Collegian 2.11.2021 by The Hillsdale Collegian

Spectators watch the volleyball team in person for the first time since COVID-19. | Hannah Cote

Michigan’s oldest college newspaper

Vol. 144 Issue 18 - February 11, 2021

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Basketball and volleyball allow spectators back in stands By | Michael Bachmann Collegian Freelancer After almost a year away from the court, Charger fans are finally welcome back in the bleachers to cheer their favorite teams to victory. After reviewing the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services mandates in late January, the Hillsdale College Athletics Department decided to allow a maximum of 250 spectators per game in the Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena for basketball and volleyball contests. This month, it established the same rule for track and field meets in

the Margot V. Biermann Athletic Center. The volleyball team’s match against Trevecca Nazarene College on Jan. 22 was the first Charger game open to spectators under the new guidelines and it quickly filled every available seat. Head coach Chris Gravel said he was excited to see a packed arena after the volleyball season was postponed in the fall. “Fans just make it more fun,” Gravel said. “Obviously sports are all about competing and trying to better yourself, but to share that experience with the college you are representing is especially special.”

For athletes who competed in the fall without fans, the return of spectators has taken some adjusting. “It was definitely weird to not have fans for the first time this fall,” senior Jaycie Burger, shooting guard and captain of the women’s basketball team, said. “It felt more like a scrimmage without the noise and excitement that fans provided. Since we got used to that, we had to adjust again when the fans came back. We had to make sure our communication and signals didn’t get drowned out by fans.” Still, Burger said it is much easier to play knowing that she

has support from her friends and family on the sidelines. Jonathan Burton, a senior linebacker on the football team, said he has never played a game without a crowd cheering him on. “The only reference I have for that would be the NFL during COVID when they had cardboard cutouts instead of fans,” Burton said. “It felt almost dystopian. While the team is more focused on the game in the heat of the moment, hearing the fans screaming after a big catch is amazing.” While he expressed gratitude that fans will be allowed into

games again, Burton said he hopes that the 250-person capacity is increased by March, the start of the postponed football season, since those events often draw more than 500 spectators. “Fingers crossed that we are allowed more than 250 people, since we have two big bleachers to fill,” Burton said. “If everyone’s outside with a mask, I can't see how that would be a problem.” Freshman Michael Hoggat said he jumped at the chance to attend his first Chargers game after the unusual dearth in Charger athletic events last semester. “It was definitely one of the missing pieces to student life,”

said Hoggat, who attended the volleyball team’s 3-0 game against Kentucky Wesleyan on Jan. 23. “Basically all of Simpson was there. When you looked around at the crowd, you knew everyone you saw. It made me feel very at home in the crowd.” To secure tickets for games, visit https://hillsdale.universitytickets.com 24 hours before the event’s start time. Admission is free for students with their student ID card and capacity is limited to 250 spectators. A certain number of seats will be reserved for families of student-athletes and coaches, as well as Hillsdale College students.

SAB's 'Spring Spirit Week' to replace homecoming celebrations By | Hannah Cote Assistant Editor After being canceled last fall due to COVID-19, homecoming is back, this time with a little twist. To replace Homecoming, the Student Activities Board has created “Spirit Week” to give students a taste of what they missed last September. Although Homecoming is typically an event for students and alumni, this year there will be two separate events to better serve campus safely. Spirit Week will be held from March 1-6, with an alumni-specific event to follow later in the spring. “Really what we’re trying to do is accommodate both groups,” said Fiona Shea, assistant director of Student and Young Alumni Programs. “The alumni office will be doing our best to bring alumni together, even if we have

to do things separately from the students. We are planning on hosting a Blue and White Weekend in May to invite alumni back for a weekend.” Even though alumni will not return to campus for Homecoming this semester, SAB’s Spirit Week will look very similar to the traditional Homecoming event line-up. “The main way that Spirit Week will differ from your typical Hillsdale Homecoming is that it’ll be a completely student-centered celebration,” SAB Big Event Leader Luciya Katcher said. “We on SAB wanted to make the students’ side of Homecoming happen during this school year.” Spirit Week activities will include the traditional banner competition, photo competition, trivia night, volunteer hours competition, Mock Rock dance competition, and a newly added “Minute to Win It” competition.

Each group competing in “Minute to Win It” will pick a member to represent its team to compete with other team representatives in a series of fast-paced challenges, said Zane Mabry, director of student activities. “We all want to keep this week well-connected to the past and traditional events that we’ve had,” Mabry said. “We’re not trying to do something completely new here, so we want to keep as many elements the same as we can.” Similar to years past, all dorms, off-campus houses, Greek houses, and coalitions can compete in each competition, Katcher said. “We are still ironing out the final details of what Spirit Week will look like, and of course we want to make sure that students are staying safe during these events,” Katcher said. “We

See Spirit Week A3 Junior forward Patrick Cartier was named the Men's Division II Na-

Former President Donald Trump is being impeached again. | Wikimedia Commons

tional Player of the Week by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association

on Wednesday. He and the rest of the men’s basketball team moved

up to No. 11 in the nation after beating No. 6 Findlay on Saturday. For more coverage, see A10.

Courtesy | Anthony Lupi

Seven music students named winners in annual Concerto competition By | Megan Williams Assistant Editor

Campus comments: Constitutionality of second Trump impeachment By | Ashley Kaitz Assistant Editor As the U.S. Senate begins a new impeachment trial for former President Donald Trump, Hillsdale College’s politics professors expressed skepticism about its constitutionality and outcome. According to Professor of Politics Mickey Craig, the Senate’s vote to impeach was clearly unconstitutional, in contrast to last year’s impeachment vote that passed through the U.S. House of Representatives while Trump still

held office. “My opinion is that since Donald Trump is now a private citizen and no longer president, he is no longer subject to impeachment clauses, and I think the fact that Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Roberts has refused to preside at the Senate trial means he agrees with that,” Craig said. “It is not proper to use the impeachment clauses against a private citizen, and Trump is now a private citizen. Of course, Sen. Schumer and a majority of the U.S. Senate disagrees.”

Trump’s second impeachment trial began Feb. 9 after a 56-44 vote in the Senate declared it constitutional, according to CNN. Six Republicans sided with the Democrats after what Fox News described as “four hours of emotional testimony and bitter debate” on the Senate floor, as lawmakers watched a montage of scenes from the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol protest. The Senate’s decision to move

See Trump A2

The music department announced seven winners of the Concerto/Aria competition on Monday. Out of the 26 students who auditioned on Sunday, there were seven winners: sophomore violist Ethan Tong, senior soprano Emma Dawe, senior violinist Ellie Fishlock, senior pianist Anne Ziegler, senior mezzo Caroline Lively, senior soprano Zsanna Bodor, and senior soprano Michaela Stiles. Students were tasked with memorizing and performing 10 minute pieces in front of three guest judges: Clayton Parr,

voice professor and director of choirs at Albion College, David Abbot, piano professor and music department chair at Albion College, and Alicia Valoti, viola professor at Central Michigan University. Audiences were not permitted in the audition room. James Holleman, professor of music and director of orchestras and choirs at Hillsdale College, said that the judges individually critiqued each performance and then discussed their results and decided the top group of students. Tong, a first time participant, expressed his gratitude for being chosen as one of the winners. “A lot of people deserve to

place in this competition and I feel very humbled that I was chosen,” Tong said. “There’s a lot of talent within our department.” Beginning his preparation in the spring of 2020, Tong started learning his piece, the first movement of “Der Schwanendreher” by Hindemith, 10 months ago. “I chose it because it was really hard and really fun to play. This piece is definitely harder to get used to because it's by a modern composer; it doesn’t sound like your typical Mozart or Brahms,” Tong said. Tong prepared by practicing

See Concerto A3

COVID-19 on campus:

8 students in quarantine 337 students tested in total 30 total positive cases this semester 22 students recovered

News

A2 February 11, 2021

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Enneagram and your career: Get to know the real you Career Services holds event on undertanding professional possibilities in light of the popular personality test By | Elizabeth Troutman Collegian Freelancer “You’re an eight, aren’t you?” Students took turns guessing their friends’ enneagram type as they sipped their complementary Penny’s drinks and awaited the start of Career Service’s “Enneagram and Your Career” presentation. Hillsdale has no lack of enneagram enthusiasts, and the coffee shop buzzed with excitement about learning how to apply one’s type to their career goals. Career coaches senior Anna Katherine Daley, an eight, and junior Andy Walker, a four, opened the event with the history of the enneagram test. “We know it came from South America in the 1950s, and then was taken up by the Jesuits, and then came to America in the ’80s, and has progressed from there,” Walker said. They took a quick survey of the types in the room, revealing mostly ones, threes, and nines. Then, Daley and Walker offered a brief description of how each type looks in the workplace, including communication and management styles as well as strengths and weaknesses. Starting with the body center, eights are called “the challenger,” causing them to challenge authority, and prefer self-employment and direct communication. Nines, “the peacemaker,” tend to see all points of views and be encouraging and unassertive, leading through diplomacy and inclusiveness. Ones, “the perfectionist,” tend to be detail

oriented, ethical, and methodical, how self-knowledge can help in details with my group, such as ments. For example, because they viewing the world as black and interviews and lead to underleadership style, style of workare motivated by competition, white and preferring matter-ofstanding of one’s dream career.” place, et cetera.” threes thrive when working in fact communication and clear They encouraged attendees Comparing and contrasting teams. expectations in the workplace. to break into groups and discuss motivations and career goals with “I had never before connected Moving to the heart center, strengths and weaknesses, career their groups helped the students my enneagram with my future twos, “the helper,” have intuitive goals, leadership preferences, and better understand how to work career, but the event inspired me interpersonal skills and a dedica- core motivations. well with people of other types. to think about my work environtion to relationships, motivating “It was helpful to reconsidWalker reviewed the common ment, career path, and dream others through positive job in a way that kept encouragement and my 3-wing-2-ness in support. Threes, “the mind,” freshman Luke achiever,” are motivatHollister said. ed by success, causing Daley proposed them to be ambitious several questions each and productive in the type should considworkplace. Fours are er when choosing a “the individualist.” They career path. strive to be unique and “Do you do your connect with people best work in a group, based on authenticity, or as an individual? leading in the workDo you prefer to meet place through creativity. expectations or exceed In the head center, them? Do you want fives, “the investigator,” variety in your work? seek to accumulate Are you a perfectionknowledge, commuist, or are you more nicating formally and results-oriented? How managing with objectivmuch stress do you ity and expertise. Sixes, enjoy?” she asked. called “the loyalist,” Daley and Walker seek careers which offer shared the way they safety and security, have applied their leading responsibly and enneagrams to their analytically. Sevens, “the career plans as they enthusiast,” manage reach the end of their and communicate with Hilldale education. Students joined Career Services at Penny's to study the enneagram and its impact enthusiasm, creativity, Daley described on work relationships. and energy, enjoying how she identified her | Facebook engaging with others in dream job in relation the workplace. er my enneagram type in the motivations of each type, such as to her type. Daley and Walker announced context of a work environment,” a nine’s desire to be at peace, and “My dream route was to work two focuses for the evening: “an freshman Claire Hipkins said. “I a one’s desire to be morally good. at a PR agency and I'm actually inward focus of how to approach appreciated thinking through and They made connections between currently applying for jobs at PR a career based on enneagram discussing the implications of which motivations complement agencies, and that relates to my type, and an outward focus of the enneagram on more tangible which types of work environmotivations and my type.”

In Brief:

Trump from A1

Gamble the night away at President's Ball By | Alexa Robbins Collegian Reporter Brush up on your blackjack skills and perfect your poker face — the Student Activities Board will host President’s Ball this Saturday, Feb. 13 in the Searle Center, with the theme “Casino Night.” The festivities will begin at 9 p.m. and go until midnight. Upon arrival, guests will be given a set of poker chips to use at the 39 different game tables. Students can use chips at various tables and cash them in at

the end of the night for a chance to win big ticket prizes, some of which include a TV, a George Foreman grill, local gift cards, many appliances, and more. “There will be live music,” Zane Mabry, director of student activities said. “The Hillsdale College Big Band will be playing for most of the evening.” In addition to live jazz music, there will be plenty of appetizers, themed desserts, and mocktails for guests to enjoy. Junior Luciya Katcher, SAB big events team leader, said the dress code is “black tie and

semi-formal.” “This includes long dresses or nice cocktail dresses, to match the gala-like atmosphere of the event.” Katcher said. Katcher said the inspiration for a Casino Night theme came from the desire to host a classy event that allowed people to socially distance. While the team wanted to keep the integrity of the classic President’s Ball, they slightly modified the event to suit COVID-19 regulations. “The Students Activities Board has a mission to promote the social aspect of people’s

college experience, without compromising their health,” Katcher said. Mabry confirmed that SAB and the Student Activities Office are asking people to wear masks and are doing all they can to ensure social distancing at the event. Students can learn more about the event at the SAB table in the union this week, where pamphlets detailing game rules and more information will be handed out.

Blood drive to be held on Monday By | Luke Morey Collegian Reporter The GOAL program is hosting the Red Cross Winter Blood Drive on Feb. 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Sign-ups for appointment times will be held in the union in the days leading up to the drive. “Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood, and one donation can potentially save up to three lives,” GOAL

Community Health Leader Bryna Destefani said. “Especially during this time, medical centers need blood donations more than ever.” Last semester, the blood drive garnered 67 donations. This time, Destefani said they hope to get at least 77 donations. “Blood donation is incredibly important, especially now during COVID,” said GOAL Program Director Michaela Peine. The union lounge will be

closed for the blood drive. Workers will be checking temperatures and blood donors will be required to wear masks. “If you are a new donor, bring your picture ID with you to your donation appointment,” Destefani said. “Be sure to get sufficient sleep, drink lots of water, and eat plenty of iron-rich foods the days before and after your donation.” Peine offered encouragement for those intimidated by the idea of donating blood.

“It's perfectly normal to be nervous or afraid of needles,” she said. “But remember, the people receiving the transfusion are probably much more scared than you are.” Another blood drive is scheduled for April. “During our current health crisis, it's important to remember that there are many ways that we can care for others,” Peine said.

Barney Charter, Career Services hold job fair By | Erin Kulmatycki Collegian Freelancer Career Services and the Barney Charter School Initiative will host the 13th annual classical school job fair on Thursday, Feb. 11 and Friday, Feb. 12. The event, which will take place in the Searle Center starting at 11 a.m., will be attended by over 40 classical schools from across the country. The two-day event will allow job-seeking students to speak with the schools’ representatives at the fair on Thursday and return for interviews on Friday. Many of the visiting schools have formed relationships with Hillsdale College through the BCSI and attend the fair in hopes of hiring Hillsdale students. Director of Career Services Ken Koopmans explained that the fair is mutually beneficial to both schools and prospective

teachers. “People come from different schools looking to recruit Hillsdale students, and a lot of these schools only want Hillsdale students,” Koopmans said. “So for anyone interested in teaching, it’s a great resource.” Senior Liana Guidone, who plans to teach after graduation and has attended the fair in past years, encouraged underclassmen with an interest in education to attend the fair as well, advising them to build early connections with schools. “Bring some resumes and just talk to people,” Guidone said. “It’s nice to make those

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connections beforehand, so when you come back the next year they’ll remember you.” Koopmans emphasized the importance of professionalism and preparedness for potential interviewees, as the schools are looking for candidates that are genuinely interested in them. “Dress to impress,” Koopmans said. “And when preparing, look at the list of schools attending and do a little bit of research on them so when you approach a school, you can tell the representative why you’re specifically interested in their school.”

"Bring some resumes and just talk to people," Guidone said.

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According to Koopmans, the benefit of researching positions prior to the fair is long-term, for both the applicants and the employers. “They’re trying to separate the students who specifically want to work for that school versus students who just need a job,” Koopmans said. “If you really want to be at the school, you’re going to do a better job, you’ll be happier, and you’ll probably last longer.” Senior Grace Schoenle will attend the fair a second time and plans to use last year’s experience as a foundation for success. “You always hear stories about students getting a plethora of job offers, and I know that’s a distinct possibility, but I also don’t want to settle for a bad match,” Schoenle said in an email. “So I am going to the fair not desperate for a job, but hopeful!”

