Collegian 09.28.2023

Michigan’s oldest college newspaper

By Thomas McKenna

AssistAnt Editor

Pat Sajak, longtime “Wheel of Fortune” host and Hillsdale College Board of Trustees chairman, will be the commencement speaker for the class of 2024, according to an email announcement from the provost’s office Wednesday.

“Pat Sajak gave a wonderful convocation speech some years ago,” College President Larry Arnn said in a statement to The Collegian. “He has done long

and excellent service for our college, and he has a serious understanding of and commitment to it. I expect his remarks will be worthy of the occasion.” Sajak, who has hosted “Wheel of Fortune” since 1981, has been in college leadership for more than two decades. After joining the college’s board of trustees in 2002 — two years after Arnn became president — he was named chairman of the board in 2019.

Associate Vice President for Curriculum David Whalen has

taught at Hillsdale since 1994 — before Sajak or Arnn arrived. He said Sajak is “one of the most thoughtful, articulate people” he knows.

“Though I do not pretend to be a close associate of Pat Sajak's, I could sing his praises all day,” Whalen said. “Everyone knows he is a great wit, but he’s also intellectually serious, genuinely gracious, and deeply committed to the best things that go on here.”

After hosting more than 7,000 episodes, Sajak an -

nounced in June he will step down from hosting “Wheel of Fortune” next year. Sajak has hosted the show longer than anyone has hosted any other American television program, according to the announcement from the provost’s office.

Provost Christopher VanOrman said the college is looking forward to Sajak’s commencement address.

“Mr. Sajak is not only an iconic figure in Hollywood but has also been a longtime friend and supporter of the college,”

Free speech group gives Hillsdale 'warning' status

By Elizabeth Troutman Editor-in-chiEf

Students rank Hillsdale College high for its commitment to free speech, but a national civil liberties group still deemed it a "warning school" in its annual college free speech rankings.

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE, surveys students at more than 250 colleges and universities each year on questions of free speech. FIRE polled 180 Hillsdale students for the 2024 College Free Speech rankings.

“The ‘warning’ rating is based solely on whether the written policies at a school clearly put other values above students' free speech, such that students would not have a reasonable expectation of having the same free speech rights as their public school peers,” FIRE Director of Policy Reform Laura Beltz told The Collegian. “The policy rating doesn't take into account how the school performed on the student survey results about

the climate for free speech.”

The rankings consider 10 components — six concerning student perception of free speech, including comfort expressing ideas, tolerance for liberal speakers, tolerance for conservative speakers, acceptability of disruptive conduct, administrative support for free expression, openness to discussion of specific political topics — and four concerning administrative behavior.

“In FIRE's assessment of free speech in higher education, Hillsdale emerged as one of the top institutions by its metrics,” Hillsdale spokeswoman Emily Stack Davis said.

Hillsdale is drawn into a separate warning category from the other schools at the bottom of the list, which could cause readers to not realize the college is ranked, Davis said.

“Oddly, FIRE placed Hillsdale in a special 'warning' category that doesn’t show up easily among the other ranked schools,” Davis said. “Then, FIRE used this arbitrary clas-

sification to lower Hillsdale's overall score. FIRE's methodology is further biased: They gave only six institutions this 'warning' treatment — all are Christian.”

Hillsdale received the best score available in five of the six student perception categories.

“When it comes to student perception, there is nobody, no college in the country, whose score comes close to Hillsdale,” Chairman of Mathematics Thomas Treloar said. “Not even close.”

In the first three categories concerning administrative behavior — scholar support, scholar sanctions, and speaker disinvitations — Hillsdale received zeroes, meaning the administration has not tried to suppress free speech.

“According to FIRE's own results, Hillsdale students express a sense of support of free speech both from the administration and the faculty, feel comfortable sharing their ideas, and are open to engaging with controversial and chal-

lenging concepts presented by others,” Davis said.

Yet the fourth administrative behavior category — FIRE’s rating of the school’s speech policies — earned Hillsdale its warning status due to excerpts from the college’s student conduct handbook prohibiting inappropriate conduct, expression, or social media posts, as well as behavior undermining the college’s mission.

While the college otherwise likely would have been one of the highest ranked schools on the list for free speech, according to Treloar, the “warning” label bumped Hillsdale’s score down 20 points.

“While Hillsdale does hold itself out as an institution that values civil and religious liberty, it does not clearly promise its students free expression rights on campus,” Beltz said. “Instead, it mandates adherence to the college’s moral values.”

See FIRE A2

VanOrman said. “I anticipate his remarks will be witty, engaging, and memorable.”

Professor of History Kenneth Calvert said he has a great respect for Sajak.

“While he is best known for his game show, what is less known is that he has worked very hard in support of conservative and patriotic initiatives across the country, including his work on behalf of Hillsdale College,” Calvert said. “He has been a close friend of Dr. Arnn’s for many years, before

Dr. Arnn came to Hillsdale. We should be grateful for Mr. Sajak’s efforts.”

Senior Class president Joseph Perez, who assisted the college in choosing a commencement speaker, said choosing Sajak honors the work he has done for the college as he retires from television.

“He’s very well aligned with Hillsdale’s institutional mission,” Perez said. “We’re confident that he’ll give a great speech in the spring."

Provost office announces 2024 commencement speaker College breaks ground on new Phi Sig pavilion

By Logan Washburn Associ At E Editor

When the college broke ground on the Phi Sigma Epsilon pavilion on Saturday, it gave the former fraternity a permanent home on campus.

“The college provides the continuity around which this friendship can last,” College

President Larry Arnn said at the groundbreaking. “The fraternity is not active here anymore, but of course, in another way, it is and it always will be.”

A crowd of more than 200 college and Phi Sig alumni, donors, students, and college leaders gathered across from Broadlawn for the pavilion groundbreaking.

The pavilion will sit next to Dow Residence and include an indoor conference room, a warming kitchen, outdoor covered seating, and a fireplace, according to Associate Director of Alumni Relations Braden VanDyke ’21.

Phi Sig fell into financial hardship in the 1980s, when at-the-time fraternity Phi Sigma Kappa absorbed it.

“The college persists in the same way this fraternity persists,” Arnn said. “It stands for some things they claim to be eternal goods.”

The fraternity’s alumni have been working with the college since 2019 to bring

this project about, according to former Phi Sig President Ross Anderson ’79.

“It’s coming to fruition finally, and we’re super excited about it,” Anderson said. “We’re kind of setting this property up to be a place that students, faculty, staff, and alumni can enjoy for a long time.”

Doug McPherson ’76, Phi Sig alumni association president, suggested the project at a chapter meeting in 2016, according to Anderson. Different classes of fraternity alumni donated different parts of the pavilion, such as the fireplace and kitchen.

Alumni raised close to $220,000 for the pavilion, while the college contributed close to $400,000, according to college Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé.

“It has truly been a really unique partnership with the college administration,” Anderson said.

The college is grateful to God for providing it with the resources for this project, according to Associate Dean of Men Jeffery “Chief” Rogers.

“We would be remiss if we didn't thank God for every good thing,” Rogers said, “not with lip service, but truly to honor him because he is good.”

See Pavilion A2

Seniors Helen Schlueter, Margaret Potter, and Claire Hipkins (left to right) enjoy an evening at the Hillsdale County Fair. Isabella sheehan | CollegIan

The Hillsdale County Fair started

Plans for the pavilion have been in the works since 2019. logan Washburn | Colleg I an

Nimrod fellows travel to South Dakota for inaugural retreat

Students and guests attended two hunts each day, one in the morning and one after lunch.

“Harvested pheasants were retrieved by the dogs and taken back to the lodge to be processed, so guests and students could enjoy the meat cooked in various meals,” Stewart said. “Special care was taken to ensure the safety of the hunters.”

The hunts involved six or seven hunters who were only allowed to shoot birds flying high above the ground, according to Stewart.

Each day concluded with a lecture from either Ronald Pestritto, dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship, or A. W. R. Hawkins, a conservative columnist at Breitbart News. Topics included the administrative state and the Second Amendment.

Bodor described one of his shots where he hit a pheasant but didn’t kill it. The bird began running when it hit the ground, and a hunting dog chased it.

“The dog caught the rooster,” he said. “It was like watching National Geographic.”

He said the moment emphasized the importance of using dogs for responsible hunting.

“If that dog hadn’t caught the rooster, it would have died for lack of flight,” he said. “It would have been a wasted bird.”

While Bodor and Matson had previous hunting experience before the Nimrod Fellowship, they encouraged anyone to apply for the program.

“It’s a way for you to learn and then use your knowledge to help others learn,” Matson said.

By

Nimrod Fellowship students traveled to South Dakota to practice shooting and learn about the importance of hunting and conservation.

The Hillsdale Hunting Retreat, which took place Sept. 14 to 19 at Paul Nelson Farm in Gettysburg, South Dakota, included ringed-neck pheasant hunting and guest lectures.

The event hosted 40 attendees, including Hillsdale College students, friends of the college, and staff.

“The purpose of the retreat was to teach the virtues of hunting: its societal, economic, and conservation benefits,” said Alan Stewart, director of the Nimrod Education Center, in an email.

Stewart said the fellowship’s first retreat went well.

“We hope to do more retreats like this in the future,” he said.

Sophomore fellow Ian Matson said he enjoyed the experience.

“There were great meals, great conversations with the guests, and lots of riveting lectures and speakers,” he said. “But the hunting was the meat of the whole retreat.”

Matson had previously hunted deer and wild hogs, but he

said this was his first time hunting pheasants.

“This was a new experience for me,” he said. “The way that Paul Nelson runs the hunt is fantastic.”

According to its website, Paul Nelson Farm features over 5,000 acres of pheasant habitat devoted to hunting. “Guests hunted in corn, sorghum and tall, native prairie grasses,” Stewart said.

Bánk Bodor, a junior starting his second year as a Nimrod Fellow, said he appreciated the combination of hunting and lectures.

“It was a really nice mixture of education and hunting,” he said.

Bodor’s interest in hunting began when he was young but increased when he trained his family’s hunting dog. Watching the hunting dogs work during the retreat was one of his favorite parts of the experience.

He said interested students should attend lectures hosted by the fellowship and get to know current members.

Stewart said he hopes the retreat and the program will teach students about the importance of hunting.

“Hunting teaches us how to appreciate creation, as well as how to steward it,” he said. “We hope students learned how hunting is an important part of our American heritage and a great way to develop skills, prudence, patience, and friendship.”

Ronald Rivas joins Hillsdale College faculty as economics professor

By Malia Thibado Collegian Repo Rte R

Ronald Rivas joined Hillsdale College’s faculty this fall as an associate professor of management and marketing in the economics department.

This semester, Rivas is teaching two business courses: International Business, and Leadership in Teams and Organizations.

“I always look for private universities for a number of purposes,” Rivas said. “They have more degrees of freedom to pursue their own mission and vision with less government influence.”

Senior Allie Eriksen said Rivas has been her favorite professor.

“You can just tell how passionate about education and his students he is,” Eriksen said.

Born in Peru, Rivas spent his childhood traveling back and forth to Brazil, absorbing the different cultures and languages before attending a French Catholic high school in Peru. At age 16, Rivas began college at the Universidad

Hillsdale is one of six warning schools, all religious. Among these, Hillsdale has the best free-speech ranking, followed by Liberty University, Pepperdine University, Brigham Young University, Baylor University, and Saint Louis University.

Treloar said FIRE should either find a better way to rank Christian schools with moral conduct requirements, or not include such schools on the list. The “warning” schools are the only schools on the list that maintain a Christian identity, according to Treloar.

“The whole point of the warning is saying, well, there's some things the school, through its statements, is going to consider more important than free speech,” Treloar said. “That's going to be true of any Christian school.”

Hillsdale’s student conduct catalog prohibits “behavior that — on the part of indi -

Nacional de Ingenieria. He received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering in 1984, then worked at a power utility company.

Rivas said his transition from engineering to business began with the social and economic turmoil in Peru during the 1980s. After a friend was involved in an incident with Shining Path, an extremist communist party, Rivas said he decided to continue his education.

“In life, you grow,” Rivas said. “Through economic, political situations in Latin America, I became aware of international issues.”

Rivas returned to his academic studies and received his Master of Arts in Operations Management from the Escuela de Administración de Negocios para Graduados in 1988, in Lima, Peru. He then traveled to the University of California, Los Angeles to obtain his doctorate in Strategic Management and International Comparative Management in 1998.

Rivas has previously held

viduals or student organizations — violates the bounds of common decency and civility or the high moral standards entailed in the College Mission; interferes with the open dialogue fostered by the partnership between the College and its students; disrupts the climate of academic reflection and discourse proper to serious study; or that attempts to undermine or disrupt the academic, religious, or moral commitments entailed in the Mission of the College or the policies pursuant to those commitments.”

Beltz said private colleges have the right to prioritize other values above the right to free speech, but most claim a commitment to upholding free speech rights in writing.

“While Hillsdale students report self-censoring at a relatively low rate,” Beltz said, “the written policies at Hillsdale do reserve the right of the administration to take action against speech that is protected under First Amend-

professorships at Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York, Bentley College in Baltham, Massachusetts, and Canisius College in Buffalo, New York.

When his two children moved out, Rivas said he began to wonder what came next.

