Collegian 9.14.2023

Golf: Hillsdale Golf wins in first tournament of the year.

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Campus honors victims of 9/11 during tribute on quad

11 years old, and I remember it pretty clearly,” Zimmer said. “I woke up and I just remember my mom turning on the television to the news, and she saw one of the towers smoking. It was so surreal. She wasn’t sure if it was real, but then we both saw the second plane flying to the second tower. And at that point, it was real.”

He said the events of 9/11 directly affected his future career in the Army.

“I actually ended up going into the military years later when I graduated high school, so 9/11 ended up having a huge impact on my life,” Zimmer said.

Zimmer said he believes the events of 9/11 have shaped the conscience of the nation.

loss reminded him of the importance of 9/11.

“I spent four years in the Marine Corps prior to coming here as a student,” Whalen said. “So it’s near and dear to my heart for that reason already, even though I was extremely young when 9/11 happened.”

Whalen said he believes the event demonstrated Hillsdale College’s commitment to American history.

“Any institution that tries to claim any sort of connection to America’s founding can be judged by whether it actually remembers the fallen and remembers the American past,” Whalen said. “If it loses sight of this, then it can’t claim to actually be a truly American institution.”

By Eleanor Whitaker

Collegian Repo R te R

Students, faculty, and local law enforcement filled the quad with 2,977 flags on Monday to commemorate those who lost their lives 22 years ago on 9/11.

Associate Dean of Men Jeffery “Chief” Rogers said he organized the event because of the promise Americans made to never forget 9/11.

“We made a promise, and we never forget our promises,” Rogers said. “Promises made, promises kept.”

This was the first year the 9/11 memorial ceremony involved individual participation. In the past, organizers have placed flags around the Civil War statue and invited the public to attend a memorial ceremony, but Rogers said he designed this year’s event to encourage reflection.

“This allowed more students to participate in that they got to place the flags and they got to do it in front of them and they can reflect as they were doing it,” Rogers said. “We did not have a speech, but this is a solemn way of remembering them.”

Each flag represented a life that was lost in the terrorist attacks.

During the ceremony, individuals lined up in rows to

place flags within a defined outline. As a row reached the front, an organizer gave a signal and people in the row staked their flags simultaneously. Some individuals placed one flag, while others cycled through the rows many times.

Kyle Zimmer, a freshman and Army veteran, said the demonstration reminded him of watching the events of 9/11 occur when he was young.

“9/11 happened when I was

College sees increased online traffic across all platforms

By Carly Moran assistant editoR

More people than ever are visiting Hillsdale College’s website, watching its videos, and enrolling in its courses, according to Director of Online Learning Kyle Murnen.

The college attracted 10 million website visitors, 1.3 million new followers, 77 million YouTube viewers, and 560,000 new online course accounts in the last year.

“I think there are two important reasons for this growth,” Murnen said. “First, our faculty are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about their subjects, which makes it fun to learn with them. Second, so

many colleges have abandoned a core education that many people complete their education without a serious study of great literature, history, theology, and philosophy.”

The college had nearly 1 million online course enrollments this past academic year. Murnen said that while many students are classical education teachers or homeschoolers, the vast majority take the courses out of a place of curiosity.

“We have a lot of students write to us that this is the kind of education they wished they would have received while in school,” Murnen said. “We try to attract new audiences by creating videos that emphasize the quality of our teachers and re-

veal the beauty and importance of a given subject.”

Juan Davalos, director of marketing for online learning, said the department adjusted how it films. “Introduction to Aristotle’s Ethics” shows students with professors in a classroom, while “Supply-Side Economics and American Prosperity with Arthur Laffer” is in a documentary style.

“These changes have affected the demographic distribution of our students,” Davalos said. “While half a decade ago, our main demographic was 55 year olds and above, now all age groups are almost equal in distribution, with the 35 to 45 year olds being the fastest growing demographic.”

Among online course students, 13% are under 25, 15% are 25-35, 19% are 35-44, 17% are 45-54, 20% are 55-64, and 16% are over the age of 65, Murnen said.

“The goal for our courses is to provide the best possible online representation of the college’s mission and curriculum,” Murnen said. “It’s been especially fun over the past few years to expand our offerings to include courses in mathematics and the natural sciences. This has not only filled out our online core curriculum, but also demonstrated that there is a large group of people interested in these courses.”

‘Wasn’t That Special’ reviews 50 years of SNL

By Moira Gleason assistant editoR

As the late-night comedy showcase “Saturday Night Live” approaches its 50th season, two podcast hosts are rewatching and summarizing half a century of comedy sketches for their listeners.

Scot Bertram, general manager of Radio Free Hillsdale

101.7 FM, and National Review columnist Christian Schneider published the first episode of their podcast “Wasn’t That Special” through Substack on July 10. Released to subscribers every other week, each episode of the podcast provides a detailed sum-

mary of one season of SNL, including the cast, writers, and sketches.

“The idea was inspired by hearing a lot of people say things like ‘I liked SNL a lot better when it was funny,’ or ‘SNL was so much better before it was political,’” Schneider said. “Every few years people call for the show to be canceled because it isn’t living up to this vague idea of greatness people think it once represented. We wanted to take a closer look at whether the show was actually as good as they remembered it.”

One of the goals of the podcast is to give an honest ac-

count of SNL throughout the years and determine which seasons and cast members were the best, according to Schneider. He and Bertram have covered five seasons in five episodes, in addition to an introductory episode and an interview with former SNL cast member Siobhan Fallon Hogan.

“We are already finding that peoples’ recollections of the shows from the 1970s are often misguided,” Schneider said. “Not only are there a lot of episodes that aren’t very good, there are also cast members that people remember as all-time greats that don’t warrant such high regard.”

Both life-long SNL fans, Bertram and Schneider met through radio. Schneider said he made appearances as Bertram’s Wisconsin correspondent over a decade ago when Bertram co-hosted a morning talk show in Rockford, Illinois, and later on Bertram’s music podcast “Political Beats.”

Bertram said that Schneider reached out to him almost three years ago with the idea for a podcast to chronicle “the good, the bad, the ugly, the funny, and the not funny” of SNL.

“There’s evil out there and the freedoms that we enjoy here in this country don’t go without a price,” Zimmer said. “It’s easy to take it for granted, living with all the blessings that we have here. Being able to show respect for the people who pay the price to ensure those freedoms for us is really important.”

Sophomore and veteran Gregory Whalen, who assisted in setting up for the ceremony, said that his career in the military and experience with

Zimmer said the event was well-suited to Hillsdale’s legacy.

“Hillsdale has been great in terms of valuing our heritage and our history, where we come from and our values,” Zimmer said, “so I think it’s really fitting that we would want to have this memorial today to carry on that tradition and continue to continue what we do best, which is pursuing truth and honor and preserving our heritage.”

Chick-fil-A comes to campus for a day

By Faith Senne Collegian FReelanCeR

The office of administrative affairs brought fast food chain Chick-fil-A to Hillsdale College Sept. 12.

From 5 to 6 p.m., students could exchange a meal swipe for the original chicken sandwich or spicy chicken sandwich and fries from the grill.

Freshman Mercy Franzonello said she had not tried Chick-fil-A before.

“It’s really good,” Franzonello said, “The chicken is not dry, which is unusual for fast food. But the sauce is my favorite part.”

At 5 p.m, the line into the Knorr Family Dining Room already curled around the hall and up the staircase into the upper student union.

Sophomore Ava-Marie Papillon arrived shortly before 5 p.m.

“The line was really long,” Papillon said. “Maybe students being able to reserve their sandwiches online

would be better. Then there would be enough, since they would know how many to get.”

Freshman Alessia Sandala said she enjoyed the experience.

“We got there at 4:45 p.m.,” Sandala said. “There were about 30 people ahead. It was 100% worth the line.”

The food was great but the long wait detracted from the experience, according to freshman Mikayla Manna.

“It was not worth the wait in line,” Manna said. ”I would want it to happen again, but not too often. I think it would be fun to have various fastfood restaurants, like Culver’s.”

Franzonello said she would love it if the dining hall did something like this again.

“I think it would be a fun thing for Hillsdale to do at least once a semester,” Franzonello said.

Students and community members plant flags on the quad in remembrance of the victims of 9/11.

Scot Bertram directs the radio program at Hillsdale College.

Students get moving with ‘Sun-Up, Rise-Up’

By Emelia Klanduch Collegian FreelanCer

Hillsdale College women learned about fitness and wellness opportunities on campus during the second annual “Sun-Up, Rise-Up” event on Sept. 9.

“It seems like taking care of our bodies is the first thing to go when we get busy with homework and class and all those extra to-dos,” Dean of Women Rebekah Dell said. “So the goal of ‘Sun-Up, Rise-Up’ was to just educate women, but also then provide hands-on opportunities, just to test things out to see what you might like.”

The dean of women’s office, McIntyre and Olds resident assistant teams, Assistant Athletic Director and Senior Women’s Administrator Nikki Walbright, and the Ladies in Fitness Training Club partnered to put on the event. Attendees toured the Roche Sports Complex and Founder’s Gym, listened to a talk from Walbright on nutrition, and sampled workout classes.

“Sun-Up, Rise-Up” started last year as a series of four separate events that were combined into one day this year. Instructors gave 15-minute samplings of their classes and informed attendees about how to stay involved as the semester continues. According to Dell, the emphasis of the event was building community and educating women on how to perform at their best.

“By integrating fitness as a community-building activity on campus, then that’s enhancing that sort of moral and social learning and strengthening our bodies so we can fulfill our mission in what we’re called here to do,

Outreach from A1

One recent adjustment the external affairs department made was introducing book-specific online courses instead of survey courses. Rather than making survey courses like Great Books 101 and 102, for example, the college has shifted toward topics like “Dante’s Divine Comedy” or “Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.” Murnen said it makes the course less daunting, and more likely the student will actually read the book.

“One of our students recently reached out to us to tell us about her experience with the online courses,” Davalos said. “She is part of a drug and alcohol addiction recovery program that takes our courses to fulfill their academic requirements. She said that so far, ‘Introduction to Aristotle’s Ethics’ is her favorite course and that her favorite thing about the course was learning that ‘every choice that we make etches into our soul.’”

Another area of increased growth within marketing is Imprimis. Shanna Cote, senior art director, said the publication now has 6.48 million subscriptions.

“I think especially with the way the media is currently reporting, it’s refreshing to get stuff like Imprimis in your mailbox,” Cote said. “It’s definitely a beacon, something that they’re finally getting that they can resonate with.”

Cote said she hopes to create graphic designs that express the culture of the college, especially with events

which is to learn and go forth and serve,” Dell said.

Students were able to try classes such as cycling, self-defense, pilates, barre, lifting, and yoga. These classes are all currently taught on campus, either at the sports complex or at Founder’s Gym. The administrators of the event also provided the attendees with free pre-workout snacks and gifts.

“I love watching Becky Waters teach self defense to the students,” said Stephanie Gravel, associate dean of women. “I think that’s just a great experience and good for the students to know that they can be trained in that way.”

Dell said she likes to give the students context for what they are doing so they feel comfortable going to the fitness facilities.

“Hillsdale is definitely very rigorous academically, so I think it’s important that we know what’s available for us to have a break, because not only do we need to work our minds, we need to work our bodies and take care of them,” freshman Rachel Franke said.

Junior Joanna Leckband, LIFT secretary and Total Fit instructor, said part of the event’s purpose was to help women on campus realize that fitness can be fun and social.

“I hope girls learn that exercising is really fun, and it’s not always a chore, and it doesn’t have to be embarrassing,” Leckband said. “It’s much better if you do it with a friend. This event is a really great opportunity to learn about all the spaces and to see what’s available and have fun along the way, which is a really important part of it.”

like the Center for Constructive Alternatives.

“When I first arrived here and started working at the college, all the CCA invites kind of looked the same,” Cote said. “That was one of the first things that I tried to push for, was changing out the look of the invites. I have people now when I meet them on campus, they’re like, ‘Oh, you do the CCA designs!’ You know, 10 years ago, they got the invites and now it’s like little pieces of art that they hang on their fridge.”

With more than 1,500 speakers hosted since its beginnings in 1972, the CCA is considered one of the largest collegiate lecture series in the nation according to the college website.

“I just want something warm and welcoming to attract people to come here,” Cote said. “Obviously, we pick a lot of controversial topics, but I still want people to come with an open mind and to be able to hear everything about these events.”

Bryan Springer, the creative director of marketing, said it’s important for the college to tell a story through its advertising.

“Print pieces such as brochures can become important physical artifacts that embody beauty,” Springer said. “Not all organizations value printed material the way the college does. I believe this is an important differentiator in our marketing communications. Marketing the college costs a significant amount of money, so I often say, ‘If it is not beautiful, it is not worth doing.’”

Faculty panel discusses war in Afghanistan

By Luke Waters Collegian Freelan C er

The United States needs to stop expecting other cultures to be similar to ours, according to a panel of scholars and military experts who spoke at the Center for Military History and Grand Strategy’s second annual conference titled “The Afghanistan War.”

The panel, held Sept. 8 at 4 p.m. in the Searle Center, featured Assistant Professor of History Jason Gehrke, Professor of History Paul Rahe, William P. Harris Chair in Military History Mark Moyar, and Buske Distinguished Fellow in History Victor Davis Hanson. During the discussion the speakers reflected on the lessons learned and unlearned from recent foreign interventions, the complexities of international engagements, and the necessity for a more realistic approach.

“They held on to their tribalism to such a degree that any attempts to unite them

under a common nationalist identity was much more difficult even to accomplish in 20 years,” Moyar said of U.S. Allies. “If there’s anything we can learn about Afghanistan, we need to be more realistic about foreign countries and not expect that their cultures are similar to ours.”

Moyar said there is a challenge in uniting tribal societies in Afghanistan under a common nationalist identity.

“We have to understand their society before we ever try to redefine their society,” junior Jonathan Popa said. “We needed to work within the system.”

Gehrke criticized the idealistic approach to nation-building.

“We thought somehow if we poured good intentions, idealism, money, power, strategic plans over time, we could remove the conditions for terrorism,” Gehrke said. “We never succeeded, even in our counter-drug operations. However, just recently, the

Taliban issued an order that opium would not be produced for smuggling any more. This was met with dramatic success. Why can the Taliban do that? It goes back to historically Islamic identity.”

Rahe discussed the shift in U.S. policy toward Ukraine.

“Formerly, Trump armed Ukraine to the teeth with Javelin missiles,” Rahe said. “When Biden took over, he stopped that program only weeks after saying how he would not react if Russia made a small incursion into Ukraine. Putin thought the guy was weak. We can walk all over him, and he was right.”

Hanson highlighted the importance of understanding the thought process of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“Putin only reacts in a cost-benefit analysis,” Hanson said. “He thinks he has a clear advantage.”

Donald Melhorn, a Toledo resident, traveled an hour and a half to Hillsdale to watch

the panel.

“The program was engaging, interesting and absolutely top-notch,” Melhorn said. “The announcement that Hillsdale was launching a serious program dedicated to military strategy triggered my interest right away.”

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and Yale University, Melhorn said he found the Q&A portion of the panel discussion most intriguing.

During the Q&A session, the panel addressed a lack of a clear objective in recent conflicts.

“We haven’t had a hot war since World War II,” Hanson said. “We don’t want to win a war with all of our wherewithal because we’re dealing in wars of choice — proxy wars. Especially when we run the risk of nuclear warfare.”

Rahe said that we need a clearly defined end goal.

“Fighting not to lose is not enough,” Rahe said. “We must have a defined goal so that victory can be declared. You must understand, however, that World War I and II are historical anomalies. The normality is proxy wars.”

The panel also addressed the challenge of understanding the culture of nations like Taiwan and China. Moyar acknowledged some progress in this area.

“Since the former president’s administration, we’ve become much more realistic about China,” Moyar said. “We now have numerous experts on China who understand them well, despite our current president not being particularly aware of that culture or the threat they pose.”

SAB turns arb into La La Land

By Christina Lewis Collegian r eporter

The Student Activities Board will host its “La La Land”-themed Garden Party this Friday from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m. in the Slayton Arboretum.

“La La Land” is a 2016 film starring Emma Stone as Mia and Ryan Gosling as Sebastian. The movie is known for its colorful dresses, jazz music, and dancing. In the movie, Mia encourages Sebastian to start a jazz club called ‘SEB’s. Junior and SAB creative

The late-night comedy show first aired on NBC in 1975 and has starred actors such as John Belushi, Tina Fey, Phil Hartman, Victoria Jackson, and Eddie Murphy.

“Every season has its own feel,” Bertram said. “Things are constantly changing. The cast is changing, writers are changing, the success the cast has outside the show sometimes influences the way they are presented on the show. So it’s really fascinating the way all of that comes together. The good seasons are great, and you laugh a lot. The bad seasons, you go back and say ‘What went wrong? How did they think this was funny? Who wrote this stuff?’”

