4.20.17 Hillsdale Collegian by The Hillsdale Collegian

Sheriff’s office releases new app In an effort to improve effective communication with the public, the Hillsdale County Sheriff ’s Office released a new app. A7

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Chapel sparks sacred music program

By | Josephine von Dohlen Collegian Reporter With the construction of Christ Chapel, Hillsdale College is developing a sacred music program. The program will allow students to study the multi-denominational facets within sacred music, though the exact capacity of the program as a major, minor, or concentration has yet to be decided. Within the chapel, plans include new music services such as the traditional Anglican Evensong. “The chapel, from pretty much day one of planning, has been planned as a concert venue for the orchestra and choirs,” music department chairman James Holleman said. “So there’s going to be a lot of music in the building.” With the chapel scheduled to open in 2019, College President Larry Arnn, Provost David Whalen, Chaplain Adam Rick, and Holleman are still discussing the specifics of the program. “Right now, my plan is to make sure we hit the ground running with orchestra, choir, and some religious musical services when we open the doors of the chapel,” Holleman said. “That then gives us time to decide what direction we want to go in for the sacred music program, whether it’s a major or a minor or a concentration within the music major.” Since the project’s beginning, music has played a large role in determining the design and use of the chapel, Arnn said. “At last count, more than 30 percent of our students are involved in music,” Arnn said in an email. “The chapel is designed to be the place for their major performances. It being a chapel, having sacred music there is obviously good. Much of the music we sing and play now is sacred music.”

In addition to the main music performances, new services, specifically the Anglican form of Evensong, will be a consistent part of the new chapel. “Dr. Arnn’s vision is to have sacred music in the chapel,” Holleman said. “That can come in various forms. His Anglican tradition deals with Evensong, which is a pretty spelled-out service, but the music can change. He would like to have Evensong at regular intervals in the building.” Rick has experience with the Anglican traditional Evensong both as an Anglican clergyman and as a chorister himself. “Choral Evensong is a sung version of the Anglican service Evening Prayer in the Book of Common Prayer, and it consists of Psalms, two Scripture lessons, and musical responses, and prayers,” Rick said in an email. “The service has some parallels to the Roman Catholic service of Evening Prayer or ‘Vespers.’ While technically Anglican, the scriptural basis of the service would make it accessible to anyone from any Christian denomination. You do not need to be an Anglican to enter into the service.” The installation of the sacred music program extends the mission of Hillsdale within the Christian mindset of the college. “The tradition of sacred music is deep and wide and a perfect expression of intelligent piety, the perpetuation of which is more than a little important here,” Whalen said in an email. Despite the plans for the music program still in their beginning stages, Holleman said he is committed to filling the chapel with music as soon as possible. “We are going to service the college and the community with music from day one,” Holleman said.

The Collegian goes antiquing Allen, Michigan, the self-proclaimed antique capital of the world, features hidden treasures like Howdy Doody, the cowboy puppet. B1

Vol. 140 Issue 26 - 20 April 2017

Generations of entrepreneurship Members of the Spiteri family own three businesses in Hillsdale: Checker Records, Handmade, and The Crow’s Nest. B4

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Freshman Kathleen Hancock, juniors Alexandra Negrich and Duncan Voyles, senior Graham Deese, and freshmen Henrey Deese and Lucy Meckler led the debate team to a second-place finish at the National Forensics Association tournament on Monday. Graham Deese | Courtesy

Debate team takes 2nd at nationals

By | Joe Pappalardo Video Editor With the help of three upperclassmen, debate team coach Matthew Doggett took a group of freshmen and nurtured them into this year’s National Forensics Association runner-up. Six debate team members competed in the NFA tournament Thursday to Monday, performing better than any previous Hillsdale squad in the Lincoln-Douglas debate tournament of 24 teams. “Had we won our quarters round, there is a good chance that we would have been national champions,” said Doggett, assistant professor of rhetoric and public address. “To let you know how difficult our challenge was: Western Kentucky has eight full-paid scholarship debaters and three fulltime debate coaches.” The NFA is the final tournament of the year and also determines the national Lincoln-Douglas debate champion. Doggett said this makes the tournament difficult, because the best Lincoln-Douglas debaters from around the country participate. It is also nearly three times

the size of the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament in which the team took fourth place in March. “The best place we have ever received as a team at NFA was fourth place sweepstakes,” senior Graham Deese said. “Going into the tournament, we

“The smile on Doggett’s face when we won the second-place sweepstakes trophy makes it feel a little more worth it.” would have considered ourselves lucky to crack the top five, and Doggett was expecting us to finish around seventh. Needless to say, we are very happy with our performance this weekend.” Graham Deese and fresh-

men Henrey Deese and Lucy Meckler all made it to the quarterfinals of the tournament, making them three of the top eight students. Graham Deese had an exceptional performance, entering the 32-contestant elimination rounds seeded 30th and beating the third and 14th seeds. Henrey Deese said he was impressed with his brother’s final performance as a college debater. “It clearly meant a lot to him to advance farther than he ever had before,” he said. “He inspired us throughout the tournament, pushing us to work harder and helping us stay focused. We certainly wouldn’t have achieved the success we did without him.” Judges ranked junior Alexandra Negrich in her second time at a Lincoln-Douglas tournament as the second best novice. Junior Duncan Voyles and freshman Kathleen Hancock also competed. Although the event fell on Easter weekend, Hancock said the team’s success was worth the sacrifice. “It was a little disappointing to miss out on an important holiday, but the smile on Dog-

Whitley renovation scheduled for summer

By | Breana Noble News Editor Whitley Residence will receive a $300,000 cosmetic makeover this summer. While the structure of the building will remain the same, the dorm is getting a fresh coat of paint, new flooring, redone showers, and a renovated kitchen for the 2017-2018 academic year. It will be the first time the 1989-built dorm will receive a renovation of this scale, Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé said. “We want to keep it maintained,” he said. “To keep it going, we need to put some work into it.” Péwé said the dormitory has had a growing number of

recurring issues needing fixes during the summer months and was placed on the deferred maintenance list. “It comes down to which one of these projects we needed the most,” Péwé said. “We spent a lot of time there. If we don’t get after it, it’s not getting any better.” Resident Assistant junior Emily Rinaldi said RAs this year had expressed some dissatisfaction at the “grunginess” of the dorm, including stains in the carpeting and holes in the wall. “I think it will be a really great fresh start for the dorm,” Rinaldi said. The color scheme will have a neutral palette. Vinyl flooring that doesn’t scratch easily will

replace carpeting. Additionally, the college is changing the the fiber glass showers to tile to last longer. “If we’re going to do it, we want to do it right,” Péwé said. “We’ve figured out what we like and what works well.” Junior Kirsi Eby, who will be a resident assistant in Whitley next school year, said she hopes the renovation will create a comfortable space. “It’s nice to come to a space that is safe and clean,” Eby said. “It relieves a lot of stress on your mind.” The renovation will start immediately after the women move out of the dorm and will be complete when stu-

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Women from Hillsdale College’s three sororities — Pi Beta Phi, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and Chi Omega — are competing this week in their annual Greek Week. The women compete in sports, like basketball and volleyball, and games, including trivia and finish the lyrics. Jessie Fox | Collegian Follow @HDaleCollegian

gett’s face when we won the second-place sweepstakes trophy makes it feel a little more worth it,” she said. The team is still young, and with only one member graduating, the debate team has even more room for growth in the next three years. “To finish in second was totally unexpected,” Doggett said. “To do so well is both a good and bad thing, because it let’s us know what we can do but puts pressure on us to live up to these lofty standards.”

Debate coach Matthew Doggett holds the team’s second-place trophy at the National Forensics Association tournament on Monday. Graham Deese | Courtesy

Carly Hubbard ’16 is opening her own coffehouse called Rough Draft on Friday at 42 Union Street. Haley Talkington | Courtesy

Rough Draft coffeehouse opens on Friday By | Hannah Niemeier Culture Editor Carly Hubbard ’16 is putting the finishing touches on a new cafe at 42 Union St., which is due for its soft opening Friday at 8 a.m. The shop, called Rough Draft, will offer coffee drinks, simple refreshments, a future cocktail bar and draft beer, and a space for study and conversation for students and members of the community. “I’m just so thrilled to make

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something beautiful and serve it to people. I’m excited to provide a place for great conversation, good study, and hanging out with pals, and to have a space that can characterize that,” Hubbard said. “I hope I can join the list of cool off-campus places to just hang out.” Hubbard said the cafe will offer a space for students to study after regular business hours as well as offer a place to host events and meetings off campus — and of course, serving good coffee.

“I just want people to come hang out, because I believe that community is about conversation and delight over beautiful things and study and chatting and jokes, and I thought it was really important to have a space like that,” Hubbard said. Currently, the cafe has four employees, including senior Haley Talkington. “She’s been very focused on figuring out how to make a good cup of coffee,” Talkington said. “We’re learning what a

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In brief:

Christian radio host Greg Koukl to address Aletheia

By | Madeleine Jepsen Assistant Editor

Radio host and Christian apologist Greg Koukl will speak about the nature of reality and the Christian faith Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Phillips Auditorium. Aletheia, a Christian apologetics group that recently changed the spelling of its name, is holding the event. The group focuses on answering questions about the beliefs and implications of Christianity through the lens of reason, Aletheia President sophomore Katarina Bradford said. “We try to focus on questions of the heart — of our purpose, meaning, and values — so not just getting these arguments in your head but thinking, ‘If these arguments are true, how should our being transform?’” Bradford said. Koukl is the president and founder of Stand To Reason, an organization dedicated to training Christians to defend their faith in the public square, according to its website. Koukl has written more than seven books about the Christian faith, serves as an adjunct professor in Christian apologetics at Biola University, and holds a call-in talk show advocating “Christianity worth thinking about.” His latest book, “The Story of Reality: How the World Began, How It Ends, and Everything Important that Happens in Between,” is a bestseller on Amazon in Christian Discipleship,. He will discuss ideas from the book at his Hillsdale lecture. Aletheia Media Officer sophomore Chris Sturges said the logical approach to the subject matter makes Aletheia lectures relevant for a wide audience. “Regardless of whether you’re Christian or not, these questions still have to do with you, in a way,” Sturges said. “You should be able to come to this and logically think through the topic. It’s very enriching to think through these types of questions and try to find the answer for them.” After the public lecture, Koukl will be available to sign “The Story of Reality,” which audience members can purchase following the lecture. “I would just encourage everyone to come, whether or not you’re Christian,” Bradford said. “The goal of these speakers isn’t to have you arrive at any conclusions but to start conversations about these subjects.”

Whitley from A1

A2 20 Apr. 2017

Delts seek to increase blood donations

By | Andrew Egger Senior Writer Hillsdale College’s blood drives have underperformed in recent years, hardly bringing in enough donors to justify the American Red Cross’ visit. A new initiative from Delta Tau Delta and Chi Omega is looking to change that. The campaign is the brainchild of DTD Vice President senior James Young, who said he is hoping to harness Hillsdale’s competitive spirit to drive up donations. Beginning with the blood drive on April 28, dorms, Greek houses, and sports teams will be scored based on their total participation in the drive. The most successful organization will take home a trophy, which the organizers have named “The Giving Goblet.” “People on Hillsdale’s campus are very generous; that’s just kind of who we are,” Young said. “What we’re trying to do for this blood drive and for every single blood drive going forward is to make it a competition, not only trying to instill pride in individuals on Hillsdale’s campus but capturing people’s pride in their organization.” Young first became interested in the issue, after speaking with a Red Cross employee when donating blood during the drive in February. “She expressed to me that she was really disappointed with the levels of donations that were coming from Hillsdale,” Young said. “The most recent blood drive netted 86 units of blood; the largest donation ever from Hillsdale College was 106 units of blood. And the Red Cross estimates that in order for it to be worth it for them to come here, they

need to be averaging between 100 and 110 units of blood every single blood drive. When I heard that, I thought, ‘I’m taking over this event.’” Student dorms and Greek houses have taken turns coordinating blood drives with the Red Cross for years with mixed results. Simpson Head Resident Assistant senior Hank Prim said the semester’s first blood drive was hampered by scheduling issues and a conflict with a prospective student visit

preparatory efforts for Hillsdale’s blood drives, the events still represent a large allocation of resources from the Red Cross, Rogers said. “There’s a lot of resources expended,” Rogers said. “There’s all the staff that has to be paid; there’s all the set-up and preparation, so if they come here and they bring all that stuff and they only get like 20 units, it’s not a good drive. We want over 100 units every time.” Young is more optimistic:

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day. “The No. 1 most important responsibility is just bringing in the donors; the marketing has to be huge,” said Associate Dean of Men Jeffrey Rogers, who coordinates the drives

“The largest donation ever from Hillsdale College was 106 units of blood.” with student organizations. “If the students aren’t excited about it, they won’t show up; they won’t tell their friends.” Even though student volunteers take care of much of the

He said he hopes by encouraging competition, the Giving Goblet will drive as many as 200 people to give on April 28. “Two hundred units would only be 14 percent of the campus,” Young said. Young and Rogers have also talked about ways to get other groups of students involved. “A lot of times coaches aren’t so keen on having their athletes give blood, because it weakens them for a little bit,” Young said. “But something that Chief and I have been talking about is trying to encourage the coaches to encourage the athletes to help.” In the end, all that matters is getting people to become donors. “It’s a pain for everyone involved,” Prim said, “but at the end of the day, we all have 30 minutes we can give of ourselves to help a beneficial cause.”

Junior Zane Miller designed the app logo for Enactus’ Charger X ride-sharing service. Victoria Tran | Courtesy

Money transfer delays Charger X By | Jo Kroeker Opinions Editor Enactus is beginning to pull loose ends of its Charger X ride-sharing project together and expects to be in business by the fall semester. Issues with the money wire transferring to an app developer in India delayed the entrepreneurship club, which initially had predicted a launch date of mid-April. The students had to add a few weeks for the college to approve the $3,000 transfer, and the developer would not start working on the app in earnest until receiving the money — which still is in neither his account nor Enactus’. “The money’s floating at the moment,” team member senior Michael Ferrell said. “There was an issue with the bank, and it has to bounce back to us before we can resend it.” He is tracing the funds right now and said he anticipates the semester will end before he can recover and resend the money. “It’s kind of out of our hands at this point,” team member senior Rachel Moore said. Co-president senior Tucker Phillips said once the developer receives the money, it will take him 40 days to create a working app — meaning he will likely finish during the summer. Charger X is the entrepreneurship club’s Uber-like program that would connect students in search of rides in

Hillsdale, in the surrounding area, and to the Detroit Metropolitan Airport with other students registered to drive. But the team has a few steps before it can officially launch the app, Ferrell said. It must iron out the bugs, a multiweek process involving a minilaunch and communication with the developer, who is contractually obligated to fix bugs for up to a year. Team members also need to open a bank account for any revenue made from the app. “After this project is started, we should be able to make enough money to start other projects,” Co-President senior Victoria Tran said. The team ran into another roadblock a month ago, when the state of Michigan enacted a new law placing registration fees on ride-sharing companies. These fees would have been prohibitive for a small enterprise like Enactus, so Phillips said the club applied for 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. This application process can take several months, Phillips said. “If we are a registered 501(c) (3) by Thanksgiving break, I will be happy,” Phillips said. In the meantime, Enactus can operate as a nonprofit. Despite the setbacks, Moore said she’s excited. “Even if it’s next year, we’re going to stay in touch with the new project leaders,” she said. “We might even be able to use the app for homecoming.”

Don Tocco to speak on the four seasons of life Thursday

By | Breana Noble News Editor Don Tocco returns to Hillsdale College on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Searle Center to share wisdom on life and support student activities. The founder and president of D.L. Tocco & Associates, a business development and marketing firm for industrial construction companies, comes to Hillsdale for a 14th year to discuss the various seasons of life and how to make the most of each. Tocco is also offering money to college clubs, honoraries, and sports teams based on their percentage of participation. “The reason I do these programs is because I feel the sense of spiritual obligation to help as many good, young people as I can to follow spiritual, Christian principles, live a godly life, live according to the scripture, and succeed greatly and give back,” Tocco said. “I have been blessed with much success with

my mentors by following their example. I don’t want to see the enormous talent of Hillsdale’s campus go to waste. I want to see it utilized to the max. Many of you from Hillsdale College will make America much, much better morally and ethically.” In a brand new presentation and drawing from four mentors in his life, Tocco will discuss the four seasons of life: learning, application, giving back, and reflection. “They’re not necessarily seasonal or equal in length,” he said. “There are four definitive potential periods in life that I believe are essential for a successful and rewarding life.” The first season, learning, is the most important, Tocco said, because without learning, people can never reach their potential. “Everything we do from birth to the age of 18, 22, 25 is an intense learning period for those who succeed greatly,” he

By | Jo Kroeker Opinions Editor Peter Kreeft, professor of philosophy at Boston College, is speaking Thursday at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Friday at 4 p.m. in Dow A & B to address logic, heaven, and Christian unity. The Catholic Society partnered with InterVarsity, the Lutheran Society, and the departments of education and philosophy and religion, and the chaplain’s office to sponsor this lecture series, which will cover a range of subjects from the possibility of Christian interdenominational unity to the apparent tension between Aristotelian and modern logic. Kreeft has written 75 books on logic, Christian apologetics, Catholic Christianity, C.S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, and surfing. Catholic Society President junior Ryan Asher said the society’s board members wanted to start a discussion across campus. Asher said Kreeft came to mind because he’s a notable academic speaker and author who, while Catholic, would appeal to campus as a whole because of his philosophical background and abil-

ity to give an ecumenical talk. “We need to change the dimension in which we think about Christianity,” Asher said, regarding the tendency to focus on denominational differences. “We need to go back to square one: We share a lot more than we disagree on, and what we share isn’t superficial.” Asher predicts Kreeft’s lecture will urge Catholics and Protestants to see Christ in each other’s faith. Junior Emily Barnum, who is involved with dorm ministry at Olds Residence through InterVarsity, said the topic reflects the genuineness of faith on campus. “The fact that we have a speaker coming shows these are the things we are thinking about, that we’re all passionate about Christ but that we’re willing to engage people we disagree with, which helps make the faith here so strong,” she said. As for Kreeft’s lecture on heaven, Asher said it’ll be especially relevant since it’s the week after Easter: “Heaven is what we’re all moving toward.” Junior Hannah McIntyre, a philosophy and religion major, learned about Kreeft through

said. “That’s the season you’re in. You are in the most important college in America to garner the real fundamentals, and that’s exciting. I know you guys are getting a great foundation.” The second season is application, Tocco said, which means finding out the use of what was learned. Having done that, the next time period is to pass on that knowledge and mentor a new generation. At the end, reflection looks back at the previous seasons. To be fulfilled at this stage, a person must have been engaged with learning, applying, and mentoring, Tocco said. It’s a reference to Aristotle, who, in his final years, did not teach or write but spent time reading the classics and reflecting, he said. Tocco said these seasons often overlap, and he places himself in the first three. “While the first phase is critical to our launch, we never stop,” he said. “While the

application phase shows if we are useful, that can go on. I still work. The third season is mentoring – I’ve been mentoring for the past 14 years at Hillsdale. I am vigorously in the third, but I don’t have a lot of time to reflect.” For the past two years, Tocco has donated $15,000 for campus groups. “You are learning things that are helpful for later in life,” he said “If I can help in that banner, I can help the stu- Hillsdale College supporter Don dents be effective in another Tocco will address campus on the way. That’s where I choose to seasons of life Thursday at 7 p.m. donate. It’s a way of support- in Phillips Auditorium. ing what the school believes Anthony Manno | Courtesy in. I would rather do it that way newsletter or by contacting sethan in the brick and mortar. nior Shelby Phillips. I’m investing directly in the “Don Tocco always gives students’ lives.” nuggets of info I’ve been able The deadline for clubs to reg- to hear and apply directly to ister for participating in Tocco’s my own life,” Director of Stutalk is 3 p.m. on Thursday, As- dent Activities Anthony Mansistant Director of Student Ac- no said. “He’s passionate about tivities Ashlyn Landherr said. helping young people through Club leaders can register using life, and he’s giving directly to the link in the student activities student clubs and honoraries.”

