Collegian 4.11.2024

Campus crosses state lines to catch total eclipse

By Christian Papillon Collegian Repo R te R

Students and professors traveled to Ohio and Indiana to observe the total solar eclipse on Monday, while others enjoyed the rare phenomenon on campus.

“Words cannot describe the beauty and awe of such an event,” Assistant Professor of Physics Michael Tripepi said.

“The nearly four minutes of totality are the closest thing I can imagine to what it was like to experience the miraculous visions of Isaiah or Daniel. For a brief moment, the ordinary world suddenly and dramatically passes away to a greater vision of the cosmos.”

While the path of totality did not cross Hillsdale, students on campus observed 98.6% coverage at 3:11 p.m.

This was the first total solar eclipse visible in the contiguous United States since August

Treloar

By Tayte Christensen Collegian Repo R te R

2017. The next total eclipse in the United States will occur in August 2044, when the path of totality will pass through Montana and North Dakota. The next total solar eclipse visible across the country will occur in August 2045.

Sophomore Faith NieKamp said she viewed the total eclipse from an apple orchard in Lima, Ohio, which is 100 miles from Hillsdale.

“The trip was very last-minute, but it was just so beautiful,” NieKamp said.

A total solar eclipse is when the moon moves between the sun and the earth, completely blocking the sun’s light and casting a shadow over the surface.

Timothy Dolch, associate professor of physics, traveled to Indiana, while Tripepi went to Ohio with a group of students to observe the total eclipse. Dolch said the physics department set up telescopes in both states for the event.

“We wanted to spread out to ensure that we got a good set of images,” Dolch said. “Both places ended up with good weather, so we ended up with good pictures from both locations.”

Dolch said the department had also been building a radio telescope in Ohio since last fall to observe the rapid changes in the ionosphere during the eclipse.

“We had an online view of the radio sun,” Dolch said. “The radio sun does not get totally eclipsed because the corona outside the disk still produces radio emission.”

Dolch said the department also took data from its on-campus radio telescope, the Low-Frequency All-Sky Monitor, in Hayden Park.

“Even though we were outside the path of totality, we were still in a region where the ionosphere turns off,” Dolch said.

During a solar eclipse, the moon blocks solar radiation

to assume role as dean of

Chairman and Professor of Mathematics Thomas Treloar will become the new dean of faculty this summer.

Treloar, who is in his 20th year at the college, will succeed Professor of History Mark Kalthoff in the role.

“He’s been an excellent citizen of the college, and he’s been an effective leader of the math department,” Kalthoff said. Treloar said he will transition into the role over the summer when campus slows down before taking on official duties in the fall.

“I’ll start sitting in on some meetings even though I’m not actively serving in that position,” Treloar said.

Kalthoff, who has held the

position two separate times during his 35 years at Hillsdale, said the tasks of the dean of faculty vary from serving on many committees, to attending college luncheons, to reading graduate names during commencement ceremonies.

“As dean of faculty, you’re given a seat at the table where you get to hear about plans, and you’re allowed to give feedback,” Kalthoff said. “It’s fun and it’s enjoyable, when you love the college, to be part of the conversation that is helping to plan and shape things.”

The dean of faculty is a five-year position. “There are a number of things that are very visible and also a lot of things that, if they’re going right, are invisible,” Kalthoff said. Treloar said he is excited to

form relationships with more faculty members across different disciplines through this position.

“There was a time about a decade ago that I knew every single faculty member and I had had at least a brief conversation with everyone — back when we had maybe 120 faculty members,” Treloar said. “But when I became department chair, I had to spend more time within my department.”

Treloar said after he took on the role of chairman of mathematics, he interacted less with faculty in other departments. As dean of faculty, he is excited to re-establish those relationships.

“I’m looking forward to meeting a lot of the people that have been hired in the last five to seven years that I haven’t

from ionizing the upper atmosphere. The ionization decreases as coverage increases.

Dolch said the groups witnessed a phenomenon called shadow bands. Both groups set up white pieces of cardboard to observe cast shadows.

“Just seconds before totality, when the sun was in the diamond ring phase, we saw these shimmering black and white bands on the cardboard,” Dolch said. “There is a brief moment where the sun is twinkling because it is only a point of light and is sensitive to atmospheric fluctuations.”

Tripepi took 17 students and a couple professors to Tiffin, Ohio, and the house of Visiting Lecturer in Biology Angela Pytel’s mother, about 110 miles from Hillsdale. He said the 98% view of the eclipse pales in comparison to 100%.

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faculty

had a chance to have a conversation with,” Treloar said.

Junior math major Marybeth Brauns said Treloar deserves the position.

“Dr. Treloar is a wonderful professor who loves math, cares about his students, and has contributed so much to the Hillsdale College community,” Brauns said. “I’m excited to see what he’ll do in this next role.”

Kalthoff, who will remain a professor of history, said he is optimistic about Treloar taking on the role, as he knows the college well.

“The thing about being dean of faculty is it’s really helpful if you know a little bit about how this place works,” Kalthoff said. “Tom has been here almost two full decades, so he knows how the place works.”

Hewitt meets students, broadcasts from campus

Logan Washburn and

Troutman

National talk-show host Hugh Hewitt visited campus this week to host an event for Hillsdale College.

“This has been the best visit because I got to teach a class,” Hewitt told The Collegian. “I got to talk to the students.”

Hewitt hosted his program from WRFH on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, interviewing faculty, staff, and students. He also taught a radio class and co-hosted a virtual town hall on “Reviving American K-12 Classical Education,” with more than 17,000 viewers by the end of the night.

“Raising awareness is good, but raising money is better,” Hewitt said. “I’m good at asking for money. I want people to support the classical education movement because it’s necessary in so many parts of the country.”

Hewitt got involved with Hillsdale after College President Larry Arnn took office in 2000, he said. Arnn is a frequent guest on Hewitt’s program, which WRFH airs every weekday morning from 9 a.m. to noon.

“Dr. Arnn’s and Hugh Hewitt’s friendship goes back to when they met in 1978,” said Kathleen Ruddy, senior director of associates and special projects for Institutional Advancement. “Dr. Arnn brought that friendship with him to Hillsdale College.”

General Manager of Radio

Free Hillsdale WFRH 101.7 FM Scot Bertram said he’s been hoping to bring Hewitt back to campus for a while. The conservative radio star was last on campus in 2015.

“With a highly-successful radio show and high-profile TV and writing partnerships, Hugh is uniquely positioned to lend important insight and teach important lessons to our journalism students,” Bertram said.

Hewitt was a guest lecturer in Bertram’s Elements of a Talk Show class, giving students a first-hand look at how a national program is produced.

“I thought it was helpful in terms of what a successful career as a talk show host looks like,” said Megan Pidcock, a junior in the class. “He drew on his real world experience as a lawyer into his success as a radio host. You have to be willing to make the other person comfortable, you have to be well-informed, you have to read a lot, and you have to be willing to admit that you’re wrong.”

Vince Benedetto, CEO of Bold Gold Media Group, which helped set up the college radio station, said Hewitt’s visit created a life-changing experience for students.

“To be able to get on a live national radio show being broadcast from your own college radio station studios is an extraordinary blessing,” Benedetto said.

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Michigan’s oldest college newspaper

Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn watches the eclipse with his wife, Penny, and daughter, Assistant Provost for K-12 Education Kathleen O’Toole. log A n W A shburn | Collegi A n

Students paint pottery for People’s Choice event

Students painted pottery at Toasted Mud last week for

SAB

said they had students write down ideas on a chalkboard and then sent out a poll in the Student Activities Office newsletter to allow students to decide among some of the most popular suggestions. “A Night at Toasted Mud ended up winning, and so we decided to call Toasted Mud and make it happen,” Mellors said.

Toasted Mud is a business in downtown Hillsdale where people can paint pottery. Mellors said the students could decide what type of pottery they wanted to paint. Mellors said the event was a good opportunity to get creative and enjoy the Hillsdale community off campus.

Wendy Swem

said she heard about the event through the S.A.O. newsletter. “Toasted Mud has been something I’ve been wanting to come to for a long time, and I thought it would be fun,” Swem said. She came with two friends, freshmen Lucy Hicks and Lydia Marshall. SAB provided a $5 voucher for each student who attended.

“We’ve talked about coming here for a while, and then we saw SAB’s advertisement of it, and — why not get $5 off?” Marshall said. Marshall said she painted the inside of her mug yellow like the sun.

“I have a big coffee addiction, so I need more mugs to put my coffee into,” Marshall said. “I went on Pinterest before I came here to find some ideas. I found the biggest mug without being the most expensive mug, and then I’m going to try to draw some mountains on it.” Mellors said Toasted Mud put the pottery in the kiln after the students left. SAB will bring the pottery back for the students once it’s finished.

CMHS plans trip to Vietnam for students

By Alessia Sandala Collegian RepoRteR

The Center for Military History and Grand Strategy plans to take students to Vietnam next winter break.

“The trip will be focused primarily on tactics, individual battles, personal experiences, Vietnamese culture, and knick-knack negotiation,” said Mark Moyar, the William P. Harris chair in military history. Students will be in Vietnam from Dec. 27, 2024, to Jan. 10, 2025. The trip is open to all students, and CMHGS hopes to have 30 students sign up, according to Moyar.

CMHGS sponsored a trip to Revolutionary War sites during spring break last month, led by history professors Miles Smith IV and David Stewart.

Student film on exceptional alumni to premiere Tuesday

By Carly Moran aSSiStant editoR

The Hillsdale Documentary Filmmaking Class will screen “Hillsdale to Hilltop” on Tuesday, April 16, at 7 p.m. in Plaster Auditorium.

The documentary highlights the achievements of four alumni — a poet, a politician, an NFL star, and a pundit — and how they credit part of their success to Hillsdale College despite coming from different generations and careers. “Hillsdale is not the kind of a school that trains you for a specific role in life or a specific purpose,” journalism instructor Buddy Moorehouse said. “Hillsdale teaches you how to think, how to question. Then those skills are what you can take out into the world, and excel in whatever field you decide to excel in. I think that really comes through in those four stories.”

truly came alive, even for our documentary class project.” The Dow Journalism Program paid for flights, housing, and food.

“I am thrilled to have had the chance to travel to New York City for our class project,” Beute said. “I heard about the experiences of past students who traveled to Arizona for the documentary about Elizabeth Smith Friedman, but I never imagined I would also have the opportunity to travel. I am so grateful to the college for their contributions to this unique experience.”

Beute said students began researching the alumni in February, and conducted interviews in March. They have been at work editing the final film using Adobe Premiere and iMovie. One classmate is even producing original music for the documentary.

“People are just going to be fascinated to learn the stories of these people who went to the same college that they did, and the only thing that they all have in common is they spent four years on this same hill in southern Michigan, going to the same college,” Moorehouse said. “There’s that common shared experience, so I think they’re going to find inspiration in their stories.”

The Vietnam War was a long conflict between South Vietnam and the communist government of North Vietnam during the Cold War. The United States began sending soldiers to aid South Vietnam in 1965 and remained involved until 1973. More than 58,000 Americans died in the fighting, and the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell to the communists in 1975.

Freshman Ava Jolley, who attended the Revolutionary War trip, said she wants to go to Vietnam.

“My grandfather fought in Vietnam in the Army,” Jolley

“We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from the spring trip,” Moyar said. Moyar added that the center wants to expand opportunities for students to experience history beyond the classroom and that the Vietnam War is a controversial and often misunderstood segment of America’s national heritage.

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see

eclipse

took lots of pictures through the telescope. “A lot of us that went on the trip are involved with Dr. Dolch’s pulsar research, where we look at patterns in gravitational waves to try and find black holes or other things out in space,” Sigtryggsson said. “We have radio telescopes in Hayden Park and in Ohio that collect data, and we’re really excited to see what the waves looked like during totality and how that can contribute to our research group.”

During totality, the sky became dark and eerie, she said. She said the experience was a testament to how amazing science, God, and his creation are.

“Animals were confused, we saw a few bats come out and there was a huge breeze all of a sudden,” Sigtryggsson said. “Totality wasn’t more than a few minutes, but it was a really crazy experience to be able to see the corona and ‘the diamond ring.’”

Freshman Caesar Gombojav stayed on campus for the eclipse.

said. “He was a gunner on top of a tank when it wasn’t monsoon season. I’ve been talking with him a lot about his experience in Vietnam and it’s not a war I know a lot about. So I feel like going there and seeing where all of his stories took place would let me learn more about the war overall and more about things he isn’t comfortable sharing yet.”

Jolley said the trip will help students with Vietnam veterans in their family to better understand their sacrifices in a way that Americans struggle to appreciate.

“Dr. Moyar mentioned visiting some of the Marble Mountains, which is one of the places that my grandpa fought, and he even got a Bronze Star fighting on one of the mountains,” Jolley said. Moyar said students can earn three credits for the trip and scholarships may be available for students interest-

ed in military history and the Vietnam War. He estimates the trip will cost about $7,100 per student.

“The cost is, I think, as to be expected from a trip of this nature,” junior Jonathan Popa said. “It includes so much in the price that I assume it’s a fairly good deal for us as students. Airfare, meals, etc. are all included.”

According to Moyar, the trip is meant to bring awareness of both history and the world.

“Students should attend to learn how and why millions of Americans put their lives at risk, and why hundreds of thousands were injured or killed,” Moyar said. “They should attend because travel to other countries increases understanding of those countries and also increases their appreciation of their own country.”

The featured alumni are poet Will Carleton, Rep. Phil Crane, former NFL kicker Chester Marcol, and Fox News commentator Kat Timpf. Carleton was known for his early commentary on rural and impoverished American life. Crane, at the time of his election loss in 2004, was the longest-serving Republican in the House of Representatives, and ran for president in the 1980 election. Marcol once held the NFL record for the longest field goal kick, while Timpf is a regular panelist on “Gutfeld!” and hosts her own Fox Nation show “Sincerely, Kat.” Students were able to interview both Marcol and Timpf, the two living alumni. “Traveling to New York to interview Kat Timpf made the documentary a much deeper reality,” junior Monroe Beute said. “Interviewing Kat was incredible. We filmed her in a studio at Fox News in Manhattan, equipped with stage lights and a background, which reflected a normal day in Kat’s occupation. It amazed me to see Kat so comfortable in front of the camera. Her TV personality

In addition to “Hillsdale to Hilltop,” the premiere will also feature multiple five-minute features produced by individual students. Topics include Margaret Thatcher’s connection to Hillsdale, and how an 18-yearold became mayor for the city of Hillsdale in the early 2000s.

“As a documentarian, there’s a lot that goes into making a documentary, beyond just editing the film and doing the research,” Moorehouse said. “You have to write the script, figure out the story arc, collect all the images and everything. They’ve learned all that, and I’m so proud of the progress that they’ve shown, and I can’t wait for everyone to see it next Tuesday night.”

Student bands to battle for CHP slots Friday

By Christina Lewis Collegian Repo R te R

Freshmen Jackson Casey and Nikolas Nisidis traveled nearly 100 miles to Findlay, Ohio, where they could observe the total eclipse.

“It was amazing to see the whole sky go from day to almost night in just a few seconds,” Casey said. “It was an incredible sight to see.”

Nisidis said he also enjoyed the opportunity to view the total eclipse.