Schneider said he hopes to introduce a new generation of comedy fans to SNL through the podcast.

“We are hoping it won’t just be old people who find this stuff interesting,” Schneider said.

Senior George Accola, who took a class on the political humor of SNL with Bertram last fall, said that he originally had a negative view of SNL. Watching

team lead Joy Hanes said students can expect to see a jazz bar themed promo booth that will be serving mocktails near the entrance of the arb.

“The team tried to incorporate lots of details that are odes to the movie so there will be lots of star lights, a few lamp posts and benches, and two photo backdrops painted to look like scenes from the movie, and even a ‘SEB’s’ LED sign recreated to say ‘SAB’s,’” Hanes said.

Hanes said the food will be catered to the theme.

the older seasons of the show in Bertram’s class, Accola said, showed him the appeal of the show and taught him about the pop culture of the late 20th century as well as how the comedy of SNL has changed over time to mirror current events.

“I don’t think you can really understand the comedy of SNL without understanding the events that were going on,” Accola said. “What makes it so special, and this is something we would keep bringing up, is that in a time before Twitter,

“For food there will be chicken and waffles as a reference to ‘chicken on a stick’ and banana pudding as a reference to Mia’s famous yellow dress,” Hanes said. “We will also have Twizzlers because they are Ryan Gosling’s favorite candy, and, of course, popcorn too.”

Sophomore Olivia Finch said she enjoyed last year’s Garden Party.

“It was my first time going to Garden Party, and I really liked the theme that SAB put out,” Finch said “It was Santo-

before social media, you have this thing that’s able to make jokes about things that happened two days ago or three days ago, and no other show was able to do that. So a lot of SNL’s comedy comes from: you saw something on Wednesday on the news and now they’re making fun of it on Saturday night.”

Because SNL is intertwined with American politics and culture, Bertram said the audience for the podcast extends to anyone interested in learning about

rini, Greece, themed last year. I think SAB did a really great job with the decorations and the swing time at the beginning, and the food was pretty dang good too.”

Hanes encouraged students to come to Garden Party and enjoy what SAB has put together.

“Come, have fun. Have a good time,” Hanes said. “There’s live music, but there’s also photo-ops, places to walk around, and places to just sit and enjoy being in the arb.”

comedy or America in general.

“SNL is an American comedic institution, and its humor is of the time,” he said. “There are a lot of references and things that are happening that week –it’s live – but there are plenty of sketches that also are timeless and or do a great job of dating the show, like this is specifically what was happening and what we found funny at this point. And I think it’s fascinating to look back and see all those points through the show’s history.”

A panel of historical experts discuss war in Afghanistan at the military conference.

Luke Waters | Co LL egian

Christian Schneider met co-host Scot Bertram through radio. Courtesy | Christian sC hneider

College welcomes three visiting professors of music

By Alexandra Comus Collegian reporter

Three visiting professors joined the music department this school year, while two professors are away on sabbatical.

Mark Douglass and Brad Holmes are filling in for Professor of Music, Choirs, and Orchestra James Holleman, and Michael Ruhling has taken over for Associate Professor of Music Derek Stauff.

Douglass is standing in as the conductor of Hillsdale’s Symphony Orchestra during Holleman’s sabbatical this semester. With a background in percussion, Douglass is the Director of Bands in the department of music at Spring Arbor University.

Douglass said he has great hopes for the orchestra in the current season as they work on Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World.”

“It’s a staple in our literature,” he said. “I hope that we can understand what it is and find a great love for bringing it to life today in a community together.”

Sophomore Hillary Kuhlmann, a music major and violinist, said she appreciates Douglass’ detailed approach

to rehearsals. “I think he’s innovative with our orchestra, and he gets us to look at things in a different way,” she said. “He is very productive in rehearsals with how he breaks things down, and then puts them back together.”

During Stauff’s sabbatical, Ruhling is the visiting assistant professor of music history. He is currently on sabbatical from his own institution, the Rochester Institute of Technology. At Hillsdale, he is teaching two music history courses, as well as two sections of the understanding of music course.

Ruhling said he has also been able to turn his background in 18th-century music, especially the works of Franz Joseph Haydn, into a new opportunity for the music program.

“They are having me do a few seminars related to my areas of expertise,” Ruhling said. “One of them is a chamber orchestra that will be playing 18th-century music, along with a seminar. In the second semester I will be teaching a musicology seminar on Haydn’s ‘The Creation’ and different musicological approaches to that piece.”

“The Creation” is an orato-

rio written by Haydn that depicts the creation of the world as told in the book of Genesis.

Ruhling said that his interest in Haydn started in high school when he had the opportunity to play the trumpet part in Haydn’s Symphony No. 104.

“Later, as I got into college, I played some more Haydn, and I read more about Haydn as a person,” Ruhling said. “He became a fascinating individual for me.”

Ruhling said many people who study Haydn only do so in order to “get to Beethoven,” but that in isolating Haydn as an individual, one can find how fascinating he was as both a composer and a person.

Hillsdale also has a visiting choral director to fill in for Holleman during his sabbatical. Brad Holmes taught choir for 31 years at Millikin University, and he later taught for a year at Baylor University.

He said an interesting difference in the culture between Hillsdale’s music department and the music departments of other universities is that even though many of the student musicians are not music majors, they want to be involved in ensembles.

Holmes said he hopes that

the singers can improve in their abilities both as individuals and as a unit.

“My goal is to try to get them to go further in terms of their teamwork – to help them to improve as individuals, while also being able to create a sectional sound,” Holmes said.

Holmes said that there are many ways to achieve this.

“First, you have to think of pitch. Even though it seems obvious, everyone needs to be singing the same note,” he said.

Holmes said that people sometimes have a harder time hearing that they are singing a slightly different note, especially since so many factors can change the quality of a sound.

“Vowels can also change the pitch, so they have to be matched,” Holmes said. “Volume, vibrato, and amount of resonance all affect how much the group is together.”

Senior Annie Brooks, a music major and violist, said that she is excited for the opportunities the new professors will offer to the department.

“I think it’s good for the Hillsdale music department to have new ways for the students to be involved,” she said.

Hillsdale Roundnet Club hosts Spikeball tournament

By Chris Chavey Collegian Freelan C er

The Hillsdale Roundnet Club held its first Spikeball tournament of the year Sept. 10, with more than 25 two-person teams participating.

Marty Hubbard, owner of 42 Union and Rough Draft, sponsored the tournament. Each participant received a Rough Draft coupon, and the winner received a $50 gift card courtesy of Hubbard, who said she sponsored the event because she remembers playing Spikeball early in the development of Rough Draft.

Roundnet is a growing sport in which two two-person teams play a ball across a small trampoline-like net. Many players call it “Spikeball,” after the company that makes roundnet equipment.

Spikeball partners sophomore Christian Mancuso and senior Avery Noel said they were excited for the tournament.

“I am impressed with the competition here,” Mancusso said. “It’s competitive, but also casual enough that it’s still fun.”

Sophomore Thomas McKenna and junior Nathan Furness won the tournament.

“I’ve been playing Spikeball recreationally for seven to eight years, but this was the first official tournament I’ve participated in,” Furness said. “The competition was pretty difficult toward the later rounds when all the players were playing at a really high level.”

Sophomore Joseph Dun -

New McIntyre house director takes over

can, president of the Hillsdale Roundnet Club, started the organization in 2022 as a freshman.

“When I got to college I missed doing something competitive,” Duncan said. “Spikeball requires a high variety of skills and there is always room for improvement, all of which led to the creation of this club.”

The Roundnet Club has seen significant growth within the past year. Duncan said he estimated about 20 members were active participants when the club started. Less than a year later, the club has close to 150 members, 60 of whom are consistent participants within

the club. Duncan attributes the popularity of Spikeball on campus to the competitive spirit that he says many Hillsdale students hold.

“I don’t expect the growth to stop any time soon,” Duncan said. “Interest continues to grow around campus, especially in the fall and spring.”

The Roundnet Club has two goals, according to Duncan: to provide a fun time for anyone who is interested and to create an opportunity for those who wish to compete at a high level in professional tournaments.

“The Midwest has a large number of tournaments for Spikeball,” Duncan said.

“Cameron Frye and I played in the contender bracket in a pro tournament in Cincinnati last weekend and won. Hopefully we can eventually compete at a pro level.”

Duncan said the club hopes to have another tournament toward the end of October, before the weather gets cold. It plans to increase the number of competitors and will be sponsored again by Rough Draft.

“Spikeball Club at Hillsdale has grown my love for the game considerably just in these first few weeks, and I’m excited to compete in future tournaments,” Furness said.

By Emily Schutte Collegian r eporter

After more than two decades, McIntyre Residence has a new house director, alumna Taylor Bennett ’19.

Bennett, once a McIntyre resident herself, has worked for Career Services as the freshman programming and mentoring coordinator since August 2022.

“I’m excited to be able to just pour into the women of the dorm, all the way again from the Resident Assistant team to freshmen that are living in the dorm,” Bennett said. “I lived in Mac my freshman year, and I know just from being a Hillsdale graduate that there are a lot of really beautiful things about going to Hillsdale, but they are also hard things that can come with any college experience.”

As a member of the Hillsdale volleyball team during her time at the college, Bennett impressed Dean of Women Stephanie Gravel with her leadership.

“Taylor was an amazing leader for the volleyball team spiritually, and she always had that ‘mom’ feel in giving advice,” Gravel said.

Junior and McIntyre Head Resident Assistant Joanna Leckband said she is excited for the support Bennett provides them.

“I do appreciate she’s been very thoughtful of wanting to be there for us and help us but also, Mac RAs have been very self-sufficient for the last good amount of time,” Leckband said. “She wants to support that but also be helpful where she can without intruding on what we already have going, so I’m really encouraged by her approach to stepping into this role.”

Leckband said when big issues arise, Bennett is there to support them.

“The way that our teams are set up is the RAs have the most interaction with the freshmen and then they bring notable interactions to me, and I bring notable interactions to her,” Leckband said.

Sophomore and McIntyre RA Chloe Noller said Bennett has been present for the RA team in their duties.

“I was sitting desk with a friend the other night, and Taylor came out and was talking to us and seeing how we were doing and seeing if we need anything or if there were any issues, and she’s like, ‘I’ll be right back there if you need anything,’” Noller said. “She really checks in with you as you’re sitting desk.”

Leckband said she thinks Bennett has much to contribute to the dorm, particularly with her past experience as a social worker.

“I do think that her background in her line of work before she came to Hillsdale will be very valuable to the dorm just because she has different life experiences from the rest of us,” Leckband said. “In her line of work, I think she’s seen a lot, and that will really help her to deal with situations that we have come up in the dorm and that will allow her to support us RAs.”

Noller, who works with Bennett in Career Services, said she believes Bennett will be an excellent mentor for the freshman women.

“She’s the freshman coordinator, so she’s really good at helping those who are really new to college and who don’t really know what they’re doing yet,” Noller said. “She’s really good at seeing, ‘this is an area that you can work on,’ or encouraging you if you are feeling a little bit lost. She’s very encouraging and very practical.”

Victor Davis Hanson speaks on California, path to unity

By Trey Roberts Collegian FreelanCer

California was once a great place and can be again, but not without serious work by its residents, Victor Davis Hanson said in a speech on campus.

“If we don’t have some type of unity,” Hanson said, “If that progressive movement is not defeated and we don’t have a normal Democratic Party and people self-select geographically, then we are in trouble, big trouble.”

Hanson, who is the Wayne and Marcia Buske Distinguished Fellow in History at Hillsdale, discussed his home state in a speech titled “California’s Dysfunction and the Future of Our Country” on Sept. 6. He delivered his remarks in

a nearly packed Plaster Auditorium.

Hanson, a fifth-generation Californian, renowned classicist, historian, and political pundit opened his speech by discussing the wonders of California.

“The thing to remember about California is that there is no place like it in the world,” Hanson said. “It’s got the third largest coastline and the largest linear coastline of all the states.”

Hanson said the state has the two best ports – San Francisco Bay and Los Angeles, the richest farmland, all on top of billions of barrels of oil.

“It’s unfortunate we aren’t using it but we could,” Hanson said.

He said the state now has high taxes, including the high-

est income tax rate in the nation at 13.3%.

“We say that we don’t have the highest sales taxes, but the counties and local jurisdictions add on, so most sales tax is about 11-12%,” Hanson said. “We say that we don’t have the highest property taxes, because it’s only at 1.5%, but the assessed evaluation is so high because we limit construction and new development.”

Hanson discussed how California came to be this way.

“It’s easy to diagnose the problem — it’s a one-party state,” Hanson said. “We have had 12 years of Democratic governance.”

But there is still hope for California, according to Hanson.

“People who were very lib-

eral, who were agents of the change and you know them –Matt Taibbi, Elon Musk, and Bill Maher – they are shocked at what they created, and so they flipped,” Hanson said.

Freshman and former U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. T.J. Korotzer, who attended the speech, said he has a deep respect for Hanson.

“He recognizes and holds in high regard the things that really keep our civilization running, the farmers — the skilled laborers, the rule of law, etc.,” Korotzer said. “He has a love for California that rises above its politics. I am from California and growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area I have seen my home deteriorate over the years. I don’t want to have to abandon my home, I would

much rather work to make it better.”

Freshman Alessia Sandala said the most memorable part of the speech was when Hanson addressed how so many people who voted for the policies causing California’s problems today are the ones complaining about it.

“The fact that no one takes responsibility any more stood out to me,” Sandala said. “I can see it reflected everywhere in today’s culture.”

Senior and Marine Sgt. Devon Downes, who also attended the speech, said it was a pleasure to listen to Hanson.

Downes said his insight on the fiscal recklessness and insulation of the bureaucrats who do not feel the sting of their own policies stood out to him.

“That so many Democrats see in California an example to be emulated across the rest of the country makes Hillsdale’s role in teaching students and the general public about economics as important as ever,” Downes said.

Native Californian and freshman Alex Mooney said not all is lost in the state and restoration is possible.

“Hanson suggested that the challenge is not insurmountable if people take serious action,” Mooney said. “Another interesting claim Dr. Hanson made was that California’s difficulties are almost all self-inflicted, which I think serves as a warning to the world about the dangers of California’s type of policy.”

The McIntyre Resident Assistant team poses with new house director Taylor Bennett in the dorm lobby. Courtesy | t aylor Bennett

Freshman Noah Marl winds up to spike. Courtesy | Paul l indauer

Opinions

Devil’s Advocate with Claire Gaudet

(517) 607-2415

Online : www.hillsdalecollegian.com

Editor-in-Chief | Elizabeth Troutman

Associate Editor | Logan Washburn

Senior Editor | Maddy Welsh

Design Editor | Ally Hall

Digital Editor | Elyse Apel

News Editor | Isaac Green

Opinions Editor | Claire Gaudet

City News Editor | Lauren Scott

Sports Editors | Olivia Pero

Culture Editor | Jillian Parks

Features Editor | Michael Bachmann

Science & Tech Editor | Olivia Hajicek

Political Correspondent| Micah Hart

Social Media Manager | Cassandra DeVries

Circulation Managers | Sydney Green & Emma Verrigni

Ad Manager | Nathan Stanish

Photography Editor | Claire Gaudet

Assistant Editors | Moira Gleason | Carly Moran| Kamden Mulder |

Thomas McKenna | Jane Kitchen | Linnea Shively | Michaela Estruth |

SK Sisk | Alex Deimel | Beth Crawford

Faculty Advisers | John J. Miller | Maria Servold

The

Stop stealing from party houses

I can’t think of anything more obnoxious than stealing from someone who has opened their home to you. Ordinarily, I think most students would agree with me. They’d never steal from the host of a dinner party or the home of a close friend. This custom, however, seems to go out the window when an off-campus house throws a party. In the first few weeks of this school year, one of the

most prolific party houses on Manning Street had a bench stolen from its front porch — among other things — and a door and mailbox broken in a single night.

Just because you don’t know the hosts personally — or you’re from a rival group — doesn’t mean you have the right to take or break things from people who were trying to improve your Saturday night.

Obviously, this discour-

tesy (and crime) negatively affects the students who work to throw parties on the weekend. But, it also impacts the perpetrator when they decide not to throw another party.

Some of the best party houses on campus go on hiatus after their stuff gets swiped. Months can go by without a good party as a result of a couple sticky fingers.

Overall, stealing and breaking things on Man -

ning Street and beyond is a serious crime, a huge affront to party hosts, and a threat to the entire party ecosystem at Hillsdale College. If you’ve got to take a souvenir, there’s tons of empty beer cans on their lawns.