Campus ministries invite speaker on Christian unity

Sophomore Leila McNicoll cooks in Whitley Residence’s soon-to-be-renovated kitchen. Madeline Barry | Collegian

dents return in August. No walls will be altered, and the furniture will stay the same. The next major dorm renovation is Galloway Residence. The college plans to start that project in May 2018, and Péwé said he expects the renovation to take a full year to complete. The college is looking into options on how to house the 75 men for that year, he said. “We don’t want to move them off campus, because it is hard to get them back,” Péwé said. “We are so much about building community, we have to take that into consideration.” For now, the college is looking to foster a stronger community in Whitley with the renovation this summer. “I think it will revive the community,” Rinaldi said. “I think people will want to hang out in Whitley and invite people over.”

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Peter Kreeft, professor of philosophy at Boston College, will speak on campus Thursday and Friday in Dow A & B about logic, heaven, and Christian unity. Peter Kreeft | Wikimedia Commons

friends who read his proofs for God’s existence and the small reflections on aspects of the spiritual life, like joy and peace, he posts on his website. “He’s good at making these ideas practical and accessible to anybody looking to take their spiritual life seriously and cultivate these virtues, using great analogies,” she said. “They’re eloquent and simple and pretty profound.” McIntyre said she’s excited for both the discussions of the spiritual life and the relation-

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ship between logic and philosophy his lectures will inspire. In particular, Kreeft’s lecture on traditional versus modern logic interests her. “I know there’s some controversy about the nature of what modern logic ‘has done,’ but I’m not super familiar with the debate,” McIntyre said. Because of this, McIntyre said, there’s a tendency, especially among students, to fall back on Aristotle and Aquinas, anything classical or medieval, to scoff at modernity. Since taking her second class with Ian Church, a visiting assistant professor of philosophy on campus who specializes in analytic philosophy and logic, however, McIntyre said she has started reconsidering the tension She said Church’s classes have shown her the depth of contemporary analytic philosophy and how it’s possible to take good things occurring in the movement and incorporate them into the tradition of Aquinas to make it better. In Church’s view, modern logic is the gold standard in contemporary philosophy, but that doesn’t put it in conflict with the Western intellectual

tradition. Historically, he said, contemporary philosophers pitted modern logic against Aristotelian logic to show its deficiencies, but he said he doesn’t see a need to maintain this opposition. “The Western intellectual tradition isn’t bound to the past, it lives on today,” Church said. “I don’t think modern logic is in any way at odds with the kind of liberal-arts education we love here at Hillsdale.” Whether in the realm of philosophy or the realm of religion, Kreeft’s lecture series will provoke discussions about unity within the tradition. Church is using this as an opportunity to discuss the development of modern logic as well as the contemporary philosophers using this philosophy to uphold the Western tradition. Asher said Kreeft’s talk will be an opportunity to return to square one and find commonality between Catholics and Protestants. “Disunity is a tragedy, not a source of pride, and it can be dangerous,” Asher said. “We need a change in atmosphere here — which is sometimes negative — and we need to focus on our common ground, which is a love of Christ.”

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A3 20 Apr. 2017

Executive Secretary Sheila Butler retires in June

By | Madeleine Jepsen Assistant Editor After starting work as a switchboard operator in Central Hall in 1999 and later becoming an executive secretary and project manager for the administration, Sheila Butler will join her husband in retirement in June. Butler works under Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé. Her job includes coordinating details of building renovations and capital projects with contractors and vendors as well as assisting with payroll preparation. “She’s really a right-hand person,” Péwé said. “If you look at the job description, there’s more than a couple jobs in there. There are a lot of things she’s in charge of and handles quickly and efficiently. It’s the behind-the-scenes stuff that makes things run smoothly.” Beginning as the switchboard operator and receptionist to coordinating furniture needs in the Grewcock Student Union and overseeing the installation of the banners hanging in the Biermann Athletic Center, Butler said her job has grown and evolved over the

years. “No two days are alike, and every day is interesting,” Butler said. “I wear many hats.” Péwé said many people with whom Butler has worked over the years have told him of her professional courtesy and efficiency — attributes Butler said have been important in her work. Butler credited her predecessors and co-workers with helping her develop the office and telephone etiquette she has used in her work with the college. “You never know who a visitor is on campus,” she said. “No matter who they are, you give them the time they need. If someone’s out on the sidewalk fumbling with maps or they’re trying to figure out where to go, just ask if you can help them. They’re going to remember the service, the smiles.” Butler said this principle was especially evident to her after an elderly gentleman came into the office late in the day in 2009 to discuss a painting he wished to donate to the college. Butler said she and a co-worker listened to him politely and showed interest in his

By | Crystal Schupbach Collegian Freelancer Hillsdale College seniors Sheldon Saccoman and Bilyana Petkova will present the results of their research projects Saturday at the Beta Beta Beta NE-4 District Convention in Alliance, Ohio. Petkova is presenting her research on an oral bacteria that could prevent tooth decay, and

Saccoman will present his research on a potentially dangerous ingredient in weed killer. They will compete against other students in the district. The reward for first place at the convention in the undergraduate scientist’s given category — either molecular and cell or organismal science — is automatic acceptance to be published in BIOS, the honorary’s scholarly journal. First place recipients also are entitled to attend the national convention, which gathers every other year. “It’s unusual to reward awards for academic presentations, but there is a bit of a competition aspect, although that is not the main purpose,” said biology department chairman Frank Steiner, who was a mentor for Petkova and Saccoman. “The goal of the society is the dissemination of scientific knowledge.” In his research, Saccoman examined the capacity to induce mutations of the active ingredient glyphosate in the weed-killer Roundup. He said he examined the comet assay, which works by using cells exposed to the compound and electrophoresis to pull out double stranded DNA breaks from the nucleus of a cell. If a structure shaped like a comet forms by the compound, it would be considered a carcinogen.

explanations of what the painting looked like. She later found out the man was John Meader, and the oil-on-canvas painting by Edward Hicks was valued at just under $1 million. It is now on display in the Heritage Room. In her 19 years at the college, Butler said she has seen major changes in the campus, including the construction of the Grewcock Student Union, the Moss Family Laboratory Wing to Strosacker Science Building, the Biermann Athletics Center, Howard Musical Hall, Lane and Kendall halls, the AcuSport Lodge at the John A. Halter Shooting Sports Center, as well as the Searle Center in addition to renovations in the Roche Sports Complex and the development of College Park. “When I started, instead of Moss and Delp Hall, it was Knowlton Hall and Old Fine Arts, so I got to see those buildings come down and then Moss and Delp go up,” Butler said. “Where Kendall and Lane are, that area was parking lots.” Butler said she looks forward to spending her time in retirement bicycling on local trails, reading, knitting, cro-

cheting, and camping, after working for the college for nearly two decades. “I’m looking forward to getting back to riding the trails,” she said. “I’ve gotten away from that in the past few years.” Executive Secretary to the Dean of Women Carolyn Milligan said Butler will be missed in Central Hall. “Sheila has been wonderful to work with, and we’ll dearly miss her on the third floor,” Milligan said in an email. “She’s professional, always positive, and very loyal to the college. We love her — it won’t be the same place without her.”

Senior Sheldon Saccoman is presenting his research on weed killer at the regional Beta Beta Beta biology honorary convention on Saturday in Alliance, Ohio. Sheldon Saccoman | Courtesy

Sheila Butler, executive secretary and project manager for the administration, will retire in June. Every week, she winds this grandfather clock in Central Hall. Hannah Kwapisz | Collegian

By | Jordyn Pair Assistant Editor At this point in the semester, it’s rare to see a student change seats in class. Although many factors may go into a student’s seating choice — such as who they know in the class, how shy they are, or even their levels of motivation, according to Assistant Professor of Psychology Jeri Little — the phenomenon also demonstrates how people relate to and claim items and spaces, Professor of Sociology Peter Blum and Associate Professor of Economics Michael Clark said. Clark, who teaches Behavioral Economics, said his best explanation relates to focal points, which are the options that seem immediately obvious to people. “Focal points do not have to be optimal solutions, but they help us avoid the choices that would be a lack of coordination, such as people continually upsetting other people’s ex-

things to know from this week

-Compiled by Brendan Clarey

Senior Bilyana Petkova presents her research project on oral bacteria with her thesis adviser, biology department chairman Frank Steiner. Bilyana Petkova | Courtesy

of amylase is found to bind my protein of interest, AbpA, it could be used as an additive to toothpaste to prevent the process of plaque formation and reduce dental caries,” Petkova said. “Results can show how bacterial biofilms form on teeth and potentially how this process can be prevented to reduce dental plaque.” In addition to presenting her research before faculty, Petkova has spoken about her findings at the Western Michigan Regional Undergraduate Science Research Conference at the Van Andel Institute in the fall.

“I’ve only had two or three students that have produced as much data as she has, and we had such a minimal amount of time,” Steiner said. After graduation, Petkova will attend Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Saccoman has accepted a job as a microbiologist lab technician at Covance, a food-testing facility in Battle Creek, Michigan. “It’s a great opportunity, and I’m excited to see where it takes me,” Saccoman said.

pectations by changing seats,” Clark said in an email. Junior economics major Jake Kenyon, who is in Clark’s Behavioral Economics course, said the phenomenon is basically an informal version of property rights. “In most classes, especially at Hillsdale, people are fairly respectful of this and generally use the same seat except when classes are very full,” Kenyon said in an email. “I think it’s interesting just because these informal property rights generally are expected to be respected, even though there is no formal reason why they should be.” These property rights relate to the endowment effect — the idea that a sense of ownership makes something more valuable, Kenyon said. This sense of ownership, however, also extends more generally than just physical objects. “I think you could say, in general, that it’s related to the fact that everyone thinks they have claim to more space than

just their physical body,” Blum room seat. People, Blum said, said. feel they have a claim to that It can be seen in a form of space. “It is the case that people consider space around them to be kind of an extension of their bodily territory,” Blum said. It’s a phenomenon seen when standing in line, Blum said. If somebody gets too close to the person in front of or behind them, it makes them uncomfortable. But when it comes to unofficially official seating arrangements, more may come into play. “There may be a social aspect to choosing a seat,” senior psychology major Todd Frickey said in an email. “Students may choose a seat, because their friends are close by and strictly for that reason. If their friends moved seats, they may also. People may also not want to move seats, because they are afraid of upsetting others who may have their seats.” Still, seating arrangement is marking territory like leaving fairly final, Little said. books at a table or at a class“On the first day, it’s all fair

game,” she said. “On the second day, even, it’s kind of fair game. But once seats have been established and the majority of people have been sitting in the same seats, then I think you’re kind of stuck.” Although Blum “locks in” seating after the first few classes, Little doesn’t assign seating at any point. Students just tend to stay in the same seat or area. “Humans are creatures of habit; we like familiarity,” Frickey said. “Our brain naturally makes patterns and tries to make sense of everything. For some, it may give students some consistency and allow them to fully focus on classwork because their environment is stable.” Ultimately, both social and individual factors cause the behavior, Blum said. “It’s a selfhood issue,” he said. “Something that I own is, at least in a very weak sense, an extension of myself. And that’s what we’re doing here with space.”

Bill O’Reilly is leaving the Fox News Channel Bill O’Reilly, host of the popular Fox News program “The O’Reilly Factor,” is leaving the network after allegations of sexual harassment, according to The Wall Street Journal. O’Reilly paid settlements totaling $13 million to five women, The New York Times reported.

Starbucks releases the Unicorn Frappuccino Starbucks released a colorful new drink Wednesday. The Unicorn Frappuccino has mango syrup plus sweet pink and sour blue powder. The Frappuccino also changes color when stirred. The Unicorn Frappuccino is only available until Monday.

That’s my spot:

Delts do dodgeball to support diabetes research By | Kristiana Mork Collegian Reporter

Petkova, Saccoman to present research at biology-honorary convention Saturday “My research showed glyphosate is similar to etoposide, a known carcinogen, at the 100 micromolar concentration,” Saccoman said. “It implies that Roundup may not be as safe to use as we think.” Saccoman said people use 300 million pounds of glyphosate every year. The Environmental Protection Agency was assessing glyphosate with the comet assay during the same time as Saccoman. “Had I known this was occurring, I would have informed them of my findings,” Saccoman said. Steiner said the idea sparking the project came from a senior seminar talk more than a year ago. A student mentioned glyphosate and that there may be some evidence indicating possible mutagenic effects. “Sheldon has worked for me for three years,” Steiner said. “He has been my lab-tech and my go-to man, since his sophomore year. Sheldon and Bilyana are two super students, and I am very proud of them both.” Petkova began conducting research on an oral bacteria, during the spring semester of her junior year, and continued the research for three weeks in summer. She studied the bacteria Streptococcus gordonii and looked closely at its binding abilities in her project. “If a competitive inhibitor

In brief:

Students have a sense of ownership when it comes to their seat in class

“On the first day, it’s all fair game...But once seats have been established and the majority of people have been sitting in the same seats, then I think you’re kind of stuck.”

Two dead after protests turn violent in Venezuela Protests in Venezuela left two dead Wednesday. Police clashed with demonstrators who are trying to force President Nicolás Maduro to hold elections. Pro-government paramilitary forces killed a 17- and 23-year-old. After the protests, Maduro laughed on state television.

USS Carl Vinson still near Australia, not Korea The Trump administration is trying to save face, after stating that an aircraft carrier was thousands of miles from where it actually was. Officials said last week that the USS Carl Vinson was heading toward the Korean Peninsula, but the ship will remain in Australia until next week.

To benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the Delta Tau Delta fraternity will hold a dodgeball tournament Sunday from 2-5 p.m. in the Roche Sports Complex. Originally scheduled for April 13, the fraternity postponed the event to avoid conflicting with its puppy kissing booth, President Joshua Brooks said. Registration costs $4 per person or $10 per group of three. “Our goal is twofold,” said sophomore Zachary Rabitoy, chairman of philanthropy for Delta Tau Delta. “It is designed to provide a fun atmosphere for students to destress from the week but also to raise money and awareness for Type 1 diabetes.” Everyone who registers will also be entered into a raffle drawing for a $25 Hillsdale College Bookstore gift card. Brooks said the event is the first of its kind for the fraternity. Half of the dodgeball event proceeds will go to the foundation, specifically its efforts to develop an artificial pancreas for patients of Type 1 diabetes, Brooks said. The other half of the event’s proceeds will go to the winning dodgeball team, which will have the option of keeping the funds or donating them to a charity of the team’s choice, Brooks said. The fraternity also held a snowcone fundraiser on the Quad and offered a puppy kissing booth to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation this semester. Students can reserve their spots either by stopping at the Delta Tau Delta table in the Grewcock Student Union or by emailing Rabitoy at zrabitoy@hillsdale.edu.

Chi Omega delivering Chipotle By | Thomas Novelly Editor-in-Chief Students don’t have to drive to Adrian, Michigan, to eat Chipotle this weekend. In an effort to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the women of the Chi Omega sorority are taking student’s custom Chipotle burrito and taco orders in the Grewcock Student Union until Thursday. Chi Omega sophomore Haley Hauprich said she came up with idea last year after the annual Chi-Omega pancake breakfast and decided to dub the event “Chi-pOtle.” “People like Chipotle, but there isn’t one close,” Hauprich said. “Getting people involved and having them get something they like is a good thing.” For $10, students order their food online and then pick it up at the Chi Omega house on Saturday from 12:301 p.m. Chi Omega fundraising chair sophomore Claire Gwilt said $3.50 from each order will go to Make-A-Wish to comfort children with terminal illnesses. “I think everybody loves Chipotle,” Gwilt said. “So I think they are willing to spend a little extra to not drive and get it.” Gwilt said she’s excited that Chi Omega can hold a creative event to benefit a good cause. “Make-A-Wish is important,” Gwilt said. “Doctors have seen that after their patients go on their wish trips that they fight back harder, because they are inspired by being able to achieve that dream.”

Township blocks Nestle from taking groundwater Michigan’s Osceola Township is not allowing Nestle Waters North America to draw more groundwater from the source. Environmentalists say drawing more water could place northern Michigan wetlands in danger. Nestle argues that it will not harm the environment.

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A4 20 Apr. 2017

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Greek yogurt:

the dairy product of collegiate champions By | Anna Timmis

with positive culture and goodwill between houses. Freshman Reagan Cool, a member of Chi Omega Fraternity, said she believes the Greek system needs the cafeteria to support this special aspect of campus life and their efforts toward good character. “Our Greek system is one of the strongest aspects of our social atmosphere at Hillsdale and I’m very proud to be a part of the system that my mom was a part of several years ago,” Cool said. “In order to sustain the Greek system for its values and not for any flaws — because we do all have human flaws — I think it’s important that we have support from the administration, even in the details of our cafeteria.” To reach full potential, Greek members should feel encouraged by staff and students alike in their choice of college experience, from the classroom to the cafeteria, reminding them of their Greek roots. Hillsdale welcomes students from around the world, excited to share the unique education with young men and women across continents. But Hillsdale, Michigan — isolated, cold, and small — can be a bleak change of scenery to the warm and beautiful environments these students leave. For juniors Steve and Christos Giannakopoulos, members of the basketball team, Hillsdale doesn’t compare to their hometown of Athens, Greece. But Greek yogurt is a taste of home. “I would say that Greek yogurt for me is a great way to start my day because I can combine it with granola, honey, or fruit,” Steve Giannakopoulos said. “At the same time, it is filling, healthy, and gives me energy for the day. That’s what I eat pretty much every morning when I am back home.” The Giannakopoulos twins came all the way from Athens to make the basketball team stronger. They deserve Greek yogurt. Set out with the desserts, there should be both plain and strawberry yogurt, with honey, cereal and other fruits as topping choices. Just the way Steve eats it at home.