“It was a great experience,” Nisidis said. “Well worth skipping a day of classes.”

Sophomore Anna Teply said seeing the full eclipse was worth traveling to Defiance, Ohio, about 50 miles from campus.

“The full eclipse was uncanny, and it really made you feel how small human beings are in the grandeur of the universe,” she said. “Also the fact that solar eclipses even exist is incredible. The fact that the moon is just the right size to completely obscure the sun is an amazing coincidence that reminds me how amazing it is to be able see all the cool things in nature that God has set up for humans to observe.”

“It was convenient that you could see most of the eclipse from campus,” Gombojav said. “When you looked through the eclipse glasses, you could see it pretty well. Everything had a gray hue to it. It was really quiet like it was right before a storm.”

“I don’t think there is any other college in the country that has an experience like that for students in any broadcast program, who would go on air on a national syndicated radio show that’s reaching millions of people and talk about their school and talk about their broadcast program.”

Ruddy said she thinks Hewitt’s visit benefits all of campus by raising awareness of its K-12 initiatives with donors, potential donors, and the public.

“The interviews that Hugh conducted with students, faculty, and members of the administration during his nationally broadcast radio show are an excellent means of raising awareness about the

outstanding students and academic programs we have here at Hillsdale College,” Ruddy said.

Hewitt said he was surprised by the scope of the college’s commitment to its master’s of education program.

“It’s a magnificent commitment,” Hewitt said. “Each of those people that come through are going to impact thousands of people. So that’s really quite a major deal.”

Bertram said he has kept in touch with Hewitt since he interviewed him about his then-new book, “The Happiest Life,” in 2014.

“Hugh is a true pro and a friend of Hillsdale,” Bertram said. “It’s a real pleasure to collaborate with him, despite the fact he’s a fan of the Cleveland Browns and Guardians.”

Eight student bands will battle for a chance to play at Centralhallapalooza during CHP Showdown on April 12 from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. in the Old Snack Bar.

“It’s one of the most fun and lively events of the year,” junior and SAB creative team lead Joy Hanes said. “The music and energy in the tent is so much fun since the bands are competing.”

The Alligator Wranglers, Ambassadors, Runaround, Schizmatics, Spike Jager and the Spitfires, Diet of Worms, and Refresco will perform on the outdoor patio. The Student Activities Board will serve pizza, popcorn, beer, and hard cider inside. Students who attend can cast three votes for their favorite groups, and the top three bands will play at CHP on April 27.

Sophomore and SAB media team lead Erik Teder performed at last year’s CHP Showdown and said it was the highlight of his freshman year.

“We gelled together as a band, and I think we responded to the pressure well and gave our best show of that year,” Teder said.

This year, Teder will again play with his band, Diet of Worms.

“Live music is such a special part of Hillsdale culture that’s easy to take for granted,” Teder said. “At what other point in your life are you able to walk five minutes to see live music played by people you know? A lot of these bands have been playing show after show all year building up to this event.”

Sophomore Madison Gilbert went to CHP Showdown last year and said she enjoyed it more than CHP because of the wider range of bands.

“It’s a lot of fun. There’s never a down moment,” Gilbert said. “It’s an evening of a lot of music and a lot of songs that you probably do know and you get to see your friends perform. It’s a nice way to step away from the school work because life’s not all about schoolwork. You should also have fun with your friends.”

Teder encouraged students to come to CHP Showdown.

“Stress starts to build around this time of the year as exams and term papers loom overhead,” Teder said. “CHP Showdown is a great opportunity to let loose with some of the best entertainment in south-central Michigan. Plus, this is your chance for a voice in what you’ll hear at CHP.”

By Olivia Hajicek SCienCe & teCh editoR

the Student Activities Board People’s Choice event. Sophomore and

media team member Emma Kate Mellors

Freshman

Sophomore Emerson Sigtryggsson joined Tripepi on the trip. She said participants got to

the

in totality and

Hugh Hewitt records his show in the WRFH Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM studio. Courtesy | Austin t hom A son

The Student Activities Board took students to Toasted Mud in downtown Hillsdale last week. Courtesy | o livi A hA ji C ek

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Students serve the community at GOAL event

By Lillian Ferrell Collegian RepoRteR

More than 30 teams of Hillsdale College students, alumni, and Hillsdale Academy students got their hands dirty for a day of philanthropic service on April 6.

The college’s 5th annual Day of Service, organized by the campus GOAL Program and The Hillsdale County Community Foundation, facilitated opportunities for students to volunteer with multiple charities in Hillsdale County including Widows’ Connecting Point, Helping Hands Pregnancy Resource Center, and Hillsdale’s Humane Society. Community service initiatives ranged from cleaning up trails and cemeteries to baking cookies and painting non-profit centers.

Student Federation grants probationary status to lacrosse club

“Day of Service is a beautiful opportunity to work alongside your peers to give back to the people who have welcomed us into their community,” McGee said. “This year, for the first time, Greek women from all three houses formed Panhellenic teams as a testament to the spirit of service that transcends individual houses and unites us under Jesus’ calling to be his hands and feet in the world.”

The service projects lasted until 1 p.m., when the teams came together for lunch in the Searle Center.

Dorms, campus clubs, sororities, and fraternities assembled teams to volunteer with throughout the day. The teams met in the Searle Center at 9 a.m., where they received their service projects for the morning. According to sophomore and GOAL leader Maggie McGee, the service projects brought peers together as they give back to members of the Hillsdale community.

Sophomore Meredith Vanderweide volunteered at Helping Hands Pregnancy Resource Center.

“I’ve always wanted to get involved with Helping Hands, so serving them with New Dorm was a great opportunity to give back and to learn more about what they do in the community,” Vanderweide said. “It’s always great to see the turnout at this event, really showing how much Hillsdale College loves to give back to the Hillsdale community.”

Freshman Mercy Franzonello headed up a team to help with spring cleaning at Hillsdale’s local senior center.

“I was the group leader for Tower Dancers,” Franzonello said. “I was so touched by how happy the workers at the senior center were to receive us. We spent a while just talking to them and you could tell they were really grateful for the work we were doing.”

Hillsdale’s Day of Service is the college’s largest volunteer event of the year, and contributed to the school’s ranking by the Princeton Review as #2 for the college “most engaged in community service” as of 2023.

McGee explained the gratitude expressed by Hillsdale residents as students devoted their weekends to caring for members of the community at large.

“I have had the opportunity to speak with several community members, and they always express how grateful they are for Hillsdale students and their cheerful willingness to give their time and talent to the community,” McGee said. “Standing in the Searle Center and seeing how many people chose to spend their Saturday morning volunteering, I was filled with so much pride and gratitude for our college.”

Local seventh grader wins academy chess tournament

By Catherine Maxwell a ssistant edito R

his friends at school whenever he has the chance,” Ian Church said. “My sons and I love to watch the grandmasters play live online together.”

Payne said he enjoyed the tournament.

“It was a good, low-stakes opportunity to get back into tournament play,” Payne said. “It was well-run and there was a good mix of ratings, so anybody can find a person to play with.”

Payne said he entered the tournament because he likes the game.

The tournament was not officially rated, which was nice since I haven’t kept up with consistent practice since graduating from undergrad,” Payne said.

Winter said he hopes to make this an annual event.

By Tayte Christensen Collegian Repo R te R

The Student Federation granted probationary club status to a new men’s lacrosse club April 4.

Sophomore Marc Ayers represented the club and said the opening of the new athletic field at Hayden Park this year provides an ideal opportunity to start the club.

“In the thriving lacrosse community that is the Midwest, it’s surprising there is no team at Hillsdale,” Ayers said. “With a new field, we want to get the ball rolling.”

The club will be open to all men on campus and will compete in spring with the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association.

“We are looking to first play scrimmages against other teams within the MCLA, which allows us to play against Division I teams in their off-season,” Ayers said.

According to Ayers, these teams will include Division I school club teams such as Indiana University and the University of Michigan.

“Most guys interested in the club have played lacrosse before and already have their own equipment,” Ayers said. “So we as a club will only need to buy things like uniforms, gloves, helmets, and nets.”

The federation voted unanimously to grant the lacrosse club probationary club status, which requires the club to wait a period of six months before requesting funding.

At the same meeting, the federation granted a reimbursement of funds to Chi Omega sorority following its pancake breakfast philanthropy event,

which took place over Parents Weekend in February.

The event’s proceeds went to Chi Omega’s philanthropy, Make-a-Wish, and raised $1,360, according to Chi Omega spokesperson sophomore Sophia Widmer.

“This event was open to all of campus and was our biggest philanthropic event of the year,” Widmer said at the meeting. “We saw a total of 126 attendees.”

Widmer requested $370 to help offset the costs of the event, but said the sorority plans to do an event later in the semester using the leftover funds granted by the federation.

“We are looking to do an event later this semester in the Hillsdale community that’s not related to our philanthropy,” Widmer said. “Some of the funds granted today will be used towards this event, but some will roll over to the fall and go toward our events then.”

The federation discussed plans to appoint students to the college’s Academic Honesty Review Board, and representatives privately nominated individuals at the meeting.

“The Student Federation was informed that we should appoint six students for this board,” Student Federation president and sophomore Jacob Beckwith said in the meeting. “It’s a group of local students that meets with the deans to deal with any kind of academic violations.”

Student Federation representatives anonymously submitted names to sophomore and secretary Anna MacPhee at the meeting, and members for the review board will be decided on at a later meeting.

Asher Church finished first with four wins and one draw, according to Winter. Hillsdale College graduate student Jameson Payne placed second, and Hillsdale College senior Michael Kunzler placed third. “It felt amazing to win,” Asher Church said. “It was completely unexpected.”

Ian Church, Asher Church’s father and associate professor

A 12 year old beat college students and others to win first place at the Hillsdale Academy Spring 2024 Classic chess tournament on April 6. Asher Church, a seventh grader at Will Carleton Academy, prevailed in a field of 18 competitors who played five rounds from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to Christian Winter, Academy Latin teacher and the event organizer. The rounds lasted for 30 minutes with 15 minutes per player and a 10-second bonus after each move. Competitors included Hillsdale Academy students, Hillsdale College students and faculty, and children of faculty. “I think everyone enjoyed themselves,” Winter said. “It was competitive, the winner was decided in the last round, and it gave people an opportunity to gain tournament experience.”

of philosophy at Hillsdale College, said it was his son’s first chess tournament.

“As a parent, it’s always wonderful to see your children succeed at things they’re passionate about,” Ian Church said. “Asher knew he’d be facing extremely serious competition, so I think he was simply going into it hoping to learn and enjoy the game. But now I think he’s thoroughly hooked and eager to play in more tournaments.”

Ian Church said his son began seriously playing chess in the summer of 2023.

“He loves to study chess tactics and theory, and he loves to play chess online and with

“I would also like to organize a blitz tournament with short time controls for the fall,” Winter said. “I also hope to make future tournaments United States Chess Federation-rated, but that will require working through a bit of red tape.”

Ian Church said playing chess with his son has become a humbling experience.

“I love to play chess with Asher, though my chances of winning are vanishingly small these days,” Ian Church said. “Not only does he almost always beat me, but now he can explain to me how and why he’s beating me in great detail.”

The Carreños offer students a taste of Venezuelan culture

By Ameera Wilson Collegian RepoRteR

Students learned about Venezuelan culture last Thursday night through food, lecture, and film.

Sigma Delta Pi and the Spanish department organized the event, which included arepa — cornmeal cake — cooking classes and a screening of an excerpt from the documentary “The Twilight of Magical Socialism.” After the documentary, Associate Professor of Spanish Víctor Carreño spoke about his experience escaping Venezuela.

“Hillsdale College has students from 14 foreign countries and some faculty members are from foreign countries as well,” Víctor Carreño said. “Therefore, it is very important for the Hillsdale College community to learn firsthand about the culture of different countries.”

Carreño began the event translating for his wife, María Eugenia de Carreño, while she taught the cooking classes.

“Gastronomy serves as a gateway to understanding a country’s history, so people could learn about Venezuelan history through its cuisine,” he said.

Through the class, students learned Venezuelan culinary arts firsthand.

“My favorite thing about the event was seeing the Carreños share their culture and their food,” junior Rachel Schroder said. “Watching Mrs. Carreño prepare each dish gave me goosebumps.”

After the cooking classes, students learned about the darker parts of Venezuela, watching the excerpt from a film which focused on the Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela and listening to Carreño’s account of life there.

“The documentary ‘The Twilight of Magical Socialism,’ by Michele Calabresi, and my personal experience allowed me to show the audience the collapse of the economy and the increase in the poverty rate under Maduro’s socialism,” he said.

Carreño said he wanted those attending to fully understand the oppression of the Venezuelan regime as well as the necessity of protecting democracy in this nation.

“In Venezuela there is a totalitarian regime that has been in power for 25 years. This regime did not seize control of the country overnight,” Carreño said. “Only a minority could see that we were losing the democratic freedoms that we had during the second half of the 20th century, but when most of the people understood what was at stake, it was too late to react against it.”

One of the biggest difficulties of his move to America was convincing others of the dangerous circumstances in Venezuela.

“It was really challenging to survive, to leave the country, and to convince people outside of Venezuela of our real situation,” Carreño said.

But through this event, many students got to hear his story. “It was sobering to hear

firsthand how horrible living under socialism truly is. I can hardly imagine how families could survive on just a few dollars a month,” Schroder said. “No one should have to scrimmage through trash to find a bite to eat.” His firsthand account made the stories personal for the students.

“It was tough to hear the struggles that pushed him out of the country,” sophomore Avery Nowowiejski said. “But I am thankful that he is here at Hillsdale and that we can learn from him.”

Carreño said the night was a success and he was grateful to Sigma Delta Pi and the Spanish department for organizing it.

“We faced desperate situations, and we are very grateful for being in the United States, many people were not able to escape political persecution and extreme poverty,” he said. “I think the audience understood the importance of defending democracy after hearing my testimony.”

Gavin Listro named new senior class president

By Olivia Pero CultuRe editoR

Junior Gavin Listro won election as president of the class of 2025, following a tie-breaking vote.

Class of 2025 students were asked to vote a second time online through the software Qualtrics to break the tie between Listro and junior Nathan Stanish. Students also broke a tie for secretary, with junior Laura Luke defeating junior Josiah Jagoda.

Students also elected juniors Noah Schmidt as vice president, Matthew Byrne as treasurer, and Jack Cote as social chair.

The outgoing class officers announced the winners at the Legacy Dinner April 7. “I want to make sure senior year is good for all of us,” Listro said. “I feel like we spend a lot of time rushing in the first couple of years of school and now I want to help us all slow down and enjoy the last year we have together before we all separate.”

Listro said the class of 2025 can slow down by having senior events that prioritize community and conversation with good food and lots of drinks.

“I’m honored to have been chosen as our class treasurer, and I’m excited to get to serve the class as best I can,” Byrne said. “Alongside our great team, I will make sure to spend our money wisely to bring us the best possible events.”

Byrne said he will attend the final Student Federation meeting April 18 to request more funding to compensate for inflation over the last seven years. According to Byrne, this will ideally give the class of 2025 an edge over the last few classes in terms of spending power.