“I prayed,” Rivas said. “I wanted to know what I could do with the rest of my life. I am doing good, but maybe I could do better.”

During the spring semester of 2022, Rivas arrived on Hillsdale’s campus early before his interview date. Coincidentally, he found Eriksen and her friends sitting at a table in Saga. Eriksen said the interaction was polite and friendly, and he asked questions about campus life and their perspective of the college.

“I’m even more impressed with the students,” Rivas said.

“If I bring up ideas about moral dilemmas, they readily engage.”

Rivas said he hopes to collaborate with professors, clubs, and honoraries to enhance the lives of students on campus during his time at the college.

ment legal standards.”

Institutions like Hillsdale should be allowed to demand decorum consistent with its purposes, said Bradley Watson, associate professor of government at the Van Andel School of Government.

“Inevitably, in the realm of free speech — as in every other realm — there might be unreasonable or unthinking behaviors, and individuals should be corrected when they engage in them,” Watson said. “But as an institution, Hillsdale should keep doing exactly what it’s doing. There are literally thousands of other places where priorities are different.”

FIRE’s methodology could be misleading, Treloar said.

“Students themselves are very happy, and they feel like this is a very good environment,” he said. “It's just the FIRE group that is saying, ‘no, there's a problem there because of their catalog.’”

Freedom of speech does not cover all forms of expres-

sion, according to Watson.

“At an institution of higher learning, arguments should always be welcome, whereas the hurling of gratuitous insults should not,” Watson said.

Freedom of speech is important on college campuses for the same reason it's important in the real world, Watson said.

“Freedom of speech, properly understood, is an important aid to the pursuit of human happiness — it’s one means by which we can come to know the true, the good, and the beautiful,” Watson said. “But it shouldn’t be confused with them.”

Davis said free speech has flourished at Hillsdale since its founding in 1844.

“Regardless of FIRE's opinion, Hillsdale College will continue its dedication to the liberal arts,” Davis said. “The outcome of that commitment – the rigor and excellence that can be seen in the work of our students – speaks for itself.”

The pavilion fits into the college’s larger goal of advancing the beauty of classical education, which includes myriad projects to beautify the campus, according to Arnn.

“It needs to be beautiful to indicate the beautiful things that happen in it,” Arnn said. “It’s a beautiful thing and a continuous thing, and it's the only continuous thing like it on the face of the earth.”

Arnn said the pavilion is strategic for the college.

“This property is precious to them. It's also precious to the college,” Arnn said. “The college is growing.”

Phi Sig alumni first crossed paths with the Arnns in 2000, when the couple looked out the

window of Broadlawn and saw a group of men huddled around a fire, near the future home of the pavilion. Penny Arnn reached out to the men.

“I was just slightly curious what it was,” Arnn said. “She looked at them and saw they needed help, and she took them some wood – she does that all the time. They've made her their sweetheart.”

Arnn said the commitment of Phi Sig alumni to continue their legacy at the college is admirable.

“The philosopher says the highest kind of friendship is devoted to things outside and above the friends, and commands them and draws them together,” Arnn said. “That is why these men come back here year after year.”

Catherine Maxwell Collegian RepoRteR

FIRE from A1

Pavilion from A1

Ronald Rivas received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering. Courtesy | Hillsdale College a r CH ives

The retreat took place at Paul Nelson Farm in Gettysburg, South Dakota.

Courtesy | Morgan Morrison

The pavilion will sit across from Broadlawn. logan Was H burn | Collegian

Faith-based law panel shares application tips

By Lillian Ferrell Coll

Baylor, Liberty, and Regent Universities’ schools of law shared tips and tricks for applications and addressed the unique benefits of attending a Christian law school at a Career Services event on Monday.

Briana Dame, Jenny Branson, and Rodney Chrisman sat on the panel representing Regent, Baylor, and Liberty respectively. The informational meeting began with a discussion on what it means to intertwine the Christian worldview with a law school education.

“Freedom of speech, property, and religion are fruits of the Christian worldview,” said Chrisman, professor of law at Liberty University. “It is incumbent upon us to restore those ideals our liberties are founded on.”

The panel members highlighted how Christian values

in law school curricula differentiate their colleges’ environments from other law programs across the country.

“In the classroom, professors give devotions on various topics, hold office hours, host Bible studies, and lead discipleship groups,” said Dame, assistant director of law admissions and financial aid at Regent University.

“The biggest blessing I got out of law school was my strengthened faith, and that is one hundred percent because of where I went to law school,” said Dame, a 2020 Hillsdale graduate and Regent Law School alumna.

Branson, the assistant dean of admissions and financial aid at Baylor Law School said Baylor, in particular, is known both for its strong Christian values and academic rigor.

“We have a lot more requirements than other law schools,” Branson said. “In fact, we were called the Marine Corps boot camp of law

schools.”

Branson said many of the professors at Baylor consider that they are not only serving their students, but they are also serving their students’ future clients.

Chrisman summarized what a Christian law education looks like.

“Students must learn the black letter law with reinforcement from biblical teachings in order to shape ethical attorneys,” Chrisman said.

The panel also addressed the various aspects of a successful law school application including LSAT scores, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and resumes.

“Your personal statement is your chance to tell the committee why we should admit you to Liberty Law School,” Chrisman said. “Be professional and understand your audience.”

Members of the committee also said students should have a personal “mission” which

they convey through their application.

Dame said if students are uncertain about what information they should disclose to law schools in resumes or letters of recommendation, they should err on the side of asking.

The panelists said they recognize many students are uncertain about who should write their letters of recommendation.

“We don’t care about the prestige of the professor,” Branson said. “We care about what the letter of recommendation says about you.”

Branson said students should be authentic in their law school applications and share what makes them an asset to the law school and the greater legal profession.

“We are looking for a reason to let you in, not a reason to keep you out,” Branson said.

College to host CCA on American Intelligence

By Emma Verrigni Coll E gi A n rE port E r

Hillsdale’s next installment of the Center for Constructive Alternatives will cover topics in American intelligence from the Revolutionary War to the present, including the Office of Strategic Services during World War II, the creation of the CIA, and espionage during the Cold War.

The event will run from Oct. 1 to 4 with speeches from writers Patrick K. O’Donnell, Edward Jay Epstein, Sam Faddis, and Alexander Rose. Other speakers include former CIA Chief of Disguise Jonna Mendez and Frederick

H. Fleitz of the America First Policy Institute.

“It’s a very strong panel,” Assistant Professor of History Jason Gehrke said. Director of External Affairs Matthew Bell said the CCA will help students understand the threats intelligence agencies pose to liberty, and how to confront them.

“Civil liberty depends upon the consent of the governed and the rule of law, principles which are threatened by an ever-expanding and increasingly powerful intelligence state,” Bell said.

Gehrke said he has high expectations for Mendez’s lecture, called “The Art of

Disguise.”

“He lived in Moscow during the Cold War,” Gehrke said. “I am looking forward to that one.”

Lectures will take place at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Oct. 1 to 3, with a faculty roundtable Oct. 4 at 4 p.m.

The roundtable will give four Hillsdale history professors the opportunity to provide additional context and commentary regarding the CCA topic.

The roundtable will include history professors Mark Kalthoff, Bradley Birzer, Jason Gehrke, and Mark Moyar. Gehrke said the lecture series will give the audience the

A.J.'s works to meet demand for popular new menu item

By Carly Moran Assist A nt Editor

When power bowls become available weekday mornings, they are sold out in 15 minutes, according to Metz Culinary Retail Manager Paul Bowman.

For the past few weeks, A.J.’s Cafe has offered three different power bowls in response to increased interest in healthy to-go options. The options include breakfast, teriyaki, and southwest chicken.

Dining Hall. “I would strongly encourage students to always place one of those in with us,” Griffin said. “That way we can hear what students have to say, what they liked, what they don't like, what they want to see more of. It's just a great communication tool so that we can make sure students’ needs are being met.”

Because of strong demand for the power bowls, A.J.’s employees emphasized the need for more prep time.

historical perspective necessary to understand how U.S. intelligence works today.

“Intelligence has developed historically in response to different military contexts,” Gehrke said. “It’s not an activity that can be understood apart from its history.”

Gehrke said the CCA will cover how America came to play a role at the global scale throughout its history from the perspective of its use of intelligence.

“The intelligence community is rooted in the American experience as America has become a player in world affairs,” Gehrke said.

Mossey Library hosts Hobbit Day celebration

By Colman Rowan Coll E gi A n r E port E r

Students enjoyed a second breakfast provided by Mossey Library staff in its annual celebration of Hobbit Day last week.

For more than 10 years, the library has celebrated Hobbit Day on Sept. 22 with second breakfast. Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” series chose the day because it is when the characters Frodo and Bilbo Baggins celebrate their birthdays.

“Second breakfast falls at 10 a.m.,” Brenna Wade, public services librarian said. “For the Hobbit eating day, they basically eat every one to two hours. So they have breakfast, second breakfast,

elevenses, which falls at 11, and lunch and then all the way through the day.”

Wade started the event with expectations that it would fit the college’s personality well.

“I was like yes,” Wade said. “That's very Hillsdale. We should also do that. Then it was really popular and a lot of people showed up.”

Wade said the college’s first second breakfast celebration happened on the 75th anniversary of the publication of “The Hobbit,” which fell just one day before Hobbit Day.

“In the first year we had it on the publication day, but that was because it was the publication event,” Wade said. “But as far as it's happened so far, we’ve just held it on the actual Hobbit Day.”

The food at second breakfast was not wholly accurate to meals Tolkien’s Hobbits would have had.

“Mine is not traditional,” she said, “because I am putting out food for a whole lot of people. So I can’t do a hot breakfast.”

Though the breakfast was mostly non-traditional, consisting mainly of donut holes, coffee, meats, and cheeses, it was well attended.

“We are in the process of counting plates,” Wade said, “but I would say probably between 60 and 80 people showed up.”

The event was held in the library’s Heritage Room, one of the few times in the year when talking is permitted in the usually quiet room.

“I was only here briefly,”

“As of right now, the power bowls are in a ‘beta testing’ mode,” Bowman said. “We love having them available on the menu; how ever, as of right now we are limiting the number per day based on the resourc es we have available at our disposal.”

Power bowls are currently served Monday through Friday. The breakfast bowl is available until 11 a.m., while the other two sell beginning at 11:30 a.m. A.J.’s is currently looking to hire more employees to assist with the rush.

Kim Griffin, Metz director of nutrition and health promotion, mentioned the importance of having a balanced plate, and how power bowls fill this need.

“Creating these power bowls takes a lot of prep work and hands, and unfortunately, like many businesses lately, we are quite shortstaffed,” Bowman said. “The goal is to eventually be able to have the power bowls available all day long without limiting the number of them.”

Bowman says it’s a struggle to adjust the menu in addition to these daily tasks, especially when understaffed.

“If we had a person in our kitchen who was dedicated specifically to prepping and cooking the power bowls, that would be phenomenal,” Bowman said.

Senior Monica Blaney said. “I showed up late, but it was a lot of fun and it's nice that they have it in here.”

Sophomore Andrew Winter said that he is a huge fan of the “Lord of the Rings” series.

“The highlight was walking into the Heritage Room and hearing the soundtrack,” Winter said. “They were playing the ring theme. That was the best part. Also, the donut holes.”

Being a lover of Hobbits and having skipped first breakfast, Winter said he was very glad to have attended the event.

“Hobbits deserve more celebration,” he said. “They’re important.”

“When I try to make meal plans with students, I always encourage their plates to look like it's divided in three compartments: one compartment for protein, the other compartment being a complex carbohydrate, and then the third one filled with all different colors, like fruits,” Griffin said. “I feel like the power bowl is just amazing because it encompasses all of that.”

As the campus nutritionist, Griffin said she is always available to help students create a better meal plan with their resources at hand. Students can email her, or DM her @chargersdietitian to create an appointment.

The power bowls were introduced after multiple requests to Griffin. For students with meal ideas, comment flyers are available near the check-in desk at Knorr

A.J.’s employee and sophomore Juliana Fandakly said it’s been a tough balance between improving the menu and serving the campus.

“I think it's a really good idea in theory, but we only prepare about 10 of each power bowl, so by the time anyone comes out of classes we are out of them,” Fandakly said. “I think we definitely needed some menu changes and some healthier options that are not fried food and actually have some protein.”

Bowman asked for patience as the chefs adjust to the new menu.

“We just ask that the students be patient with us at this time as we do our best to try and get these power bowls more available,” Bowman said. “If any students are looking for a job on campus, we do have positions available in our kitchen if they would be interested in learning how we operate.”

Simpson reclaims homecoming crown after Mock Rock

By Moira Gleason AssistAnt Editor

Simpson Residence

stormed the dance floor as a Spartan army Saturday, winning back the homecoming trophy with a second place Mock Rock finish behind first place Niedfeldt Residence.

“Having that win in the air just adds something completely different,” junior Simpson resident assistant Zachary Ponraj said. “We were up with alumni just telling stories and partying to 3 a.m. It’s just so much fun to have the win.”

Simpson, placing in four out of six competitions, finished with its second win in the past five years after an eight-year winning streak that ended in 2018. Niedfeldt Residence finished second, Off

Campus Coalition in third, Kappa Kappa Gamma in fourth, and New Dorm in fifth.

