students that participated embraced the show, embraced their characters, fell in love with the story, the whole experience, and there was such camaraderie that developed in the process.”
According to Whiteman, a self-described “avid theater-goer,” the musical “Aeneid” has elements that could render it a professional success later.
“I think it has the potential to be on Broadway someday and to be nationally recognized as many other plays are,” Whiteman said. “It’s got that much potential to it.”
Since its premiere, however, the musical has not been performed again. According to Shackelford, the high cost and the initial commitment required for producing “Aeneid: The Musical” present barriers to further performances of the musical, though some schools have told him that they would like to put it on. Additionally, Calderhead and Shackelford continue to revise and improve their creation.
“We’ve been in this constant state of wanting to improve the
script and rewriting and reworking,” Shackelford said. “And it’s hard to say, ‘We’re ready to hand this off to a school.’”
“Our primary objective is to license our show out to primarily classical high schools like the very one we attended,” Calderhead wrote in an email. “Despite that, we would love to put on collegiate performances as well; really, wherever there is interest and willingness.”
The pair is currently in the process of raising funds for a professional recording of the musical, which should help music directors better understand what exactly they would be committing to in producing the musical, according to Shackelford.
“We’re trying to raise $3,000 and we’re already 40% of the way there, which is really cool,” Shackelford said. “But what it means is, once we hit that goal, if we hit that goal, we’ll start holding auditions and hiring out vocalists to actually sing the parts and be the characters, and hopefully we’ll have a soundtrack that will be hitting Spotify or Apple Music within the next year.”
More information on the musical can be found at its official website aeneidthemusical. com.
Professors’ Picks: Mark McClay, assistant professor of classics
A chaconne-madrigal for two voices about the coming of spring, full of Renaissance warmth and bouncy syncopation. Throughout the long Michigan winters, Monteverdi’s sunny evocation of Zephyrus is tonic for the soul. Check out Christina Pluhar’s version with the ensemble L’Arpeggiata.
The narrator inhabits an endless maze of halls that are populated with classical statues and sometimes flooded with seawater. He does not know how he got there, or even remembers who he is, but mysterious events compel him to seek out the truth. Lyrical and atmospheric, it’s “The Bourne Identity” meets Charles Williams.
Years after the invention of synchronized sound dialogue, Chaplin still insisted on making this a “silent”
The result was a perfect film, so it seems he chose right. “The Tramp” befriends a drunk millionaire and romances a blind flower girl. Shenanigans ensue, running the gamut from sublime slapstick to bittersweet pathos. The finale is one of the greatest sequences ever put on celluloid.
“Zefiro Torna” by Claudio Monteverdi (1632)
movie.
“Piranesi” Susanna Clarke (2020) “City Lights” Charlie Chaplin (1931)
Compiled by Adriana Azarian Collegian Reporter
Senior Seamus Welton reads the “Iliad” 12:30 a.m. Collegian | Skye Graham
Olivia Billy as Dido in a performance
“Aeneid the Musical.” Courtesy | NZAM Productions
Shackleford as Aeneas on his ship. Courtesy | Amy Santos
Mark McClay feeding pigeons in the Piazza San Marco in Venice (2007). COURTESY | Mark McClay
Saving Western art: Sculptor lectures on his work
By Anna Broussard Assistant Editor
After 72,000 hours, Sabin Howard, a professional artist and self-proclaimed troublemaker, finished the recently unveiled National World War I Memorial, “A Soldier’s Journey.”
The Hillsdale College President’s Office hosted Howard for a lecture Oct. 3 at 4 p.m. in the Heritage Room, where he spoke of his own journey sculpting the piece for the memorial.
“In a way, it is a birth,” Howard said.“We started in 2015, finished it and put it in Washington, D.C., 150 yards from the White House in September.
It’s a 60 foot long bronze wall with 38 figures that weighs 25 tons.”
