Library, union construction planned for spring
By Megan Li Assistant Editor
Major renovations to Mossey Library could begin as soon as April as work on the Grewcock Student Union makes way for construction on Christ Chapel plaza.
“The college has been receiving some generous room naming gifts,” Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé said in an email. “We have not yet received a large enough naming gift to move into the construction phase.”
The north library addition will include an outdoor grand staircase with an arcade and undercroft structure, according to Péwé. Indoors, the college plans to renovate the circulation space on the
ground level, adding a circular stair, new flooring, and a new dome roof. Other additions include several new study and meeting spaces, two parlors, two lounges, restrooms, interior stair spaces, and a large reading room, entry lobby, classroom, and common room.
“The grand stair will be a great place to study, socialize and sit,” Péwé said. “The undercroft will create shaded studying and socializing spaces and create an impressive east-west axis with the future Loggia and Admissions Welcome Center. The new indoor spaces create much needed study and group study spaces, a classroom, presentation space, and meeting spaces.”
Professors express concern, excitement for cabinet picks
By Kamden Mulder Features Editor
As President-elect Donald Trump continues to roll out picks for his presidential administration, sentiments surrounding the cabinet picks vary among Hillsdale College faculty.
A common reaction, however, is that Trump is focused on loyalty this time around.
“Trump is definitely sticking more to people who support the MAGA side of the Republican party compared to his first term,” Professor of Chemistry Christopher Hamilton said. “He mostly picked people he thought would be loyal to him.”
Many professors noticed the shift from first-term Trump that Hamilton mentioned.
Christopher Martin, associate professor of economics, also acknowledged the importance of loyalty, as long as it is directed toward the right entity.
“We really do need radical reform in many areas (regulation, deficit spending, healthcare, the housing crisis) and that’s going to require both loyalty and competence,” Martin said. “But we shouldn’t elevate loyalty to individual leaders over loyalty to the Constitution and nation.”
But some professors criticized certain nominations.
Associate Professor of Leadership Studies Peter L. Jennings said he is critical of “Fox and Friends” co-host Pete Hegseth as director of homeland security, calling him a “bad choice.”
“Hegseth is a patriot, no doubt, but he’s a lightweight — a sheep amongst wolves — and the shrewd operators in the military bureaucracy will devour him,” Jennings said.
Director of American Studies Kevin Portteus, however, said he supports Hegseth and any nominee that upsets “the establishment.”
“At this point, I tend to evaluate the quality of a pick by the outrage and consternation said pick generates in the Washington establishment,” Portteus said. “On the other hand, if a pick is well-received by the same establishment, I start getting nervous.”
Portteus qualifies Hegseth, as well as Tulsi Gabbard, nominee for director of national intelligence, and Matt Gaetz, former nominee for United States attorney general, as a sign of Trump’s lack of trust in Washington.
“Many of his more controversial picks, such as Gabbard, Gaetz, and Hegseth, reveal that Trump simply doesn’t trust anyone in the Washington establishment,” Portteus said.
“Based on his experience in his first term and four years of the Biden administration, that mistrust is well-founded.”
Professors also expressed mixed reviews on Trump’s nominee for director of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Péwé said there are also plans for a south library addition, not to be started until the north quad projects have been finished. Those renovations will include a bigger reading room, an entry pavilion, a writing center, archive spaces, and an arcade that connects the buildings.
According to Péwé, the union construction crew has added safety fencing in front of the west main entry doors, a temporary divider wall in the formal lounge to minimize construction disruption for those using the room, and a new concrete slab replacing the stones by the far north door of the formal lounge that allows union entry for people walking from Christ Chapel, the Dow Hotel, or
Simpson dorm. Péwé said construction is soon to expand into the area between Christ Chapel and the west union doors.
“The Grewcock plaza will not be accessible for the next several months,” Péwé said. “The south door into Grewcock from the colonnade and the lower east door will continue to be accessible.”
Sebastian Castro, a carpenter for Weigand Construction, said construction of the divider walls in the union is progressing nicely.
“We’re just putting in temporary walls to help keep outside construction and dust and stuff from the demo that’s going to happen on the other side of these walls from coming over here and affecting you guys,” Castro said. “These walls will be up for a year or so, and then once we’re done on that side of the wall, they’ll come down.”
Junior Malina Ladzinski said she is not a fan of the separation in the union that impedes walking.
“It’s the gray wall of doom,” Ladzinski joked, referring to the wall blocking off the west main doors.
Castro said he understands the wall may not look the most appealing right now, but it will not stay that way.
“They’re gonna finish it off and make it look like an actual wall, painted and everything,” Castro said. “You won’t see all the screws.”
Ladzinski said she looks
forward to seeing the finished project.
“I am very appreciative that they are improving the college campus, beautifying it and making it look more and more like the Roman decor,” Ladzinski said.
Freshman Maria Kearney said the construction in the union has not affected the time she spends in the building.
“I definitely don’t come in through that door anymore,” Kearney said, referring to the west main entry doors. “But I still come into the union because I just like to go and find my friends because I need a break from all the academics.”
Péwé added the new fenced-off area to the east of Delp Hall makes room for a mock-up groin vault.
“A groin vault is the arched structure of the ‘undercroft,’ the part people would pass under when walking under the reading room of the north library addition,” Executive Assistant and Operations Manager Elizabeth Gray said in an email.
According to Péwé, that mock-up will take about a month to complete. It is a temporary structure built to test the future construction of eight groin vaults connected to the north library undercroft, which will be in a different location.
“This type of construction is a lost art,” Péwé said. “It will be important to complete a mock-up before the permanent structure is built.”
Paladino outlines policy plan
By Thomas McKenna City News Editor
As Joshua Paladino begins his two years as acting mayor of Hillsdale, he said his “number one” priority is to stop adding fluoride in the city’s water.
“I want my water to contain water,” Paladino told The Collegian in an interview this week.
The vast majority of water systems across the state add fluoride to increase dental health, according to Bridge Michigan, with about nine of 10 Michiganders using fluoridated water. Paladino said the city should stop the decades-old practice because it harms citizens’ health.
“I would like to act on that immediately based on all the evidence that we’re seeing of neural developmental disabilities, arthritis, etcetera,” Paladino said.
Paladino said he also wants to remove “industrial pollutants” and byproducts of chlorination. He said the legal limits for chemicals such as chloroform are too high and the city should invest in removing these byproducts from the water.
“I am a total novice,” Paladino said. “But what I see is a real disconnect between federal and state guidelines for water quality and what the researchers actually suggest.”
See Paladino A4
Nancy Johnson to retire from Institutional Advancement
By Moira Gleason News Editor
When Nancy Johnson ’06 moved from rural Iowa to Hillsdale in 1992 for her husband’s new position as pastor at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, the church sent the family a paper map of the city of Hillsdale.
“I just remember unfolding this map of Hillsdale and saying, ‘oh my gosh there’s a college in this town,’” Johnson said.
Now, she’s retiring from 31 years of working at the college.
“I just needed a job in 1993, and it became a career,” the 67-year-old mother of five said. “I had no plans to do this with my life, and yet, here I am. It turned into a career that I’ve really, really loved.”
Johnson started her career as a data clerk in the admissions office in 1993, where she manually entered prospective student information into a database. She has since worked in the president’s office, helped with the accreditation process, and worked on the institutional advancement writing staff before taking over as associate vice president of institutional advancement in 2018.
“During her decades here, Nancy has been a pillar,” College President Larry Arnn said.
Johnson served as director of the Rebirth of Liberty and Learning capital campaign from 2012-2018 and the Four Pillars Campaign from 2018-2024. This most recent capital campaign, which wrapped up in June, raised more than $1.5 billion.
“I said to her once, after she gave me some report, that I had never seen her do anything ex-
cept well,” Arnn said. “We owe her a debt for her skill, devotion, and good judgment. Her work is written all over the college.”
In addition to raising a family and working full time for the college, Johnson finished her bachelor’s degree at Hillsdale after completing two years at Concordia
thing I want to study. Of course, I had no idea what I was getting myself into.”
Though Hillsdale accepted her transfer credits, Johnson still had to take core classes. One of her favorite classes was her introduction to politics course with Professor of Politics Mickey Craig.
sota, before her marriage. Taking one class per semester for five years, Johnson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in classics in 2006.
Johnson said she always had a fascination with Latin but never got the chance to study the language in school.
“When I decided to start taking classes, the general advice was at my age I should take the fastest route to a degree,” Johnson said. “But I thought if I’m going to go through all this blood, sweat, and tears, I might as well be learning and studying some-
Craig said his
vorite memory of Johnson in class comes from reading Aristotle’s description of women as less reasonable than men.