Schmidt said he is honored his classmates elected him as vice president. “I am most excited to work

alongside Gavin, Laura, Matt, and Jack to bring our class together and make this next year a memorable one for all of the seniors,” Schmidt said.

Helping choose the class of 2025’s commencement speaker is the part of Schmidt’s role he said he’s most looking forward to.

Listro said it’s going to be hard making everyone happy when it comes to the commencement speaker, but he hopes the class officers can find a speaker who has something to offer for all 2025 graduates.

“I’m already taking suggestions, along with suggestions for a senior class gift, as long as it doesn’t mean losing more green space,” Listro said.

Luke said she looks forward to working with the other class officers and planning fun events with a class of 2025 flair.

“Keep an eye on your inbox for all the exciting things coming up,” Luke said. “Cheers to senior year.”

Cote said his background working on the Student Activities Board and his digital media experience provides him with a variety of ways to serve the class of 2025.

“During my time at SAB, I was involved in the brainstorming and execution for nearly all events that we put on, and I think that will certainly help in coming up with and hosting creative events for our class,” Cote said.

Cote said he also wants to elevate the seniors’ experience by providing recap photos and videos for each event.

“The current senior class president, Joseph Perez, gave job descriptions for each position at the Legacy Dinner, and I can certainly promise I will fulfill the role of ‘providing alcohol at senior class events,’” Cote said.

Senior Michael Kunzler, Asher Church, and graduate student Jameson Payne (left to right) made podium at the chess tournament. Church won first place. Courtesy | Ian Chur C h

‘The Duck Song’: a critical review

By Zachary Chen CollEgiAn rE port E r

Some people enjoy Bach’s majestic fugues, Corelli’s Christmas Concerto, and Gilbert and Sullivan’s operettas. Others can’t get enough of John Williams, Hans Zimmer, and Ennico Moricone. A few poor souls are even attracted to the insipid lyrics and uninspired tunes of “musicians” like Taylor Swift, Beyonce, or BTS.

For me, however, it’s “The Duck Song.”

For those who have never yet been exposed to Bryan Oden’s lyrical magic — and I really must offer you my sincerest condolences — the animated version of the original “The Duck Song” first dropped on March 23, 2009. It tells an old story: simple, but profound. Much like life itself, the song is repetitive — at times a little dull — mundane, and occasionally humorous. If I were into moralizing, I’d say that it’s an excellent illustration of steadfastness and perseverance in the face of adversity (but I’m not, so I won’t).

Every day, a duck walks up to a lemonade stand and asks its proprietor if he has any grapes. Every day, the man running the stand tells the duck “no,” usually with a rhyme that would put William McGonagall to shame. As the duck frequents the stand more and more, the man becomes increasingly irritated until he finally threatens to glue the duck to a tree if he keeps asking for grapes. Of course, the duck comes back the following day and asks if the man has any glue. On being told “no,” he proceeds to ask the man, “Got any grapes?”

Oden released a sequel, “The Duck Song 2” in November 2009 and “The Duck Song 3” in April 2010. Then the world waited in silence for 14 years. I spent much of that time clicking refresh on Mr. Oden’s YouTube page, just waiting for another release. Children were born, grew up, got old, and I kept vigil with the rest of humankind, patiently waiting for the promised day.

Then, the light broke into my little world when “The Duck Song 4” premiered

on March 23, 2024. It was everything I’d dreamed of. Musically speaking, it’s more complex than Duck Songs 1 and 2. “The Duck Song 3” holds a special place in my heart, so I’ll just say that comparing Duck Songs 3 and 4 is like comparing apples and green apples.

As a sequel to a trilogy, “The Duck Song 4” has to live up to quite a legacy. It does this flawlessly. “The Duck Song 4” contains the perfect blend of nostalgia and self-sufficiency: while the experience is far, far enhanced if you know the first three, I’d wager even those who have never encountered the duck asking for grapes before will be able to follow the story with ease. And in terms of puns, it’s the most edgy yet: parents should be advised in sharing this song with their children. To be clear, however, I’m not condemning “The Duck Song 4” — after all, what is art if it doesn’t hazard something? And where else do you encounter hazard but on the edge? And how shall you approach the edge without being at least somewhat edgy?

You are, of course, permitted to question my taste, sanity, and good judgment. But whether you ultimately agree with me or not, I urge you — go listen to “The Duck Song 4.” Permit yourself to be entranced by the magnificence of the animation, the piquancy of the wordplay, the splendorous yet seductive simplicity of the G-C-D chord progression. Let the duck, like Virgil in Dante’s “Divine Comedy,” be your guide — lean into the quotidian but sempiternal question of whether the man at the lemonade stand has any grapes. Consider the irritation of the man at the stand and ask yourself if the wrath of Achilles is really that much more disastrous. Admire the cunning of the duck’s questioning — was Socrates so very different?

Then, when you have been educated, leave the ivory tower of song and ask yourself one question: “Got any grapes?”

Zachary Chen is a freshman studying the liberal arts.

Devil’s Advocate with Claire Gaudet

Go to lectures and ask questions to get a job

apply for my post-grad job. In fact, all four opportunities stemmed — at least in part — from one stupid quip I delivered as a sophomore in Plaster Auditorium.

“Ya ever hire interns from a state with a few more lakes?”

I posed this question to the editor-in-chief of the Babylon Bee, Kyle Mann, after a talk he gave on campusin 2021. He said most of the young people in his employ were native Californians, including every intern they’d ever hired —

partly because no one else had ever asked.

By the end of that summer, I’d lived 10 weeks in Los Angeles working as the associate podcast producer of the “Babylon Bee Podcast.” That opportunity snowballed and the Daily Caller reached out to speak to “the Hillsdale student who worked at the Bee.” Boom: I had my WHIP internship. With two great internships under my belt, the Dow Journalism Program recommended me for an editorial position with the Detroit News for the following summer.

I leveraged my second internship into a big-girl job, and starting in June I’ll be producing documentaries for the Daily Caller.

All this because I went to a talk, and I asked a question. It sounds like dumb, boomer advice — “Just go ask the nice man for a job, he’ll like your gumption.” But it really was that easy, and it can be for you, too.

Go to the guest lectures on campus. Doesn’t matter if you need to register for them, if it’s inner- or outer-department, just go.

Spend time with your department heads. They’re really smart, you’ll learn a lot from them outside of class, and they’re the people who dole out certain opportunities. You can also tug on their shirt sleeves and get them to introduce you to visiting speakers.

This school will set you up for life if you let it, so let it. The modicum of effort you put in early will outweigh the time spent job searching later.

Claire Gaudet is a senior studying rhetoric and journalism.

Seniors, wear your graduation cords with pride

By Evalyn Homoelle sE nior rE port E r

In just a few short weeks, the class of 2024 will be celebrating our graduation with friends and family. We’ll don our caps and gowns, walk across the stage to receive our diplomas, and take photographs that we’ll show our children and grandchildren one day. We’ll receive countless exclamations of “Congratulations!” or “Well done!”

But something I hope no one will say is, “Why on earth are you wearing those silly graduation cords? We all know you did the work, so why broadcast it?”

Surprisingly, I’ve heard this kind of thing from friends around campus. And believe me, I understand. In this busy season of job hunting and senior festivities, the last thing graduating seniors want to do is remember to place an order for their honorary’s cords or stoles. It seems so unnecessary. After all, we’re only on stage for a few seconds and we’ll never use

our cords again. So why bother? If you did the work to achieve a high GPA or earn a spot in your major’s honorary society, shouldn’t that be a sufficient reward for you in and of itself?

It’s an understandable argument, especially for Hillsdale students trained to be humble and find joy in their work for its own sake, without any external recognition. But this mindset could lead to a modernist stripping of tradition from society, like Niccolo Machiavelli sought to do in his introductory letter of “The Prince,” where he criticizes the concept of ornamentation because it is a symbol of the eternal things, like beauty, justice, and virtue.

There’s something special about symbolism, something our culture has lost sight of in its never-ending attempt to smear tradition as outdated and materialistic. It’s why a bride and groom exchange rings, a queen wears a crown, and the bereaved wear black at a fu -

neral. Physical symbols act as a visual representation of a higher ideal. They remind us of the beauty and value of something that is unseen. They’re like Plato’s Forms that are represented by mere physical images, acting as placeholders and reminders of the Good.

Graduation cords for an honorary, fellowship, or on-campus club are of course not as serious or permanent as wedding rings or diadems. But, they are an important sign of the academic excellence and extracurricular achievement that crowns our four year journey at Hillsdale. Graduation from college is a significant achievement, and just like the caps and gowns we will wear, graduation cords serve as a physical symbol of the sacrifice and determination that went into finishing our degrees. No one faults a bride for wearing a beautiful white gown on her wedding day, criticizes King Charles for donning elaborate regalia at his coronation, or wonders

why a family dresses up for Easter Sunday. Physical symbols like these denote a certain respect for one’s own status or reflect the dignity an occasion commands. Humans are body as well as spirit and sight as well as mind — symbols beautifully synthesize this duality of human nature and reflect the higher things.

So, my fellow seniors, wear your graduation cords on May 11 and hold your head high, knowing that they are not a sign of vanity, but a representation of your interests, involvements, achievements, and community that has shaped your character during the past four years at Hillsdale. These cords are a sign of the diligence that accompanied the struggles and joys of college and the excellence that it resulted in — celebrating that is a worthy thing indeed.

Evalyn Homoelle is a senior studying politics and journalism.

What the Right gets wrong about dating and marriage

By Caroline Kurt AssistA nt Editor

If Charlie Kirk is right, the clock is ticking: Get married before your 30th birthday, or your bloodline dies with you.

The right-wing commentator made a stir online with his recent comments on the right age for women to get married.

“In their early 30s, they get really upset, because they say, you know, ‘The boys don’t want to date me anymore.’ Because they’re not at their prime,” Kirk said at a Turning Point USA event in March.

“People get mad when I say that, well it’s just true. If you’re in your early 30s, I’m sorry, you’re not as attractive in the dating pool as you were in your early 20s.”

Sure — no one is as young at 30 as they were at 20. But Kirk’s comments have the opposite of his intended effect, discouraging and infuriating many of those people who would’ve loved to find someone and settle down by 25, but are still single a decade later.

My parents were one such couple. They met at 37, married at 38, and had five children in their first seven years of marriage.

While they would’ve loved twice as many kids, not being “at their prime” didn’t stop them from creating a lively, happy family for us.

My parents may have married late — especially for practicing Catholics — but no part of me wishes they settled for a lesser partner just for the sake of getting married before their 30s. First of all, I wouldn’t exist— neither would my brothers, or my parents’ beautiful relationship.

I’m just glad my lawyer mother wasn’t in Kirk’s audience that day, for Kirk’s sake. Kirk’s reductionist take on dating and marriage fails to account for the complexity of circumstances surrounding any romantic relationship. Some conservatives intent on fixing our country’s marriage woes have a bad habit of tossing out pithy maxims to their young audiences on Twitter or at conservative summits.

I want to give Kirk the benefit of the doubt. But he’s a grown man, and needs to realize that getting married isn’t simply a matter of personal agency, like deciding to buy a pack of Skittles at checkout. If he does realize it — and as

someone who married a woman in her 30s, he likely does — Kirk needs to do a better job of conveying this complexity in his rhetoric.

It’s wonderful to encourage Gen Z to marry young, but that advice needs to come with a healthy reality check. Dating isn’t a checklist that rewards good behavior with finding Miss or Mr. Right. The beauty of romance comes from the fact that it’s not a science, but an unfolding mystery.

Some people meet their future spouses at 14, and that’s amazing. But others don’t until 44, and it doesn’t mean they’re doing something wrong. Young people can develop the kind of virtue that makes them good partners, and show a healthy openness to dates and relationships, but there’s so much in the realm of dating that’s completely beyond their control.

The simplistic advice to “just get married” is just as unproductive for teens in relationships. What if you’re like me, and met your boyfriend at 16, long before either of you held high school (let alone college) diplomas? Nor does marital status determine the meaning or goodness of one’s life.

Putting too strong an emphasis on getting married before you’re “past your prime” risks encouraging young people to settle with a poor partner out of fear.

Marriage is about who, not just when.

Many of my peers have the mental and emotional maturity to settle down young, but that’s not true of everyone in this generation. Some need a few more years than others: If tying the knot at 32 rather than 22 means they’ll make a happy, virtuous spouse, so be it. We’d win over far more bees with honey than with vinegar — something my mom told me growing up. Kirk (and all of us) can have more of a heart for single men and women, and ensure our words reflect that.

Although it’s scary and frustrating, our need to surrender to a plan greater than our own points us into the arms of a good and loving God, one with good things in store for us no matter whether we are in what Kirk deems our “prime.”

Caroline Kurt is a sophomore studying English and journalism.

The duck at the lemonade stand. Courtesy | FaC ebook

Glitter to gothic: JoJo

Siwa’s adult transformation

By Francesca Cella Collegian freelanCer

While Hollywood glasses, obscenely large hair bows, and an outfit with all the colors of the rainbow customarily clothed child-celebrity Joelle Joanie “Jojo” Siwa, her style appears to have taken a sinister turn.

Jojo Siwa began her professional life at the young age of 9, participating in “Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition,” a spinoff of the popular reality TV show, “Dance Moms.” In the first season, Siwa’s mother Jessalyn said, “I would say it’s my mission in life to make JoJo a star.” It seems her mission succeeded, for soon after Siwa’s debut in the AUDC, she became an American icon with the release of a children’s clothing line with J.C. Penney’s and an entire line of hair bows with Claire’s.

Pictures of Siwa as a young teenager portray her as a girly-girl with some sass and a little too much makeup. But overall, she seems like a fairly innocent popstar for children. Not only does she have an iconic look and a clothing line modeled on herself, she also has a YouTube channel, music, and TV features, making it easy for any little girl to immerse herself in the cult of JoJo Siwa.

But JoJo Siwa is no longer all sunshine and rainbows, which begs the question of whether she ever was. She now seems to be seeking life as a “star” from a different tactic: by promoting woke culture with a dark, Gothic approach.

Siwa appeared at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards in a revealing, black bodysuit with the signature ponytail gone and her face not bedazzled with glitter, but plastered with “Black Beast” makeup. This mature look is inspired by the release of her new song “Karma,” as Siwa revealed, “This is my ‘Karma,’ black beast look.” She wore the same outfit in the “Karma,” music video, which premiered April 4.

Siwa seems to be discarding the remnants of her childhood with her new release. She issued a statement on Instagram regarding her song, saying, “Warning: The following content is not made for children and may be disturbing or offensive to some viewers.”

Siwa’s fanbase has reacted poorly to her new aesthetic and attempt to produce adult content. “Girl went from ‘pink sparkly unicorns and bows’ to ‘gay electric tight tracksuit spider,’” one YouTuber commented on her sudden transformation.

Not only is she discarding childhood, she is also abandoning all traditional views about sexuality and childbirth. In 2021, Siwa posted a photo wearing a shirt that said, “Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever.,” identifying herself as LGBT.

“Technically, I would say that I am pansexual,” Siwa said, “because that’s how I have always been my whole life, is just like, my human is my human.” Siwa has also been in relationships with several women, and has performed in the first same-sex duet on “Dancing With the Stars.” Now, in her “Karma” music video, Siwa is depicted in very sexualized interaction with not one, but many women. She claims she wants her song to start the new genre of “gay pop.”