Collegian Reporter Students rave about the extensive salad bar and queue up excitedly for guacamole on “Taco Tuesdays.” A sprinkling of feta and blue cheese improves foam-textured spinach. Students endure long lines for falafel wraps. Food in the cafeteria lately has been diverse and delicious, but Bon Appetit seems to forget an obvious food for Hillsdale’s unique academic and social atmosphere: Greek yogurt. Bon Appetit should offer Greek yogurt because it would enhance the experience of the Hillsdale student body. Hillsdale instills appreciation for the ancient origins of Western thought and culture. In his Western Heritage class, professor of history Bradley Birzer recounts the bravery of the Spartans in the battle of Thermopylae with tears in his eyes. In American Heritage, our professors tell us America’s founding fathers were fluent in Greek by the age our first zits appeared. (Oh, by the way, Greek yogurt supposedly helps with that. It’s the probiotics.) Junior Emily Barnum, a classics major, emphasized Greek yogurt as an important symbol of the value of classics. “We should definitely have quality Greek yogurt — not just Greek yogurt — but quality Greek yogurt,” Barnum said. “Here at Hillsdale and in the classics department we don’t just value dabbling in the ancient works, but really understanding at a deep and legitimate level the ancient languages. I think offering quality Greek yogurt in the cafeteria will help fuel our minds and our hearts and our souls to better receive our heritage and flourish in this environment.” To bring an edible experience to this rigorous study, classics students should be able to fuel translation sessions with a cup of Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt, while encouraging study of the past, also strengthens relationships on campus. Hillsdale’s Greek system unifies students from diverse backgrounds, challenging members Ms. Timmis is a to strive for excellence. sophomore studying English It stands apart from the systems of other colleges and journalism.

Pexels

The opinion of the senior Collegian staff

When Matthew Broderick’s character Ferris Bueller said, “Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around once in awhile you might miss it,” the last thing the audience thought of was college journalism. But for the senior staff members of The Hillsdale Collegian, it’s a quote that shows the reality of our last year at Hillsdale. In reporting each week, we’ve been blessed to start and contribute to campus conversation, and we’re thankful for the participation and the support of the campus. We reflected on the year’s biggest stories, so here’s a recap of a few of our favorites

and proudest moments. It’s The People: Engaging with students and the community is important, but having the opportunity to report on a story that put the two groups in conversation was priceless. To some it was just a sign, to others it was an ethos. College Scorecard: Last year, The Collegian discovered and reported the Department of Education incorrect labeled Hillsdale “a primarily certificate degree-granting institution” — and this year, the Department admitted it. Convocation Speech: In our first editorial staff weekly this school year, we said we wanted to be a source of news and discussion for the college and

the community. The speeches during Fall 2016 convocation showed that it was working. With President Larry Arnn’s public comments on breaking news and election stories and Professor of History Tom Connor's speech titled “It’s The People,” it was clear we were informing the public and encouraging discussion. Election Night: Despite gratuitous amounts of screams, cheap pizza, and coffee, the staff managed to complete an Election Night issue with Trump’s victory — beating many local and state papers. Lockdown: Decisions aside, it was our honor and privilege to be a source of reliable and accurate campus information

in a time of confusion. 27 issues in one year: While it is always quality over quantity, the senior staff was glad to release the largest number of issues in one year to campus. Ranging from the first day of school, to a Christmas issue, and even one focusing on student’s experiences in Israel, we were happy to highlight it all. We’re thankful for the opportunity to serve the college and the city, and we’re thankful you read our work and hold us accountable. We’re already looking forward to another year of reliable reporting and honest writing.

Hillsdale needs a lesson in science ethics, not just Aristotle’s By | Wyatt J.McDonnell and Matthew M. Drogowski Special to the Collegian Whether by accidental or deliberate oversight, Hillsdale College is failing its students and faculty by refusing to implement both an Institutional Review Board (IRB) and an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). This oversight does not just keep research taking place in Dow, Strosacker, and Kendall from publication in scientific journals. By not taking adequate steps to emphasize the role and place of science in a rigorous, authentic liberal arts education, the College fails to live up to its mission statement, which claims “to furnish all persons who wish, irrespective of nation, color, or sex, a literary and scientific education.” As Madeleine Jepsen reported in the March 30th edition of The Collegian, the College’s refusal to implement neither an IRB nor an IACUC continues to cause the scientific community at large to overlook the considerable scientific achievements of Hillsdale College faculty and students. As an institution that showcases the opportunity to perform research in front of prospective students and faculty, the refusal to provide access to research materials, and at minimum an IRB, is both hypocritical and untenable. Both the faculty’s and students’ lack of College-provided access to, much less ability to publish in, essential primary literature materials such as the journals Nature and Science further underscores the lack of these basic review boards. The College discourages scholarship and injures itself by inhibiting its

academicians from performing their work within the appropriate ethical guidelines. Not choosing to implement an IRB and IACUC because compliance is federally regulated indicates a woefully sparse understanding of the ethics involved. The IRB and IACUC policies that have been codified in the laws of the United States arose directly from horrific and gruesome human subjects research performed in the 20th century. If Hillsdale wishes to communicate that it does not find the guidelines rising from the ashes of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, the Willowbrook Study, and the Nuremburg Trials significant and reputable, then so be it. If, however, Hillsdale is truly committed to preserving the ethics of Western civilization that are part of “modern man’s intellectual and spiritual inheritance,” Hillsdale must take action to implement both an IRB and IACUC. Were any of these reasons insufficient to merit concern, it is also in the College’s best legal self-interest to implement these boards forthwith. Human subjects research is performed at Hillsdale College, and Hillsdale’s faculty are obligated to take sufficient and appropriate steps to protect the identities and data collected from their research participants. Personallyidentifying or medically-relevant information that may be collected from research participants must be protected appropriately— failure to do so puts the College at legal risk and could endanger participants if disclosed

inappropriately. Comparable liberal arts and Christian institutions such as Calvin College, Hope College, Aquinas College, Belmont University, and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College all recognize the importance of these issues and maintain active IRBs (and IACUCs if their faculty perform animal research). The lack of these resources at Hillsdale typifies a widening rift between the sciences and the humanities. This rift continues to grow at an alarming rate in conservative institutions, where Christian fundamentalism collides with liberal education. By nature, a Hillsdale liberal arts education ought to encourage, rather than stifle, complete intellectual diversity. Requiring all students to take full-fledged coursework in the humanities while crafting an attenuated science curriculum for nonmajors is equally unacceptable. Scientists on the whole are notorious for their poor communication skills, as demonstrated by the increasing demand for quality science writers. Likewise, the general public lacks understanding of fundamental issues tested and developed via the scientific method such as vaccination, public health initiatives, and statistics. A truly rich liberalarts education, which Hillsdale

Trump protectionism promises safety, but prevents freedom By | Nicole Ault Collegian Reporter This week, CNN reported that President Donald Trump wants to investigate effects of import subsidization and dumping on the U.S. trade deficit — and is considering an increase in tariffs, if a negative effect is found. Trump expresses no qualms about tariffs; during his campaign, he proposed a 45 percent tariff on China and a 35 percent tariff on Mexico. Trump’s protectionism taps into the misconception that foreign businesses’ successes taint our American identity. We want jobs here, and not just for practical reasons. Something deeper than unemployment nags us when an American factory dissolves because of Chinese imports or Mexican labor. So we call it patriotism when we vote for politicians who promise to keep jobs here. Protectionist policies, we’re told, will sustain American employment and expand American businesses. They reaffirm the American identity. But has safety at the cost of diversity and freedom and choice ever been our identity? In the end, is protection worth the price — or even effective? Despite their patriotic allure, protectionist policies are

harmful because they don’t work, and they distort our quest for justice and human flourishing. A tariff is a tax a domestic government mandates on foreign goods. To stay profitable, companies pass tax burdens onto consumers by raising prices — ultimately, the cost falls on you. And you can’t avoid the problem by switching to domestic goods, because domestic producers raise their prices if foreign producers’ prices go up. Foreign producers aren’t happy, either. They lose business because consumers aren’t buying their expensive goods. They might pull their goods from America completely, which leaves consumers with fewer — and possibly lower-quality ones — options in the store aisle. In response, some foreign countries levy tariffs on our goods. This hurts American producers whose goods face tariffs in other countries. To cover the cost, they raise prices and probably lose business from abroad. As American companies lose business, they have to cut back on workers, which means Americans lose jobs. A recent study by the National Foundation for American Policy estimated that proposed tariffs on China, Japan, and Mexico would cost each American

claims to provide, encourages the integration of all educational disciplines and does not pick and choose which aspects to include. There is no reason that science, a Western Heritage, and a Judeo-Christian faith cannot live together in perfect harmony. In fact, when combined, they guarantee a student the richest educational experience possible. William H. Bragg, a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics, echoed this sentiment in a Christmas 1919 lecture for the Royal Institution. “From religion comes a man's purpose; from science, his power to achieve it. Sometimes people ask if religion and science are not opposed to one another,” he said. “They are: in the sense that the thumb and fingers of my hands are opposed to one another. It is an opposition by means of which anything can be grasped.” Hillsdale must reconcile the values espoused in its mission statement with its current stances on research ethics and the role of science in the liberal arts. In this regard, the College would do well to take counsel from Dr. Bragg. Mr. McDonnell ’15 is a PhD candidate in Microbiology and Immunology at Vanderbilt University’s School of Medicine and Mr. Drogowski ’15 is an MD candidate at Oakland University’s

W household, on average, $11,100 over five years. Worse, the lowest tax bracket faces the worst consequences, losing 18 percent of their mean aftertax income. A tariff on all countries, meanwhile, would cut out $30,560 from the typical household’s income over five years. Without protectionism, some workers may lose their jobs, but other opportunities for employment will arise. The New York Times recently reported on three Indiana brothers living that reality: One lost his job when his factory closed due to competition from China; another works for a local Toyota plant that exports around the world; and the third, a teacher, relies on lower costs of imported goods to make a decent livelihood. Foreign countries get our money, but that means they can buy our goods or invest in our banks. Capital inflow balances out trade deficits — meaning that, if we import more than we export, foreign countries are also investing more money in our banks. Also, the poor benefit from trade. A 2000 study by the World Trade Organization found poor economies develop faster with more open trade. The Economist reported that the poor in countries such as China, South

By Joel Haines Korea, and Ireland benefited greatly since free trade opened up after World War II. When the poor in foreign countries trade their goods for American capital, the Heritage Foundation pointed out, their industries develop more quickly. Without protectionism, we can enter the world, do good for it, and benefit in return. Openness to change defines the American identity. We stick to our morals and principles, of course, but those principles include cultivating freedom and welcoming other peoples and cultures, generosity with our prosperity, and a willingness to accept what other nations do better than we can. We take risks to create a better, more free, more just world. Mankind wants more than safety. We want freedom and choice and opportunity. We can keep living and loving and doing what we do best, and we have faith that things will be all right, even in the fleeting shadow of unemployment. We don’t want protectionism. We don’t need it. It protects us too much — protects us from who we are. Ms. Ault is a sophomore studying economics, German, and journalism.

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Student bands deserve better sound during performances By | Joshua Liebhauser a featured vocalist for the Special to the Collegian student band ‘Deaf Davey and the Wineboxes,’ struggled to be Last Thursday night, heard over a dead microphone. eight student bands played Senior Nick Archer, the for Centralhallapalooza frontman of another student Showdown, an annual band, ‘My Dog’s Name is Keith,’ competition organized by the also lost vocals during his set, Student Activities Board. Like and drummer junior Dean most SAB events, the venue was Sinclair called exasperatedly well chosen, the decorations for technical help when he were appealing, and the food could not hear his monitors. and beverages were excellent. The student behind the mixing Unfortunately, the live sound board called for her absent boss engineering the College’s Audio/ in vain when musicians needed Visual department provided level adjustments onstage. The was so riddled with mistakes bass boomed in the echoing that it almost ruined several hall and the mix unfortunately student bands’ performances. swallowed the guitars. Incessant feedback Freshman Matt Montgomery, screeches through the PA who attended the concert in system undermined talented support of several performing performers, and microphones friends, said the sound died on multiple occasions. engineering was so poor that As a musician with experience it likely cost well-liked bands in live sound production, the valuable votes. poor quality of the mixing These problems do not appalled me. When problems necessarily have to ruin student arose during the concert, the band performances. Phi Mu student performers on stage Alpha has run Battle of the looked to the mixing board for Bands for years, and hosted help, but the sound engineer three of the same bands as was frequently nowhere to be CHP Showdown last semester. found. The audience tried to Even with less experienced stay positive and support their sound engineers and inferior performing friends, yet the music tech resources, the music show was sidetracked by lengthy fraternity produced a show set changes and communication that highlighted the bands’ talents with clear sound. If problems. The beleaguered A/V student the A/V department is not assistants looked on helplessly willing to commit to producing as sophomore Isabelle Parell, quality performances, perhaps other musically-inclined

organizations would be. Student bands might not be professional, but the work that dozens of student performers put in over the last few weeks should be recognized by clean sound production and a worthwhile performance opportunity. Anthony Manno’s team produces quality campus-wide events. The SAB crew, however, is entirely unfamiliar with what it takes to pull off a successful musical production, and the sound engineers aiding them are decidedly sub-par. The A/V crew could use the extensive tech resources afforded them by their department, invest in some training, and stay attentive and dedicated during campus events, regardless of the “professionalism” of the band playing. Alternatively, Manno should reach out to other groups on campus who actually produce quality shows for help with the music for SAB’s otherwiseexcellent events. Either way, these simple changes would result in sound quality worthy of the students’ musical efforts, and would improve the caliber of the Student Activities Board’s already-enjoyable events. Mr. Liehbhauser is the president of Phi Mu Alpha Simfonia and a junior studying marketing management.

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Thanks, Mom and Dad By | Evan Carter Web Editor The summer before my freshman year at Hillsdale was filled with activity which at the time felt like it was going nowhere. I couldn’t wrap my mind around why things hadn’t worked out with the girl I liked in high school, I worked three part-time jobs, and I was training for my first collegiate cross country season. I was constantly tired, irritable, and quickly losing any excitement I had ever felt about going to college. My life was in transition and I didn’t know what to do. My frustration climaxed one night, about a month before college. I had my parents sit down with me in our living room, and in the midst of releasing all of my pent-up anguish, I told them that I didn’t think there was any point to spending time with family. I knew I was commanded to honor my father and mother, but I was going to college, so I didn’t see the point anymore. The conversation felt like it lasted a long time, and I did most of the talking. My parents said they knew transitioning to college was hard, but they were also hurt that I was ready to throw our relationship away. That night I went to bed with an uneasy feeling, unsure of how to move forward. After 19 years of growing up with my parents, I was ready to throw it all away. Thankfully my parents loved me and had a much longer memory than I did. They knew this kid trying to grow up before he was even

born, while the first thing I can remember is being stung by a bee while on timeout at my birthday party when I was four. Now as I approach my college graduation, I’m thankful they stuck with me, even when I didn’t stick by them. In hindsight, it’s really easy to look back at all of the good times had growing up. Before I was 10, my dad rewarded me with a chocolate Frosty for accompanying him as he drove an elderly lady home from church once or twice a month. I remember around the same time, my mom worked with me to read, even if it meant I read Captain Underpants when my two older sisters read cultured books, like Little House on the Prairie. What I’m most thankful for — what I forgot that summer and my parents didn’t — was all of the hard things my parents experienced with me growing up. I forgot about my dad taking me to a Busch Gardens waterpark on a family vacation because I wasn’t old enough to appreciate another day of Colonial Williamsburg. I forgot about my mom having to put up with me bad-mouthing her when she worked as one of my recess aides during elementary school. I didn’t think of all the times my parents paid to go on vacation and I told them the place they planned to go was “stupid.” Had my parents given up on family that night — as I thought I wanted to give up on them — my last four years of college would not have so

Courtesy

fulfilling. Beyond paying for much of college, I’m thankful my parents were available to admonish me, to encourage me, and to visit me from time to time. I’m thankful they were willing to talk when I came home from college and felt burnt out. I’m thankful they told me to keep up my grades, when I was tempted not to care. I’m thankful that my mom sent me cards on holidays, even if I never reciprocated. And I’m thankful that my dad always tried to attend my cross country races, even if it meant driving nine hours from my home in Metro Detroit to Michigan Tech in the northern part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Parents are an advantage, not a heavy weight stopping forward movement into adulthood. My parents definitely aren’t perfect, but they’ve always helped me to succeed, even when I couldn’t see it. So now as I’m about a month from graduating college, I’m not going to repeat the same mistake I made four years ago. As I get a job and take the next steps of adulthood, I look forward to talking with my parents about it and possibly moving close to where they live. Our relationship will change, but that doesn’t mean it has to weaken. I’m beginning to see the wisdom in honoring your father and your mother. Thanks Mom and Dad. Mr. Carter is a senior studying politics and journalism.