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forward with the impeachment of a president who has already left office is constitutionally ambiguous, according to Associate Professor of Politics Joseph Postell. “Since Trump is not the president, vice president, or a civil officer, he arguably is not subject to the impeachment provision,” Postell said. On the other hand, Postell pointed out that there is historical precedent for impeaching officers who resign before their trials. “The Senate decided in these cases that officers could not escape the trial simply by resigning,” Postell said. “But Trump did not resign to escape trial — his term ended. So the precedent may not be directly applicable.” Some have speculated that a vote to convict would bar Trump from running for office in the future. While the Constitution states that the penalty for impeachment and removal “shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust, or Profit under the United States,” Postell pointed out there is one caveat to this. “The goal of the impeachment trial may be to disqualify him from running for future office, but disqualification from holding ‘any office…under the United States’ may apply only to appointed, not elected positions,” he said. “So under this interpretation, Trump could still run for Congress or the presidency.” Craig also noted the impossibility of barring Trump from running for office, but speculated that the Democrats would hold a vote anyway. “There are probably only 55 votes in the Senate for ‘disqualifying’ Trump to hold any office in the future. It would, of course, take 67 votes for that motion to pass,” he said. “I’d say Schumer’s desire to have a trial and vote is primarily aimed at satisfying certain factions in the Democratic party’s base.” Postell agreed that the likelihood of Trump being convicted is extremely low, given the fact that senators are no longer elected through each state’s legislature, as in the original U.S. Constitution. After the passage of the

They recommended several resources for further enneagram exploration, such as “The Road Back to You” by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile, “The Complete Enneagram” by Beatrice Chestnut, and the “Sleeping at Last” podcasts on Spotify. Walker provided a disclaimer regarding his enneagram expertise. “I would like to emphasize that the enneagram is, as Ian Morgan Cron often says, ‘a low-resolution picture’ that can be helpful, but it certainly isn’t everything,” Walker said. “It is really easy to weaponize the enneagram by putting others or even yourself into the box associated with your type. Hopefully, we were able to communicate that the enneagram is an interesting and helpful way to look at future careers, but like any other system of personality, is subject to interpretation.” Attendees said the presentation increased their self-awareness and prepared them to apply the enneagram to their career choices as they move closer to entering the workplace. “I thought it was a really great way to start thinking about how individual personalities can benefit the workplace,” freshman Elizabeth Speck said. “It was also interesting to hear people of my own type sharing about their tendencies, strengths, and weaknesses and being able to recognize them in myself and relate to what they were saying.”

17th amendment, senators were elected directly. “The reason he probably won’t be convicted is that Trump is not unpopular enough in 2/3 of the senators’ districts. Now that senators are directly elected, they have less independence to act as the branch of Congress that can resist public opinion,” he explained. “And public opinion in their districts is not tilted enough against Trump to cause them to vote to convict.” Ultimately, both Postell and Craig agree that Trump’s second impeachment — much like the first one — is more symbolic than earnest. “Democrats are proceeding with this, I suspect, because they have to play to their own base, which wants Trump to face accountability,” Postell said. “This is illustrative of the 21st century Congress: members are more interested in taking stands on highly public issues than doing serious legislative study and work.” Senior politics majors said Congress’ decision to pursue impeachment was a waste of time. “I think it’s a huge waste of time and it doesn’t make sense on the part of the Democrats, because they could be pushing their policy priorities, but they’re focusing on this instead,” Clayton DeJong said. Carl Miller said the impeachment is unconstitutional “regardless of the merits.” “And the merits for this impeachment are severely lacking,” Miller added. Braden VanDyke, senior class president said impeaching a former president is “neither right nor sensible.” “It sets a dangerous precedent, it’s constitutionality and legality is unsure, and it goes directly against any alleged or intended peaceful transfer of power,” VanDyke said. “If and because impeachment is reserved for high crimes and misdemeanors, it is dangerous and irresponsible to allow it to slide into the political partisan toolbox.” Allison Schuster contributed to this report.

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News Outstanding Senior Women, Men nominees announced

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February 11, 2021 A3

Hillsdale's Mock Trial team won its tournament last weekend. Courtesy | Mock Trial

Five men included due to tie in vote count

Hillsdale Mock Trial wins bid, awaits competition for second bid By | Maggie Hroncich Assistant Editor Hillsdale Mock Trial team 1215 won a bid at regionals last weekend in the Opening Round Championship Series, where team 1213 will compete in April. Teams 1213 and 1214 competed in Arizona’s Cactus Classic Invitational the weekend prior, to gear up for regionals. “It was a great tune-up tournament,” said Jonathan Church, lecturer of rhetoric and public address and head coach for the mock trial program. “Team 1213 went 8-0 and placed second.” The regional competition last weekend saw similar successes. Although team 1213 did not win a bid, its defense team went 4-0, and personal awards for attorney were given to senior Andrew Shaffer and junior Jean-Luc Belloncle, with senior Connor Daniels winning a witness award for his role as the defendant. “At the end of the day, 1213’s regionals this year was harder than the ORCS our A team went to last year,” Church said. “Hitting University of Alabama, Rice University, and New York University — all top-ranked AMTA teams at one tournament — is just not what regionals is supposed to be, but it’s unfortunate and it happened. The way we look at it is it’s impressive to get four ballots out of that line up.” Team 1215, who won the ORCS bid, finished first, winning six ballots and tying one, only losing one ballot in total. “There are some cool firsts there, too. That’s only the second time we’ve finished at the top of the pile at a regional tournament, so that’s big. It’s also the first time we’ve ever gotten a direct bid to ORCS from a C number,” Church said. “We hit Elmhurst University and University of California Riverside’s A team — they were good. That was a big win, in my

Concerto

from A1

times a week and listening to other player’s interpretation of the piece. When it came time to audition, he expressed how nervous he was. “The hardest part was the nerves, as with every competition,” Tong said. “The opening part of my piece is me playing by myself, without the piano, and I was very scared because my fingers were trembling before I put them on the strings,” Tong said. “But it had become muscle memory and it felt very natural playing the piece.” Fishlock, having competed for the past 3 years in a row, described her intensive process for memorizing her 10 minute long piece. “I would listen to my piece everywhere I went, in my car, while I was walking to classes, and that helped me learn it,” Fishlock said. “I would usually just practice by myself for half an hour, but I began performing it for other people in the orchestra during the few weeks leading up to the competition.” Due to COVID, no audience members were allowed to be in attendance during the auditions, which presented a difficulty for the players. “I am a much better performer when I’m playing for people that I know, so having an audience is always very helpful because I can play to them, not the judges, and that inspires me a lot more,” Fishlock said. Dawe also believed that the lack of community involvement took an element away from the

opinion, the win of the weekend for the C team.” Team 1215 also won multiple personal awards, including attorney awards for freshman Curtis Herbert and sophomore Johannah Freyenhagen and a witness award for freshman Nathan Butler. Junior Jacob Hooper, who is

"I don't think I've ever had a happier mock trial moment." captain of team 1215, said he was proud of his team’s success. “Leading them was great, our freshmen have such great energy and I really didn’t have to do too much to make sure that they kept plugging away,” Hooper said. “I’m really proud of them.” “The whole room exploded with energy,” Hooper said, referring to when it was announced that team 1215 had the highest record. “I was jumping up and down and screaming, I lost my voice for three hours after that. Two of our attorneys got awards, I got an honorable mention, one competition, but made her even more excited to perform her piece in the spring. “I hadn’t participated in the competition before, but I always attended because I had friends performing, so it was always a community event. As a singer myself, it’s just more fun when you’re singing for your friends and the people supporting you,” Dawe said. “But I’m excited to sing in front of an audience. I have friends in the orchestra and who have their solos as well, so I’m looking forward to participating in this group.” As a singer, Dawe explained that there were challenges with preparing her piece since she wasn’t using an instrument. “I know instrumentalists

of our witnesses got an award. I don’t think I’ve ever had a happier mock trial moment.” Due to COVID-19, all AMTA tournaments are virtual this year and the team has not been able to travel at all. Hooper said that while he misses in-person competition, there are some upsides to the online format. “Compared to regionals last year when we were in person in Dayton, Ohio, it was a little easier in a sense,” Hooper said. “The rooms we were competing in are rooms we’ve had class in before. I get to go home every night and sleep in my own bed and use my own bathroom, we aren’t driving to a hotel. In that aspect it was a little more relaxing.” Freyenhagen, who won an attorney award, said she appreciates the geographic diversity of regionals this year. “The super cool thing is that we’ve been able to go against so many Western teams that normally we wouldn’t go against,” Freyenhagen said. “They have a different way of doing mock trial and a different mindset of how they want to argue the case.” Since the AMTA caps the number of bids to ORCS at two per collegiate program, team 1214 will compete for the second bid the weekend of Feb. 26-28. Church said he is hopeful that 1214 will perform well and that the program will win a second bid to ORCS. “The takeaway from this year is that it has been a year of growth in the program. We have never been this deep. We always have a good team, sometimes we have two good teams, but this year we have three really good teams,” Church said. “The program is in a nice place, and God-willing we’re going to have a situation where we have two bids and we can look at our 30 program members and see who gets to fill the ORCS slots.”

practiced a lot more than I did, but it’s harder for the voice because it’s a part of your body that you can’t overwork, but playing an instrument is different, you can’t tire out a violin,” Dawe said. Through all of their hard work, preparation, and dedication, Dawe said that the participants and winners of the competition were given an opportunity that most people don’t have. “I’m very glad we did it. I didn’t realize until this week, but not many schools are able to do anything like this, so I was grateful that we were able to compete, even though it might’ve been a bit different this year,” Dawe said.

Joy Brower, a senior studying economics and French. | Facebook

Jolene Estruth, a senior studying religion. | Facebook

Taryn Murphy, a senior studying religion and philosophy. | Facebook

Natasha de Virgilio, a senior studying politics. Courtesy | Natasha de Virgilio

Sean Collins, a senior studying classics, philosophy and religion. Courtesy | Sean Collins

Carl Miller is a senior studying economics. | Facebook

Barrett Moore is a senior studying history and Spanish. Courtesy | Barrett Moore

Micah Perry, a senior studying economics and German. | Facebook

Spirit Week

Braden VanDyke, a senior studying politics. | Facebook

from A1

encourage taking health precautions like wearing masks and will be hosting events in places that will give students the ability to social distance.” At this point, there is a football game scheduled for March 6 at 2 p.m., but only players’ families will be allowed to attend home football games, based on current state mandates, according to Head Football Coach Keith Otterbein.

Regardless of the differences, SAB is excited to celebrate students and organize a homecoming-inspired week for them, Katcher said. “Spirit Week is going to be a great way to build community at Hillsdale through competition and fun,” Katcher said. “I can’t wait to watch WhitWatWay defend their title from Simpson during Mock Rock and see who this year’s underdog will be."

Faculty name President's Ball Court

Seniors Anne Ziegler and Zsanna Bodor were two of seven winers in the Concerto/Aria competition. Courtesy | Facebook

President's Ball queen:

Sofia Krusmark,

Dominic Bulger,

Bridget Breckler,

Sophie Reynolds.

Caleb Ramette,

Jolene Estruth,

President's Ball king:

Spencer Rothfuss,

Claire Lupini,

Ben Becker,

Max Troyke.

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A4 February 11, 2021

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The Weekly: Don’t post nominees’ GPA The opinion of the Collegian editorial staff Unlike last year, The Collegian has chosen not to publish the President’s Ball court’s GPAs. And it’s for good reason. Though the President’s Ball court nominees are recognized and nominated for their academic achievement, this honor does not demand the publicity of private information, nor is a student’s GPA completely indicative of his success as a student. Students of high academic achievement are celebrated not only for their high

course grades, but also for their choice to take a class of unusual rigor, regardless of its effect on their transcript; for their choice to engage in hard questions in office hours; and for their willingness to demonstrate their love of learning in in-class discussions. Each of these things is hard to see in a number. As retired professor of history Tom Conner wrote in a letter to the editor just one year ago, “to reveal the GPA conveys the message that

such statistics about the individual are somehow a defining characteristic, at least important enough for everyone to know.” And we know that such statistics aren’t. A GPA doesn’t show the extracurricular commitment that may not be academically-related, but which takes up a significant amount of time (like reporting for the student newspaper). A GPA doesn’t reflect an individual’s obligations to friends and family or the job he works

to pay for his school. A GPA doesn’t reflect a hardship at home that many may not know about. Yes, these nominees should be recognized for the good they’ve contributed to our college, but their GPAs are only a fraction of that. Instead, we should celebrate the President’s Ball court nominees for what they came here to earn, and have duly gained: their character.

The games won’t stop: Reddit takes on Wall Street By | Mason Mohon

Two weeks ago, Reddit broke the stock market. An internet swarm decided they were tired of finance being a game of the elite, so they sparked a financial populist uprising. The reddit channel r/WallStreetBets decided to shortsqueeze a few stocks that large hedge funds were shorting. The most notable among these stocks were GameStop and AMC Theatres. To understand what happened here one must first understand what a short is. A short is a bet that a stock’s price will go down. If it does, the short seller profits. If it goes up, the short seller has to cover his or her losses. A short is in direct opposition to a long position, which bets that a stock price will rise. The most straightforward way to engage a long position is to buy the stock.

The stocks that skyrocketed two weeks ago were the ones with the most short positions. AMC was on the brink of bankruptcy due to pandemic lockdowns, according to CBS, and GameStop looked like it was going to become the Blockbuster of gaming, slowly dying out like the late DVD rental store. It made sense for hedge funds such as Melvin Capital to engage short positions on these stocks. The last thing they could have expected was a group of Reddit users hiking the price. WallStreetBets took on the hedge funds. The ringleaders urged their 8 million plus followers to buy these stocks. The high demand shot up the price. The higher price meant that hedge funds lost money on their short positions. To do this, they needed to buy the stocks again. But the WallStreetBets group refused to sell, causing the price to skyrocket even further. Melvin

Capital, the biggest loser in this event, suffered 4.5 billion dollars in losses, according to Mashable. The hedge fund lost 53% of its total value. The WallStreetBets phe-

nomenon was an uprising based in financial populism. Although the group itself has no political affiliation, it was labeled as a right-wing phenomenon by Newsweek. Pro-

GameStop, a video game distributor, saw its stocks rise and fall over 1000% last month Courtesy | Wikimedia Commons

VALENTINE’S DAY: OVERRATED OR UNDERRATED

Do everything in love: Not just Valentine’s Day By | Haley Strack

When I first sat down to write this piece, I wanted to crush spirits, break hearts, and absolutely slaughter any and all ideas of Valentine’s Day being underrated. Then I called my mom, who — much to my chagrin — told me that Valentine’s Day is her favorite holiday. How could I write a cynical article smearing my mother’s favorite day of the year? When I asked her why, she had a great reason: “I love loving people.” Amen, Nikki. The only qualm I have with that sentiment — and mom, please don’t take this the wrong way — is that you shouldn’t need a special day to love people.

Love requires constant pursuit in all ways. It can’t be measured by that necklace he got you or that meal she cooked you on Feb. 14 — it demands much more than that. It’s a constant desire to do better for your partner. It’s daily sacrifice that brings you both closer to the lord. It’s not a massive spike in affection one day of the year. On February 14th, St. Valentine was executed by order of Emperor Claudius II. During Claudius’ rule, military engagement was lacking. Young men were getting married and having families, which naturally pulled them away from the army. In retaliation, Claudius banned all marriages in Rome.

Valentine, a holy priest, married young couples in secret, until Claudius found out and ordered him beaten and beheaded. Valentine left a note for a friend right before he received his death sentence, signing it, “From your Valentine.” Thus began Valentine’s Day. A tragic death, but a beautiful life. Think of all the couples who were married, professed their love before God, and brought children into the world because of Valentine. Valentine’s life wasn’t determined by the day he died — it was commemorated by the legacy he left throughout his lifetime. Our loves won’t be determined by any specific days. If you’re truly happy in your

relationship, every day will be good enough to remind them of your love. You don’t know how many days you have to cherish your partner’s heart — don’t wait until a specific day to do it. So, the only reason why I think Valentine’s Day is overrated? We only get one of them. Really though, nothing sums it up quite like the wise words of my mother who has shown me what it means to love someone every day of their life: “I think every day should be Valentine’s Day, Haley-Bailey.”

is so integral to humankind that it should be celebrated as much as possible. Sentimental? Yes. True? Yes. Rhetorical Questions? Also yes. And that is why Valentine’s Day, though surely overly commercialized, kitschy, and sometimes downright stupid, has at its core something quite beautiful, which is the cry of the human spirit to love and be loved. First, some context. Many forget that St. Valentine celebrated forbidden sacramental marriages, restored sight to a blind girl, converted her father and his household, and was a martyr. In other words, St. Valentine was based. Additionally, the blind girl’s father, the judge of a Roman province, released the Christian inmates under his jurisdiction after his conversion to Christianity. What a wonderful analogy for the reality of love. Love illuminates our vision, bringing us to see people as they truly are and how we ought to see them. Love

allows us to see others’ dignity and intrinsic goodness as created beings. Love converts our very being: when we are in love, don’t we yearn to see our beloved’s face light up when we walk in a room? Our entire disposition is changed. Love points us towards the Divine, the ultimate reality of love: God. Behind the youth pastor’s whisper-yell of “God really, like, totally, wants to hang out. Cuz he loves you,” is a very real, vertical connection between the creature and his Creator. Philosopher Jean Luc-Marian actually argues that we only speak of God in terms of the totality of love, the only indescribable thing we can begin to imagine. Not to get overly philosophical or theological here (probably too late), but there is significance in setting aside a day in which we contemplate love. And how do we contemplate love? By spending time with those we love, whether it be with the Creator, friend, or significant other. Practically, Valentine’s Day gives couples

a specific date on which they can make sure to be together. Mothers and fathers have a reason to go on a date. Valentine’s Day is the day in which we celebrate love, which connects all reality. Practical parts of Valentine’s Day are also underrated. For the parents of people born in November, it’s a great day. For middle schoolers it’s a memorable time of social anxiety. And at Bob Jones University, it’s the only day you’re legally allowed to walk on the same side of the street as your wife-elect. There are historical, philosophical, and practical implications to Valentine’s Day, all of which offer real goods for humankind. But proofs weary the truth. Love is so basic of a good that even the secular world appreciates it by setting aside a day. Don’t be anti-love. Appreciate the real, underrated, Valentine’s Day.