Claire Gaudet is a senior studying rhetoric and media and journalism.

The Pulitzer Prizes are tired of being American

By Catherine Maxwell Coll E gi A n rE port E r

“I believe in self-made men,” Joseph Pulitzer once said. The legacy he built to encourage American authors and journalists to seek excellence now threatens to destroy itself.

In October, the Pulitzer Prize Board will meet to discuss expanding eligibility for the prize to non-U.S. citizens. This change would disrespect Pulitzer’s legacy of American grit and determination and contribute to the corrosion of the unity of the United States.

Established in 1917, the literary and arts Pulitzer Prizes are awarded annually to American authors in six categories: fiction, history, biography, memoir, poetry, and general nonfiction.

Historically, there has been one strict rule for eligibility:

the authors must be American citizens, with the exception of the history category.

According to an article from The Washington Post, however, many believe this guideline is too restrictive for today’s authors.

“There is definitely consensus that citizenship is too restrictive a determination for Americanness,” Marjorie Miller, administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes, said to The Washington Post.

The article goes on to cite authors who mourn the lack of recognition for “undocumented writers.”

If the Pulitzer Prizes were the only way to succeed as a writer, perhaps their concern would make sense. However, non-Pulitzer-winning books by authors of all backgrounds make the New York Times Bestseller List every week.

Only the prizes –– not liter-

ary success –– are restricted to American authors writing about American topics.

Apart from the rule about citizenship, the board has removed most of the submission criteria. The fiction category, for example, accepts both self-published and traditionally published work, genres such as fantasy and horror, and media such as graphic novels. Far from gatekeeping the fiction prize, the rules allow for all great American writing to be considered.

The emphasis here is “American.” Without citizenship, what does it mean to be an American?

Joseph Pulitzer understood “Americanness” far better than today’s Pulitzer Prize Board. As a Hungarian immigrant to the United States, he spent years building his journalistic empire to become one

of the most successful men of his day.

When Pulitzer established the prizes in his 1904 will, he wanted them to go to American newspapers and writers. He lived the American dream, and the prizes were undoubtedly his way of encouraging others to follow his example.

Instead of recognizing another Joseph Pulitzer, the Pulitzers have diluted the meaning of “American” to a mere feeling or mental state. Requiring citizenship forces hopeful prize winners to seek the fullness of “Americanness” instead of settling for halfway commitment.

The rule change would also be an insult to authors who have sought and gained American citizenship. Rather than seeking authors who struggled through the lengthy citizenship process, the Pulitzers would rather praise those

who take shortcuts, who refuse to work but want rewards anyway.

This is not to say that “undocumented writers” cannot write good books. The problem is not that they are writing books worthy of recognition, but that they want the distinction of being an “American author” without first taking the proper steps to become an American.

Beyond disrespecting Joseph Pulitzer’s own legacy, the change reflects the dilution of the unity intrinsic in being American.

In a day where “diversity and inclusion” are the greatest virtues, no one wants to discuss unity, but diversity does not survive without some common interest, religion, or goal.

United States citizenship is that unifying factor. For many Americans, shared allegiance

to the flag is the only thing they have in common with their neighbors. Religion, origin, political affiliation, or lifestyles may differ, but they are all Americans. To be American should mean a shared belief in a great country.

To the Pulitzer Prize Board, “Americanness” has no meaning. Anyone, citizen or not –– American or not –– should be considered an American author of the same caliber as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and Harper Lee.

The Pulitzer Prize Board now wants to artificially make great Americans instead of rewarding those who followed Pulitzer’s example.

Catherine Maxwell is a sophomore studing history and journalism.

Social media needs to change

By Michaela Estruth AssistAnt Editor

Since returning to campus, my daily time on Instagram has dramatically decreased to less than 20 minutes. I didn’t closely monitor my social media activity this summer, but I guarantee it was pushing 90 minutes a day. Granted, I have a much busier schedule in September compared to June, and definitely more face-to-face social interaction now. But I’m no longer turning to Instagram for stress relief or boredom. And I’m much happier for it.

This summer, after sacrificing significant chunks of time to Instagram, I never felt good about myself. In fact, I typically felt the opposite. Nevertheless, my thumb habitually returned to the pink, shining box on my screen.

Social media is not a pure evil, and it can be enjoyed in moderation. But its current status is dangerous. It’s like asking a 10-year-old to walk over a crumbling bridge across a valley — just plain foolish. Social media needs significant remodeling: an appropriate age requirement of 16 and a change in presentation.

Social media is pro -

grammed to be addictive. Receiving likes, follows, and comments causes the brain to release the neurotransmitter

Psychiatrist Anna Lembke, author of “Dopamine Nation,” draws parallels between the use of social me -

needle, delivering digital dopamine 24/7 for a wired generation,” she writes.

In Netflix’s documentary, “The Social Dilemma,” computer scientist Edward Tufte went further, comparing social media to illegal drugs.

“There are only two industries that call their customers ‘users’: illegal drugs and software,” Tufte said.

There are age requirements for drugs and alcohol and there should be for social media use as well. If you’re old enough to make decisions about driving, you are old enough to make decisions about screen time, but this addictive dilemma should not be introduced before then.

These addictive habits are driving America’s spiraling mental health.

“Social media starts to dig deeper and deeper down into the brain stem and take over the kids’ sense of self-worth and identity,” Tristan Harris, head of the Center for Humane Technology, said in “The Social Dilemma.”

tent. And this is where most of the time suck occurs.

“They always are pictures of tall, slender girls — people I want to look like, but don’t,” one source said. “I don’t know if that’s a me

wear—fill the screen. Advice on the best ways to stand for a flatter-looking stomach drive girls to look in the mirror with dissatisfaction. This message is an insecurity trap for girls and a porn trap for boys. It is drowning our daughters and suffocating our sons.

Social media creates a false sense of reality, causing young boys and girls to be disappointed with the real world.

Our standards must protect adolescents by establishing an age requirement of 16 and removing the lies on the screen. Instagram should delete the “for you” page because it does nothing but taunt kids with images of “perfection” they don’t have. A certain level of modesty must be maintained as well. No nudity should be permitted under any circumstances.

dopamine, which chemically rewards the brain for the use of social media, creating a wired addiction.

dia and addiction to drugs, alcohol, and sex.

“The smartphone is the modern-day hypodermic

The “for you” page in the search bar of Instagram displays reels and ads portraying ideal couples, outfits, and date ideas. Social media has become a feast of comparison, obsession, and discon -

problem, but it’s frustrating and hurtful.”

While reels promote mental health care messages of self-love and beauty, advertisements of the hottest good-for-nothing swimsuits—swimsuits that most women could never

This type of censorship is not oppressive. It is protective. And it may even grant back those lost hours from my summer.

Michaela Estruth is a junior studying history and journalism.

“Social media creates a false sense of reality, causing young boys and girls to be disappointed with the real world. ”

Social media addiction is skyrocketing. Courtesy | u nsplash

Make the core friendlier for transfer students

By Jane Kitchen AssistAnt Editor

Hillsdale’s core curriculum can overwhelm students who arrive at Hillsdale as freshmen. For transfer students like me, it’s often an insurmountable obstacle to timely graduation.

The core represents a noble and valuable approach to education. It furthers Hillsdale’s commitment to the Western Tradition by making sure that students are familiar with its foundational texts and ideas. But it’s weakened significantly by its inflexibility.

As a habit, the registrar will not allow transfer students to apply for credit from their previous institution toward the core curriculum (with the notable exception of STEM classes.) While this policy is clearly meant to emphasize the importance of Hillsdale’s unique curriculum and ensure that all students receive the same fundamental instruction, its strictness is unreasonable. Even if you can provide a syllabus showing that one of the classes you took at your last school covered much of the same material as a core class, you still will almost certainly not be allowed to apply it to the core.

This poses significant problems for transfer students, who have often already completed core classes for their previous schools. Instead of translating into something that can help them complete graduation requirements at Hillsdale, those classes turn into a gratuitous pile of electives.

Fitting core requirements into one’s schedule is especially difficult considering the additional burden of major requirements. The limited time transfer students have to pick and pursue their majors can prevent them from pursuing majors they’re pas-

Michigan: Keep abortion restrictions

sionate about or lead them to commit to whatever major logistically fits in their schedule regardless of their interest in the subject. (This is assuming they can make any major work for their intended graduation schedule.)

For many transfers, completing major requirements on top of the core means several additional years of schooling.

English seminars at other institutions, give or take a few specific titles. Again, this isn’t a bad thing, but it makes the unflinching rigidity of transfer credit requirements especially frustrating, Thankfully, there are several fairly easy ways to solve this issue.

The first kind of solution involves preserving the existing policing of not applying transfer credit to the core but making it easier for transfers to complete major requirements. Introducing a liberal arts or liberal studies major would take a great deal of burden off transfer students by allowing their previously earned credit to apply toward their major. Making the college’s design-your-own major program more accessible would be similarly helpful.

David

Gaebler,

The no-negotiation approach to the core curriculum might make sense if the core curriculum were more streamlined and unique. Yet, there is a lot of redundancy in the content covered by various core classes. In my limited experience of Hillsdale’s core, Western Heritage overlaps with both Constitution and The Western Philosophical Tradition, which both overlap with each other.

Additionally, as a transfer student who has now taken five semesters worth of English core at several schools, I can say that the material covered in Great Books is much the same as freshman

The other kind of solution involves finding creative ways to shorten the duration of the core. Given that so much of the core revolves around reading, this should doable. For example, Hillsdale could give transfer students a summer reading list of core texts, then offer them accelerated courses of instruction in the Fall that could be completed in a fraction of a semester. Mastery exams or big projects would allow them to demonstrate proficiency in necessary skills and prove their familiarity with the material. Online or summer courses could also serve a similar function.

Any of these solutions would serve as a gesture of support from the college, acknowledging the unique challenges posed by demanding core requirements and supporting its students in facing those challenges.

Jane Kitchen is a senior studying journalism.

By Lillian Ferrell Coll

Twenty-four hours can be the difference between a woman choosing life or death.

Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is overseeing a legislative attempt to repeal the state’s “24-hour waiting period,” in which women must complete an informed consent form before an abortion.

Michigan is one of many states with such requirements. Currently, laws in 33 states require women seeking abortions to receive counseling or education before the procedure. Twenty-eight states mandate waiting periods after patients have given informed consent.

Informed consent is not a new phenomenon, nor is it exclusive to the abortions. State laws across the nation mandate that healthcare providers inform patients of the risks, benefits, and alternatives of any medical treatment they receive. This allows patients to consider accurate information about the procedure and gives medical professionals time to address any questions that may come up.

Why should abortion be the exception?

When making decisions about one’s own body, it is critical for patients to be in the right state of mind and have time to rationalize their decision, especially if the outcome

of a procedure is irreversible. Abortion clinics raise the stakes, as two lives are at risk.

Whitmer’s scramble to eliminate the waiting period looks like an attempt to exploit expectant mothers faced with the weight of an irreversible decision, for the profit of the abortion industry. The permanency and life-long trauma of abortion extends far beyond the 24-hour window currently required, and Whitmer’s cavalier approach to the issue derails rights for women inside and out of the womb.

Whitmer’s attempt to defy general medical and ethical standards showsher administration prioritizes profit over the safety of American women.

There is strong sentiment from Whitmer’s supporters that Michigan’s statute requiring parental consent for minors to receive abortions should also be repealed. Whitmer’s proposed Reproductive Health Act will address such concerns, in addition to maximizing access to abortion across the state.

The Reproductive Health Acts also has Medicaid for low-income residents for abortion and hopes to eliminate specific building code criteria for abortion clinics. The latter policy is of particular controversy as many abortion facilities claim that current building criteria are unnecessary, making it more difficult to establish clinics

A Professor’s Opinion

“Gun to your head: What is the greatest book?”

Mathematics

“Too many good options…I’ll vote for ‘Anna Karenina.’ I take it as read, of course, that the unspoken stipulation is ‘except of course the Bible.’”

Lee Cole, Philosophy

“Aside

Jason Peters, English

“‘The Culinary Plagiarist: (Mis)Adventures of a Lusty, Thieving, God-fearing Gourmand,’ by Jason Peters.”

Gavin Weaire, Classics

“The ‘Aeneid.’ Not because it’s always a morally good book, of course — it’s too interesting to be that. But nothing else is quite like it in the richness and complexity of its engagement with pre -

vious literature on the one hand, and its monumental status as a point of reference for literature in different periods after its own time. But only if you read it in Latin.That’s only half a joke. There are few

across the nation.

Shouldn’t these policies focus on regulating the safety of any invasive procedure? If that isn’t the case, maybe it is time to undergo radical and universal deregulation of the medical industry. Yet there seems to be no reason why these reforms are specific to abortion. Whitmer’s lack of concern about overregulation of dental or pediatric medicine, for example, is puzzling considering her concern for “speeding up” the process for women to receive abortions. If her goal is truly better “medical care” for all, her policies should apply to all fields of medicine. Instead, Michigan residents and Americans alike are witnessing a blatant pursuit of profit at the expense of human lives. If a woman isn’t required to contemplate her decision for a minimum of 24 hours, she is more likely to make a quick, uninformed decision. This is a desirable outcome for abortion facilities, as they will inevitably see the number of abortions, and therefore profits, skyrocket. It is critical that we disregard Whitmer’s haphazard approach to policy and preserve the regulations still in place, which protect women today and future generations.

Lillian Ferrell is a freshman studying the liberal arts.

things in ancient poetry that are damaged so much by translation as Virgil’s dense, ambiguous language. If you have only read the ‘Aeneid’ in translation, you have never read the ‘Aeneid.’”

from the Bible, the ‘Summa Theologiae.’ Though if I were holding a cane, then ‘Cane Fighting: The Authoritative Guide to Using the Cane or Walking Stick for Self-Defense.’”

“For many transfers, completing major requirements on top of the core means several additional years of schooling. ”

Compiled by Ameera Wilson

“‘Moby-Dick.’ Didn’t have to think about that at all.”

Kelly Franklin, English

“I’ll say Plato’s ‘Republic’—a pretty standard Hillsdale answer!”

Daniel O’Toole, Politics

“I’d go with the ‘Iliad,’ gun or no gun. It’s the book that takes the full measure of the human condition and accepts it for what it is.”

Mark McClay, Classics

The Michigan Capitol Building. Courtesy | Fli C kr

City News Stillwell Ford hosts seventh annual car show

By Lauren Scott City News Editor

Stillwell Ford hosted its seventh annual car show Sept. 10 to raise money for Hillsdale County’s Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness group.

The event raised more than $2,300 for CAPA, said Eric Hoffman, president and owner of Stillwell Ford. He said more than 430 cars were in the show.

“It was a great turn out and one of the largest shows we have had,” Hoffman said.

Nicolas Thompson, senior master technician at Stillwell

Ford, said there were no prize winners at the car show because it is a charity event.

“We just try to raise money for a good cause,” Thompson said.

CAPA of Hillsdale County, according to its website, strives to eliminate child abuse and neglect through advocacy and education in the county.

Admission was free and there was no registration fee for people to show their cars.

Stillwell Ford raised money for CAPA by selling 50/50 raffle tickets and accepting donations, Thompson said.

The winner of the 50/50

raffle ticket donated $1,000 to CAPA, in addition to the $2,304 the dealership raised for them, according to Hoffman.

Butch and Barbara Weeks have participated in the car show for the past five years.

The Weeks brought their 50-year-old Monte Carlo to the event.

Butch Weeks said it was the car he and his wife drove away in after their wedding 49 years ago. They bought the car one year before they married.

“I picked out the kind of car and my wife chose the color,” he said.

Weeks also said he drove their daughter home from the hospital in the same car after she was born.

“We wanted her to take it when she got married but she wanted to have a limousine,” Weeks said. “Now she wishes she took the car.”

Weeks said his favorite thing about car shows are the “nice cars and nice people.”

“The only thing bad about car shows is that you look around and most of the people are old,” he said. “If younger people don’t get interested, it’ll be a dying thing.”

Lifelong Hillsdale resident

Dallas Hawkins was at the car show with his son, Dalton. He brought his 1966 and 2006 Ford Mustang GTs.

“These two cars are 40 years apart and my son and I are 40 years apart,” Hawkins said. “It’s a Ford show, so I figured I would bring in the evolution of the automobile.”

Hawkins said he owns “a lot” of cars.

“We’re car crazy,” he said. “We love old cars and have a barn full of them.”

Hawkins said he enjoys the cars, friends, and food that car shows bring.

“I just love the whole at-

mosphere,” he said. “When you’re at a car show and they’re playing the old music – I love it.”

Last year, the Stillwell Ford car show raised money for Greater Hillsdale Humane Society, Thompson said. Next year, the business will choose a new charity to support. Hoffman said he hopes more college students will attend for an even greater turn out next year.