Core grammar class would make us write gooder By | Philip H. DeVoe City News Editor

Verbs are like cats. Everyone who has taken professor of education Daniel Coupland’s English Grammar course remembers the “verbs are like cats” lecture. In comparing the unpredictable — and, sometimes, counterintuitive — behavior of his two cats, Angel and Blackard, to that of verbs, he prepares the students for weeks of mental pain as they trudge their way through one of the language’s most used parts of speech. For the hundreds of Hillsdale College students who have not taken Coupland’s class, however, the entire English language can feel like a cat. Using the subjunctive action or the impossibility of having a “second favorite” throws off people who have spoken English all their lives. In fact, since the Progressives rearranged the public education system in the beginning of the 20th century, emphasizing technical learning instead of

the liberal arts, Americans have been left in the dark about their own language. Like the spelling readers buried in the back of your grandparents’ parents’ attic, American grammar has yellowed since it was retired from the classroom. Hillsdale College should lead the charge to return grammar to higher education classrooms and restructure the core to include an English grammar class. Grammar does more than just explain the rules of our language — it helps writers understand the power of their words, and how the placement of different words changes the essence of what they’re writing. Students majoring outside the humanities who struggle with writing papers for their Great Books or Constitution classes would gain much from the grammar course. Perhaps many freshmen fall victim to Hillsdale’s notoriously rigorous ‘first paper’ grading scale because they write at the lax level of grammar our country embraced for

improve our writing

professors expecting more than that. Keeping the course as an elective is a disservice to the students of the college, who jump through hoops to complete less important classes that weigh down the core.

of Logic and Rhetoric to the core was a good decision, it makes no sense for a selfrespecting liberal arts school to miss the mark on so basic a principle of the liberal arts. One roadblock to including

"Perhaps many freshmen fall victim to Hillsdale's notoriously rigorous 'first paper' grading scale because they write at the lax level of grammar our country embraced for professors expecting more than that." Last semester, Hillsdale required its students take a class within the seven classical liberal arts for the first time, Logic and Rhetoric. The problem with the class is that English grammar, an instruction on the order of words within sentences, is supposed to precede logic, an instruction on the order of sentences within arguments. While the college’s introduction

English grammar in the core is the assumption by Hillsdale administrators that students have already taken grammar classes prior to college. Leaders in higher education often view grammar as ‘remedial,’ like cursive writing or division. On the contrary, Coupland has found that many of his students’ prior experiences with grammar leaves something to

be desired. Some students have had grammar classes before, but those classes came up short, either in the subject material or the length of the class itself. Yet another group only learned that English has a subjunctive tense and participles, for example, after learning the grammar of foreign languages. This is a major part of the problem: Most high schools and elementary schools do not teach grammar because of the Progressive push for education mentioned earlier, and colleges are afraid of the redundancy of teaching it at the secondary level. In 2009, students at Hillsdale took matters into their own hands and petitioned for the addition of a grammar course, resulting in Coupland’s. After two semesters at the 1-credit level, Hillsdale administrators promoted it to three credits, and, now, Coupland has had no trouble filling seats. Just as they were eight years ago, students today are unsatisfied with their remedial understanding

of such a crucial part of communication. Since Hillsdale attracts many students whose primary education emphasized the liberal arts, the redundancy may be more of a problem here than at other colleges. One way of solving this problem is by treating English grammar like any other language course and offering an entrance exam. That way, the college could best address the deficient approach to grammar in primary education. The core is too big, but English grammar is too big a course to leave out. During its next meeting, the academic administration should seriously consider amending the core. The college will be better for it, and Hillsdale will be a pioneer in yet another critical movement: reviving an observance of proper English grammar. Mr. DeVoe is a senior studying politics and journalism.

Christian politicians should cite facts, not the Bible, in their politics By | Anders Hagstrom Senior writer

As a 6th grader, I got into an argument about whether a class-five tornado could move a pencil on the ground a mile away. I insisted it wouldn’t budge. My friend said it would be sucked into the vortex. Our data-free arguments hinged on the methods peculiar to 6thgrade argumentation: My older brother, a man at the sagely age of 22, agreed with me. My friend, not to be outdone, quickly countered saying his father agreed with him. Neither of us changed our minds. Most of us eventually learn this lesson: When in argument, don’t appeal to an authority. In an economics paper, students cite an economist’s data, not the economist himself. Basic logic says that appealing to authority is a fallacy, but the frequency of Christian politicians citing scripture to justify legislation implies that this lesson might not be as widely disseminated

as I first thought. Just last week, Rep. Jodey Arrington, a Texas Republican, cited scripture to support work requirements for welfare recipients. He said, “The Scripture tells us in 2 Thessalonians 3:10, ‘for even when we were with you we gave you this rule: if a man will not work, he shall not eat.’” Last year, Rep. Rick Allen from Georgia’s 12th District argued against gay marriage by citing Romans 1:18-32, which lists homosexuality among a collection of sins that are “worthy of death.” In 2010, Rep. Lamar Smith, another Texas Republican, cited scripture to support a crackdown on illegal immigration. He pointed to Romans 13:1, “Let every person be subject to governing authorities.” And in 2009, Rep. John Shimkus, a Republican from Illinois, brushed aside climate change by citing Bible verses in Genesis and Matthew and saying, “the Earth will end only when God declares its time to be over. Man will not destroy

this Earth — this Earth will not be destroyed by a flood.” Each of these arguments is just like a 6th grader squealing, “my daddy told me.” When Christians appeal to God’s authority in politics, they imply that there are no statistics or data to support their claims. But if the Bible makes an assertion about the world, and if Christian lawmakers really believe that assertion is true, then they should have the courage to argue with facts, not Bible verses. Here are the facts: Americans are less successful when they don’t get married; children perform worse when born out of wedlock or raised by single or homosexual parents; and poor people are less likely to look for better jobs when on welfare. Instead of citing scripture to uphold the sanctity of marriage, Christians should cite statistics like those from the Heritage Foundation showing that in the United States, marriage drops the probability of child poverty by 82 percent, and that more than 80 percent of high-

income families are headed by monogamous, heterosexual parents. Meanwhile, less than seven percent of poor families have two married parents. Christians shouldn’t advocate for the biblical view of marriage simply because it is biblical, they should advocate it because it is best. Similarly, welfare work requirements don’t need to be supported by 2 Thessalonians, as Rep. Arrington seems to believe. Congress implemented work requirements in 1996 for recipients of the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program, now known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. The program required half of all able-bodied recipients to work. The results speak for themselves: Between 1996 and 2002, the number of families on welfare dropped from 4.3 million to 2 million, and today only 1.6 million use the program. Welfare work requirements work, no Bibles needed. Appealing to scriptural authority not only makes Christians seem weak, it also

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distracts from the actual evidence. Any reference to scripture in political debate ensures a slew of mocking headlines. No click-hungry news outlet will pay attention to a lawmaker’s statistics when he also says that Noah’s flood proves climate change isn’t man-made, as Rep. Shimkus did. Politicians have reduced the Bible to a prop. If Christians

want scripture to have weight, then they need to stop using it where it has no recognized authority. Christians can point to scripture as an authority among Christians, but they need to stop citing Dad in politics and start proving that He’s right. The evidence is there. Mr. Hagstrom is a senior studying politics and journalism.

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The exterior of Jilly Beans coffehouse, located in downtown Hillsdale. Facebook

Meet Mary Ellen: Jilly Beans gets new owner By | Thomas Novelly Editor-in-Chief Jilly Beans coffeehouse has a new owner and a new look. The longtime downtown coffee house was put up for sale in late February after previous owner Jill Nichols decided to retire after nearly a decade of serving coffee. Toward the end of March, Hillsdale resident and frequent customer Mary Ellen purchased the business — transitioning from grabbing coffee on the run to running the business. “When I saw that it was up for sale, I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect fit,” Ellen said. A native of St. Clair County, Ellen moved to Hillsdale six years ago and said she immediately had the desire to be involved with a coffee shop in the community. It was during one of her trips to the farmer’s markets downtown where she discovered and fell in love with Jilly Beans. “I’ve been enjoying it for

the last six years,” Ellen said. “It feels over the top to now be a part of it.” Since purchasing the business in late March, Nichols has been working alongside Ellen to teach her all elements of the business, ranging from making drinks to prepping food. “Jill has been a wonderful mentor and teacher,” Ellen said. “The people are so patient and nice. It has been an easy transition so far.” Nichols said she has been impressed with Ellen’s work. “I’ve got confidence in her,” Nichols said. “She’s going to be great.” In February, Century 21 Drews owner Jim Drews listed the business for $89,000 — which included all furniture, existing inventory, and food service equipment. “We’ve received and accepted one offer so far. It came in just a day or two of the listing being put on,” Drews said in Feburary. “The potential buyer is actually a long-time customer, which is kind of unique,

that someone who was a frequent patron is now interested in making it their own.” Ellen has started putting some of her own personal touches on the coffee shop since making the purchase, including fresh paint on the walls and artistic nature pictures from one of her favorite photographers, her sister, who lives in California. In addition to some of the aesthetic changes, Ellen said she has added some more food options as well. “Jill is sharing some of her recipes with me so I’ll be able to keep that level of service as far as the food goes,” Ellen said. “It’s currently sustainable, but I hope to add some things to the menu. We’ve had great reception for our new greek salad, and we hope to serve up some fresh fruit in the summer too.” A favorite study spot for Hillsdale students, Ellen said the coffeehouse will soon also be open on Sundays to accommodate their studies and

homework. In the future, Ellen plans to add some personal touches to the “secret garden” patio area behind the business, adding landscape and other knick knacks. But overall, Ellen said she wants to just maintain the great reputation that Nichols built. “I want to maintain the level of excellence, and I want to become more a part of this community,” Ellen said. “I want to invite people through the doors. They’ve been so pleasant and they make it a good experience.” Jilly Beans will have a grand re-opening on Saturday, April 29, and will also be open for the first time on Sunday, April 30. Nichols said she will be retiring towards the end of the month and that she’ll miss the time she has spent at the store. “I’m ready for the next phase. It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but it’s good,” Nichols said. “I’ll miss talking to the people and getting to hear their stories.”

Coffee from A1 espresso tastes like and what a bad espresso tastes like, especially for this brand.” Hubbard, who majored in biology at Hillsdale, said her interest in coffee grew from a hobby to an intellectual interest in college. She said she has enjoyed learning the science and the art of coffee, as well as the business side of running a cafe in an environmentally responsible, sustainable way. “I love that the beans are roasted in Michigan, and that I know where they came from, and the farmer who grew them,” Hubbard said. The coffee is from the Hyperion Coffee Company in Ypsilanti, Michigan, a roasting company that imports much of its single-origin coffee from farms in Peru. She also plans to make her own mocha mix and syrups for other coffee drinks. Adjunct Professor of English Ellen Condict said she has known Hubbard since she was a 5th-grader at Hillsdale Academy and has mentored Hubbard through college and beyond — as well as offering advice and expertise on remodeling and decoration. Condict said Hubbard’s background and her personality have prepared her for opening a business in Hillsdale. “She’s always been interested in science and the humanities,” Condict said. “She’s very social; she loves to make people feel welcome; and she has a lot of enthusiasm.” Talkington said the cafe will offer a meeting space that has been lacking in the

community and on campus. “She’s really filling in an area in the community — with Broad Street closing down — that we need,” Talkington said. “And she also has a really beautiful place for hosting events. It’s geared toward having students here studying. It’s all very thought out as far as how you write a rough draft. You want to do it here.” Hubbard said she plans to open the shop from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day but Wednesday. Though the shop has been approved for a liquor license, Rough Draft will begin by focusing on coffee drinks and refreshments like scones, cookies, and gourmet toast (bruschetta fans, rejoice). The summer will give Hubbard and her employees valuable experience with the menu and the process of running the shop, and she plans to host a grand opening party when students return in the fall. Hubbard said the name of the cafe reflects the process of opening her first business, as well as the experience of many of her future customers. “That’s why it’s called Rough Draft,” Hubbard said. “You’re never going to be fully prepared until you start and get something down on paper and get started. I know I often compare myself to the final product in a lot of things, but the reality is that it takes a lot of messy and unglamorous mistakes to get you to the point where you have something to offer.” Condict said the cafe — both the open space and the entrepreneur behind it — will be a place for community outside campus.

MSU promotes growth in Hillsdale with extension program By | Stevan Bennett Assistant Editor You may have to drive to Lansing to catch a live Spartans football game, but Michigan State University offers a wide-variety of invaluable resources right here in Hillsdale. For over 100 years, Michigan State University Extension has offered Hillsdale County residents access to knowledge and aid in a variety of areas, ranging from agriculture to food safety, in hopes of growing the local economy and improving everyday life. “Our job, essentially, is to deliver research-based information that is developed on Michigan State’s campus, as well as on other campuses, to the residents of each county that we serve,” said Matt Shane, who is the district coordinator for district 12, which includes Hillsdale County. Shane said Extension divides its efforts into four main institutes: Children and Youth, Agricultural and Agricultural Business, Health and Nutrition, and the Green Michigan Institute, which combine to reach approximately 2,000 Hillsdale County residents. The Children and Youth Institute is likely the most well known thrust of Extension, according to Shane, and is headed by Insa Raymond in the Hillsdale office. It includes an extensive 4-H program for youth ages 5 to 19, which is known primarily for its rural and agrarian skill-development opportunities. In addition to 4-H, Extension also offers youth in the community courses aimed to teach life skills, such as financial literacy, leadership, and science skills. The Agriculture and Agricultural Business Institute is where the Extension program began, when Michigan State hired its first livestock field agent in 1907, according to the official website. Today, the institute works with local farms of all types and sizes, in order to help them become more productive, profitable, and sustainable, according to Shelby Burlew, who works as a livestock environmental educator in the

Hillsdale office. “I could be going to a farm that just has a couple of horses or a couple of goats, or I could be working with a farm that is milking over 700 dairy cows,” Burlew said. “I want to work with farmers so that they can manage their farms in an environmentally sustainable way.” To this end, Burlew said she works extensively with nutrient retention, which improves the productivity of farms, but also helps to lessen their environmental impact. Scott Ferry, who owns Ferry Farms, LLC, a fourth-generation dairy and crop farm in Litchfield, said he started utilizing the resources available through Extension in 2008, when he moved back to the family farm with his wife Ali, after his father passed away. “You have to think of the situation of not having a previous generation to help mentor you,” Ferry said. “Being able to utilize your community, local farmers, and the resources through the University was absolutely priceless.” Since his first contact with Extension, Ferry has deepened his involvement, even serving as the president of the MSU Extension AgBioResearch State Council. Part of what makes the Extension program so impactful for farmers like the Ferry’s, is the local placement of Extension offices. “The most important component is that we’re local,” Shane said. “Many of the people in the Hillsdale office reside in Hillsdale County, so they’re a part of the community, and they’re invested in wanting the community to be successful.” Beyond the farms of Hillsdale, Extension works through its Health and Nutrition institute to educate local students and families on the ins-andouts of food safety and the importance of a healthy diet. Shane said the program often works with low-income families to help them understand how to eat well on a budget. The institute also provides resources to strengthen social and emotional health, such as anger management and stress reduction courses.

The final institute is the Green Michigan Institute, which works with natural resources, such as water and woodlands. In addition, the institute works with community programs, such as farmers markets and and County Commissioner training. “What’s unique is that Extension reaches so far outside of just agriculture,” Ferry said. “MSU Extension is present not only in agriculture and helping the development of our food supply, but also it’s the development of communities and the whole civil infrastructure of what it takes to provide resources to communities in need.” Extension not only offers a wide variety of information, but also gives residents countless ways in which they can access the specific information they need, including affordable — often free — webinars, workshops, hotlines, classroom course, and literature. Shane said one of the most important things to Extension is that the information be made available at a price and in a manner which is practical to those that could use it. “We really work hard to make sure we are making good use of the funding we are so generously given,” Shane said. “We need to use our dollars as wisely as possible, and because that’s our mindset, we understand that’s how the individuals in the communities we’re serving are — trying to make dollars go as far as they can.” Since it sent out its first field agent in 1907, MSU Extension has seen significant growth, and now has offices in every county in Michigan. Even with all the expansion and change, the job of Extension employees has remained essentially unchanged: Meeting people where they are and working to help them. “It’s not just about getting research information to farms,” Burlew said. “Even more important than that is to take a step back, listen with our own two ears to what their needs are … and then to take those needs and get them the information they need to be successful.”

Jon-Paul Rutan addresses attendees of the U.S. Constitution class at Volume One Bookstore. Crystal Schupbach | Collegian

Rutan teaches Hillsdale residents about the U.S. Constitution at weekly classes By | Crystal Schupbach Collegian Freelancer A group of concerned citizens gathers for a Constitution class in Volume One Bookstore in downtown Hillsdale every Tuesday night. They shuffle in around 7:30 p.m. and help themselves to fresh coffee and friendly community — owner Richard Wunsch’s cat even hangs around for the lesson. The group follows a Hillsdale Justice Project weekly meeting held at 6 p.m. Between the Justice Project meeting, the class, and subsequent discussion, some stay at the bookstore for upwards of four hours. Since 2012, Hillsdale resident Jon-Paul Rutan has been teaching a class on the U.S. Constitution every week, putting his own twist and insight on materials found in Hillsdale College’s online Constitution 101 course. Rutan is not new to teaching, having previously taught at Jackson Community Col-

lege. “Offering the class is planned education of the public to bring back the republic,” said Rutan. “We teach how the law applies, but it’s important to note that we don’t give legal advice.” Rutan begins each class by passing out a quiz that serves as an outline of what to listen for in the recorded lecture. Once the class glances over the questions, Rutan plays the video. On April 11, the topic of discussion was religious liberty and the administrative state — a lecture given by Professor of Politics Thomas West in the series entitled “Constitution 201: The Progressive Rejection of the Founding and the Rise of Bureaucratic Despotism.” He frequently stopped the video to engage those in attendance by asking questions and making comments with an occasional hint of humor. “There’s one thing my grandpa always told me — ‘never speak religion or politics,’ but that’s all I ever speak of,” Rutan joked to the class.

One Hillsdale resident, Dennis Wainscott, shared that he was formerly a minister and police officer, and is running for the Hillsdale City Council this election cycle. He said he has always believed in the law and, furthermore, took an oath to uphold it. The class helps him live up to this ideal. “I learn more about the Constitution each time I come. I was never taught about it in high school,” Wainscott said. Couples, friends, and families use the class for advanced learning and for the social experience. Michael Wainscott, Dennis’ son, said that he has been coming to the class with his father for the past two or three years. “It gives us back something that we may forgotten over the years. This class lets us practice and relax as we get older without the pressure of a normal classroom,” Michael Wainscott said. “Being able to get involved with a group of people who want to make a difference sits well with me.”