The memorial was officially unveiled Sept. 19, at 7:19 p.m. — right at sunset — because it was dedicated to the millions of Americans who served and died in the conflict, according to Howard.
He said the project began in 2015 when Howard applied and was selected to be the mastermind behind the sculpture, despite some financial setbacks.
“We had no money, this is a national memorial, and it goes 150 yards from the White House. This is how our country looks at culture and art,” Howard said. “Our country has made a very clear decision that art and culture is not important and so the project became politicized.”
Howard said he wanted to portray a resonating humanity in his piece. The sculpture tells a story of a soldier, beginning with leaving his family, experiencing the battlefield, and finally returning home to his child.
“The central figure is the shell-shocked soldier in the middle of the piece. He’s flanked by nurses on each side.
This is to show the humanity of the piece,” Howard said. “The final scene is the dad returning home and handing his daughter his helmet, she is the next generation, and that helmet is World War II.”
The sculpture depicts the atrocities of war.
“The war to end all wars became the war that would never end,” Howard said.
According to Howard, the project took four and a half years, with each figure of the piece taking approximately 650 hours modeling from life to clay.
“It is a very traditional way of working, no computers, no photographs, but just directly from life,” Howard said.
Howard reflected that sculp-
ture represented more than just the memorial for him. It became a mission that he felt he needed to do in service for the United States.
“Honestly, the sculpture is for you. I’m in service to you because I’m not making art in my studio for myself anymore,” he said. “I’m making it for my country and Americans, so this is rightfully your piece of art.”
Howard said his wife, Traci, was a constant support throughout the process of creating the sculpture and has been helping him to tell this story to others.
“I reached out to Hillsdale because it is a place we both knew of that values traditional Western art,” Traci said.
Senior Hannah Arends, who attended the lecture, said the talk beautifully connected the classical education of Hillsdale with the art world.
“There is beauty and history in art to be found and it is cool to see people are making new art,” Arends said. “It goes to show the labor of love for the veterans and for us, it was cool that it was also such a healing piece.”
Howard concluded that his
Empire of the Sun redefines brand
By Stephen Berntson Collegian Freelancer
Since the release of megahit “Walking On A Dream” in 2008, Empire of the Sun’s stadium bangers have dominated high school proms and aprèsskis around the world. Their new album, “Ask That God,” succeeds in recapturing the thrilling and imaginative synthpop that Empire of the Sun has trademarked.
The Australian band, comprised of vocalist Luke Steele and instrumentalist Nick Littlemore, released its fourth studio album on July 26 to broad acclaim from Metacritic, AllMusic, and other musical review sites.
Both Steele and Littlemore are masters of the extravagant. They descend to the listener in fanciful headdresses and bizarre visuals of anthropomorphic
swordfish. Even their pseudonyms, “Emperor Steele and Lord Littlemore,” make them alien and almost fictional to the listener.
They have messages of love and unity available to the listener, provided the listener is willing to join them on the perpetual mountain-peak where they reside.
“Ask That God” follows suit, bringing the listener on a mesmerizing journey from the cherry blossoms of Thailand to the glitzy karaoke bars of Tokyo.
The album comes eight years after their third record “Two Vines,” which was released in 2016. In that hiatus, the duo pursued their independent musical projects, with Steele releasing a solo album and Littlemore working with his dance music trio, PNAU.
This time away is heard in the reflective and contemplative
themes of the record. The usual lyrics that rouse crowds or fantasize about young love (sometimes both at once) now share space with heavy soul-searching of the band’s growth as artists.
For example, the chorus of the opening track, “Changes,” states “This time I’ll love you more, This time we’re going through changes.”
For a band whose founding millennial audience has long since left their college nights behind, reflection on their career and self-redefinition are a given.
Empire of the Sun records follow a strict formula: frontload the tracklist with certified party classics and fizzle out into moody deep-cuts that speak what cannot be heard over subwoofers.