“We became a real Hillsdale family,” Johnson said. In her current role, Johnson oversees the institutional advancement database, gift processing, prospect research, and financial reporting. She also oversees the institutional advancement writing team she used to work on.
“It’s what you’d normally call the back-office operations,” Johnson said. “I’m not out in the front lines visiting and meeting people at the meet-and-greets. I’m in the back office and oversee all the people that support that effort for the college on campus.”
Johnson has worked for Executive Vice President for Institutional Advancement John Cervini ’74 during her entire time in institutional advancement. Cervini said he has been impressed with her work.
“She has an eye for things, and I find her to be very helpful — those things that people may not pay attention to,” Cervini said. “She has a knack for bringing up good ideas, she’s a good writer, and I just have a lot of confidence in her.”
Cervini said Johnson is a good judge of character and has done well training those who will take her place, but he said he is sad to see her leave.
“I kept baiting her, saying ‘you can stay on for another year or two Nancy, come on,’” Cervini said.
“I’m quoting these things from Aristotle, and usually nobody objects. But she was a smart, spunky, and mature adult,” Craig said. “I said, ‘Oh Mrs. Johnson, you have something to say here.’ She said, ‘Yes, I hate this because it’s so true. My husband is so reasonable, and I can’t stand it.’ I almost had to leave the room, I was just laughing so hard.” Four of the Johnson’s five children also attended the college, where they all met their spouses.
Rendering shows plans for north library addition.
Courtesy | Elizabeth Gray
Nancy Johnson has worked for the college since 1993.
Courtesy | Austin Thomason
Music department remembers life and legacy of harp instructor
By Tayte Christensen Assistant Editor
A talented harp player, musician, and mother of two, Hillsdale Adjunct Instructor of Music
Amy Ley McIntosh died Nov. 9 at age 49 after a two-year battle with breast cancer. The family held a “celebration of life” ceremony Nov. 24 in Windsor, Ontario.
“She was just always very upbeat, and she was kind to her students,” Professor of Music James Holleman said. “She was a mom, and I think those instincts took over as a teacher and the type of students we have. She also had very high standards for the students. She didn’t back
off on being able to push them.”
Ley was born to Emily Rich and Thomas Ley Nov. 8, 1975 in Lansing, Michigan. From her childhood, she loved music and played the piano, violin, and harp. She went on to study music at the University of Michigan, where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. During her time in college, she came to believe that playing the harp “was something, from the depths of my heart, that I had to do,” according to her obituary.
“Amy touched the lives of countless people through her brilliant musicianship, immense humanity, and unending warmth. In her hands, ‘the harp, that most heavenly of instru-
Kennedy, who recently coined “Make America Healthy Again,” is potentially one of the most consequential cabinet picks, according to New York Magazine.
Oliver Serang, assistant professor of computer science, said he is looking forward to Kennedy’s potential confirmation.
“I have a Mason jar filled with homemade granola that I keep in my Subaru, so I can mark the occasion if Kennedy gets confirmed,” Serang said. “Hopefully the hearings will be quick so the raw milk in the other mason jar doesn’t turn.”
Hamilton said Kennedy is his least favorite Trump nomination.
“He’s a conspiracy theory nut, with ideas that aren’t just wrong, but could be dangerous,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton said his concerns rest partially in Kennedy’s criticism of vaccines.
“If his anti-vaccine beliefs lead to policy changes, it will undoubtedly lead to an increase in childhood disease and death,” Hamilton said. “There is no evidence that the MMR vaccine or any vaccine causes autism. A single fraudulent paper started that whole belief, yet Kennedy has repeatedly said — including at a Hillsdale CCA — that vaccines cause autism.”
Hamilton said he hopes Kennedy will not be able to make drastic changes.
“I hope he’ll be restrained by others in the administration and that the existing non-appointed leadership in the various organizations will prevent anything too radical from happening,” Hamilton said.
Serang also said he is optimistic about the potential for government reform under a Trump presidency.
“My gut reaction is that the new administration might actually try to deliver on the campaign’s promise to reform the administrative state,” Serang said. “I’m curious how it will go.”
Portteus echoed a similar sentiment, noting that while some nominees lack formal experience, the current in the federal government runs too deep for self-correction.
“In terms of long service in the institutions they would be running, some are
ments, glowed even brighter,’” her obituary reads.
She was married to Andrew McIntosh for 22 years and they have two adult children, Dylan and Fiona.
Ley was the principal harpist for the Flint Symphony Orchestra and the Windsor Symphony Orchestra. She was a founder and the Artistic Director of 4th Wall Music, a Windsor-based group of musicians passionate about sharing chamber music with local audiences.
She also taught harp students at her home studio, the University of Windsor, the Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, and at Hillsdale since the early 2000s.
Holleman said after going to college and playing professionally in Michigan, he had known who Ley was. He said when a harp teacher position opened up at the college a few years into his role as chair of the music department, he contacted Ley and hired her for the role.
Senior Magdalena Shaltanis was one of about eight students in Ley’s Hillsdale studio last year. Shaltanis played with Ley since her freshman year and said lessons with Ley were always a highlight of her week.
“Her positivity was so nice,” Shaltanis said. “Anytime I saw
her, I knew she was going to be happy.”
Shaltanis said the first few minutes of her lessons were typically spent talking about the past week or discussing the stories behind the music Shaltanis was practicing.
“She would always have stories about pieces that we were playing or anecdotes about when she was in grad school,” Shaltanis said. “She was a good storyteller.”
Every Monday, Ley would commute from her home in Ontario and drive across the Ambassador Bridge to get to the college, which Shaltanis said demonstrated Ley’s loyalty to her students in Hillsdale.
“She drove down from Canada every week,” Shaltanis said. “Even all of last year when she was going through chemotherapy and having a lot of different difficulties, she was still making that drive every week.”
Shaltanis said Ley’s love for harp and for music shone in her willingness to constantly teach new students.
“She was always encouraging people who are just starting out,” Shaltanis said. “I would always tell my friends, ‘my teacher always wants to take on new students.’ So she would take
on adult students or seniors or freshmen. If they showed interest, she was always so happy to take them on. She was like, ‘yes, let me show you.’”
Adjunct Instructor of Music
Debbi Wyse, who retired as a piano teacher from the college in 2021, began taking lessons from Ley in 2003 and took lessons until her retirement. Wyse said with her busy schedule as a professor, she was often unable to practice harp as much as she would like, but Ley was always graceful.
“She had a very bubbly personality. She had a great smile. She was beautiful, she was joyful, she was encouraging. She was always positive. She was very understanding,” Wyse said.
“If I had a bad week practicing, she would go, ‘Oh, don’t worry about it. Let’s just play today.’ She was an amazing musician.”
Ley continued to teach at the college until last spring, when her health declined to the point that she was unable to teach any longer.
Shaltanis said even when Ley’s cancer took a heavier toll on her, Ley always tried to remain positive.
less experienced,” Portteus said. “On the other hand, they were selected because those institutions are often wholly corrupt, and no one at the highest levels of those institutions can be trusted to reform them and root out the corruption.”
Assistant Professor of Education Catherine Kuiper noted Trump’s desire to break down established Washington elites, but questions the president-elect’s method.
“I’m entertained, certainly. Trump continues to make good TV, as promised,” Kuiper said. “But more seriously, if Trump and company want to shake the foundations of elite power, why choose people who came with reputations for abuse and addiction and reckless behavior? If he really wants to transform something like the Department of Justice or the Pentagon, it will take discipline — not erratic nonconformity.”
If the administrative state is reformed, however, it will not go unnoticed, Serang said.
“Big changes to the Wilsonian framework would be felt by the average American, via the regulatory regime, interpretations of Title IX, federal spending, interest rates, the enforcement of immigration law, military adventurism, and the balance between gas prices and conservation,” Serang said.
Hamilton said both Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, prospective coheads of the new Department of Government Efficiency, will address said issues.
“While not part of the ‘official’ cabinet, I think the DOGE run by Musk and Ramaswamy will be interesting to watch,” Hamilton said. “There is too much bureaucracy and wasted spending, so maybe they’ll come up with some good ideas. Even if they don’t, there will likely be some fun and wacky ideas.”
Overall, cabinet appointees need to focus on the job at hand, Jennings said.
“Aside from character and competence, they have to have the maturity and experience for the job,” Jennings said. “A cabinet appointee needs to check their ego and put the country first. They are there to serve, not be served.”