Haley Strack is a sophomore studying politics. She is an assistant editor of the Collegian.

Don’t be anti-love: Celebrate Valentine’s Day By | Aidan Cyrus Of course Valentine’s Day feels overrated. The ever-evolving, mutating, vicious creature we know as commercialization has taken over every part of our lives. Modern America’s over-emphasis on hollow sentimentalism, to make up for a lack of true charity, means that flowers, chocolates, and well-written cards — gestures that might actually hold meaning — feel cheap and obligatory. Couples are indoctrinated by bootleg Hallmark brands and chocolate companies set upon making this year “the most special one yet.” There is no recognition of personhood in American Romance. Check off the boxes, take her to dinner maybe, get her a card that says “Will you be my Valentine?” and maybe she won’t be upset at you for “not caring.” Right? It’s cheap, it’s fake, it’s vapid. But actual Valentine’s Day, in which we celebrate love (the greatest reality there is), is anything but vapid. Love

Aidan Cyrus is a junior studying philosophy.

gressives in the news media and financial institutions rallied against the short squeeze, stating that the subreddit was full of misogynists, according to the Washington Post, and anti-semites, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. In essence, however, the redditors are simply disgruntled laypeople. They are young people upset with how the system was rigged. The writer of a popular post in the Reddit group was upset with how his parents had suffered through the 2008 stock market crash. The institutions do not care, though. According to the progressive narrative, hating the rich is for socialists, who do not bet on stock prices. The reddit users aren’t socialist, and the movement has no clear political leanings. Because it is not explicitly socialist, this populist financial insurrection does not fit the narrative, and left-wing news outlets are quick to denounce

it. Multiple trading platforms have tried to curtail it as well. Robinhood limited the number of GameStop stocks that one could buy last week. The January 2021 short squeeze shows that the financial sector is no longer only for big players. It is not just a game for adderall-addled suits in New York City. Now, it is the game of internet hive minds. The cryptocurrency-fueled financial meme mania is spreading to the stock market. Aside from stringent and aggressive legislation from Washington, D.C., there is little anyone can do to hold it back. Even as the tidal wave of the GameStop and AMC short squeeze recedes, there is little telling what WallStreetBets will go after next or whom they will inspire. Mason Mohon is a sophomore studying Economics.

Delete your Instagram Reject the app’s unrealistic standards By | Danae Burdett I distinctly remember being added to the “Hillsdale Class of 2022” Facebook page the summer after high school graduation. Hundreds of incoming freshmen were asked to introduce themselves, drop their social media handles, and get to know each other. Through this forum, I found myself following dozens of my future classmates on Instagram. I got to know them through direct messaging, feeling sure that even though they seemed way cooler than me online, we were all going to automatically be friends upon arrival at Hillsdale. I was wrong. Looking back, I know that perspective was extremely naïve, but I’d been clinging to the hope that these people from coastal states and better means, who seemed so much larger-than-life, would be fast friends. What I found instead was a group of people who (I realized much later) were just that — people. Freshman year at Hillsdale College was one of the hardest periods of my life, and Instagram was a direct enabler of that emotional turmoil. Though I’d initially realized that my classmates did not necessarily equal their social media personas, I continued to buy what they were selling. Daily, I scrolled past images of late-night McDonald’s trips, “candid” portraits, and group study sessions. I watched my fellow freshmen experience what appeared to be an incredible first semester while I sat in my dorm room, isolated and depressed. Instagram

perpetuated the notion that everyone was having a better time than I was, and I felt that that meant I did not belong here. In August of my sophomore year, I deleted my Instagram account as part of a social media overhaul. I had spent the better part of that summer unraveling the lies that had fed my freshman mindset and realizing that Instagram did not directly correlate to real life. I immediately found that I spent less time comparing myself to unrealistic aesthetics I saw online and dwelling unhealthily on the implications of these comparisons. I suddenly did not have access to the personal lives of others, unable to stalk their profiles for incriminating or informative images, and, conversely, people had to ask me directly for my own details. I freed myself from the obsession that often comes with Instagram and instead had far more time and open-mindedness to develop friendships with women about whom I had no preconceived ideas. Instagram inhibits genuine interaction and relationship. It fuels emotional malnutrition in many of its users, including dozens of women on this campus. It promotes unhealthy comparisons and disingenuous perspectives. It is and always will be perpetually unfulfilling. Life doesn’t look like Instagram — and it’s not supposed to. For the sake of your mental well-being and authentic character, delete your Instagram. Danae Burdett is a junior studying American Studies.

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The Caase for Kierkegaard President Biden: By | Joseph Teti One time my suitemate popped his head into the room and mentioned that he wanted to read Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. “I’ve heard tons of people talk about him,” he said. “But nobody reads him.” “Bet,” I replied. Within the hour, we had looked up some basic biographical facts on Kierkegaard and ordered matching copies of “Either/Or.” Now, I had doubts about Kierkegaard. Almost everyone I know who reads him turns into some quasi-cult member. What’s all the hype? Regardless, when Thanksgiving and Christmas break came along, I really dug into the text. I highlighted every line that I found interesting and wrote a number in the margins next to it, putting a corresponding number and comment in a google doc. I am only halfway done with the book, but let me say this: I am now a cult member. Kierkagaard ought to be included in Hillsdale’s Introduction to Philosophy (PHL 105) courses. Here are my two reasons why. First, Hillsdale students are in touch with their hearts. Despite the constant emphasis on reason and faith, much of the vigor of the community comes from its strong emotional quality. There is nothing these people are not passionate about, and Kierkegaard deals with emotions in a way other philosophers do not. He treats human nature on an intimate level, such that some of his foremost assertions are about love, desire, sorrow, anxiety, and depression. This is a fairly unique field amongst philosophers: many treat logos, some eros, but almost none make an

attempt at thumos. Thus, there is a great potential for affinity between his writings and our students. Second, Kierkegaard can rescue philosophy from its most common difficulty here at Hillsdale College. I mean, let’s face it: how many times have you talked to an English or philosophy major who says he is “depressed about philosophy” or a Christian who has an almost axiomatic distrust for philosophy? This comes from two main factors. First, that a common theme of the books we read in our core English courses is the Miltonic Principle of being “lowly

wise.” This can easily be misconstrued into Hume’s suggestion of playing backgammon and abandoning philosophy since “reason entirely subverts itself.” Sometimes, students conclude that they might not need philosophy or reason to act in accordance with their nature. But the opposite is true: resonance with one’s nature requires understanding — in short, the liberal arts — philosophy, English, theology, and geometry. The modernists and postmodernists we read in PHL 105 have a singular incompatibility with Christian faith. A close reading of Locke,

Soren Kierkegaard was a 19th century theologian, social critic, poet, and the first existentialist philosopher. Courtesy | Pixabay

Descartes, Hume, Kant, or Nietzsche can cast someone into serious doubt about the use of philosophy, or reason, or even about their personal faith itself. As Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn likes to point out, education is dangerous. The PHL 105 course often reads like a rollercoaster — it’s all downhill after the initial climb of Plato’s “Republic.” Kierkegaard can save us. He grew up Lutheran, entered seminary, and was betrothed to a woman he loved dearly, but gave that life up to devote himself fully to philosophy. He constantly references the Bible in his writings — but not in the cryptic way of Neitzsche and many others. His writings are littered with ideas from, and comparisons to, the Greeks, and his outlook participates in many central Christian beliefs. For example, he writes that “it is through sin that one first catches sight of salvation,” and “the religious is the expression of a paternal love.” There are, of course, many philosophers who are highly influential and deserve a spot in any survey course. Some students speculate that there should be two semesters of PHL 105 in order to treat thinkers like Hegel, Heidegger, and even contemporaneous writers like MacIntyre. These may be argued at a later date, but Kierkegaard remains singular amongst the philosophers in his holistic treatment of man. The Western Canon is vast, but Kierkegaard holds a unique position to speak to the hopes, fears, minds, and hearts of undergraduates. He deserves a spot in our Introduction to Philosophy course. Joseph Teti is a sophomore studying English.

Men need a Curate conference By | Ben Wilson Just ask her out. Don’t be so passive. Be a man. There are plenty of ways to criticize men on campus. But when women are given more opportunities to find wisdom and mentorship at Hillsdale, the critiques start to fall flat — especially in light of Curate. The second annual Curate conference took place on Jan. 30 in the Searle Center for hundreds of female Hillsdale students. They received advice on cultivating hospitality, building a professional brand, and developing spiritual disciplines. Meanwhile, we men were left outside Searle’s revolving door. Helping women grow is admirable. From what I’ve heard, the conference is productive and cherished by women on campus. Learning how to lead a prayerful life, navigate stress, and find mentors is vital. But Hillsdale’s male students need this, too. The silent retreat and “Man Up” sessions on campus attempt to address this need, and their efforts are appreciated. Silent contemplation, however, is not the same as having a speaker pour into listeners about struggles like difficult friendships, sexual temptations, and working hard. Talking to guys across campus, I find a common consensus that the “manly” conferences the college currently offers only attract and push a specific type of masculinity — the ladder-climbing, five-

mile-jog-in-the-mud kind. This only speaks to one sector of Hillsdale men. We need words from a diverse group of males, just like how Curate caters to different female personalities. Scrolling through the Curate schedule, I counted at

establish credit, and save for retirement would be helpful. Three sessions in the 2021 Curate centered on dating. In the days following the summit, several female friends expressed their wish that men had sat in Plaster Auditorium with them. “It would make

least 15 sessions that could be presented to men (We will pass on the “Women’s Health” session, however). Take “Time Management: Practical Tips for Prioritizing Your Time.” All Hillsdale students, male and female, struggle with procrastination. Even more practical topics that are rarely covered on campus, like how to purchase insurance,

things so much easier if men heard these things too,” a friend said to me. One Curate speaker compared relationships to a dance: women need to step back so men can step forward and lead, she said. Yet guys were never informed we’re dancing. We’re not even in the same ballroom.

By | Megan Williams Being a woman is hard. Very hard. I’m not going to delve into the biological differences between boys and girls that most people learned about in an awkward ninth grade health class, but let’s face it, womanhood comes with natural difficulties that we have to deal with every single day. Not only do ladies face these curses from Mother Nature, they also have to deal with men. The most frustrating part about the existence of men, specifically college-aged dudes, is that we need them. Women, especially those in

religious circles, have a strong desire to get married young and have their own children, which requires the participation of a man. I am here to give you advice on how to locate a man that you can find yourself wanting, or at least tolerating, this kind of relationship with. Let us first begin with where to find a man that you can hopefully learn to love. Because you are likely hoping for a man that will at least be enjoyable to look at for the next 50 years, you should obviously begin your search at the gym. Now, you must inspect your options carefully. You should only look for

those who spend the entirety of their workout focusing on their upper body. That way, they will be able to carry you — bridal style, of course — and make you feel like the demure queen you are. Once you discover a hefty, thicc man that you can at least enjoy looking at for the duration of your relationship, you need to figure out the best ways to convince him to ask you out on a date. Now men, because of their large egos and desire to show dominance, are likely to approach someone if she appears to be in need of assistance. Thus, the gym is the perfect place to begin this conversation because most

“There is a crisis among men in our world. To make matters worse, society dismisses those who hold to traditional views of masculinity as ‘toxic males.’ Hillsdale needs to counter this.”

Imparting wisdom on dating to only half the school and setting standards for how men should act, while not giving men the slightest clue on those expectations, is unhelpful and frustrating for both parties. Beyond dating, there are other areas where men struggle that a conference could address. Men’s Health Forum, a British charity, reports that men are nearly three times more likely than women to become alcohol dependent and more likely to die from drugs. PsychCentral reports that 70% of men between 18 and 24 visit a pornography site at least once per month. The American Society for Suicide Prevention found that in 2018, “men died by suicide 3.56 times more often than women.” There is a crisis among men in our world. To make matters worse, society dismisses those who hold to traditional views of masculinity as “toxic males.” Hillsdale needs to counter this and host talks to inspire men before they leave to start careers and families in this antagonistic world. It’s time for a seminar where men receive help in these tough areas and catch up on the wisdom we’ve missed out on.

Limit immigration to protect workers By | Jack Little One of President Joe Biden’s first legislative priorities will not build bridges between the highly partisan forces in Congress. Rather than focusing on infrastructure or defense spending, two issues which both Republicans and Democrats agree must be addressed, Biden and his advisors have decided to force immigration reform — in the form of mass amnesty — upon a fiercely divided Congress and nation. The election of former President Donald Trump in 2016 showed that many Americans saw grave problems with the current, permissive immigration system. The liberal approach to immigration has been in place since the passage of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act — legislation which greatly lessened the immigration restrictions that were generally upheld since the republic’s beginning. Over the last half century, the discussion of immigration and the granting of citizenship to undocumented migrants has shifted toward one of acceptance, as opposed to enforcing existing laws and deporting those who illegally reside in the United States. According to Pew Research, the number of unauthorized immigrants living in the United States is around 10.5 million, or roughly a quarter of the foreign-born population. Members of both parties speak often about providing “pathways to citizenship” for this category of immigrant. This often involves providing temporary residence status with the expectation that the individuals in question will attain citizenship legally through bureaucratic process. While the various humanitarian crises on the border are terrible and deserve our attention, prudence should prevent us from acting in a rash way. The fault in Biden’s plan does not lie in his desire to grant legal residence status, but in the implications of what his “pathway to citizenship” entails. He fails to recognize the immense strain on the bureaucracy that such a proposal would cause. The current average time to

complete all steps in the naturalization process is roughly 1.5 years, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. However, such an expansion in the number of applicants would increase stress on the system to a point where individuals would get lost in the bureaucracy and possibly collapse the federal immigration system. To prevent this, we need a far more pragmatic approach. The current plan is tenuous, poorly planned, and ideological. Simply providing a blanket pathway to citizenship ignores nuance and intricacy, not to mention the individual cases and characters of currently undocumented immigrants. This is not to say that there is no solution to this crisis: a number of nations have enacted common-sense immigration reform that accounts for unique circumstances and for the individual talents that immigrants can bring to their nation. Notably, the Australian-style point system allows for a great amount of flexibility and ensures that that country only takes in those migrants which would benefit the nation’s economy. Such a proposal has been made in the United States, in 2017’s RAISE Act, which put a cap on issuances of green cards and changed the system to one that actively rewards skilled immigrants as opposed to unskilled ones. While we ought to protect the rights of migrants and provide shelter for those genuinely needing refuge, we must also be sure to protect the well-being of the American worker by preventing “insourcing” — the importation of workers to replace native workers at a lower salary. In 2007, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont — hardly an ideological conservative — opposed a bipartisan bill that would have increased the number of green cards issued because he saw it as a threat to the average worker. A nation exists to serve its citizens, not its corporations. All politicians, regardless of party, should agree on that. Jack Little is a sophomore studying history.

Ben Willson is a junior studying politics. He is the City News editor of the Collegian.

A migrant worker repairs a sidewalk. Courtesy | Pixabay

men assume you have no idea what to do when it comes to lifting weights or exercising. All you need to do is walk over to the bench press, grab a bar without weights, and pretend that you are unable to even lift it off the rack. The moment you begin your charade, you will be approached by a hoard of power-hungry macho men who will try to prove that they are fit for reproduction by their ability to lift a 45-pound bar. And voila! You are now able to select which of these men appeals to your biological desires and you can embark on your journey towards getting a boyfriend.

All jokes aside, being a woman in your twenties is difficult enough. While juggling your personal needs, future goals, and the expectations of everyone around you, there is no reason that you need to be looking for a boyfriend. Twenty seven is the median age that women marry in the U.S., meaning that most women don’t wed until five years after they graduate from college. The whole purpose of marriage is to find someone who helps you to grow and pursue the things you value most. During your undergraduate education, you are given the opportunity to explore and solidify your religious beliefs,

How to get a boyfriend at Hillsdale

your weaknesses and passions, and your future career path, all of which are things you must discover on your own. There should not be the expectation from your family members or female peers for you to find a man at Hillsdale College with the necessary maturity and mindset to lead you through these decisions. Megan Williams is a sophomore majoring in rhetoric and public address. She does have a boyfriend, because coaches need to have at least played a game.