All three singles find their place at the start of the record, followed by hidden gem “The Feeling You Get.” The tracks
feature an effective synth and snare combo, with whimsical descending guitar or keys riffs showing up in several places. The latter half of the album loses the partygoer in its dreaminess.
The final track, “Friends I Know,” is certainly the least catchy track, but it is drunk with the type of reflection that underscores the rest of the album, singing “maybe I’m a dreamer, maybe I’m a sinner, maybe I’ll become what I once believed for.”
“Ask That God” certainly does not have the same cultural relevance as Empire of the Sun’s sixteen-year-old debut – it is an album for the fans. Steele and Littlemore express no desire to stop producing music. This latest record proves that the pop gurus still have more to offer.
purpose as an artist had become clear through this project, it has become time to change American culture’s idea of art and bring it back to something more traditional.
“I started this conversation today with you because art and culture are just not important in this country and that needs to be changed,” Howard said.
“That is the critical moment we are facing right now because modern art has really fallen apart in a big way. So I have
another job to do now.”
Julio Suarez, the chair of the art department said that Howard’s lecture was helpful for the Art students to hear about the dedication it takes to make a career out of art.
“To achieve a commission like that, but mostly just to make it as a professional artist, is how insanely committed you have to be,” Suarez said. “Hopefully that will inspire and push students who are serious about making a career of art.”
Q&A with James Matthew Wilson
By Ally Hall Digital Editor
James Matthew Wilson is a poet, critic, and scholar of philosophical-theology and literature.
You’re a regular visitor to Hillsdale College. What do you enjoy about coming here?
I have had an enduring admiration and affection for Hillsdale for decades. This will be my third formal visit to the college. All told, there are few places in the world for which I harbor warmer affections. I’m a native Michigander and Hillsdale represents the best aspects of the Midwestern liberal arts college. The specific occasion for my visit this fall is the release of my fourth full-length book of poems, “Saint Thomas and the Forbidden Birds.” I’ve been giving readings around the country, but I had wanted to do an event in Michigan that would be, however informally, the real launch celebration for the book. Hillsdale was the natural place.
the average person still thinks of meter and rhyme when — as they sometimes are — called upon to think of poetry at all. That common sense prejudice is well founded. Once one understands that verse is a medium that simply refines the rhetoric and rhythm of speech down to the syllable, it becomes an almost irresistible craft. In the last century, the turn against real verse was consequent to many poets coming to think of their metrical practice not as a refinement and attunement of speech for the ear but as an almost spatial, visual exercise, a sculpting of language. That was a mistake, but one already obscured to most of us by the passage of time.
Many people are intimidated by poetry, or they think it’s some highfalutin academic pursuit. What would you say to someone who feels this way, and is there a poet with whom you’d recommend starting?
By Elizabeth Fredericks Guest Writer
Fall break is upon us, which hopefully means at least a small respite from the endless churn of exams, papers, and activities. It may even mean a chance to read something that isn’t for classes, and which we might not encounter in our academic rounds. In that light, here are a few books that feel in tune with autumn, “that season of peculiar and inexhaustible influence on the mind of taste and tenderness,” as Jane Austen describes it.
A lot of what I read as an English professor is fiction and poetry, Irish in particular, which is how I came upon the work of Pádraig Ó Tuama. He’s a poet, theologian, and conflict mediator who used to lead the reconciliation community Corrymeela in Northern Ireland.
The book of his that I love best, though, is his nonfiction work
“In the Shelter: Finding a Home
in the World,” a wide-ranging reflection on what it means to be made in the image of God in a world full of sorrow and pain. In particular, Ó Tuama writes on how to name and embrace the present moment in which we find our selves without falling prey to false dichotomies that can both warp our memories and distort our visions of the future. If welcoming is a spiritual discipline, as Ó Tuama suggests it is, then we must learn to welcome whatever finds us in our present moment, and to sit with it, rather than see difficulty as a matter of struggle and conquest. It’s a deeply reflective, tender book that
makes everyday living more bearable, without offering false certainties.