Stillwell Ford plans to host its next car show on Sept. 14, 2024.

New zoo brings education opportunities, more than 200 animals

By Michael Bachmann Features Editor

Hillsdale residents don’t have to leave the county for a day at the zoo anymore.

At Nature’s Creek Zoo, locals can now see exotic animals just 20 minutes from town. The 35-acre zoo, which houses more than 200 animals, opened just north of Frontier Sept. 1.

“It‘s big enough for people living close by to enjoy for an hour-and-a-half and then go home,” said Peggy Evola, who runs the zoo with her husband, Richard. “The size is perfect for grandparents to take their grandchildren and for working parents to take their kids on a day off.”

The zoo houses animals from around the world including lemurs, ostriches, and camels — many of which visitors can interact with.

Evola said the zoo functions primarily as an educational facility. Schools can schedule appointments for classes to visit or the zoo can travel to the classroom. Evola teaches students how to handle and feed the animals.

“Guests are able to hold the lemurs, the baby alliga -

tor, fennec foxes, and pet the tortoises. They can also feed all the animals,” said Amanda Bender, a zoo employee who has worked for the Evola family since last year.

“We sit down with the kids and read books about the animals,” Evola said. “Then we take them to the cages where they can see the animals and different kids are able to hold the animals at each exhibit.”

The zoo plans to offer special events for each season, according to Evola, and is currently preparing fall hayrides through the pastures so guests can feed the animals. At Christmas, Evola said she hopes to have a live nativity with the camels, and in the spring the zoo will host vendors in a field next to the property.

Most of the animals housed at Nature’s Creek Zoo are rescued, Evola said.

“We take animals, no questions asked,” Evola said. “We want to help people do the right thing if they are moving or evicted and have these animals.”

By the summer of 2024, Evola said she expects the camel dairy program to be running. No camels are currently

producing milk, but she said that will change in the spring when calves are born. Hillsdale residents can buy a herd share in the herd to receive milk as it becomes available.

“We sell milk to people with high blood pressure, Crohn’s disease, and other health issues,” Evola said. “People come from as far as Dearborn to get it. In the past, we were selling 200 bottles a week.”

Evola said the zoo is already popular but that the grand opening was hurt by a delay on billboard ads. In addition, both Evola’s personal Facebook account and the zoo’s business account were ha kked. Though the Facebook account asks that visitors make a reservation, Evola said that people don’t need to call ahead before visiting.

“We had to do everything the old fashioned way — putting up flyers around town and making our own signs,” Evola said.

Despite the setback, the zoo has already attracted visitors from as far as Toledo.

“It’s very exciting that we have a zoo right in our ba kkyard now, “ sophomore Daniel Doyle said. “I would like

to visit sometime.”

The zoo evolved from a pet shop that Evola opened in 1998. Within a few years, Evola and her husband were running a 10-acre zoo in Temperance, Michigan, and later visiting fairs and festivals with a traveling exhibition. In 2015, they bought the current property in Hillsdale County.

Nature’s Creek Zoo is located at 11660 Grass Lake Rd., Hillsdale, Michigan and open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. General admission is $12, cash only, and free for children under two.

“Guests are able to hold the lemurs, the baby alligator, fennec foxes, and pet the tortoises.”

There were more than 430 cars at the show on Saturday. Logan Washburn | Collegian

Dalton and Dallas stand next to their cars.

Logan Washburn | Collegian

Barbara and Butch stand next to their Monte Carlo. Logan Washburn | Collegian

The Weeks couple drove this car on their wedding day in 1974. Logan Washburn | Collegian

Guests are able to hold the lemurs at Natures’s Creek Zoo. Logan Washburn | Collegian

The new zoo has many exotic animals, including camels. Logan Washburn | Collegian

City accepts applications for bow hunting program

By Elyse Apel Digital Editor

Hillsdale hunters can kill deer within city limits this fall if they obtain private property hunting permits as part of the Hillsdale City Bow Hunting Program.

City Manager David Makkie said the program is good for the city.

“While the exact number of deer is unknown we can say the numbers in the city are fairly substantial,” he said. “Besides having an impact on residents’ gardens and flower beds, it creates health and safety hazards for those traveling in vehicles or on motorcycles.”

Mackie said city officials hope the program will cut the city’s deer population by at least 20 to 30 deer.

Locals can visit the Hillsdale City Police Administration Office at City Hall to pick up an application, according to the City of Hillsdale’s Facebook page. Applications must be turned in by 3 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 18.

Hillsdale Chief of Police Scott Hephner said the program, which began in 2010, follows all of Michigan’s hunting laws and regulations.

“This hunt extends the State of Michigan Archery Deer season into the city with council approval,” he said. “We require applications to hunt within the city and background checks are completed. Approved hunters are required to purchase their hunting license from the state and must follow all state requirements.”

The city has put measures

Hillsdale Hospital offers free online birthing classes

in place to make sure the program is safe, said Sgt. Steven Pratt of the Hillsdale City Police in a statement.

“Applicants may be disqualified for criminal convictions including, but not limited to: assaultive crimes, conservation law violations, and felony convictions,” Pratt said.

Registered hunters hunt on assigned private property and, if it is not their own property, must obtain the permission of the property owner to hunt.

“We generally receive around 30 applications a year and also have requests from property owners to have hunters hunt their property,” Hephner said.

Hunters must also provide information to the city about the deer they harvest.

Hephner said it is important to distinguish this program from a cull.

“A cull is controlled by the state and is designed to take a specific number of deer from a defined area. This is usually conducted outside of the normal hunting season and all deer presented are to be harvested,” he said.

Senior Sabrina Sherman said she is happy to hear that the city is trying to reduce the deer population because of the safety and nuisance problems they cause within the city.

“It is a huge safety hazard and their overpopulation is detrimental to the community,” she said. “They also destroy gardens, flowers, and general property.”

By Cassandra DeVries Socia Media Manager

Hillsdale Hospital an-

nounced free online birthing classes for expecting parents on Aug. 29, allowing parents to work through the curriculum at their own pace in the comfort of their home.

The hospital previously offered in-person classes to prepare expecting parents for birth but paused classes due to COVID-19. In response, the Michigan Health Endowment Fund’s 2022 Maternal and Infant Health Initiative sponsored free online classes for expectant parents.

“We’ve done some in-person classes since then,” said Rachel Lott, the hospital’s director of marketing. “But those are more limited in what we can offer because it’s usually kind of a one-day thing. So, now there’s a lot more opportunity for parents to learn on a broader scale.”

The online classes include sessions on labor, birthing techniques, medical procedures, and taking care of newborns.

“I think the most important part is understanding caring for a newborn and caring for yourself after birth,” said Courtney Murnen, mother of five who has given birth at Hillsdale Hospital. “Once you give birth, you’re kind of on your own.”

Instead of textbooks and traditional lectures, the courses engage participants through videos, animations, activities, checklists, trackers, and other interactive materials.

“There are different modules that they can choose to take, like breastfeeding or labor and delivery. And each of those can be lengthy,” Lott said. “But, that doesn’t mean if you don’t have eight hours to dedicate, you can’t do part of it.”

In addition to the increase in material offered through the classes, parents can skip through the lessons to sections they are more interested in, which allows parents more flexibility in how and when they learn.

tal for 10 years previously in her career and said such classes are paramount to helping parents prepare to welcome a baby.

“Nothing can truly prepare you for childbirth, but it certainly gives you an idea of what to expect. It’s not as scary,” she said.

Lott said she has already heard positive feedback regarding the new classes.

“I feel like it would be hard to go in person once you’re in the newborn phase, because you’re just so tired,” Murnen said.

Nurse practitioner Kathleen Petersen taught birthing classes with Hillsdale Hospi-

According to the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, the online classes will improve the outcomes of both mothers and children. Removing the inconvenience of travel, timing, and money, the classes offer parents greater education opportunities at a lower cost, the organization said.

“I just remember looking at it and thinking like, wow, this is so helpful,” Lott said. “I wish I had this in my first pregnancy.”

Hillsdale Municipal Airport hosts annual fly-in day

By Olivia Hajicek Science and Tech Editor

The Hillsdale Municipal Airport hosted a pancake breakfast and fly-in on Sunday to commemorate Patriot Day, the anniversary of 9/11.

The Hillsdale Exchange Club sponsored the event, which also featured helicopter rides, a cruise-in for classic cars, and a raffle to support the Jonesville American Legion Post 165.

While spectators stood nearby, pilots landed their planes and parked them on the grass for people to admire.

Airport Manager Ginger Moore said the highlight for her was having friends fly in.

“I love it when my friends fly in from other places, and one of my good friends that I taught how to fly, he flew in in his little airplane from the Detroit area,” Moore said. “It’s always good to see people, especially people I taught how to fly, and see them now coming to these kind of events all by

themselves, flying by themselves.”

During the morning, the line of small planes parked on the grass kept getting longer as more and more pilots landed.

Compton’s plane was a Taylorcraft BC-12-D, the same type his dad taught him to fly when he was young. His dad was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam and then an air traffic

Hillsdale resident Vicky Hayes said she knows a lot of people in the community and enjoys seeing all the familiar faces. Her husband, Parke Hayes, was a founding mem-

“It’s a part of history, and that’s Hillsdale — historic Hillsdale.”

There were also many young people at the event, including Bostynn and Braeleigh Blake, who came with their

although they had been on a jet before.

Jeff Francis, the presidentelect of the Exchange Club, said the organization will put the funds raised at the event toward making improvements to the Waterworks Park on Lake Baw Beese.

“We’ve committed to upgrading all the equipment out there,” Francis said.

Moore said the Exchange Club served breakfast to more than 800 people.

While the Patriot Day events started in 2015, the tradition of the Exchange Club having a fly-in goes back to the 1970s.

Mike Nye, who was behind the food tables making pancakes, has been a member of the Exchange Club since 1974.

Moore said around 20 planes flew in.

One pilot, Rick Compton, flew in from Battle Creek, about a 35-minute flight. He said it was a perfect Michigan fall day — foggy on the ground but clear in the sky.

controller stateside. Compton also served in the Army and now works as a pilot for Ameriflight, a cargo airline. Compton said his family is new to the area, but his wife heard about the event and they decided to come.

ber of the Exchange Club, and she still comes to the fly-in every year.

“It’s good for the Exchange Club. It’s good for the community. It’s good for everyone to recognize why we celebrate the Patriot’s Day,” Hayes said.

grandmother. Ten-year-old Bostynn said they had come to the fly-in before, but this would be their first time doing the helicopter ride. Nine-yearold Braeleigh said she was nervous, but Bostynn said she was excited to fly in a helicopter,

“We’ve had a lot of people die for our freedom,” Nye said. “And 9/11 was just one of those events where people died for our freedom. And so we need to honor them and remember them.”

The Blackwood Brothers Quartet, Sherry Anne perform at Gospel Barn

By Adriana Azarian Collegian Reporter

The Gospel Barn hosted The Blackwood Brothers and singer Sherry Anne on Sept. 9.

Member Billy Blackwood’s father and relatives founded the group in Nashville in 1934.

The quartet — now composed of Blackwood, Jim Rogers, Jonathan Mattingly, and Eric Walker — has won eight Grammy awards.

The quartet performed songs including “When I Cross Over to the Other Side of Jordan,” “Where Could I Go But to the Lord,” and “The

Old Country Church.” Before the band performed, Sherry Anne sang original songs, “Who Do You Say I Am,” “Silent Prayer,” and “Still the God Who Parts the Sea.”

The Gospel Barn has been hosting concerts since 1974. Their website describes the rustic barn venue as “an inspired and unique gospel music venue with an atmosphere of fun and fellowship centered on Christ.” Featuring auditorium seating, The Gospel Barn holds concerts every Saturday.

Blackwood said the band gained the friendship and admiration of rock-n-roll star Elvis Presley.

Anne, who has a hearing impairment, said she was motivated to become a doctor after struggling with her disability. She shared her personal testimony during the per-

formance, and explained that being a doctor was not satisfying if her life lacked spiritual depth. Anne’s experience with prayer jump-started her current gospel career.

“I began songwriting to give my heart of thanks back to God,” Anne said at the concert. “God deals with his children through the circumstances.”

“I love southern gospel music, I grew up in a Mennonite home in which we sang all the time, our whole family sang,” said weekly attendee Serena Patrick, who attends the concerts every week.

“When I go through a hard time it’s music that gets me out of it, even in the middle of the night. A song will come and it ministers to me.”

Patrick Ferguson said he was impressed with The Blackwood Brothers’ almost

90-year history and enjoyed every song.

“I feel rejuvenated by coming to this,” Ferguson said. “It’s kind of like coming to country hoe-downs, it’s like a mixture of country and gospel.”

Attendee Cheryl Eklund said the barn was a “feel-good place” to come every Saturday night.

The Gospel Barn, located at 4751 Bankers Rd., will host The Inspirations on Saturday, Sept. 16, Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers on Sunday, Sept. 17, and The Booth Brothers on Saturday, Sept. 23.

“Nothing can truly prepare you for childbirth, but it certainly gives you an idea of what to expect.”

Jonathan Mattingly and Billy Blackwood sold CDs at the concert. Jillian Parks | Collegian

Rick Compton parks his plane. Olivia Hajicek | Collegian

Feature

The Ottershrine: Coach makes his perfect man cave

By Jacob Beckwith Collegian Reporter

Every year, as a different group of Hillsdale football players file into head coach Keith Otterbein’s home for the annual senior dinner, Otterbein’s wife Amy makes the same remark: “You all need to make sure to check out coach’s shrine before you leave!”

Otterbein always laughs and says, “She calls it my ‘shrine,’ but really it’s my perfect man cave.”

When the Otterbeins purchased their property on Lake Wilson in Hillsdale 18 years ago, Otterbein immedi-

Opinion

ately claimed the free-standing garage as his own.

“I think it’s pretty cool, and the guys are always amazed when they see it,” said Brad Otterbein, one of Keith’s sons.

The walls are covered with trophies, helmets, and jerseys from Keith’s 48 years of coaching and playing.

“I was a linebacker for Hillsdale in the ’70s,” he said. “Then they gave me a job as an assistant coach almost right out of school.” Otterbein’s coaching career has also included pit stops at Central Michigan University and Ball State University in Indiana. When he took over the Ferris

State University football program at 28 years old, he was the youngest head coach in the country according to the Toledo Blade. He said these experiences showed him a side of college sports that he hadn’t seen before at Hillsdale.

“It was during my time at Ball State that I began to realize the philosophy of college football was pulling away from its true purpose,” Otterbein said. “The infusion of broadcasting money into the sport made the wins column more important than developing boys into men.”

Soon after this realization, Otterbein returned to Hills-

dale and took over the head coaching job for Charger football in 2001.

“It’s been a dream ever since then,” Otterbein said. “I have developed personally because of what Hillsdale is, and it really had been special to see how the school has grown under President Arnn’s tenure.”

The amount of memorabilia adoring the walls of his “shrine” has also grown over the years, with three conference championships and three Division II tournament appearances already in his 18 years coaching Hillsdale.

“It was all really cool to see,” said senior and offensive

lineman Ben Geno.

A display case full of rings adorns one wall, while shelves stacked with helmets fill out another. Other items include a picture of Otterbein running a marathon, and his hole-in-one ball from a lucky golf outing years ago.

“I definitely prefer driving my pontoon boat to swinging a golf club now,” Otterbein said.

On the mantle is a picture of Otterbein hugging his son Brad after his first start as a redshirt freshman.

“It was homecoming weekend, and Brad was called into action after our starter suffered an injury,” Otterbein

said. “Brad was dealing with a shoulder injury himself, and probably popped it out of place about five times during the game, but he kept popping it back in and eventually led the team on a game-winning drive for the victory.”

Both Brad and Otterbein’s other son, Steve, played football for their father at Hillsdale, and now both serve as assistant coaches for Charger football.

“I am so thankful that my kids have all settled down near Hillsdale,” Otterbein said, “and how loving and supportive they have been along this journey.”

Fire Roger Goodell: A look into a fraud

By Alex Deimel Assistant Editor

Every commissioner of any major sports league faces their fair share of catastrophes. With the 2023 NFL season officially underway, it is important to remind fans that a particular commissioner has had an abundance of opportunities to improve his league, yet he continuously fails.

That man is the NFL’s Roger Goodell.

Goodell has presided over the league for so long that it seems as if its fans are becoming numb to the senseless punishments players are receiving. At the beginning of the 2022 season, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley was suspended for the entire year and was forced to forfeit his $11.1 million base salary for gambling.

There are reasonable policies in place for players gambling NFL games, but I’m quite certain NFL fans can agree that if Ridley is being suspended for his actions, Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson should

not be allowed to play football while he faces ongoing sexual assault allegations.