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A6 February 11, 2021

Dial-A-Ride loses ridership, survives pandemic charter schools that don’t have bussing of their own.” School children comprise a large portion of Dial-A-Ride Dial-A-Ride, Hillsdale’s riders. In January of last year, public transportation ser786 of its 2,508 fares involved vice, suffered a 33% ridership taking children to school, loss in March 2020 after the according to Susan Kehn, COVID-19 pandemic and Dial-A-Ride’s dispatch superschool closures. visor. Though that number Dial-A-Ride is funded suffered initially, last month, mostly through ticketed fares. Dial-A-Ride counted about As a result of lost revenue, the 600 student fares as schools bus service had to restructure reopened. its labor while implementing The City of Hillsdale bought new cleaning and disinfecting Dial-A-Ride in February 1975 protocols, according to Difrom a private owner, Kehn rector of Public Services Jack said. She knows the program’s Hammel. history because of her own “It affected us quite a bit long bout with the service. She because we saw a big decrease joined the team as a driver in our service, at least initially,” in 1980 to make a little extra Hammel said. “A lot of that money. had to do with school closings. As the dispatch supervisor, We provide a lot of rides for

By | Cal Abbo Associate Editor

Kehn figures out how to run the buses most efficiently, saving the most miles and gas, while fielding calls and meeting everyone’s needs. The service drives anywhere in the city limits. On occasion, it makes longer trips for an increased fare. Overall, Dial-A-Ride lost 35% of its riders compared to last January. Last month the service only provided 1,638 rides. “We didn’t want our public transportation to become a superspreader on wheels,” Hammel said. “We started implementing a very regimented cleaning disinfection schedule. We also implemented personal protection equipment for our drivers and changed our methods for handling cash and

Keefer House Hotel received a $2 million investment in late January. Julia Mullins | Collegian

Keefer House Hotel receives $2 million investment By | Ryan Goff Senior Reporter

The Keefer House Hotel passed an important hurdle when it received a $2 million equity investment by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation at the end of January. With the last leg of funding approved, CL Real Estate has secured a $12 million capital investment for the project in the 130-year-old Keefer House, a building that has been vacant since 2005 in historic downtown Hillsdale. “It’s really the last major hurdle that was in front of us. There’s still more to do, but not much more,” Michigan Development Associate Brant Cohen of CL Real Estate said. “And we’re really excited to have crossed this point where we’ve identified our capital stack in its entirety.” MEDC’s investment represents 16% of the project’s total financing, but it was the linchpin of its progress that was halted while Michigan paused review of all economic development projects due to COVID-19, according to Cohen. “You really can’t start construction until you’ve received the official response by the state whether

they’ll provide you with funding,” Cohen said. CL Real Estate, the firm overseeing the project, plans to renovate the hotel with a restaurant and three retail spaces. Once built, the hotel and shops will be operated by Hotel Investment Services, a management company that operates hotels across the state of Michigan. “Everything’s tied together. Our principal investors have put their equity into the project,” Cohen said. “We’re really excited we’ve got all the financial sources put together, and now it’s just finishing up the details.” Those details are mostly paperwork and planning the execution of the project, Cohen said, which is crucial to get right the first time. “It’s the most important part because you want to make sure everything is correct before you put a shovel in the ground so you don’t have to stop,” Cohen said. CL President Nathan Watson said he is looking forward to that point. “We expect that the opening of the Keefer will be a great day we can all enjoy in the not-too-distant future,” Watson said in a press release.

The project is expected to be a catalyst for an urban renewal in downtown Hillsdale. The MEDC equity investment is an expression of confidence in the city’s resilience because equity ties the entity to the future of the project. “The Keefer House is a contributing building to the city of Hillsdale’s National Register of Historic Places commercial district, but has been vacant creating a detrimental influence on the downtown landscape,” MEDC said in a press release. “The development is expected to transform downtown Hillsdale and spur economic development throughout the city.” Cohen said he feels proud of the progress his team has made since taking on the project two years ago. “This is the furthest anyone has ever gotten in terms of revitalizing the Keefer and making it as profitable as it will be for the community,” Cohen said. “We’re really excited to think that every day we take another step closer to getting this thing under construction and getting it open. It’s been a Herculean effort and we’re really excited about it.”

tickets.” When they call, Dial-ARide now asks its riders a series of questions to determine if they have or have been in contact with COVID-19. Some of the questions ask about symptoms and others ask if the individual knows they’ve been in contact with a sick person. Hammel said he thought it was important to approach COVID-19 with caution because the program’s busses service lots of elderly who can’t drive on their own. In addition, Hammel said many residents who use Dial-A-Ride have health complications that put them in high-risk groups when it comes to COVID-19 infection. Though the service’s ridership has plummeted, Kehn

insists it doesn’t have financial problems. “There haven’t been any,” she said. “At this point, we keep on going like we always have.” The buses operate mostly during normal business hours Monday through Friday, according to the City of Hillsdale’s website, and normally costs $3. It also offers half price discounts to children under 11 and residents over 60 years of age, which might explain its dependence on those demographic groups. Since the city purchased Dial-A-Ride more than 40 years ago, little has changed about how it functions. Today, though, some officials are investigating a new county-wide public transportation model that would incorporate Dial-A-

Ride. “There’s been some things the city manager spoke about publicly,” Hammel said. “There is a group looking at creating a transportation authority within Hillsdale County. It’s in the infancy investigative stages right now.” The investigation, he noted, involves Key Opportunities, a nonprofit located less than one mile from the college. Hammel stressed that, at this point, the efforts at the county level are purely exploratory and he doesn’t expect anything to change for at least two years. “People are exploring it, though. It would include DialA-Ride,” he said.

By | Genevieve O’Gara Collegian Reporter

The Smiths became MAEAP verified in the categories of farmstead, cropping, and forest, wetland, and habitat systems. This includes protecting the soil from erosion by not tilling the land, soil testing to reduce fertilizer runoff into public water, and clearing out unhealthy trees in their woodlands. “Conservation is just being a good steward of the land we’ve been blessed with,” Lauren Smith said. “The freedom to be on land is exciting. Sometimes it amazes me that I put seeds in the ground and can get crops to grow.” Lauren worked as a veterinarian with Vicki as his assistant in Kalamazoo before moving to Hillsdale. Jennifer Bowers, one of the Smiths’ five children, said her parents always had a respect for all of God’s creations. “People would tell me how compassionate he was with them and their animals,” Bowers said. “They’re big-hearted, big family people.” Bowers said her parents

— who have been married for 53 years — taught their children to be kind and slow to judge, as everyone has different life experiences, as well as to be financially responsible. “Learning to live somewhat frugally was instilled in us as children,” Bowers said. “When I had to raise my own family, it made it easier for me to make wise decisions.” Smith said farming can be difficult and unpredictable, especially when it comes to grain markets. “Being able to make a profit is the main goal,” Smith said. “Sometimes you make the right decision, and sometimes you don’t.” Bowers said she is very proud of her parents, but not surprised that they received the conservation award. “My dad puts in the time and effort,” Bowers said. “He loves conservation and science and wants what’s best for the land. He does the research to make that happen.”

Local couple receives farm, woodland conservation award The Hillsdale Conservation District awarded Lauren and Vicki Smith the title of 2020 Conservationists of the Year. The district supports farmers in making conservation decisions at the local level while providing technical assistance from the government, according to Allison Grimm, Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program technician.. Each year, the district chooses an award recipient who effectively implements conservation practices and is active in their community. The award has been in place since the 1960s. “Lauren and Vicki are very open and willing to learn about programs to better their land,” Grimm said. “They’re great neighbors who care for other people.” The Smiths own 100 acres of farmland, on which they grow corn and soybeans; 67 acres of woodland; and 88 acres of grassland. They have consistently practiced conservation techniques since purchasing the farm in 1990, and became MAEAP verified in 2020. According to technician Cody Birdsell, MAEAP verified farms are committed to voluntarily preventing or minimizing agricultural pollution and risks. The verification process involves two visits from a technician to enroll farmers and contact the state, and a third visit from an outside party that checks the farms records and walks through its operations. Birdsell said the Smiths deserved recognition for working to meet the requirements for MAEAP verification. “They bought into the program very well,” Birdsell said. “We’ve got to protect our natural resources by keeping good air quality and clean water, and this benefits the farmers, too. It’s about doing the right things.”

Lauren and Vicki Smith stand in front of their farm. Courtesy | Facebook

Rep. Fink supports bills on criminal justice, COVID-19, and knives By | Maggie Hroncich Assistant Editor State Rep. Andrew Fink has introduced and co-sponsored several bills in the Michigan House of Representatives during his first few weeks in office. Fink, who represents Michigan’s 58th district, said some of his primary goals are streamlining knife laws, criminal justice reform, and COVID-19 recovery. “The first bill I introduced as the primary sponsor is the Michigan Knife Rights Act, which is an attempt to organize our knife laws better. Right now a couple dozen cities have more restrict-

ed ordinances than the state law,” Fink said. “And so a person could be very cautious and careful and make sure that the knives that they’re carrying for hunting or recreation complies fully with state law and then if they drive from the Indiana border to Port Huron you might drive through two or three cities where your knife would actually be illegal for the time you’re there.” According to Fink, he is sponsoring a bill to change certain criminal penalties from a misdemeanor to a civil infraction. He said one problem with current legislation is that it makes “things crimes that really don’t

need to be, which just clutters up somebody’s criminal history.” Fink is also sponsoring House Bill 4091, which he said is a bill that is part of a package on human trafficking reforms. Another major area of concern for Fink’s office is the state government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fink supported the $3.5 billion COVID-19 recovery plan that the Michigan House of Representatives passed on Feb. 4, according to the Michigan GOP. Fink said one of the goals of the recovery plan is to increase transparency from Gov. Whitmer’s administration. “One [bill] is fund-

ing for mainly vaccine distribution that requires excessive reporting by the administration,” according to Fink. “One of the problems with the Whitmer admistrination is that it has not communicated clearly with the legislature about how appropriated funds are being used.” As part of the COVID-19 relief package, the legislature also adopted a bill for tax reimbursements for businesses, especially restaurants. “There is a large effort to help get small businesses who have been harmed by the government’s response to COVID-19 back on their feet, including property

tax reimbursements, unemployment insurance tax reimbursements,” Fink said. “These businesses haven’t been able to make money but have been taxed as though they were making money and we don’t think that’s right.” An additional element of the recovery plan is to lessen school closures by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and allow schools to localize decisions. According to Fink, “We don’t think it is the province of [Gov. Whitmer’s] administration to close schools across the state or terminate all high school sports.”

People can ask questions about the COVID-19 recovery plan or other bills sponsored by Fink at his first local office hours on Feb. 19, according to the Michigan GOP. Fink will be available to meet with residents from 9-10 a.m. at Spangler’s Hilltop Diner and from 1-2 p.m. at Quincy Diner. “I was elected to represent our local Branch and Hillsdale County values,” Fink said. “Office hours give me the opportunity to hear directly from those I represent about their concerns, questions, and ideas they have about state government and law.”

City News

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Most Hillsdale resturaunts open to 25% capacity By | Claire Gaudet Collegian Freelancer Gov. Whitmer’s most recent indoor dining ban has been lifted as of Tuesday, Feb. 1, and restaurants throughout the state are considering their options, seeing if the benefits outweigh the costs of opening their dining rooms. The following are local restaurants that have opened their dining rooms at the allotted 25% capacity: Saucy Dog’s Barbeque, Johnny T’s Bistro, The Hunt Club of Hillsdale, Finish Line Family Restaurant, El’ Cerrito Mexican Bar & Grill, Cavoni’s Pizza & Grinders, Rough Draft, Jilly Bean’s Coffee House, The Local Eatery, Healthies of Hillsdale, and Handmade. This year of intermittent dining bans has been particularly hard on restaurants like The Local Eatery and Healthies of Hillsdale, who both opened their doors in 2019, because they have yet to form a regular customer base. The Local Eatery owner Dena Walters described this goal, which has been severely hindered by these state-wide lockdowns, as a “quintessential step for any newly opened business.” Walters said The Local Eatery, along with other restaurants of this kind across the state, are now striving to “make up for lost time.” She said The Local Eatery has been holding

daily deals since the order was lifted, in an attempt to rectify this situation. Other restaurants in the area took a different approach and didn’t shut down at all. Spangler’s Family Restaurant in Jonesville stayed open during the order, receiving and paying off daily government fines. Owner Mitch Spangler said in a Facebook post that the initial Michigan shut down proved to be a “hard hit” to their business. When asked if he was shutting business again, Spangler said, “No, I’m not.” For both Spangler and the restaurant as a whole, the pros of remaining in-person outweighed the cons of paying the MDHHS’ fines. Handmade also stayed open during the December ban on in-person dining. Some local restaurants, such as Burgers Unlocked and Biggby Coffee, will keep their dining rooms closed for the time being. Currently, both restaurants are providing take-out options, and plan to continue. Biggby Coffee does have plans to reopen, according to supervisor Levi Stoll, but only once a 75% or higher capacity is allowed by the state. “For us at 25%, we’d only really be able to open two tables, which wouldn’t change things enough to make cleaning worth it,” Stoll said.

Here’s to You Pub & Grub received an award from Mlive. Courtesy | Sean Callaghan

Pub & Grub nominated for statewide award By | Sean Callaghan Collegian Freelancer

Here’s to You Pub & Grub was recently nominated, among 130 other Michigan restaurants, for “Best Outdoor Seating.” With the help of local readers, Amy Sherman, reporter of MLive’s Michigan Best and former restaurant chef, nominated Pub & Grub for its reputation among diners for good food, good atmosphere, and a creative menu. “They are known for being a fun place to visit and for having good food,” Sherman said. “The restaurants that are having the most success are ones like Pub & Grub that are really focusing on something unique.” One feature of the Pub & Grub’s outdoor setting is a hibachi grill. Owner Kevin Conant said that he cuts his own steaks and makes his entire menu from scratch, including soups and sauces. “It sounded fun to do,” Conant said. “I do a lot of Asian food and everybody really likes what I’ve done so I figured I’d take it to the next level and cook it in front of everyone.” Conant said that the restaurant’s outdoor seating has also created a place for the community to get together. “The outdoor seating is something fun for people to do because rather than being locked down for so long,

people just come outside,” he said. The local community has provided support for restaurants like Pub & Grub to thrive, Conant said. Customers Ricardo Gomez and Lewis Miller eat at the restaurant frequently and said they always come away with a positive experience. “As far as food goes, they have some really good creations,” said Miller, who added he especially likes the french fries. “They have unique takes on your typical burger that you can’t get elsewhere.” Sherman agreed, saying it is one of her favorites in the area. “We were impressed with the food when we were there in this little tiny restaurant,” Sherman said. “It’s not what you would expect, but I love that they are doing something different with their outdoor seating. Seeing a picture of the hibachi grill made me want to drive down to Pub & Grub.” With so many people seeking places to eat out, Conant said his team has struggled to keep up with the demand. “We’ve served the community for a long time and we have a huge clientele,” he said. “Most of the time it’s hard to keep people out of the doors.” Conant added that he hopes to be at 50% capacity by the end of the month.

February 11, 2021 A7

105-year-old Dorothea Long enjoys a window visit with her family. Courtesy | Laurie Newell

Medical facility optimistic as case numbers drop By | Luke Morey Collegian Reporter Staffers of the Hillsdale County Medical Care Facility said they see “a light at the end of the tunnel” from COVID-19. According to Terry Esterline, head administrator for the HCMCF, the facility has gone eight weeks without a positive test from a resident. “Periodically the staff will have one member at home from family exposure, but rarely from exposure from the facility,” Esterline said. As vaccinations are rolled out across the country, the HCMCF’s staff is focusing on allowing in-person visitations again. They have to wait until the COVID-19 positivity rate in Hillsdale County is below 10% of the COVID-19 positivity rate of the county’s population. “Right now, the number is below 10%, but we have to wait for a final notification to begin allowing in person visits,” Esterline said. “We’re looking at scheduling Monday, but it could change overnight. The big focus is getting back to normal.” The facility is performing more than 600 COVID-19 tests a week, according to Esterline. The staff is tested twice a week, residents once a week. The biggest challenge for

HCMCF, according to Esterline, is vaccine distribution. “I believe that the federal and the state are doing a good job of getting it out, but everyone wants it yesterday,” Esterline said. The staff and the residents have both received the Moderna vaccine, although a few residents declined to be vaccinated. The HCMCF used Walgreens from Ann Arbor, who came to the facility and administered the vaccine. According to Melinda Marry, director of nursing for the HCMCF, the last vaccination gave out over 200 vaccinations. “All the residents that elected to receive the vaccine have had both doses with minimal side effects, some injection site soreness, but only for 24 hours or so,” Esterline said Esterline and his staff placed an emphasis on education about the vaccine.“There was lots of vaccine education for the staff, residents, and family members,” said Esterline. Under half of the staff received the vaccine, which Esterline said was about the national average. “We were hoping for a higher percent, but that was optimistic,” Esterline said. “Our number is right about the national average of staff

who accept the vaccine.” There’s increasing belief that vaccines will soon be directly sent to medical facilities like HCMCF, which Esterline said would help greatly. “It would alleviate a lot of concerns about if we accepted a resident after we had the first dose and they had not been vaccinated,” Esterline said. The patients are doing well, according to Laurie Newell, Life Enrichment Director. “We go room to room, we ask them how they’re doing, if they have any concerns,” Newell said, “We’ve got good responses from them. They’re very exhausted with COVID, but they’re content. We try to keep them busy, we see them two to three times a day not counting the nurse visits.” The residents still play bingo and do crafts, and during the Christmas season, the staff members got the residents dressed up and took them to the living room one by one to take photos in front of the Christmas tree to send to their families, according to Newell. “That was really important for them,” Newell said. “They felt like it was something that COVID couldn’t take away from them. They

could still do something meaningful for their families.” “COVID has affected their wellbeing, as it has for all of us, but I truly believe they are as good as they can be under the circumstances,” Newell said. In addition, the Life Enrichment staff have still been conducting window chats and Facetime calls, Newell said. “I don’t expect those to ever stop, because it’s a way for people who live a distance away to see their loved ones.” Newell said. “It will never be the same as being in front of them, but it’s the next best thing.”. Marry said the nurses emphasized staying positive with all the negativity concerning COVID-19. “We see a light at the end of the tunnel now,” Marry said. “Most of the residents received the vaccine so they have a feeling they’re going to get through this.” Esterline said he is excited to allow in person visits again, but aware that the positivity rate for the county could change rapidly. “It’s been a journey, that’s for sure,” Esterline said. “I’m talking like it’s over, which it certainly isn’t. But it’s nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Local libraries quarantine books By | Elyse Hawkins Collegian Freelancer As quarantine becomes a way of life for most people, individuals aren’t the only ones affected. Libraries are among the many city services that have had to work overtime to ensure that they meet their patrons’ needs, but also protect the community from COVID-19. Joyce Gendron, director of the Waldron District Library, said she has seen many impacts from COVID-19 on the library, where she has worked since March 2019. The restrictions accompanying the virus have been difficult on patrons, the library’s normal programming, and even normal operating procedures. “Attendance and circulation certainly have decreased because of it. We also have seen a decrease in our elderly traffic that comes through here,” Gendron said. Mossey Library Director Maurine McCourry said she also noticed the impact on library attendance by elderly patrons. “There aren’t as many

people from the community coming into the library, especially retirees,” McCourry said. Along with the decrease in traffic, to remain within state guidelines, public libraries have to limit the number of patrons allowed into the library at one time, shorten hours, and even cancel events. “Right now we are at 30% capacity,” Grendon said. This capacity limit has led to many libraries struggling to continue with their normally scheduled events. Waldron District Library isn’t the only library scrambling to try to find a way to continue serving their communities. Mary Hill, director of Hillsdale Community Library, discussed the alternative services they have been providing like curbside pickup and online events. “We’re really depending upon social media because we can’t physically have events in the building,” Hill said. Gendron discussed some of the other measures that her library is taking to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within their community.