Niedfeldt established its dominance in Mock Rock with a second win in the past three years.

“Because you don’t know who the judges are going to be and what they’re looking for, you have to integrate really good choreo, good stunts, stories, images, all that and just do everything well,” junior and head RA Harrison Layman said. “That’s what we tried to do, and in the end it paid off.”

Layman said he saw the benefit of Mock Rock in the unity of the dorm as a whole.

“You have to trust each other,” Layman said. “It's very rewarding to see that come to fruition that pay off, it helps us trust in the future as well.”

According to junior and Simpson RA Paul Sri, he and senior Justin Peterson started planning stunts during the summer and finalized music and choreography in the weeks after the theme drop.

“All the guys I was working with were so bought in to the point that my vision becoming a practical reality happened extremely easily,” Sri said. “There’s some stunts I thought would take two practices to learn and we had them done in half an hour.”

The Simpson team practiced two hours per day for two weeks, with the 14-man stunt crew putting in an extra hour of practice almost every day.

“We work really hard to get it to crisp muscle memory,” Ponraj said. “Once we go out

on the stage, there’s not a lot of hiccups, a lot of things we’re thinking about because we’ve repped it out like hundreds of times at that point.”

According to sophomore and RA Jonathan Williams, Simpson wanted to win homecoming for the seniors who have been investing in the dorm community for the past four years.

“I think ultimately what gives Simpson that edge is the love we have for each other,” Williams said. “I think a lot of the freshmen and sophomores were trying to get our juniors and seniors a homecoming win. It wasn’t ‘I want to win this for myself.’ It was ‘I want my best friends and the people that I live with to have this, too.’”

A.J.'s serves power bowls Monday through Friday. Courtesy | h elen Foley

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Love and mercy: dealing with mental health

A few years ago, this fun thing started happening: I cried every day over my family members’ inevitable deaths.

Not shockingly, I was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder this May. After a trial round of medication and lots of consultation with my general physician, I’m feeling a lot better than I have in a long time.

I was scared to voice what I was going through around campus because, whenever I did, I was met with the typically well-meaning but rarely helpful solutions of incredibly healthy people. “Have you tried working out?” and

“I think you should pray on the matter,” became the bane of my existence. So, I shut up. I especially didn’t want to say anything once I got diagnosed. So many students here either operate like well-oiled machines or think self care is for the weak. One particular conversation I overheard outside of the Big Pharma CCA clued me into a sect of campus who think all mental illnesses are forms of demonic possessions.

I’m — hopefully — not possessed, but I am fed up. For people who spend this much time talking about the healing mercy of Jesus Christ,

we tend to self quarantine from people with the slightest perceivable defects. Our capacity for compassion regarding mental illness extends to homeless people who talk to themselves outside of the bank, and stop when faced with a suffering peer. I’m guilty of this in the extreme. Some of the worst things I’ve said in my whole life were about “crazy” friends who I turned on when they probably really needed someone on their side. I’ve paid for those actions in spades at this college. It’s a verifiable purgatory of people who jeer at you and pull you down because you’re trying to

get better in your own way. This isn’t to say I think everyone who feels sad should be in therapy or medicated — I’m just saying your 19-year-old roommate probably shouldn’t be your ultimate health authority… said the 21-year-old columnist you’re reading. Go to therapy. Talk to your doctor. I guess there’s a chance Big Pharma is tracking me through my Prozac intake, but I’m not crying everyday anymore, so I don’t care. You might not either.

Claire Gaudet is a senior studying rhetoric and journalism.

‘Kidfluencing’ is unnecessarily expository and harmful

By Catherine Maxwell Collegian Repo Rte R

Between the rise of child influencers and excited parents posting life updates, it’s hard to scroll far without running into an adorable face smiling from an Instagram post or a TikTok video. “Kidfluencer” is a large social media genre that makes millions of dollars. Popular Kidfluencer Ryan Kaji, for example, has made $35 million during his YouTube career despite being 11-years-old.

Most of the parents behind these accounts don’t realize the dangers of plastering their children’s faces all over the internet — and neither do the parents who only post fun vacation photos or life updates.

The rise of AI has added another threat to the challenges of child fame, social media addiction, and stalking.

If parents want to protect their children’s mental and physical health, they should keep them off of social media to protect their privacy and safety.

Privacy is the first concern.

Most child influencers don’t run their own accounts — their parents do. In some cases, the children aren’t aware that their pictures are online.

One mother told The Atlantic that she asks her daughter’s permission to take photos, but has not told the child about her Instagram account with 40,000 followers.

Children are far too young to make educated decisions

about whether they should be on social media. Parents should consider how they might be affecting their children’s future. Would the child be excited to have hundreds of photos online, or horrified? How would they feel about thousands of people watching them grow up while modeling outfits or acting “natural” for the camera? Instead of asking these questions, the parents often collect thousands of dollars per post.

It’s still an issue even if parents are only posting updates for friends and family, especially if their accounts are public. Just because a parent knows all of his or her followers doesn’t mean someone else can’t track down pictures of their child.

This lack of privacy causes safety concerns if parents aren’t cautious. The increase of AI has allowed for deep fakes of incredible accuracy, and some people use that technology to steal faces from the internet and turn them into unsavory images. While this problem affects adults as well as children, it’s an issue many parents might have never considered. Problems exist with innocent-seeming videos as well. AI can also be used to copy someone’s voice. Earlier this year, a mother fell victim to a kidnapping scam when the perpetrators cloned her daughter’s voice. According to a CNN article, scammers need less than a minute of audio to accurately clone voices. In a

statement about AI scammers, the Federal Trade Commission said most of that audio comes from social media posts.

There are some ways to mitigate issues if everyday parents — not parents of influencers — want to post about their children.

Some parents use fake names for their children when they talk about them online. One author I follow uses “Lord of the Rings”-themed names such as Halfling or Elevensies for her children. Others don’t show their children’s faces online — posts might include the back of their head, but nothing more. Still other parents only mention their children in the post’s caption without providing any details or images. Parents could also make their

entire account private and restrict followers to people they know in real life.

Of course, none of these strategies help the parents who have turned their children into lucrative influencers. For those parents, the only answer is to stop monetizing their children. They should let their children grow up in the quiet and privacy of their home without thousands of eyes waiting eagerly for another post.

The best way to solve these problems, however, is to keep children off of social media in the first place.

Catherine Maxwell is a sophomore studying history and journalism.

Away with long tables Make new friends at Saga’s long tables

By Zachary Chen Collegian FReelanCeR

Something is rotten in the state of the dining hall.

No, I’m not complaining about the food. The problem is more perennial; both Jesus and King Arthur have dealt with it. I refer to the question of tables and seating — I believe that we should get rid of the long tables near the piano to encourage higher-quality conversation.

The problem with the long tables may not be immediately obvious. Sure, they might be a bit rickety, but they seem to be serviceable enough. What gives? The issue with the long tables is the way in which they constrain — or overly encourage — student interactions.

Especially during lunch, the long tables serve as a melting pot of student groups — they’re a space where anyone can find a seat without being part of a party large enough to merit one of the round tables. This isn’t bad; in fact, I think it’s a good thing. The problem is the design of the long tables, not their function.

If you happen to be sitting between two other students, it will be difficult to speak with anyone not immediately in front of or next to you. This makes it difficult to sustain a large group conversation. If your party numbers more than six, odds are you will choose a long booth or one of the big round tables for the meal simply in order to hear one another.

Even if your party numbers six or fewer, the long tables are still not an ideal option. Students tend to leave a space

or so between themselves and their nearest trenchermates because it is rather awkward to sit right next to another group — especially one you may not know. This wastes space and makes it difficult to fill up the entire table — someone eating alone will probably not sit down directly between two chattering groups.

But this brings me to perhaps the most dangerous thing about the long tables — eating alone. On any given day walking through SAGA, you may find students eating while distracted by their phones or a book; though this happens in groups as well, solitary diners are particularly prone to it.

To my great chagrin, I fall into the latter category: just last week, I found myself behind on homework and decided to take Plutarch’s “Lives” on a lunch date. Space was limited, and I found myself at the long tables. A few minutes into my reading, I looked up from my Plutarch and pizza to see two girls sitting across from me. They’d come for a nice lunch time conversation together, and it was clear that I was infringing upon their freedom of discourse. We looked at each other awkwardly for a few moments. Shortly thereafter, I took Plutarch elsewhere.

Though the long tables make it difficult for large groups to hold conversations, the real problem is that they make it possible for students to be alone in the presence of others. Though there is certainly a time to be alone, that time is not mealtime — if you are sharing food by sitting at a table with others, the courteous and most human thing to do is strike

up a conversation with them. Whether it’s Instagram or — as in my deplorable case — a book, anything which keeps you from being present to others ought not be part of a meal.

So what do the long tables have to do with any of this, and what can we do about these problems?

I propose that we split the long tables up into blocks of two or three small tables each. This would allow about six to eight students to sit at each block, which would make quality group conversations easier. At the same time, the shorter tables would be inviting for groups with fewer diners; it’s easier for three students to sit down at a table for six than at one of the big round tables.

Smaller tables will also make it easier for individual students to be present to their tablemates. If you are sitting alone at a table with only six seats and a group sits down at your table, you have no choice but to interact with them, which is the purpose of sharing a meal at a common table.

Unfortunately, breaking up the long tables will not make every meal a perfect, profound conversation — the important thing, however, is that we make it easier for ourselves to form good habits of meal-sharing. Rearranging the dining hall could bring many benefits to the table — we should keep our tables short to make our meals sweeter.

Zachary Chen is a freshman studying the liberal arts.

By Gray Turner Collegian FReelanCeR

When I first visited Hillsdale in 2021, my tour guide emphasized the intentionality behind the iconic round tables in the dining hall. He talked about the deeper meaning behind the stylistic choice, and how it promoted equal discussion amongst peers and so on and so forth. Though I do agree that a round table provides better ease of conversation, and it's often easier to hear everyone seated at the table, I believe that long tables are better than any other table option Saga offers.

During the first two months of my freshman year, I spent a lot of meals sitting at different round tables, which were often filled with a medley of freshmen girls who had met once or twice during orientation weekend and all pretended like they remembered each other's names for the duration of the meal. I soon found, however, that a round table was not as inclusive or practical as they had once seemed. There is a fatal flaw to the round table’s design, which is disguised by its welcoming external appearance, and that is its lack of space.

As freshman year progressed and friendships began to settle in, my friends and I found ourselves looking for “our spot” that we could eat at everyday. That spot, whether we liked it or

not, became the long tables. At first, I was reluctant to sit at a long table. It felt almost distant from the rest of Saga, and all of the empty chairs were daunting. However, our group of new freshmen friends found that the abundance of seats allowed for more people to join, which allowed for us to meet new people and develop more intentional relationships with acquaintances.

Sophomore singer-songwriter and long table enthusiast Emma Church said, “the long table is a place for everyone.” Fellow sophomore Olyvia Overman said she agrees long tables are a great way to meet new people.

Part of the appeal that drew my friends and I to the long tables was the family-style environment. In contrast to having to cram chairs around a crowded round table, we found it much easier to sit shoulder to shoulder and across the table from each other rather than awkwardly being cramped together at a round table, where we would have to pull up extra seats or not have enough room for new people to join.

Sophomore Alysha Katterheinrich’s said her favorite thing about long tables is their openness.

“They really are so open,” Katterheinrich said. “They often look more open than a round table because anyone can come up and sit down. It creates that open atmosphere

for new friendships, and just feels so inviting.”

One of my favorite memories sitting at the long table was when we celebrated our friend Carissa Nisly’s birthday. Due to our busy academic schedules, we weren’t able to go out and celebrate her birthday off campus, so we decided to surprise her with a group dinner at the long table. We bought flowers for the table, brought in gifts and cards, and all sat in community together to celebrate her birthday with the time that we had.

“It was touching to walk into what was supposed to be a normal dinner to see flowers and my friends gathered in community,” Nisly said.

Memories like this are what makes the long tables special. Though they are often overlooked by students, and sometimes give the appearance of being a place to eat and study in isolation, the long table offers the unique opportunity to dine in community with a multitude of people.

Overall, whether you prefer to eat at round tables or long tables or booths, the Saga dining experience is frankly one that is unparalleled. However, if you have the chance, you should try out a long table, it could end up being your new favorite place in Saga.

Gray Turner is a sophomore studying the liberal arts.

A Professor’s Opinion

“What’s your best job-hunting advice?”

Roger Butters, Economics Michael Tripepi, Physics Daniel Kuehler, Music

“Start by becoming the best version of yourself. Be genuine. Be interested. Follow-up. Remember, interviewing is all about signaling potential productivity. The firm doesn’t want you; they want what you can produce.”

Compiled by Malia Thibado

Lee Cole, Philosophy Brita Stoneman, Rhetoric Charles Yost, History

“Don’t be ashamed to rely on your network of family and friends.

“Be open about the opportunities available, and don’t think every career path is straight forward. Your first job may lead in a direction you never expected. .”

“Find a trusted mentor in your desired career, someone who knows the field inside and out, who can guide your steps through job hunting, tailoring your resume/CV, and the interview process.”