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A7 20 Apr. 2017

Nancy Gertig scuplts garden gnomes like these to sell at local arts and craft shows. Nancy Gertig | Courtesy

For husband-and-wife team, pottery is about connection with customers By | Kristiana Mork Collegian Reporter

TOP TO BOTTOM: A birdbath the Gertigs designed to sell at art shows; Nancy Gertig shapes a bowl on her pottery wheel; pots Nancy Gertig shaped and glazed before breaking her wrist in January. Nancy Gertig | Courtesy

Grinning garden gnomes and birdbaths graced with delicate woodland creatures are some of Hillsdale resident and professional artist Nancy Gertig’s recent creations. “My husband presses the birdbaths and then we make little critters to go on them,” Nancy Gertig said. “Little turtles, and frogs and dragonflies and flowers and things. Nobody else does it like that so it’s neat.” Nancy Gertig and her husband make the birdbaths to sell at arts and crafts shows around Michigan. At the beginning of a show the birdbaths won’t sell at all, but, by the afternoon, customers start coming back, she said. Then, the birdbaths sell out within 45 minutes. Nancy Gertig and her husband John started selling artwork professionally over 20 years ago while they were living in Texas. “Someone talked us into doing a local show. We tried that, then we did a little bit bigger one, then a little bit bigger one and it was just amazing,” Nancy Gertig said. “It amazed us that we could make so much money in a weekend at an art show.” Three years later, her hus-

band left his aircraft engineering job to work with her on art full-time. The two of them started with 24 art shows a year, and people in the area started collecting their work. “We’d send out cards and let everybody know where we were going to be, and they would come and buy,” Nancy Gertig said. “We still have customers in Texas, though we haven’t been down there in a couple years.” They also sold their work wholesale, in Hallmark shops and stores from Maine to California. But selling wholesale means selling through somebody’s else’s shop, so there was no connection between the Gertigs and their customers. “We felt like we were mass producing and shipping clerks and we hated it,” Nancy Gertig said. “So we pulled out of that and we’ve never sold wholesale since.” They relocated to Hillsdale, Michigan, closer to Ann Arbor, where she grew up, and the University of Michigan, where she went to school. Michigan was also closer to some of the best arts and crafts shows in the nation. According to Nancy Gertig, people are drawn from all over the country to shows in Michigan. People come from Arizona and Florida in the summer to avoid the heat, and peo-

ple in the area come because Michigan shows are free. “People just love it, they love being able to go and buy from the person who makes the work,” Nancy Gertig said. “Especially with so many imports. People love to buy from the maker so they know exactly where their product is coming from.” Grace DeSandro, a senior Art major at Hillsdale College and the Gertigs’ adopted daughter at College Baptist Church, said she was not surprised people enjoyed buying from them. “She is confident in her work, but not pushy,” DeSandro said. “She’s easily relatable and never feels like she’s trying to sell something. She’s just really, really nice.” DeSandro said Nancy Gertig taught her to sculpt a little monster from a template she used to use to teach children how to work with clay. “It was fun to take a break from school and from life,” DeSandro said about her visit. “It was relaxing, controlled, and I was watched by the eyes of a master.” According to DeSandro, Nancy Gertig also made a name for herself in Hillsdale by sculpting collectible Santa figurines. Every year she sculpted a new one, and every year they sold so well that she

had to develop molds for them rather than sculpt them individually. Ryan Taylor, a Hillsdale resident and wholesale potter, said the Gertigs helped him establish his own studio. Aside from shaping pots, potters also need to know how to manage electrical connections for specialty ovens called kilns, Nancy Gertig explained. John Gertig oversees the kilns at their house, and helped Taylor with the kilns at his own studio. Taylor sells his work wholesale to tourist shops in northern Michigan and through commission. Though his work is different than the Gertigs’, he said he still owes them for all the advice they gave him. Nancy Gertig says that the relationships are what keep her coming back to her work. “I think it’s going and selling at the shows that kept us going, because we had so many customers,” Nancy Gertig said. “People had been buying from us for over 20 years, the same people. And you build up a relationship, so they come and talk to you and want to know about your family, and tell you all about their family, and you watch people just obviously love what you’re making.”

Shirkey: requiring Sheriff Tim Parker releases app to improve Amish to register communication with county residents buggies is a step ‘too far’ “It’s pretty cool to see how By | Kaylee McGhee the app has already had a good By | Brooke Conrad Collegian Reporter

State Sen. Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, says requiring Amish residents to register their buggies would be his last resort in preserving Hillsdale County roads and keeping drivers safe. “Registration would take things too far at this point in the process,” Shirkey said. Since February, Shirkey has met with several Amish bishops in Hillsdale County to discuss options for making roads safer for both automobile and buggy drivers. He said he would like to see the Amish community agree on a self-imposed solution — such as improved lighting — rather than pass a new law. A registration fee would help fix road damage caused by buggy wheels and horse shoes. Hillsdale County Road Commission manager John Sanders said the buggy wheels make grooves and pockets in the asphalt, which eventually turn into large potholes. Sanders said he does not think registration fees would cover the costs for repairing the roads, especially because the repairs only last a short time. Last year, the county spent $470,000 to repair Hillsdale Road, and it only took a few weeks for horse-and-buggy travel to damage it again. Shirkey has been looking for ways to improve safety on the roads as well. He said that finding a solution depends partly on the willingness of Amish residents to voluntarily pursue common safety guidelines. He said he was disappointed after seeing a photo of a recent accident involving two young Amish men skateboarding behind a horsedrawn buggy. “If a police officer saw that behind anybody’s vehicle, there would be an infraction there,” he said. “It is very disappointing to see evidence of this kind of behavior, because

Assistant Editor it doesn’t help their case. It demonstrates they are not senIn order to increase effecsible of common-sense laws tive communication between and safety practices.” law enforcement and the comHillsdale County Sheriff munity, the Hillsdale County Timothy Parker said accidents Sheriff ’s Office has released involving a buggy and an auto- its newest safety feature — its mobile only occur around two own app. or three times every year. He The app, which includes a said the real issue is the sever- weather feature, a link to subity of the accidents, since they mit tips, contact information, usually involve more injuries and immediate push alerts, than automobile accidents do. will give the community inParker said it would be stantaneous access to local ideal to find a single lighting happenings. system that would help au“Society is changing around tomobile drivers distinguish us,” Sheriff Tim Parker said. between buggies and other “How we communicate is automobiles, but added that it changing as well. The intent of is often difficult to find agree- this app is effective communiment. Currently, Amish res- cation with the public.” idents use several different Parker said the app will lighting systems, including make it easier for the HCSO reflectors, flashing lights, and to communicate directly with even lights on the back of the residents, college students, and buggy, resembling taillights on even students’ parents. automobiles. “The Sheriff ’s Office now Hillsdale County Prosecut- has the ability to timely, quicking Attorney Neal Brady said ly, and efficiently send out insome Amish sects are not will- formation,” Parker said. ing to use the slow moving veThe app also allows the hicle triangle because they find public to get into contact with its ostentatious orange color to the HCSO. Through the tip be in conflict with their reli- submission link, residents gion. can upload pictures and othAnna Schwartz, a Hillsdale er anonymous information if County Amish resident, said they come across illegal activthat while her community ities or persons, according to does not use the SMV triangle, Lt. Todd Moore. other Amish communities, such as some in Indiana, do. Brady said the main problems on the road are the difference in speed between buggies and automobiles and the By | Nathaneal Meadowcroft vision impediment caused by Senior Writer hilly areas. Accidents are most commonly due to the inattenThere’s a new web design tiveness of motor vehicle drivbusiness in town. ers. Amanda Honeywell, a self“The main thing is that people driving vehicles have taught graphic and web deto be attentive and have to be signer, launched Hillsdale Web Design in March. Hillsdale aware,” Brady said. Amish resident Esther Len- Web Design offers all types gacher said that her buggy has of web services — including reflectors, blinkers, and red hosting, creating, managing, lights on the back sides, but and consulting. Honeywell currently works she says she does not always full-time for Stockhouse Corfeel safe on the road. “We just really have got to poration, but picked up web watch,” she said. “You have to design when she was on malook back as much as in front.” ternity leave a few years ago.

effect,” Moore, who spearheaded the organization of the app’s content, said. “We’ve already gotten several tips, which is good because it allows us to take care of all people’s concerns.” The HCSO is the first Sheriff in Michigan to open its own app through TheSheriffApp. com, an experienced team of developers specializing in custom app development for Sheriff ’s Offices and other branches of law enforcement. The development of the new app has been in the works since December, according to Parker, and Moore said it has already drawn attention from outside Hillsdale County. “A huge agency in Michigan heard about our app and wants to get it,” he said. “They’re even giving a presentation on it.” Parker said the app is one way the HCSO wants to utilize technology to promote the safety of the public. “I am so proud to kick it off and make it available to our community,” Parker said. “Our goal is for every student, parent, professor, and resident to download this app.” The HCSO’s new app is available for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Screenshot of the new app, featuring quick links to simplify how residents access department information. Kaylee McGhee | Collegian

Self-taught web designer opens shop downtown “I knew that times are changing and things need to be more digital, so I just started learning about web design,” Honeywell said. “I was able to teach myself. It’s super fun and I really enjoy it. I could do it for hours and not even realize that I’m working.” Honeywell has been designing websites for a couple of years, but officially launched Hillsdale Web Design last month. Though she hasn’t attempted to market Hillsdale Web Design, Honeywell has seen her fair share of business. Honeywell said she sees a “huge market” for web de-

sign in Hillsdale, and even helped start Hillsdale County’s Chamber of Commerce’s new website. “Every day I see something where I think, ‘This would look better if they had a better photo, or if it was laid out in a different way, or if they hired someone to write content,’” Honeywell said. Honeywell explained it is much easier to create a website today compared to a decade ago. “It’s not expensive to have a website nowadays. It was ten years ago — it would cost you $20,000 just to have one creat-

ed. But there’s so many different ways to have a website. It can be beautiful, and you don’t even have to pay someone like me to create it from scratch. You can just pay me to put it together,” Honeywell said. Honeywell is not pushing her web design currently as she is committed to her job at Stockhouse, but she hopes to turn it into a full-time endeavor at some point in the future. “My ultimate goal is to ramp up the web design,” Honeywell said. “Right now it’s helping me get experience and it’s helping me build a base.”

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Sports

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Apr. 22 vs. Grand Valley - 1:00 PM vs. Grand Valley Apr. 23 at Grand Valley - 1:00 PM at Grand Valley

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Baseball from A10

Senior Ethan Wiskur is third in the GLIAC with 11 homeruns on the season. Matt Kendrick | Collegian

Game two on the day was another tight one. The Chargers opened the scoring in the bottom of the third on a threerun Wiskur home run. A solo shot by Ring in the fifth added one more for the Chargers before Saginaw Valley scored two in the top of the sixth. Hillsdale responded with an RBI single from Boerst in the bottom of the inning — then the Cardinals added two more in the top of the seventh. The final Charger run came on an RBI single from Hites in the seventh, bringing the score to 6-4. Saginaw Valley hit a solo home run in the ninth, but Hillsdale was able to shut them down after that, taking the game 6-5. Two freshmen hurled the game for the Chargers. Andrew Verbrugge started the game, throwing six innings of four-hit ball, in which he allowed three runs — two earned. Josh Stella took over for the last three innings, allowing two earned runs on as many hits. “Our freshmen continue to get better on the mound. Those guys continue to learn and improve,” Theisen said. The first game on Saturday was the only game the Chargers dropped in the series. Saginaw was able to turn eleven hits, two Charger errors, and seven free passes into 14 runs to top the Chargers 14-8.

Boerst had three RBIs in the game, while Ring and Mitchell had two. Walts and Lottinville each drove in one of their own. Ring and Lottinville both homered in the effort. The final game of the series was one to remember, with a combined 39 hits and 36 runs culminating in a 19-17 Charger victory. “You have to love [games like that],” junior Ryan O’Hearn said. “We play this game to be competitive, and that was one of the most competitive games I have ever played in.” The biggest inning of the day came in the bottom of the fourth, when the Chargers scored 10 runs on eight hits and two Cardinal errors. This gave the Chargers a 12-3 lead. “I remember telling our guys at the time, ‘This game is far from over,’” Theisen said. “A high-scoring game is kind of expected when both teams are on their sixth game in four games and the wind is blowing out 10 to 15 miles per hour.” Saginaw Valley proved Theisen correct, scoring 12 runs over the next two innings. The Chargers added five of their own over the next three, to push the score to 17-15 in their favor. The Cardinals tied the game in the top of the ninth, setting the stage for Boerst, who blasted a two-run walkoff home run in bottom of the ninth to

send the Chargers home victorious. The game winner was Boerst’s third home run of the game, which brought him to eight RBIs on the day, earning him honorable mention GLIAC Hitter of the Week honors. Wiskur and Lottinville also homered in the effort, recording two and four RBIs on the game, respectively. Hites and O’hearn each also drove in one. The game was the Chargers’ sixth game in four days, which meant a bit of patchwork was required on the mound to accommodate a well-worked pitching staff. Theisen praised junior starter Phil Carey for stepping into an uncommon role and giving the Chargers a chance to win with five innings of work. He also noted the importance of the Chargers playing an error-free game, despite the high volume of balls put in play. “A lot of things came together in that last win, which was really important, as far as the tiebreaker goes,” Theisen said. “We had guys step up and do a good job all around. Wins like that are definitely team victories.” The Chargers will host the fourth place Grand Valley Lakers for a doubleheader on Saturday, before heading to Allendale on Sunday for two more against the Lakers.

25-year-old school record broken at Border Battle By | Evan Carter Web Editor Going into the Border Battle last Saturday, senior Ty Etchemendy planned on competing in the 400-meter hurdles and not the triple jump. But when wind conditions were perfect for jumping, Etchemendy decided to make one or two jumps. On his first attempt, he jumped a personal season best. “I knew, at that point, it was going to go really well if I kept jumping,” Etchemendy said. He wasn’t able to get things right his next four jumps, and he couldn’t match the distance of his first attempt. On the last jump, Etchemendy knew it had to be then or never. The senior captain lept 15.07 meters, breaking the previous 25-year-old school record by 0.03 meters, which is roughly the length of a small paperclip. “During my fifth jump, the girls were running the 400-meter hurdles, and I knew, ‘I’m either going to take another jump or run the 400-meter hurdles,’” he said. “I decided to jump, and it worked out.” Etchemendy said the school record was a long-time-coming after multiple indoor and outdoor track seasons where

he felt he performed below his potential. As a freshman, Etchemendy placed seventh in the triple jump during the indoor national meet and qualified for the outdoor national meet later in the year, but he hasn’t returned to a national competition since. He is currently ranked 17th in Division II, and he believes he can move up on the list during the remaining meets this season. Head coach Andrew Towne said while Etchemendy’s school record stood out, he saw a lot of good performances from athletes in all of the team’s event groups at the Border Battle home meet this past Friday and Saturday. “Just a lot of good things across the board,” Towne said. “[Junior] Evan Tandy was solid, [freshman] David Downey is showing promise in the 400 hurdles as a young buck — a lot of good things.” The men’s team earned multiple personal records and nine first-place finishes at the meet. Further, junior David Chase’s provisional qualifying performance in the decathlon makes him the fifth athlete on the men’s team to earn a provisional mark. Junior Daniel Čapek had another solid performance, throwing within a couple me-

ters of his personal best in both the discus and the hammer throw. Junior Luke Miller had a season-best vault, which was only 0.06 meters shorter than his all-time personal best. The team’s middle-distance athletes also had a good showing at the meet, with sophomore Tanner Schwannecke leading three other Chargers under two minutes in the 800 meter, and senior Caleb Gatchell leading sophomore Nick Fiene to a sub-four minute time in the 1500 meter. Next to Etchemendy’s school record, senior Todd Frickey’s 10.59 second 100-meter dash was the most impressive performance of the day. Frickey said he felt tired during the race and believes he can go faster in the remaining meets this season. “I didn’t come out and run the race I wanted to in the prelims, but I still ended up running a provo mark. I wasn’t super happy with the time, but I came around in the finals,” Frickey said. “I was happy with the progression I made, and I think it’s going to be a good building block for faster times to come the next couple of weeks.” Frickey, whose 100-meter dash time is currently tied for the 36th spot in Division II,

is determined to improve his spot on the list after being one spot out of qualifying for the national meet in the 100-meter dash last year. Both the men’s 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays won their respective races, but Towne admitted that neither team, both of which have experienced success in the past year, has run up to its potential. “We’ve had some minor injuries that have kept us from putting our full ‘A Team’ out there, so I’m not sure moving forward what that will look like,” Towne said. This weekend, the men’s track team will split up again, with some athletes traveling to the Al Owens Classic at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan, and others traveling to the Jesse Owens Classic at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. “It’s been a different year for us, in that we’ve been split up as a team a lot more regularly than we have in the past,” Towne said. “There’s some things from a team standpoint that I don’t love with that, but I do feel like, on an individual basis, we’re putting most kids in the best situation possible for them that particular week. This weekend is really no different.”

Senior Ty Etchemendy lept 15.07 meters on Saturday in the triple jump event, breaking the 25-year-old school record. Todd Lancaster | Courtesy

A9 20 Apr. 2017

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SOFTBALL HAS THIRD STRAIGHT 3-1 WEEKEND, SWEEPS LOURDES By | Madeleine Jepsen Assistant Editor Strong improvements in hitting from a young softball team manifested in Hillsdale’s sweeps over Lourdes University and Walsh University and a split with Lake Erie College over the course of four days. Hillsdale took an early 4-0 lead in game one against Lake Erie on Friday with an RBI single from sophomore second baseman Amanda Marra in the top of the second inning and another from freshman outfielder Victoria Addis in the top of the third. Addis and sophomore outfielder Katie Kish also scored. The Chargers extended their lead in the top of the fifth when Catron hit another single, scoring Kish and Addis. A double in the top of the sixth from senior center fielder Bekah Kastning — who leads the GLIAC with a .486 batting average — scored sophomore outfielder Carly Gouge. Though Lake Erie tallied two runs over the course of the game, freshman pitcher Dana Weidinger got the win on the mound, striking out four. “With Lake Erie, we know they hit the ball really well, so we figured we were going to have to score some runs to win those games,” head coach Joe Abraham said. “We jumped on them in game one, and Dana pitched a really good game against them, but it was still clear they could hit the ball.” Lake Erie bats came alive in the second game, scoring a run in the second inning and another three in the third. Though Catron hit an RBI double in the fourth inning, six Lake Erie runs in the top of the fifth gave the Storm a 10-1 lead. Runs from Kastning and Gouge in the bottom of the fifth kept the Chargers in the

game. Junior third baseman Kelsey Gockman hit a threerun home run in the top of the seventh. Freshman shortstop Shelby Sprouse hit an RBI single with two outs, but the Chargers weren’t able to complete the comeback, ending the night 10-7. “We didn’t give up, though,”

The Chargers gained two additional runs in the top of the fifth, when Kastning hit an RBI double, and later scored on an Addis single. Two more runs in the sixth inning from freshman catcher Sydney San Juan’s 2-RBI single brought the Chargers to a six-run lead. Though Walsh got a last-minute run, freshman

Strong Charger defense and pitching complemented strong hitting throughout the game. Hillsdale gained two runs in the second inning off an RBI double from Marra and an RBI single from Sprouse. Two innings later, Sprouse’s double brought Kish home, and Catron scored on a passed ball in the next play.

conference games with key hits to improve to 23-18 overall. “Both games, we managed to get runs when we really needed them, despite it being a blasé day for us,” Abraham said. “We never apologize for wins, and we’ll gladly take two.” In the opener, Hillsdale

Senior centerfielder Bekah Kastning hit a RBI double, scoring senior catcher Cassie Asselta, to give the Chargers a 5-4 win over Lourdes. Sarah Klopfer | Courtesy

Catron said. “That was the big thing — no matter how far we were down, we kept fighting.” Hillsdale swept Walsh University Saturday, starting game one with a first-inning home run from Gockman, her second of the weekend. She brought in senior catcher Cassie Asselta, who reached after being hit by a pitch. Asselta is currently ranked sixth in DII softball for hit by pitches.

pitcher Erin Gordon pitched six shutout innings and got the win on the mound. “Erin pitched great,” Abraham said. “She was in command all day, making them swing at her pitches, and we played great defense.” Weidinger took the mound in game two against Walsh, picking up her 16th win of the season in all six shutout innings of the 8-0 victory.