I also return again and again to the novels of the Japanese-born British Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro, and I’ll particularly single out “Never Let Me Go” and “Klara and the Sun” as a compelling double bill interrogating what it means to be a creature with a soul. The former offers a bleak, disturbing picture in which certain characters are treated as less than human, and therefore deserving of exploitation in order to save the lives of those who are truly human. The latter offers a more hopeful vision of a being whose self-sacrificing care for another perhaps
elevates her from the category of non-human to some kind of personhood. Like Ó Tuama, Ishiguro wrestles with how to maintain one’s humanity in a world that often erodes it.
Finally, American poet Louise Glück is a poet I discovered as an undergraduate and have loved ever since, particularly her collection “The Wild Iris.” In this collection, the poet (also a struggling gardener) speaks to God, and in some poems, God speaks back, but the most vivid and remarkable poems might be those in the voice of plants in the garden, glorying in their brief, vivid lives and their fight for survival. Glück surprises the reader constantly with these unsentimental but beautiful reflections on what it means both to live and to die.
If you find yourself in need of refreshment that acknowledges the passing of one season, but the hope of another to come, one of these just might do the trick.
You’ve written about your aversion to free verse poetry, which is what many contemporary poets cling to. In your years of teaching, especially at traditionally oriented institutions, have you noticed any shift back to form and poetic convention through your students?
Well, I would probably reverse the emphasis of that sentence. I have written about my love of meter and rhyme and have incidentally cast a few aspersions on free verse without ever actually saying (I don’t think) that it is a bad thing in itself. Free verse can be good, as can all writing that has a command of rhetoric. Alas, many free verse poets cast out the use of rhetoric and grammar along with the natural conventions of English verse. I teach a wide range of graduate students, but most of them either come to me already writing in meter or subsequently become enthralled by the art and so take it up, not to say exclusively. Despite free verse having been a well-known phenomenon for more than a century,
From the beginning of our tradition, poetry has been at least two things at once. It has been the place where our stories get told, our human ideas worked out and figured out, and it has also been the place where we go beyond the surface of experience and enter into reflection upon it. In a very, very loose manner of speaking, all of Plato is a commentary on Homer. But the first thing to see in Homer is blood and guts, amazing feats and heroic characters. All the mystery and depth can safely be postponed until after first acquaintance. Good poems have always worked that way. The reason poetry seems difficult to many now is that they have encountered it only in the classroom (if at all) where the first exhilaration is bypassed and the labor of hermeneutics (which need not be a labor, if one doesn’t bypass things) begins. Of course, there’s not a lot of such labor going on in the contemporary classroom. Most schools only introduce a poem if it is a bare statement of some branch (are there many?) of the tree of identity politics and the poem is meant merely to convey a feeling of victimhood. From the view of the present moment, the overly serious academic study of poems would be a welcome reprieve. But, in brief, people should begin reading poetry with, say, the lyrics of Longfellow. Only after reading “The Children’s Hour” should one possibly form a judgment on the difficulty of poetry.
“A Soldier’s Journey” in Washington D.C.
Courtesy | Sabin Howard Studio
Howard works on WWI memorial.
Courtesy | Sabin Howard Studio
Howard works with a blowtorch. Courtesy | Sabin Howard Studio
Shell shocked soldier in the memorial.
Courtesy | Sabin Howard Studio
“Chuck” poses with books. Courtesy | Elizabeth Fredericks
Courtesy | James Matthew Wilson
F E A T U R E S
QUICK HITS with Amelia Laws
By Michaela Estruth SENIOR EDITOR
In this Quick Hits, Amelia Lawson, assistant director of admissions who oversees the high school summer programs and student ambassadors, talks favorite breakfast food, childhood dreams, and crazy questions from her children.
Favorite sport and why?
College football — I’m from Ann Arbor, so I bleed maize and blue. Football was something I learned from my dad, and I loved watching games with him when I was still living at home. It just has a lot of nostalgia for me, being from a college town and immersed in that culture. It just feels like home.