“Don’t panic. If you spend your time in college learning to write well, you will not lack job opportunities”

“Have realistic expectations about the job you want versus your qualifications and experience. The Mr. Rogers’ “everyone is special” mentality won’t cut it: tailor your CV/resume in a way that helps you stand out appropriately while recognizing that rejection may be part of the hunt.”

Don’t listen to Louis Pasteur: drink raw milk

By Jonah Apel & Lauren Scott Collegian FreelanCer & City news editor

Raw milk is real milk.

In 1987, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a regulation that made the sale or distribution of raw milk illegal. Since then, many Americans have viewed raw milk in a negative light.

But humans have consumed raw milk for thousands of years. It became a problem only when industrialization disrupted the natural diet of cows.

“In rural America, milk and milk products were made primarily for home or local use,” according to the National Agricultural Library. “However, with the movement of population from the farms to the cities at the turn of the century, it became necessary to mass produce and improve the quality of milk.”

Before industrialization, raw milk came from local

cows with a grass-fed diet, the natural diet of cows. But when people moved to cities and brought their cows, many bad practices were adopted that weakened herd health. One such practice was feeding cattle a grain mash byproduct from liquor distilleries, also known as swills, according to the Public History PDX. This made many people sick and caused thousands of deaths.

Instead of providing cows in the city with a healthy diet to fix the problem of poor herd health and low-quality milk, pasteurization was introduced. Although people stopped getting sick from the milk they received from the unhealthy cows, pasteurization took away many of the health benefits of raw milk.

Raw milk contains many types of beneficial enzymes, yet these enzymes are inactivated by pasteurization. Commercial processing of milk, including pasteurization, denatures bioactive proteins and RNA mol-

ecules and alters bioavailability of fat-soluble components, according to the British Columbia Herdshare Association.

Pasteurization has also caused many people to be allergic to dairy products.

“Raw milk has a superior nutrient profile, whereas pasteurized milk has diminished nutrition with denatured proteins and fats,” according to Sarah Smith, vice president of the Raw Milk Institute and natural healthcare practitioner. “People who are lactose intolerant can often consume raw milk with no maldigestion, due to the presence of a variety of living bacteria which facilitate production of lactase enzymes in the intestines.”

One must distinguish between raw milk intended for pasteurization and raw milk carefully produced and intended for direct human consumption. Raw milk intended for human consumption primarily comes from local farms where cows have a healthy diet, mak-

ing the milk nutrient-dense. Cows that produce milk intended for pasteurization are often raised in confinement and are grain fed, causing the milk to be unhealthy and even containing pathogens.

Many people are concerned unpasteurized milk may make them sick. Especially, people ask, ‘Can’t raw milk give you tuberculosis?’ Although tuberculosis used to be a serious problem and dairy products were a common source of infection, the disease has since been eradicated from American cows.

In 1900, tuberculosis was the leading cause of death in the United States, and about 10% of tuberculosis cases resulted from exposure to infected cattle or cattle products. At the time, pasteurization certainly helped slow the spread of the disease, but since then, decades of disease control in cattle herds has essentially eradicated tuberculosis in American cows. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, peo-

ple who now acquire tuberculosis from cows “come from countries where the infection is prevalent in cattle and where they presumably acquired infection”—almost never in the U.S.

Although tuberculosis is no longer a problem for raw milk in the U.S., like any non-processed food, raw milk can become contaminated with pathogens that cause foodborne illnesses. Raw milk drinkers should make sure to get milk from a quality source, but the supposed dangers of raw milk have been extremely exaggerated.

CDC data suggests unpasteurized milk caused 37 outbreaks and 800 illnesses (primarily E. coli and salmonella) during 2000-2007. Since approximately 9.4 million people (3% of the population) drank unpasteurized milk in 2007, there was a 0.00106% chance of becoming ill from drinking unpasteurized milk during that period.

This number is about 10 times greater than pasteurized

milk but still unfathomably minuscule, and all kinds of foods carry risks of illness. Since 1972, there have been 82 deaths from pasteurized dairy products, but only two deaths from raw dairy products, and both related to products imported from foreign countries. Meanwhile, about one million people get sick from contaminated poultry every year, and between 2014 to 2021, a total of 78 foodborne disease outbreaks linked to leafy greens (mainly lettuce) led to 2,028 illnesses, 477 hospitalizations, and 18 deaths.

If you fear raw milk is too dangerous to drink, you’d have to give up lettuce too.

Jonah Apel is a senior studying politics.

Lauren Scott is a senior studying history and journalism.

You’re an adult, put down the carton of milk

By Joseph Sturdy Collegian FreelanCer

I heard perhaps the best rebuke of raw milk last semester after a classmate pitched its benefits to a professor. “But you are an adult human male,” said the professor. “Why do you still drink milk? You’re not a child.”

In this spirit, it is curious this has become such a spirited movement — but here we are.

You are an adult. You no longer need to be drinking cow’s milk regularly. Nonetheless, this fad has swept Hillsdale, and it has real downsides. So to that end, pasteurization is real and the purported miracle benefits of consuming raw milk are not worth the hassle or the risk.

Pasteurization is perhaps the soundest nutritional science practice in the country. Merely by heating and cooling our food products, we can kill dangerous bacteria that live in the food we eat. This process has allowed the United States and other developed nations to conquer diseases like tuberculosis, brucellosis, diphtheria, scarlet fever, and control bacteria like Salmonella, Listeria, Yersinia, Campylobacter, Staphylococcus aureus, and E. Coli. Outbreaks of these diseases used to kill hundreds of thousands of people worldwide and have since been relegated to minor outbreaks in developed nations.

Before a homesteader uses that to suggest we no longer

have anything to fear from dairy products, recent history shows us these diseases pop right back up when we cease pasteurization. In 2005, an E. Coli. outbreak in Washington state from raw milk sent five children to the hospital, two of whom were in critical condition.

“From 2013 through 2018, 75 outbreaks reported to CDC were linked to raw milk. These outbreaks included 675 illnesses and 98 hospitalizations,” according to a Center for Disease Control fact sheet on raw milk.

Milk is not worth dying for — it’s really not that good.

I can hear the rebuttal now: “My farmer has free-range, organic, grass-fed, non-GMO cows, and I hear that the bacteria makes it a good probiotic.”

The problem is that the harmful bacteria in unpasteurized food products are often not the result of poor conditions or mistreatment of animals. These disease-causing agents arise naturally.

Remember that nature is not what you see in the arboretum. Nature is often trying to kill you. What’s more, the good bacteria — probiotics — that do exist in raw milk can be obtained from safer foods, such as yogurt, which definitely will not end your life.

If you get your raw milk to pour over processed cereal, to bake into sweet pastries, or to sweeten your latte, then you have already undone any of the benefits that advocates claim raw milk has. It seems silly to

choose milk as your hill to die on when nutrition is so deeply broken generally.

You probably don’t need milk, period. Mind you, I am not a crunchy vegan — I am a Hillsdale College politics major who mostly does not care what you do. But the fact is that many of these vitalist men who chug milk to get gains are inadvertently harming themselves.

Milk, and all full-fat dairy products, contain large amounts of estrogens which can have negative effects on the body in a whole host of ways, according to reproductive epidemiologist Shanna Swan. These estrogens exist in all milk as a byproduct of lactation. Though many in the raw milk crowd would avoid soy and tofu for the disastrous

impact it can have on testosterone and sperm counts, they seem to ignore that high dairy intake is just as dangerous to the male body. The negative effects of high estrogen consumption harm women, too, by disrupting their natural hormone production. Pasteurized or not, highfat milk is flooding your body with estrogen. Why not just drink water?

Raw milk is like strawberry milk — it serves no purpose. Why put that in your body? Go eat a steak or something. You’re an adult.

Joseph Sturdy is a senior studying politics and French.

Satire: Male experts weigh in on makeup usage

By Nathan Stanish ad Manager

Should women wear makeup? Rather than ask the go-to sources on all things cosmetic — women — we consulted the proper experts: men.

Some may argue men are not qualified to make sweeping statements about women’s appearances. Men disagree, and history backs them up.

Men have been wearing makeup since 4,000 B.C., when the ancient Egyptians began using eyeliner and eyeshadow to accentuate their features. Many cultures developed the practice in other parts of the world, too, such as ancient China and Greece.

Many men also have strong ties to women, as the majority are sons of mothers, nephews of aunts, and brothers of sisters. Others, like freshman Josh

Underwood, consider women a powerful influence in their lives.

“Some of my favorite people are women, like my mom and my dog,” Underwood said.

Underwood went on to explain that he chooses to see past makeup.

“I don’t notice makeup on women,” Underwood said. “I’m makeup-blind.”

A different expert in makeup, homecoming king and senior Truman Kjos, suggested people should not look past makeup, but instead recognize it as blatant cultural appropriation.

“Makeup is something men should do more, and women should not do at all,” Kjos said.

“I’m disappointed with everything the radical left has done. They’ve tried to take everything from men, and I think makeup falls in that category. We need to reclaim it.”

Religious accounts differ on the issue of makeup.

On one hand, the book of Jeremiah offers little encouragement to women who wear makeup, saying, “O desolate one, what do you mean… that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain do you beautify yourself.”

On the other hand, evangelist Bob Jones Sr. advocated for a more needs-based approach to the application of makeup.

“If the barn door needs painting, paint it,” Jones said.

Junior Noah Schmidt, while acknowledging the differences in male opinions on makeup, offered a more philosophical angle.

“Maybe the real makeup is the friends we made along the way,” Schmidt said.

Nathan Stanish is a junior studying religion and journalism.

What Stanish might look like if he was wearing makeup. Claire Gaudet | Colle G ian

City News

Hillsdale couple arrested for U.S. Capitol riot charges

By Logan Washburn Associate Editor

The FBI arrested a Hillsdale couple for charges related to the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

“They were just there to peacefully protest, to exercise their First Amendment, petition their government, and voice their views,” the couple’s attorney Daren Wiseley said. Dustin and Karla Adams voluntarily surrendered to the FBI at the Gerald R. Ford Federal Building in Grand Rapids on Sept. 19, according to Wiseley.

A tipster reached out to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center to say the couple went inside the Capitol Building on Jan. 6, according to a criminal complaint filed Sept. 8 and published by the Hillsdale Daily News.

The FBI then launched an investigation, according to the criminal complaint, which uncovered photos and video from social media and security cameras that investigators claim show the couple in and

outside the Capitol during the riot.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Zia Faruqui issued an arrest warrant for the couple Sept. 8, according to court documents The Collegian obtained. Wiseley said the FBI called his office, then he called the federal prosecutor handling the case and set up a time for the couple to surrender.

After a pretrial in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan the day of the arrest, the couple was released without posting bond, according to Wiseley. The couple faced another hearing Tuesday.

U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves filed charges against the couple, according to court documents.

The couple is facing misdemeanor charges for breaking sections of United States Code that ban entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building, disorderly conduct in a capitol building or grounds, and parading,

demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building, Wiseley said.

“These charges are pretty much the boilerplate,” Wiseley said.

The charges could carry a

Scarecrows are coming to Hillsdale Friday the 13th

maximum penalty of one year in prison, according to Wiseley. He said he disputes the charges due to concerns over the First Amendment, due process, and an “ex post facto,” or after the fact, interpretation

of the law.

“They certainly were not engaged in any type of criminal activity up in Washington, D.C.,” Wiseley said. “They’re good people. I’ve never seen them do anything wrong.”

Investigators cited the couples’ social media activity and political comments, according to the criminal complaint. Karla Adams allegedly posted on Facebook about “arresting people” in Washington.

“Dustin and I will be going to D.C. Please keep us in your prayers,” she posted on Facebook, according to the criminal complaint. “The Hillsdale Republican Party will show up!! Politicians who got paid and don’t work we will replace every one of ya!!!”

The prosecution will likely claim the couple had an ulterior motive, Wiseley said.

“But I think that’s nonsense,” Wiseley said. “At the end of the day, it’s still their protected speech. You know, those are statements of opinion.”

Wiseley said the couple went to Washington with the

Hillsdale County Republican Party, which took two buses to the Jan. 6 rally.

Penny Swan, a former officer of the HCRP’s “America First” faction, said she watched the buses depart.

“I saw their ways and resigned as an officer, and walked away from that faction of the Republican Party,” Swan said. “Believe the election was stolen or not, I think if you cross police lines there should be consequences, and it’s time to let the courts work this all out.”

Great Gatsby raffle event will raise money for new mural

By Lauren Scott City News Editor

The Hillsdale Heritage Association is hosting a Great Gatsby raffle fundraiser to raise money for a new mural in downtown Hillsdale.

The event is from 6 to 10 p.m. on Sept. 30 at the Dawn Theater.

Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at Fetched Dog Grooming located at 31 N. Broad St.

three-panel mural in downtown Hillsdale, painted by local artist David Youngman, Sexton said. The mural will be painted on aluminum panels and located behind Hillsdale City Hall.

dale County Fair two years in a row.

“The first set is going to be authentic to the time period,” Hemingway said. “There’s going to be dancing, so it’d be a good idea to practice and look up some things on YouTube like how to do the Charleston.”

Green said the space is perfect for this event since the theater was built in 1919.

“I really think the community will enjoy this event,” she said.

By Olivia Hajicek Science and Tech Editor

The Dawn Theater, Hillsdale Brewing Company, and Here’s to You Pub & Grub are working together to put on Hillsdale’s first Scarecrow Fest.