By Luke Miller Collegian Reporter
Freshman David Kibbey has topped the podium of young car enthusiasts after winning “Young Achiever of the Year” in this year’s International Historic Motoring Awards.
On Nov. 22, Kibbey was declared the first-ever “Young Achiever of the Year,” a category recognizing someone under the age of 30 who has shown extraordinary skills or initiatives in the car collector world.
“It’s a huge honor,” Kibbey said. “I hope this will allow us to shine a light to more young people in the automotive industry and leave a bigger footprint.”
Kibbey is a freshman from Northville, Michigan, and plans to study finance.
Kibbey’s nonprofit classic car show called “Northville Concours d’Elegance,” which he co-founded with his friend Drew Lehnert in 2021 at the age of 15, brings young car enthusiasts from around the country to Metro Detroit for car judging events.
Johnson from A1
Vice President for Finance and Treasurer Patrick Flannery has worked with Johnson over the years on gift processing and agreements with donors.
“She’s always relaxed, happy, fun to work with,” Flannery said. “She works hard. She’s really centered on God, which is something you can just see in her, and it’s something that comes out in her work at all times.”
The most rewarding part of her job, Johnson said, has been training the next generation of employees.
Katie Sorensen ’15 has worked under Johnson on the institutional advancement writing team since she began working for the college in 2016. Sorensen said Johnson has a sense of honoring the history of the college and those who came before her.
“She often speaks about her predecessors in her role and things they taught her,” Sorensen said. “You get a sense not just of ‘here’s how to do this task’ but also ‘here’s this honorable legacy of people, of which you’re a part, and that hopefully we can live up to continuing.’”
Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé said he met Johnson
“Kibbey’s entry attracted the judges for his dedication to becoming a Concours judge at classic car events,” said David Lillywhite, a judge and sponsor of the 2024 International Historic Motoring Awards. “It’s a task that’s dominated by much older people generally.”
According to their website, Northville Concours d’Elegance holds comprehensive judging events where young people from around the country are paired with mentors to judge Northville’s classic car shows. They also run other programs through the organization including a Cars and Coffee group in Detroit and a children’s event with Toys for Tots.
“Our mission is to inspire the next generation of automotive enthusiasts,” Kibbey said. “I am so happy with what we’ve become and we just want to encourage people who are interested to get involved. We want people to follow their passion. And if cars are their passion, we want to open that door.”
Kibbey said his interest in
when she first worked in the admissions office. He said she immediately struck him as a moral and knowing person, classically educated and wise in ultimate and important things.
“She was also extremely ethical, and there was no drama around her ever,” Péwé said. “Her faith was deep. She applied the Golden Rule everywhere. Her morality was evident, and she treated people the right way. Anyone that came into the office, she treated them with the same respect. It did not matter if it was a recent graduate learning the job or the provost.”
Péwé said Johnson will always be one of his favorite colleagues.
“In Nancy Johnson fashion, she will leave everything she was responsible for in good order and better than she found it,” Péwé said. “We need to continue to develop the next generation of leaders, using Nancy as an example.”
Executive Director of Institutional Advancement Operations for Data & Research Sarah Grablick ’04, Vice President of Institutional Advancement Bill Gray ’01, and Sorensen will divide Johnson’s responsibilities when she retires at the end of the year.
Gray said he has worked with Johnson since he joined the mar-
The number of students in Ley’s studio varied from year to year, but according to Shaltanis, last year Ley had around eight. Wyse said one of the reasons she wanted to learn harp initially was to be able to play for those on their deathbed. She went on to play at Ley’s funeral.
“I like to just mess around on the harp a little bit, and a person that my husband and I knew quite well was dying and asked me to play for her funeral, and I said, ‘Yeah, what do you want me to play?’ And she said, ‘Jesus Loves Me.’ I was like, ‘Oh, it’s just so simple and kind of boring,’” Wyse said. “So I did my own arrangement of ‘Jesus Loves Me.’ And then the next lesson, I played it for Amy, and she said, ‘Oh, you can play that for my funeral.’”
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made in Ley’s honor to the Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation, the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, or the Flint Symphony Orchestra.
“She leaves a hole,” Holleman said. “We’ve lost other faculty over the years, and they always leave a hole. There’s always a spot in our hearts.”
“Obviously nobody is happy all the time, and in the later years, she wasn’t so energetic, but she always made an effort,” Shaltanis said.
Freshman wins automotive award
collector cars developed at a young age, when he chose to follow in the footsteps of his brother into the car hobby.
“I started doing a youth judging program at a car show near my house, and after five summers coming back for the show, a couple folks offered me the opportunity to judge the shows for real,” Kibbey said. “Then I saw that there was a lack of young people getting into the hobby, so that’s when I started Northville Concours and made it youth-focused. We continue that vision to this day.”
The International Historic Motoring Awards are the only global awards for the collector car industry, according to Lillywhite. This year alone, he said there were at least 11 countries represented at the awards from four different continents.
For the last 14 years, the International Historic Motoring Awards have sought to “represent all aspects of the international classic and collector car movement, from events and restoration to personal achievement and youth involvement,”
keting team in 2011.
“She and I have had many great conversations — solving problems, figuring out the best way to balance the differences between fundraising at scale and personal fundraising, and generally supporting and helping each other however we can,”
Gray said.
Gray said he admires the passion, energy, wisdom, and intelligence Johnson brings to her work.
“Nancy could always be relied upon to do the right thing, to take care of our donors or our staff, and to be fearless in fighting for that,” Gray said. “I’m going to miss having her as a colleague very much.”
Johnson said she wants her coworkers to know how grateful she is for everyone who has supported her.
according to its website. The culmination of this year’s efforts was the presentation dinner gala held at the Peninsula London Hotel in England.
“The night was everything and then some,” said Angela Hucke, Bugatii Trust Curator and attendee of the event. “What a community we’re a part of.”
Kibbey did not go to London to receive his award.
“I wasn’t able to go to the U.K. I had a midterm that day,” Kibbey said. “But I got to celebrate the award that night with a Thanksgiving dinner with my friends here on campus.”
While Kibbey does not know whether this organization will become his career or not, he says it has given him some amazing experiences through the past several years.
“If I hadn’t tried it back then, all of these cool things and experiences we’ve done wouldn’t have come about,” Kibbey said. “So I’ll never say never — you never know God’s plan for us.”
“You do spend time thinking about ways you fell short,” Johnson said. “Maybe that’s me, maybe that’s my Lutheranism: repent, repent, repent. You think about the ways you might have let people down, but I have been so blessed. People have been so gracious to me over the years and helped me to be successful.” During her retirement, Johnson said she hopes to spend more time with her husband, children, and 19 grandchildren, visit her cottage in Pentwater, Michigan, and pick up some of the hobbies she has set aside in the past decades.
“I keep saying what I want to do is do whatever I want to do. I’m looking forward to some downtime for a while,” Johnson said. “I will not be bored, not for a minute.”
Cabinet from A1
Adjunct Instructor of Music Amy Ley died Nov. 9 after a two-year battle with cancer. Courtesy | The Windsor Symphony Orchestra
City News
City council weighs Camp Hope’s future
By Megan Li Assistant Editor
A ma c eshift homeless shelter continues to face its removal deadline of Feb. 1, despite a suggestion from Ward 4 Councilman Robert Socha at the Dec. 2 city council meeting to delay eviction until April.
“We have ordinances to say that you cannot occupy a building as a dwelling unless it meets certain standards,” Thomas said.
MDOT to raise low bridge on W. Hallett Street
By Luke Miller Collegian Reporter
The Michigan Department of Transportation plans to raise the West Hallett Street railroad overpass after numerous collisions, but construction won’t begin before 2027.
City Manager David Maccie said the bridge is causing serious problems due to its low clearance height of 9 feet, 8 inches. MDOT has not selected a specific new height, but currently estimates costs of around $8 million.
“The low clearance height has caused numerous vehicles to stri ce the bridge,” Macc ie said. “These incidents not only disrupt traffic, but also pose safety riscs.”
After a garbage trucc hit the bridge in October 2023, West Hallett Street was forced to close for two weecs, which led Maccie to reiterate the severity of the problem to MDOT.
“We have consistent -
The details of Paladino’s plan are still murcy. While he said stopping fluoridation may save the city money, removing the other chemicals that chlorination brings into the water could be expensive. The city may need to raise water rates depending on the cost of the changes.
“We might have to ma ce the argument to our citizens that water costs will go up, but it’s going to be for a net good,” Paladino said.