An Asselta double scored Lawrence later in the inning. The final two runs of the game came from sacrifice flies. Catron scored on Lawrence’s fly ball in the fifth inning, and Kastning scored on freshman outfielder Carlin MacDonald-Gannon’s game-ending sacrifice fly to centerfield. Tuesday, the Chargers swept the Lourdes Gray Wolves, closing out both non-

answered Lourdes’ run in the first inning with two in the second inning when Gockman scored on a Marra single and Addis stole home the next play. The Chargers gained two more runs in the fifth inning when Marra walked with the bases loaded, and Gockman scored on a wild pitch the next play. Lourdes scored three more times, once in the fifth and

twice in the seventh to tie up the game, but the Chargers won after a walk-off double from Kastning brought the score to 5-4. Though Lourdes out-hit Hillsdale in game two, the Chargers managed to complete the sweep with a 5-3 win. Gordon got her second win of the day in relief effort, pitching three perfect innings. Hillsdale got on the board in the first inning when Catron scored on a wild pitch, but Lourdes took the lead after scoring twice in the second inning and again in the fourth. The Chargers responded with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Kastning scored on Kish’s single, and a two-out single from sophomore first baseman Haley Lawrence batted in Marra and junior third baseman Jessica Taylor. The Chargers scored again in the bottom of the sixth when San Juan scored, and Gordon secured the win from the mound, striking out two in the top of the seventh to close out the game. Overall, Kastning said the team has improved offensively over the course of the season. “We’ve all just come alive hitting-wise,” Kastning said. “We’ve had a lot of good hitting in clutch situations. It’s cool to see people come in and get the job done.” This weekend, Hillsdale hosts Ashland University and Ohio Dominican University. “It’s going to be four very difficult games this weekend, which is nothing new for our team,” Abraham said. “We’re happy with where things stand. Over half the team is new this year, and we’re right at the top of the standings, so we couldn’t be any more pleased.”

Women’s track sets personal records at home meet By | Jessica Hurley Collegian Reporter This weekend, while some were heading home for Easter festivities, the Hillsdale College women’s track team stayed in Hillsdale to compete in the Border Battle. The Chargers took advantage of the relaxed home meet and broke a few personal records that led to the national list. Head coach Andrew Towne designed this meet to accomplish two things: to give the college an administrative test run before the annual Gina Relays meet, and to give the squad a chance to compete at home in a smaller, more casual meet. “I was really happy with our group — I thought they did a really good job of competing,” Towne said. “They were really committed to taking advantage of it.” Juniors Ashlee Moran and Fiona Shea both met provisional standard in the 100-meter dash. Moran came in first with her time of 11.97 with Shea right behind with 11.99. These were both personal record times, however the wind prevented them from being ranked on the national list. “I don’t find the way we measure wind to be the most accurate,” Towne comment-

ed. “There are always probably some performances that didn’t count that should have and some that did count that shouldn’t have. I think you can look at an overall day and have a lot better feel for that. This weekend, there were two races that were too windy, and I felt like those probably were anomalies.” Moran said she was pleasantly surprised by her personal record. “It was still really cool,” Moran said. “I didn’t think that I ran that fast. It seemed really slow when I came out of the blocks, but Fiona was right there with me pulling me along.” Regardless of the wind factor, Moran expressed that the race was still uplifting. “It’s really encouraging for myself, and I know that a lot of other people [broke their personal records]. I think we are in a lot better place than we were in the indoor season,” Moran said. “I think everyone is more confident. We’ve all picked up where we left off, and we just want it more this season.” Junior Tori Wichman met the provisional standard in the 200-meter dash again, but this time the wind was not a factor. Wichman improved on her record as well, running a time of

24.25. She is ranked No. 20 in the event nationally. “Because of the wind, I wasn’t sure if it was a true time,” Wichman said of last week. “But it was very reassuring to know that I can run even faster with less wind. I’m hoping to just continue to have steadily faster times — that cutting off .2 seconds the past couple weeks will become a pattern.” Wichman said she will continue to progress toward making it to the national meet but realizes the accomplishment she has already achieved.

“As a team, we really focus on placing at GLIACs and qualifying for nationals, so sometimes I forget that I’m breaking school records,” Wichman said. “But that really is an honor because that record has been held for 13 years, so to be able to finally take it down I know is a big deal.” Senior captain Allison Duber ran her season best this weekend and met provisional standard in the 400-meter dash. Her time of 55.85 puts her at 22nd on the national list. This outdoor season has

already proved the amount of depth the Chargers have as a team in a variety of areas. “I feel like almost across the board we’ve been doing the things we need to do when we needed to do them,” Towne said. “We’ve tried to be very flexible this season because you never know what the weather is going to be like. This is just another chance to go out and take advantage of opportunities.” Towne said he’s excited for where the team is at this point in the season. “I told the team that we

are weeks ahead of where we were in indoors at this point,” Towne said. “And I feel like we’ve probably never been in a better spot as a full group than we are right now in terms of performances but also attitudes. If we continue to communicate with one another really well and continue to be really committed this will be a very good season.” This weekend, the teams will compete at Ohio State University and Grand Valley State University.

Members of the Hillsdale College women’s track team — (L to R) Allison Duber, Lorina Clemence, Ashlee Moran, Tori Wichman, and Fiona Shea — all ran personal bests in the 200-meter dash on Saturday. Todd Lancaster | Courtesy

CHARGER CHATTER: MILAN MIRKOVIC How old were you when you started playing tennis?

Milan Mirkovic is a freshman tennis player from Croatia. His favorite things about Hillsdale are the kindness of his fellow students and the quality of the tennis program. Mirkovic plans to major in financial management.

I was, I think, 10 years old. I was a pretty good junior league player, and then I stopped playing tennis when I was 15 years old, and then I decided to go full time to the gym. I just lifted weights, tried to build muscle and gain weight in order to be as big as possible, and this phase lasted for approximately two years. During this time, I completely changed my body composition. My heaviest was 205 pounds. When I turned 17, I realized that what I was doing made no sense. So, I came back to tennis, and it took a long time to lose all that weight, muscle, size, and to lean down. And I’ve been playing since then. When did you start participating in tennis competitions?

I only competed until I was 13 or 14 years old. I was pretty good as a junior. I was one of the top players in Croatia under these younger categories. But when I stopped playing, it affected my game. When I came back from break it took me a long time to get physically prepared to play tennis again, and then I was too old to play in any serious competitions in Croatia. After you turn 18 years old, if you do not want to be a professional player, you will probably go to Germany or the U.S. And I decided to go to the U.S. How did you discover Hillsdale’s tennis program? I heard about Hillsdale on one of the recruiting websites, and I think I sent a message to the coach. He was able to offer me a good deal, and I wanted to come to the U.S. I remember that it was April, and I still did not know

what I wanted to do. I thought to myself that I wouldn’t be able to go to the U.S. if I didn’t find any schools. I had taken so much time to take tests and prepare that when he offered me a good deal, I said, ‘Yes,’ even without really thinking about it.

How do you feel about your tennis career at Hillsdale thus far? This season has been very good. This is our second season as a team — we are doing way, way better than the first season. We have already defeated teams who are regionally ranked and who are very successful. I think coach is very proud of us. We are very proud of ourselves, as well. Building a small community as a team is getting much better. The freshmen used to be sort of separate from the older guys — maybe not getting along as well as result of us not knowing them

— but this semester, things are much better. Communication and interaction between the freshmen and older teammates has gone up significantly. Freshmen feel more comfortable asking questions and demanding things from all the other teammates now. What sparked your love for tennis?

My father used to watch tennis on the TV, and one day I decided to give it a try. We went to a local tennis club. There, we met this tennis coach and he talked to us and he basically advised me to give it a shot and I did. I actually enjoyed the game, and I was pretty good in the beginning, and I decided to stick to tennis. And that’s how it all happened. Did you play any other sports?

I used to play soccer before tennis when I was eight years old. I played for a year or so, then I stopped and started playing tennis. I didn’t really like soccer. I did it because I wanted to get into sports, not because I was passionate about soccer. Is this what 10-year-old you believed you would be doing at your first tennis lesson? No, I was probably thinking of Wimbledon or about making big money playing tennis. But you know, dreams rarely come true. As I grew older, I learned to look at things more realistically and this was a realistic option for me. It was a much better option than studying in Croatia. —Compiled by Morgan Channels

Charger

Ty Etchemendy breaks school record Etchemendy broke the 25-year-old triple jump school record this Saturday, leaping 15.07 meters. A8

Softball wins four in a row After splitting with Lake Erie on Friday, the Chargers went on to sweep Walsh and Lourdes. A9

Women’s track breaks personal records at home The Chargers hosted the Border Battle on Friday and Saturday, resulting in multiple Charger PRs. A9

Todd Lancaster | Courtesy

20 APR. 2017

Todd Lancaster | Courtesy

Sarah Klopfer | Courtesy

Freshman pitcher Andrew Verbrugge allowed three runs — two earned — over six innings of work on Friday. Matt Kendrick | Collegian

4-2 WEEK PULLS THE CHARGERS TO 12-12 IN GLIAC After taking three of four from Saginaw Valley, baseball splits doubleheader against Wayne State By | Stevan Bennett Jr. Assistant Editor As the Hillsdale College baseball team fights for a spot in the GLIAC tournament, the cliche of “every game counts” couldn’t ring more true. The Chargers split a doubleheader with the Wayne State Warriors on Wednesday, after taking three of four from the Saginaw Valley Cardinals over the weekend. This brings Hillsdale to 12-12 in GLIAC play, which lands them at sixth place in the conference. Game one on Wednesday started with three Warrior runs in the top of the first, but a two-RBI triple from senior Ethan Wiskur and an RBI ground out from sophomore Michael Mitchell tied the game in the bottom half of the inning. The Chargers opened the floodgates in the bottom of the second inning, scoring nine runs thanks to home runs from junior Alex Walts and sophomore Dylan Lottinville, and a three-RBI triple from sophomore Colin Boerst. Sophomore Donald Ring also added an RBI. A sacrifice fly from Walts gave Hillsdale another run in the third, before Wiskur crushed a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth. Two Warrior runs in the top of the sixth brought the score to the 15-5 final. After allowing three earned runs in the first inning, junior Will Kruse settled in, throwing four more innings of scoreless ball, while recording seven to-

tal strikeouts. Freshman Josh Stella tossed the final two innings of the game, allowing two earned. After a weather delay, game two was eventually called after 6 1/2 innings, due to darkness,

tory. This result should be confirmed by the GLIAC office in the following days. In the game, the Chargers opened a 5-1 lead over the first two innings, with RBIs from Ring, junior Ryan O’Hearn,

nal Charger RBI coming from Mitchell. Freshman Kolton Rominski started the game for the Chargers, throwing 4.2 innings of five run — three earned — ball.

an indicator of some immaturity, which can be expected some with as young of a squad as we have,” he wrote. “All of you except the freshmen have been around for the playoffs and know how fun they can

Sophomore Colin Hites tallied five RBIs in the Chargers’ weekend series against Saginaw Valley State University. Matt Kendrick | Collegian

with the Chargers trailing 146. The current understanding of the GLIAC bylaws seems to indicate that the game will revert back to the final completed inning, which would give the Warriors an 11-6 vic-

sophomore Colin Hites, and Boerst. Starting in the top of the fourth, however, the Warriors plated multiple runs in each remaining inning, pushing the score to 14-6, with the fi-

Head coach Eric Theisen shared his post-game text message to his team with The Collegian. “Fellas, Thinking about it a bit more, I believe that the inconsistent focus and results are

be. It’s time we start looking at ourselves as a veteran team instead of a young one. Let’s step it up and lock it in and get that tourney bid.” The split came on the heels of a 3-1 weekend against the

Saginaw Valley Cardinals. In game one on Friday, Hillsdale took a 3-0 lead with one run in the first, fourth, and fifth innings on RBI singles from Mitchell, Walts, and Hites, respectively. Saginaw Valley responded with one in the top of the fifth. In the bottom of the sixth, the Chargers pushed the lead to 7-1, thanks to a two-RBI single from Hites and an RBI single from Ring, who is second in the GLIAC in RBIs, behind only Boerst. Freshman starter Jeff Burch was fantastic in the effort, allowing four runs — three earned — over six innings of work, on his was to honorable mention GLIAC Pitcher of the Week honors. “It means a lot to be able to go out there and throw strikes for the team,” Burch said. “I knew that my guys would pick me up no matter what. My changeup was really rolling over, and the infield was great, and so I knew my guys had me. It was great to be able to get the W.” Freshman Dante Toppi came on midway through the seventh, recording the final three outs, while allowing one earned run, squashing a Cardinal rally and sealing the 7-5 Charger victory. “When I turned around and saw [Toppi] running in, I knew we were going to win,” Burch said. “There was no doubt in my mind that that game was ours.”

See Baseball A8

With 5-4 record, men’s tennis heads to GLIACs By | Scott McClallen Collegian Reporter

Sophomore John Ciraci swept No. 5 singles on Friday 6-0, 6-0 then paired with junior Dugan Delp for another win at No. 2 doubles. Madeline Barry | Collegian

The Hillsdale College men’s tennis team defeated University of Findlay 6-3 Friday afternoon at home to conclude their second season of GLIAC play 5-4. The Chargers won four singles matches and two doubles matches to decide their final conference match against the Oilers, who finished seventh in the GLIAC. Freshman Milan Mirkovic picked up a No. 3 singles win 6-1, 6-0, and paired with freshman Julien Clouette for a No. 3 doubles shutout 8-0. Freshman Charlie Adams won at No. 2 singles 6-3, 6-1. Junior captain Dugan Delp was a No. 4 singles winner 6-1, 6-0, and paired with sophomore John Ciraci — who shut out No. 5 singles 6-0, 6-0 — to

win No. 2 doubles 9-7. The Chargers reached twoof-three team goals for this season: finishing above .500, and ranking in the top five in the GLIAC. The Chargers tied for fifth with Northwood University in conference play, and were just shy of being ranked No. 10 in the Midwest. “We set goals that would be challenging, but still within our reach,” Ciraci said. “We didn’t get a regional ranking this year, which was the toughest of the three, but next year, we are looking to climb even higher on the ladder.” The Chargers 12-8 record doubled last season’s wins, and counted four more conference wins than last year. “We are excited with our progress, but are not satisfied with where we are right now,” Delp said. “The matches that we won and lost 5-4

could have gone either way. We would like to win those decisively and to compete at a higher level with the best teams in the league.” Ciraci said Hillsdale tennis has shown the most team improvement in the league. “Not only did we double our wins, but we played strong teams,” Ciraci said. “Our schedule this year is probably tougher than last year, and the teams we beat showed how much better we’ve gotten.” Head coach Keith Turner said he knew the team would be better this season with four new freshman, but he wasn’t sure how much better. “I was most impressed by Milan Mirkovic, who was the only player who didn’t visit Hillsdale before he committed,” Turner said. “ It was hard to judge performance through a video, but he has been de-

stroying No. 3 singles all year.” Turner praised his players’ progress this season. “It was a great year, and if we can win a tournament match, it will be an unbelievable year,” Turner said. “What we’ve done here is unheard of — to reach this level in only two years. I’m excited to see what we can do in the GMAC next year.” The Chargers will face Wayne State in the quarterfinals of the GLIAC tournament at 6:45 p.m. on April 21 in Midland, Michigan. Earlier this month, the Chargers fell to the Warriors 5-4. “It will be difficult. We have to come out and play well,” Delp said. “We are excited to leave it all on the court, and leave the GLIAC on a high note.”

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B1 20 Apr. 2017 Katie J. Read | Collegian

Cats, kitchen utensils, and creepy cowboys: The Collegian goes antiquing By | Jo Kroeker

Opinions Editor

When your grandparents were children, they probably saw an episode of NBC’s “Howdy Doody,” which ran from 1947 to 1960 and starred “Buffalo” Bob Smith and his puppet, Howdy Doody, a play on the Western greeting “howdy do.” Today, you can find the 70-year-old freckled cowboy puppet at Hog Creek Antiques in Allen, Michigan. It costs $375, and a whole lot of nostalgia. Donna Payne, an employee at the antique mall asked, “Do you know Howdy Doody?” (Howdy who?). A woman near her age (about 70), responded, “Oh, Howdy Doody!” while standing at the front counter, checking out. She began singing the theme song that goes with the persona, a cowboy marionette that was popular in the 1940s and 1950s. Prompted by blank stares, Payne walked right to the glass display case with a ginger, freckled, gap-toothed, googly-eyed cowboy puppet with some of the paint cracking peaking out of his box. In all caps, the tag says “Rare boxed Howdy Doody!!! $375 firm. Complete. Check eBay, it’s a bargain.”

Other bargains include a $400 World War II-era bomb, (don’t worry, Payne said, it’s a dud and won’t go off) and other Nazi Germany relics, black swastikas on the white backgrounds of a $50 army patches, a $130 arm band, and a $175 Hitler Youth pennant. For Hog Creek Antique Mall’s owner, Michelle Barrows, antiquing is all about collecting and finding that hidden gem. “It’s like a treasure hunt. You get it in your blood and you can’t get it out,” Barrows said. Hog Creek Antique Mall doesn’t just deal in war memorabilia, though. With more than 23,000 square feet of space and three distinct wings, shoppers can find true antiques, bizarre collections of old Christmas ornaments strung together to whole cabinets of Precious Moments dolls (the pale figurines with the teardrop-shaped eyes you could probably find at your grandmother’s house), and local crafts like wild honey and dream catchers. By her count, Payne has had “the antique bug” for 13 or 14 years, always on the lookout for Victorian furniture and carousel horses. She caught it later on, but Barrows, has had it her whole life. She grew up surrounded by antiques as her

parents learned how to turn a profit going to estate sales, appraising, buying, and selling. She and her husband, Loren Barrows, started building Hog Creek, specifically designed to be an antique mall, in 2005, and it opened in 2006. Allen is a self-proclaimed antique capital, an attribution you can’t miss when rolling through the 191-person village on Interstate 12. Antique malls, like the Allen Antique Barn, crowd the sides of the road, packed with antiques to overflowing, begging perusal. The Barn, for example, is two stories, the Loft and the Barn, and 25,600 square feet, with more than 300 stalls crammed with antiques. An-

tique malls, as opposed to antique stores, are divided into individual stalls professional and amateur antiquers stock with their wares, meaning a greater concentration of eclectic, vintage, and true antique stuff per square foot. Some of the stalls at the Allen Antique Barn are kitschy bordering on junky, but Bryce McCowan has a few weird stories and a few favorite stalls. One time, a Humpty Dumpty statue found its way into the hands of a dealer who sold it through McCowan to a man who had a truck perfectly customized to accommodate the oversized egg. McCowan guesses the buyer has a sizable egg collection.