The event will take place Friday, Oct. 13 from 5 to 8 p.m.

Gianna Green, general manager of the Dawn Theater, said she and some other friends who own businesses in town wanted to do something to celebrate fall. It began with the idea for local businesses to decorate scarecrows and display them in front of their storefronts for October.

Then they decided to expand it into a downtown party.

“We used to have our little fall festival in downtown Hillsdale and that went by the wayside, and it was a lot of fun, but it was also a lot of work,” Pub & Grub co-owner Kevin Conant said. “We were just trying to make something fun a little more simplistic.”

Green said the party will shut down a section of North Howell Street.

“We have the downtown social district, so you can buy alcohol from established retailers and walk around with it in the social district,” Green said. “We’re going to have live music

on the point right by the jewelry shop.”

Russ Kendrick Martin, a Michigan-based songwriter, will be performing for the event.

Other local businesses have joined in, Green said. Smith’s Flowers is providing pumpkins for a paint-a-pumpkin activity, while Hillsdale Craft Supply is providing paint.

Hillsdale Jewelers and the Filling Station will also be participating.

Some downtown businesses will be part of a scarecrow scavenger hunt. People can get a map from a participating business, and when they find the scarecrow in that business, an employee will initial their map. Completed maps can be turned in for prizes.

Green said there will also be games out on the sidewalk, including cornhole and sidewalk chalk.

“It’s really going to be fun for all ages,” Green said.

The event will incorporate Hillsdale’s newly-established social district, which will allow participants who are of age to walk through the festival with alcohol from local bars.

“What you could do is buy a drink from the pub and walk around and enjoy the games and sample the food, do the

scavenger hunt, all with a drink in your hand — if you’re of age, of course,” Green said.

Felicia Finch, co-owner of Hillsdale Brewing Company, said she is looking forward to bringing the social district and businesses together for a fun night for the community. She said she hopes the festival will start the process of more festivals and events coming to Hillsdale.

Green said she, Finch, and Conant are trying to help downtown be more active, serve the community better, inspire economic development, and help local businesses.

“We all have our own businesses down here and we all want to see each other succeed,” Green said. “Especially in a small town, small businesses can’t stand alone. We have to stand together so that’s kind of what we’re doing, and also in a way of serving each other, we’re serving our community.”

Green said she is excited to be a bustling downtown.

“We’ll just have a nice evening in town where the community can just get together and celebrate fall and enjoy our beautiful downtown,” she said.

The event is Roaring ’20s themed and people are encouraged to dress with the time period. Connie Sexton, a heritage association board member, said there will be awards for the best dressed flapper for women and best dressed “gangsta” for men.

“The attire is 1920s, so think flapper dresses and pinstripe suits but realistically, it’s a fun night to get dressed up in whatever you’ve got and come support our community,” said Gianna Green, general manager at the Dawn Theater.

The money raised at the event will help fund a new

The first place raffle prize winner will receive $1,000, second place $500, and third place $250, according to Sexton.

Starting at 7:45 p.m., local singer and owner of Fetched Dog Grooming Heather “Elaine” Hemingway will sing 1920s music. At 9 p.m., she will sing 1950s and ’60s music. Hemingway won first place in singing at the Hills-

Hemingway said the type of music she will be singing is from the time period where music first started to be recorded.

“I really get to ham it up for everybody,” she said.

Sexton said the mural, which will depict trains coming to Hillsdale, will cost about $15,000. She said she expects the mural to be complete by summer 2024. The heritage association was also responsible for the “Welcome to Historic Hillsdale” sign in downtown Hillsdale, according to Sexton.

“They certainly were not engaged in any type of criminal activity up in Washington”

The FBI found evidence that allegedly shows the couple inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6

“The attire is 1920s, so think flapper dresses and pinstripe suits”

The Heritage Association is responsible for the sign in downtown Hillsdale. Courtesy | Facebook

The community is encouraged to attend the scarecrow fest. Courtesy | Facebook

Dustin and Karla Adams took a bus to the rally. Courtesy | Facebook

Hillsdale

conservation

to host workshop on honey processing

By Erin Osborne Collegian Reporter

The Hillsdale Conservation District will host a tour of J & D’s Honeybees on Oct. 5 from 4:30 to 7 p.m.

J & D’s Honeybees is located at 1791 E. Litchfield Road, Jonesville.

The tour is part of a series of events run by the district to increase awareness of local farms and environmental projects, said Allison Grimm, a Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program technician for the Hillsdale Conservation District.

“This year, the Hillsdale Conservation District featured tours on maple syrup, pastured poultry, and forestry management,” Grimm said. “We also did an event on nutrient management, which is held every year in August.”

The events are free, but registration is required through the HCD.

“The idea of this workshop is to learn about extracting, processing, and bottling honey,” Grimm said. “Our smaller tours like this allow a very hands-on, personal experience about the topic or on the farm.”

The tour is coordinated by the HCD and facilitated through the farm.

“We try to focus on farms that are environmentally verified in the county, as well as topics that are small-scale that people would like to learn about,” Grimm said.

Mother of the mayor paints murals

Local artist invites the community to view his work, eat refreshments

By Elizabeth Crawford Assistant Editor

Hillsdale residents are invited to look at art and drink wine.

Local artist John Castellese will display 20 pieces of representational landscape artwork from 12 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 7 at Studio 42, located in the same building as Rough Draft.

By Lauren Scott City News Editor

Sheri Ingles, Mayor Adam Stockford’s mother, painted two river barriers above the St. Joseph River on Union Street earlier this month.

“I walk by the barriers every day,” Ingles said. “I just wanted to do something in my neighborhood.”

Ingles said after she consulted with City Manager David Mackie and Director the Department of Public Services Jason Blake, she submitted a volunteer waiver and received permission to paint the barriers.

“They were glad to approve them and it was such an easy process,” Ingles said.

Ingles painted the sun on one barrier and the moon on the other, which are near the coffee shop Rough Draft.

Ingles said she hopes to paint more barriers in the city and is waiting on the final clearance to paint the barriers on Oak Street in October.

“Hopefully some other groups will step up and do some, so everyone can be part of lifting up the community and making it look better and happy,” she said.

Stockford said he enjoys seeing his mom’s art work, whether that be in her home

or throughout the city.

“She’s very artistic and just wants to beautify her community,” he said.

Stockford said his mother owns Glass Act Studio, a repurposed glass studio.

The studio is located at 3273 W. Carleton Road, and Ingles said she is just now getting it up and running.

“I‘ll be teaching fused-glass classes there,” she said. “It‘s a very fun process and, and I‘m hoping to teach others because the fuse classes are something both children and adults can do.”

Heather Tritchka ’98 said she helped paint the river barriers throughout Hillsdale with

St. Anthony’s church youth volunteers. She said she noticed it was time to repaint them, but someone else did it before she could.

“I was very happy to see another community member jump in and clean them up and do some painting,” she said. “She did a great job.”

Senior Alexandra Gess said she walked by the barriers and thought they looked cool.

“It made me happy to see them,” she said. Ingles said she hopes her artwork on the river barriers makes people smile.

“I am very thankful to the city for allowing me the opportunity,” Ingles said.

The event, hosted by ArtWorks of Hillsdale County, will include a free wine tasting and hors d‘oeuvres, according to fellow board member Connie Sexton.

The collection, “Nature’s Way,” contains representational paintings of Michigan landscapes and seascapes from the East and West Coasts. Some of the more famous seascapes include Laguna Beach and Martha’s Vineyard, according to Castellese. The paintings will be for sale.

Representational paintings are realistic paintings that attempt to capture the essence of nature, according to ArtWorks’ Facebook page.

“This is a way to give back to him and to honor him for all the work he’s done,” Sexton said.

In addition to the art exhibit, a train from the Fort Wayne Historical Society will be visiting Hillsdale the same day.

“The Indiana Fall Color steam engine passenger trains will be stopping in Hillsdale late morning and remaining for the afternoon just steps away from Studio 42,” the Heritage Association of Hillsdale’s Facebook page states.

“When the train comes to Hillsdale, we try to do certain things to entertain our guests,” Sexton said.

J & D’s Honeybees farm owner Jesse Erwin said his wife, Ashley, will show the process of creaming honey while he takes smaller groups of people to tour the facilities.

“I will take groups of four to eight people to watch the honey extraction process,” Erwin said. “The extractor spins 33 frames to remove the honey, after which it settles. Then it is heated to be strained and taken to the bottling room.”

Attendants will receive samples from the farm including creamed honey with local apples, according to Erwin.

The Erwins make several types of creamed honey, including regular creamed honey as well as flavored creamed honey, such as lemon and cinnamon, that tour attendants can try.

J & D’s Honeybees was originally owned by Erwin’s parents, and Erwin now uses their barn, modeling room, and storage room for his own honey production and processing. He maintains 100 honeybees throughout Hillsdale County.

The HCD was founded after the Dust Bowl and is approaching its 80th anniversary, according to Grimm.

Those interested can register for the tour by emailing hillsdalecd@macd.org.

Taking steps to get better: suicide prevention walk to take place Sunday

By Jamie Parsons Collegian Reporter

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is hosting a suicide prevention walk in Hillsdale County for the first time on Oct. 1.

The walk is designed to give people courage to open up about their struggles with mental health and to cultivate communities that are smarter about mental health, according to the nonprofit’s website.

The walk will be located at the Hillsdale American Legion Post 53. Check-in time is at 10:30 a.m. and the walk will begin at 1 p.m.

Established in 1984, AFSP is a voluntary health organization that seeks to provide those who have been affected by suicide a community empowered by research, education, and advocacy, and a community that takes action

to promote mental health, according to its website. Its mission is to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide.

“More people need to know they are not alone in their mental health battles,” said AFSP volunteer and Hillsdale Walk Chair Shannon Horn.

AFSP began hosting suicide prevention walks when it implemented the Out Of The Darkness Community Walks program in 2004, according to its website. The community walks are held across the country, occurring annually in each location in order to reach out to those struggling and to shed light on the issue in the community.

“I think the walk will be beneficial because it will raise awareness to people who don‘t know that mental health issues are happening,” sophomore Rotem Andegeko said.

Director of Health Services Brock Lutz said it is good for the community to see people advocating for mental health resources.

“For college students, it‘s a good thing to see that people have really been impacted by these things,” Lutz said.

Horn expressed her enthusiasm for the walk by saying it is a great way to introduce Hillsdale to the AFSP. The foundation benefits the lives of those affected by suicide by providing a community at AFSP as well as where they live, she said.

“These walks are designed to create a safe space,” Horn said. “In the short time I have volunteered there, I have connected with so many people.”

Lutz agreed.

“It is a good way to bring people together,” he said. “It’s a sign of kindness and charity. It’s a good thing for people to be a part of.”

Horn said the reason there has never been a community walk in Hillsdale is because each walk has to be 50 to 55 miles apart from another. In previous years, Branch County, 32 miles west of Hillsdale County, hosted walks and made Hillsdale ineligible to hold its own. This year, Branch County is not hosting one, giving Hillsdale County an opportunity.

Horn said he is glad the walk is happening in Hillsdale because the county lacks mental health resources.

Horn said teen mental health is especially in need of more help.

“Suicide happens no matter where you are, mental health is everywhere no matter where you are,” Andegeko said. “It‘s important that people who are feeling off know that there are people here for them.”

Castellese said he gets inspiration for his artwork from his travels throughout the year.

“Whenever I get an idea that comes into my head, I start working on something,” Castellese said. “I go back to my reference material because I take photos wherever I go.”

Castellese said he preferred using acrylics, which made it easier to capture details without brushstrokes.

“I’ve been doing art since I was 5 years old,” Castellese said. “I started painting seriously around 40 years ago. I started with oils, and then gradually switched to acrylics — I just found it a better style for my particular work, as I focus mainly on realism.”

Castellese said he hopes his artwork reminds people of places they’ve seen in nature, and he encouraged young artists to keep practicing.

“Just stick with it, don’t give up on it,” Castellese said. “It can be done, if you’ve got a little bit of talent.”

Sheri Ingles hopes members of the community will help paint future projects.

Courtesy | Facebook

The newly-painted river barriers are near the coffee shop Rough Draft. Courtesy | Facebook

“This is a way to give back and to honor him for all the work he’s done”

“We also did an event on nutrient management”

Neal Brady reaches 250 th win with Academy soccer

“We work closely with the police department,” Brady said. “It is our responsibility to do justice as we see fit. The police build the cases and, if we see fit, we follow those cases through to conviction.”

After graduating from college and before moving to Hillsdale, Brady seized the opportunity to play in adult club soccer leagues. With the introduction of more readily available sources like the internet, his passion, knowledge, and interest in the game increased.

“I would say my soccer IQ has increased exponentially in the past 20 years; especially in the last fifteen years,” Brady said.

Brady began coaching at Hillsdale Academy in 2000.

testament to Brady’s character.

“He’s always been a great coach. He knows the X’s and the O’s, but I think he’s equally a leader of men,” Neveau said. “The boys benefit from being around his character as much as they benefit from his passion and intellect.”

Sophomore Jake Waldvogel, a goalkeeper for the Hillsdale College club soccer team, played high school soccer under Brady.

“In terms of passion for the game, he’s got it. I think he recognizes that knowledge can’t go all the way,” Waldvogel said. “He runs the team as a process.”