Ending fluoridation is one of Paladino’s many plans. The new acting mayor said he wants to bring in more money from the college, create new homeless housing funded entirely by private charity, end a city program that charges residents on less-traveled roads for repairs, and lower the general tax rate for all citizens.
“When I go into a meeting with people who have been managing real things, doing real worc for 40 years, and I come in as a 28-year-old and say, ‘Let me tell you how to improve things,’ of course, there’s something absurd about that,” Paladino said.
Paladino said he plans to meet with the heads of all city departments to learn more about the inner worc ings of the city and mace better policy decisions. He said he met with City Manager and BPU Director David Maccie to discuss the details of his water plans.
Maccie told The Collegian the city already meets all state and federal water quality standards but also said city services will worc to accomplish the council’s goals.
“City staff are committed to supporting the council as they define the direction and
ly shared our concerns with MDOT about the bridge’s low clearance and the collisions it causes,” Macc ie said. “While the City of Hillsdale has added flashing lights and new signage to warn drivers, these measures have not been fully effective in preventing accidents. We have stressed the need for a more permanent solution.”
MDOT is worc ing on the first step toward a permanent fix, according to Michael Frezell, deputy communications director for MDOT.
“We are in the process of hiring a consultant to evaluate options for the replacement of the Hallett Street bridge,” Frezell said. “Once the evaluation is complete, the plan would be to move forward on a final design and construction contract to implement the project.”
He also said alternatives to a complete replacement are on the table, such as raising the height of the current bridge for added safety.
initiatives that will best serve our community,” Maccie said in an email statement.
Paladino said he will meet with city staff who manage water and sewage, as well as the city clerc, city treasurer, and city parcs officials.
“I don’t want to stay in the realm of theory,” Paladino said.
When the city council accepted Mayor Adam Stoccford’s resignation at Monday night’s meeting, Paladino, the mayor pro tem, became acting mayor. Stocc ford is moving outside the city limits, which disqualifies him from serving as mayor.
Paladino — who spent a decade at Hillsdale College earning bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees — was elected to the city council in 2022. He currently teaches American politics at the college and for its online dual-enrollment program while also worcing as a political research analyst. While at Hillsdale, he served as the opinions editor for The Collegian in 2018, his senior year. Paladino and his wife, Brigette ’18, married in 2019 and have two children.
Paladino will serve as acting mayor until the town holds an election in 2026, according to City Attorney Tom Thompson. But that also means Paladino will need to gain majority support of an eight-man council for any policy priorities.
The council is split 4-4, Stoccford told the Collegian, between the “young guys” — Paladino, Jacob Bruns (Ward 1), Matthew Bentley (Ward 2), and Robert Socha (Ward 4) — and the “old guys” — Greg Stuchell (Ward 1), Will Morrisey (Ward 2), Bob Flynn (Ward 3), and Gary Wolfram (Ward 3).
“It’s pretty clear throughout the county from what I
The bridge was originally constructed in 1915 and has been used primarily by the Indiana Northeastern Railroad, according to HistoricBridges. org.
The project will li cely require driving detours for part of West Hallett Street.
“Construction will impact the roadway, which would licely be closed for around five months,” Frezell said. “Other impacts could include impacts to the rail corridor on each side of the bridge and the other infrastructure that is located in the area.”
Hillsdale residents who use the road in their day-to-day life will be rerouted by the construction. Ian Church, associate professor of philosophy at Hillsdale College, said he drives under the bridge after dropping off his children at school.
“It will be annoying to those folcs who need to tace the long way around during those five months,” Church said.
can see,” Stoccford said. “The young guys want lower taxes, less interference in their personal lives, smaller government. The older ones are retired and well off, want to force taxes on the residents for ‘the greater good’ projects, cool with federal and state subsidies.”
Increase city funding from college
The city agreed to let the college acquire sections of East Galloway Drive and Summit Street for its hotel expansion in exchange for a $1.7 million in the Hillsdale County Community Foundation and $300,000 for essential city services.
But Paladino said the payment was not enough. The college’s nonprofit status maces it exempt from property taxes. The city is missing out on that revenue, Paladino said, and he thin cs the college should pay more to mace up for lost funds.
“I hate high taxes,” Paladino said. “But I would love a more diffuse taxation so that it’s not the citizens who own homes and the business owners who are paying all the taxes, but everyone who benefits from the city services.”
Paladino said it’s in the college’s interest to fund city services and that it would lighten the tax burden on college employees who live in the city. If the college would pledge to give $100,000 per year, Paladino said, he would “earmarc every dollar of that for tax reductions.”
Fund homeless housing through private charity
Paladino said he plans to collaborate with Penny Myers, executive director of Share the Warmth of Hillsdale County, on housing for the homeless
“But given the number of accidents that have occurred at that bridge, clearly signs weren’t fixing the problem.”
According to Frezell, the rail bridge is also used by both commercial and tourist train services that bring people in and through Hillsdale each year, and construction would interrupt both c inds of rail travel.
Maccie stressed the need for effective communication and cooperation between MDOT and the City of Hillsdale when dealing with the project.
“The city’s role is to collaborate with MDOT, provide input on the project’s impact on local traffic, and ensure residents are informed about the progress,” Mac c ie said. “Our primary goal is to ensure the clearance height is increased to prevent future collisions — this project will address the clearance issue and improve overall safety. We are pleased that MDOT has prioritized this issue.”
at a permanent location away from the city’s downtown.
But the funding won’t come from city coffers, Paladino said. Instead, he plans to gather nonprofits, especially churches and other religious organizations, to fund the housing entirely through private charity.
“I want to meet with all of the priests and pastors in the county and say, ‘Where are your charitable funds going?’”
Paladino said. “If we can get a bunch of people to sign on, we could distribute the cost so widely that no church would have to tace on more than a cost in the thousands of dollars.”
Paladino wants to ensure the shelter prioritizes Hillsdale residents who are homeless. The shelter would enforce residency, citizenship, and worc requirements as well as drug tests.
End Special Assessment Districts
To raise money for repairs on less-traveled roads, the city designates special assessment districts. Property owners in a SAD must pay up to $5,000 to fund road repairs in the district.
Paladino said the council should put more general tax funds toward road repairs and cut other city spending.
“This is a huge disconnect for the council,” Paladino said. “They put roads and police and fire at the top, and then say there’s no money in the general fund for roads. Well, if it were your top priority, that would be the first thing you find money for, and then you would filter out other things that are secondary concerns. We’ve been doing the opposite.”
Camp Hope, a large tent behind Hillsdale Community Thrift, currently provides beds and bathrooms to 23 individuals. The thrift store director, Melissa “Missy” DesJardin, opened the shelter in April 2023 as a temporary response to Hillsdale’s ordinance banning camping on public property.
But the city says the camp violates building codes. Hillsdale Community Thrift did not conduct a site plan review by the planning commission before constructing Camp Hope, according to Thomas. She also said it is missing a permanent foundation.
“It doesn’t meet any of the state construction code requirements for a group home or a residence,” Thomas said.
The city had turned a blind eye toward Camp Hope for a year in hopes of finding a permanent solution for the residents of the camp, according to Thomas.
Socha said the situation is difficult.
“I cannot expend the city’s money to help homeless people,” Socha said. “I don’t thinc it’s right to spend your neighbors’ tax dollars on something that’s close to your heart and that might not be close to their heart.”
Socha said he is uncomfortable with the eviction coming in February after the city had allowed the shelter for a year and a half for humane reasons.
“I’ve always applauded what Missy has done and what it is, but I’ve also always exhorted the community to get behind it and open their poccetboocs and find a solution,” Socha said. “I c now these people are human beings, and I don’t want them out in the freezing cold.”
Thomas said the city would consider a request for extension of the teardown deadline if the staff of Hillsdale Community Thrift provides a reasonable excuse.
“We want to wor c with people, we don’t want to tace people to court,” Thomas said.
Ward 3 Councilman Bob Flynn said the cold may not be a problem if the eviction happens next year.
“Don’t ta c e this wrong, but c nowing the speed of government, I’m going to guess that by the time Missy is asced to tear down the structure and move those people along, it’s going to be nice and warm,” Flynn said. The city council also addressed the vote for mayor pro tem Joshua Paladino at the Nov. 18 city council meeting. Ward 2 Councilman Matthew Bentley asced for a re-approval of Paladino as mayor at Monday night’s city council meeting.
Bentley objected to including the roll call of the council’s 5-4 approval of Paladino as mayor pro tem, which was included in the minutes of the Nov. 18 council meeting.