More recently, Siwa disclosed that she plans on having a girl named Freddie and twin boys named Eddie and Teddie, saying, “I want three babies. I’ve got a sperm donor lined up.”

JoJo Siwa has officially left childhood behind, as she has left off wearing rainbow colors for touting the rainbow flag, reidentified her sexuality, and planned out the conception of her future children. She claims her new aesthetic and mature behavior are “who she is,” but it seems to be a facade to further promote her life as “a star.”

Francesca Cella is a freshman studying the liberal arts.

The Ancient Greeks would have taken anabolic steroids

By Emma Verrigni Collegian rePorter

When Peter Thiel said this February that he wants to bankroll a new Olympics that permits the use of steroids, critics slammed the billionaire entrepreneur for his views.

But his idea is, in a way, excellent. We should welcome a reimagined Olympics that returns the games to their

classical roots.

Grigory Rodchenkov, a doctor who revealed Russia’s state- backed steroid program, claimed that Thiel’s proposal threatens the health of athletes.

The side effects of anabolic steroids, after all, include an increased risk of heart disease, excessive aggression, and liver damage.

One documentary, which tells Rodchenkov’s story, lik-

ens steroid usage to the myth of Icarus, a man who, in rebellion to the sun god Helios, flew too close to the sun with a pair of crafted wings and eventually fell from the sky.

Yet ancient Olympics had nothing to do with Icarus and his selfish and absurd quest. Instead, they honored Zeus, and sought to subordinate the individual to a greater purpose.

Modern anabolic steroids did not exist in the 8th century B.C., but evidence shows that the earliest Olympians used performance-enhancing substances. Many took hallucinogens in an attempt to improve performance.

Rather than a radical innovator, Thiel is just an old-fashioned traditionalist.

‘A Little Life’ and BookTok’s potential for good

By Alexandra Hall Design eD itor

The first time I read Hanya Yanagihara’s “A Little Life,” I ended up on the bathroom floor crying so hard I needed to use my childhood inhaler.

Some call it empathy. Some call it effective writing. Some call it the consequences of BookTok, a subgenre of content on TikTok about books and reading.

BookTok made millions of people in a so-called disconnected generation with abysmal attention spans pick up and complete an 814-page novel. There is power for good here.

It also has lots of critics, and they advance two main arguments: the subgenre promotes books rich with pornographic material and it aestheticizes reading more than it values the content itself. Both are true.

Romance has always been a dominant genre, but “smut” (a rebrand of the genre with more explicit material) has seen quite the renaissance due to the visibility BookTok grants it. Especially after the popularity of E.L. James’ “50 Shades of Grey” series in the early 2010s, the normalization of producing erotic content more readily for women has grown.

It becomes cause for concern when smut starts sneaking into books marketed to young adults, which BookTok does. Nov-

els like “It Ends With Us” by American author Colleen Hoover include elements of abusive and toxic partners alongside sexual material. While some may rejoice in young adults reading “anything,” others are worried that marketing this style of content to children celebrates and normalizes pornography.

As for the aestheticization of reading, the only people truly bugged by this are those who smugly describe themselves as “true readers.” If making videos titled “books for femme fatales” or “books to read if you’re in a depressive spiral” are actually getting people to pick up books, the politics of how they got from point A to point B are irrelevant. That is where the joy of people reading “anything” is sound.

The quality of the art you consume is up to you, and everyone needs a balanced diet with their reading lists as they do with their meals. A little bit of “Twilight” alongside “Crime and Punishment” won’t kill you or make your literary opinions invalid. In fact, reading might become what it once was to many people as kids: an escape. Walk into any bookstore — local mom and pop shops or juggernauts like Barnes & Noble — and you’ll likely see a table dedicated to trending reads. It is easy to have an aversion to displays like this, and to puff your chest out as you

head for the classics section.

Yet for years, Yanagihara’s novel has been on those tables. Although I might warn readers about its content if I see them playing with the cover, I’m grateful social media bullied me into reading it.

“A Little Life” is a beautiful story about four friends and the evolution of their friendship over decades with a heavy emphasis on the character of Jude. Jude’s story is what divides audiences, and discourse about the novel dominates a large sector of BookTok. His traumatic experiences being assaulted, kidnapped, and tortured are either praised for their profound detailing of a tragic man’s life or dismissed as “trauma porn.”

Regardless of readers’ thoughts on Jude, “A Little Life” is one of, if not the, success story of BookTok. The 2015 novel was acclaimed upon release. It was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize, was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction, and won the Kirkus Prize in Fiction, all in its first year of publication. But once the novel began garnering a cultish following on social media, it became a pivotal part of BookTok culture and still is to this day.

The deeply disturbing parts of the novel can become “kitschy” and easy ways for queasy readers to avoid topic matters they’re

uncomfortable with, which is fair. But for those who want to embark on a contemporary tale of a complex narrative about what happens when the worst of the worst is right under our noses, “A Little Life” is at our doorstep.

“A Little Life” is a case study in the power of BookTok. The novel shows that when quality works are caught up in the trend cycle of the internet, they just might impact more people than if they had been removed from the cycle all together.

There are real negative consequences of BookTok, as there are with any subgenre of the internet that inevitably becomes interwoven with commercial success. But if publishers and readers are able to parse through the nonsense and find the works that have the power to shape generations — then we may be better off than we thought.

BookTok made millions of people in a so-called disconnected generation with abysmal attention spans pick up and complete an 814-page novel. There is power for good here.

Alexandra Hall is a junior studying rhetoric, biology, and journalism.

Save a seat with your butt, not your coat

By Paul Moreno Professor of History

I write to take exception to Christian Papillon’s opinion piece, “Major League Baseball Needs Promotion and Relegation.” His proposal will be but a further step toward making our unique national pastime indistinguishable from all the other “rectangle sports” — and especially the execrably global one known abroad as “football.”

The history of baseball teaches one central lesson:

All change is bad. Baseball was a perfect game in 1901. All rule and structural changes since then are to be regretted. Proposed improvements like Papillon’s, while they may sound appealing, almost always address earlier detrimental changes, but only further the damage.

Paul Moreno is the William and Berniece Grewcock Chair in Constitutional History and a professor of history.

By Ameera Wilson Collegian rePorter

The garden shears in the pew was a clear sign that reserving seats had reached a new level.

Unfortunately for those who wanted to attend the Easter Vigil Mass at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church on March 30, turning up on time was not sufficient. Turning up 30 minutes early was not even sufficient.

If you arrived three hours early, you would not have been the first — because the piles of coats beat you there.

It would be fine if hordes of people were saving seats, but they weren’t. They came into the building to see hordes of coats. And a pair of garden shears.

Now, having so many people turn up to mass on Easter weekend is actually a good thing. Reserving pews in the front for those receiving baptism or communion for the very first time is perfectly all right.

And if people had the endurance and the dedication to sit in their seat for five hours, they at least have my

respect. And they deserve their seats.

But when tons of people have reserved their pews with a sweater or some such outer garment hours before the service is going to start, we have an issue.

This is a potential violation of the “treat your brother as yourself’ command, but mostly it’s just plain rude.

Having the decency to not save your spot obscenely early is one of those rules that can be broken if one person does it.

I mean, even if a couple people do it, the world moves on.

But when everyone does it? Then there are issues.

People only had to save seats that early because they knew other people were doing it too. And the unfortunate who were out of the loop were seatless.

So, next year, let’s not save seats starting at 1 p.m. for a vigil at 9.

Emma Verrigni is a sophomore studying history.

Ameera Wilson is a sophomore studying English and journalism.

Hanya Yanagihara, author of “A Little Life,” in 2012. Courtesy | Wikipedia

Jojo Siwa’s “Karma” music video has turned heads. Courtesy | FaC ebook

City News

Hillsdale Sheriff Scott Hodshire endorses Trump

By Logan Washburn Associate Editor Hillsdale County Sheriff Scott Hodshire has endorsed former

President Donald Trump’s reelection campaign.

“At this point, I believe Trump would be the best candidate for president of the United States,” Hodshire said.

“He supports law enforcement. All we really are looking for is support from the commander in chief.”

Hodshire stood behind Trump as he spoke about illegal immigration with several Michigan sheriffs in Grand Rapids April 2. Afterward, Hodshire told The Collegian

he is endorsing Trump for supporting law enforcement.

“Trump was very attentive, he kept focus with us, and backs the law enforcement 1000%,” Hodshire said. “We picked a sheriff that was going to speak for all of us, however if we had any other concerns, we were allowed to ask him about them.”

Out-of-state callers have been leaving “hate messages” for Hodshire due to his support for Trump, he said.

“I tell them if President Biden invited me to a roundtable to discuss illegal immigration, the drug epidemic, and any other thing that has to do with law enforcement, I would

be there in a heartbeat,” Hodshire said. “It doesn’t matter who the president is. If I’m invited to go give my concerns, I will be there whether you’re Democrat or Republican.”

The Police Officers Association of Michigan also endorsed Trump at the meeting, where the former president offered his thoughts about illegal immigration.

“Under ‘Crooked Joe’ Biden, every state is now a border state, every town is now a border town,” Trump said, according to WXMI. “These guys know exactly what I’m talking about. But we have to let them do their jobs.”

New bill would affect bottle return hours

to be cleaned.

Hodshire said he is prepared to take steps to prevent illegal immigration. “I don’t mind them coming into our country legally, and if they want to apply for citizenship, that’s great,” Hodshire said. “It doesn’t impact my county yet, but if we do find illegals here in my county, then we will be contacting ICE and they will be deported back.”

Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer oversees a rent assistance program for illegal immigrants, and in February, encouraged residents to host migrants in their homes. Trump called her a “terrible governor,” citing the latter

program. “To just let them cross the border and then give them housing and money, and a ride and plane ticket anywhere they want to go in the United States, is not going to fly,” Hodshire said.

While the border crisis has not yet affected Hillsdale County, according to Hodshire, it may soon hit home.

“At the rate we’re letting these illegals in, I assume it’s not going to be long before they start filtering up to Michigan,” Hodshire said. “Obviously the crime would go up, right? I mean, they have nothing to lose coming into our country and creating havoc.”

The county’s main crime issues currently stem from drug addiction, Hodshire said, so he hopes to increase collaborations with the Michigan State Police’s Region of Irish Hills Narcotics Office to mitigate that. Hodshire said he thinks Trump would institute policies to help law enforcement. “He’s thinking that, if elected president again, he is going to come up with a federal law that if you kill a police officer, it’s an automatic death penalty,” Hodshire said. “For the sake of our country, we need to change who we’re voting for.”

State police arrest man for possessing explosives

By Thomas McKenna Sports Editor

A bill in the Michigan legislature would require businesses to accept bottle returns between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m, or whenever the establishment is open in that period.

Michiganders can redeem bottles and cans for ten cents apiece, returning empty containers to any local business that sells them. State law currently does not have a minimum time period that businesses must take plastic containers for redemption.

House Bill 5421, sponsored by state Rep. Julie Rogers, D-Kalamazoo, would require local businesses to accept empty containers between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m., or during their open hours within that range.

Brett Boyd, president and owner of Hillsdale Market House, said the law would have a minimal impact on his business, since the store already accepts bottle returns throughout the day.

But Boyd also said that creating standalone recycling centers would be preferable to the current system of redeeming bottles through businesses.

Boyd said the state compensation Market House receives does not cover more than 5% of the cost of maintaining, cleaning, and operating bottle return machines. Market House staff must clean the machines several times per day, Boyd said.

“Our own staff does an amazing job cleaning and sanitizing our bottle return machines,” Boyd said.

State Sen. Joe Bellino, R-Monroe, owned a small party store for more than 20 years that accepted bottle returns but did not use a machine.

“This law that they’re trying to pass, I think it is BS,” Bellino said. “Because it won’t affect the big retailers because they won’t change their hours of taking empties back. But with guys like these small retailers with just one or two or three or four employees, it’s hard to do kickback empties whenever you are open.”

Andrea Bitely, the Michigan Retailers Association’s vice president for marketing and communications, said the MRA supports Rogers’ bill because it defines when businesses must accept bottle returns while giving them time to take machines offline

“I wish the legislature would focus its energies on eliminating bottle returns at supermarkets and instead take another look at using standalone redemption centers,” Boyd said. “Supermarkets with fresh food are not the right place for redeeming bottles.”

“Although those machines are built to withstand sticky, liquid messiness,” Bitely said, “the ability to have time to power those machines down and do a thorough cleaning of them is actually very, very supported by larger grocers who have multiple of those machines, or smaller, midsized grocers who may have one or two of those machines.”

Bitely said bottles can contaminate surfaces and products at supermarkets.

“Our grocers are constantly trying to do maintenance and make sure things are clean,” Bitely said. “You’re putting vegetables or a child in that cart and then they’re licking it or you’re eating a head of lettuce that might have something gross on it.”

The bill is unlikely to become law since the Michigan Beverage Containers Initiated Law of 1976 was created by a ballot initiative, and any change to the law requires a three quarters majority in both chambers of the state legislature.

“It’ll never pass,” Bellino said. “It’ll need a three-quarter vote of the legislature to change the law, and that won’t happen at all.”

By Logan Washburn Associate Editor

The Michigan State Police arrested a man found with suspected explosives in Hillsdale Township April 9. “He was in the car when they had taken him to custody, and then that search of his vehicle identified the explosive device,” said MSP Lt. Rene Gonzales.

MSP officers arrested 26-year-old Joseph Michael Lazarus at 1 p.m., according to the Hillsdale County Sheriff’s Office. Officers were preparing to search his room at the Baw Beese Inn on M-99 south of Hillsdale and arrest him on a felony warrant from Jackson County, according to a press release, when they found him in his car with a suspected explosive device. Gonzales said officers called the MSP Bomb Squad to the scene, which investigated the device. The Hillsdale Township Fire Department helped the MSP at the scene, according to the press release.

“Our bomb squad came out and they took the item,” Gonzales said.

Officers did not know what the suspect was planning to do with the explosive, according to Gonzales. Prosecutors are charging Lazarus with possession of an explosive device, according to Hillsdale County Prosecutor Neal Brady. He also faces charges of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, possession with intent to deliver heroin, possession with intent to deliver cocaine, and a felony firearm charge, according to the sheriff’s office. Lazarus is currently detained in

Sheriff Scott Hodshire, to the left of Donald Trump, met the former president at a campaign event in Grand Rapids.

Courtesy | Instagram

Keefer House Hotel construction progresses

By Logan Washburn Associate Editor

Workers are nearly done with structural work at the Keefer House Hotel, as CL Real Estate LLC has extended the completion date to late August.

“I haven’t seen it personally, but I work next to the building and I see consistent activity and work over there, so I’m sure they’re coming along well,” said City of Hillsdale Mayor Adam Stockford. “I hope they get their stuff done and don’t run into any more hiccups.” Construction on the Keefer will finish in late August, according to Nick Fox, CL Real Estate’s vice president of construction management. Workers have nearly completed the building’s structure, and are planning soon to begin installing electricity, plumbing, and drywall.