“When patrons bring books in, we quarantine them for three days,” Gendron said. Hillsdale Community Library goes even further: quarantining the books for six days after their return, not allowing the checkout of magazines, and limiting computer use. These measures have all just become parts of the normal routine for public libraries. Public libraries have had to face yet another struggle: the prospect of less funding. “Since library funding in Michigan is so tied up in state and federal funding, it gives us few opportunities to buck the system,” Hillsdale Mayor Adam Stockford said. As a part of an educational institution, Mossey Library has not had to meet as many requirements as public libraries, McCourry said, adding that no programs or events were canceled last semester, and spring events should take place as scheduled. Nevertheless, Mossey Library has had to follow some regulations because of its accessibility to the public. “The state health department order applies to us because we are open to the

Hillsdale Seven-Day Forecast: TheWashington’s Sun Reappears

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Partly sunny and cold, with a high near 19.

Partly sunny, with a high near 22.

A 50 percent chance of snow. Cloudy and cold, with a high near 19.

Partly sunny and cold, with a high near 14.

Birthday

A 30 percent chance of snow after 1pm. Mostly cloudy.

public,” McCourry said. “If we only allowed students, faculty, and staff to come in here, we wouldn’t have to be abiding by the same kind of orders.” While all these restrictions have presented a challenge, overall, local libraries have been supported in their endeavors. “We feel really supported by the college,” McCourry said. “They’ve really tried hard to keep it safe, but also keep us going.” Stockford also conveyed his appreciation for the librarians of Hillsdale County. “Our librarians in Hillsdale truly believe in the stated missions of libraries,” Stockford said. “They don’t see it as just a job as much as a public service, and we appreciate their efforts tremendously.” The return to a preCOVID-19 world has been slow, but it is coming. Hill said that there has been an uptick in the number of people coming into the library and that she hopes this number will continue to go up as things return to some normalcy. “Just let people know we are open,” she said.

Tuesday

Wednesday

A 40 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy and cold.

Mostly cloudy, with a high near 21.

Information courtesy of the National Weather Service

A8 February 11, 2021

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Science & Tech

The pro-life debate over the COVID-19 vaccine Did the coronavirus vaccine use aborted fetal tissue during its research, testing, and development? By | Virginia Aabram Assistant Editor As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes more widely available to the general public, it brings a question that often accompanies new vaccines: Was this made using cells from an aborted fetus? The short answer is often yes, because almost all modern medicine is at least remotely connected with certain immortal cell lines that may have originated from the bodies of electively aborted fetuses. This puts people with pro-life beliefs in a dilemma, depending on how involved

these morally compromised cell lines are with the treatments they may need, and coronavirus is no different. First, there were no fetal cells used in the production of any of the vaccines currently available. However, the two vaccines approved for use in the United States — Moderna and Pfizer — were partially tested on a fetal cell line to confirm antibody responses, according to research from the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute. The AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines currently in phase three trials involve fetal cells in both production and testing.

Immortal cell lines, like the one the COVID-19 vaccines were tested on, are groups of cells taken from humans or animals which multiply continuously due to a mutation causing sustained reproduction. The specific cell line HEK-293 was used in some of the testing for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, and originated in a miscarried or aborted fetus in 1973. The vaccine was only tested on these possibly-abortion-derived cells to confirm that it worked, and the cells are not incorporated into the serum injected into people. If these cells did come

Many pro-life advocates have expressed ethical concerns regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. | FLICKR

from an elective abortion, it was not performed for the sake of these cells — making them a product but not the cause of what many consider a grave evil. Though those with pro-life beliefs may object to this method of testing, several pro-life moral authorities have determined that the connection is sufficiently remote and the situation sufficiently serious to allow people to receive the vaccine in good conscience. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said in their statement on the issue that “while neither vaccine is completely free from any connection to morally compromised cell lines, in this case the connection is very remote from the initial evil of the abortion” and that the current situation is “sufficiently serious to justify their use.” A statement from the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Convention of Southern Baptists concluded similarly: “Christians are not morally culpable if they use treatments and vaccines that were developed using such cells, even if the cells originated in aborted fetal tissue.” While it’s preferable that abortion not be involved at all in vaccine development, refusing the COVID-19 vaccine because of this connection

would also mean saying no to the MMR vaccine that prevents measles, mumps, and rubella, as well the chicken pox, hepatitis, and rabies vaccines. As far as the link to abortion goes, the coronavirus vaccine is more remote than most. If any drug tested on or developed using HEK-293 is immoral, then “we can say goodbye to modern medicine” wrote Rev. Matthew Schnieder, a Catholic priest who writes on bioethics. “If we reject a medication merely for being tested on a fetal cell line, most of standard pharmacy would be immoral,” he said. In another article, Schnieder put forth 12 things in more direct cooperation with evil than the coronavirus vaccine. Among them were “buying Energizer Batteries, Heinz Ketchup, Doritos, Lays, or something similar,” which all financially support Planned Parenthood; “eating bananas” and “drinking coffee,” which are industries rife with forced labor; or “watching the live-action ‘Mulan,’” which worked with the Chinese governmental organization carrying out the ongoing Uyghur genocide. So what are pro-life people to do? The USCCB and Catholic bioethicists say that when receiving morally compromised vaccines, pro-life

recipients should be absolutely clear that they do not condone the method of production. “While having ourselves and our families immunized against COVID-19 with the new vaccines is morally permissible and can be an act of self-love and charity toward others, we must not allow the gravely immoral nature of abortion to be obscured,” the statement said In an article for “Public Discourse,” bioethicist and scientist Rev. Nicanor Austriaco wrote, “The appropriation of an evil act would not be justifiable if it contributed to future evil acts because of scandal or cooperation. Therefore, a citizen of conscience who is opposed to abortion could avail herself of any vaccine developed using fetal cells from an elective abortion only if she avoided scandal by making her opposition to abortion absolutely clear.” In the end, the decision to receive the vaccine is a personal one that depends on health risks, proximity to vulnerable demographics, and overall comfortability with the production method. Getting the vaccines that are currently available won’t result in more abortions, but it’s also important to let vaccine developers know that you would prefer one without any connection to abortion.

Junior develops app to help people with autism By | Tracy Wilson Assistant Editor When junior Steve Weideman noticed a family friend with autism struggling to find care during quarantine, he decided to create an app called Unique Care Connect that would help autistic individuals everywhere connect with local care providers. Growing up, he said, his best friend’s brother Chris had severe intellectual disabilities. Spending time with Chris inspired Weideman to volunteer with various special needs programs at his local school. “I didn’t even realize he was autistic until fourth or fifth grade and people started treating him differently,” Weideman said. “They’ve been pretty much my second family.” Through his involvement with autistic individuals, Weideman said he learned the state of Michigan pays up to 20 hours of respite care per week per individual. He said many families struggle to coordinate with state-approved caregivers. “Especially with profoundly autistic individuals, they have certain behaviors or conditions that people see on paper and say, ‘Oh, I’m okay with that,’ but once they get there, will freak a lot of people out,” Weidman said. “You have this issue where they come in, stay for an hour, and then they’re gone. What are you gonna do? It’s not like you’re

paying for it, so your recourse is very limited.” Weideman said he hopes his app will make the process of connecting families to caregivers and medical professionals easier. “The thing that helps autistic people develop social skills is having consistent people in their lives,” Weideman said. “It’s hard when you have caretakers like a rotating door.”

Junior Becca Briskey, Weideman’s girlfriend, said his idea to create the app testifies to his devotion to austistic individuals. “He loves to take care of people,” Briskey said. “Especially seeing him interact with Chris and how he loves him with all his heart, it doesn’t really surprise me that he would want to do something like this.”

“The thing that helps autistic people develop social skills is having consistent people in their lives.” Unique Care Connect is similar to other apps used to connect individuals with caregivers, such as babysitters or geriatric nurses. Weideman said his app provides services only for individuals with intellectual disabilities, which are usually not a target group on most care sites. “Our mission is to provide quality resources to the people that need them,” Weideman said.

Weideman said another inspiration of his was a student named Shihab from Bangladesh with intellectual disabilities. Weideman said he learned a bit of Bengali to communicate with Shihab and help him transition to life in the United States. “Helping autistic kids has always been my passion,” Weideman said. “This app gives me a bit of freedom to do what I want and not be so

constricted. It lets me feel like I’m using my full potential.” After its projected release in late July to early August, the app will be free for everyone, aside from medical professionals who will be charged $5 for advertising fees. In order for the app to be free, Weideman said, he will rely on donations from special education communities everywhere. “I want this app to be nationwide. I want to help as many people as we can help,” Weideman said. “All I need is the contact information of the special education department or a special education teacher from peoples’ hometowns.” Weideman said although the app hasn’t been released yet, he believes the work he’s doing has the potential to impact many families. “As soon as this app gets going, I’ll start seeing families actually benefiting from it and I can only imagine what that’s going to feel like,” Weideman said. Briskey said she has loved watching Weideman grow in his pursuit of developing the app. “It’s been really rewarding because I have my own goals that I feel are so unattainable,” Briskey said. “But seeing him do something like this, starting from scratch, has been really inspiring. I haven’t seen anyone do that. It’s the kind of thing you hear about in movies.”

Junior Steve Weideman helped Shihab from Bangladesh transition to life in the United States. Steve Weideman | Courtesy

Apple Music vs. Spotify Both streaming services offer unique benefits, but which is better? By | Luke Morey Collegian Reporter

PIXABAY

Sending a song to someone is always a risk. What if they don’t like it? What if they think you’re trying to make a move? What if they use a different streaming service? People often debate the advantages of Spotify compared to Apple Music, and according to respected sources, there’s not a lot of difference. According to The Verge, Spotify has the best services because it is consistent across iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows. Apple Music and other services either take longer to roll out Android versions or the app won’t load. Additionally, Spotify is essentially available on all platforms.

Spotify also has a downloading option for certain subscriptions, allowing listeners to listen to their music on a plane or locations without using up data. However, Spotify fails in its performance with a weak connection, it also does not have what Verge calls a “hi-fi option,” which is a high quality sound that reproduces how the artist wants the music to sound, with limited noise and distortion. Apple Music, according to the Verge, has the element of exclusivity. With many high-level artists using Beats 1—what Apple Music 1 was called before 2020—, the first chance to hear an artist’s work is usually on Apple Music. Additionally, Apple Music has better sound quality for the

base level subscription, with Apple Music using an expensive codec—an encoding device which enables faster transmission and decompresses received data— that is difficult to license, while Spotify uses a free codec. Sound Guys maintain that Spotify Premium still has a better sound quality than Apple Music because Spotify uses a higher level of codec for their web player than their desktop or mobile player. While Spotify’s mobile player uses Ogg Vorbis, the free codec mentioned earlier, its web player uses AAC, which is the same codec Apple Music uses. If Apple Music nor Spotify tickle your fancy, another streaming platform available is YouTube Music. General Manager of the

Hillsdale College radio station Scot Bertram uses YouTube Music because it pairs easily with his Google Home devices and connects throughout the house. “When it comes to quality, I always go into the settings and jack it up to the highest level possible,” Bertram said, “I find that YouTube Music’s highest quality level is passable enough, if not perfect.” The debate comes down to cost. If you’re willing to pay for a subscription, Spotify Premium has better sound quality than Apple Music. However, Apple Music has better base sound quality than the free Spotify.

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Track and Field

February 11, 2021 A9

Records continue to fall in Biermann Center By | Meghan Schultz Collegian Reporter

The Hillsdale College men’s and women’s track and field teams maintained their consistently strong, promising performances and set two new school records on Friday, Feb. 5 at the Hillsdale Wide Classic. “It was another really good step, probably our best overall meet of the year,” said head coach Andrew Towne. “There’s certainly more we need to do to be where we want to be, but it was a really nice step.” Junior Nikita Maines continued her streak of excellence and won the weight throw with 17.42 meters and the shot put with a mark of 14.77 meters, breaking her own previous school record. Hillsdale throwers took third through sixth place in the event as well. Senior Kajsa Johansson also set a new school record and won the coaches’ Athlete of the Meet when she ran 7.60 seconds in the 60 meter dash, taking first and breaking her previous school record of 7.65

seconds. She also received the G-MAC Track & Field Athlete of the Week award for the second week in a row. “I obviously want to make it to nationals and make finals, All-American, stuff like that,” Johansson said. “For my 4x4, I want the same. So far we’ve run a pretty good time, so we should be in a pretty decent spot at this point.” The Chargers stood out in the 200 meter dash as well. Sophomore Dakota Stamm led the pack in 26.02 seconds, a new personal best. Junior Zalonya Eby finished right behind in third in 26.24 seconds. Junior Alexie Day took first in the high jump with 1.54m, and freshman Louisa Klaserner won her first pentathlon with 2621 points. The 4x400m relay team traveled to Grand Valley State University on Saturday, Feb. 6 to compete as well. Freshman Shura Ermakov, Stamm, junior Alanna O’Leary, and Johansson finished second with a time of 3:48.47. “We’re at a good point in the season. I think everything is coming together really well with the rest of our team,” Johansson said.

On the men’s side, sophomores Ian Calvert and Joseph Ritzer took first and second in the 400 meter dash in 50.89 and 54.26 seconds, respectively. Calvert was later named the coaches’ Athlete of the Meet. “There’s a lot of talent on the team, and to get that sort of title, I am completely honored,” Calvert said. “It’s pretty incredible. I didn’t expect to get it this early.” Earlier in the year, a foot injury forced Calvert to slow down in his training. Setting a new personal record on Friday and being added to the 4x400m relay A-team has really encouraged him, he said. “It’s been a road to improvement, but with the help of Coach Towne and some motivation, I’ve been able to make it back to where I want to be,” Calvert said. “Now I’m setting myself up for a good position to go even further.” Sophomore Charlie Andrews took first in the high jump at 1.83 meters, and junior Ben Raffin was first in the pole vault at 4.80 meters. Sophomore Joshua Nichols also took first place in the triple jump with a mark of 13.30 meters.

Senior Madison Rathbun prepares to square up a pitch. Courtesy | Camryn Olsen

In the sprints, the 200 meter dash proved to be highly competitive with five runners finishing within one-tenth of a second from one another. Freshman Jamahl Burke took third overall and first for Hillsdale, crossing the line in 22.72 seconds, and fellow freshman Sean Fagan finished in fourth in 22.73 seconds. The men’s 4x400m relay team joined the women at GVSU on Saturday. Burke, Fagan, sophomore Benu Meintjes, and senior Adam Wade finished second at 3:17.20. “Last year we did a really good job, but I think we have an even more heightened sense of, ‘Hey, this is what we want to accomplish this year, given what happened last year,’” Towne said. “I see a lot more kids competing with a lot more urgency.” The Chargers will split into two groups this weekend. Some athletes will travel to Allendale, Michigan, for Grand Valley’s Big Meet on Friday, Feb. 12, the others will travel to the University of Findlay on Feb. 13.