“I will not acquiesce in a process which undermines the integrity of the fundamental activity by which council members represent their constituents and exercise the authority entrusted to them,” Bentley said at the Nov. 18 meeting. “I would move that by unanimous consent, we affirm that Dr. Paladino is the mayor pro tem.”
After Bentley’s motion to re-approve the vote, seconded by Ward 1 Councilman Greg Stuchell, the council voted 4-4 with Paladino voting in favor of a revote. The tie resulted in no revote.
Community member Ted Jansen argued the election was a violation of the Open Meetings Act because it was conducted with written ballots.
“Vote must be by show of hands or any way you want to do, nod your heads or whatever. But the public has the right to see who is voting at the time the vote is made,” Jansen said. “So Mr. Paladino, let Mr. Morrisey run the session as prescribed by law.”
The city council also appointed Jaminda Springer to the Hillsdale Library Board on a 7-1 vote, with Flynn voting against the nomination. Flynn asced Springer if she wanted to “ban booc s.” Springer said she does not support banning boocs, but she also said she wants to improve the quality of the library’s selection.
“I do thinc that the library is a vessel of our community, it is a vessel of the cnowledge we have, the culture we have. I feel strongly about that,” Springer said. “Who else would be concerned about the library if not the board?” The council also appointed Luce Robson, president of the downtown revival project Hillsdale Renaissance, to the Tax Increment Financing Authority board in an 8-0 decision.
Ava-Marie Papillon illustrated the City News header.
Paladino from A1
The railroad bridge on West Hallett Street was forced to close for two weeks after it was hit by a garbage truck last year.
Catherine Maxwell | Collegian
The Camp Hope tent is located behind the thrift store. Courtesy | Barb Bortell
Flag planting is a consequence of the game
By Nathan Furness Collegian Freelancer
The University of Michigan Wolverines shocked the world on Saturday, Nov. 30, with a 13-10 win over the second-ranked Ohio State University Buckeyes in the 120th version of “The Game.” The win marked the fourth straight year that the defending national champions have bested the Buckeyes in America’s most intense rivalry, leaving a sour taste in the mouths of Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and his players.
This sour taste was evident in what happened after the game. Following their win, Michigan players began
to plant their block-M flag on the 50-yard line of Ohio State’s field. As they did so, dejected Buckeye players heading to the locker room halted their exit after seeing the flag being planted and began fighting Michigan players in an attempt to defend their field. The situation quickly escalated to an all-out brawl that featured numerous punches thrown, Ohio State players ripping Michigan’s flag off of its pole, and police needing to use pepper spray to break up the fight.
Flag planting has been practiced for decades. It often occurs after a road team’s victory in a rivalry game or in a game where the road
team is a large underdog beforehand.
Recent, notable examples include current NFL player Baker Mayfield planting an Oklahoma flag in Ohio State’s stadium after the Sooners upset the Buckeyes in 2017, Michigan players planting their flag following their upset victory over the Buckeyes in 2022, and Texas players planting a flag on Michigan’s 50-yard line following their victory over the Wolverines earlier this season.
All of these episodes were carried out without resistance from the home team who exited the field immediately after their loss, allowing the road team to claim the turf they had rightfully won
through 60 minutes of play. A road victor should be able to celebrate on the field however they want. If the home team doesn’t like it, they should have won the game. Times have changed. The Michigan-Ohio State brawl was not the only scuffle that followed a flag-planting over the weekend. Three other rivalry games featured road wins followed by fights.
After North Carolina State’s thrilling defeat of University of North Carolina, Wolfpack players attempted to plant the flag on the 50yard line. UNC wide receiver J.J. Jones ripped and hurled the flag away as a brawl began. The same happened in
University of Florida’s defeat of Florida State University which also saw a flag being plunged into Florida State’s 50-yard line. Once again, a scrum formed when Florida State players attempted to defend their field. Even the Seminole head coach Mike Norvell got involved in the fight, snatching the Gator’s flag and tossing it aside.
The final incident occurred in Arizona State University’s win over the University of Arizona. The Sun Devils' mascot’s pitchfork was planted on Arizona’s, and Arizona players attempted to remove it, leading to a scuffle in the endzone.
What used to be a harmless action following a big
win has transformed into something that demands the home team defend their turf. When asked how to describe “The Game” to someone completely unfamiliar with the rivalry, Ryan Day’s answer was simple, “It’s war.” In war, once a side loses its territory, it is rightly taken by the victorious side. This is the same in football. Once a team loses, they surrender their field to the victorious team. You don’t get to fight after the whistle blows. You’ve lost the war and surrendered your territory.
Charger chatter
Caitlin Splain, BaSketBall
If you were a super villain what powers would you have?
If I was a super villain, I’d want to have the ability to read people’s minds.
Do you have a pregame routine?
My pregame routine is to drink a baja blast from Taco Bell and braid my hair.
Games
By Jonah Starr Collegian Freelancer
Across 1. A boat?! A SECOND BOAT?! 7. Joe _____, the reason the buildings are always locked 8. ____ Rogers 9. The king of the 12-across 11. The Hillsdale College ____ Swing Club
12. Have the quirks of a Baptist with the reproductive drive of a Catholic 13. 4-down, but for old people too
14. This year’s winners of 6-down
17. The star of a film about the identity of 12-across
The senior whose fan club has commandments
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a male freshman in possession of a Hillsdale acceptance letter must be in want of a ____” 4. The _____ chat 5. Warm cookie ___ 6. Athletics determine when we give up a week of school
10. The original name of Legio XII Fulminata
11. The freshman romantic misstep
12. The Thursday night bane of hot dogs, burgers… and women
15. The greatest scandal in Saga: Dr. Arnn got _____
16. Dr. Schlueter's legendary video on _____
Compiled by Ameera Wilson
What is your favorite thing about basketball?
My favorite thing about basketball is letting go of everything else in life and getting lost in the game.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
My biggest pet peeve is chewing gum loudly.
Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department
Charger Sports
Volleyball seeks redemption against Findlay
By Ellie Fromm Assistant Editor
Charger volleyball en-
ters the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional tournament ranked third in the region. This is the Chargers’ seventh-straight NCAA appearance. They will play the Findlay University Oilers on Dec. 5 at 11 a.m. in Big Rapids, MI.
Last week, the Chargers lost to the Oilers in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference semifinal game. They lost in five sets, 21-25, 25-18, 17-25, 25-21, and 13-15. The Chargers have played the Oilers twice previously this season, winning both games. Their overall season record is 22-4.
Following the G-MAC tournament, Charger se-
niors Marilyn Popplewell and Lauren Passaglia were awarded All-Conference first team honors. Seniors Maizie Brown and Amanda Hilliker received second team honors.
Head coach Chris Gravel said the team played decently in their semifinal appearance, but a few minor mistakes cost them a significant amount of points.
”We had a lot of miscommunications, and that cost us maybe half a dozen points,” Gravel said. “We lost by just a couple points.”
Freshman Ellie Fles said the loss against Findlay was a good reminder for the Chargers going into the NCAA tournament, and that they will use it to motivate themselves.
“Losing stings, but after
Chargers lose to Lewis at home in final seconds
By Christian Papillon Collegian Reporter
The women’s basketball team suffered a loss on the road against Lewis University Nov. 23, falling 70-68 as graduate student and guard Taylor Guggliuzza of the Flyers sank a pair of free throws with one second left.
Sophomore forward Savannah Smith led the Chargers with 16 points on 70% shooting. Senior guard Lauren McDonald added 15 points and six rebounds, while fellow senior guard Caitlin Splain contributed 11 points and six assists.
The Chargers led by as many as 11 points after a layup by freshman center Ellie Bruce with 5:23 left in the second quarter. Lewis University cut the deficit to three points by halftime. After the third quarter,
the teams were tied in a 5050 deadlock. Lewis jumped out to a seven-point lead with 5:40 left in the game before the Chargers began mounting a comeback. For the last four minutes of the game, neither team led by more than two points.
“In the first quarter, we really ran our offense well,” Smith said. “We used the post players well and got good shots. We didn’t play as well in the second or third quarters, but in the fourth quarter we found it again, but just fell short in the last few seconds.”
A McDonald jumper with four seconds left tied the game at 68, but a foul three seconds later led to the two free throws, sealing the game.
“Offensively against Lewis, we were moving the ball well and setting good screens when we didn’t have the ball,” associate head coach Abbey
McNeil said. “We have played very good non-conference teams and although our record doesn’t show it, we’ve been in it every single game.”