The city’s Tax Increment Finance Authority bought the Keefer and the Dawn Theater for $410,000 in 2016. TIFA agreed to sell the Keefer to CL Real Estate for $10,000 and dismiss the remaining balance if the company finished the restoration on time.

The company initially planned to finish construction in November 2020, but by late last year, had pushed the deadline to “early summer 2024.” CL Real Estate hired Fox last year to “double down” on finishing the project.

“I want to thank Nick Fox, the guy they brought in to move things along, because he met with me personally and said, ‘You have my word that we’re going to get this thing moving,’” Stockford said. “He stuck to his guns and he’s done a great job.”

Hotel Investment Services will operate the hotel and its restaurant, according to a press release.

“The Keefer House Hotel will be a special place that will not only serve the Hillsdale community well but will be one

of those hotels that will attract visitors looking to step back in time,” said HIS CEO Ron Wilson in a press release. “Hotels were a destination to those looking for a welcome stop for fine dining, entertaining, celebrations, and a well-appointed guest room.”

After finishing construction, the operator will need time to prepare, so it could take four to six weeks until the hotel opens, according to Brant Cohen ’18, CL Real Estate senior development associate.

“The operator can come in and start preparing for opening, begin training, bringing the systems, bringing the furniture,” Cohen said. “It depends on how soon they can get in, how much training they can do outside of this building. We’re not ready to pinpoint exactly when we’re opening.”

CL Real Estate opened the property to local leaders and media on April 5. Fox and Cohen led a tour through the building starting in the basement. They did not allow photography of the building’s interior. Workers were on track to finish the building’s interior structure within “a week and a half” from the tour, according to Fox. Once that is done, they will remove temporary supports, finish installing electricity, and install plumbing and drywall.

The basement will feature storage, refrigeration, and a preparation space for the hotel’s kitchen. An elevator will connect the building’s floors, according to Cohen.

Workers have finished waterproofing the basement and replacing its floor with concrete, according to Fox. There is some moisture, but workers installed drainage and pumps to prevent any issues. “We did have to dig down and we built it back up again,” Fox said. “It was pretty bad.”

The basement still features temporary supports between the floor and ceiling, as it helps maintain the building’s struc-

ture which workers have nearly completed.

“That’s there now because you’ve got to start down here,”

metal beams, especially near a former stairway. Workers saved the building’s radiators to decorate the

“It’s a building from 1885, so it’s been here for almost 140 years of constantly-changing development and neglect.”

Fox said. “We had to go in and change all of the structure to steel.”

On the hotel’s first floor, there will be an annex space, bar, lobby, kitchen, and restaurant, according to Fox. Workers have been reinforcing the main floor’s structure with

lobby, Fox said. The lobby’s original tile floors are currently covered during construction, but CL Real Estate plans to preserve them for the hotel. It does not yet feature a bar, but the company plans to install one.

The restaurant sits behind

the lobby through a doorway. The space, which features high ceilings, will be able to seat 45 people, according to Cohen. Behind the restaurant lies the kitchen, where workers have begun installing electrical wiring.

One set of stairs connects the first floor with the second floor, which will feature the hotel’s guest rooms and sitting area, according to Fox.

The hotel will host 34 rooms total featuring private bathrooms, while it originally had 50 to 55 much smaller rooms, according to Cohen. The rooms will range from about 250 to 500 square feet.

Fox said workers preserved the exterior load-bearing walls around the rooms, but are finishing framing the interior walls separating rooms from one another.

“This is the original layout of the hall, but we can change the interior rooms,” Cohen said.

The second floor itself was sagging, but Fox said workers have since leveled and reinforced it. Workers are also

reinforcing where the second stairway used to connect with the second floor, according to Fox.

“We had to reinforce up here so that we could finish all that work,” Fox said. “Once that’s done, it will support itself, then we can take this shoring out.”

City of Hillsdale Zoning Administrator Alan Beeker, who went on the tour, said he remembers a pub in the building’s basement from when he was in high school. Richard Moore, president of Moore Insurance Services, said he remembers the building sitting vacant for years.

“It’s a building from 1885, so it’s been here almost for 140 years of constantly-changing development and neglect,” Fox said.

Stockford said he hopes CL Real Estate can finish the project without facing any more obstacles.

“If they complete it like they say they’re going to,” Stockford said, “it should be a wonderful boon to the downtown.”

Beauty consultant to partner with local shops

By Emma Verrigni Collegian Reporter

A Hillsdale-based beauty consultation business will offer color and body type analysis sessions at two downtown clothing stores.

Mindy Shoemaker runs Empowered Image Consulting and will offer consulting at Birdie’s and Howell, a local boutique, on May 4 during its operating hours. Maggie Anne’s will host sessions all day on June 8. Sessions will cost $99 at both locations.

Shoemaker said she started Empowered Image Consulting after she received her consulting certification this year. She said she has 30 years of experience in the beauty business, especially hairdressing. The business is based out of Viaggio Spa on 2370 Hudson Road in Hillsdale, but Shoemaker is often available to travel to different locations for events.

Shoemaker said a consulting session will consist of a 30 minute color and body analysis, in which a client will learn colors and styles that compliment them. The session involves using different colored drapes in order to find the right colors, and determines a client’s body type.

“This gives you a great way to purchase clothing that fits your body type and colors that look good on you,” said Maggie Anne’s Sales Assistant Joanna Wiseley. Maggie Anne’s will offer a complimentary $20 gift certificate to those who book an appointment with Shoemaker at the boutique. Birdie’s and Howell will offer 20% off any regular-priced item to those who book a consulting appointment, according to Shoemaker.

Those interested should contact Birdie’s and Howell, Maggie Anne’s, or Shoemaker directly.

“We can take walk-ins but are encouraging early signup,” said Patti Bailey, owner of Maggie Anne’s.

Bailey said she hopes Maggie Anne’s will continue to host beauty consulting sessions.

Clients can book a more in-depth consulting session to take place at Empowered Image Consulting’s brick and mortar location, according to Shoemaker.

“We plan to do this in the future, especially if it is a success,” Bailey said.“We might do a seminar, or continue to do sign-up appointments.”

Hillsdale Craft Supply to host painting classes

By Quinn Delamater Collegian Reporter

Hillsdale Craft Supply will offer new classes in different painting styles throughout the month of April.

The craft store has four upcoming classes. According to Hillsdale Craft Supply’s Facebook page, attendees are able to choose from an “Aurora Borealis Sky Watercolor Painting class on April 13 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., a “Floral on Painted Wood Background Acrylic Painting” class on April 20 at 11 a.m., and a “Cardinal Watercolor” class on April 21 at 1 p.m.

“Aurora Borealis painting is a unique technique, using a lot of water and pushing it with

paint,” said Shelley Mangus, owner of Hillsdale Craft Supply. “It is a lot of fun to learn. It takes about two to two and a half hours to paint the entire picture.” Mangus said the different classes teach different painting techniques. “The ‘Floral on Painted Wood Background Acrylic Painting’ lesson is teaching abstract background techniques, butterflies and flowers,” Mangus said. “The ‘Cardinal Watercolor’ painting class uses very little water versus the ‘Aurora Borealis’ techniques. You learn fine line technique and detailing because birds are quite tedious paintings.”

The craft supply shop first opened in June 2017. Since its

opening, Hillsdale Craft Supply has hosted numerous classes, teaching acrylic painting, watercolor painting, clay arts, dot mandala painting, paper crafting, greeting card making, macrame art, knitting, crochet, cross stitch and hand embroidery, Mangus said. “It is fun and relaxing to do arts and crafts,” Mangus said. “It is a great stress release as well. Art therapy has been used for generations to help with stress, anxiety and PTSD. We hold small classes, eight people or less on site.”

According to Mangus, the classes are open to anyone in the community, including college students, and participants can be any level of artist from beginner to intermediate. No

previous experience is required. Class attendees inspire future ideas for Hillsdale Craft Supply events, Mangus said. College students have the ability to create their own art class events as well. They just need to put a group together and let the store know what they want to create.

“These events are such an awesome opportunity for the community to learn and foster their artistic abilities,” said freshman and art major Eva Bessette. “Art is such an amazing and creative outlet that truly anyone can enjoy.”

The acrylic wood painting class costs $35 and the other classes cost $30. Participants can register online at hillsdalecraftsupply.com.

Brewing Company hosts weekly trivia competitions

By Carly Moran Assistant Editor

What do macaroni and cheese, ’80s music, and beer all have in common? It’s trivia night at Hillsdale Brewing Company every Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The restaurant hosts trivia in multiple categories, although most relate to pop culture from the 20th century. While it mainly attracts an older audience Hillsdale College senior Joseph Perez said he loves attending with his six housemates plus two friends.

“We’ve been going onand-off since the beginning of last semester,” Perez said. “We go because it’s fun, and we like hanging out there, eating appetizers and drinking beer.” Perez says his team is one of the most competitive ones in town. “We’ve cooled off from our peak about two months ago, when we won something like four out of five games,” Perez said. “It’s been several weeks since we’ve won, although we’re usually among the most competitive tables. The categories are usually impossible to predict, but often geared toward Boomer or Gen X contestants.”

Contact Center employee Allison Wetzel said she began

attending trivia nights when she first started working for the college in 2022.

“They had a schedule on one of their tables which advertised the trivia nights among other events,” Wetzel said. “It piqued the interest of me and a friend. Both of us are big Jeopardy fans who were looking for something fun to do throughout the week.”

Some of Wetzel’s favorite categories in the past have included Christmas movies, Disney, Broadway musicals, fashion, and television.

“Me and my friend Lilly have been going together nearly every Tuesday for the past two years, but have had various friends come with us from time to time and now regularly have a group of three to five people on our team,” Wetzel said.

According to junior Monroe Beute, the restaurant attracts people not just for trivia, but inclusive dining options as well.

“Brewing Company was one of the first restaurants I found when I moved to Hillsdale as a freshman,” Beute said. “I was thrilled to see that they had gluten-free mac and cheese, and I’ve got to say it was really delicious. I love trivia and I love gluten-free mac and cheese. What more is there to ask for?”

Community leaders in hard hats toured the Keefer House Hotel Friday. Courtesy | CL r ea L e state

Women's Track and Field Chargers take three wins, two marks

By Anna Broussard Collegian Reporter

The women's track team returned from Michigan State University with three wins and two provisional marks.

Sophomore jumper Tara Townsend said many field events were moved to the indoor track due to cold and windy weather conditions. Hillsdale faced conference rivals such as Findlay University, as well as Division I schools like the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Central Michigan University.

With the jumpers outside, junior Katie Clifford achieved a personal record in the pole vault, earning provisional marks in the Division II rankings, Townsend said.

“I think it was a good opener for most of us, Katie

Clifford had a really good day. I was super excited for her,” she said.

Along with provisional marks, Clifford currently ranks sixteenth in the NCAA’s DII provisional rankings, according to senior Reese Dragovich.

Dragovich, who ran the open 400-meter dash, took first place, while freshman Nola Hipkins had impressive performances at her first outdoor collegiate meet. “We had some really great performances by Nola Hipkins. She opened up her collegiate career in the 100-meter hurdles and 400 hurdles. She did really well,” Dragovich said.

Despite weather conditions making competition tough, the Chargers had many impressive performances against DI schools,

Women's Tennis

Townsend said.

“I think we compete well with the other schools for the most part,” she said. “Obviously there's a gap with some events where the division one schools have just a higher overall score. But I think generally, we compete just as well.”

Turning towards their next meet, most of the provisionally ranked Chargers traveled to California to attend two of the biggest meets of the year.

“For the most part, everybody would love the opportunity to go so just provisionally marked athletes are all the California meet will take,” Townsend said.

The Azusa Pacific Bryan Clay Invitational on Thursday April 11, will lead into the Long Beach Invitational Saturday, April 13 through qualifying marks on Thursday.

“For each meet, there are qualification standards in each event to hit before your entry is going to be accepted for the next meet,” senior Shura Ermakov said. Ermakov will run the 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles. She will also compete in the 4x400 team relay along with Dragovich, senior Josee Hackman, and sophomore Francesca Federici.

In addition to the relay, Dragovich will run the open 800 dash.

“I'm running the 800 on Friday and looking to get a good time there,” she said. “It's a really good competition, which should be exciting.”

Dragovich said she hopes that the meet, which is one of the biggest in the country, will hopefully bring good weather and competition.

Hillsdale beats Cedarville, Ashland

By Isabella Helms Collegian Reporter

The Hillsdale women’s tennis team lost to undefeated Northwood University on April 6, ending Hillsdale’s four-match winning streak with a 6-1 defeat.

“It was definitely a tough weekend at Northwood last Saturday,” junior Courtney Rittel said. “Not one of us necessarily had a bad match or didn’t compete well; Northwood really just came out so strong with every single their girls having an on day.”

Despite the overall loss, the Chargers began the match with promise, dominating the doubles competition. Together, senior Melanie Zampardo and sophomore Megan Hackman secured a 6-3 win at No. 1 doubles, while Rittel and freshman Ane Dannhauser also claimed a 6-4 victory at No. 2 doubles. “Northwood was a tough match, but I’m really proud of us for pulling out the doubles point,” Zampardo said. Zampardo said the challenge was intensified by injuries on the team.

Men's Track and Field

Dobrowolski wins high jump at MSU

By Joshua Mistry Collegian Reporter

Junior Cass Dobrowolski led the Chargers at the MSU Spartan Invitational in Lansing, Michigan, April 5-6, winning the high jump with a season best and NCAA DII provisional qualifying mark of 2.09 meters.

Junior Ross Kuhn placed second in the 800- meter, with a time of 1:57.35.

"For myself, even though the time I ran was far from spectacular, my execution of race strategy was perfect and it was also a confidence boost to beat two guys that beat me in the indoor mile at the conference meet and also a twotime2x national qualifier in the mile as well,” Kuhn said.

On the track, seniors Drew Ransom, Jamahl Burke, Owen Gardner, and Joseph Ritzer placed first in the 4x100 relay with a time of 42.69 seconds.

While Hillsdale secured the early advantage in doubles play, they lost momentum in the singles matches. The Timberwolves swept all six singles contests in straight sets. Notably Dannhauser, who competed in the No. 1 singles position, narrowly lost with scores of 7-5, 6-3. Playing at the No. 4 position, senior Helana Formentin conceded the match 3-6, 4-6.

“The good part of the match was that we did play incredible doubles and continued our streak of winning the doubles point which will be incredibly important as we move deeper into the season,” Rittel said.

The loss moves Hillsdale College to a 7-10 overall record, with a 4-1 record in G-MAC play. Looking ahead, the Chargers face a critical juncture in their season with two upcoming home matches against the remaining unbeaten teams in the G-MAC. They will play the defending G-MAC Champion, Findlay, on April 12, followed by the undefeated Tiffin University on April 13.

“Despite our loss this weekend against Northwood, I am really proud of the way we showed up to play,” Formentin said. “I am confident that if we see them again at the GMAC tournament we will be able to come out on top and win. The next few weeks will be focused on getting to that next level and preparing us for the last few weeks of the season.”

In the 5,000, sophomore Emil Schlueter placed thirteenth, running a PR with a

“As the weather continues to get better and better, we will see more and more time drops.”

time of 15:47.35. Senior Caleb Oser also ran a PR in the 5,000 placing fifteenth with a time of 15:51.89.