Brady said he enforces the fundamentals.

By Ty Ruddy Collegian Reporter

The Hillsdale Academy soccer team’s victory over Bronson High School Sept. 7 marked Neal Brady’s 250th win as the head coach at the academy.

Brady said he took an interesting road to the top of the Chargers soccer program.

“The start to my soccer career was unconventional,” Brady said. “In high school I was more interested in other

Opinion

sports: football, baseball, and wrestling were my favorites.”

His freshman year of college wrought a shoulder injury, “I was forced to quit all sports which require contact to the shoulder area,” Brady said. “Soccer, obviously, does not.”

Brady said after he walked onto the team as a freshman, a combination of devotion and athleticism earned him a starting spot. He played all four years at Alma College,

mostly picking up what he had missed in high school by watching others.

“YouTube and the internet did not exist when I started,” Brady said. “At first, I learned most of what I knew by watching and reading.”

Immediately upon completing his undergraduate degree at Alma, Brady enrolled in Cooley Law School, now Western Michigan University Law School. He simultaneously enrolled at Lansing Community College to play

soccer. Since it was a club team, NCAA eligibility restrictions did not apply. Brady’s law diploma sent him to Jackson County before Hillsdale County to clerk for a judge as he studied to pass the bar. After passing the bar, Brady secured a job as an assistant prosecutor from 1990-93. When he moved to Hillsdale County in 1994, he assumed the same role, and in 1996 he became the head prosecutor.

His teams have won eleven conference championships, five Michigan High School Athletic Association District Championships, and fourteen county cup championships, the prize of a tournament held annually for schools in Hillsdale County. He has also been named both district and regional coach of the year by the Michigan High School Soccer Coaches Association.

According to Nathan Neveau, athletic director at Hillsdale Academy, recognition from the MHSSCA is a

“Younger players practice footwork thousands of times over so that, when they mature, it’s second nature and they play freely and smart,” Brady said.

Waldvogel said Brady is a wise man who has a few mantras.

“One encapsulates his whole philosophy,” Waldvogel said. “Chase perfection, catch excellence.”

The NFL overtime rules need an overhaul

By Alex Deimel Assistant Editor

The NFL’s overtime regulations should be a thing of the past, and a new system to determine the outcome of an NFL game tied after the first four quarters is long overdue. The list of issues the NFL has yet to deal with as an organization seems to get more and more agonizing for its fanbase each year. The issue at the top of that list is the league's rules for overtime. It’s a system that has frustrated fans of teams all over the league — most recently Detroit Lions fans — and should have changed a long time ago. Lions fans had the unfortunate pleasure of watching their team lose to the Seattle Seahawks last week, without quarterback Jared Goff getting a chance to win the game for his team.

Shotgun

Each overtime period begins with a coin toss to decide which team will receive the ball to start the 10-minute extra period, according to the NFL’s website. Each game in the NFL also starts with a coin toss to determine the same conditions.

The biggest issue with having this coin toss is that if the team with the ball first scores a touchdown on its drive, the game is over. If the team with possession of the football does not score a touchdown on its first drive, only then is the opposing team allowed a shot to either tie with a field goal — assuming that’s how their opponent ended their first drive — or win with a touchdown.

Imagine you are fighting in a boxing match, but your opponent is allowed to throw 10 punches at you without any retaliation. The only thing you can do is block the

punches. That is not exactly what one would call a fair fight.

What makes this rule even worse is that it does not just apply to regular season games but playoffs as well. One very controversial playoff game that ended in overtime was the 2022 AFC Divisional round match between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills.

After fighting against a very talented Chiefs team, the high-power Bills offense tied the game with a late touchdown in the fourth quarter. However, the Bills were not given a chance to put its offense on the field since the Chiefs won a 50/50 coin toss, giving them the chance to drive down and score a touchdown on their first drive. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes would lead Kansas City down to score the game winning

touchdown, preventing Bills quarterback Josh Allen from ever getting a chance to tie or win the game.

Many football fans have their own opinions on whether they prefer the NFL to collegiate football or vice versa. Nevertheless, this

is one area where the NFL could learn from the NCAA rules on overtime. Allowing each team the opportunity to score leaves little room for teams — or fans — to complain when their team ultimately loses in overtime.

This should be common sense to the NFL and its commissioner Roger Goodell, but if the past is any indication, common sense will have little to no effect on the rules of the game.

Chargers win HOA at Spartan Series Final Stop

By Carly Moran Assistant Editor

The Hillsdale shotgun team took first overall in both the sporting clays and five-stand events in the Spartan Series Final Stop at the Detroit Gun Club Sept. 23.

This was the team’s final National Sporting Clays Association event before collegiate competitions begin in October.

The Spartan Series Final Stop hosted 82 competitors of all ages. Sophomore Jordan Sapp won highest overall in sporting clays with a score of 99/100 broken targets, while freshman Luke Johnson won highest overall in five-stand with a score of 49/50.

“We've been spending most of the semester working on sporting clays stuff, so it's good to see it paying

off,” head coach Jordan Hintz said.

Junior Josh Corbin placed third in the A class for sporting clays with a score of 96/100. Seniors William Stuart and Jessica Strasser tied for first in the B class with scores of 93/100, earning Strasser the title of highest overall lady competitor. Sophomore Leif Andersen followed with a score of 91/100, placing him in third for the B Class.

Johnson placed second in the C class with 89/100, and freshman Ava Downs took third and earned second highest overall lady, tying with senior Jackson Sokel at 88/100. Freshman Alex Hoffman took first overall in the D Class with 78/100 broken targets.

“The best part of the competition was shooting with my teammates,” Strasser

said. “I really enjoyed competing with the freshman team members, and I was impressed by their performance as well. It was a lot of fun to watch Jordan compete this weekend too.”

Strasser says some of the team’s success comes from implementing new strategies.

“Prior to the shoot this weekend, I had been working on some new shooting techniques in practice, and I was able to implement them in competition,” Strasser said. “I was impressed with my shooting this week, and it is finally starting to feel like my technical practice is paying off.”

Multiple team members said the well-maintained grounds of the gun club made the shoot more enjoyable.

“This was my first time at the Detroit Gun Club,

and they have a nice sporting clays course,” freshman Madeline Corbin said. “The weather was really perfect for a day outside.”

Junior Gavin Drill emphasized the tournament managers’ hospitality.

“Detroit Gun Club is a great host,” Drill said. “They have many shoots throughout the year, so we’re able to attend three or four of them throughout the fall and spring. They always seem happy to have us and are very inviting.”

In five-stand, Johnson took first in the C Class with 49/50 broken clays. Josh followed with a second-place score in the master class, breaking 47/50 clays. Madeline also broke 47/50 clays, earning her first place in the AA class and the highest overall lady in the event. Sapp

won first in the A Class with a 47/50, and senior Ida Brown followed with a 44/50, earning third highest overall lady.

Stuart placed third in the B Class with 45/50, tying with juniors Kyle Fleck and Jonathan Calabrese. Sophomore Davis Hay placed second in the C Class with a 46/50, and Sokel took third with 45/50. Hoffman earned first in the D class with a 41/50.

“Starting out seemed to be the toughest part for the entire team,” Drill said. “My squad in particular had a tough time during the beginning, but we pulled it together as we went on. Our mentality and team dynamic changed as we shot the middle of the round, and our scores dramatically improved.”

Brown said continual improvement is important for both individuals and the

team. “Overall it was a fun shoot to attend,” Brown said. “I shot very consistently in both events, however I don't feel like I did exceptionally well in either of them. I’m looking forward to our next couple matches. I'm really working on maintaining my focus through the whole 100 targets.”

Drill said he thinks the team is at its peak performance so far.

“I’m feeling very confident in myself and the team going into the collegiate shoots this fall,” Drill said. “We have been practicing a lot of sporting clays, which will help us gain the advantage over other teams. I think the team is ready to perform at its highest level since I’ve been here, and it will be exciting to see what we can accomplish.”

Neal Brady is the head prosecutor for Hillsdale County. Courtesy | Yahoo Sports

Tyler Lockett scores the game-winning touchdown over the Detroit Lions. Courtesy | The Seattle Times

Women's XC

Wamsley finishes first, Chargers take second in Lansing

By Cassandra DeVries Collegian Reporter

The Hillsdale women’s cross country team took second place at the Lansing Invitational 5k at Grand Woods Park Sept. 22. Senior Liz Wamsley won the race, taking her third victory in as many meets this season.

The Davenport University Panthers won the meet with 43 points followed by Hillsdale with 51 points. Spring Arbor University came in third with 111 points, and the next 11 teams lagged behind with well over 100 points.

Wamsley, an All-American in both indoor and outdoor track, as well as cross country in the 2022-23 season, completed the course with an 18:33.5 minute time — almost 30 seconds before the next contestant. She previously won the Diemer Classic and Warrior Challenge.

“In the upcoming meet, there's going to be a lot more competition, so it won't be quite as easy to secure a win,” Wamsley said. “But it's nice to have a bit of that success at the beginning of the season for sure. We're at a good place right now.”

Three of Hillsdale’s freshmen placed in the meet: Savannah Fraley finished in 19:20.5 minutes in sixth place, Megan Roberts finished in 20:17.2 minutes in 19th place, and Eleanor Clark finished in 20:19.8 minutes in 22nd place.

“I think every meet we're just going to keep improving a lot as we gain experience,”

Fraley said. “It's weird in college that you keep switching distances; it throws you off a little bit, but we’re getting into the rhythm of just adapting and being flexible.”

Senior Vera Thompson came in 25th place with a 20:24.4 minute time, and junior Brynn Edison placed 29th in 20:31.9 minutes.

Wamsley described the track as scenic with long stretches through narrow woods trails.

“They had like a whole section that was maybe a mile long and just like a dirt trail through the woods a couple feet wide,” Wamsley said. “It was gorgeous, definitely one of the more pretty courses that I've been on.”

Roberts said the dirt trails changed the team’s racing strategy from conserving en-

ergy and pacing themselves to starting out strong and getting ahead of the competition early.

“Through the woods on the tighter trails, we run more aggressively and try to get out ahead in the top end of the race instead of racing from the back,” Roberts said. “Then you don't have to maneuver your way around people and expend all that unnecessary energy.”

The Charger’s victory

comes after the team competed in all of the homecoming events together.

“Running in the meets and running everyday together binds you,” Wamsey said. “It's just nice to do something that's not the same kind of stress as competing at a meet.”

Roberts agreed that competing in homecoming brought the team closer together.

“We’re kind of like a lit-

tle family, and homecoming was just a great kind of team bonding,” Roberts said.

After a week off from meets to recover and regroup, the Chargers will compete in the Lewis Crossover in Romeoville, Illinois, Oct. 7 against some of the top teams in the NCAA DII such as Ferris State University and Grand Valley State University, before competing in the G-MAC Championships at the end of October.

Charger chatter

Alli Wiese, VolleybAll

If the Hillsdale team could play a game anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I would like to go to Europe. Volleyball is so different there.

What's your favorite study spot?

A classroom in Lane.

I love to write on the whiteboards.

Do you prefer beach or court volleyball?

Beach volleyball is super fun, but I prefer indoor volleyball so much better. It’s more strategic and team-oriented rather than just two-person beach volleyball.

What's a new facility Hillsdale should build?

Another dining hall.

If you could add one color to Hillsdale's colors, what would it be?

Baby blue because I think it would complement the navy blue very well.

If you could have dinner with a celebrity, who would it be?

Blake Lively.

What's your favorite SAB event?

Either Chick-Fil-A and Chick Flicks or Central Hallapalooza. I LOVE Chick-Fil-A, but I like that the entire school attends CHP.

Courtesy | Hillsdale College atHletiC department

Compiled by Jacob Beckwith

Senior Liz Wamsley led the Chargers to second place in Lansing. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Athletic Department

Charger

Football

By Micah Hart

Political Correspondent

After being held scoreless in the first three quarters of their first home game of the season, the Hillsdale Chargers football team exploded for three touchdowns in the fourth quarter but failed to catch up to their G-MAC rival, the University of Findlay Oilers, losing 31-21 in their Sept. 23 homecoming game.

“We didn't play a full 60-minute game. I think we've yet to play our best football, and once we figure out how we're going to do that, I think we're going to be a very good team,” senior tailback Mike Herzog said. “It just comes down to making more plays. I need to make more plays. Everyone on the team needs to make more plays. If we do that, we'll be able to get a win.”

Head coach Keith Otterbein said the team played hard for the whole game.

“We had our backs against the wall and didn't quit,” Otterbein said. “I think that shows a lot of heart and a lot of character on our players' parts.”

In the fourth quarter alone, senior quarterback Garrit Aissen threw for 113 yards, connecting on eight of the 11 throws, and ran in for a one-yard touchdown. Herzog added a touchdown to his record, with a four-yard run. With 44 seconds remaining, Aissen threw a 40-yard pass to freshman wide receiver Shea Ruddy, who picked up his first Charger touchdown.

Ruddy said he was excited about the touchdown and the team’s future.

“I think we just gotta keep doing the same thing,” Ruddy said. Aissen said one of the team’s issues is consistency.

“We played a great fourth quarter,” Aissen said. “A cou-

Volleyball

ple things didn’t go our way early on.”