Head coach Brianna Brennan said she has also seen the team's offense coming together, especially since the game against Wayne State University, in which the Chargers put up 62.5% shooting from the field in the second half.
“Against Wayne State, I think our offense was phenomenal,” Brennan said. “It’s just exciting that we are continuing to play off of each other and make better reads with each other. In the Lewis game we did a phenomenal job of getting the ball inside early on.”
Brennan said there is still optimism in spite of the recent losses.
“Lewis is the number-one team in the Great Lakes Valley Conference,” Brennan said. “To be in it the whole game and even to have control of the game at points just to lose it at the end was heartbreaking, but at the same time it proves again that we are capable of competing with the best of the best.”
The Chargers outshot Lewis from the field, 43.9% to 37.1%, but foul trouble from the Chargers gave Lewis 27 free throws. Lewis made 18 of them to secure the win.
Smith said she looks forward to the Chargers proving themselves in conference play.
“I feel like we have a lot going for us this season,” she said.
The Chargers will begin conference play this week with home games against Ohio Dominican University Dec. 5 and Malone University Dec. 7.
the game against Findlay we all deeply felt the loss,” Fles said. “It was a good reminder that everybody wants to win, but it’s about the discipline and mental control that gets us there.”
Gravel said he is switching his defense around for the upcoming game against Findlay.
“We’re mostly looking for consistency,” Gravel said. “We’re just switching different defenses and different play calls.”
Redshirt sophomore Chloe Pierce said the team is looking forward to facing Findlay again and improving on their last meeting.
”We are all super fired up to get another chance at Findlay,” she said. “We’ve been really focusing on play-
Men's Basketball
ing clean, providing productive feedback in team huddles, and serving tough to get the other teams out of their system.”
Since their first appearance in 2004, the Chargers have gone 15-15 in their NCAA tournament appearances.
If the Chargers win their game against the Oilers, they will advance to the next stage and face either the Grand Valley State University Lakers or the Quincy University Hawks on Dec. 6 at 4 p.m.
“The game is always filled with mistakes,” Gravel said. “Our ability to recover from those mistakes is what makes us one of the best teams.”
Men bounce back with dominant win over GVSU
By Kirsten Lopez Collegian Freelancer
The Chargers responded with a 67-63 win against Grand Valley State University on Nov. 27 after a tough loss against Winona State University on Nov. 23.
“We took a step back going into the Grand Valley game, cleaning up some things and getting back to the basics of who we are as a team and making that our focus for those three days heading into Grand Valley,” head coach Keven Bradley said.
Hillsdale struggled early against GVSU as they gave up six threes and trailed by two at the end of the first half.
Rolling into the second half, Hillsdale played tight defense, holding GVSU to only one three and 38% shooting from the field.
Redshirt freshman Logan Beaston led the team in scoring with 18 points, shooting 4-7 from deep, continuing his season’s hot streak from three.
“It feels good to see shots fall from three, and it especially helps with confidence,” Beaston said. “But my teammates really deserve all the credit, they’re doing a great job screening and finding me, and I have the easy job. I just have to knock them down.”
Sophomore Ashton Janowski was also crucial for the Chargers second-half success, scoring 13 points, grabbing three rebounds, and finding teammates for two assists.
Janowski said the team was able to wear GVSU down with strong physical defense and a fast-paced transition offense.
“It felt like towards the end
of the game their guys got tired and we were able to get off of screens at a good pace to get good looks, which gave us about a 10-point lead with 2:00 to go,” Janowski said.
Janowski also credited the team’s ability to learn and clean up their mistakes coming off their loss to Winona State.
“Our team did a good job of focusing on those prior mistakes to make sure they didn’t become habits. We stuck to the basic principles that we rely on for success, which are defending and playing unselfishly,” Janowski said.
As Hillsdale looks forward to the month of December,
Bradley emphasized the significance of the upcoming conference play games.
“In conference play, you have to elevate your play always. Everybody knows everybody. There are no secrets anymore. We’ve got to be sharper and a little more crisp. Our mindset is one game at a time, one day at a time,” Bradley said.
Hillsdale will play two home conference games against Ohio Dominican University on Thursday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m., and Malone University on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 3 p.m.
Women's Basketball
From left to right: junior Josie TeSlaa, sophomore Marcelina Gorney, senior Amanda Hilliker during a regular season match against Findlay.
Courtesy | Austin Thomason
A6 December 5, 2024
Sophomore Savannah Smith drives against a Wayne State defender. Courtesy | Elaine Kutas
Junior Ashton Janowski defends against GVSU. Courtesy | GVSU Athletic Department
F E A T U R E S
Go the distance: Hillsdale professor runs 63 ultramarathons
By Sarah Katherine Sisk SENIOR REPORTER
Most people will never run a marathon, let alone an ultramarathon — Charles Steele, assistant professor of economics, just ran his 63rd.
Steele signed up to run his first Le Grizz 50-mile ultramarathon in 1983 because it “seemed like a good idea.”
“I had never run a marathon before, so I was running a serious training program. I was in really good shape for a marathon, but they canceled it,” Steele said. “I had read somewhere in a book that anyone well-trained for a marathon could run up to 100 kilometers or 62 miles. I thought, well, Le Grizz is only 50. I didn’t know any better.”
Steele is part of a community of Hillsdale students, professors, and faculty members who run these extreme distance competitions. For these ultrarunners, the question isn’t “Why run 50 miles?” but rather “Why not?”
e Le Grizz occurs annually on the second Saturday in October in Montana, just outside of Glacier National Park. Steele has completed the race 23 times and won multiple awards over the years. He received the “Ten Bears” Award in 2010 for completing the ultramarathon 10 times. In 2021, a er his 20th nish, he received the “Chief Ten Bears” Award, named a er an Indian chief.
“There’s a guy from the Blackfoot Indian Reservation in Western Montana who would come over and do a ceremony with the people who have done it 20 times and induct you into the group of Chief Ten Bears,” Steele said. “I think there’s about 20 of us.” As part of the induction, each person is given a Blackfoot Indian name. Steele is named “Po-nah-tatsii,” meaning “slow deer.”
“He apparently meditates on this,” Steele said. “He comes up with a name. He nds out something about you.”
In 2013, amid a federal government shutdown, the U.S. Forest Service restricted access to roads included in the Le Grizz route. If ultrarunners followed the traditional route, the Forest Service threatened retaliation.
“People live up there permanently, so it’s open all the time,” Steele said. “It’s not like the road was closed. We were told you can’t run on it because of the government shutdown. And if you run on it, we’ll yank your permit. You’ll never be allowed to run there again.”
Le Grizz organizers and participants were forced to nd an alternate route for the race. Steele, however, was frustrated with the restrictions and was honored with Le Grizz’s rst-ever “Government Shutdown” award.
“I was the one who had the best complaints about how awful the federal government is. So I got the government shut-
down award,” Steele said. “It might just be the nest award I’ve ever won.”
ough he’s run thousands of miles, Steele can’t imagine getting bored while running, which is perhaps why he plans to run thousands more.
“I can get bored doing a lot of things, but not this,” he said. “You just enjoy it.”
Steele does not listen to music while he runs but says he thinks about many different things, from economics lectures and wolverines to paper writing and grizzly bears.
“When I say that, though, I usually have music playing in
dale sophomore T.J. Korotzer to tackle this summer.
“I love that part of the country, so it seemed like a perfect t,” Korotzer said. “ e scenery was beautiful, although I did spend an inordinate amount of time looking at the ground so I wouldn’t trip.”
Korotzer ran about five miles of the race alongside a man whose sisters attended Hillsdale College.
“We had a connection,” Korotzer said. “Whenever we saw each other at the aid stations, we would give each other words of encouragement.”
Korotzer — a Marine Corps
“I was the one who had the best complaints about how awful the federal government is. So I got the government shutdown award,” Steele said. “It might just be the nest award I’ve ever won.”
my head. I do right now,” Steele said. “The other thing about running in the mountains and running in these places is you want to be able to hear what’s around you, like if you suddenly hear some really big animal crashing through the woods — I wanna hear that.”
It is possible to encounter grizzly bears while running Le Grizz, and Steele has crossed paths with a few.
“ ere are times when I’ve been running solo, so I brought bear spray and a .44 Magnum. If the bear spray doesn’t work, the .44 is there, so you can shoot yourself,” Steele quipped. e longest ultramarathon Steele has run was more than 100 miles long.
“It was in Texas, so of course they made it 101,” he said.
Steele also frequents the Beaverhead 50K Trail Run along the continental divide in Idaho, which he inspired Hills-
veteran — is no stranger to intense physical training.