Ransom also placed third in the 100 with a time of 11.89s seconds, and second in the 200 with a time of 22.35 seconds. Ransom said the team is excited to compete and is ramping up for the big meets coming up.

"We had a great week of work, especially in the weight room and with recovery. It’s always great to see that strength transfer to the track. Similarly, our 4x100 handoffs are getting cleaner and I definitely attribute that to the work we did," Ransom said. Gardner also placed third in the 200 meters with a PR time of 22.96 seconds. Burke also placed third in the 400 meters with a season-best time of 49.93 seconds. Sophomore Colsen Conway placed fifth in the 100 meters with a time of 11.98 seconds. Sophomore Mark Masaka placed fourth in the 800 with a time of 1:57.50. Senior Sean Fagan won the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.53 seconds. Fagan also won the 400 hurdles with a season-best time of 55.8 seconds.

Men's Tennis

By Jamie Parsons Collegian Reporter

Senior Tyler Conrad made history for the men’s tennis team as he sets wins record during their victory over Northwood April 6.

The Chargers beat Northwood 6-1 on Saturday, remaining undefeated in G-MAC play, as Conrad broke the record for the most collegiate wins in Hillsdale College program history.

The Chargers lost the doubles point, with only the No. 2 doubles team Conrad and freshman Freshman Ellis Klanduch winning in a 6-2 match. Conrad’s victory marked the 122nd win of his career, breaking 2020 graduate Charlie Adam's win record.

“Everyone was very happy for Tyler,” head coach Keith Turner said. “They all know what a great accomplishment this was.”

Conrad said breaking the record was a semester-long goal.

“Breaking the record was very liberating,” Conrad said. “It took a lot of pressure off of me for the singles match.”

Trailing 1-0, the Chargers captured all six matches in the singles play to seize their fifth victory in the G-MAC. Sophomore Aiden Pack started singles play with a 6-2, 6-2, win at No. 1 singles. At No. 2 singles, Conrad won a 7-4 first-set tiebreak to claim a 7-6, 6-4 victory and his 123rd collegiate win. Conrad said his goal moving forward is to play well and support the team.

“Everyone’s spot is going to be very important for the rest of the season,” Conrad said. “Winning the conference tournament and making NCAA's again would be a very nice way to cap off my

"Training has pretty much been the same, with just a little more emphasis on race simulation. Coach had me work on my start and first half of the race the last couple of weeks and we could see it in the first 200m of the race as I got out a little better than usual," Meintjes said.

In the field, freshman Jackson Childress placed third in the discus with a mark of 42.99 meters. Freshman Ethan Dorrell placed fourth in the javelin throw with a mark of 49.22 meters. Junior Ben Haas placed fourth in the hammer throw with a mark of 61.59 meters. Junior Alfonso Garcia placed third in the triple jump with a mark of 13.34 meters.

"As the weather continues to get better and better, we will see more and more time drops! We are also very excited to host the GMAC championships at Hayden Park! The environment alone will help spur some great results," Kuhn said.

Hillsdale will send athletes to race out in California at the Bryan Clay Invitational in Azusa, California from April 11-13 and at the Long Beach State Invitational in Long Beach, California from April 12-13.

"We finally get to run outside, which we’ve missed, but the other part is the great energy and momentum we built up through our successes during the indoor season," Ransom said. Senior Benu Meintjes placed third in the 400 with a time of 49.93 seconds.

Conrad sets school record for most wins

“Winning the conference tournament and making NCAA's again would be a very nice way to cap off my career.”

career.”

The Chargers will host Findlay on Friday, April 12, and defending G-MAC champion Tiffin on Saturday, April 13. Hillsdale will be the

underdog in both matches, going up against the other two undefeated programs in the conference.

“We know that Tiffin and Findlay are our toughest competitors in the conference,” Turner said. “We have been playing very well. Hopefully, things come out in our favor.”

Freshman Pali Vician-Fletcher said he believes the Chargers can win both matches over the weekend, it is just a matter of if they can pull it off.

“The team has been working hard to accomplish our goal of winning every match and then the G-MAC,” Pali Vician-Fletcher said. “Having said that, this weekend is important because we are determined and capable of winning this weekend.”

Senior Shura Ermakov will race the 100 and 400 hurdles this weekend. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Senior Tyler Conrad broke the program record for the most wins. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Freshman Ané Dannhauser won her doubles match this week. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Ultimate frisbee club takes on national competition

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“I would play all that I could when the weather permitted.” When he returned to the college in 2011 as a faculty member, Gray said he played ultimate with students when he had time.

He was the club advisor from 2012-13 and then resumed the position again in 2021.

In 2022, he advised Allie Spaccarelli and Nick Akers, the club president and captain on marketing, financing, and advertising for the ultimate frisbee club when the informal club became a club sport.

“Allie Spaccarelli and the club leadership really wanted to become a club sport,” Gray said. “They really did a lot of the heavy lifting.”

The difference between be-

ing designated a club and a club sport is the level of formality associated with the title of club sport. A campus club can be athletic, academic, or hobbyist. When the ultimate frisbee team became a club sport in December 2022, they gained the ability to represent Hillsdale in competitions sanctioned by USA Ultimate, the governing body for collegiate ultimate frisbee. Hillsdale’s frisbee team made its competitive debut spring 2023, making it all the way to regionals, where they lost to Butler University – who would be the regional champion – by only one point.

Junior Gabriel Dobroszi has been part of the team since fall 2020 when he was still a high school student. Last year, he served as the club’s secretary and an unofficial strategy coordinator.

“I really wasn’t confident that we would be able to make it, but Nick really did it,” Dobroszi said. “Honestly, not the biggest achievement in the universe, but it was definitely unexpected for our team to jump straight into regionals and be pretty competitive as well.”

This year, Dobroszi serves as

club captain and leads the team along with club president senior Greg Moreno, club president. Dobroszi said the team is practicing an unorthodox strategy that he came up with, which incorporates a European-style offense instead of the usual US strategies.

He said he is hopeful to take the strategy to sectionals and regionals, maybe even nationals.

“The whole team is just coming together like never before,” Dobroszi said. “We’ve never played so well, enjoyed each other’s company so much, or become friends like this. They’re just doing it out of pure enjoyment and love for the sport themselves. It’s just showing its fruits.”

Not only is the team making strides in its sports development, but they are also building bonds with each other.

Dobroszi said that apart from ultimate frisbee, the team has gathers for movie nights, bowling, and to play disc golf.

“Being friends together, in general, creates a welcoming and friendly environment for the team,” Dobroszi said. “The frisbee team has become part of regular campus life for the members.”

Sophomore Madeline Blake said she had no experience playing ultimate frisbee with a team before joining the club as a freshman.

Blake is part of the 16 member travel team that participates in intercollegiate competitions. She said one of her favorite memories was of the team shopping for groceries together while at a tournament in Indianapolis. The team bought a copious amount of French bread that the team bought that weekend, according to Blake.

“I really enjoy the opportunity to be social and to build relationships with other people.” Blake said. “The community that I’ve formed, specifically with the ultimate frisbee team, has been really encouraging, not just competitively but also personally and relationally.”

The club draws individuals from all majors, Blake said, some of whom she doubts would have the opportunity to interact with outside of the club.

The team will host a scrimmage against Michigan State University on April 18 at the Hayden turf field.

Chargers prep for conference tourney after Purgatory Golf

By Thomas McKenna Sports Editor

The golf team finished midpack at the Ken Partridge Invitational in Noblesville, Indiana, as freshman Robert Thompson battled back from a rough first round to finish 36th individually.

“We had another tough first round that got us off to a bad start,” said head coach Matt Thompson. “The guys battled well after that. We will work hard the next ten days, and hopefully we can get off to a good start at G-MACs and put ourselves in a position to win.”

The Chargers tied for ninth out of 18 teams that competed at Purgatory Golf Club. Freshman Oliver Marshall played the best of all the Hillsdale golfers, shooting 74-71-75=220 and finishing 10th overall. Marshall also carded 38 pars, the second-most in the tournament.

“Personally, I felt like it was

Charger

What’s one thing about you people would not expect?

My dad is a detective.

What color should Dr. Arnn dye his hair?

Black. It would give him the edge he needs.

Did you ever get in trouble at school as a kid?

In second grade, I cut a girl's hair because it was so long it was landing on my desk. I cut it so it wouldn't be in my space anymore.

Worst Easter candy?

Robin Eggs.

a solid tournament,” Marshall said. “It wasn’t anything crazy good. It wasn’t crazy bad. There’s some room for improvement, but I’m not super unhappy with how I played.”

Freshman Ryan O’Rourke shot 75-75-74=224, as the upperclassmen finished behind. Sophomore Max Burns carded 83-73-82=238 and senior Will Verduzco scored 83-81-80=244.

Purgatory Golf Club is known for its tough conditions, including its wide open design that can leave players susceptible to high winds.

“The first round was definitely the toughest conditions-wise,” Marshall said. “It was super windy, and there was a little bit of rain, too. But I had a pretty good round going for most of it and just had a couple of bad holes at the end of it that made me shoot 74, but I feel like I probably played the best that day.”

Thompson shot 85 in the first

round and carded 70 and 71 in his last two rounds.

“The whole spring’s been kind of rough,” he said.

Thompson tied for 80th out of 90 golfers in the Chargers’ last tournament, the Findlay Spring Invite in Richmond, Kentucky. After some practice strokes following a rough first-round performance, Thompson turned his game around.

“On the second day, I kind of just went back to trying to swing and not really think about anything,” Thompson said. “I did that all of the second and third rounds — didn't really think, just kind of whacking the ball around. It worked pretty well. And then I started making a lot of pots. I wasn't really putting well before.”

Thompson said a mindset shift pulled him out of the slump.

“I think before I was just too tense because I was thinking about too many things,”

Thompson said. “I was making tense swings, the ball was kind of going everywhere. So when I loosened up, I just felt like I could play well again.”

The team will play in the G-MAC Championships on April 22-24 in Owensboro, Kentucky. To qualify for the DII Central/Midwest Super Regional, the Chargers must finish in at least the top three teams. Thompson said the team will probably need to come in first to secure a spot.

“We all know we have to win conferences to go to regionals,” Thompson said. Verduzco said the team has to turn its focus away from the past few tournaments and to the conference competition.

“All we can do is focus on our preparation this next week and a half and let the chips fall as they may at conferences,” Verduzco said.

What is your best hot take?

Jeans are more comfortable than joggers.

What is the best thing since sliced bread?

Anything peanut butter.

What is your best Hillsdale softball memory?

This past year, our bus actually caught on fire. It was right below my seat. We had to walk down the side of a highway. Then police officers picked us up, and I rode in the back of the cop car with one of my best friends to the hotel.

Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Malia Thibado Collegian Reporter

Once an informal friend group that played together, the Hillsdale ultimate frisbee club now represents the college in national tournaments as an organized sports club team. Ultimate frisbee is

team sport

combines

from American football, soccer, and basketball but

disc

of

ball.

the disc among

to

opponent’s end-zone. According to Bill Gray, an ‘01 alum and the club’s faculty advisor, Hillsdale has had informal ultimate frisbee clubs at least since his first year as a student in ‘97. “We would have games of 20 people on the side, all grades, ages, male or female,” Gray said.

Senior Greg Moreno is president of Hillsdale's ultimate frisbee club. Courtesy | Instagram

Freshman Robert Thompson shot 71-70 in his last two rounds. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Charger Sports

Hillsdale sweeps Tiffin and

By Ellie Fromm Collegian Reporter

The softball team won five of six games last week, sweeping two games from the Tiffin University Dragons and Thomas More University Saints and splitting a pair of games against the Cedarville University Yellow Jackets.

Yesterday, the Chargers played a doubleheader against the Dragons, winning 6-2 and 3-0.

On Saturday, the Chargers split with the Yellow Jackets, losing 2-0 in the first game and winning 8-3 in the second game. Sunday, they defeated the Saints 3-1 and 10-1. Coach Kyle Gross said the Chargers performed well over the weekend despite facing a tough Yellow Jacket defense. According to Gross, Cedarville’s pitching made the first game difficult for the Chargers.

“Cedarville’s number one pitcher is really good,” Gross said. “We’ve split with them all five years I’ve been here. We have beat that pitcher one other time, but she’s just a tough pitcher and you know you’re not going to score a lot of runs.”

However, on Sunday the Chargers dominated the Saints. Junior Hannah Hoverman contributed to the team’s intensity and determination.

“We turned up the intensity in the second game,” Hoverman said. “We knew we had to walk away from the weekend with a positive side of having three out of four wins. We had to dig in and really get after it in the offense, and we did.”

Gross agreed, adding that the weather played a significant factor in the first game but did not interfere much in the second game.

“In the first game we had some big hits that were really knocked on by the wind,” Gross said. “It was a windy day and the second game the wind didn’t play as much of a factor. However, we still felt we were in control in the first game.”

All three teams over the weekend participated in the Go 4 The Goal initiative, which seeks to bring awareness and support to pediatric cancer research. The players from the three teams wore gold laces to bring awareness, and $4 out of

every $5 spent on the laces was donated to the charity, according to Gross.

“The crowd at the games was huge, it was good recognition for the cancer research,” Gross said.

Yesterday the Chargers won both games against the Dragons. Sophomore Taylor Lewis said she believes the team performed well together in these games and made the proper adjustments when necessary.

“Our pitchers threw really well and we had a solid defense to back them up,” Lewis said. “We also adjusted to Tif-

fin’s pitching and had strong at-bats.”

This coming weekend, the Chargers will hit the road to play the Ashland University Eagles on Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and the Ohio Dominican University Panthers at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m..

Gross said this is an important weekend for the Chargers because they are set to play the Panthers. Currently, the Chargers and the Panthers are closely ranked in conference and regional play.

“Ohio Dominican is pretty much our rival,” Gross said. “It’s

going to come down to two big games on Sunday. Right now we’re right behind them in the conference standings and regional rankings, so it’s going to be a huge weekend for us to see who comes out on top.” Lewis agreed with Gross and said the team is focusing on their mental preparation for each game.

“Ohio Dominican University is a really big game, but we have been focusing on taking it one game at a time,” Lewis said. “We’ve been working on our mentality during at-bats and staying sharp on the field.”

and brought three runners home in the top of the fifth, Tenuta hit a two-run single, and freshman Will Millard hit an RBI single in the top of the sixth.

Overall, Hillsdale scored 20 runs on 13 hits due to three home runs and 18 free bases from Lake Erie’s pitching mistakes.

Junior Tommy MacLean pitched just over five innings with four strikeouts and three walks. Senior Brendan Pochmara pitched in relief, striking out one and walking two.

On Saturday, Hillsdale lost 7-9 in the bottom of the 10th after Lake Erie made three runs and walked off.

Hillsdale started strong with Hardenbergh hitting a three-run home run, and senior Jaekob Sallee and Shannon adding two RBI triples Lake Erie tied the game in the bottom of the eighth

inning causing the extra innings, then hit a three-runhome run, winning the game.

“We were able to play more complete baseball this weekend. It made for a great

bus ride

In Sunday’s doubleheader, the Chargers defeated the Storm 3-0 and 6-3 with the Charger’s pitching staff holding Lake Erie to three hits in both games.