What is your go-to song?
Depends on the day, but Kip Moore always puts me in a good mood.
What is your favorite dish to make?
I love to make Danielle Walker’s curried short ribs, but I substitute stew meat because it’s a cheaper cut. e avors are insane!
What did you dream of doing as a kid?
Being a teacher.
What’s your favorite season? Summer.
Best breakfast food?
Savory: Eggs. Sweet: Wa es.
If you could read only one book for the rest of your life, what would it be?
“ e Giver” by Lois Lowry.
What is a crazy question your kids have asked you?
One night, maybe around midnight, my almost 4-year-
old daughter started to cry in her room — hysterics — and I went in, prepared for the worst. “Grace, what’s wrong?” “Mommy, why my fan not on?” “Umm...because I turned it o to clean it, and I never turned it back on. Do you want it on?” “Yes, thank you, Mommy. Good night.”
If you could give one piece of advice to your 20-year-old self, what would it be?
Stop basing your worth on your relationship status. Your worth has been determined by God, and anything else is just a lie. Stay focused on who he says you are.
Freshman crowned ‘Mr. Hillsdale’
By Jamie Parsons COLLEGIAN REPORTER
Freshman Christopher Ambuul won Pi Beta Phi’s “Mr. Hillsdale” among nine bachelors who lined the stage of Plaster Auditorium Friday night.
Phi Beta Phi hosted its annual philanthropy event, “Mr. Hillsdale,” in an e ort to raise money for Read Lead Achieve, an organization supporting children’s literacy. “Mr. Hillsdale” is a light- hearted competition broken into four portions: formal wear, interview, pickup line and talent. e contestants, each representing a di erent men’s dorm and frat, run through each portion in hopes of gaining popularity amongst the judges.
During the pick-up line portion of the night, this year’s “Mr. Hillsdale” winner, Ambuul, called his mom while on stage to ask for her advice on how to ask a pretty girl out.
“Just say, ‘Hi, I am Chris,’” Ambuul’s mother said on the phone.
“Hi, I am Chris,” Ambuul said to his Pi Beta Phi escort as the audience roared with laughter.
This year, the event gar-
nered over 500 students who brought the energy – the audience burst into song during the lulls of the talent portion.
One of the songs the audience sang was “Please, Please, Please” by Sabrina Carpenter, which Jack Foley, from Sigma Chi fraternity, played with his electric guitar. e “Jeopardy!” theme song also erupted from the crowd.
“I knew the second I shook his hand that he was ‘Mr. Hillsdale’ material ”
Senior Vivian Turnbull said she thought the event had more students than years past. ere were especially a lot of freshmen, which helped bring spirit to the crowd, according to Turnbull.
“ e guy dorms really show up and cheer,” Turnbull said. “I think they help the audience because they are really hyped up and wear silly out ts.”
Besides the outbursts of impromptu singing from the
crowd, the talent portion had a variety of performances from the contestants. Senior Micah Hart showcased his memorization and public speaking skills by reciting a segment of one of Nikki Haley’s presidential primary debates, and junior Aidan Christian sang a song while bench pressing a friend.
Many students said Hart’s talent act was their favorite part of the night.
For the few minutes he had on stage, Hart embodied Haley. He walked across the stage with his chest high and spoke with a loud voice as a video of Haley played in the background.
Although the title of “Mr. Hillsdale” does not entail anything more than just its name, the nine students seemed to want to put on a good show for their peers and have a good time, according to Turnbull.
“All the candidates were strong this year,” Turnbull said. “They all had a lot of character and were not afraid to laugh at each other.”
Sophomore Josh Underwood, the reigning champion, spoke about the duties of “Mr. Hillsdale” before crowning Ambuul at this year’s event. He said Ambuul t the role
perfectly.
“I knew the second I shook his hand that he was ‘Mr. Hillsdale’ material,” Underwood said.