Otterbein said he talked with the team about preparing and thinking about the outcomes moving forward.

“I kind of related to the frontiersmen, where in order to get ahead, they had to chop wood, carry water,” he said.

“The process is the same.

We've got to go through our practice routine. We've got to learn the game plan. We've got to work on our fundamentals. Then we have to make plays and play better on Saturdays to win games, but there's no magic words. There's no magic schemes. It really comes down to doing a better job in executing and

performing at a high level, a higher level on game day.”

The Chargers will play at home Sept. 30 against Northwood University, whom they beat 41-7 last season, and will then go on the road the following week to play another G-MAC rival, Tiffin University.

By Alex Deimel Assistant Editor

The Hillsdale volleyball team took its tenth straight match over its new G-MAC rival, the Thomas More University Saints in the Sept. 23 homecoming game, giving the Chargers back-to-back matches without losing a single set.

After taking the first set 25-19, the Chargers went down 7-1 to begin the second set. But Hillsdale went on a 7-point winning streak, taking back the lead. The Chargers held the lead in the first set until the Saints tied it at 22 points, but junior Lauren Passaglia and freshman Greta Wise sealed the set for the team with a kill each.

The Chargers went on to win the third set with more ease, only allowing Thomas More to score 15 points in the set, and securing a Hillsdale victory.

“We enjoyed playing at home for homecoming in front of a record-setting crowd of 963 fans,” assistant coach Allyssa Van Wienen said. “That was a crowd players dream about playing in front of. One of the things we have been working on

this season is ‘star plays.’ You earn a star play when you make a great play after an error, so the emphasis is on getting back to our high level of play as soon as possible.”

Senior Maizie Brown led the Chargers offensively, and she finished the day with seven kills and two blocks, despite playing in just two of the three sets. Brown’s is second in the G-MAC with a hitting percentage of .394, right below Northwood University’s Sydney Hasenfratz at .462.

Junior Marilyn Popplewell and sophomore Emory Braswell also contributed offensively for the Chargers with six kills each. Braswell had an additional

the day, that's what it's going to take, and that's what we're gonna be able to do on Saturday.”

eight digs during the match. Junior libero Alli Wiese had 23 digs of her own, leading the Chargers on the day and ranking her third in career digs for the Chargers with 1,882, while her sister, Taylor ’19, maintains the all-time record of 2,251 career digs.

“I am just so excited about the turnout last week for our games,” Wiese said.

“The support the SAB and the entire school showed to our team meant so much.”

Saturday’s win pushed the Chargers to 11-2, preserving their flawless 5-0 conference record. They will face four different conference rivals to end the regular season before the conference tournament, beginning with the Lake Erie College Storm Sept. 29 and the Ursuline College Arrows Sept. 30. The Chargers and the Walsh University Cavaliers remain the only undefeated teams in conference play at this point, and will have a chance to compete for first place in the North Division at Walsh Oct. 1.

Chargers keep winning streak with sweep of Saints

Junior Lauren Passaglia had four kills against Thomas More University.

Courtesy | Isabella Sheehan

“The support the SAB and the entire school showed to our team meant so much.”

C U L T U R E

Escape from the intellectual: Folk music community provides sanctuary of song

By Adriana Azarian collegian RepoRteR

Spontaneity and a love for folk music cause students to gather occasionally for live music nights featuring fiddles, mandolins, and a chorus of voices.

Two years ago, students began hosting folk music nights at Burt, an off-campus house. Seniors Helen Schlueter, Marie-Therese Romanos, Rosemary Surdyke, junior Gregory Whalen, and Leo Schlueter ’22 started the tradition, which now happens at the off-campus house West Wing.

According to Helen Schlueter, the music nights feature a mixture of songs from folk, bluegrass, and other related genres. Students sing together as one group, in small groups, or perform solos around a fire.

“One of the things I love about Hillsdale is the music culture that we have here, and I love the fact that there are so many different students who are able to join us with so many different musical projects,” she said.

With a background in piano and violin, Helen Schlueter also performs bluegrass music with her family members, including her brother sophomore Emil Schlueter.

Though folk and bluegrass are similar genres, they are distinct in cultural origin and have different focuses, according to Emil Schlueter.

“Bluegrass definitely features a certain playing style,

whereas folk is much more lyric-centered,” he said. “A lot of bluegrass songs, even if they do concern serious things, are pretty lighthearted.”

He said genres like folk and

of bandwidth for incorporating a lot of different skill levels and musical instruments in one giant project.”

Surdyke, one of the music night founders, said she listened

to bluegrass in high school, but her friends at Hillsdale first exposed her to folk music.

“With folk music there’s so much improv and freedom,” Surdyke said. “With there be-

ing so many people who are so talented here, it’s appealing because you might not be trained in it, but if you know how to play your instrument and want to play with friends, this

together it works.”

Some of the popular folk groups that Hillsdale students enjoy and cover are the Turnpike Troubadours, the Wailin’ Jennys, Chatham Rabbits, the Great Whiskey Project, the SteelDrivers, and Mandolin Orange.

Sophomore Brian Curtin attends music nights and has performed his banjo at the Grotto, the off-campus house for St. Anthony Catholic Church’s student ministry. Curtin started playing Irish folk music as a child, starting with the tin whistle and then learning the banjo when he was in the seventh grade.

Curtin said the simplicity of folk music is a break from the complex classical music he also performs.

bluegrass evolve as different groups and artists add their own style to them over the years.

“A lot of this music is grassroots, so it’s more conducive to throwing other instruments and voices in, and you can be creative with it, whereas with pop, I think it’s a lot more rigid,” Schlueter said.

Helen Schlueter agreed and said that folk music is flexible.

“I don’t think we’ve ever played a folk song exactly the same,” she said. “It’s very amenable to people throwing in whatever basic talents they have, and it has a lot

genre of music gives you the freedom to do that.”

Some favorite songs for students who attend music nights include “Man of Constant Sorrow,” “Parting Glass,” and “Red is the Rose.” Students improvise the music, bringing their guitars, violins, banjos, and mandolins, with singers adding harmonies wherever fitting.

“The more instruments you have, the better,” Surdyke said. “We can have six guitars, and it still sounds beautiful instead of overwhelming. We all have different styles of playing guitar, but when we all play

“You could spend hours trying to learn one measure of classical music on the piano, but then you could spend an hour learning an entire folk tune,” Curtin said. “Classical music is usually more beautiful and dramatic, and then folk music is more vibrant, lively, and fun.”

Helen Schlueter said she is grateful to bond with students over their shared love of music.

“Being able to get away from the intellectual sphere and, as a group, joining in one giant huzzah of music has been so much fun and such a blessing,” she said. “By word of mouth, this growing network of people bringing all of their great well-rounded, odd talents into one mesh pot as music night has been special.”

Music bridges generations: Choir unites alumni and students in annual concert

By Jacob Beckwith collegian RepoRteR

The college and chamber choirs joined visiting alumni for the annual homecoming choir concert on Sept. 23. This was the first performance of the year for both the college and chamber choirs, and conductor James Holleman temporarily returned from sabbatical to help run the event.

“We have been doing this for well over 20 years,” Holleman said. “We’ve always wanted to get alumni of the music department involved during homecoming weekend, and it’s turned into a nice tradition.”

Holleman shared the stage with Bradley Holmes, guest conductor for the semester of both choirs during Holleman’s absence. Holmes and his wife,

Beth, taught choir together for 31 years at Millikin University.

“My wife and I moved this summer to Hillsdale to be near our family, especially our grandkids. The timing worked out well for me to step in for the semester for professor Holleman,” Holmes said. The tradition begins an hour before the concert starts, according to Holleman.

“Alumni gather with the choirs for a time of fellowship over donuts and cider from Meckley’s Flavor Fruit Farm,” Holleman said, “so everyone can reconnect before they sing together.”

The concert opened with the college and chamber choirs combining with the alumni to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

The college choir then sang two songs of its own, conducted by Holmes.

“I brought in some new songs to the event that we

sang without the alumni, so it was a little different than previous years, but I think it went really well,” Holmes said. Holleman agreed the changes

made the concert even better.

“I thought it was a really nice addition, and it gave the alumni a chance to hear the choir,” Holleman said.

One of those new songs was “I’ll Be On My Way” by Shawn Kirchner, which included a solo by junior Stephen Berntson.

“The song is about accepting one’s death as a journey to a better life in heaven,” Berntson said. “The singer is reassuring his loved ones that there is no need to grieve his journey. I really enjoyed singing it and I’m excited to sing it again at the end of the year concert.”

The group on the stage then thinned to just the chamber choir for two addi -

tional songs, before everyone returned for “Here’s to Song,” with solos by freshmen Magdalen Saffian and Lillian Ferrell.

“Singing in this first concert meant so much to me,” Saffian said. “Coming from a small school, I just love singing in a choir with people who want to be there and aren’t required to sing but genuinely love to be there.”

The concert concluded with the “Alma Mater” song, and even the audience joined in for the Hillsdale anthem.

“It’s a great event, especially since it gives the students a taste of the pressure of a performance early on in the semester,” Holleman said. “We’re going to keep doing it and hopefully continue to grow the involvement of alumni in the event.”

Folk music fans sit by the fire pit outside West Wing.

Courtesy | Caroline Kurt

Folk music fans jam inside West Wing.

Courtesy | Maria Schmid

Sophomore Joseph Duncan, sophomore Emil Schlueter and brother Karol Schlueter, and sophomore Thomas McKenna pose inside West Wing. Courtesy | Maria Schmid

The choir rehearses for the concert. Courtesy | Stephen Berntson

Folk music lovers gather outside West Wing for music and community. Caroline kurt | Collegian

C U L T U R E

‘Starship Troopers’ discussion covers timeless issues

By Zack Chen cOllEgian FrEElancEr

Mossey Library hosted its fall book discussion this week on Robert Heinlein’s novel “Starship Troopers.”

The 1959 science fiction novel is set in a future where humanity has become an interplanetary civilization at war with a giant arachnid species known as “the Bugs.” In “Starship Troopers,” citizenship and voting rights are earned through military service. It follows Juan Rico through boot camp and into interstellar battle. Along the way, Heinlein gives his perspective on questions of citizenship, personal responsibility, and civic virtue, according to Timothy Dolch, an attendee and associate professor of physics.

Many attendees who read the book before the discussion said they were long-time lovers of “Starship Troopers,” though a significant number of participants first read the book in preparation for the event. Nearly all in attendance rated the book very highly during an informal poll at the beginning of the discussion — the common consensus rated it approximately eight on a scale from one to ten.

The discussion focused on the novel’s main themes but also delved into intriguing side-trails, such as Heinlein’s accuracy in depicting interstellar travel. Most participants in the discussion were unenthused concerning the film adaptation of “Starship Troopers,” though some proposed it might make for a worthwhile stage play, citing

the personal depth of the narrative and its introspective moments.

Devon Downes, a senior and Heinlein fan, said he enjoyed

lutely right to notice how important the idea of personal responsibility is to Heinlein’s work.”

Downes pointed to Hein-

and the need to take personal responsibility to defend liberty ultimately moved me to enlist in the Marine Corps, which in turn later made attending Hillsdale College possible,” he said.

Charles Steele, associate professor of economics, proposed “Starship Troopers” should be one of the books that students read before coming to campus as freshmen because of its vision of individual rights, authority, and government.

“I think that these are ideas that people here should understand, appreciate, and discuss,” Steele said. “I think that it would fit really well with the Hillsdale ethos.”

the discussion and appreciated the chance to hear others’ thoughts about the novel.

”I thought the discussion was excellent,” Downes said. “The participants were abso-

The Ambassadors bring wholesome music to campus

By Skye Graham cOllEgian FrEElancEr

Student band

The Ambassadors is known for its uplifting message and clean, wholesome music.

The Ambassadors first debuted among other Hillsdale student bands at Centralhallapolooza Showdown in 2023. Since The Ambassadors placed in the competition, they earned a spot to open for DWLLRS at 2023’s CHP.

The band’s founding members are seniors Jacob More and his wife Lilliana, seniors Paul Lindauer, Stephen Conner, Daniel Ladzinski, and sophomore Nicholas Blatner. The band’s membership is currently in flux.

“We’re still trying to figure out who is in the band,” More said. “Several of our members graduated, and a lot of us have busy schedules.”

The Ambassadors first formed the summer of 2022 when More said he noticed a lack of “wholesome music at Hillsdale events.” The band’s mission was to provide an alternative to music they

perceived as “vulgar” at events they attended.

“The band wants to bring fun and nostalgic songs to Hillsdale events,” More said.

“Our goal is to show that people can have fun while listening to music and still maintain a clean conscience.”

The group decided on its name as a reflection of these values. More said he wanted the band to be seen as “ambassadors” to promote more wholesome music at Hillsdale.

The band rehearsed for about a year until its first official gig.

“Practicing for CHP and the showdown presented some difficulties because all of our members had such busy schedules, but Jacob, our drummer, took leadership to keep us on track,” guitarist Lindauer said.

Lindauer said there were many challenges the band had to work through on a number of difficult pieces.

“One solo in the middle of ‘Follow the Light’ was a challenge for me, and the first time I fully played it through my effects pedal,” Lindauer

said. “Jacob was so excited that he dropped everything to give me a hug without finishing the song.”