“I had done two half marathons while I was in the Marines, but this was a di erent beast due to the sheer amount of time I spent on the trail,” he said.
Korotzer said he was surprised by how calm he felt during the race.
“ e world got a lot smaller, and I had a tremendous amount of focus,” he said. “My goal was very clear — nish the race.”
Brent Cline, associate professor of English, didn’t start running until he was in his thirties. Cline is yet another Hillsdalian who has conquered Beaverhead.
“I had no intention of running an ultramarathon,” Cline said. “I was in Idaho with a buddy of mine, and he said, ‘ ere’s a race happening there tomorrow morning,’ as he pointed to
the top of a mountain. I found out that the Beaverhead ultra began where Meriwether Lewis rst came over into Idaho. I love Lewis and Clark, so I decided, ‘OK, I’ll run that.’”
Cline trained over the next year for the 35-mile race that has an average altitude of 8,600 feet.
“You can’t recreate that training in Michigan, so you don’t bother trying,” he said.
His friend once said that Cline was the “least zealous ultrarunner” he had ever met, which Cline regarded as a compliment, although he did don a Spiderman costume the last time he ran Beaverhead.
Other Hillsdale ultrarunners completed their rst race here in Michigan.
After running off and on for four years and wanting to try an ultramarathon for about as long, George Roche Sports Complex custodian Andrew Hollenbaugh ran his rst ultra in August 2024 — the North Country Trail 50K in Manistee National Forest in Michigan.
“From the start of the race to the end of the race, there was nothing but support and love,” he said.
Hollenbaugh said he relaxes while running, letting his mind go completely blank and tuning out daily stress. He sometimes listens to audiobooks and podcasts, though he will put on music when he needs more motivation.
“My race had plenty of conversation with some amazing
people running along the way,” he said.
According to Hollenbaugh, ultrarunner personality types vary with some unifying elements.
“Overall, ultrarunning attracts adventure seekers, outdoor lovers, and people who just want to nd peace in their minds while pushing their limits,” Hollenbaugh said.
Steele drew a similar connection between ultrarunner optimism and testing the limits.
“If you’re trying to do something, and it’s really questionable as to whether you can do it or not, talk to an ultrarunner. e ultrarunner is not the person who will say you can’t do that,” Steele said. “ ey’re the ones who say, ‘Maybe you can.’ at’s the mentality.”
According to Steele, running shorter distances is more competitive, with people more focused on beating each other. Even way back in the pack of an ultra, it’s more of a question of how to help each other get through it.
“We’re all doing something really hard,” Steele said. These ultrarunners believe the distance covered, and sometimes who they run alongside, is more important than a record-breaking time.
“No one cares about your time. e slower you go, the more fun you have,” Cline said.
Congrats December grads!
By Elizabeth Crawford SENIOR REPORTER
Graduation in May is an exciting time for many seniors as they push through the grind of exams, enjoy events like the baccalaureate service and commencement, and prepare for more informal traditions such as the senior sidewalk painting. But for seniors who finish their coursework in December, graduation looks a lot less conventional.
Senior Silas Growden, who majored in philosophy and minored in computer science, doesn’t plan on returning to walk in May 2025 with the rest of the senior class. Growden, a self-described introvert, said he came to college without a suit and tie to avoid events like senior dinners.
“I’m going to unceremoniously receive my diploma in the mail and get on with it,” Growden said. “I’ve been to a lot of graduations for my older siblings, and high school graduations and whatnot, and to me I don’t put a lot of stock in it — it’s not important to me that I walk. It’s almost more important for my mom and dad that they get to attend than it is for me to go.”
But other seniors, like Brooke Funke, plan to come back and attend commencement in the spring.
“I’m just happy to be done,” Funke said. “It would be more convenient if there was a grad-
uation in December, but I know we don’t have enough students to do that.”
Senior Sarah Trimbath also plans to come back and walk in the spring, though she will miss her friends.
“I will miss participating in the senior spring traditions, especially the traditions and senior week in Kappa,” Trimbath said.
ose who graduate in December also o en have an un-
“Hillsdale has done more for me as a person, as a moral agent in the world, than it has necessarily for this or that particular job.”
traditional collegiate path, some completing their work early and others nishing a er an extra semester. Growden took extra classes every semester in order to graduate early.
“If it’s not important to you to stay here for personal reasons and relationships, if you’re only here for your education, graduate early,” Growden said. “It’s great. You can do it — 18 credits, 21 credits, it might sound like a lot but you’ll manage, you’ll be OK, so if you think you might want to graduate early go for it — I’m glad I’m doing it.”
Trimbath, who majored in international business and went
on WHIP, said she is excited to graduate early, and advises those who wish to graduate early to look to the future.
“My advice would be to make a plan early on about how you will accomplish everything for your major, core, and college credit requirements,” Trimbath said.
Funke, who double majored in politics and philosophy, said she is looking for a job in government a er graduation.
“My boyfriend lives in Germany, so I think I’m going to go live there for a couple of months,” Funke said. “He graduates in October, so hopefully he’ll come to the U.S. and then I want to work in D.C.”
Growden said a er graduation he plans to move back to home in Colorado until he gets married in May and hopes to pursue a career in computer science.
“Hillsdale has done more for me as a person, as a moral agent in the world, than it has necessarily for this or that particular job,” Growden said.
Trimbath said that her leadership class with Peter Jennings, associate professor of leadership studies, was transformative.
“The biggest life lesson I learned at Hillsdale was from my leadership class with Dr. Jennings,” Trimbath said. “I learned that the good is at stake in every situation and that we have a responsibility to pursue it.”
QUICK HITS with C lin B nes
By Christian Papillon COLLEGIAN REPORTER
In this Quick Hits, Chairman of the Psychology Department Collin Barnes talks disc golf, diesel engines, and rock ‘n’ roll.
What is an annoying thing students do?
Nothing. ey’re practically perfect in every way — except that business about saving tables in Saga. I see your wallet, but where are you?
Is there a course you hope gets added to the catalogue?
Rock ‘n’ Roll and the Western Tradition. Instructor of record: Professor D. Bowie, back from the dead.
What is your favorite TV show and why?
“Twin Peaks,” from the early ’90s. Eerie, dark, funny, supernatural. Special Agent Dale Cooper — he’s my spirit animal.
What made you become interested in psychology?
e desire to help people and to understand myself. I got sidetracked by experimental social psychology for a while, but now I love the intersection of psychology, philosophy, and theology. I think the eld would be better if it remembered its roots.
What is your favorite course to teach?
I like teaching Psychology 101. The opportunity to introduce psychology to students in a different way than it was introduced to me is welcome. Beyond that, any course that allows me to read a text closely and grapple with questions of science and faith is my favorite. James, Jung, McGilchrist — they all do that.
If you taught a subject other than psychology, what would it be? Diesel engine repair. I don’t know much about it, but my dad was a mechanic. I sometimes wish I was, too.
If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be?
e Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. If they’re unavailable, my dad.
What is an unpopular opinion you have?
Here or elsewhere? Psychology is empirical philosophy. at’s unpopular elsewhere. Here’s another: Weezer’s catalogue started with the “Weezer,” also known as the Blue Album, and ended with “Pinkerton.” RIP Matt Sharp.
What is one of your favorite memories from college?
Running in my boxers across campus in 6 inches of snow with my friends Neil Carr and Mark McClelland.
Do you have any hobbies?
No time to speak of. My wife and I do CrossFit. I like White Mountain puzzles (like your grandmother would do), playing indie Nintendo games, and enjoy (but suck at) disc golf.
Collin Barnes carrying a 50 pound bag of dog food.
Brent Cline posing in a Spiderman costume running the Beaverhead ultramarathon.
COURTESY | BRENT CLINE
Charles Steele (left) poses with Brent Cline (right) at Beaverhead. COURTESY | CHARLES STEELE
‘Wicked’ movie fills the musical’s ruby red slippers
By Jillian Parks Editor-in-Chief
After “Wicked” lost the Best Musical Tony Award in 2004, theater fans everywhere have waited for the wider recognition and acclaim that the musical truly deserves. “Wicked”— the fourth-longest-running Broadway musical — has one of the catchiest soundtracks on Broadway and an iconic original cast featuring Idina Menzel as Elphaba and Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda.
“Wicked: Part One,” the movie, had big ruby slippers to fill, and with mega pop star Ariana Grande playing Glinda and Emmy, Grammy, and Tony award-winning performer Cynthia Erivo playing Elphaba, it seemed maybe it could be done. The $150 million budget also helped a lot.