Junior Elizabeth Paccassi said she was particularly keen on Ambuul. She said he was funny and had wanted him to win from the beginning. Given the applause from the audience, Paccassi said many of the other students in the room felt the same way as her.
“When he won the entire room erupted,” Paccassi said. “He also was the Simpson candidate so he had a big support system.”
Underwood said it was sad to let go of his title but he was happy to pass it down to the next winner. It helped give him an “ego boost” last year and he is glad another Simpson guy will experience the same thing.
“It was both a melancholy and proud moment for me,” Underwood said. “I’m no longer campus’ beacon of masculinity. at responsibility now falls to him. But passing on my crown to the next generation of silly guys on behalf of the women of Pi Phi was my honor.”
Home is where the heart is
Hillsdale locals reflect on sticking around for college
By Grace Novak COLLEGIAN FREELANCER
Instead of adjusting to life miles away from home, some Hillsdale students have learned to balance their home life and school life together, and according to the students themselves, they would not change a thing.
Junior Paul Whalen has taken classes taught by both his father and older brother, Professor of English David Whalen and Associate Professor of English Benedict Whalen, nicknamed “Papa Whalen” and “Baby Whalen.” Additionally, Paul’s older brother Greg is also a student at Hillsdale.
Whalen said his dad and brother do not treat him any differently from the other students in their classes, and he enjoys getting to see them in their work environment teaching the things they excel at.
“I just really enjoyed being in his class. It was always fun to see that sense of humor I know in a classroom setting,” Whalen said of his father. “Because obviously I see him at home, but seeing him at work is a whole di erent thing.”
Senior Makenna Banbury, daughter of Doug Banbury, vice president for admissions and business development, said she has only run into her dad on campus a handful of times as a student. She has loved being able to visit her family, and her dogs, whenever she likes.
“I love my parents, so it’s not hard to go home,” Banbury said. “I love seeing them. I love getting a home-cooked meal. I love when my mom offers to buy me groceries. We just have a great relationship.”
Alethia Diener, a freshman and the daughter of Assistant Professor of Education David Diener, also appreciates her proximity to home.
“One time, I was really stressed out and overwhelmed by a lot of things, and I went on a run,” Diener said.
“Halfway through the run, I thought, ‘What the heck, I’m gonna run home!’ And so I just went home and ate dinner with my family. It was so precious and soul-nourishing.”
Far from taking these family support systems for granted, students all agreed that one of their favorite parts of living near home is getting to watch their families interact with other college students.
“I think it made it unique in the sense that I could share my family with others who don’t have family close,” Banbury said.
Focusing on balancing independence has been a really important aspect of life, according to Diener.
“I have been trying to live on campus, pretending that I don’t live in my hometown,” Diener said. “I want to intentionally not cling to my mom’s apron strings.”
While most students’ college experience is their rst time living away from home, these students are all still anticipating the jump away from their hometown a er graduation.
“It kind of scares me, because I don’t know where I’m going to be a er college,” Banbury said. “I’m gonna denitely have to be a lot more intentional if I’m not home to
make the call and make the FaceTime.”
Whalen said how much he has enjoyed the little fun things he does with his family around campus such as getting weekly meals with his dad and siblings while enjoying the inside joke of pretending they were his dad’s “phalanx” on the walk to the car.
“I’m looking forward to graduating,” Whalen said. “I’m pretty excited, but I have a lot of questions about what it really means to be a responsible human being out on your own. Which is so funny, because every other college student is just like, ‘Yeah, grow up, man, I did this three years ago.’”
Freshman Maria Burnett, daughter of Brandon Hadlock, director of operations for admissions, said while she loves attending school so close to home, she is looking forward to the shock of moving far away from home that she will experience next semester when she goes on her mission trip with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“I don’t feel necessarily more independent on my own, but I do feel like I can become my own person in a di erent way, because I’m in a di erent environment that I’ve never been in before,” Burnett said about life in Hillsdale.