Unfortunately, the Watson scandal is just one in a long list of issues Goodell has handled horrifically. The most notable scandal of the past decade has arguably been the “Deflategate” scandal of 2014. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots were accused of deflating footballs during halftime of the AFC Championship game against the Indianapolis Colts. The team’s punishment included a four-game suspension for Brady, loss of draft picks, and a $1 million fine.

There were many issues with the punishment that Goodell subjected the Patriots to, including the fact that attorney Ted Wells’ report stated it was only “more probable than not” that Brady knew of the deflating of the footballs. The Patriots would also go on to beat the Colts by 38 points in that game. Any football fan with the smallest amount of common sense can arrive at the conclusion that the pounds per square inch level of the

footballs had little to nothing to do with the outcome of the game.

Another major controversy that happened to stem from “Deflategate” was the still-present feud between Goodell and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy. After being arrested at the NFL headquarters for protesting the Brady suspension, and creating over 70,000 fan towels containing Goodell depicted as a clown for a Patriots game, Portnoy, and many other Barstool employees were banned from ever attending any NFL game or event.

A few years later, during a House Oversight Committee hearing about the Washington Commanders, Representative Jim Jordan asked Goodell why he banned the sports journalists, and Goodell responded by saying that he was unaware of the situation.

Let me get this straight: The commissioner of the NFL is unaware of the man who held a protest at his headquarters and made a famous image of said commissioner

as a clown? I’ll let you do the math on that one. There are many other controversies that Goodell has found himself on objectively the wrong side of. The list is quite absurd. The NFL drew an average of 16.7 million

viewers per game last season, and this criminal is running the entire thing. What is one of the only satisfying things fans are able to do to showcase their feelings? Boo their television screens on draft day.

Fire

The time for a new commissioner of the NFL is long overdue.

Goodell.

Patriot fans fly towels with Roger Goodell depicted as a clown at Gillette Stadium. Courtesy | Getty Images

Otterbein has a room of awards and trophies from his time playing and coaching. Courtesy | Keith Otterbein

Shotgun

Drill takes HOA at Great Lakes Championship

By Carly Moran Assistant Editor

Junior Gavin Drill took home the highest overall score in the Great Lakes Championship at the Grand Blanc Huntsman’s Club in Grand Blanc, Michigan, Sept. 9.

The National Sporting Clays Association Great Lakes Championship is one of the largest competitions in the state each year, with more than 150 athletes in attendance this year from Michigan and Ontario. The team competed in sporting clays and five-stand as practice for collegiate trials later this fall.

“It's a stepping stone on the way to the next thing,” head coach Jordan Hintz said. “The targets were a little challenging, but it was a good competition experience. Some of them are pretty new to that sort of competition, so it was a lot of learning experience.”

Drill scored the highest overall among 77 shooters in the five-stand event after breaking 48/50 clays. Junior Josh Corbin followed with 46/50 clays in the AA class, and

senior Ida Brown shot 40/50 clays in the A class.

Junior Jonathan Calabrese scored 44/50 in the B class, with sophomore Jordan Sapp trailing just behind him with 42/50 clays. Freshman Ava Downs and sophomore Leif Andersen both hit 41/50 clays in the C class. Junior paratrap shooter Sophia Bultema earned 33/50 in the E class.

“These tournaments allow us to see different presentations of targets against a multitude of different backgrounds and get us in the routine of traveling to another location to compete, as opposed to just going to our own range and seeing the same place over and over,” Calabrese said.

The annual Great Lakes Championship is open to the public, so any professional athlete can compete, not just collegiate athletes.

“Competing for fun against adults is a nice change from shooting against college athletes,” Andersen said. “It is more relaxed, and the team usually sweeps the competition. It is also interesting to shoot against people from all over.”

Women's Tennis

In sporting clays, Corbin placed second within the AA class with an 83/90 score. Brown placed third in the A class with an 80/90, while Sapp and Drill earned 83/90 and 81/90, respectively, in the B class. Downs placed at an 83/90 in the C class, with senior Jackson Sokel and Andersen following at 81/90 and 80/90 clays, respectively. Bultema placed second within the E class with a 54/90 score.

“The nature of sporting clays means that not everybody is always going to shoot as well as they think they could because the targets are never the same,” Hintz said. “Sometimes it challenges people a little bit more than others.”

The team predominantly focuses on trap and skeet, which are traditionally European events. Hintz argued that practicing American disciplines provides a needed challenge.

“To be honest, I've been focusing on bunker for the past couple weeks, and sporting clays wasn't as heavy on me as it might have been for some of my teammates,” Bultema said. Despite the weekend’s challenges, Hintz said he believes

the team is excelling, partially due to its growth in size.

“I think that we've got a better team than we've ever had before,” Hintz said. “There's more people and talent, but it is a lot more to manage, like having to take two vehicles to travel places. Practice time is more spread out. It's more difficult for me to give people one-on-one time. It's just important that we're using our time wisely.”

With collegiate tournaments in October, the team is taking advantage of open shoots to try out new strategies.

“Tournaments like this are great practice for bigger events in the fall,” Andersen said. “During training, we have been implementing new techniques of shooting. It is always good to test such changes with the pressure of competition.”

The Chargers’ next tournament is Sept. 23 at the Detroit Gun Club in Commerce, Michigan. The shoot is the final stop of the NSCA Spartan Series, a multi locational event for Michiganders to practice travel competition.

“It was our first travel competition of the year with the

whole team, and it felt like a good warm up for the longer travels and competitions,” Bultema said. “We were all in

different places in terms of scores, but I think everyone had fun.”

Chargers ease into season at invitational

By Isabella Helms Collegian Reporter

The Hillsdale women’s tennis team participated in the Charger Summer Invitational Sept. 8-9, marking the commencement of the 202324 season.

Teams at the invitational included the Wayne State University Warriors, one of the Midwest’s leading Division II teams, and G-MAC title contenders the University of Findlay Oilers and the

Walsh University Cavaliers.

In the singles category under draw one, freshman Ane Dannhauser secured the first win of the day against Findlay with scores of 7-5, 2-6, and 10-8. A subsequent match against Wayne State University saw Dannhauser facing a 6-1, 2-6 , 5- 10 defeat in the semifinals. Senior Melanie Zampardo, in the same draw, encountered a competitor from Findlay which ended in her defeat as well.

Under draw two, both

sophomore Megan Hackman and junior Elizabeth McGivern were tested against their respective singles opponents from Wayne State and Findlay. While Hackman lost to her competitor, McGivern secured a 6-4 victory in her initial set; she was later overcome by Findlay in the second set and final tie-break.

Draws three and four ended in losses for senior Helana Formentin, junior Courtney Rittel, sophomore Isabella Spinazze, and senior

Julia Wagner who competed against players from Walsh, Wayne State, and Findlay.

In draw one of doubles play, Dannhauser and McGivern worked together for an 8-6 win against a Findlay duo, but later they met their match against Wayne State in the semifinals.

While Formentin and Spinazze faced a loss against their Findlay opponents in draw two, Wagner and Rittel outperformed Walsh with a score of 8-3. Eventually, an-

other Findlay duo beat the Hillsdale pair during the semifinals.

Zampardo reflected on the experience and said it was a positive weekend for the whole team.

“We had good energy throughout the entire two days despite being exhausted after being at the courts for 12 hours on Friday,” Zampardo said. “With everything being individual for these fall tournaments, there was not one team that came out on

top. Most of us had at least a couple of great wins.”

The Chargers are set to compete in the 2023 ITA Midwest Regionals in Indianapolis, Indiana, Sept. 1618. This event will feature the elite NCAA Division II singles players and doubles teams from the Midwest, making it a significant benchmark for teams in the region as they prepare for the spring championship season.

Donny McArDle, Xc & TrAck Charger chatter

Do you have any superstitions when you compete?

I’m not terribly superstitious, but I have a specific pair of socks that once the season starts, those are my race socks.

If you could do any other sport, what would it be?

Hockey. I like the idea of just being able to shove someone into the wall and it be fine. You can jostle around with people in track, but you can’t take someone down.

What's something on your bucket list?

I don’t really have a bucket list. A lot of people want to skydive, and I’m like, "Why would I do that?" But once I graduate, I want to run a marathon.

If you could play on stage with any artist, who would you choose?

Hands down Paul McCartney, just because he’s my favorite ever, but it would be too intimidating to actually do.

Compiled by Maddy Welsh

Sophomore Sophia Bultema and senior Jessica Strasser walk to the range during the Charger Classic.

Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Charger

Golf

Golf wins first tournament, freshmen lead with top scores

By Thomas McKenna Assistant Editor

Three true freshmen led the Hillsdale men’s golf team to its first tournament win since 2019, edging out division rivals Tiffin University and Ferris State University to start the season.

The Chargers shot 885 over 54 holes of golf to claim victory at the Malone-Glenmoor Classic in Glenmoor, Ohio. The team’s best performances came from its three true freshmen — Oliver Marshall, Ryan O’Rourke, and Robert Thompson — who each carded a four-overpar 220 score.

“Going into this tournament looking at the teams’ scores from last year, I wasn't very optimistic that we were going to win,” O’Rourke said. “I kind of went in thinking ‘I’m just going to go play,’ and that’s what I did. I didn't think about winning until I finished the last hole of the last round.”

The last time the men’s golf team brought home a tournament win was April 2019, when the team won the Music City Invite near Nashville, Tennessee. This week’s victory was the team’s first under head coach Matt Thompson, who has

coached the team since February 2020.

“It was a tough year last year, and I think this shows we're headed in the right direction,” Thompson said. “I think we're doing things the right way. We have to learn how to lose first before we can figure out how to win.”

The tournament was each of the freshmen’s first experience with collegiate competition. Marshall — who shot 75-75-70 — said it was his first time playing 36 holes on the first day of a tournament and 18 the next, the collegiate-norm. He said he didn’t think he played to his full potential in the tournament.

“Tee-to-green, I probably hit the ball the best of my entire career and then probably had the worst putting, and I ended up with not awful scores but with so much potential,” Marshall said. “After the round, I talked with Coach Thompson and we fixed a couple of things and I putted better the next day and had a much better score.”

Thompson said he appreciated the stronger team dynamic in collegiate golf compared to the high school level.

“In high school golf, you don't really see your teammates

a lot,” Thompson said. “You don't really get to know them that well, unless you play at the

same course or if you're in classes with them. But here, everyone's always together because

you're on campus together.”

O’Rourke, a Detroit-area native who scored 72-71-77, said he played both hockey and golf until middle school, when he chose the green over the ice. He said the camaraderie in collegiate golf reminded him of his hockey years.

“It's bigger than a hockey game, but it feels the same,” O’Rourke said. “I hadn't felt that for a while. Winning as a team is so much better than just winning by myself.”

Thompson said his love for the sport began around age two, when he pointed out a plastic set of golf clubs to his parents while walking through Walmart.

“I wanted it so they got it for me,” Thompson said. “That’s how I got into golf.”

He said he hasn’t stopped playing since he began competing in tournaments at age five.

In this week’s tournament, Thompson’s scores dropped lower with each round, carding 78-73-69.

Sophomore Max Burns shot a 225, five strokes from his teammates. Senior Carson Stohler put up a 235.

The team’s performance follows its runner-up finish last season at the same course, the

Glenmoor Country Club. Coach Thompson said he thought the course was similar to the course in Jackson, Michigan, the team practices on.

“The greens are fast, the course is in really good shape,” coach Thompson said. “So I think it doesn't look unlike what the guys are used to playing on, and so I think we have some kind of comfortability there.”

Junior Filippo Reale, who competed as an individual apart from the 5-man lineup, said the team must stay focused.

“Huge congratulations to the freshmen,” Reale said. “Winning is very hard, but to do it without much experience in college golf is even more impressive. Now we have to keep the foot on the gas pedal.”

The Chargers will travel to Tiffin, Ohio, for the Kyle Ryman Invitational Oct. 2-3 for their second tournament of the season.

“It's nice having a couple of weeks for everybody to get their schoolwork taken care of first,” coach Thompson said. “We can regroup and celebrate the win but then get back to work.”

Chargers drop to 0-2 with loss to Huskies

By Micah Hart

Political Correspondent

Senior tailback Michael Herzog rushed for 106 yards and scored a touchdown, but the Hillsdale Chargers football team fell behind early and lost its second game of the season to the Michigan Technological University Huskies, 45-20, on Sept. 9 in Houghton, Michigan.

The Chargers had a chance to bring the same opening momentum they had week one against the University of Indianapolis into this game, but they were not able to capitalize on a muffed punt by the Huskies that placed them at Michigan Tech’s 33-yard line. With this set and other missed opportunities, the Chargers could only score two field goals in the first two quarters.

“In essence, we didn't start fast,” head coach Keith Otterbein said. “That was an opportunity early on in the game where we really could have captured some momen-

tum and made a difference, and we let that opportunity slip.”

The Huskies were able to rack up a total of 28 points in the first half, with one of these touchdown drives coming after a Charger fumble.

“Things didn't go our way. Let's just say that,” senior quarterback Garrit Aissen said. “That's football. That’s college football on any Saturday. Anyone can have a good game, anyone can have a bad game, and last Saturday things just did not go our way.”

The Huskies scored early in the second half, 35-6, and the Chargers responded with a 13-play drive that resulted in a touchdown run by Herzog.

Herzog said he didn’t feel like he played well.

“I felt like I was making a lot of mental mistakes on the field when it came to running the ball and pass blocking,” Herzog said. “I've addressed those problems the day after and so far this week. Just

know that it's not going to happen again.”

The only other Charger touchdown came from a oneyard run by Aissen in the fourth quarter. Aissen ended the game with 115 passing yards.

While the team lost by 25 points, Aissen said the team made some good changes that weren’t highlighted in the score.

“There's a lot of good, solid football; blocks that were fantastic, some routes that were really good that maybe I just didn't have enough time in the pocket because of the blitz or whatever,” Aissen said. “But, you know, when you look back on the film, there was a lot of good that happened. We just have to put it all together into an entire game.”

The Chargers are set to take on the Ashland University Eagles Sept. 16 for another away game.

Last year, the Chargers pulled out a victory against the undefeated Eagles, who

at the time were ranked sixth in the nation for the NCAA Division II.

This year, the game against Ashland marks the Chargers’ first conference game, and Otterbein said it’s a fresh start for the team since it is 0-0 in the conference.

“Certainly, we're working on the things to fix and get better, and we certainly have to play better to beat good teams, but the reality is, we're zero and zero in the league,” Otterbein said. “Winning conference championships is one of our program objectives, so we've got a fresh start there and we're ready to get after it and get to work.”

Herzog said Otterbein’s mentality on the Ashland game next week is helping the team, but Herzog said he knows Ashland is coming to redeem itself.

“They're going to be coming for blood here, but we just got to play harder than they do, and we just gotta want it more,” Herzog said.

Hillsdale beats University of Michigan for third time

number one,” Thune said. “I yelled out ‘bad idea!’ as Parlee hit him. He didn't know what was coming.”

The physical advantage was a recurring theme in Hillsdale's strategy, according to junior Robert Brandau, who is the coach and also a player on the team. In previous years, the team fielded many newcomers, but this season was different.

“We tore apart the offense,” Brandau said. “We never let them have a moment of rest within the first 10 minutes. We were really hitting our stride, winning rucks, finding the outside, finding the green space, getting those conversions.”

The team’s recent victory marked the third consecutive year of defeating Michigan on their home turf.

Hillsdale’s players was in defeating Michigan.

“Rob Brandau, our player-coach, has been putting us through really difficult conditioning in the high heat to get us in peak physical shape,” Thune said.

Brandau said the team has about 30 dedicated players.

“I see the club moving to the Division II level in the next two years,” Brandau said.

port from parents, alumni, and anyone who's interested in rugby or wants to see the team reach its potential,” Brandau said. “We want this to be something we can return to in 20 years and see Hillside College winning championships in the Midwest.”

By Luke Waters Collegian Freelancer

“Last year, we fielded between 10 and 15 guys who had not played before, but this year we only fielded around five,” Brandau said.

Brandau said the team’s sheer size, aggressiveness, and relentless offense kept Michigan under constant pressure and contributed to Hillsdale’s victory.

“We came in expecting to clean up, and that's what we did,” sophomore Dominick Taranto said.

Taranto said Hillsdale’s club rugby team is the perfect outlet for men to participate in and bring out manly virtues.

Thune stressed how crucial the size and fitness of

Nevertheless, Brandau explained the team’s need for support in the form of an official coach and additional equipment, such as scrum sleds, tackling pads, and rugby balls.

“We have the sheer manpower, size, energy and speed, so we would love sup-

Brandau said his favorite memory from the match was seeing the sheer joy on the freshmans' faces who played a little bit during the game.