Freshman starter Daniel Higdon pitched six scoreless innings, striking out eight and walking four players.

Freshman Logan McLaughlin pitched a scoreless seventh inning, and the Chargers shut out Lake Erie 3-0.

In Sunday’s second game, the Chargers took the lead early and again dominated the field in pitching.

Senior Paul Brophy led the Chargers in pitching with three strikes, four walks, and only two runs in four innings. Junior Brandon Scott pitched three innings of relief, striking out two, and only allowing two hits and one run. Shannon hit two doubles, Millard hit two singles, and

Passinault also hit two singles. “Our defense was really good,” Passinault said. “It was a great win.”

The Charger’s victories brought their overall score to 12-18 and G-MAC score to 7-9. “We were able to play more complete baseball this weekend,” Hardenbergh said. “It made for a great bus ride back.” The Charger’s next six games will be home at TFO Partners Field at Lenda and Glenda Hill Stadium.

back.”

Junior Brandon Scott has 12 strikeouts this season. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Junior Joni Russell has 168 strikeouts this season. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Sophomore Danny Passinault has hit five doubles this season. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

C U L T U R E

Students share unconventional workout inspiration

By Emma Verrigni Collegian Reporter

Fitness and consistency are crucial to a well-lived life, but not everyone takes advantage of the benefits of working, some Hilsdale gym goers say.

Sophomore Jihye Kim said staying fit is essential to longevity and even extends to spiritual life.

“If you want to be around and see your grandkids, be a useful member of society, and be able to share the gospel with other people, you have to be able to walk around and be mentally cognizant,” Kim said.

Kim said she began taking

working out more seriously her freshman year of college. “I have learned a lot about fitness, such as nutrition, CrossFit, lifting weights, and calisthenics,” Kim said. Working out intersects with her interest in military leadership and her involvement in the Marines PLC program, Kim said.

“I joined the Marines PLC program as a freshman because the Marines were at the Source,” Kim said. “We don’t have mandatory meetings, and we have to manage our own workout schedules.”

Kim said she often recognizes the people she sees at the gym around campus, in -

cluding professors. “I see a lot of gym bros around campus, and I don’t know some of their names, but we recognize one another,” Kim said. “I even met professors through the Founders Gym, like Dr. Mumme and Dr. Yost. Those guys are ripped.”

Kim said she enjoys the amount of available gym equipment, especially compared to where she grew up in West Africa.

“We didn’t really have a gym there, so I usually just did calisthenics,” Kim said. “When I came to America, my eyes were opened to all the gyms all the equipment, and

all the steel. I was like, ‘This is amazing.’” Sophomore Preston Brumley said Hillsdale College lacks a gym culture because few people prioritize going to the gym and instead focus on academics.

“People here are super intellectual,” Brumley said. “The excuse I hear a lot is, ‘I don’t have time.’ I think people think that you can’t have both academics and fitness.” Brumley said many of his friends work out, but they often do so separately, occasionally doing challenges together. Brumley, who recently became the new vice president of the powerlifting club, said

down, the sexual undertones quickly become overtones in hindsight.

Since Schneider’s exodus from the network in 2018, his workplace conduct has been called into question by former employees and the children he worked with. On one end of the spectrum is his underpaying of female employees. On the other is enabling the sexual assault of child actors like Drake Bell,

he hopes to introduce more frequent exercise sessions.

“I would like to do regular things throughout the year, so maybe a weekly workout or something,” Brumley said.

Graduate student Christian Warner said many Hillsdale graduate students work out.

“I would definitely say that there has been more of a push for working out and weightlifting,” Warner said.

Warner said the push to work out, particularly among some graduate students, had some political motivations.

“I think it started especially in reaction to the COVID response, which was stay indoors, don’t go outside, and

wear a mask,” Warner said. “People really started to question the medical industrial complex, and even their doctors. So people have started lifting, taking care of their health, and have gotten more of an awareness of preventive medicine.”

Warner said gym culture relates to Hillsdale’s classical emphasis.

“I would definitely say that gym culture and working out have roots in the Western tradition,” Warner said. “Socrates has a very nice quote, ‘It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.’”

who described his abuse by pedophile Brian Peck as “the worst stuff that someone could do to somebody as a sexual assault.”

and abuse. The new five-part docuseries “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” adds a haunting and eerily unsurprising element to this recipe — Nickelodeon’s abuse of children.

Aired by Investigation Discovery in early March, “Quiet on Set” focuses on the inap -

propriate conduct of producer Dan Schneider (“All That,” “The Amanda Show,” “Drake & Josh,” “iCarly,” etc.) and two convicted sex offenders: acting coach Brian Peck and production assistant Jason Handy.

Since its airing and subsequent release on platforms like Max and Discovery+, the docuseries has become the most-viewed unscripted Max show since the platform’s release last year.

Producers Mary Robertson and Emma Schwartz

embarked on this documentary journey after noticing compilations of clips online from old Nickelodeon shows that were sexual in nature. The series cycles between first-person accounts from child actors, executives, and parents as well as b-roll of the scenes called into question.

Whether it’s the “Zoey 101” scene of slime being shot into prepubescent Jamie Lynn Spears’ face or clips featuring Ariana Grande of “Victorious” pouring water onto her chest and face while upside

“On one end of the spectrum is his underpaying of female employees. On the other is enabling the sexual assault of child actors.”

Bell’s involvement in the documentary is poignant, considering his own sexual transgressions that came to light in 2021 when he pled guilty to child endangerment and a misdemeanor of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. His accuser claims Bell groomed her between the ages of 12-15. But despite pleading guilty, Bell continues to claim he is innocent online and says he cut ties with the girl once he realized she was a minor.

Bell appeared on DearMedia’s “Not Skinny But Not Fat” podcast after the release of “Quiet on Set” and claimed that the only reason he pleaded guilty was because he was financially devastated and didn’t want to put his family through further legal trials. Regardless of his current claims, Bell was sentenced to two years of probation and 200 hours of community service in a Cleveland court in July 2021. “Quiet on Set” highlights the expansive, lasting effects

“‘Quiet on Set’ highlights the expansive, lasting effects childhood abuse has.”

childhood abuse has: obliterating familial relationships, solidifying the abuse via digital footprint, and contributing to the well-known cycle of victims becoming abusers themselves.

It’s a step forward in examining the consequences of childhood stardom — a phenomenon many intuitively know is detrimental, but few whose full impact suffer. “Quiet on Set” cracks open a Pandora’s box of abuse in children’s entertainment.

Hillsdale LIFT hosted a hot pilates class in March. Courtesy | Adelle May

Some Hillsdale

Investigation Discovery’s “Quiet on Set” docuseries helps expose Nickelodeon’s abuse of children. Courtesy | Forbes

Members of the Hillsdale Powerlifting Club placed at the top of a competition last year. Courtesy | Instagram

C U L T U R E

Chill hell week’s heat: enjoy campus’ study spot collection

By

Looking to add some variety to your study habits? Try finding a new study spot. As finals week approaches, students around campus share

Lizzy

their opinions on the best places to study on campus.

Junior Caitlin Filip said she prefers to study outside when the weather permits, but she also enjoys studying in the Howard Music Hall lobby. According to Filip, the ongoing

music lessons provide a pleasant atmosphere for studying. “Part of the reason I like it — and this is maybe exposing my status as a junior — but the couches are really comfortable, so if you need to take a quick nap between study

breaks, it’s ideal,” Filip said.

Sophomore Zelda Gilbert said Kendall 232 is the best study spot on campus.

“I think it’s pretty obviously the Classics room,” Gilbert said. “The lighting is right so that you don’t fall asleep and the spacing is right so that you can have a bunch of people in there without it feeling crowded or too sterile, which is what you get when you go to classrooms on the fourth floor of Kendall. And it’s warm enough that you’re not freezing and cold enough that you don’t fall asleep. And there’s food.”

Gilbert said the Heritage Room is too comfortable for her to be productive.

“While it’s nice to be in, it’s nice for sleeping in, not particularly for studying,” Gilbert said.

Freshman Ellery Toman said she enjoys reading aloud outside when the weather permits. Toman said she likes to study in the Heritage Room because it is less distracting than other areas of the library. Students have nicknamed the

library’s three levels Heaven, Purgatory, and Hell after Dante’s “Divine Comedy.”

“I don’t fall asleep there any more than I fall asleep anywhere else,” Toman said. “I love studying in the Heritage Room because it’s quiet and it’s truly quiet, not like Heaven and Purgatory. And the dark atmosphere and the beautiful decorations make me more excited to focus on studying.”

According to Filip, she enjoys studying with company occasionally, but not all the time.

“Studying with other people can be fun if you’re doing lowkey work and you can talk with them in between breaks,” Filip said. “It can also be good to provide ambient conversational noise when you need to focus or when you just need the vibe of people around you while you’re doing something very intense.” Gilbert said studying in a group can be enjoyable but it comes with downsides.

“It’s extremely fun,” Gilbert said. “It’ll probably expand

your brain, but it might not up your grade.”

Filip said that she prefers to write essays on the second floor of Mossey Library.

“Purg. Definitely Purg,” Filip said. “Table in the stacks — there’s something peaceful and secure about being between the bookshelves.”

Gilbert said writing essays in Purgatory and Hell was useful for high-pressure papers, but she did not find it helpful for producing good work.

“Writing papers in Hell works if you have three pages left and two hours,” Gilbert said. “It doesn’t really work if you want a good essay. It’s good for study breaks though. It wakes you up.”

According to Toman, the Heritage Room works perfectly well for her essays. But she said there is a limit to how much work one should do.

“Don’t study too much,” Toman said. “It’s not worth it.”

McAlpine’s getting ‘Older,’ her music is getting better

By Jillian Parks D.C. Correspondent

“Can we stay like this forever? Can we be here in this room ’til we die?”

These lyrics from “The Elevator,” the first track on Lizzy McAlpine’s newest album, “Older,” encapsulate the futile resistance 20-somethings often feel toward growing up and moving on from love that has ended or is bound to. It’s not just the first track though; every song on this album packs a profound and painful punch into short, simple lines.

Following the success of her second studio album “five seconds flat,” featuring the song “ceilings,” which has almost half a billion listens on Spotify, more eyes than ever watched this release.

McAlpine has been transparent over the past couple of years about the miserable experience of touring and the pressure of being in the public eye — pressure that only seems to propel her deeper into lyrical vulnerability. McAlpine explained in an interview with Zach Sang that the album is meant to take the listener through a previous relationship of hers that was only official for a month before it spiraled into a fouryear-long, on-and-off “situationship.” Many of the songs, however, are not solely about that romantic relationship. McAlpine also wrestles with themes of guilt, regret, resignation, substance abuse, and the passage of time, connected in a viscerally relatable set of songs for anyone who has ever loved someone they probably

should not have. “Older” and “I Guess” — the two singles she released in anticipation of the album — paint a bigger picture of the lifelong cycle of trying and being disappointed and starting over again while the un-

stoppable sands of time pass through the hourglass.

Most of the songs are two to four minutes long, saying what needs to be said and letting the song end, rather than dragging it out or repeating the chorus six times. Even the

songs that do air more on the repetitive side, such as “Come Down Soon” and “You Forced Me To,” come across as substantive, complete works. That said, listeners will likely have to keep the songs on repeat for a while to really hear what McAlpine is trying to say.

The album’s orchestration, led by Mason Stoops and a group McAlpine said she “stole” from singer Ryan Beatty, perfectly underscores the album’s lyrical depth. Songs like “Vortex” are intimate and musically simple with lyrics that tell a heartbreaking story all on their own.

“All Falls Down” provides an ironically upbeat, almost groovy backing to a song about the biting acceptance that comes with everything going wrong. “Broken Glass,” similar to the style of her song

“firearm” off her second studio album, features an epic, almost cinematic bridge that completely changes the vibe of the song. With the right amount of emotional investment, listeners can expect their hearts to swell and slow with the instrumentation, in typical McAlpine fashion. This is the slowest, saddest, and rawest we’ve seen McAlpine, and, three years in the making, it is truly a work of art. While, conceptually, the album laments change, it is consistent with the quality of work that fans expect from her. I wager there are two major takeaways from “Older:” time moves relentlessly and, as long as it does, Lizzy McAlpine will have something thoughtful to say about it.

‘Ordinary Angels’: not just another Christian movie

By Christina Lewis Collegian Reporter

Little butterfly. That’s what Theresa called her daughter, Michelle, when she was born. Now, a fiveyear-old battling for her life, Michelle has the same rare liver disease that her mother died from. Will this disease take Michelle, too?

For some, “Ordinary Angels,” released Feb. 23, may come across as yet another predictable faith-based inspirational movie put out by the Christian media industry. But for tired college students in need of a break from the business of studies, this movie will serve as a reminder to take time for what truly matters in life.

Directed by Joe Gunn, the writer of “Jesus Revolution,” “Ordinary Angels” tells the true story of Sharon (Hilary Swank), a hairdresser and alcoholic who struggles to break away from her cycle of drinking.

Sharon’s friend and co-worker, Rosie, takes Sha -

ron to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. There, Sharon hears from a man that she must find a purpose greater than herself to focus on if she wants to be freed from her addiction.

After learning about Michelle’s story, Sharon goes to the memorial service of Michelle’s mom. When Sharon sees Michelle, she is overcome with compassion for the little girl. Since Sharon did not grow up with a present mom and wasn’t there for her own son either, she wants to be fully present in the little girl’s life by loving Michelle as her own. Sharon takes it upon herself to raise money for Michelle’s treatments, working with Michelle’s dad, Ed, (Alan Ritchson), to pay back the overdue hospital bills. Sharon’s strong will and determination make it so she does not take no as an answer from anybody.

In an exclusive interview on Movieguide, Gunn described his thought process behind choosing a name for the movie.

The original name of the

movie was “Angels,” but Gunn changed it to “Ordinary Angels” because he wanted to emphasize that people can change the lives of those around them for the better. People’s status and net worth don’t matter when it comes to helping others around them.

Throughout the film, Sharon goes above and beyond to help Michelle’s family pay back their debts. They negotiate with hospital administration and seek benefactors who can help Michelle get to the hospital in time for her liver transplant.

Through its use of powerful imagery, this movie emphasizes the importance of helping those who you may not even know.

“I love that it’s a reminder of the time when neighbors take care of neighbors regardless of political affiliation or beliefs,” Gunn said.

At the film’s climax, Michelle needs to be taken to the hospital to undergo a liver transplant. The only problem is that one of the biggest snowstorms in Kentucky

swept over the state the day of the transplant. Sharon works her magic and manages to get hold of a pilot who can fly his helicopter in the storm to come pick up Michelle.

The only problem is that he cannot see the landing sight because of the white snow. So the townspeople come together to lay out their jackets and coats to create a visible landing pad. As the helicopter descends, the coats start to fly in the air — mirroring the image of butterflies taking flight.

When Michelle was born, her mother called her ‘butterfly.’ Throughout the movie, butterflies are used as a symbol to portray just how freeing and lovely it can be to come together as one community rooted in love and care for each other.