The cowboy toy Howdy Doody was found in Allen, Michigan, the self-proclaimed ‘antique capital of the world.’ Jo Kroeker | Collegian

By | Kristiana Mork

said. “For most people attending, Walter White will be the best trumpet player they will Friday and Saturday at 8:00 ever hear. He is an incredible p.m., Hillsdale College’s Jazz musician, and the music is Big Band will perform their some of the most entertaining annual concert featuring this and energetic stuff out there.” year’s guest artist, trumpet White studied trumpet at player Walter White. Interlochen Center for the “This will be an exciting Arts, The Juilliard School, the concert,” senior Big Band University of Miami, and the trumpetist Conor Woodfin Banff Centre, and has played for numerous jazz orchestras, bands, and ensembles, including David Matthew’s Manhattan Jazz Orchestra, where he recorded seven award-winning records, according to his website. His music has also appeared in the soundtracks of records, movies, and teleTrumpet player Walter White will visit vision shows campus Friday and Saturday. Walter including TAXI White | Courtesy Collegian Reporter

In review: Is anybody praying for Kendrick Lamar? Assistant Editor

See Hog Creek B2

album, nor is it an autobiographical work like “good kid, m.A.A.d. city.” It is an honest expression of Lamar as a person, an honest-to-God rap album punctuated with bible verses and shoutouts from the late Big L’s producer Kid Capri. The cultural obsession with Lamar’s thoughts on other rappers, police brutality, politics, and religion has failed to ask him what he thinks of himself. These topics are still present, but they are mentioned in passing and left to hang in the background. This album isn’t solely concerned with uplifting Lamar’s community or explaining the rapper’s roots. Lamar’s latest project lacks the jazz influences of its predecessors, opting instead for sharp staccato beats. His vocal pitch changes throughout the album, rewarding longtime fans with a taste of each of his former projects. Listeners hoping for “bangers” will be pleased with his most aggressive leadoff song to date, “DNA.,” as well as the hit single “HUMBLE.” and a well-executed collaboration with U2 on “XXX.” However, this is not an album simply packed with lyrical trunk-knockers. Lamar courts radio appeal on his work with singers Rihanna on “LOYALTY.” and Zacari on “LOVE.” His singing on “YAH.” and “GOD.” isn’t as impressive as the several tracks where the rapper examines himself in lyrically-dense verses over mellow instrumentals. For Lamar, loyalty is par-

See Kendrick B2

and The Cosby Show. “Walter’s pieces are very well written,” junior Big Band drummer Dean Sinclair said. “He is also a monster player, and it’d be a shame to miss him perform.” Woodfin said White’s music will be featured at Hillsdale’s concert, along with other Latin, swing, funk, jazz ballads, and blues pieces. Graduating Big Band members will also be playing featured solos, Sinclair said. “I’m most excited to perform White’s arrangement of Dave Brubeck’s ‘Blue Rondo Ala Turk,’” Sinclair said, “I played it in high school,” Sinclair said. “As a drummer, the time signature changes are a ton of fun to play. I think we sound nice on it.” “I think most of the musicians and directors will agree that this is likely the best jazz band Hillsdale has ever seen,” Woodfin said. “There will be exciting music played by some incredible musicians. It is worth your time.”

CULTURE CORNER What are your most treasured trinkets?

Don McChesney, senior, on his collection of five pipes: “[I have] a briar wood pipe that was hand made in Poland and is made in the style of an old English military pipe. I bought it so I would have a nice pipe to smoke in England, and I brought that pipe with me throughout Europe. I smoked it on the banks of the Thames, at Loch Ness, in the Agora, in the Roman Forum, and in many other places ... My last pipe is one that I bought in Jerusalem. It is the cheapest pipe I own, but I bought it from an Israeli market where I haggled the price down to half its original cost. I mostly bought it to have a souvenir from Israel and because I enjoy haggling.”

Courtesy

David Stewart, professor of history, for his 900+ rubber duck collection: “I have too many weird collections, [including] the history department represented in duck form: a Devo alt-rock duck for Dr. Birzer (“he’s the only one who has walked in here and said ‘You’ve got a duck about me!’”), an American duck for Dr. Raney, a San Francisco Giants-esque baseball duck for Dr. Conner, a king duck for Dr. Kalthoff, “clearly the king of the department,” a scholarly duck for Dr. Gamble (“always off writing his books”), a New York Yankees duck for Dr. Moreno (“likes is really an understatement”), a short duck for Dr. Gaetano, a “girly” duck for Dr. Moy, an angelic duck for Dr. Moss, a joker duck for himself (“for reasons that should be pretty obvious”), a Dionysius-like duck for Dr. Rahe, and a sphynx duck for Dr. Calvert.”

Connor Gleason, ’15, for his trophy, Katrina, a male warthog, currently in 1FS of Simpson: Gleason was hunting in South Africa with his father, his father’s friend, and a professional hunter. Gleason was otherwise occupied when the professional hunter alerted him to the presence of a warthog in an agitated Southern drawl. “I look across the clearing, and there’s the warthog, looking back at me. I barely had time to look down the scope before I pulled the trigger. I got it right between the eyes. Dropped it like a bad habit.”

Courtesy

Compiled by Jo Kroeker

On Good Friday, was anyone praying for Kendrick Lamar? The rapper himself questions it on his newest album, “DAMN.” The internet burst into flame emojis as the Lamar’s fourth album went online overnight on April 14, yanking fans awake for a 55-minute look into the prominent rapper’s consciousness. Rumors of a second album coming on Easter turned to ashes after Lamar’s Sunday Coachella performance established his new identity a “Kung Fu Kenny,” but didn’t tease any more material. Kendrick Lamar Duckworth, a Compton native who gained underground attention with his 2010 mixtape “Overly Dedicated,” has been labeled “conscious” and “lyrical” since he caught the eye of producer-rapper Dr. Dre and released the album “Section. 80” in 2011. Several years later, Lamar has evolved from a Compton martyr to hip-hop’s frustrated torch-bearer. On “DAMN.,” the Compton MC has taken a breath long enough to dedicate an entire album to just rapping about himself. This is the most intimate Lamar has ever been with his listeners, after a series of projects which veiled the artist in his own art. Since Lamar received a physical torch from Snoop Dogg onstage at an Los Angeles concert in 2011, the lyricist has approached his craft with a keen awareness of the grand

expectations for his music. This new work is a direct statement on what the rapper loves and fears most, the regrets he still carries from his past, and most of all, the ever-growing suspicion that his friends, even his family, might not have his back when he needs them most. “Last LP I tried to lift the black artists / But it’s a difference ‘tween black artists and wack artists,” Lamar says on “ELEMENT.,” rapping melodically in a style not unlike his contemporary Drake. There is no need to establish credibility for Kendrick Lamar in 2017. The rapper devotes the album to reminding his audience and peers that, yes, he can please through both headphones and boomboxes. For the first time since he started releasing albums, Lamar discusses his life in the present. His signature skits, storytelling, and cultural commentary are not wholly absent, but this album, unlike his previous projects, seems focused on the rapper himself. “Is it wickedness? Is it weakness?” breathe distant vocals on the opener “BLOOD.” The rapper’s inner turmoil, referenced on “u” and other tracks of 2015’s “To Pimp A Butterfly,” permeates his new release. The 14-track album offers listeners a focused look into the celebrity’s struggle between pride and humility as he confronts criticism and questions the loyalty of his friends and family. “DAMN.” is not merely an attempt at outdoing the complex concepts on his last

years old), the stall belongs to Rich Derooter, a Battle Creek resident who designed Michigan State University’s Sparty the Spartan mascot for free. One piece in particular is eye-catching: A rotary phone separated into the receiver and the rotary, built into a marble and bronze table. The tag says “May still work, but definitely a rare piece, great for decorative item.” Near a stall neighboring this treasure trove, Steve Lindau, an eminently practical man, was perusing for any antiques that may still work. For him, antiquing can lead to unnecessary clutter, so he keeps his collections to a minimum: functioning kitchen appliances and Victorian-era depictions of cats. “It’s neat to be able to use an egg-beater or a potato-masher someone used 70 years before you and it still works just the same,” he said, joining the other antiquers who agree that stuff just isn’t made how it used to be. Barrows, who also has a quirky collecting habit — vintage Christmas ornaments — agrees with Lindau about the search for quality, whether searching for handmade German ornaments or solid furniture. “With your antiques and

Walter White to wow audiences at Big Band concert

Rapper Kendrick Lamar released his latest album Friday. Wikimedia Commons

By | Joe Pappalardo

A set of cases running along the front of the store one time housed World War II memorabilia, he said, but this seller’s wares were so popular among McCowan’s customers that the seller ran out of antiques to sell and had to close his stall. Another stall features old, original Native American and colonial American artwork. McCowan once wrote a $14,000 check for one month of sales because a shopper representing a museum came in and cleaned out the stall. For a village its size, Allen’s antique malls attract national and international traffic. Sellers and buyers come to Allen from all four corners of the United States and from around the world (McCowan has multiple Japanese customers) to buy antiques that would be pricy in their home state or country and sell them back home. One of his sellers makes a killing buying cheap antiques in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and selling them for profit in Michigan, and buying cheap antiques in Michigan and selling them in Ft. Lauderdale — enough, McCowan said, to pay for the next few plane tickets. After winding around stalls and walking down a long corridor, McCowan arrived at his favorite stall. Jam-packed with true antiques (more than 100

Culture

B2 20 Apr. 2017

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on campus this week . . .

The performers in Shakespeare in the Arb will present ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ May 6. Andrew Egger | Collegian

Shakespeare in the Arb shakes it up with ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ By | Andrew Egger Senior Writer Springtime in Hillsdale: The sidewalk ice thaws, the snow turns to sleet, then to rain, then to sunshine, and as the students begin bravely to venture out of doors, so too do the theatrical productions. On May 6 in Slayton Arboretum, the curtain will rise on Shakespeare in the Arb’s 14th annual performance: Elizabethan rom-com “The Taming of the Shrew,” starring sophomore Molly Kate Andrews as Katherina, the eponymous shrew, and freshman Mitchell Biggs as her braggadocious suitor Petruchio. In “The Taming of the Shrew,” Shakespeare attempts to answer one of literature’s age-old questions: What’s a father to do when his comely daughter (Bianca, played by sophomore Rachael Menoksy) is swimming in suitors, but custom dictates that the misandrist elder sister (Andrews’ Kate) must be got rid of first? For some, the play’s apparent answer induces a cringe: Find a guy who will hold his nose, marry her for money, and carry her off against her will! Indeed, “The Taming of the Shrew” is far from Shakespeare’s most fashionable play in our current cultural climate. But the directorial team of senior Noah Diekemper and junior Nikolai Dignoti have approached the play with an eye toward redeeming the story from its misogynistic reputation — and re-excavating the hilarity of a truly hilarious work. “When I first approached Petruchio, I saw him as a misogynistic sociopath,” Biggs said. “But there’s clearly a depth to him. He loves Katherina, but in this weird, twisted way he decides that the only

way they can be together is if he brings her down to a ‘regular’ level. So he does all these things that are absurd, but his actual intent isn’t as crazy as his execution.” Both Diekemper and Dignoti are theatrical vets, but both are new to the directing game. “The thing I’ve enjoyed about the process is that it isn’t exclusively the directors telling the actors what to do,” Dignoti said. “The actors have been very collaborative in helping us find new ways to tackle the script without going too far off Shakespeare’s goals, or finding ways to interpret things that might take a very

the heels of the Tower Players’ production of “Kiss Me Kate,” a musical set in the 1940s that concerns a horrendous adaptation of “The Taming of the Shrew.” “We consulted the theatre department because we had this really fun idea — Oh, they’re doing ‘Kiss Me, Kate,’ so what if we just do ‘Taming of the Shrew’?” Dignoti said. “We thought it’d be very fun to play off the theme there.” “I thought it would be a nice balance,” Diekemper added, “to be able to see the original after the Cole Porter treatment.” There’s an added layer of challenge for Shakespeare in

“The directorial team ... have approached the play with an eye toward redeeming the story from its misogynistic reputation — and re-excavating the hilarity of a truly hilarious work.” stereotypically misogynistic play and bring it to life in a way that everyone can enjoy.” Once production got underway last fall, they got into the groove quickly, with Diekemper providing the overall vision and Dignoti helping the actors to bring that vision to fruition. “In our setup, the director is the person with whom the buck stops for almost everything that goes on, so every component of the play has to be at least on my radar,” Diekemper said. “Definitely at the beginning I was inundating the actors with a lot of nitpicky notes, which my co-director told me to scale back on. So it’s developed really well.” The production follows on

the Arb’s production team to surmount beyond merely putting on a quality Shakespeare play. They’ve had to deal with staging a quality Shakespeare play outside. “Most of Shakespeare’s best works are very long,” Dignoti said. “And making them work for the Arb and for time constraints like sunlight, heat, bugs — you have a very narrow window to play in. ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ is a 120page play; we cut it down to around 80.” In addition to keeping runtime manageable, Dignoti said, the cuts allowed them to keep the play relatively family-friendly. “Really all of Shakespeare’s work is designed to appeal to both the highbrow and

the lowbrow,” he said. “You can’t have this really great pun about Victorian leadership without also including a [sex] joke in the same scene. We tried to strike a balance between keeping some of the fun jokes in there, but not going overboard with them. We’re trying to appeal to full families, to as many audiences as possible.” Of course, the best way to keep an audience entertained is with knockout acting, and the cast has been happy to oblige. “Both of our leads, Mitchell Biggs and Molly Kate Andrews, have been amazingly good,” Diekemper said. “They have a ton of lines, and got off-book faster than anyone; they have worked their scenes tirelessly, they’ve been huge creative forces in the development of the play, and they’re exceptional to work with.” Part of the fun of Petruchio, Biggs said, is in the mismatch between his character’s outsize personality and his own. “He’s much louder than I am, much more aggressive than I am,” Biggs said. “He’s fake in the aggression sometimes, but serious. He wants to be in control, because he’s not always in control. Finding a balance, knowing when he is and when he isn’t, is challenging.” But it’s a challenge the whole production team is excited to bring to the stage. “It’s an amazing opportunity,” Diekemper said. “Being able to direct a production is kind of a dream come true, and I’m thrilled with the people I’ve had to work with on this project and what we’ve come up with. “You should definitely come see this show.”

Art professor receives national award for painting and teaching By | Kaylee McGhee Assistant Editor Professor of Art Sam Knecht will receive a signature status award from the Portrait Society of America on April 22, adding another achievement to his landscape of accomplishments. The American Society of Portraits, an international organization dedicated to fostering and enhancing an understanding of the practice, techniques and applications of traditional fine art portraiture and figurative works, awards five renowned artists with a signature status award each year. “It’s a professional status kind of thing,” Professor of Art Barbara Bushey said. “This is a recognition of Professor Knecht’s accomplishments.” Knecht’s artistic talent and prominent teaching career made him an easy choice. Knecht recently retired from

his full-time teaching position in Hillsdale’s art department, after 38 years of expertise. He has taught more than 1,500 students, and 18 different classes during his time at Hillsdale. Knecht has also earned awards from the American Soc, the Butler Institute of American Art, and the Michigan WaterColor Society. Junior Madeline Richards, who has studied under Knecht for the past two years, said there is no one more deserving of this award. Knecht is a fantastic painter, and has shared his love of art with his peers and students, Richards said. “I have learned that art is not only a way to communicate with others, but it is a passion for discovery,” Richards said in a Facebook message. “Noticing the small details of the world and how they can be applied to the fine arts. Professor Knecht has not only helped to increase

my skill immensely, but has taught me how to notice this beautiful creation of God that we live in.” According to Knecht, the Portrait Society of America looks for two things when choosing whom to award: quality art confirming the artist’s reputation and contributions to teaching in the tradition of representational painting. “You have to have achieved some level of national fame, and you must be actively involved in education,” Bushey said. Knecht applied for the award in August 2016, and found out he would receive the distinguished award in December. A panel of four artists acts as the National Portrait Society’s jury, sifting through applications from extraordinary artists from across the nation. This signature status will allow Knecht to use a new acronym — PSS — by his signa-

ture on all new pieces of artwork. Knecht views the award as a recognition of his lifetime achievements, which he said is an incredible honor. “It’s an honor. A flat out honor,” Knecht said. “Especially to be recognized by peers and artists I deeply respect.” Bushey said this award reflects very well on Hillsdale’s art department and shows the level of depth in skill and excellence the program is committed to. “We have a level of expectation of students. Any time we have an external body saying ‘Yes, these people are good at what they do,’ it’s a very good thing for us,” Bushey said. Knecht said the award shows that even while teaching, professional goals can be achieved. “With enough talent and effort, you can earn that recognition,” he said.

Hog Creek from B1 collectibles, the quality is there,” Barrows said. “You can have a dresser made out of oak that stood up for 50 to 100 years already.” Barrows has a message for millennials furnishing her home: “If you’re going to furnish your house, furnish it with old furniture, furnish it with quality. The reality is most of it is particle board if you go to a lot of different places.” Payne, Barrows, and Lindau all caught the antiquing “bug,” but they each have

their own collecting symptom. For Payne, it’s carousel horses. For Barrows, it’s handmade German Christmas ornaments. For Lindau, it’s Victorian cats. “The obsession isn’t about getting the piece,” Payne said. “It’s about the chase.”