“It was priceless seeing them take on the yoke of being the next generation of rugby warriors at Hillsdale,” Brandau said.

The Hillsdale club rugby team poses after its victory over the University of Michigan. Courtesy | Emelie K. Randell

Senior Ben Geno and junior Eli Haidamous run down the field. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Junior Filippo Reale winds up for a drive during practice. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

C U L T U R E

Lords of Atlantis: Professor’s band debuts album in Italy

By Alexandra Hall Design eD itor

As the sun set over the Mediterranean Sea and crowds gathered in Livorno, Italy, Professor of Economics Ivan Pongracic took the stage at the Surfer Joe music festival on July 25.

The department chairman wasn’t thinking about inflation, fiscal years, or supply and demand. Instead, he was playing with his surf-rock group, Lords of Atlantis. And although his college students may think they’ve seen and heard it all, Pongracic says he has his thumb on an unusual pulse.

“There is an underground music scene that regular people almost certainly would not know about,” Pongracic said. “But it’s kind of a big deal, and not just in the U.S.– it’s popular in much of Europe, Latin America, Japan, and Australia. I’m talking about the instrumental surf music scene that originally dates back to the early ’60s California.”

A quick listen to Lords of Atlantis will bring back memories of falling asleep to “Hawaii Five0” reruns on the TV in the living room. One step closer will reveal a whole universe of musi-

cal complexity both technically and socially.

Alongside Pongracic, Lords of Atlantis is composed of surfrock veterans Jeremy DeHart (rhythm, bass, and lead guitar), Jonpaul Balak (bass guitar), and Dane Carter (drums and percussion). All members have played for past groups like Aqualads, The Madeira, and Insect Surfers.

“I’m very honored to be a part of this band as every single player in the band is just top-notch and the musicianship in general is out of this world,” DeHart said. “Our very first live show, in Livorno, was also the very first time we had ever played together as a four-piece band and I was so amazed at the ability of everyone to be onstage in front of a huge crowd in a foreign country and really just deliver the goods.”

Unlike many musicians, Lords of Atlantis isn’t in it for the money… or the girls. There’s not much of either in the surf-music scene.

“At this point, it’s mostly middle-aged men,” Pongracic said. “There are not many ladies into it (with some notable exceptions, such as the Surfrajettes, Messer Chups, and a few others). But more young people are

beginning to get into it. I was fairly young when I got into it, about 25. There’s a quote from ‘The Godfather: Part III’ where Corleone says, ‘Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!’ It’s almost impossible to leave the scene. We become magnetically drawn to it, despite there not being any money in it. But we just love it.”

After years of back-and-forth communication, Lords of Atlantis finally set off to record its self-titled debut record, which was released in July.

“It was really the pandemic when everything was locked down – nothing was happening, no shows – that’s when we thought we had an opportunity to really do this,” Pongracic said. “It was a chance to do something fun after months of darkness, fear, and uncertainty. We’d been talking about it for years.”

The group recorded much of the album in McNamara Hall in the summers of 2020 and 2021. They wrapped it up at DeHart’s in-laws’ home in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

“It was another inspiring place to create,” Pongracic said. “Dane is actually a pilot, and he’s a co-owner of a little Cessna plane.

He basically said that if we were willing, we were going to meet in Indianapolis, load up as much as we could into the plane, and then fly over to the Blue Ridge Mountains. And that’s what we ended up doing.”

Finally, Lords of Atlantis wrapped up its brainchild of a handful of years: a 13-track debut that sounds about as clear as the water it is inspired by. Free-flowing and crisp, even those who don’t listen to much instrumental music can find something to love in its folds. For fans of indie-surf groups like Ocean Alley, Sticky Fingers, and Lime Cordiale, Lords of Atlantis can offer a different look into an even more niche genre.

“In the words of the late great Tom Petty, the waiting is the hardest part,” Carter said. “This album took three years to complete and we talked about doing it for a couple of years before we started. There were lots of texts, emails, video conferences, and phone calls. The process forced us to say everything we wanted to happen in words because there were no jam sessions to allow us to play off of each other in real-time.”

Spilling her ‘GUTS’: Olivia Rodrigo successfully avoids the sophomore slump

By Rachel Downey Collegian Freelan C er

Olivia Rodrigo beat the curse of the sophomore slump with her new album “Guts,” released on Sept. 8.

“Guts” follows Rodrigo’s transition from her teenage years to her early 20s. The album, which Rodrigo describes as “the confusion that comes with becoming a young adult,” is a homage to the feeling of being scared of adulthood.

Following the release of her record breaking debut album “Sour” in 2021, fans were eager to see the 20-year-

old singer-songwriter’s next project. Rodrigo released two singles preceding the album that are making Billboard’s Hot 100 their home. While the first single “vampire” resembles Rodrigo’s previous works, “bad idea right?” strays from strictly pop to a pop-punk vibe which hints at a new direction for her writing style.

The album features 12 original tracks with no other artists, and four extra tracks each only available on different vinyl variants.

Most of the album’s songs are upbeat with a fast tempo, perfect for listening in the car

or on a run. At the moment, “all-american b****,” ballad of a homeschooled girl,” and “pretty isn’t pretty” are my favorite songs on the album because of their exhilarating sound and relatable, catchy lyrics.

One of my favorite qualities of Rodrigo’s new album is her tendency to create songs with a two-act structure, where she starts with a soft tone that gradually builds to a heavier, louder ending. “Vampire” offers a perfect example of this.

The song begins with a light piano melody and lofty vocals and slowly builds as more instruments are added until

Rodrigo is belting the bridge alongside heavy drums.

The general response to the album was overall positive as Rodrigo was able to connect with her target audience. However, multiple people online have complained about the lack of consistency throughout the album. While “Sour” had a definite storyline about a person’s first heartbreak, “Guts” presents a scattered tracklist with a variety of sounds without a visible, connective string. Yet, this resembles the transition of a teenage girl into her twenties, where life doesn’t fit an exact storyline.

While Rodrigo rebranded her sound for “Guts,” the lyrics still hold a sense of depth and emotion that makes you stop and think. Her ability to pair devastating lyrics with an upbeat tone makes her album one for both dancing and pondering life decisions.

In “ballad of a homeschooled girl,” Rodrigo sings, “Feels like my skin doesn’t fit right over my bones,” alluding to the idea that she feels like she cannot fit even her own standards in a world focused on critiquing every detail of her life. “All-american b****,”

Courtesy | Instagram

where Rodrigo compares the ideal American teenage girl to her own self-tendencies, also includes this theme.

As The New York Times wrote in its review, “Rodrigo’s music pulses with the verve of someone who’s been buttoned tight beginning to come loose.”

Professors’ Picks: Christopher Heckel, assistant professor of biology

From the minds of Hillsdale’s professors: the song, book, and movie everyone ought to know

“Long Black Veil”

Johnny Cash - 1959

“I say ‘Long Black Veil’ more to get students to experience Johnny Cash for the first time if they never have before. The reason I love to listen to Johnny Cash, and why he is one of my favorites, is just with the emotion that he can deliver in so many of his songs. A lot of them are country songs and they are kind of sad, and this one is a sad country song, but it has really interesting surprise twists in a way as you listen to it. It is probably easily my favorite Johnny Cash song and I have just always loved to listen

to it. I think for any students that have not listened to much country music, or have heard that local country that you hear on the radio now, to get real country music they should start with Johnny Cash. He’s a good gateway drug.”

“A River Runs Through It and Other Stories,”

Norman McClain - 1976

“I’m going to go with one that I have always enjoyed reading, and I have picked up periodically, and that’s Norman McClains ‘A River Runs Through It and Other Stories,’ and more so for the other stories than the titular one. As someone who’s

spent a lot of time outside and is interested in conservation, I liked his very descriptive view into what life was like for those loggers in the American Northwest who still had to use hand saws and travel by a pack mule and to just know how rugged their life was. It’s not just a story about that, but he also has interest in the development of characters, and it’s just a really enjoyable story.”

“A Fistful of Dollars”- 1964

“This is, again, almost an advocation for the genre, in watching Spaghetti Westerns. My favorite of the three ‘Man With

No Name’ trilogy films would be ‘The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.’ It has a wonderful soundtrack, which you hear a lot now in commercials all the time. I just love the way that without a lot of dialogue, there is really a lot going on with the story and the way the director uses the camera. There are so many close ups of faces and parts of faces, and I’ve always just loved how it communicates what’s going on without there being a lot of words in the story. The sound itself is awful, you know, with it being the American over-dubbing. It’s one of my favorite movies of all time.”

Compiled by Gray Turner Collegian reporter

Heckel was a part of the Hillsdale College track team and graduated in 1999. Courtesy | Christopher Heckel

Band members use Howard Music Hall to record debut album. Courtesy | Ivan Pongracic

C U L T U R E

Balanced diet: Student band gets a taste of the stage

By Tayte Christenson collegan Freelancer

A Donkey Kong onesie costume, raspy voices, and the sounds of “Good 4 U” are typical sights and sounds at a Diet of Worms concert.

But some members of this upand-coming student band say they never would have imagined themselves performing on stage.

“Before I got to this campus, I really enjoyed music. I liked to sing, but only within the confines of my room,” junior vocalist Rachel Houts said. “I never thought I was going to do anything music-related in college.”

Houts was not the only Diet of Worms member not dreaming of the spotlight prior to college.

“When I was younger I wanted to be in a band, but I’m kind of introverted,” junior bassist Matthew Karten said. “I didn’t really have that many great connections. So this group just kind of happened, but I didn’t imagine it would be anything like this. And it’s a lot more chaotic than I thought it would be. But that’s okay.”

But others, like sophomore pianist Erik Teder, have always had a musical itch.

“For me, it’s always been the goal,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to jam with my friends who are musical.”

But despite having musical friends throughout high

school, he could never convince his friends to play together.

“I’d been kind of clawing at every musical person I knew in high school and trying to form a band and I just couldn’t pull it together,” he said. “Then, when we got here, obviously, that changed.”

It is thanks in large part to Teder’s dedication to getting a musical group together that the band got its start.

“The original Diet of Worms was three people. It was Erik, Luke Avery, and I,” sophomore lead vocalist Aidan Christian said. “It started because Erik, the first week on campus, walked around to everybody and said, ‘Do you know how to play an instrument or sing? Do you want to be in a band?’ And I guess it started with us in the first floor lobby of Galloway.”

The newly-formed band, however, knew they needed more members with a wider range of musical abilities.

“I met Erik at the Lutheran Society kickoff bonfire,” Houts said. “One of my friends was like, ‘Oh, Rachel sings,’ and he just turned to me and was like, ‘You want to be in a band?’”

The band now consists of Houts, Karten, Teder, Christian, sophomore lead guitarist Luke Avery, sophomore guitarist Summerlin Williams, senior drummer Carter McNish, and senior saxophone player Daniel Ladzinski.

“Erik actually asked so many people that the original band group chat had like 18 people in it that we never saw,” Christian said. “You just have to cast a wide net, though.”

Besides gathering members for the band, the group also had to decide on a name, which was not easy.

“We had signed up to play at Phi Mu Battle of the Bands. We had put our names down, we got our slot, and we were super excited,” Houts said. “Then the president emails us and is like, ‘Okay, well, you have to have a name for the group.’ We’re like, ‘Shoot.’ So we spent a long time brainstorming during rehearsals. We had no good options.”

The members suggested many names, with only a few making the top rankings.

Concert on the Quad changes its tune

Weather conditions transform Concert on the Quad into a cozy, indoor event

By Michaela Estruth assistant editor

Live country, rock ‘n’ roll, and Disney music rang through the Grewcock Student Union Friday evening after the annual Concert on the Quad moved inside due to weather obstacles. Fresh Meckleys’ Flavor Fruit Farm donuts, hot Checker Records coffee, picnic blankets, and bright sunflowers transformed the regular lounge into a cozy yet loud and crowded auditorium.

With the last minute decision to move the concert on the quad inside, the Student Activities Board worked to establish a similar environment for the beloved event, SAB event team lead and junior Josiah Jagoda said.

“We made the decision about two hours ago,” Jagoda said. “The audio visual weren’t able to set up, and they were worried about the equipment getting damaged, which is a valid concern. So they asked that we do it in the union, which we’ve done before. It didn’t change much except the location.”

Junior Hannah Arends has attended Concert on the Quad for the past two years and said the change inside was a surprising but fun mix-up.

“I’m really impressed with how SAB was able to deal with the change in weather and still create a fun and cozy event,” Arends said.

Jagoda said the location switch altered the overall presentation of the event but not the logistics or performances.

“It changes the energy, like, people aren’t sitting in the grass, so it’s picnicky, which is what I personally like about

the image, but it’s a little lighter and more cozy,” Jagoda said. Concert on the Quad provides an opportunity for students to dip their toe in performing either music covers or their own pieces, according to Jagoda.

“The idea is we want to encourage people who are trying to break into the live music scene,” Jagoda said. “We’re just giving them the chance to do that.”

“Our original name was Modest Mouse Cover Band: The Band,” Christian said. “That name floated around a few times during brainstorming. I really thought it was a keeper.”

But ultimately, it was McNish who coined the name.

“Carter came up with the name Diet of Worms because he’s Catholic,” Christian said. “Of course, Diet of Worms is the edict that formally separated Martin Luther from the Catholic Church in the 1500s.”

As Hillsdale students, keeping the Protestant versus Catholic debate in their band name made sense and added to the humor. “But that wasn’t really why we chose it,” Houts said. “It was just like ‘Wow, that sounds kind of metal.’”

The band’s first formal event together was last year at Galloway Residence’s annual Halloween celebration, known as Galloween.

“We advertised that so hard,” Teder said. “I had run around to the blackboards and written ‘Galloween! Pull up! Campus’ best band at 8 p.m.’”

“I remember the entire week leading up to Galloween I was going, ‘You need to come watch my band. You need to come watch my band at this dorm event,’” Christian said. “I think that was the largest turnout for a Galloween in history.”

Following their historic Galloween performance, the band was energized and excited to play more. Since then, they have done just that, playing at several campus events last spring and welcoming students back to campus this fall at Welcome Party last month.

Despite having played more shows, one thing left to establish is the genre of music that the band is known for.

“I feel like our go-to genre is hard to pinpoint right now because we’re kind of in flux,” Houts said. “What we’ve been doing is a lot of ‘Okay, we like this song. Let’s play it.’ I feel like we found that it can be hard to engage an audience that way. So we’re kind of trying to figure out where the line is between ‘Oh, we can play our fun, obscure stuff,’ and ‘We’re gonna play what people want to hear.’”

Christian said he thinks the band’s genre is a bit easier to identify.

“I think if you had to put a genre on it, you would just say pop rock,” he said. “Then again, if you go look at our most repeated song, it’s ‘Good 4 U’ by Olivia Rodrigo. It goes hard. People love that song. We love that song.”

This year the band members said they are looking forward to better establishing themselves as a band and performing at more campus events.

“I think a lot of this year’s going to be trying to figure out how you start as a joke and turn it into something that you feel comfortable putting a lot of work into,” Houts said. “It’s not an easy thing for any of us. It’s obviously a huge time commitment. And so I think we’re just past the stage where we want this to be just silly. And we would like to actually be good.”

This school year provides them a new opportunity to reestablish themselves as a group and to continue in the progress they made last year.

“This is a new era in a lot of ways and we’re still figuring out exactly how a lot of that is gonna look like,” Teder said, “but we learned a lot last year and we all have a vision of what we want Diet of Worms to be, so it’s how do we reconcile that into who we actually become? So we’re really intentional about that this year.”

‘Sound of Freedom’ is a must-see movie

By Olivia Hajicek s cience and t ech e ditor

“My style is kind of more like older sounding rock, and this set I’ll do the most of my original music,” McArdle said moments before taking the stage. For the first time, McArdle performed with an electric, rather than his normal acoustic, guitar.

“It’ll be interesting using an electric guitar, which I rarely do,” McArdle said. “ I’m planning on this either crashing and burning in the best way possible, or it’ll just go well.”

Sophomore Emil Schlueter also took the stage for his first time, performing old country songs.

“He basically made his grand Hillsdale debut,” junior Lucy Griffin said.

“There have been a few moments in college when you see a younger performer, and they aren’t what you’re expecting, like they’re really good. Everyone got into it and supported him.”

The movie “Sound of Freedom” brings viewers face to face with the reality of child trafficking through the story of one man’s amazing journey to rescue its victims. The emotional power of the film helps viewers see the evil of the modern-day slave trade from a human perspective while leaving them with a message of hope and courage: God’s children are not for sale.

The film, which premiered in theaters July 4, is based on the true story of government special agent Tim Ballard, who quit his job tracking down pedophiles for the Department of Homeland Security and founded an organization called Operation Underground Railroad to rescue children from human traffickers.

of entry, and the impenetrable Colombian jungle region known as “rebel territory.”