Junior Zalonya Eby turns a bend in the 200 meter dash at last week's meet. Courtesy | Gwendolyn Bucchop

Swimming

Hillsdale wins 125-101 over Ashland Saturday By | Merritt Pope Collegian Freelancer

Softball

Chargers go 2-0 to start season in exhibitions By | Megan Williams Collegian Reporter

Almost a full year since their last softball game, the Hillsdale College Chargers won their doubleheader against Tiffin University on Feb. 4. The Chargers dominated in Toledo, Ohio, winning a close first game with a score of 4-3, and defeating the Dragons 10-1 in their second game. “We were in control for most of the first game,” head coach Kyle Gross said. “They scored late on a misplayed ball to center field, but on the very first pitch of the seventh inning, Sam Catron hit a homerun.” Because this was an exhibition game, both teams were allowed free substitutions, Gross said. Beginning the second game, the Chargers scored in the first inning and broke it open in the fourth when freshman catcher McKenna Eichholz hit a 3-run homerun. “McKenna’s homerun was absolutely crushed, it hit the ceiling of the dome,” Gross

said. “Overall, everyone contributed in some way. We made no errors in either game and everyone completed their role flawlessly.” Due to delays, the team arrived at Toledo behind schedule and Gross said that he relied on the veteran player’s leadership to get the team ready for their games. “Our food order was late, we got to the location late, and the field wasn’t ready, so it was a very big scramble to get off on time since we were under a time constraint,” Gross said. “The veterans were able to get the team warmed up and get ready to play well, without any help from the coaching staff.” That kind of leadership from the upperclassmen is something that encouraged freshman pitcher Erin Kapteyn while she was throwing her first pitches as a Charger. “The team was so supportive. Hearing the girls at shortstop hyping me up on the mound was pretty great,” Kapteyn said. “The team has been really supportive the whole year. They brought all the freshmen in really quickly,

and it feels like I’ve known them forever.” Senior outfielder Natalie Stepanenko explained that having this tight knit team helps them play better on the field. “Our team chemistry is one of our biggest strengths,” Stepanenko said. “Earlier this week, we did a team exercise called ‘4 Hs,’ so everyone shares their history, heroes, heartbreak, and hopes. It was an instant bonding moment. I think this adds a new element to our team dynamic and how we’re going to play this upcoming weekend.” The Chargers are flying down to Georgia next to play doubleheaders against West Florida University and North Georgia University. They play on Feb. 13 at noon and 2 p.m. against West Florida, and Feb. 14 at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. against North Georgia. “I want to continue to see our defense do well, since I expect we’ll be facing better offenses this weekend,” Gross said. “We just need to limit errors, not give them any extra chances, and I think we’ll do fine.”

The Hillsdale College swimming team maintained an undefeated record last Saturday as half of the team traveled to Ashland University and won the dual meet 125-101. The distance swimmers performed well with Chargers taking first, second, and third in the 1650 yard freestyle. Sophomore Madison Pyhel captured first with a time of 18:15.20, sophomore Sarah Clark finished second in 18:19.80, and junior Anna Clark snagged third with a time of 19:04.60. Pyhel impressed in the 100 butterfly, finishing in a minute flat (1:00.80), and A. Clark finished second with a time of 1:02.08. Pyhel said she was a bit apprehensive about the 100 fly as she didn’t have much time to warm down from her last

race. “I’m really happy with the outcome. I wasn’t expecting to go a minute flat,” Pyhel said. “Despite both relays being disqualified, we were still able to pull out with a win and could overcome the obstacles.” The relays Pyhel referred to were the 200 medley B-relay and the 200 freestyle A-relay which were both disqualified for false starts, but both of the relay counterparts performed well. The 200 medley A-relay, which included sophomore Leah Tunney, junior Taylor Boyle, and senior Emma Rao and Katherine Heeres, finished first in 1:52.03. The 200 freestyle B-Relay included freshman Caroline Holmes, S. Clark, sophomore Anika Fassett, and A. Clark who finished second in 1:47.59. Tunney had an exceptional meet, finishing first in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:58.03. Freshman Sarah Pataniczek followed behind with a third place time of 2:03.15. Tunney also won the

100 backstroke in a minute flat (1:00.05) with a close third place finish from Holmes (1:01.22). She went on to win G‑MAC Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Week. Head coach Kirner was pleased with his team’s performance. He said he wanted to get some good competition for the team and focus and concentrate on certain events. “I think that we had some close races and they finished off those races well,” Kirner said. “There were a couple injuries so that was a battle. Some people we normally depend upon were not able to step up so others had to step up in their place.” The status of next weekend’s meet is currently undecided as renovations for the host team’s facility have been delayed. Kirner said that news of the status will be released soon and he has a back-up meet planned in case the original one is canceled.

Senior Katherine Harris encourages a teammate during a meet. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletics

Men's Tennis

Turner confident as season begins on Saturday By | Luke Morey Collegian Reporter The Hillsdale College men’s tennis team will compete this weekend for the first time since September, and head coach Keith Turner said he hopes the team will be healthy by then. “I love the overall attitude and competitiveness that

I have on this year’s team, everyone gets along,” Turner said. “It’s just a great group of guys to work with.” Turner said the biggest challenge will be working with the current injuries of senior Ivanhoe Lissanevitch and sophomore Bogdan Janicijevic, as well as avoiding COVID-19 so the team doesn’t have to forfeit any matches. “At the start of the semes-

ter I expected us to be a team that would be a borderline top-25 team in the nation,” Turner said. “However, I’m waiting on MRIs from my best player Ivan and an improving Bogdan.” Turner said he hopes in a few days they will have the results back. “Regardless of what happens, we’ll still have a solid team,” Turner said. Although three talented

seniors on the team graduated last year, Turner said there are three freshmen Brennan Cimpeanu, Sean Barstow, and Daniel Gilbert who will be solid contributors this season. “We should be able to get far in the G-MAC championships, hopefully winning it, and performing well at regionals,” Cimpeanu said. “The end goal would be to make nationals.” Cimpeanu said the team

has a much closer community, which is a contrast to his high school team. “I’m excited to see what this team is like on the court when we start next weekend,” Turner said. “I know we are going to fight for every point and no team is going to look forward to playing us.” Cimpeanu said tennis is already socially distanced, so there isn’t a lot of change in rules and playing regulations

due to COVID-19. “The only thing we have to limit is our high fives on the court,” Cimpeanu said. “To be honest, it’s a blessing to compete at all considering the restrictions.” The Chargers will compete at home on Saturday Feb. 13 at noon against Lawrence Tech, and Sunday Feb. 14 at noon against Davenport University.

Charger

A10 February 11, 2021

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Men's Basketball

Sophomore Tavon Brown looks to pass in Saturday's game versus Findlay. Courtesy | Anthony Lupi

Chargers defeat No. 6 Findlay By | Christian Peck-Dimit Collegian Reporter All five Hillsdale College staAll five Hillsdale College starters scored in double figures as the Chargers avenged their only loss of the season, taking down the No. 6 University of Findlay Oilers on their home court. This stretches their win streak to 10 games and gives them the top spot in the conference. A little more than a month ago, the then No. 23 Chargers suffered their only loss of the season as Findlay’s senior guard Tommy Schmock’s half-court buzzer beater gave his team the three-point edge in remarkable fashion. But on Saturday, Feb. 6, the Chargers evened the season series in front of a maximum-capacity crowd to grab their 13th win of the season, 82-71. The meeting marked the only time that two top-15 men’s basketball teams from the G-MAC have played each other. “They’re one of the traditionally great DII programs in the country, so beating them is always nice, and

protecting our home court is really important,” head coach John Tharp said. “At the end of the day though, it either goes on the left side of the column, or the right side, and it went on the right side.” Sophomore forward Tavon Brown missed only one shot all game, putting up a career-high of 14 points and 10 rebounds for his first career double-double. “I kind of just got hot, I went into the game just trying to focus on my offensive rebounding,” Brown said. “I didn’t want to overthink much, I feel like when I overthink I don’t play my best. I felt like recently I hadn’t done a great job offensive rebounding, so I just focused on that going into the game and everything else fell into place.” Everything did fall into place, as the Chargers had more team rebounds, assists, and blocks than the Oilers, as well as higher shooting percentages from the field, three, and free throw line. Along with Brown, senior guard Connor Hill put up 16 points, senior forward Austen

Yarian added 11, and senior forward Davis Larson scored 10. “Tavon had four offensive rebounds for us, and he had two threes. Yarian had three threes, and Hill had two threes as well,” Tharp said. “When those guys are shooting threes and making them, it opens up the middle, which allows more space for the big guy.” The big guy, sophomore forward Patrick Cartier, led the team in scoring for the ninth time this season, putting up 27 points to go along with seven rebounds. Cartier rounded out a Chargers starting lineup that shot more than 60% from the field. His performance on Saturday, along with his career-high 30 point night during Tuesday’s win over Cedarville, earned him another G-MAC Player of the Week award, his third in the last four weeks, and fourth overall this season. Cartier has also entered the Hillsdale record-books yet again as he now holds the best career field goal percentage of any Hillsdale player

all-time, with 64.3%. Not only that, but Cartier also made another bit of Hillsdale history, as the first Charger ever to win a United States Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Week Award. “Even though this is an individual award, it really speaks to our team and the success we have had this year,” Cartier said. “My teammates have done an amazing job making tough passes to give me easy buckets. I’m excited for the rest of the season.” The No. 6 team in the nation gave the Chargers trouble to begin the game, grabbing a 16-13 lead with eight minutes left in the first half. Tharp had enough and called a timeout to let his team know it. “I think I yelled at them a little bit because they weren’t really running any actions, we were just kind of stagnant,” Tharp said. “Our movement was really slow, and defensively at that time, we weren’t being very aggressive. I told them they have to stop being so passive,

that’s what I remember at least, there may have been some other choice words mentioned.” The timeout sparked the Chargers on both sides of the ball, as they proceeded to go on a 19-6 tear, taking back the lead, which they refused to give up for the remainder of the game. Despite this, the second half was hard-fought most of the way, with Findlay coming within three points right out of halftime, and again with less than 10 minutes to go. Both times, the Chargers responded with personal 5-0 runs, one from Brown, the other from Hill. “It’s always good to play well, especially against Findlay. They’ve kind of been our rivals the last couple of years,” Hill said. “I hit a couple of big shots, but it was a great overall team effort, couldn’t ask for anything better.” Though it won’t show up on the stat sheet, the players said having a crowd of Charger fans to play for affected the game. “It’s so much more fun with the crowd there. We

tried our best early in the year without fans to have our bench really get into it, like a real game, but there’s just nothing like it,” Hill said. “I think we’re a big team that plays off the crowd and the energy, so it’s honestly really helpful having everyone back.” The Chargers now prepare for a three-game road trip, with their first stop at Malone University at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11. With only six games remaining in the regular season, the players said that Tharp’s message to the team continues to stay the same. “We’ve just got to take it one game at a time, we’re not looking ahead, we’re not looking behind us, we’re just looking at the next game or two,” Hill said. “Hopefully we can get two more wins this week and just keep it going.” The Chargers will take a road trip to Walsh University on Saturday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m., and Ohio Dominican University on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m.

Volleyball

Volleyball team receives No. 1 rank from AVCA By | Hannah Cote assistant Editor The Hillsdale College volleyball team received a No. 1 ranking for the first time in Charger history on Feb. 10. Hillsdale was ranked No. 2 after their victory over Ursuline last weekend. The Chargers demolished Ursuline, beating their opponent once again in just three sets, with final scores of 25-15, 25-20, and 25-11. This was the fifth-straight win of their undefeated record this season. “It was a complete team effort,” head coach Chris Gravel said. “Everybody got in and contributed to the match. We continue to develop all of our players in preparation for anything that might happen down the line.” Gravel said he had three lineups prepared to play, and all three lineups competed successfully. “One of the highlights of the match was definitely being able to get all active players on the roster to play at least one set,” senior middle hitter Allyssa Van Wienen said. “Being able to play through every

player on the bench and still coming out with a solid win is not something many teams can boast about.” Although the Chargers have consistently beaten their competition in three-set sweeps, junior outside hitter Maggie DePorre said that they still head into every match like it’s their last. “As a team we are taught to always respect our opponents,” DePorre said. “We always go into a game like it’s the final, because when that moment comes, you have to be prepared.” Before receiving their No. 1 ranking on Wednesday, both Van Wienen and DePorre agreed that their No. 2 ranking only increases the intensity of competition for them. “I think that if being ranked No. 2 changes anything at all, it would be the size of the target on our backs,” Van Wienen said. “Every team that plays us wants to beat us and I guess being ranked even higher than before might make them want to beat us even more.” DePorre said that the Chargers are prepared to compete as hard, if not harder, as they have been all season.

“The ranking is nice, but it doesn’t mean anything,” DePorre said. “Right now, we’re only better than the last team we beat. But it is a compliment for sure. And a lot of people have been reaching out and congratulating us which is really nice because we do work really hard.” The Feb. 6 match against 2019 Elite Eight Gannon University was canceled due to an inconclusive COVID-19 test result on the opponents team, but Hillsdale will play them at home on Feb. 27. As the Chargers head into the week, they will host three games on their home court. They beat Ashland University in three sets, 25-21, 25-19, and 25-15 on Wednesday. They will compete against Davenport University on Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. and Lake Erie College on Feb. 13 at 1 p.m. “This week, we have the opportunity to play three games in a week so it will be good practice for the end of our season,” Van Wienen said. “I am excited to see how far we can push ourselves, mentally and physically, through a longer competition week than we are used to.”

Junior Karoline Shelton goes for the ball in Wednesday's game versus Ashland. Hannah Cote | Collegian

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February 11, 2020

Nashville-based music producer Petey Martin is a native of Hillsdale. His most recent song “Come Back Home,” featuring Lauren Daigle, is currently at the top of the Billboard Courtesy | Petey Martin

Hillsdale native collaborates with Christian singer Lauren Daigle ‘Come Back Home’ peaked at No. 1 on the Dance/Electronic Billboard chart

By | Isabella Redjai Senior Reporter Petey Martin began his music career as a high school sophomore performing live at Johnny T’s Bistro in Hillsdale, Michigan. Last month, Martin’s music hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts. Martin’s newest creation, “Come Back Home,” featuring Christian music artist Lauren Daigle, hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart, according to Billboard’s website. The song is personally sentimental to Martin. Martin sings about his return to Hillsdale in the summer of 2020, after the death of his grandmother who encouraged him in his music career. But long before Martin found his name among Billboard’s Top 100, he was a choir kid in Hillsdale who wanted to learn how to play the guitar.

“My sister had a friend, who lived down the street and had a halfpipe and I would skateboard there,” Martin said. “The garage was made into a band room with Sex Pistols posters and ten guitars, and I wanted to get into playing the guitar.” Martin says his mom wouldn’t let him learn the instrument, but eventually his grandmother bought him a guitar. “My neighbor taught me all these AC/DC songs on it,” he said. With an interest in writing his own songs, Martin continued to progress, and after his voice changed in high school, Martin’s father suggested he try singing. “We went to Johnny T’s which had just opened, and my dad tried to convince them to get live music, telling them, ‘My son can play for free,’” Martin said. “He was the worst manager ever.”

10 local Valentine’s Day date ideas By | Brooke Hillis Collegian Reporter

Looming in the near future is a day of oversized teddy bears, corn syrup, and high expectations for the perfect date. Trying to come up with a plan for Valentine’s day for your special someone can be a daunting task. “I feel a lot of pressure for Valentine’s day because it is a set date on the calendar, rather than a spontaneous spur of the moment adventure,” said freshman Holly Stover. If you are lacking inspiration, don’t just give up and take your date to SAGA. Use one of these top ten date ideas to ensure your Valentine feels like she got hit by Cupid. 1. If you are looking for a nice dinner, Olivia’s Chop House in Jonesville is a classic date spot for Hillsdale students. This Sunday they are open from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. If this is the spot for you, look into getting a reservation. Their romantic atmosphere creates for a perfect night. Get some of their fried mozzarella sticks or prime rib (but only if you want to spend your entire paycheck from your on campus job). 2. A more casual date idea is to head into Coldwater for some wings at Buffalo Wild Wings. You can never go wrong with wings. Try their new Orange Chicken wing sauce or their well known buffalo sauce. Either way you and your date will be full and happy with this choice. 3. Pick up some ice cream from AJ’s for a late night at Baw Beese with your car heater on to look up at the stars. Looking up at the stars can create a great opportunity to show off to your date everything you learned about the moon from your Physics

101 class. 4. Get to know your date better at Check-Records coffee shop to warm up from the brutal Hillsdale winter. Freshman Caleb Sampson says “if you are a music aficionado I recommend checking out the Beat 52 Latte.” It is a great place to have one-onone conversions with the added benefit of having a good cup of coffee. 5. After a long week of classes a night in watching movies with your date might be perfect Valentine’s day. Just make sure you account for visiting hours which end at 7 pm. The workload at Hillsdale can be stressful so having a chill date night can bring you even closer than the most romantic date you could dream up. 6. You and your date could cook a homemade meal. Some easy ideas could be a pasta or taco night. Maybe you and your date want something more challenging like trying to make japanese bento boxes from scratch. Even if you burn everything it’s still a bonding experience and a good excuse for Taco Bell. 7. Go to Walmart or the Dollar Store and pick out gifts for each other to see how well you know each other. A few things that could be on the list of things to search for could be favorite color, food, and an object that reminds you of each other. This can be a super simple and fun way to see how much you really know about your Valentine. 8. If you are looking for something a little off the beaten path you could go axe throwing in Jackson at Axe Play. Senior Max Troyke is all for this idea. “Axe throwing is a great Valentine’s Day activity. It’s fun, exciting, unique, and gritty.” This will for sure show your date you are not like the rest.