Just because they grew up in the area does not mean it was an obvious choice for all professors’ children to go to Hillsdale. Growing up around Hillsdale, the education slowly captivated them to recognize how incredible the school really is, according to Burnett.
“I’m here for the college itself, not as a default,” Diener said. “I was looking for Hillsdale outside my hometown, but I realized that Hillsdale is the only Hillsdale.”
As applicants, they went through the application process just the same as the rest of the students, according to Banbury.
“I remember telling my dad when I finally decided to apply to Hillsdale, ‘I don’t want a handout. I want to actually earn this,’” Banbury said. “I did a student interview, I did the whole campus tour, I sat in on a class, and I went through everything.” e students have an appreciation for the ways that their families have given them the space to blossom on their own while at school.
“I’m so glad that I’ve been able to branch out, and I appreciate that my family has allowed me to do that,” Diener said. “ ey want me to become an adult and to become self-su cient.”
Banbury said she has no regrets about attending school so close to home. She wouldn’t change a thing.
“I don’t think I would be this person without Hillsdale and without the education, without the relationships I formed, and without the experience I had to go through,” Banbury said.
The students appreciate their families and are so grateful for the chance to grow into adulthood right near home according to Banbury.
“I don’t care how old I get or how much I think I know of the world,” Banbury said. “I’m always going to need them.”
Amelia Lawson poses with daughters Ellie (left), Grace (right), and husband Joshua. COURTESY | AMELIA LAWSON
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By Kamden Mulder FEATURES EDITOR
Nearly 20,000 in -
scribed red bricks make up the roads of campus, displaying messages of well-wishes or college memories. Passersby can search for bricks that provide the most colorful comments and observations: “Richard it’s only rock and roll,” “Thanks Mom & Dad we love you more than Sam,” and “Kim Gehrke ’17 better grades than her kids.”
There are several ways to immortalize a legacy on a custom brick. The cost for alumni is $500 per br i ck. The fee rises to $1,000 for others, such as George P. Schwartz, whose
brick declares: “I wish I went here.”
The first brick was laid in 2010. About 12,000 are now along the Liberty Walk, Hillsdale’s trail of memorial statues from George Washington to Margaret Thatcher. The other 8,000 bricks are laid along other sidewalks throughout campus that are not distinguished as the Liberty Walk, such as in front of the Dow Center.
The rules for brick donors are simple, according to Jessica Drumm, Hillsdale College’s fulfillment and office coordinator.
“They could have anything they wanted inscribed on the brick as long as it wasn’t hostile or
anything that would hurt somebody else’s feelings,” Drumm said. There is also no limit on the number of bricks per patron, Drumm said. Another way to acquire a brick is through the 1844 Society, a philanthropic and spirit group for students and alumni.
“Getting a brick through the 1844 Society requires active membership for four years, donating at least five dollars a month,” said Braden Vandyke, associate director of student and young alumni programs. “It’s probably the most affordable way to get a brick at the college for students and alumni.”
Senior Micah Hart has
big plans for his brick upon graduation.
“My dream to put onto my 1844 brick would be my name, class year, and a key Bible verse,” Hart said. “In my life and time at college, I have loved Joshua 1:9. It was a verse I leaned heavily on in high school and throughout college.”
Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Others plan on taking a less serious approach.
1 2 3 4 7 9 10 8 5 6
is drawn to: “Help, I’m being forced to engrave bricks!”
Vandyke, who has a brick of his own, went with the classic name, graduation year, and Bible verse combination.
“I like some of the more light humor bricks,” Vandyke said. He cites “Homework uses paper, go save a tree” and “Stop looking at the ground.”
Contributed to by Faith Walessa.
Junior Clare Horvath says she plans to choose the phrase, “T’would he were fatter” inspired by Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.” Sophomore Thaddeus
Reudelhuber
The bricks on campus boast various messages and memories. Faith Walessa | Collegian