The emotion in these scenes draws the viewer in so powerfully that not even the language seems foreign.

In one scene, Ballard seeks the help of Vampiro, a criminal-turned-rescuer whose connections Ballard needs to find Rocío. Both the depth of the evil Ballard is fighting and the depth of his love for the children show in his eyes as he tells Vampiro the most famous line in the movie: “God’s children are not for sale.”

government.

One slight drawback to the film, however, is that the story did not happen exactly as portrayed in the movie. While the characters of Miguel and Rocío are based on real siblings rescued from trafficking, the search for Rocío is actually based on the ongoing search for a different child named Gardy. Moreover, some incidents portrayed in the movie, such as Ballard killing a trafficker, never happened in real life.

Junior Caleb Bigler made his debut through performing country music. Having only ever sang in front of people while leading worship, Bigler said performing country was a fun change of pace. He said he appreciated SAB moved the concert inside because it created a more personal, close environment.

“I love when people sing along, and they did,” Bigler said. “You can definitely hear their involvement more since it’s inside.”

Junior Donny McArdle performed for his third year in a row. He sang some originals for the very first time to an audience.

Griffin compared Schlueter’s performance to the Schismatics debut in April of 2022 at CHP Showdown. The students loved his style — ’60s duets, Irish songs, country, and “Starting Over” by Chris Stapleton. People chanted his name, swayed, and sang along beaming from ear to ear.

After his final chord, his track team and friends surrounded him in excitement as he exited the stage. As the rain and wind blew across the quad, the eclectic performances inside matched the comfortable atmosphere as students continued drinking coffee, eating donuts, and even enjoying late night AJ’s meals at Concert in the Union.

The movie grossed more than $180 million domestically, landing it in the top ten for 2023, ahead of the latest installment of “Mission: Impossible” and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.”

Following a successful sting operation against a notorious pedophile, Ballard, played by Jim Caviezel, rescues a young boy named Miguel at the U.S.-Mexico border. Miguel was trafficked from Honduras with his sister Rocío, whom Ballard sets out on a daring mission to rescue. When he must choose between keeping his job and completing his mission, he chooses to quit his job.

Many scenes are in Spanish with English subtitles, immersing the viewer in a Honduran city, a U.S. port

While the movie never shows the children being abused, it conveys those realities beyond a shadow of doubt. For some, this makes the film hard to watch and process, but it is also what makes it so important. More people live in slavery now than at any time in history. Ballard said in an interview with the Epoch Times that at least two million children alone are enslaved in the commercial sex trade.

“Sound of Freedom” helps viewers begin to imagine what that means.

Many of the incredible details in the movie are true, down to the pendant Ballard receives from Rocío’s brother Miguel. Characters like Vampiro and the model-turned-trafficker Giselle are likewise based on real people. The elaborate sting operation portrayed in the film was part of Operation Triple Take, a mission that ended in the arrest of 12 traffickers and the rescue of 123 victims. This was one of many rescue missions conducted by Operation Underground Railroad, the organization Ballard founded after leaving the

Yet, while the movie version is dramatized, it is based on real missions conducted by Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad. “Sound of Freedom” brings these stories together into an inspiring picture of Ballard’s journey, work, and mission.

The movie is first and foremost a story of courage, love, and freedom. According to The New American, the director of the film, Alejandro Monteverde, “strove to make every frame of ‘Sound of Freedom’ contain a stream of light, despite the disturbing content.” The light in even the darkest scenes serves as a subtle visual reminder of the hope that pervades the film. The movie is a clear picture of light against darkness, pure evil defeated by pure love. “Sound of Freedom” takes an issue that is often kept in the shadows and puts it into the light for everyone to see. Trafficking victims are more than stock photos of shadowy silhouettes. They are innocent children like Rocío and Miguel — children who, thanks to the work of men like Ballard, can have hope of rescue and freedom.

Diet of Worms jams out Welcome Party. Courtesy | Student Activities Board

Courtesy | Student Activities Board

Science & Technology

The science of being a mom

STEM professors discuss balancing motherhood and careers in science

By Eleanor Whitaker Collegian Reporter

When Courtney Meyet started to pursue her doctorate in chemistry, she already had another full-time job: motherhood.

Now an associate professor of chemistry at the college, Meyet had two boys aged eight and 10 – and a 60-to-80hour work week in the lab. Yet she refused to choose between her love of learning and love of family. With the help of her husband, Meyet published research and advanced her academic career, while never missing her sons’ Boy Scout meetings.

“Everything they did, I was there for that,” Meyet said.

Almost half of new mothers leave full-time employment in science, technology, engineering, or math after having their first child, according to a 2019 study. Yet according to Meyet and two other Hillsdale professors — Professor of Chemistry Lee Baron and Assistant Professor of Physics Stephanie Lauback — children and science can coexist.

Baron pursued a doctorate in chemistry after falling in love with research in the lab. She even fell in love inside the lab, meeting her future husband in organic chemistry.

Meyet said she did not love chemistry during her undergraduate years, so much that she majored in animal science to avoid taking organic chemistry. But when she returned to undergraduate school for a nursing degree, she discovered a fascination with the subject.

“I found that not only was I good at it, I really loved it,” Meyet said. “I thought this is the most fascinating science I’ve ever dealt with. You know the ins and outs of molecular biology and how living systems function at the molecular level.” When she missed the deadline for the nursing program, Meyet shifted her interest to pursue a degree and eventually a doctorate in chemistry

with a focus in small molecule synthesis.

Similarly to Meyet, Lauback didn’t discover her love for physics right away.

“When I took physics initially, I didn’t really like it because it didn’t click immediately, and it probably took at least half a year before it finally started to,” Lauback said. “Once I understood it and how well it could explain our worlds, I became very fascinated with it.”

But pursuing academic careers in science came with its difficulties. Each woman said she relied on her spouse and community to balance the demands of motherhood with her professional calling.

Meyet’s values often conflicted with the principal investigator in charge of her lab, who did not understand her desire to spend time with her family and expected her to work six days a week. She worked late on Fridays in order to have her weekends off.

“I would get there at 6 a.m. and I would work through the night,” Meyet said.

During this difficult time, Meyet said she relied on her husband to care for her children, who had a more flexible schedule because he taught night classes in education.

“I was really fortunate to have my husband, Brian, who would care for the boys,” she said.

But throughout her Ph.D. pursuit, she said she refused to let her research take away from watching her boys grow up.

“I made a point I would not miss a single function of those boys,” Meyet said.

Baron gave birth to her first child shortly before her dissertation defense. Then she received a teaching position at a large university, but it did not accommodate well for a mother.

“I loved science,” Baron said. “I was where I was supposed to be, but there was no such thing as flex schedules or job-sharing.”

was

straightforward with accessible daycares, but when she had her second child, the dynamic changed.

“You can’t easily find someone to watch two children when one of them is sick and they can’t be in any kind of daycare,” Baron said.

The lack of accommodations pushed her to find a job at a smaller institution, leading her to a position teaching general chemistry at Hillsdale College.

“Here it’s wonderful for a family,” Baron said. “My children would come up after school or preschool and they would be in my office and a student would enrich their lives.”

The small-town environment helped Baron pour into both her kids and her students.

“People in a small town can help out,” she said.

Lauback said she works every day to balance teaching at Hillsdale with her one-yearold son, Caleb.

“There are two tears on my heart,” Lauback said. “I want to be home with him and see all the different things. But I also really just love what I’m doing here, and so it seems that it is still the place for me.”

Time management has been difficult for her at times, she said.

“Caleb didn’t start teaching sleeping through the night until after he was 1 year old,” Lauback said. “So my students were complaining about being there at eight in the morning, but I was up two or three times in the night feeding the baby.”

Lauback attributes her ability to be both a mom and a scientist to her husband, David, who can take care of Caleb while she works or attends physics conferences.

Meyet said she has seen how her perseverance and dedication to education has influenced her children.

“I’m a role model for them,” Meyet said. “Both of these boys are so driven, and I think a lot of that comes from seeing their mother working

hard through school and being successful and coming out with that terminal degree.”

Baron said she balanced her home and family life by ensuring that her children understood her love for them and her calling to academic teaching.

“I always felt that it was really important that it wasn’t just a job, that they knew what I did and they knew why I did it. And they were here enough to understand that.”

Lauback said she adores enriching both her child’s life and students’ lives.

“I love teaching and working with college-aged students,” Lauback said. “I would miss that so much if I was just at home the whole time.”

Lauback said she thinks research and having a family are becoming more compatible.

“If you see that you have a calling in a certain area of science and you feel like that’s where you can be, you can definitely have a family. I think our workplaces are becoming more and more supportive of that right,” Lauback said.

If a mother pursues a career, it should be in a place God wants them, Baron said.

“It better be discerned to be the thing that you would be willing to leave your children for a little bit, because you miss your kids like nobody’s business,” she said.

Though pursuing a science career and having a family can be difficult, Meyet, Baron, and Lauback said they have found joy in sharing their passions with both students and their children.

“I think that’s one of the biggest questions that we have with women at Hillsdale College,” Meyet said. “After college, if I get married, do I pursue a career or do I pursue a family? And the answer is yes,” she said. “Having a family is rewarding and you’ll make it happen.”

Lee Baron with her husband Kieth, daughters Kendra and Catlin, and three grandchildren Courtesy | Lee Baron

Stephanie Lauback with her husband David and son Caleb Courtesy | Stephanie Lauback

Lee Baron with her husband Kieth Courtesy | Lee Baron

Courtney Meyet poses with her husband Brian and her sons, Kiehl and Shane. Courtesy| Courtney Meyet

Algal bloom on Lake Diane tests negative for cyanotoxins

By Jamie Parsons Collegian Freelancer

An algal bloom in Lake Diane in southern Hillsdale County is currently free of cyanotoxins, which can cause illness and in rare cases death, but the lake will still be monitored.

A recent lab test revealed that samples taken from the lake on Aug. 15 did not contain the harmful chemicals sometimes produced by the cyanobacteria that are found in algal blooms.

According to Paul Andriacchi, environmental health director of the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency, a resident living by the lake spotted the algal bloom and reported it to Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

Kevin Mack, board member of the Lake Diane Community Association, said the algal bloom is located on the northeast side of the lake in a small area called the North Bay. According to Mack, the bay is a “dead end channel,” so the algal bloom is contained in a small area and does not pose a threat to the rest of the lake.

Around the same time the

algal bloom was reported to EGLE, a resident living on the northeast side of the lake was harmed by the algal.

“She came into contact with it, and she got some sort of rash from it,” Mack said.

With regard to the incident, Alexandra Rafalski, a toxicologist at the Division of Environmental Health at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said

cyanotoxins are not the only cause of a rash. That is because there are other components of cyanobacteria that are yet to be completely understood.

Andriacchi said he communicated with Lake Diane Community Association, suggesting they place signs on the docks alerting residents

and visitors of the algal bloom.

“We still advise people to stay away from them,” Andriacchi said.

Harmful algal blooms, or HABs, often appear as sheets of colored scum on the surface of the water, or an abundance of floating algae. HABs are caused by a rapid growth of toxin-producing cyanobacteria in the water. Cyanotoxins are harmful to pets, humans,

and the environment.

If an algal bloom is toxic, “any human or animal contact could be dangerous,” Andriacchi said.

Ingesting water with cyanotoxins may cause runny nose, itchy eyes, difficulty breathing, diarrhea or vomiting. Skin contact with cyanotoxins may cause rashes, blisters, or hives.

Cyanobacteria also have the ability to turn their toxins on and off, so EGLE still advises people to avoid contact with bodies of water that have non-toxic algal blooms.

“If the bloom is reported again, we could assume the toxins could be present,” said Rafalski.

In 2021, Michigan reported 77 harmful algal bloom events, which were associated with five human illnesses and five animal illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mack said the association plans to keep an eye on the algal bloom and report any concerning changes in the algal bloom to EGLE and post an update on their Facebook page.

“We would probably try to educate the community,” Mack said.

Politics department offers new politics of health class

By Elizabeth Crawford

Assistant Editor

While Associate Professor of Politics Kevin Slack ate Cheez-Its and drank KoolAid for breakfast as a kid, he doesn’t recommend students in his new class follow his example.

The new class, called the Politics of Health, introduces students to health issues and how government policies affect them, according to Slack.

“On the topic of diet, Americans are extremely unhealthy — 70% are overweight, and 40% are obese, up from 3.4% in 1962,” Slack said. “Americans pay $3.7

trillion a year in direct and indirect health care costs to treat illnesses connected to their diets.”

Slack said he assigned books like “Food Fix” and “The UltraMind Solution” by Mark Hyman, a medical doctor critical of federal food policy.

“He challenges both the Democrats’ idea that Medicare-for-all will solve the problem and Republicans’ idea that our poor health is simply a matter of individual choice,” Slack said.

Senior Konrad Verbaarschott said he reached out to Slack and Chairman of Politics John Grant and pe-

titioned the politics department to offer the class, the first of its kind, this semester.

“Young people on the right are starting to get wise to the state of our food system,” Verbaarschott said. “It’s corrupted in a particularly insidious way that threatens not only the physical but psychological and political health of our polity. Dr. Slack was already talking about that in some of his campus lectures, so I reached out.”

Other topics in the class include the relationship between food and sexuality, which Slack said is an essential part of human health. To address this topic, Slack

has assigned Shanna Swan’s book “Count Down,” which addresses declining fertility in both sexes.

“Testosterone levels and sperm counts have plummeted in the last 40 years,” Slack said. “Some of what we call ‘gender fluidity,’ Swan argues, is correlated to actual biological changes we see with the ubiquitous presence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, including phthalates and flame retardants.”

Slack said the greatest threat to human health is the destruction of relationships, particularly among family and friends.

“Psychiatric disorders

affect 26% of American adults and more than 20% of children,” he said. “Despite the essential role played by both mothers and fathers in children’s physical, mental, and moral development, those functions will be provided by bureaucrats or ‘Child Care Inc.’”

Senior Jonah Apel said he was excited to take the class and found studying people’s views on human nature and health interesting.

“The course has been excellent,” Apel said. “After the first days of class, a bunch of people must have heard about it, because quite a few people joined the course.”

Twenty-one students are currently taking the course, with several others auditing it, Apel said.

Slack said the best way to address the health-related issues covered in the course involves Americans standing up to corporate interests.

“There is no reason for Americans to tolerate the current level of corporate influence in their food production and consumption policy,” Slack said, “nor to tolerate the corruption of the revolving door, in which the very agencies that are supposed to ensure their health are compromised by corporate interests.”

Opinion: If you want to be healthy, stop eating seed oils

By Elizabeth Crawford Assistant Editor

With soaring obesity rates, spikes in allergies, and increasing rates of heart disease, it’s time for Americans to reclaim their health and stop consuming seed oils.

Seed oils, like canola, corn, safflower, soy, grapeseed, rice bran, and cottonseed oils, are high in polyunsaturated fats, otherwise known as PUFAs, according to the U.S. News and World Report. These PUFAs contain Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are traditionally considered by some experts, such as the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, to be good for cardiovascular fitness, but both are needed in a proper 1:1 ratio.

But the ratio between Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids has risen 20:1 over the past century, which can lead to chronic inflammation in the body, according to Healthline.

Carmel Richardson ’21, contributing editor for the American Conservative and former editor-in-chief of The Collegian, said it’s time to ditch the traditional diet mindset of calorie and macro counting, in favor of a more holistic approach to nutrition.

Seed oils, labeled as the heart-healthy choice since the 1960s, have rapidly replaced animal fats such as butter, lard, and beef tallow for everyday use, according to Richardson.

“We are more unhealthy today than we were decades

ago before we were eating mechanically processed seed oils,” Richardson said. “It’s time to do some soul-searching.”

they’re everywhere. Seed oils are used in cooking, packaging products, and makeup.

Procter & Gamble popularized vegetable oils by marking them as health food, according to Richardson.

“Beginning with ivory soap, the entrepreneurial brothers found ways to produce a plethora of household staples for cheap by replacing animal fats with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to earn a profit during the economic recession of the 1870s,” Richardson wrote.

According to Shanahan, consumption of seed oils spiked close to the year 2000. This correlates to obesity, which has increased by 10% since the early 2000s, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Richardson wrote in The American Conservative that consumption of canola and other vegetable oils has increased “dramatically” since 1960, while diabetes and prediabetic conditions have increased at close to the same rate.

Consumption of animal fats and red meats, meanwhile, has remained constant, Richardson wrote.

The average American in 2020 consumed close to100 pounds of seed oils per year, according to nutritionist and doctor Cate Shanahan. And no wonder why –

Raymond Peat, a private nutritionist with a P.h.D. from the University of Oregon, wrote that seed oils are also dangerous because of their unsaturation.