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For two years, Martin played live music at Johnny T’s Bistro, as well as other

for an artist in Ann Arbor, the performer told Martin to look into the Berklee College of

“I’ve had an amazing journey so far and I’ve been lucky to have had so many of my dreams come true already.” local staples around Hillsdale, such as the Hunt Club and Chicago Water Grill, which Olivia’s replaced in 2009. But it wasn’t until one performance in Ann Arbor that his future in music-making launched. After opening

Music and to read “Outliers” by Malcom Gladwell—a book about successful public figures which emphasizes the themes of timing and luck, according to Martin—before he went. At the time, he had no intention of attending Berklee,

Martin said. “My mom is a hairdresser and my dad is a detective, so I was told I wasn’t going to get in,” Martin said. “I got into Hillsdale College with a bit of scholarship and really liked Hillsdale, so I figured I’d be a math professor.” But Martin applied anyway. “If I get in, who cares if I can’t afford it, I just want to know if I’m good enough,” he said. Martin got in—and ultimately chose to attend Berklee instead. With intentions to study songwriting, Martin received a word of advice from Berklee’s songwriting chair: “Get a degree in something else.” “If you’re a songwriter, you get a publishing deal, work with some artists, and then other artists will want to work with you,” Martin said. “No artist will want to work with you, just because you have a

songwriting degree.” As a result, he decided to take his professor’s advice and learn another skill that was “more hirable,” according to Martin. “I started studying production, which was totally foreign to me,” he said. “It teaches you how to produce and record bands. I loved that stuff, but it was a pain. Eventually, I learned how to make music on my laptop and that changed the game.” Martin built up his skillset and producing abilities in music school, but it wasn’t until a fateful trip to Malibu that he would receive an opportunity to practice them. “We started a rock band,” Martin said. “We stayed at my friend’s house in Malibu, and his dad was Mark Burnett.” Mark Burnett is a television producer and the chairman of MGM

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Nour Ben Hmieida ‘20 started her baklava business at the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market. Courtesy| Nour ben Hmieida

‘Learning through doing’: A sweet enterprise Alumna’s baklava business honors her Libyan heritage By | Meghan Shultz Collegian Reporter Libyan baklava shop Oea Bakery launched online on Feb. 1, sharing Hillsdale alumna Nour Hmieida’s heart for her family’s delicious, unique pastry recipe and beloved culture. Oea Bakery, named thoughtfully as a reference to the ancient Phoenician city Oea, sold about 60% of the available batch on the first day. The rest sold out before the end of the week and will be restocked on Feb. 15. The bakery’s sweet pastry is made of 40 layers of thin phyllo dough packed with almond filling and soaked in honey, cut into a diamond and topped with a roasted almond. “It’s funny because it was kind of an accident,” Hmieida said about her new business, laughing. “It kind of wasn’t part of my plan, really.” Her interest in business was piqued during her senior year at Hillsdale, after spending four years studying biochemistry and planning to attend medical school. “At the very end of college, I decided to do something different,” Hmieida

said. “I’ve always been really — I guess you could call it creative. I like to paint; I like typical creative outlets, so I was always really interested in something entrepreneurial.” Hmieida felt inspired to sell her baklava more formally after requests from friends and customers for more and more of it. “When I saw how much demand there was and how much people wanted me to continue doing it, I was like, ‘Okay, let’s turn this into a business where people can buy this baklava whenever they want,” Hmieida said. When Hmieida was younger, baklava was strictly a dessert for special occa-

sions or guests. Her mother, Nahla Sharif, first taught her how to make baklava and shared the sweet dessert with Hmieida and friends throughout their time at Hillsdale. The summer of 2019, Hmieida began making and selling baklava through Instagram, friends, and the Hillsdale County Farmers’ Market. Beginning to pursue entrepreneurship and starting to “learn through doing,” she reconsidered her post-grad plans and used the funds from market sales to enroll in business courses. “The customers at the farmers’ market seemed to like it,” said senior Rachael Kiti, Hmieida’s roommate the summer she began selling baklava. “We sold everything that first day.”

“I am excited to see it grow and to be sharing the recipe and the culture. I’m hoping to incorporate more cultural stuff in the future too.”

Kiti currently serves as president of the International Club, the position Hmieida held during her time at Hillsdale. She described Hmieida as “the sweetest person you could ever talk to,” and “very humbling, very welcoming.” “Her culture, how she shares it, is different and unique,” Kiti said. “She could have chosen any business just to benefit, and just her choosing to cook and share the culture, I think that’s really sweet.” Had Kiti tried the baklava? “Oh, yeah,” she said, smiling. “When your roommate is the one making it, you don’t question that.” After graduation, settled in Colorado and working full-time in marketing, Hmieida decided to move from casual sales to an online bakery that restocks every two weeks. “I am excited to see it grow and to be sharing the recipe and the culture,” Hmieida said. “I’m hoping to incorporate more cultural stuff in the future too. I hope people enjoy them.” Oea Bakery currently offers a “Friend’s Plate” with ten pieces as large as the

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B2 February 11, 2021

l Pianist Debbi Wyse is preparing for her last duet concert before retirement. Courtesy | Debbi Wyse

Retiring piano professor’s ‘Swan Song’ concert to be performed this weekend By | Elizabeth Troutman Collegian Reporter Debbi Wyse and Kristi Gautsche will be playing their final duo piano on the Hillsdale Campus on Feb. 12 and 13th at 8pm in the Plaster Auditorium. The program is entitled “Mosaic” because Wyse and Gautsche are hoping to create a musical mosaic from different styles and time periods. “We took mosaic as an art form and the idea that you have a foundation and you select fragments that are alike, but not alike,” Gautsche said. Gautsche, pianist at College Baptist Church, and Wyse, Artist-Teacher of Music/Piano at Hillsdale, have played piano together at Hillsdale every other year since 1985. This is

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their “Swan Song” as Wyse retires in May. The organization of the program is modeled after the making of a mosaic, beginning with laying the foundation with Baroque composers like Bach, then to selecting fragments, adding warmth and passion, having fun, binding with heart, finishing touches, and ending with beauty from brokenness. It will be a multi-media production, including poetry with a Valentine’s Day touch read by Ned Wyse, husband of Debbi Wyse, and commentary by Barbara Bushey, chairwoman and professor of Art at Hillsdale. “We’re showing slides of nature photography, mosaics, and a movie clip that coincide with the poetry we’ve selected to go with these pieces,” Wyse said.

Wyse shared her preparation process. “You have to listen like crazy. You have to listen to blend, for pedaling and phrasing and interpretation and every other thing the person is doing. You have to talk through a lot of that stuff but you also have to listen in performance.” The program will be about 75 minutes long, including a brief intermission. It is their first time playing on matching grand pianos. “The Blüthners are unique in the high treble range because there are four strings per note as opposed to 3 strings on most pianos,” Wyse said. “They are very resonant and brilliant in this range. We almost have to work harder so they don’t overpower.”

for the “Deadpool 2” movie soundtrack. “I wrote the song for Deadpool in six hours,” Martin said. “This was the one time the music supervisor loved it. He sent it to the director, the director sent it to Ryan Reynolds, and he sent it to Celine Dion. It became the opening and closing song of the movie.” But how does Martin continue to find these opportunities with such big-name

so far and I’ve been lucky to have had so many of my dreams come true already. I’ve sacrificed time with family, and time with her, in pursuit of songs and stories.” It was this return home and spending time on Baw Beese Lake that inspired “Come Back Home.” “I call home Hillsdale,” Martin said. “That’s always been home for me.” After realizing the girl who sang his demo sounded like Daigle, Martin reached out to Daigle’s booking agent, who sent back Daigle’s manager’s email and told Martin to send the song. “She loved it, and told me to send her lyrics,” Martin said. The two spent a few days recording their respective parts, saying that Daigle couldn’t stop singing the lyrics over and over. After releasing the song on Jan. 8, the song received 100,000 streams and hit No. 1 on Billboard. “Lauren called me the night it came out,” Martin said. “She was with her grandma when it happened, and she was like ‘My grandma loved this song, and said you really need to call Pete.’ It was her first song on Billboard.” Martin found Daigle’s phone call with her own grandma special and symbolic. “My grandma’s last dream was to see me play a Coldplay-sized concert of my own,” Martin said. “Here’s to the beginning of that one. Love and miss you Grandma. Wish you could come back home.”

Worldwide Television Group, which produces shows such as “Survivor,” “The Apprentice,” “The Voice,” as well as Burnett’s own 2013 series “The Bible.” He also gave Martin his big break — all because Martin was a good house guest. Martin explained that Burnett would check each of his son’s guests’ rooms and see how they were taking care of their spaces. Courtesy | Petey Martin Martin always kept his space tidy, due to the way his parents raised him back in Hillsdale. “You’d be surprised how many people don’t make their beds at someone else’s house,” Martin said. “I would put all of my stuff in my suitcase, make my bed, no towels on the floor, and he suggested to his son ‘Hey, you should have Petey stay with us this summer and work at ‘The Voice.’” artists? His answer: cold Martin stayed that sumemailing. mer, and Burnett pitched “I’m a big fan of cold Martin’s songs to “The emailing people. You have Voice.” Martin even wrote and produced a song that was nothing to lose,” he said. “You used for a promotional trailer don’t want to be blasting people with cold emails, but of Burnett’s “A.D.” series. that’s how the Kygo thing Martin’s first experience working with a real artist was happened. Hustle.” And through this boldwhen he wrote the hit song ness, Martin landed his most for “The Voice” winner Jorrecent opportunity with artist dan Smith in 2015. After this experience, Martin moved to Lauren Daigle. After the passing of his Los Angeles to connect with grandmother who bought people in the music indushim his first guitar when try, and eventually moved to he was 10 years old, Martin Music City: Nashville. returned home to Hillsdale In the years to come, this summer. Martin would work with “I made this song back artists such as Britt Nicole, home on the lake a few days Kygo, Matoma, Seeb, Steve after she passed,” he said. Aoki, and even Celine Dion “I’ve had an amazing journey

Dates from B1

9. Show off the skills you learned when you were eight years old at Stadium Roller Rink. When you get tired of skating there is a convenient snack bar with all your favorite foods. While you are falling on the rink your date could be falling for you. 10. Game night on Valentine’s Day could be

a great date. Maybe find a Twister or Monopoly board to play with you special person. Another game night activity could be a trivia night to compete with your boo or make it a group date to compete against other couples. There are hundreds of online sources for a good night of trivia. Whatever you end up doing be sure to personalize your plans to your date

to make them feel special. From little things like playing their favorite music in the car to being as extra as making them a personal scavenger hunt to find clues about what the date will be, find a way to make it unique. And in the words of freshman Megan Draghiciu says, “Valentine’s day is more about the quality of time spent rather than the quantity of money spent.”

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Radio program gives students room to explore passions and fun ideas By | Alexis Daniels Collegian Reporter Though radio in Hillsdale has only been around for five years, its production range has grown significantly, and they now broadcast a variety of radio shows appealing to many crowds. These radio shows range from news broadcasts to podcasts to features. Junior Christine Talent, who joined radio just last semester, started with newscasting and has just started a feature of her own called “All the Small Things,” a five minute segment in between shows that highlights fun facts about how common items, such as toast, came to be. “I was having one of my 2 a.m. snacks. I was making toast. Really love toast,” Talent said. “And I just thought, ‘You know, who thought of making it crunchy? Because I just love them for it.’ I have those kinds of questions about a lot of things where I’ll just pause and think, ‘What was the best thing before sliced bread?’” Talent said doing radio has built her confidence. She became interested in it because of a friend’s involvement, and she has “always been told by people that [she has] a good radio voice.” She also wanted to step outside her comfort zone. “It was kind of an impulse decision because I wanted just to try something new that was low time commitment,” Talent said, “and radio is just one of those things where you get however much you put into it.” Junior Jane O’Connor is currently part of three shows: “State Facts,” “Conserving the Classics,” and an off-campus podcast called “Our Bizarre Adventure.” In “State Facts,” which O’Connor started herself, she quizzes people on fun facts about their home state in a five-minute segment. Her second show, “Conserving the Classics,” was started in 2016 by Nic Rowan ‘19 and Mark Naida ‘18, and O’Connor now runs it with junior Aidan Cyrus. She and Cyrus play classic rock songs related to the theme of the day, explain any relevant history, and have guest speakers on to tell stories. O’Connor said “Conserving the Classics” is the longest continually running show at Hillsdale radio. “In ‘Conserving the Classics,’ I had to learn to let loose a little bit and just try to record and not rely on editing,” O’Connor said. “That can sometimes be a crutch to rely way too much on — letting yourself make mistakes or blunders because you know you can edit it down. So ‘Con-

serving the Classics’ is good practice for being live on air. I feel more comfortable now just talking in a way that’s more careful with my words and filling in space.” O’Connor was invited to work on “Our Bizarre Adventure” with 2019 graduates Shadrach Strahle, Dylan Strahle, and Gabe Listro outside of Hillsdale radio, in which Shad and Dylan play the anime show JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Listro and O’Connor react to it. Like Talent, O’Connor credited radio for helping to build her confidence. “It’s just trying to make entertaining content with three

“All you need to begin is an idea. Then it’s our responsibility ... to assist in crafting a plan that will wind up with the best and most entertaining way of getting that idea to air.” other people,” O’Connor. “And we all record remotely so it can be tough sometimes, but everything I’ve been doing here has just been super helpful to my skill set and to my personal confidence and everything else.” “The Marty and Stef Morning Show” takes a more diverse approach to radio than one niche subject. Created and hosted by seniors Martin Petersen and Stefan Kleinhenz, the episodes begin at 8 a.m. on Thursdays with current events and politics discussed by Kleinhenz and end with sports updates, weather, and a “This Day in History” segment discussed by Petersen.. “I knew that we sometimes talked about doing a morning show just as a radio station,” Petersen said. “I thought it’d be fun to do a live show. I feel like Stefan and I could handle ourselves. It obviously didn’t take us that long to figure out a name. It’s been so much fun doing it, getting up early, just the two of us in there.” Sophomore Nick Treglia had no interest in radio until he came to Hillsdale, but for the past three semesters, he and seniors Philip Andrews and Caleb Ramette have host-

ed their own weekly comedy variety show called “The Loft,” named after the loft in Galloway that Treglia lived in during his freshman year. They start every show with a segment called Wacky World, in which they pick something funny in the news and talk about it. They have also done sketches, talked about “weird cultural stuff on campus, and interviewed students on campus about their opinions on such topics such as which major is the hardest. “I call it ‘lifestyle stuff;’ just interesting things,” Treglia said. “Last show we talked about the stock market because of the whole GameStop meme thing, so basically anything and everything, as long as it’s entertaining and funny.” Treglia said his favorite part of radio is seeing everything come together. “We finalize all the jokes and we put it all together and then when you can hear your vision sort of materialize when you add the music, edits, and everything and it just kind of comes together, that for me is the best part.” General radio manager Scot Bertram said anyone can apply to have their own radio show on Hillsdale’s broadcast. Aall they need is creativity and passion. “All you need to begin is an idea,” Bertram said. “Then it’s our responsibility — me and also the student leadership staff — to assist in crafting a plan that will wind up with the best and most entertaining way of getting that idea to air. We want to know what students’ passions are.” Very few ideas do not make it to air, Bertram said, noting that it is not about whether ideas are bad, but whether they work with the broadcasting medium. If it does not translate well, then it isn’t aired. Bertram said the types of broadcasts the radio is always in need of are features like Talent’s or O’Connor’s. “If you have a real passion for something in a narrow band, that’s something we can take to translating in those smaller bytes of audio that can allow you to sort of express your passion, your interests, while also being interesting and educational, depending on the subject for for listeners as well,” Bertram said. “We always have room and availability for people who do something like that.” These and other student-created shows can be found on WFRH Radio Free Hillsdale on 101.7 FM, SoundCloud, or Apple Podcasts.

Hmieida’s baklava can be ordered through her website. Courtesy | Nour Ben Hmieida

Baklava from B1

palm of a hand. An order includes free shipping and a 30-day refund guarantee if not satisfied with the product. Sharif and Hmieida form the two-person team behind the business. Sharif makes the baklava, and Hmieida manages logistical marketing and sales. Since the bakery is an e-commerce model, it doesn’t require a storefront, and the Colorado Cottage Food Act permits them to operate out of a home rather than a commercial kitchen. “A big part of the mission

is celebrating the culture of Libya and sharing it,” Hmieida said. “So of course we want to sell baklava, and people love the recipe, but we also wanted to share more about the country or culture, how rich it is. I thought this would be a cool way to do that.” The baklava recipe includes a unique ingredient brought from Libya that is similar to rose water and unavailable in the United States. Honey, as a natural preservative, keeps the pastry fresh as it travels to a customer. “I enjoy getting the opportunity to share a small

part of our culture and heritage,” Sharif said in a text. “Libya is not very well known in the west, and I’m excited to help shine a positive light on our country.” Hmieida said she is very thankful for the support she’s received so far, and hopes to eventually incorporate philanthropic efforts into the business. “No matter how different people and countries are, sharing unique recipes and food can be a powerful way to bring people together,” Sharif said. “I’m excited to do that with baklava!”

