QUICK HITS with Rebekah Dell

background,” Curtis said. “That brief introduction to the story inspired a student last year to do a documentary film, and then for Natalie to make the display.”

The cargo ships were used at the end of World War II to replace the bulkier Liberty Ships. Each was named for an American university, and Hillsdale College was chosen among giants like Harvard and Yale University.

“I got to basically design the exhibit from day one. I had the whole wall to fill out, seven cabinets total,” Spaulding said. “Not the entire collection made it into the exhibit. Then I went through and wrote captions for all of the materials and figured out a design theme.”

In 1944, once the victory ship was ready to launch, various donors and employees of the college gathered at the dry dock in Richmond, California to christen the ship. The party was led by Chilean diplomat and poet Juan Guzmán Cruchaga, his wife Raquel, and chairman of the Chilean delegation to the United Nations Joaquin Fernandez.

“Miss Vivian Moore was the first to collect all this material and kept it at her house,” Cur-

By Michaela Estruth Assistant Editor

In this quick hits interview, Associate Dean of Women Rebekah Dell talks southern France, comfort food, and floral arranging.

What is your go-to coffee order? Lavender oat milk latte from Penny’s.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given? Don’t miss the unique opportunities that come in your current stage of life because you are always looking to the next.

Do you have a favorite memory from your time as a student at Hillsdale?

Can I count my senior year spring break trip to Europe? We visited Paris, Rome, and Florence in seven days and had the time of our lives.

What is your favorite spot on campus? The Arb, especially in the months of May and June.

tis said. “Unfortunately, her house caught fire in the 1960s. You can tell by looking at some of the photographs that there’s smoke damage on the edges.”

The boat was built by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser’s Permanente Metal Corporation at his shipyard. These two names would later become synonymous with Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest medical groups in the nation.

The S.S. Hillsdale Victory went on to serve in the Philippines and Okinawa during the last year of the war. The boat has since been purchased by a Dutch shipping company and sold for parts.

Across from Spaulding’s exhibit in the Hoynak is the Carus Coin Collection, curated by library technician Sarah Gilchrist.

“I plan to work with some students this coming month for a museum studies class,” Gilchrist said. “As far as exhibits or displays, I like to just pick a topic. One of the displays in the Hoynak is about German hyperinflation. I’ve got coins from that period and banknotes as well.”

The German display is a part of the larger collection owned by the college.

Summer, fall, winter, or spring? Spring.

If you had two weeks off, what would you do? Rent a house in a quiet European town. You’d likely find me somewhere in southern France or Switzerland.

Favorite place you’ve traveled? Place you want to visit?

Can I pick three? Time spent in southern France, Morocco, and the Faroe Islands all hold a special place in my memory. The place to visit that has been on my bucket list the longest is Antarctica. I’ll get there someday!

Pets, yes or no? If yes, what kind? No pets. I was raised on a farm and prefer outdoor pets only.

Who is your favorite female Bible character? The story of Ruth is one I’ve returned to a number of times.

“The largest donation was given by a man named Alwin Carus in 2004. He traveled a lot. He learned about the German hyperinflation during the 20s and visited Germany during that time,” Gilchrist said.

The college received roughly 1,000 coins from Carus alone, with currency ranging from ancient to modern and from China to England.

“You put them in little slabs because it’ll keep it airtight. You don’t want any oxygen, any air or other particles messing with the metals or the design on the coins,” Gilchrist explained.

Who was your favorite princess growing up? Cinderella.

What is your favorite pastime?

Floral arranging. I grew up with a mom who had a floral design business out of our home, and it is a skill that I learned at a young age and still brings me so much joy.

Do you have an all-time favorite movie?

“Far and Away.” It’s a sentimental favorite for several reasons.

Where is the best place to shop?

I thoroughly enjoy the Allen Antique Mall. My family owns a home goods store in southern Ohio called the Sugartree Mill Company, and I meander through every time I visit.

If you could recommend one book to young women ages 18 to 22, what would it be?

“None Like Him” by Jen Wilkin.

Spaulding learned her archival skills from both Curtis and Gilchrist. They work as a team to make the archive collections more accessible.

“We’re working towards making the Hoynak Center more accessible to students, faculty, staff, everybody,” Curtis said.

The S.S. Hillsdale Victory display will be featured in the Hoynak Center for the remainder of the semester.

“I love what they did with the archive center for the President’s Ball,” Spaulding said. “I thought that was great because they made it what it’s supposed to be: they made it an art gallery.”

What is your favorite homemade meal?

My mother’s homemade chicken and noodles with mashed potatoes. The perfect comfort food that reminds me of home.

What do you think is the best holiday? Christmas.

What does your ideal weekend look like?

My ideal weekend includes a slow start to the day with a good cup of coffee and a book, a creative element — working on a personal creative project, visiting a museum or art fair — time outside in nature, and a good meal with close friends.

Do you have a favorite memory in Hillsdale after college?

A group of dear friends gathered in my backyard for a seven-course dinner in honor of Dr. Tom Conner’s retirement from Hillsdale and 70th birthday.