“When an oil is saturated, that means that the molecule has all the hydrogen atoms it can hold,” Peat writes. “Unsaturation means that some hydrogen atoms have been removed, and this opens the structure of the molecule in a way that makes it susceptible to attack by free radicals.”

These free radicals, which are unstable atoms, damage cells and contribute to aging, according to Peat.

“The risks of abnormal blood clotting, inflammation, immune deficiency, shock,

aging, obesity, and cancer are increased,” Peat wrote. “Thyroid and progesterone are decreased. Since the unsaturated oils block protein digestion in the stomach, we can be malnourished even while ‘eating well.’”

The National Institutes of Health acknowledges the havoc which free radicals wreak on the human body in a study published in 2008.

“When an overload of free radicals cannot gradually be destroyed, their accumulation in the body generates a phenomenon called oxidative stress,” the study reads. “This process plays a major part in

the development of chronic and degenerative illnesses such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, aging, cataract, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases.”

As alternatives to seed oils, Peat recommends animal products from grass-fed pigs and cows such as butter and lard, in addition to olive and coconut oils. Animal fats are saturated fats, which makes them less susceptible to oxidation, and less susceptible to free radicals.

So Americans should eat normal healthy things, but take it a step further. Avoid

regular fast food stops, as your wallet and your health will thank you. Invest in low-toxin makeup products. Make tasty food at home with animal fats or coconut oil. Buy less pre-packaged food, and make at-home substitutions to satisfy cravings. Check labels.

Ultimately, this is about reclaiming your health from the corporations, media, and government which allow these oils to be consumed in such large quantities. So, be radical, but don’t eat foods that cause free radicals in your body. Don’t eat seed oils.

“We are more unhealthy today than we were decades ago before we were eating mechanically processed seed oils,” Richardson said. “It’s time to do some soulsearching.”

“Harmful algal blooms often appear as sheets of colored scum on the surface of the water, or an abundance of floating algae.”

Seed oils have been marketed as heart-healthy since the 1960s. Courtesy | Twitter

Lake Diane is in Hillsdale County. Courtesy | Facebook

The magic behind Metz

By Jackson Casey Collegian Freelancer

When 12:51 p.m. rolls around in the Knorr Dining Hall, the same chaotic group of students rush to the stationary conveyor belt, crowd the coffee bar, and race to the ice cream machines. The exit door of the dinning hall perpetually swings open as students sling their backpacks over one shoulder, carrying a brimming cup of coffee in one hand and a snack for later under their arm. Behind that swinging door, the dining staff breathe a sigh of relief — they have successfully survived another noon lunch.

Morning AJ’s Cafe coffee, lunch rush mayhem, and evening ice cream reward resonate with any Hillsdale College student. But these daily habitual routines don’t occur without a little bit of magic behind the scenes.

“Just like any restaurant, there’s always challenges with staffing shortages and order shortages. We order something that hasn’t come in, so we’ll have to pivot and change things,” said Adam Harvey, Metz Culinary Management executive chef. “The more that we can stay ahead, the more successful we can be.”

Jeffrey Cassell, general manager for dining services at the college, said it takes time and effort from every member of the dining services team to stay afloat and avoid falling behind.

“For every full-time employee down there working, they’ll work from 6 to 2, with service from 11 to 1:30, so you’ve got 5-and-a-half hours of prep.”

Work doesn’t stop once the day’s meals are prepped, though.

“Then they’ll prep for the next day, like the omelet bar toppings for the next day, and then they might prep for another station,” Cassell said.

Large-scale catering operations, like the dining hall, rely on a long chain of services to keep operations running smoothly, according to Cassell. For a college in a location like Hillsdale’s, getting that chain ready takes plenty of coordination prior to the beginning of school.

“It’s challenging because we’re in south-central Michigan,” Cassell said. “There’s not a lot of resources here compared to Detroit, Chicago, or Pittsburgh. Bringing resources in, trying to get staff hired, and setting up vendors in two weeks is a monster of a job.”

If any one of those links fails, the rest of the week’s schedule may be affected, Cassell said.

“Sometimes it’s challenging — we were supposed to get a U.S. Foods truck, our master foods distributor, and on Monday, because of the holiday, they screwed up, and they delivered on Tuesday,” Cassell said. “So now you’re a day behind.”

Dining services prepares weekly meal outlines to smoothen their workflow and have greater flexibility in the case of unexpected mix-ups, Cassell said. That way, staff can ensure enough ingredients will be available for use in affected stations. Planning ahead isn’t only beneficial for supply logistics, it’s also very useful for probing and identifying changes in student preferences throughout the year, according to Cassell.

“On the dining hall side, we work on a four-week cycle menu,” Cassell said. “You got the same food, the same menu, but you have a history of what they had four weeks ago.”

The four-week cycle allows Metz to keep track of diners’ choices and adjust the process accordingly. Designing a reliable one is especially important during the first month of the school year since that’s when

consumer preferences develop, Cassell said.

“We base our ordering on history. The first week is always a struggle,” he said. “You don’t know, especially with a free-standing restaurant like AJ’s, if you are going to do 800 students for lunch, if are you going to do a 1,000 for lunch, or if are you going to do only 50?”

Many student favorites are already shaping up to be staples of this year’s dining hall selection, according to Harvey.

“Students always love anything like tacos, other Mexican foods, or any kind of Latin-inspired dish. Anything in a bowl, really,” Cassell said. “We try to do a lot of bowls without having it be redundant, and we try different versions with varied flavors.”

While catering to student preferences is important for Metz’s immediate purpose at Hillsdale, Cassell said serving the college is about much more than meeting those ends.

“Food is personal to everybody, so how do we accommodate the needs of the students with what we do here,” Cassell said. “We call ourselves Metz Culinary — we’re a culinary company, not just a food service. It’s personal to us, and it’s personal to the students.”

According to Harvey, flexibility with student meal swipe usage is one way dining services aims to put dining in service of the student body’s overall needs.

“With many colleges and food service companies, if you have an all-inclusive 19-meals-aweek plan, that’s set for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Monday through Friday, with brunch and dinner on Saturdays and Sundays — we don’t restrict usage,” Cassell said “If you get 19 swipes a week, use them how you will. We really leave it

open to what works best for the student based on their needs, classes, or personal schedules with athletics.”

Tammy Cole, operations manager for the college’s dining services, said a well-run and purposeful workplace benefits the staff as well as those they serve.

“That’s what we really strive for at the end of the day, because then our employees are happy,” Cole said.“They’re going to go home and say, ‘I really do enjoy my job.’”

QUICK HITS with Christina Lambert Daughter, son, frat: chef cooks for Hillsdale

Christina Lambert, assistant professor of English, talks Indian food, literature, and paragliding. If you could meet any author, who would you meet?

T. S. Eliot loved to go out in London for a good dinner and a night at the theater. He’d often write his menu on the back of the playbill. I’d join for an evening of theater and good food, debrief the play we saw, and then sneak in a few questions about the “Quartets.”

Who is your favorite poet?

Right now, I’m on a real Denise Levertov kick. I keep telling folks that she’s having a revival, and what that mostly means is I’m encouraging people to buy her selected works or giving the book out as a gift.

What is your favorite movie?

I really struggle answering this question but love to go out to see movies. So, I’ll just say that I’d like to request everyone go see “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” so we can argue about them.

What is something you enjoy doing that most people don’t know about?

I once went paragliding in the

Swiss Alps, and I would 10/10 do that again.

What is your favorite cuisine? I love Italian and Indian food, but few meals can beat a perfectly cooked steak.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? If I could be anywhere right now, I’d choose to be sitting in front of St. Mary’s in Oxford, eating a scone, and sipping tea at Vaults & Garden.

What is a book that you would love to teach someday? Marie Howe’s 2017 poetry collection, “Magdalene.”

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

Anything that happens on the water—paddle boarding, boating, swimming.

What is the most interesting object you own?

I’ve picked up a couple first edition books over the years, including “The Four Loves” and a few of Eliot’s plays. I also have an 1899 reprinting of “Persuasion.”

What is your favorite style of music?

I’ve come to realize that my go-to genre is sad, slow acoustic music, like Penny & Sparrow or Gregory Alan Isakov.

Wayne Babcock’s dream as a child was to open his own restaurant. At age 32 he returned to Hillsdale to make this dream a reality.

Wayne Babcock grew up in Hillsdale. After graduating from Northwood University with a degree in hospitality, he moved to Nevada to work in food services at a casino. He worked in every capacity that a restaurant can offer, from chef to manager to director of nine restaurants and 15 bars within the casino.

Nine years later, Babcock decided to move back to Hillsdale to open his own restaurant. In 2001, he opened Chicago Water Grill, a fine dining restaurant in Jonesville. Four years later, he opened Saucy Dogs Barbeque, a local staple.

Business was booming for Babcock until a fire in 2009 burned Chicago Water Grill to the ground. Babcock bounced back and rebuilt a new restaurant — Olivia’s Chop House — in the same place.

“I always wanted to name a restaurant after my children, so I named it Olivia’s after my daughter,” Babcock said.

He continued this theme with his new donut shop.

“Ethan’s Donut shop, he said. “I bet you can guess what my son’s name is.”

Babcock owned Saucy Dogs until 2018 and Olivia’s until 2019 when he sold them to former employees.

Jason Bugbee, the current owner of Olivia’s, had worked for Babcock since he was 15. Starting as a dishwasher, Bugbee moved up the chain to manager until he eventually bought the restaurant.

“Wayne’s a great person to follow,”Bugbee said. “He leads by example, and I mirror his communication techniques with my employees. He has benefited the Hillsdale area. Having a place like Olivia’s here is truly something special.”

After selling his two restaurants, Babcock was ready to retire at 52, but that wasn’t the end of his culinary career in Hillsdale. He said his late mother made sure of this.

“It was actually my mother who convinced me to go back to work because she worried about me retiring so young,” Babcock said. “I was unsure about going back to work. I was pretty happy being retired, but I was persuaded otherwise.”

Babcok reached out to his old friend and Dean of Men Aaron Petersen to ask about cooking for the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Petersen was eager to hire him as a chef, and Babcock soon was back to work.

“I told Dean Petersen I would only work for one semester and see how things go, and here we are five years later,” Babcock said.

Babcock said he loves his job. The only downside is watching the seniors leave every year.

Babcock’s influence on ATO members has been tremendous, they said.

“Talk to Wayne as much as you can, he was one of the best things about living in the ATO house,” said Lord Kirsten Lopez, a junior member of ATO.

Although the brothers of ATO love the food Babcock makes, his influence in the chapter surpasses his culinary skills.

“Wayne is the unrepresented backbone of ATO,” said Silas Strehle, ATO chaplain. “Everyday Wayne creates a sense of brotherhood at the dinner table where the entire fraternity gathers. We have been blessed with the best chef on campus, untouchable by Saga.”

Lambert, left, paragliding in the Alps. Courtesy | Christina Lambert

By Christopher Chavey Collegian Freelancer

By Catherine Maxwell Collegian Reporter

Chef Natalie cooks dinner on Wednesday night. Erik Teder | Collegian

Chef Richard flips burgers at Sizzle. Erik Teder | Collegian

Community forms among the ashes

The

By Michael Bachmann Features Editor

Senior Caleb Holm had never smoked a cigarette before coming to Hillsdale. It wasn’t something he thought about often. Now, he says he smokes a cigarette daily — though he takes regular fasts throughout the month.

“As a child I was definitely taught that smoking was something to avoid, but as I got older it wasn’t something I thought about very much, even if I didn’t do it,” he said.

Holm isn’t the only student who took up smoking when they arrived at Hillsdale. According to a Collegian survey conducted last semester, more than a quarter of respondents said they had smoked a cigarette within 30 days of taking the survey and two-thirds said they had smoked at least once in their lives. In comparison, only 5% of adults ages 18-24 smoke nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, responsible for more than 480,000 deaths a year, according to the CDC. About 90 percent of lung-cancer deaths are the result of smoking.

But that hasn’t stopped Hillsdale students from lighting up — even more regularly than other college students.

Sophomore Helen Foley, whose father is a physician, said her experience with his patients has made her anti-smoking.

“I can’t support people harming themselves in such a way,” Foley said. “I think Hillsdale students smoke so much because they are trying to relieve stress but also fit in with their peers. There is this idea that if you smoke it makes you more manly and traditional.”

Senior Kendra Donoghue said she is not surprised many students at Hillsdale smoke, since they view it as a return to the past.

“A lot of people smoke here because they want a sense of nostalgia, which makes sense for conservative students. They think it’s the traditional, countercultural thing to do. It’s something that you don’t get at state school campuses,” Donoghue said.

last

Sophomore Aidan Christian, who recently quit smoking, said there are two types of smokers on campus: those who think they are members of the Inklings and those who want to emulate the working-class Midwestern aesthetic.

“Think when people on this campus smoke, they’re smoking because they think they’re G.K. Chesterton or sometimes because they’re pretending to be blue collar — or maybe they really are. Those are the two smoking experiences that I’ve had here.”

Christian emphasized smoking does not belong to either group, despite its stigma for being low class. He said it’s something all sorts of people around the country do.

“It’s attractive. It’s pleasurable. It’s accessible. It’s all those things, that’s why it’s still prevalent,” Holm said. “It’s also something that builds community.”

While on a work trip in New York City for a summer internship in 2023, Holm said he and his coworker were enjoying a smoke in Washington Square Park when they were approached first by a homeless man and then a New York University student.

Senior Lily Maciejeski said she was anti-smoking until she studied abroad in Europe last semester.

“It brings so much community, and I don’t think I realized it until last semester in Austria,” Maciejeski said. “It’s just not trashy there.”

Of the students who said in the survey they had smoked in the past 30 days, more than 90% said they do not consider themselves smokers. Fifty percent identify instead as social smokers. When Holm took the survey last year he said he was a social smoker, but he now

reveals student smoking culture on campus

smokes almost daily. He regularly carries a pack of cigarettes to share with other students between classes, after lunch, or during a study break.

“I was at the library earlier today walking past two acquaintances who I don’t know super well,” Holm said. “They

would be appalling. I think that there’s a generosity among smokers that I find very appealing.”

Christian has a different relationship with cigarettes than other students at Hillsdale. He is now attempting to quit smoking for a second time.

the man I wanted to be to raise a family,” Christian said. “Man is the amalgamation of his habits. If you want to change the man, you have to change his habits.”

Still, Christian said he is not anti-smoking, at least for people who are not addicted.

“It’s always this fine line between moderation and excess, that everybody is constantly having to deal. And smoking is part of that.”

Christian said he and other students who smoke are aware of the health risks, including lung cancer, heart diseases, and stroke.

“All the guys that I know that smoke will look you in the eyes and say ‘Yeah, I know it’s bad for me, but I don’t care,’” Christian said.

were having a cigarette and stopped me to say hi. I had a cigarette with them and over the course of that five to 10 minutes, we got to chat.”

Brief conversations aren’t the only thing that Holm appreciates about smoking.

“With drinking, people will ask you to pay them back for a drink,” Holm said. “But nobody asks you to Venmo them for a cigarette. And to do so

“It’s really hard. It’s harder than it remember it being,” Christian said.

Christian first started smoking two to three cigarettes a day during his sophomore year of high school. He quit as a senior but picked the habit back up during his first finals week at Hillsdale.

“I wanted to be a better role model for my little brother,” “It sounds cheesy, but I knew I

Donoghue, who has never smoked despite being pressured, said she often thinks of her mom’s advice.

“My mom always said that kissing a smoker is like kissing an ashtray,” Donoghue said. “I never have its expensive, its smells, and it’s bad for you.”

Many survey students who responded that they had smoked recently say they plan on quit-

Selected Survey Results, Spring 2023

ting after graduation. Even with his praise for cigarettes, Holm says he will cut back on smoking after college.

“It’s a balancing act because I do value my health,” he said. Despite the prevalence of cigarettes on campus, Hillsdale students are not keen on vaping. Only 16% of respondents said they had vaped in the past 30 days, lower than the 22% national average for college students in 2019.

Christian said one reason why students reject vaping is that it is countercultural.

“It’s a lot more emasculating for people who vape than it is for people who smoke cigarettes,” he said. “I think at the end of the day, that’s why we choose not to go into vapes here. It’s not embarrassing to smoke a cigarette”

Still, Maciejeski said she has noticed an increase in students vaping on campus.

“I miss seeing students smoking outside, and it seems like we don’t have that as much anymore,” Maciejeski said. “I walked outside the Union and saw someone vaping, which made me miss the old vibe.”

“It’s attractive. It’s pleasurable. It’s accessible. It’s all those things, that’s why it is still prevalent.”

Holm enjoys a smoke on his front porch. Michael Bachmann | Collegian