Hog Creek Antiques Mall sells all sorts of treasures, including assorted antlers. Jo Kroeker | Collegian

Theater department fuses science and the arts in ‘The Physicists’ By | Morgan Channels Collegian Reporter Next week students will have the opportunity to witness the fusion between art and science in Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s play “The Physicists.” In the Quilhot Black Box Theatre at the Sage Center for Performing Arts, students will retell a tale of drama and suspense set in a Swiss sanitarium. Performances of “The Physicists” begin on April 26, with showtimes at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and one performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 29. Professor and director of theatre George Angell said that, like all of Dürrenmatt’s work, the Physicists is a unique play, “This particular script begins as a murder mystery, then it twists, and twists, and twists again until it is something wildly unexpected,” Angell said. Angell referred to Dürrenmatt as “the most important German language author of the second half of the 20th century.” “The Physicists” incorporates the history of the Cold War of the 1950s and 1960s into the story. Angell added that this play raises important questions of the morality of science. Regardless of one’s specific interests, there are many aspects of this play that would fascinate many individual members of an audience, Angell said. An entire 3-credit class in dramaturgy has been solely devoted to the show, and the three student leads have put at least 100 hours apiece of research into the play. Pouring 15 or more hours of rehearsal a week into the production, these students have worked hard to bring this entertainment to life. Among these students will be Maddy Johnson, a senior philosophy major who is playing the character of Frau Lina Rose, the wife of one of the physicists. This is Johnson’s first and only play at Hillsdale, though she participated in drama in high school. Being in a play has added a balance to her schedule, Johnson said, adding that she enjoys entering the imaginary world during the week instead of just reading all the time. Inspired to act partly by David Tennant’s role as Hamlet in the BBC production and by her participation in Dr. Smith’s Shakespeare class, Johnson said being a part of this production has been a meaningful experience to her. “It is definitely an exercise in creatively transforming myself,” Johnson said. “I do enjoy playing [Lina]. I enjoy the melodrama, if I am honest with myself.” David Whitson, a senior

Kendrick from B1

economics and Latin double major, will be playing the character of Johann Willhelm Mobius, one of the physicists in the sanatorium. Whitson is no stranger to Hillsdale’s theater program, but he said that for him, the biggest difference in this show in comparison to others he has done is that his character in this play has many different and deep layers that are not always evident. “His true underlying motives for everything he does are subtle, yet powerful, and lead him to places and actions that no physicist would ever truly go. Having this many thoughts and passions in one character has certainly been something I have particularly enjoyed,” Whitson said. Junior Rebekah Roundey, a double major in physics and music, says that she believes there is an aesthetic side to physics that can combine well with any art. “Just like in a genre like

The German play about the Cold War will open April 26. Courtesy

science fiction, the physics can easily be a setting for the plot, or a starting point for whatever dramatic or moral developments may occur,” Roundey said. Angell said that he has been a theater director for 50 years, and that he has been thinking about producing this show for 40 years. The process of producing The Physicists has been one of the smoothest of his entire career. “The dedication, talent and professionalism of the cast has made the process joyful, and remarkably free of anxiety. I fully expect the performances to be wonderful and exquisitely detailed, marred only by the fact that the Quilhot Theatre seats only 70, so it will only be seen by those pro-active enough to reserve seating early,” Angell said. To reserve free tickets, email the box office at sageboxoffice@hillsdale.edu or call 517-607-2848. “It’s really fun. I think it’s a very Hillsdale play in some sense, because it’s clever and funny. There are twists and turns, but it’s also very thought-provoking,” Johnson said. would be from coincidence? / Because if Anthony killed Ducky / Top Dawg could be servin’ life / While I grew up without a father and die in a gunfight.” This final bar is punctuated with a gunshot, echoing the one heard at the end of “BLOOD.” The entire album rewinds, returning to the narration of that first track, “So I was taking a walk the other day.” There is no mysterious second disc attached to “DAMN.” The 14 tracks illuminate Kung Fu Kenny’s perspective on sin, loyalty, and his place in 21st-century America’s rap scene.

amount. Loyalty to his city, his family, his fiance, and the rapper himself. “FEAR.” finds Lamar rapping three verses in which he describes his childhood fear of his mother, his teenage fear of death, and his current fear of failure, encapsulating the album’s purpose “within 14 tracks carried out over wax / wonderin’ if I’m livin’ through fear or livin’ through rap.” “DUCKWORTH.” closes the album with the unbelievable origin story that details how Lamar’s manager Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith could have shot the rapper’s father while robbing a Kentucky Fried Chicken. Instead, Tiffith spared his life in exchange for free chicken. Later he turned his own life around and found himself in a studio with that man and his son. Lamar closes the track rapping, “Whoever thought the Kendrick Lamar lays down some bars. greatest rapper Wikimedia Commons

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B3 20 Apr. 2017

In 1864, George Munro sold his house to his neighbor for $2,500, then bought it back for $500. Mitchell Research Center | Courtesy

In 1864, Ebenezer Grosvenor bought his neighbor’s house for $2,500, then sold it back to him for $500. Mitchell Research Center | Courtesy

Grosvenor and Munro: Historic frenemies of Jonesville By | Nic Rowan Collegian Reporter When a house changes hands twice in one day, something may be amiss. That’s exactly what happened when George Munro sold his Jonesville, Michigan house to his across-the-street neighbor Ebenezer Grosvenor for $2,500 on Oct. 1, 1864. Only hours later, Grosvenor sold the house back to Munro for $500. Neither Grosvenor nor Munro’s descendants know enough about their ancestors’ history to explain the transaction, but Lori Venturini — one of the current owners of

the Munro House, which is now a bed and breakfast — has her own theory. “He didn’t get tired of the house,” she said. “You don’t make that kind of sale unless it’s for something underhanded.” According to Venturini, Munro made the deal with Grosvenor for political reasons. Because of the Civil War, 1864 was a contentious election year, and as a Republican, Grosvenor was deeply invested in the war effort. Part of the 4th Michigan Regiment was even nicknamed “The Grosvenor Guard” in his honor. In addition, Grosvenor was running for Michigan

Passageway from B4

Professor Emeritus of History Arlan Gilbert said rumors suggest the Dow Residence was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Evan Carter | Collegian

the Munro House in the years leading up to the Civil War. Venturini hasn’t been able to find any definitive evidence that slaves came through the Munro House, but said he’s heard different Underground Railroad stories from Jonesville residents. Based on his own research, Venturini believes that, in 1841, after George Munro bought the two lots where the Munro House currently stands, he built a tunnel from the basement of the house to the lot southwest of the house (currently 214 South St. in Jonesville) and in 1848, built a northern wing to the house which contains a hidden storage area above its bathroom. Although the tunnel is believed to have been filled in during the mid-1960s, the storage area above the bath-

room on the north wing of the house is still there. In “Faded Memories,” Bisher mentions both the storage area and the tunnel as areas Munro built with the intent of hiding slaves. In a September 15, 1960 letter from Alice Barkman, Munro’s granddaughter, to a Jonesville resident, Barkman claimed there never was a tunnel in the basement of the house which slaves used to gain freedom. Still, even though Venturini hasn’t been able to find definitive evidence the Munro House was a stop on the Underground Railroad, he thinks it’s likely. “You put the artifacts together,” Venturini said. “What else would they use it for?”

Mike Venturini, owner of the Munro house, crouches in the space above the bathroom, which is believed to have been used to hide fugitive slaves for Underground Railroad. Evan Carter | Collegian

Lieutenant Governor on the Henry H. Crapo ticket. Grosvenor won the election, and Lori Venturini said she thinks the fact that the sale took place in October — near the election date — indicates political foul play between Munro and his neighbor. “Munro sold Grosvenor the election,” she said. Although the controversy is unprovable, Grosvenor and Munro led intertwined lives. In addition to residing in mansions facing each other on Maumee Street, the two were both prominent businessmen in Hillsdale County, and some of the richest men in Michigan at the time.

According to records at the Mitchell Research Center, Munro opened an industrial mill in Litchfield, Michigan, in 1837 that became one of the most prominent producers of snow plows, or “the Michigan plow,” as it was called then. Grosvenor opened a mill in Hillsdale and a prominent bank through which he organized the rest of his business transactions. Like Munro, he prospered. The Jonesville Independent records show that on May 6, 1864 — even as the Civil War deprived so many others of their goods — Grosvenor brought in “the biggest shipment ever of dry goods

Spiteri from B4

know-how and his ability to open the store — after renovating the dilapidated building himself — last fall. “I learned how to foster a good environment from my parents’ business,” he said, noting that Handmade has an open kitchen so he can have face-to-face interactions with customers. “You’ve got to be committed to being there. You want to make sure all your customers are happy and that you’re instilling those values in your employees.” If there’s one thing the Spiteris attribute to their success — besides working hard to produce quality products — it’s love for their work and their customers. In a way, it all goes back to the J. Geils concert: John’s love for music and interaction with the community produced something lasting. John said as much himself when he considered why his business has thrived for so long. “It’s probably the interaction we have with our customers,” he said. “And I still love music.” Sophomore Isabelle Parell, who has worked at Checker Records since last fall, affirmed that John and Robin’s care for customers and employees drives their success. “John remembers everyone’s drinks,” she said, adding that one customer always brings in a puppy that John has grown especially fond of. “Robin acts like a mother to me — when I’m stressed, she asks about it. Robin really loves to do well and commits to the business. While the business is familial and fun, they still try to be efficient.” Suzanne, too, said her connection with customers and love for art helps keep The Crow’s Nest in business. “I try to give my customers the personal service that you can’t get if you order online or something,” she said. “I just love being here — it’s not a job. It’s where my heart is, I guess.”

We matched names of drinks to artists’ songs. It wasn’t rocket science, but it sounded cool.” Now, coffee provides most of their business, he said, and has picked up their music sales too. And it won them their award. A little risk and a can-do attitude drove John’s sister’s business success as well. Suzanne Spiteri knew she had artistic gifts when she worked in the family shoe store and always liked to arrange the window display, she said. While working full time in clerical jobs later on, she painted and sewed on the side, selling her work at a local antique mall. She also painted the Checker Records logo on the store’s floor, which is now hidden by the coffee equipment, she said. Itching to do something more creative than clerical work, Suzanne said she decided to “take a leap of faith” and open up The Crow’s Nest, a primitive item and craft shop. Now located in the same space on E. Bacon Street where Checker Records used to be, the store is stocked with country-style inventory, including candles, gourmet foods, jewelry, and furniture painted by Suzanne herself. Suzanne is the owner and the only employee, with a cat to keep her company. “I’m real happy with everything,” Suzanne said, explaining that she’s had to expand the shop by opening up the back room, which used to be her studio. “I know that my dad would be so proud that we’ve carried on his legacy of having a business in Hillsdale.” The tradition stands even to the fourth generation. Derek Spiteri’s great-grandfather’s cash register from the shoe store sits behind the counter at Handmade, a reminder of the family tradition. Derek credits his family with much of his business

into Jonesville.” While enjoying good financial fortune, both men took to politics. Munro successfully became the first village president of Jonesville in 1855, but following an unsuccessful run as the Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 1858, never broke into national politics in the same way as Grosvenor. Both men, however, became high-order Freemasons. Munro rose to become Grand Master of the State and Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of the State. Grosvenor became a Master Mason. Today, the Munro house has a copy of a photo of Mun-

ro as a Mason high priest. Co-owner of the Munro house Mike Venturini said he thinks both Munro’s and Grosvenor’s connection to the Masons increases the likelihood that the two would be involved in shady politics. “If you wanted to get anywhere in politics or business back then, you had to be a Mason,” he said. When she heard this, Lori Venturini smiled. “The Masons got George further in business than politics,” she said. Although the top competitors in their era, little remains now of the Grosvenor and Munro rivalry except their mansions.

Harju from B4

design.” Harju also choreographed one of the dances she costumed. “It was hard for me to completely step out of it and look at it as a third person,” she said. “I had to rely heavily on Bryan so I could get out of my own headspace.” Harju said she wants to eventually make a career of costume design. “My love for English transitioned to my love for theater,” she said. “I loved the stories, I loved the power of storytelling. With English, I was thinking about it from a very intellectual standpoint, and with theater, I realized I could let both my intellect and my creative side flourish at the same time.”

that world of the backstage and design area. When I gave her little things in the shop to do, she would grab onto them and really explore ideas and possibilities.” He added Harju’s experience as a dancer givers her a unique perspective on dance costume design. Holly Hobbs, visiting assistant professor of dance and the director of Tower Dancers, added that as a dancer, Harju had more awareness of what a dancer needed. “I think she did an extremely professional job,” she said. “Ria had a really good sensibility with matching the theme of the dance with the

Senior Ria Harju turned her original design (left) into a realized costume for the dance she choreographed (right). Ria Harju | Courtesy

Senior Ria Harju designed the costumes for “Navajo Creation Story” from the spring Tower Dancer’s Performance. Ria Harju | Courtesy

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B4 20 Apr. 2017 The Munro House in Jonseville, Michigan, is believed to have been used as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Evan Carter | Collegian

The Spiteri small-business tradition By | Nicole Ault Collegian Reporter John Spiteri fell in love with rock music at a J. Geils concert at Hillsdale College back in 1973. He was a junior at Hillsdale High School, working in his father’s shoe store. Seven years later, with this passion for music and a $1,000 loan, John loaded his

Hillsdale County defending liberty Local participation in Underground Railroad By | Evan Carter Web Editor Several homes in Hillsdale County, including one on college grounds, are rumored to have been part of the Underground Railroad. While there are no records of the college helping runaway slaves escape by participating in the network of secret routes and safehouses, some believe the Dow Residence on Hillsdale Street was once a safehouse on the Underground Railroad. “The college itself did not endorse the Underground Railroad,” Professor Emeritus of History Arlan Gilbert said. “The Underground Railroad was organized and came through southern Michigan without the college itself as

the college taking an active role or with [former Hillsdale College President] Ransom Dunn or any of the other founders taking active leadership.” He said there are countless rumors the Dow Residence was a stop in the years before the Civil War. “Part of it is an untold story, because we know there were many blacks who were brought North to freedom and it was a very important movement, but again, much of it can’t be documented because by its very nature, it held onto secrecy,” Gilbert said. “So to this day, we can see its results, but we can’t pinpoint stations very well.” The Dow Residence was first owned by John Potter Cook, who is considered to be

Mike Venturini stands where the tunnel may have been in the Munro house, which is believed to have been a stop in the Underground Railroad. Evan Carter | Collegian

baked goods, and award-winning coffee (Checker Records was voted among the top 10 coffee shops in Michigan in a 2015 MLive contest). But the Spiteris still show up at the shop every day, calling customers by name as they work the espresso machine and the cash register on a bustling Tuesday afternoon. “I never thought I’d still be doing it,” John said, noting

and owner of Handmade, a sandwich and beverage shop on Hillsdale Street. It all started with John’s grandfather, an immigrant from Sicily, Italy, who opened a shoe store in the 1940s in a building on Howell Street that now holds a travel agency. John’s father took over the business, and John and his two sisters helped out in the store throughout their high-

“We matched names of drinks to artists’ songs. It wasn’t rocket science, but it sounded cool.”

one of the city of Hillsdale’s founding fathers. Cook was a Democratic state senator and abolitionist before the Civil War. There is evidence indicating there may have been a tunnel connecting the Dow Residence with what is now the Sigma Chi house, though any previously existing tunnel has since been closed off. Gilbert also noted that while the college didn’t officially endorse the Underground Railroad, it was active in the abolitionist movement, and accepted black students from its founding in 1844. “We definitely were one of the strongest abolitionist colleges in the country,” Gilbert said. South of the college, the Rowlson-Carlisle Home on 60 N. West St. in Hillsdale is also thought to have been part of the Underground Railroad. According to Mike Venturini, who owns and operates the Munro House Bed and Breakfast with his wife Lori, there are also three or four buildings in Jonesville alleged to have been stops, including the Munro House. In local historian Dan Bisher’s account of the early days of Hillsdale County, “Faded Memories,” Joyce Yard, who owned the bed and breakfast before the Venturinis, said her research indicates that 400 to 450 slaves were sheltered in

parents’ car with records and drove to the corner of E. Bacon Street. In a small building there, he and his wife, Robin, set up their own shop: Checker Records, so named because they painted the ceiling tiles black and red like a checker board. The store moved to Howell Street in 1997, and sells more than records now: winter hats, coloring books, ukuleles,

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John Spiteri and his wife, Robin Spiteri, opened Checker Records in 1980. Nicole Ault | Collegian

that record stores are a “dying breed.” Despite the odds against a small business in a small town, he and Robin aren’t the only Spiteris to successfully run a small business in Hillsdale. It’s a family trait: John’s grandfather, father, sister, and son have all done the same. “There’s a tradition to it,” said Derek Spiteri, John’s son

school years. John said he didn’t want to keep selling shoes, so he and Robin opened Checker Records in 1980. They didn’t sell coffee until 2005. “We didn’t have a clue about coffee,” John said. “We just got a book, looked things up, learned by trial and error.

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Senior dancer hones ‘eye for design,’ makes 22 Tower Dancer costumes By | Jordyn Pair Assistant Editor Senior Ria Harju said she didn’t plan on being a theater major when she came to Hillsdale College. And although she has been involved in the theater department since her freshman year, her love for design, she said, was also accidental. Yet audience members of the last Tower Dancers’ performance saw her design work — the end product of her senior project — in four of the eight dances. Harju, a dancer herself, designed costumes for four different dances: “Impact,” “Navajo Creation Story,” “A Stirring (Ears Opened, Heart

Changed),” and “Femininity.” She created 22 costumes in total. “I loved designing for the ‘Navajo Creation Story’ because it was much more literal than all the other costumes because there was actually a storyline, not just a theme,” Harju said. “There were actual characters instead of dancers trying to embody an emotion.” One of the greatest challenges throughout the project was timing, Harju said, especially scheduling fittings for the various dancers. “You have to focus on so many things at once,” she said. “You really have to be able to take care all these little tiny pieces, all at once.”

Harju started the project last semester with “unrealized” designs, which are renderings done as if there were an unlimited budget and re-

sources. Harju then used the renderings to create the actual pieces with the limited budget. Once she had the sketches, Harju ordered fabrics and

Harju designed the costumes for the “A Stirring (Ears Opened, Heart Changed),” one of the dances in the Tower Dancers’ spring performance. Ria Harju | Courtesy

began putting the pieces together. “I was very excited because originally I thought my original renderings would have to be modified a lot for practical reasons,” she said. “I was very excited because by the time I got to the end of it, the costumes were actually very close to the original renderings. So that was encouraging because it meant that next time I could push myself even more.” Harju’s journey to the costume shop started on the stage. Although she originally planned to major in English, Harju noticed she was spending increasing amounts of time in the theater department and eventually began working

in the costume shop. “Even though in my mind I thought it was just a hobby, I realized you shouldn’t be doing something you don’t have a passion for,” Harju said. “I very clearly through my actions said I had a much greater passion for theater than I did for English.” Costume Designer and Lecturer in Theatre Bryan Simmons said he noticed this passion early. “I could tell her eye for design was kicking in pretty strongly and her thoughts were about doing more than just being on stage,” Simmons said. “I could see she was interested in exploring

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Best Blazers

By | S. M. Chavey

Aubrey Brown

Mark Compton Describe your fashion. Aubrey Brown: Not your average girl next door. Mark Compton: Probably a professor who still wears a lot of his clothes from high school.

Mark Compton: You have to make it part of who you are. That way, even when it seems out-of-place, people will understand. What kind of blazer have you always wanted? Aubrey Brown: Latex with doughnuts. Mark Compton: Something versatile. A blazer for any time, any place, and any weather.

What’s your favorite thing about blazers? Aubrey Brown: They go great with cigars. Mark Compton: Blazers can really turn your day around. Having a bad day? Go home, grab a blazer, and you’ll be feeling great in no time.

Whose blazer game do you admire most? Aubrey Brown: Hugh Hefner. Mark Compton: Ryan Burns, but only in Sam Potter’s blazers.

How do you make a blazer work for all occasions? Aubrey Brown: A soft smize and batting of the eyelashes always does the trick. S. M. Chavey | Collegian

S. M. Chavey | Collegian