“Ordinary Angels” is a reminder to reevaluate your priorities in life. Amid momentary worries and stress, this movie underscores the importance of building meaningful relationships with the people around you. It serves as a reminder that such rela-

Pop artist Lizzy McAlpine released her album “Older” in February. Courtesy | Variety

Zachary Chen Collegian Reporter

Some students said they like writing essays in the Heritage Room while others say they fall asleep in the dim lighting. Courtesy | Hillsdale College

Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson star in the film. Courtesy | Ordinary Angels

FEATURES

Campus likes ‘Truman and Claire like people’

By Caroline Kurt Assistant Editor

With questions like “Who do you love the least?”, “Favorite fundie?”, and “Worst grade you’ve received at Hillsdale?”, Greeks, athletes, and fundies overcome their differences on a new radio show that features the sects and stereotypes of campus Airing on the radio every Tuesday, “Truman and Claire Like People” features a different guest every week. Recent guests have included juniors Kaeleigh Otting, seniors Christopher Dick, and alumnus Nathan Bly ’23. Its hosts, seniors Claire Gaudet and Truman Kjos, are relatively new to the radio world.

“I’ve done guest spots on the ‘Collegian Week in Review,’ but that’s about it,” Gaudet said. Kjos did a show in the spring of 2022 and the fall of 2023, discussing historic NFL seasons called “Story of a Season.”

The idea for “Truman and Claire Like People” emerged from a film and production club meeting.

“Originally, we were talking about a show where we talked about movies,” Gaudet said. “We scrapped that idea.” Truman and Kjos instead discovered a common interest in people.

“We both know a lot of weird corners of campus. What if we just talked to some people? It was all very quick after that,” Gaudet said.

According to Gaudet and Kjos, one of the strengths of the show is their nonidentical social circles. “Truman and I are different enough people,” Gaudet said. “So we have different enough friends on campus, but we also intersect in a lot of ways.”

for your radio show,’” Kjos said. Every one of their guests has their own brand of humor, Gaudet and Kjos said, from dry to offbeat to traditionally funny.

mal setting of a radio show is more difficult.”

Hinrichs said various people on campus have referenced different funny moments from his episode on the podcast.

Sociology forges a close community

By Gemma Flores Collegian Freelancer

With only two faculty members, sociology is one of the smallest departments at Hillsdale. What the department lacks in size, however, it makes up for in passion.

Many students learn the basics of sociology in Sociology 101: Understanding Society and Culture. The class covers a range of sociological studies, giving students an interdisciplinary view of the subject. The department has much more to offer than the introductory course, however.

ing the Hillsdale faculty in 1992.

“I was sort of expected to redo the program,” Blum said.

He sought to emphasize the more theoretical side of the subject, thus making the program more interdisciplinary.

The interdisciplinary nature of the sociology department at Hillsdale is what initially attracted junior Sarah Rands to the program.

Rands said she enjoyed analyzing various perspectives in her Sociology 101 class, allowing her to better defend her viewpoints.

“That was what drew me to it because I could formulate and I could say ‘OK, I have these beliefs, and here’s why I have these beliefs.’”

“They’re very good at being interested in every part of campus, every microbiome.”

Unlike some radio shows that appeal to more niche interests, Gaudet and Kjos hoped to create a program that could interest most of campus.

“I think we chose to do something so broad it couldn’t fail,” Gaudet said. “I’ve been shocked at how many people have listened to the show. I’ve had people I’ve never met before in my life come up to me and talk to me about it.”

Kjos said he was expecting a few more people to listen to the show but has still gotten a positive response.

“Dr. Bart came up to me in A.J.’s one time and was saying, ‘Use a different bleeping sound

As Gaudet and Kjos’s second-ever guest, senior Benjamin Hinrichs said he didn’t know much about the show before he was invited on it. According to Hinrichs, Gaudet’s and Kjos’ manner reminds him of Nardwuar, a Canadian celebrity journalist and musician with an eccentric interview style.

“They’ve done such intense research about people that they’ll be able to bring up stuff that happened—or didn’t happen—two years ago,” Hinrichs said. “It was fun how much work they put into the questions.”

Hinrichs said Gaudet and Kjos both maintain their fun, easy-going personalities even behind the microphone.

“They’re very easy to have a conversation with, and I already knew that as friends,” Hinrichs said. “But being able to transfer that in a more for-

“I feel like a decent amount of people listen to it,” Hinrichs said. “They’re growing a loyal and dedicated follower base.”

Hinrichs said his favorite episode of the show is its first, in which Gaudet and Kjos interviewed senior Michael Bachman about his legendary Saga interaction with senior Mary Ann Powers.

Junior Daniel Molter, a friend of Gaudet, said he was excited when she invited him as a guest. According to Molter, the podcast both challenges and mocks the fragmentalization of campus culture.

“They make it very clear that they’re very interested in learning about and tying together all these different sects at Hillsdale,” Molter said. “It’s especially helpful that they’re seniors because they realize that the compartmentalization of an already really small campus is kind of silly.”

Molter said the show invites students to lay aside their assumptions about one another. “We feed on it too much,” Molter said. “They’re very good at being interested in every part of campus, every microbiome.”

Adopt-a-grandparent: GOAL serves medical care facility

By Lauren Bixler Collegian Reporter

Many students at College Baptist experience an “adoption” into a local family in the transition from home to college life, but the GOAL Adopt-a-Grandparent program allows college students to adopt adults.

“Get a grandparent. Invest in someone who is far older and wiser than yourself. Oftentimes they’re lonely or don’t have many people to talk to, and we can learn a lot from older generations,” junior Christian Manna said.

The Adopt-a-Grandparent GOAL program partners with the Hillsdale County Medical Care Facility, HCMCF, to facilitate weekly meetings between students and elderly residents

building community through relationships.

Harrison Layman, a junior and current leader of the Adopt-a-Grandparent program, resurrected the program after its decline from the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

“In my two years running the program, a lot of my focus and energy has gone into reviving Adopt-A-Grandparent’s original relationally focused mission,” Layman said. “It took a little while to rebuild a base of regular volunteers after COVID-19 restrictions, but this semester over 20 students meet every week with residents of the HCMCF.”

In addition to individual gatherings, the Adopt-a-Grandparent program also participates in HCMCF events. Since 2022 the program began hosting a swing dance for the residents

in the Fall, which draws a large crowd from the facility, Layman said.

“Now they’ve asked us to come to a prom they’re doing on April 16,” Layman said.

“It is probably my favorite Adopt-A-Grandparent event of the year. There’s nothing like watching the residents light up as they watch people dance to the big band music of their generation.”

Manna has shared the past two years with her adopted grandma, Eve.

“I’ve loved bringing my family to meet Eve, and letting those people important to me get to know each other,” Manna said.

“One of my favorites is when I brought my gecko to show her. He ended up quite liking her, choosing to sit on her shoulder for most of the visit.”

Once she began volunteering with the program, Manna said she wanted to prioritize time with Eve.

“Once you start I don’t see how you can stop because you’re building a relationship with a person, which is something you can’t just walk away from, Manna said.“It brings both of us joy. She looks forward to my visits every week, so of course I keep participating.”

Grady Stevenson, a sophomore and volunteer in the program, said he recommends this program for others.

“I think others should get involved in the program because it’s a wonderful opportunity to brighten the day of some lovely elderly people who could really use a friend,” Stevenson said.

For junior Katherine Miller, the small size of the department is a blessing since it has allowed her to seek one-on-one guidance with Professor of Sociology and Culture Peter Blum, the head of the department.

“Because the department is so small, there’s that connection with your professors that’s a lot more present than in your other core classes and your other major classes,” Miller said. “The little moments that I really enjoy are before class starts, and we’re just talking with Dr. Blum about things and just joking around. That’s always super fun.”

Miller took Sociology 101 in the fall semester of her freshman year to satisfy a requirement for the core. Initially, she admits, she found the class overwhelming.

“I was getting used to Hillsdale and it was just a lot of information.” she said of the class, “But it really did pique my interest.”

During the spring, Miller noticed that she got excited any time a sociological topic would come up in another class.

“I realized at that point that I wanted to try taking more sociology classes,” she said.

Eventually, Miller declared a double major in sociology and English.

Hillsdale began offering classes in sociology in the 1890s at a time when it was uncommon for small, liberal arts colleges to teach the subject, according to Christoper Robertson, visiting assistant professor of social science.

“It was about as good as it gets, and about as mainstream as it gets among small liberal arts colleges,” Robertson said.

Blum received his doctorate from the University of Notre Dame before join-

Rands also appreciated the flexibility of the sociology major which allowed her to take any subject without many prerequisites. This helped her specialize in her area of study quickly.

“When you commit to a major or a minor, you’re committed to all of the really basic core classes too,” Rands said. “This was a way to kind of bypass that for me personally.”

After graduation, Rands hopes to go to law school and work to defend victims of human trafficking. She said the critical thinking and research skills she has gained from her time in the sociology department have prepared her well.

Robertson encouraged students interested in sociology to take classes with the department.

“Don’t be afraid of sociology, and don’t believe the rumors,” Robertson said, joking that many people believe sociology is a liberal field. “Give it a shot!”

Both Robertson and Blum said they are passionate about the subject and their students. While they understand the hesitancy some students have about sociology, they want to emphasize the positive effects of the subject.

“It encourages curiosity, empathy, and a willingness to take seriously the views of folks you like, folks you don’t like ones you know, ones you don’t know, the weirdos, the normal people, and everyone in between,” Robertson said, “I think the world probably needs a bit more of that these days.”

Kjos and Gaudet argue over who is the better host. Michael Bachmann | Collegian

FEATURES

Decades worth of local history at risk

The Mitchell Research Center is facing financial hardships, but one woman remains determined

By Ameera Wilson Collegian Reporter

The air smells of dust and old books — reminiscent of bookshops tucked in the corners of big cities. Although originally part of the Hillsdale library, the old home, built in 1868 on 22 N. Manning street, was officially named the Mitchell Research Center in the 1970s.

Local and family history has been collected there for decades, available to anyone who knows to ask. Run by the Friends of the Mitchell Research Center group, the center holds census records, genealogies, newspapers, and history books. But the future of the center is uncertain.

According to Carol Lackey, the Mitchell Research Center, a nonprofit, running on donations and volunteers, is struggling.

“The city either wants to find a more viable way to fund and maintain the center or possibly sell it,” city manager David Mackie said. “We’re still working on a solution to the issue.”

There already has been some progress with the lease extended for the Friends of the Mitchell Research Center to six months from the end of the year.

Growing up in Hillsdale meant the Mitchell Research Center was a part of Lackey’s childhood.

“As a kid I came here. My neighborhood teacher picked up everybody in the neighborhood. It was before seat belts, so she just piled everybody in the car and brought us in here all the time,” she said. “We all met upstairs and learned to read and write and this is what was important. And there was

“We depend on volunteers and they tend to be older volunteers,” Lackey said. “And they don’t always survive,” The center is also facing funding issues and risks being sold.

this water fountain, and it was thecoolest in town.”

The house holds memories, but also history, with facts and genealogies and newspapers filling rooms and shelves.

But not every original building is able to be renovated. Many of them no longer exist.

By Sophia Mandt Collegian Reporter

In this Quick Hits, Visiting Lecturer in Biology Angelica Pytel talks Corgis, Scrabble, and her love of nature.

What is your favorite animal?

Domestic animal — dogs, especially corgis. We have bred dogs to be our companions, and they live up to the standard we have set. Wild animal — squirrels, because they are silly and everywhere.

What made you interested in studying Biology?

As a young girl, my father fostered a love for nature in me. It is all I have ever wanted to do except for a few years I wanted to be a librarian. But my mom pointed out that I was too loud. I tease her all the time about it, but she was correct.

If you could meet any famous person, living or dead, who would you meet?

Any of my great-great-greatgreat-great grandmothers. I think five greats would guarantee a grandmother from another continent. I would want

to know what life was like for her. Her struggles. Her joys. Any advice on living a good life.

What is your favorite thing to do in your free time?

What I do most is read. What I love doing is playing Scrabble with my husband, Jason.

What is a guilty pleasure you have?

Playing a certain farming game on my phone.

What is your favorite childhood memory? I would share a memory not of a particular event but a more general happening. Every winter when it was cold enough for long enough, my dad would plow an ice skating ring around the pond. I would stare out the window in winter waiting to go ice skating.

If you could have any superpower, which would you choose?

Powers can quickly become a curse. So this is tricky. It is like making a wish with a Djinn. Infinite memory with selective forgetting.

“We have collected this. The gathering of information has been going on for over 100 years,” Lackey said. Lackey has been a counselor, a bank worker, and a real estate broker. But it is in the dust and wood that she found her calling. “I am a real estate broker,” Lackeys said, “but my love is old buildings.” She has renovated several buildings downtown, even finishing her last project following heart surgery.

“These streets were full of buildings. They need old buildings, but now they are parking lots,” she said. “And I have an issue with that.”

ing lot. The Gridley home became a car dealership and then a parking lot.

ly Hillsdale College folks who don’t have the early ties here,” Lackey said.

There are old pictures, framed and sitting in the upper rooms of the building, with faded ink that list the names. An old funeral home became a used car lot.

“Some people just say, ‘So what?’ But I don’t want to see this woodwork gone,” she said. “To me it’s gorgeous and who really wants it torn down?”

Lackey said most people are apathetic to the leveling of old buildings.

Professor of Political Economy Gary Wolfram, who serves on the city council, said his college connection does not make a difference in his council experience.

“There are some buildings in town that need attention, and just to look the other way and tear them down is sad.”

12 N. Manning St. was an old home torn down for a car dealership.

50 N. Manning St., the Cook and Stewart home, was torn down to make a city parking lot.

The Underwood and Lyons home became yet another park-

“There are some buildings in town that need attention, and just to look the other way and tear them down is sad,” she said. “But people don’t agree with me and financially it’s difficult.”

Lackey said she fears for the future of the center.

“Being shut down is a constant fear. The majority of the council folks didn’t grow up here and don’t have this near and dear to their heart,” Lackey said.

And that seems to be the crux of the issue.

“The people that are on the city commission are basical-

“I would say that my relationship as a professor at Hillsdale College since 1989 has not had very much effect on my experience as a city council member,” Wolfram said. “No one at the college has ever asked me to vote in a certain way on any topic nor.”

Lackey said she cares about this town, about its history, and she wants for others to care too.

On her business card, a small plastic magnet, the words read, “Every home has a history, all its own!”

Every home has a history, but many don’t have a future. And it is both the history and the future that Lackey is trying to save.

QUICK HITS with Angelica Pytel

Do you have a favorite philosopher? If so, who?

I enjoy reading Michael Ruse, living, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, not living.

If you could take any class at Hillsdale, which class would you choose?

I have already sat in on several courses: Phenomenology and Continental Philosophy with Dr. Blum; Advanced Cell Biology with Dr. Steiner; Calculus II with Dr. Webster; Statistical Learning with Dr. Treloar. In addition I would love to find the time to sit in on any course with Dr. Fredricks. I need to work on building any relationship with poetry.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you travel?

Can I say every country in Asia? I would go to every country if I had unlimited time and funds.

What's something a Hillsdale student should know?

Your happiness matters. Be kind to others and yourself.

Pytel working in the Little Mansitee River in Luther, Michigan, in 2012. Courtesy | Angelica Pytel

Carol Lackey proudly stands guard at the Mitchell Research Center. Ameera Wilson | Collegian