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Noise Complaint:

February 11, 2021 B3

QUICK HITS:

Art Morgan and the Rum Runners Katherine Rick Katherine Rick is an adjunct piano instructor and staff accompanist

Art Morgan and the Rum Runners practice at the Boondocks. Courtesy | Aidan Cyrus

By | Aidan Cyrus Collegian Freelancer The Boondocks – with its sweeping, pillared porch, its garden of cigarettes, and proximity to the best burgers in town – has housed members of the Phi Mu Alpha Music fraternity for the past few years. Of its residents, junior Will Smith and senior John Szczotka make up a third of the band Art Morgan and the Rum Runners. All of the band’s members are a part of Phi Mu Alpha, one of two music fraternities on campus — although membership was not a prerequisite to joining the band. “Over the summer I wanted to make a band,” Szczotka said. “I didn’t really want to play in a band with people who aren’t the best. They don’t have to be Phi Mus or my friends, but that’s a plus.” The look of Phi Mu has changed in recent years. From vinyl, cigarettes, and the Smiths, to Vulfpeck, vapes, and a couple Phi Mu-related releases on Spotify, the Phi Mu brand is evolving. However, one thing has remained a constant: a band name involving an alcohol, and an alcohol-related object. “It started way back when, before I was a freshman here,” Szczotka said. The original band was Deaf Davey and the Wineboxes, later shortened to the Wineboxes.” The current band, Art Morgan and the Rum Runners has contin-

Beer from B4

an alpha acid, and that alpha acid, when you boil it, causes a chemical reaction to happen,” Hamilton said. “It isomerizes into a compound which gives it that bitterness to help balance the sweetness of the beer. Certain beers have a lot of bitterness, others have a low amount of bitterness, and it’s related to the amount and timing of the hops that are added.” Hamilton said he grows his own hops, which grow up to 15 feet high. According to Hamilton, Michigan has historically been a hops growing center because of its climate. After he grows hops and brews beer, Hamilton said he loves to drink it after dinner every night. He also kegs it, brings it to the Hopsdale Homebrewing club to share, gives it to family and friends, and enters it into homebrew competitions, even winning awards for it at the county fair. Though on sabbatical this year, Hamilton typically offers a one-credit chemistry class called “Beer: Science, Styles, and Sampling” for those interested in the science behind brewing. Hamilton said he appreciates the versatility of brewing beer and the varied reasons people have for learning how to make it at home. “I like the science side of things and I’ve ended up having research students doing things related to beer because of my enjoyment

ued the lineage of Phi Mu rock bands, including the previous iterations of Dick Whiskey and the Short Stacks, Roger Scotch and the Highballs, and Gin Henry and the Tonic Hammers. Although each year a new iteration of the Phi Mu rock band appears, both in crew and in alcoholic beverage, the idea remains the same. Name. Alcohol. Object. “It’s a mantle people assume,” Szczotka said. The band has played house shows throughout the year, but their favorite was their Welcome Party set. Will Smith explained.“The set itself went really well. It was a lot of fun. We did not actually rehearse as a full band until the day before Welcome Party. ” “A lot of the heavy lifting on set building falls on Will and I,” John continued. “But we let Michael pick some songs because we know he’ll kill it.” Their talented lead guitarist, sophomore Michael Thelen, had never played in a band before joining the Rum Runners. “I got a facebook message saying, ‘Hey we got a band do you want to play,”’ Thelen said. The rest is history. (That’s how The National also got together believe it or not.) The next two members of the band are junior Drew Godsell on drums, and junior Shane Smith on bass. “It’s nice to have a rhythm section as agreeable as Drew and Shane,” Szczotka said.

“Although Drew could be roasting us on Jodel,” Will Smith said. The final member of the group, who was unable to interview, is junior Jack Rinehart, who plays the saxophone, and is affectionately known, in certain circles, as “Saxy Jack.” But what is Phi Mu? “Not a lot of people know. It’s a music fraternity, an actual fraternity,” Smith said. Contrary to what most of campus believes, they are not Mu Alpha — another male music group beloved for their fedoras and trench coats. They exist “for the advancement of music in America,” Will Smith said. Or more specifically, the advancement of music at Hillsdale. “Anything that happens in music at some point has touched someone in the fraternity,” Szczotka explained. “Even if they are borrowing equipment, there’s still something there. It’s kind of a cool, underground thing.” However, the fraternity wants to broaden their scope. “Under new President Biscaro, we are trying to be more high-key,” Will Smith said — but declined to divulge what specifically they have in store. They cite their musical backgrounds as reasons for being able to pull the set off. “John is an amazing vocalist, drummer, jazz voice, choral voice, and musical theater voice. Drews is an awesome jazz drummer. Shane is in

the orchestra. I have classical training. Michael’s a god on guitar,” Will Smith said. The group has only been playing for a semester, but because of their backgrounds and general artistic development through the fraternity, they feel as if they “are pretty in sync with each other,” according to Thelen. The only concerning activity surrounding the band was Drew Godsell’s old twitter, which is full of pictures of Grant Boyes eating. Godsell settled these concerns simply stating, “BFGB.” Or, in common Non-Simpsonite language, Bring Fat Grant Back. Amen brother. The group is looking to play house shows this semester and gearing up for CHP and other big events.

of beer and the science of understanding it,” Hamilton said. “Other people are the engineering type and they want to build ways to brew better and other people are into the culinary side and the food aspect of it, other people are into the social aspect and they like to try every possible style of beer that they can. Some people are very artistic and get into making cool bottle labels and tap handles.”

after that, and my husband looks at me and goes, ‘It’s the beer.’” In addition to homebrew beer, Meyet produces mead, which is a honey wine that can take multiple fementations over the course of a year to make. “We have an apiary, so whenever we harvest the honey we have extra honey that’s left on the cappings

“It is really fascinating, it’s so simple but yet it’s complicated,” Meyet said. “Once we’ve brewed the batch and gone through the motions and we’re getting ready to pitch the yeast, that’s like a ceremonial occasion for us.”

Fast Facts Describe the band in a word Will Smith: Fun Drew Godsell: Amazing Shane Smith: Diverse John Szczotka: Gas Michael Thelen: Energized Rank these food-related bands: Cake Meatloaf The Cranberries Limp Bizkit Korn Bona Nota from Smith: “I could see Drew being an undercover Korn fan. Freak on a leash,” Smith said. Best grub in town - Burgers Unlocked. It’s a steal.

Fred Yaniga, chairman and associate professor of German

Courtney Meyet,

chairwoman of chemistry Chairwoman and Associate Professor of Chemistry Courtney Meyet has brewed with her husband for 11 years. Meyet also became interested in homebrewing in graduate school. At University of California Riverside she met a homebrewer who worked across the hall and offered to teach her how to brew. Like Hamilton, it was the scientific aspect—experimentation and trial and error—that appealed to Meyet. She learned early on in her homebrewing journey that an uneven sugar mixture in the beer can cause a mess. “Of course, our first batch, we got it wrong,” Meyet said. “We were living in California at the time and the coolest place with the best fermentation temperature was underneath our cabin. So we had all the beer under there and we were sitting one afternoon and heard an explosion. And we heard another one

Christopher Hamilton’s homebrewed beer. Courtesy | Christopher Hamilton

on the outside of the honeycomb,” Meyet said. “We scrape those off into a bucket and that honey normally gets wasted but we rinse it out and that’s what we make our mead with.” Meyet said the work and the waiting time is well worth the reward of brewing yourself.

Chairman and Associate Professor of German Fred Yaniga became involved with homebrewing eight years ago through the Hopsdale Homebrewers club. Yaniga said he views homebrewing as a hobby, but also a way to seek virtue and experience more of the world. “Dr. Hamilton is the sci-

Katherine Rick wanted to be a cowgirl when she grew up. Courtesy | Katherine Rick

By | Tracy Wilson Assistant Editor What’s one trend from your childhood you wish would come back? People actually knowing how to dance. Bell bottoms. What is one word people use to describe you? Level-headed. When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a pianist. At one point I wanted to be a cowboy. What is one thing you didn’t learn until you were an adult? Adults are pretty much making it up as they go along. What is one memory from your childhood that stands out to you? I have lots of great memories riding horses with my mom. We rode at a stable that was for ex-race horses in Siberia. I was about six, and it was a lot of fun. What is one memorable gift you’ve received? Does my son count as a gift? What is one thing on your bucket list? I don’t have a bucket list, but I would love to get to a high level in dressage. What is one thing a lot of people

don’t know about you? I love woodworking, finishing furniture, and building wooden Montessori-style toys for my son. I love working with my hands. If you could spend one day in the life of any fictional character, who would you choose? I would be Lucy from the Narnia books. If you could perform a duet with any performer, who would you choose? My cellist, Dmitry Volkov, with whom I had the privilege of performing on a regular basis for three years. He passed away in 2015. If you could be in the book of Guinness World Records, what would it be for? I would love to have the shortest birth ever. Who is someone you’ve always looked up to outside of immediate family? The person that comes to mind is my bishop, Bishop Julian Dobbs. What is one piece of advice you try to live by? Let your yes be yes and your no be no. What is one way you hope to impact students? To expand my student’s musicianship skills.

entist and I’m the amateur,” Yaniga said. “I have a lot of fun with it and I think there’s great virtue to be had in this hobby. One of the virtues is definitely patience because you can’t drink a beer until you’ve waited for it to mature and ferment and go from wort to beer to something that’s palatable. And that requires a lot of prudent forethought.” Yaniga said he tries to plan ahead for the holidays so that special beers will be prepared on time — having a homebrewed stout in the winter requires buying the ingredients and starting the process in the fall. “My next beer project will be for Easter and that’s eight weeks out so I better get making that this weekend,” Yaniga said. “It’s a doppelbock, and I don’t drink beer during Lent so I’ll brew that and let it sit and I’ll rejoice even more on Easter Sunday when I tap that keg.” Another great virtue to take away from homebrewing, according to Yaniga, is creativity and the ability to make something with one’s own hands. “In academics we work with our head a lot, we work with ideas, and we don’t really create anything physically that’s tangible. This beer brewing hobby gives us the opportunity to make something that is physical and enjoyable and a product that we’ve made,” Yaniga said. Enjoying the end product is a social event, both on a local level and across the craft

brewing world. “That’s why the homebrewing community is great, because typically you do it with other people and it’s a very social event,” Yaniga said. “I’ve had relationships with colleagues on campus who I would not come across in my day-to-day work.” But the social benefit of homebrewing extends beyond local and national levels — it can unite across borders. According to Yaniga, there is an emerging homebrewing industry in Germany, which is influenced by American innovations in the field and the larger homebrew community. “To be a German professor and not have a connection would be absurd in some way, so I try to live the stereotype a little bit through that,” Yaniga said. “I spend a lot of time in Germany, so I enjoy doing beer excursions around the countryside. In Germany there’s an awful lot of very regional styles of beer so that gives me an opportunity to go from place to place, meet new people, and drink their beer.” The professors who help make up the Hopsdale Homebrewers club all have varied interests and reasons for homebrewing — chemistry, German, social opportunities — but one common denominator is the reward of putting in the work to achieve the finished product. As Professor Yaniga said, “The best beer you’ve ever had is the beer you’ve brewed yourself.”

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February 11, 2021

“Wild BIll” Lundberg coached in the NJCAA. Courtesy | Bill Lundberg

‘Wild Bill’s kindness is contageous’ By | Reagan Gensiejewski Assistant Editor Christian music hums from the Clubhouse at Hayden Park. Maps of the Park hang on the yellow walls, while eight pairs of cross country skis rest against the wall waiting in anticipation of the first good snow. A little further in on the left is an office decked out in Charger memorabilia, highlighting the heart of Hillsdale athletics for the last 35 years: “Wild Bill.” President of Hillsdale College Larry Arnn recognized Assistant Professor of Sports Studies Bill Lundberg’s 35 years of service at the president’s dinner and service award. “I’m not really a man of few words but they gave me an opportunity to say a few words and I just gave a shout out to Dr. Arnn and Rich Pewe,” Lundberg said. “I talked about how this is a great college that we’re at and, of course, effective coaching and teaching and preaching. I was praising the Lord and thanking God for what He’s given us with loving and serving Jesus with our heart, in our minds and with our strength. I spoke just pretty briefly for me.” Anyone who knows Wild Bill, knows this is an accurate

Celebrating 35 years

self-description. He has told many of us his story in snippets — but mostly in long chunks — as we linger after Physical Wellness and Dynamics or take a jog through Hayden Park. But here is his story — for the record:

In 1980, Lundberg attended the Olympic trials, and was in the top five contenders. However, during the race he ruptured his achilles tendon and couldn’t finish the race. Then in 1980, Lundberg unexpectedly lost his dad to a brain aneurysm. A family oriented man, the loss hit him hard. Shortly after, sports were cut at Jackson College, where he was the cross country coach, and he lost his job. In a time of despair and heartbreak, Lundberg turned to God. “These are setbacks or challenges, but scripturally we’re just talking about something like in Romans 8:28, which is that, ‘For we know that God works all things together for good for those who love them, those called according to His purpose.’ So there’s sometimes a lot of challenging things that we have to adjust to and go through,” Lundberg said. Lundberg first came to Hillsdale in February 1985 as

the men’s head cross country and track coach and assistant professor of physical education. He was thrown into a hectic season, as three months later, Hillsdale hosted the NAIA Track and Field National Championship. He adjusted quickly and a year later, Lundberg led the cross country and track team to a GLIAC title. In the 1990s, the men’s cross country team won six conference championships while the men and women outdoor track and field team won every title from 1992 to 1995 with the exception of one. The men’s cross country teams from 1992 to 1994 were inducted into the Hillsdale Hall of Fame in 2020. In 1994, Lundberg was named NAIA National Coach of the Year for men’s cross country. Chief Administrative Officer Rich Pewe was a freshman when Lundberg was hired at Hillsdale. “We were instantly onboard with his system because we were impressed that he was a world class athlete and he was so personable. He lived in my suite with us for a month before finding a house,” Pewe said. “He coached me in three sports for four years. I was his team captain in cross and track. And he gave me the chance to do some assistant coaching

in the spring of ’89.” But Lundberg’s influence on Pewe, like many, went beyond the world of athletics. In Lundberg’s 27 years of coaching, all teams he has coached have achieved grade-point averages of 3.3 or better. Two hundred athletes have been academic and athletic all-americans, and 17 have been national champions under Lundberg. “I have never met anyone like Bill. It is hard for anyone to match his general enthusiasm, the joy he finds in Christ, and yes, his loquaciousness,” Pewe wrote. “He had a profound impact and influence over his athletes. We missed dinner often because his team meetings went long.” The rich faith that Pewe admires is what got Lundberg through, and it is what he preaches to his athletes and physical wellness students to this day. “I say to my students and my athletes that if I’m not coaching or teaching, I’m preaching,” Lundberg said. “I’m not really trying to always push the Bible and God’s word down on them constantly, but you want to live that out most of all. It’s vital in our lives to do well in whatever way we can to live. Not to just live a good life, but to live a life that’s God honoring.” In 2012 Lundberg took on a new role as the first Hayden Park fitness and recreation director and manager. The

position is different from coaching, but allows Lundberg to do what he is passionate about. “These last eight or nine years have really been

is contagious.” Lundberg’s motto for coaching, teaching, and preaching has reached many of those he met over the last 35 yrs.

“Wild BIll” Lundberg coaching at Hillsdale College. Courtesy | Bill Lundberg

rewarding at Hayden Park. Being a key part of our sports studies department, I can still get to be connected with what I love the most: being with our students and our student athletes,” Lundberg said. Senior Natalie Stepanenko took Lundberg’s Physical Wellness and Dynamics class and was inspired by his charismatic personality. “His genuine spirit lifts all those around him, whether it’s on the field or in class,” she said. “Wild Bill’s kindness

“For many he completely changed the direction of their lives. He always wears his love for the Lord on his sleeve. I appreciate that more than anything about Bill,” Pewe said. “Many people have turned to Christ because of Bill. He was a great example as a father. As a son has always given his mother the respect she deserves. He treats his wife the way a man should. I love how smitten he is with his grandchildren.”

Hillsdale’s Hops:

Professors brew beer

By | Maggie Hroncich Assistant Editor Americans drink 6.3 billion gallons of beer per year. It’s the go-to for football tailgates, mancaves, parties, and pub nights. But to home brewers, beer is more than just an enjoyable beverage — it’s an art, a science, a chance to innovate, and a tie to cultural heritage. Meet the professors on campus who brew at home and help make up the Hopsdale Homebrewers club. Christopher Hamilton, professor of chemistry

“Wild BIll” Lundberg has always been an athlete. Courtesy | Bill Lundberg

Professor of Chemistry Chris Hamilton said he first heard of homebrewing in undergraduate school about 25 years ago. “I had someone that was in German class do his

presentation on beer brewing and he brought it to class and I was like, ‘This is cool. I’m a science major. I’m a biochemistry major. I could easily do this,’” Hamilton said. He was right. After moving to Hillsdale College in 2007, Hamilton was once again exposed to homebrewing through a neighbor. After observing and learning from his neighbor for a year, Hamilton finally tried brewing it himself and has continued to do so for over a decade. With his chemistry background, it is the scientific aspect of brewing that really appeals to Hamilton. “When people ask me what my hobby is I reply, ‘Oh, chemistry.’ There’s a lot of science that goes into brewing beer,” he said. Hamilton brews all-grain beers and often designs his own recipes. He described

the process from start to finish, which begins with buying malt, crushing it, and putting it into a large temperature controlled vessel — called a mash tun — with hot water. That’s when chemistry takes over. “There are enzymes in the grain that break down the starches, and those starches break down into simple sugars, which are important because that’s what turns into alcohol in the beer,” Hamilton said. The resulting liquid is called the wort, which is concentrated and has hops added to it. “Hops come in different varieties but they’re the flowers from a hop plant. Part of the reason for putting them in the boil is because it extracts a chemical in them called

See Beer B3