While the movie was overall worth seeing, it fell into the pitfall of humanizing Glinda too much, leaving the audience a bit confused about the story’s main takeaway. But, what the cinematic experience blurred thematically, it made up for with stunning choreography by Christopher Scott, vibrant coloring, and in-depth backstory. The original story is meant to shake up what audiences already know about the classic L. Frank Baum story of “The Wizard of Oz.” In the original story, Elphaba is the Wicked Witch of the West, who terrorizes munchkins and is killed with a bucket of water by Dorothy Gale. “Wicked” gives us a glimpse into Elphaba’s backstory as a green woman, largely ostracized and rejected
by society for her appearance.
Relating to their status as outcasts, she also advocates for the rights of animals, who talk and teach before the Wizard mobilizes his guards to put them in cages and somehow remove their ability to speak. Elphaba uncovers, before Dorothy, that the Wizard of Oz is a fraud with no real magic.
The musical works to convince the audience that Elphaba is good after all. The hive-minded munchkins and the tyrannical government distort her legacy to hide their own flaws and snuff out resistance.
Glinda, who changes her name from Galinda, is the Good Witch from “The Wizard of Oz.” She eventually becomes Elphaba’s friend, but abandons her when they are being chased down by the Wizard’s guards, and—spoiler alert—will ultimately serve the Wizard’s agenda to bring Elphaba down in Part Two.
Glinda is also meant to shock audiences by being too afraid, too much of a bystander, and, honestly, too ditzy, to join
Elphaba in her revolutionary dreams for justice and equality. Glinda is evil because she aids evil, and happily receives credit and accolades for magic that is not hers.
The way Grande plays Glinda in the movie is wholly human and complex. This is mainly due to the up-close reactions and struggles that the camera illuminates in a way the stage cannot. Glinda was much more three-dimensional than she typically is on stage. The audience feels for both her and Elphaba, but this largely skews the musical’s most compelling takeaway: the way we label people as good and as evil is not necessarily law or truth. Good and bad people are more complicated than what we are told and can see.
This could very well change in Part Two (due to release November 21, 2025), as Glinda’s crimes are more clear and less forgivable with some close-up tears and twisted facial expressions. But the audience will have grown to love Glinda already by this point, making the clear contradiction between her title
as Good Witch and her actions as complicit in the Wizard’s schemes more understandable, and maybe even forgivable.
Despite this thematic hiccup, “Wicked” was a stunning movie-musical experience. Erivo is easy to root for as Elphaba. She balances her hard exterior and independence with a palpable yet subconscious desire to be liked that softens her. Her voice is unparalleled in every way with effortless riffs and a deep emotional connection to the lyrics she sings. Unsurprisingly, Grande holds her own vocally, and both performers validate director Jon M. Chu’s decision to cast professionals over hidden no-names. They demonstrate flexibility and dexterity while playing challenging roles, both vocally and emotionally.
The dance numbers were fun but different from the Broadway choreography, with the Emerald City having what Scott described as a “vogue-inspired, popping, and Afro dance” vibe while Munchkinland dances had a more grounded and communal feeling. Those differences
and intentional choices read well on screen.
The movie also added elements to the story that the production often does not have the time, ability, or money to stage.
The audience gets a scene from Elphaba’s childhood, closer, more personal reactions from the characters, and a beautiful scenic design of Elphaba and Glinda’s shared room that is more than a couple clothing racks and two beds.
The trade off for a more detailed story was the fact that Part One alone was two hours and 20 minutes, with Part Two coming out next November. The movie could have done without the painfully long Ozdust ballroom sequence, but overall the time was well used and well spent.
The film generated enough intrigue about Part Two that I predict it will be another smashing box-office success despite the long gap in between the films. And despite her unfortunately nuanced Glinda, Grande and Erivo are both serious contenders for an Oscar.
‘Gladiator II’ entertains despite weaknesses
By Ty Ruddy Assistant Editor
Although “Gladiator II” falls short of its predecessor, the movie is justified as a legacy sequel.
I’m not here to say it’s an Oscar winner, I’m just here to say I was entertained.
Years after the death of Maximus Decimus Meridius, twin emperors Geta played, by Joseph Quinn, and Caracalla, played by Fred Hechinger, rule in absolute tyranny. Pedro Pascal as General Marcus Acacius fights on behalf of the emperors, but secretly plots to undermine their rule. With his wife Lucilla played by Connie Nielson, he seeks to restore Maximus’ dream of Rome.
During the conquest of Numidia, Acacius takes as a prisoner of war a young soldier named
Hanno, Paul Mescal, who later reveals himself as Lucius, the disenfranchised son of Lucilla and the prince of Rome. As a conquered barbarian, Lucius becomes a gladiator for the power hungry, rising citizen Macrinus, played by Denzel Washington, who plans to seize the throne.
Director Ridley Scott delivers Rome to scale. The movie faltered at times as it rode the coattails of the near-perfect original, but it never underwhelmed as a spectacle. The city-sized set showcasing the Colosseum fills the screen with the power of Rome. From the crowds at the games to the statues rising high above the cobble roads of Rome, Scott does not fail to, at least, entertain. Scott also took commendable creative risks showing a Colosseum that was even more brutal
than that of Maximus in some ways. The gladiators are subject to rhino fights, ape fights, and a staged naval battle called a Naumachia.
The superstar cast also turns in fabulous performances, especially Denzel Washington’s menacing portrayal of Macrinus, who turns from sympathetic master of gladiators to political maniac desperate for power. Washington matches the solemnity of Roman politics with the absurdity of the gladiatorial games, and he matches the scale of Rome itself as a representation of the tyranny in Rome at the time.
Pascal and Nielson drive the plot with compelling performances as lovers and heroes who strive to restore Rome to its intended purpose. Paul Mescal’s portrayal of the betrayed, beaten, and scarred prince of
Rome was convincing. Lucius’ rage from scene one to the finale developed throughout the
movie, and Mescal brought the intensity to smooth out some one-dimensional writing. This brings us to the central problem with the film. It is
impossible not to compare the sequel to the original, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2000 and for which Russel Crowe won the Academy Award for Best Actor. “Gladiator II” definitely does not rival “Gladiator.” As an example, the emperors Geta and Caracalla, while psychotic, do not touch Joaquin Pheonix’s Commodus, whose nuance and unhinged temper eventually sent him into the arena with Maximus. Geta and Caracalla spend most of their energy as villains screaming from the emperor’s box. And whereas Pheonix’s Commodus was propelled by vengeance against a father who cast him to the side, Geta and Caracalla seem to be driven by the cliche desire for “more power.” The second scene of the movie shows Acasius returning from the conquest of Numidia. The Emperors immediately develop plans for a conquest of India and Persia. Their constant grasp for power gives the sense that they will not rule together for long on account of their villainous desires. Sure enough, they tear their own empire apart by going after one another. Great acting from Quinn and Hechinger keep relatively bland villains above water. But even with these critiques, the sequel works. It does not have the same originality as the first, but it evolves its characters naturally. The 2024 sequel picks up naturally from the implication that Lucius is Maximus’ son and runs with it. If there was any storyline from the first that could support a sequel, this was it. Scott does not deliver a masterpiece, but he certainly delivers another spectacle.
Professors’ Picks: Roger Butters, associate professor of economics
“Pray” (1988) by Underworld
“Pray,” by Underworld, from the “Underneath the Radar” album. The tune is simple and pure and does not get in the way of the lyrics. There’s even a part in the harmony for those of us who sing bass, a rare thing in popular music. The message is timeless: “Pray for me, and I’ll pray for you. It’s no revolution, but it’s something, something we can do. Oh, pray!” Beautiful, just beautiful.
Limiting it to fiction, I can’t think of a more prescient book; earbuds, large-screen TVs, interactive entertainment, nihilistic hedonism, porch-less houses, and closed minds. Better still, from the afterword, “There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches.” I have a signed, 40th Anniversary, hardbound copy at home.
I’d say it’s one movie that is shown in two parts, “Jean de Florette” and “Manon of the Spring.” Watch it in the original French with subtitles. It addresses timeless questions: “Who is my neighbor?,” “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Prepare to be gut-punched.
“Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury (1953) “Jean de Florette” and “Manon of the Spring” (1987)
Compiled by Sarah Katherine Sisk Senior Reporter
Butters in 1973.
COURTESY | Roger butters
“Wicked” movie poster.
COURTESY | Amazon
“Gladiator II” movie poster.
COURTESY | Amazon