A number of students had positive things to say regarding how The Ambassadors stood out to them at CHP this past spring.

“I really enjoyed The Ambassadors. I think their music was great as the opening hype to CHP,” senior Luke Joyce said. “I appreciated the more laid back party music as a nice departure from the other bands.”

Another student, junior Caitlin Filep, said Lilliana’s vocals stood out to her as a highlight of the performance.

“Lilli’s vocals were super solid, especially since she did the whole concert six months pregnant,” she said.

The Ambassadors do not have any gigs set in stone coming up, but they are interested in playing at CHP Showdown again this coming spring. Jacob More has been hard at work finding new members for the band and preparing for the upcoming school year.

lein’s novel as a pivotal book in his life.

“The first time I read this was 10 years ago, and Heinlein’s approach to moral philosophy, his thoughts on patriotism,

Downes pointed to one line from the book as a summary of Heinlein’s thoughts.

“Man is what he is, a wild animal with the will to sur-

vive, and (so far) the ability, against all competition. Unless one accepts that, anything one says about morals, war, politics — you name it — is nonsense. Correct morals arise from knowing what man is — not what do-gooders and well-meaning old Aunt Nellies would like him to be.”

Despite the novel’s age, many participants felt that the story was not distractingly dated. Downes in particular believes it is still relevant for the modern world.

“Heinlein’s message resonates with readers today because it deals with timeless issues, namely the relationship between liberty and responsibility, and his recognition of human nature as it is, and not as we might want it to be, as the foundation of moral philosophy,” Downes said.

Professors’ Picks: Ethan Stoneman, chairman and associate professor of rhetoric and media

From

“Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All)”

Type O Negative - 1993

“The goth-doom behemoth Type O Negative has been my favorite band since middle school, and I could list my 25 favorite Type O songs. I’m selecting “Black No. 1” because it’s the quintessential example of Type O’s sound: slow-rolling, Black Sabbath-influenced funeral dirges combined with left-field Beatlesque pop melodies, spooky keyboard lines, and vocalist/bassist Peter Steele’s ironic treatment of goth’s depressing subject matter. Compared to other art forms, music is strongly tied to memory, so another reason why I selected this song is its ability to call to mind images and memories of autumn, my

favorite season. More specifically, it evokes a harrowing car ride from Minnesota to Ohio with a screaming 2 year old, a pregnant wife, and a very abscessed tooth (my wife’s, not mine). Not an unqualifiedly good memory, but a milestone in my journey to becoming a father-husband.”

“Gravity’s Rainbow”

Thomas

Pynchon

- 1973

“The narrative centers on the design, production, and dispatch of Germany’s V-2 rockets at the end of World War II and the quest undertaken by several characters to uncover the secrets of the mysterious “black device,” which is planned to be installed in a rocket with the serial number “00000.” The novel is typically classified as “postmodern,” but

the main function of the term

“Gravity’s Rainbow,” is, I think, to avoid dealing with the weapons-technological aspect of the story. It is because of this aspect that the novel is my favorite book. Pynchon convincingly presents WWII as a crucial episode in the conspiracy between the needs of technology (plastics, electronics, aircraft) and the ruling elite who alone understand them. It’s a world in which almost all human players are minor appendages in a story that culminates on a trans-human scale of technological synthesis.”

“Blue Velvet” - 1986

“It’s an American neo-noir mystery thriller film directed by David Lynch, arguably the

greatest living avant-garde director of cinema. What I love about this movie is what I love about several David Lynch movies: the way it articulates the noir genre with elements of the grotesque, the surreal, and the quasi-supernatural in order to say something about human nature and the potential for human evil. From a severed, decomposing ear lying in a field to a bug-like gas mask and an unsettling lip-sync of Roy Orbison’s “In Dreams,” Lynch deploys grotesque and surreal imagery and sound to signify the eruption of reality, of evils that cannot be ameliorated through social progress and social engineering but that nevertheless call for decent people to face outward toward all the bad stuff and defend against the really dark things in the world, things like Dennis Hopper’s Frank Booth. ‘Now it’s dark.’”

The members of this year’s group of The Ambassadors perform at Concert on the Quad. Courtesy | Student Activities Board

Compiled by Claire Gaudet Opini

Stoneman sans his iconic beard in college. Courtesy | Ethan Stoneman

The members of last year’s group of The Ambassadors perform at CHP and CHP Showdown. Courtesy | Student Activities Board

“Heinlein’s message resonates with readers today because of his recognition of human nature as it is, and not as we might want it to be, as the foundation of moral philosophy.”

By Cassandra Devries Social Media Manager

When it came to the Greek Olympics Homecoming, Hillsdale students gave it their all in the arena and established Athens on campus in their Olympic trailer videos.

“I almost lit my hair on fire, and it singed the hairs on my arm,” sophomore and New Dorm resident assistant Sophie Schlegel said, describing the filming process behind New Dorm’s homecoming video. “The worst part was we had to keep refining it to get it right.”

This year, Hillsdale students went all out in the homecoming video competition, dousing torches in lighter fluid, borrowing high quality camera equipment, traveling to Nashville, and spending hours poring over clips to produce action movie trailers for the first Olympic games.

“I heard a lot of people saying never, in Hillsdale history, have there been such good homecoming videos,” said senior Ewan Hayes, one of the masterminds behind the BLOC’s video. “You wouldn’t expect college students to put in so much effort and so much equipment for a single short film.”

Kappa Kappa Gamma won the competition with a video captioned “Ancient House -

How to produce a winning homecoming video

wives,” a twist on the “Real Housewives” franchise. The Kappas scrapped their first attempt and reshot the video the following day in front of their white, pillared sorority house, playing up the reality TV angle.

“We initially thought of doing fun games on the lawn. But after we filmed it, we just didn’t feel like it captured the essence of Kappa, and it just wasn’t as on theme or as on brand as we wanted it to be,” said junior Sarah McKeown, director of Kappa’s video.

McKeown estimated Kappa spent 20 hours just filming because they essentially filmed two different videos.

New Dorm’s video centered on the line “We dare to be first,” and included one cut of Schlegel running with a tiki torch wrapped in a rag and doused with lighter fluid to make a bigger flame.

“Annalise, one of our RAs, drove my car while our girls did our running scene, and I was shooting it in the passenger side,” junior Marina Weber, a New Dorm RA, said. “ It was so much fun and the first time I let anyone drive my car next to some girl running with a lit torch.”

Weber said she thought the effect turned out perfectly for the video.

QUICK HITS with Christy Maier

The fire made her think about using other elements in the video, like water and earth, Weber said.

“When we were filming on the soccor field, I thought, ‘Where’s our sprinkler,’ and then luckily enough, the sprinklers actually started going off while we were there, which was like literal God coming,” she said.

Weber said she spent about four hours on the video, but much longer learning how to use the video software.

“I took way more shots than I needed. So then afterward, it was all a matter of finding the music and mapping it out on iMovie,” Weber said.

Theme-fitting music made all the difference to the aesthetic of the video, Weber said.

“Especially at the end, I wanted it to be super hype and dramatic, so I literally looked up on YouTube dramatic hype war music in Greek,” she said.

After the controversy surrounding New Dorm’s banner, winning second in the video competition helped New Dorm rally for the rest of homecoming, according to Weber.

“It really boosted our morale,” Weber said. “We had a rough start, but this proved to us that we could bounce back.”

Although it placed third, BLOC’s video, full of dramatic

By Linnea Shively Addistant

In this Quick Hits, Director of Academic Services Christy Maier ’98 talks fantasy football, study habits, and the best traditions at the county fair.

What is a study mistake you made in college that students can learn from? So many! But one of the biggest things was not taking good notes in classes that I loved because I thought I would remember everything since it was such amazing content.

What is your best tip for creating an academic schedule?

I actually find a rigid schedule somewhat confining. So I like to think of schedules more in terms of patterns and less in terms of “I’m going to do this at this particular time.” It cuts off opportunities for serendipity.

If the writing center tutors went up against career services in a game of flag football, who would win? Why?

I don’t know — we have Ben Heinrichs.

What is a Michigan day trip everyone should take from Hillsdale?

black-and-white action shots, was a crowd favorite. It had just under 5,300 views in the first 24 hours posted on Instagram.

“Everybody loved it,” Hayes said. “Granted, at least 10 to 15 of those views were me, but we got a lot of people watching the video, and it was usually the most liked one out of all the videos on that hashtag.”

The BLOC acted out ancient Greek myths as precursors to the Olympic games. They featured Theseus wres tling the Minotaur and Ata lanta chasing possible suitors. Filming in park, BLOC stu

dents wrestled, sprinted, and threw discus, returning late at night for special lighting effects.

“We later added archery, even though it wasn’t technically one of the original sports but we thought it looked cool,” Hayes said.

Charlie Cheng filmed the BLOC’s video using the film and production club’s camera equipment for about 15 hours, and then spent about seven hours editing the clips. He agreed with

people coming up to shake our hands and telling us ‘You guys did an amazing job,’” Cheng said. “That’s been really encouraging.”

The video leaders of Kappa, New Dorm, and the BLOC all said the quality of the videos this year impressed them.

“I hope that when people watch the film, it’ll inspire them to push their potential and try to make something even better,” Cheng said. “We’ve raised the bar on the

For used book people, John K. King books in Detroit. Or I would make a little drive to the Moville Creamery original location. Or I’d go to Warren Dunes, and there’s a great little Moville Creamery placed outside the state park entrance. I love going to Lost Nations here in Hillsdale County because it’s just a fun fall hike.

If you could attend a concert for any artist, alive or dead, who would it be?

Can I go to a poetry reading instead? I want to go hear Seamus Heaney. I’ve seen him once, and it was the most amazing experience ever.

Do you have any traditions or can’t miss items at the fair?

Absolutely. You have to go to the Red Barn and get an elephant ear. You have to see the animals. I love dairy cows so you have to go see those. And then I was in 4H, so I always go see those exhibits.

Would you rather go to the apple orchard or a pumpkin patch?

An apple orchard because I love to bake and baking from real pumpkins is actually kind

of difficult. I bake everything — pies, cakes, and a big tradition my sisters and I have is getting together once a year to make 90 quarts of applesauce.

Do you have any fall traditions with your kids?

Our fantasy football league. I don’t usually win, but we have a family trophy that goes around. I don’t want to jinx this but right now I’m 3-0 and it’s the best record in the family.

Do you prefer sweet or savory brunch? What breakfast item popped into your mind when I asked you that?

Both. I make this blueberry coffee cake that I absolutely love. But I also make this savory breakfast casserole with sausage and cheese and mushrooms. I make waffles and smoothies every Sunday after church.

What is the best ice cream in Hillsdale? These might be fighting words, but definitely Udder Side. The twisted terrier is amazing. And right now they have pumpkin pie. I’m a sucker for fall flavors.

What was your dream job as a kid?

I always wanted to be a teacher, or I wanted to be famous, probably for writing.

What book are you currently reading?

“An Index of Self-Destructive Acts” by Chris Beha. He’s the visiting writer coming to campus next month. I highly recommend his fiction. He’s a contemporary writer. He’s a man of faith. I’ve read all three of his novels. His first book, “What Happens to Sophie Wilder” is really short. You can read it in an afternoon.

What is one tradition from your time at Hillsdale which needs to make a comeback? The one tradition that doesn’t need to make a comeback is midweek parties, because people don’t have the time. One thing I miss for this current iteration of students is that Olds Dormitory used to have this secret room that only girls could go into where the kitchen is now.

What is your Rough Draft order?

A Moscow mule.

Maier served as Kappa Kappa Gamma president and Student Federation president during her time at Hillsdale. Linnea Shively | Collegian

Editor

Kappas dressed up as Ancient Housewives. Courtesy | Student Activities Board

FEATURES

50 Years of WHIP

By Emma Verrigini Collegian Reporter

When a young Tucker Watkins ’75 asked then-Illinois congressman Philip Crane which college he should attend, Crane didn’t hesitate to answer.

“He said the only one to consider going to is Hillsdale College,” Watkins said.

Watkins took his advice and became one of the first four students to participate in the Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program, which Crane helped found in 1973.

“It was the embryonic group,” Watkins said. “There was no pathway to follow.”

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of WHIP, several dozen alumni and current WHIP students filled the Van Andel Graduate School of Government, known as the Kirby Center, in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 14. One WHIP student from each decade gave a toast to the program. The celebration highlighted how WHIP has changed over the years, and how it has remained the same, according to Watkins.

While studying on WHIP, students spend a semester in Washington D.C., interning during the day and taking classes for credit at night. Today, students take classes at the Kirby Center and live in a nearby townhome.

“The WHIP program is a profoundly powerful implementation of the Hillsdale motto of pursuing truth and defending liberty,” Watkins said. “Many of the participants of the WHIP program have gone on to accomplish significant pro-liberty achievements. I am very grateful to Hillsdale for creating the WHIP program, and for selecting me to be an early participant in the program.”

Noah Weinrich ’18, who now works at the Heritage Foundation, attended WHIP in 2017 and was present for Trump’s inaugural address. He said the program allowed him to experience things that he would be unable to do in Hillsdale.

“It was a really cool time to be there because that was during the Trump inauguration. I got the day off work and I got to sit next to the mayor of Fort Worth,” Weinrich said.

“In class the next day, we went through his speech and talked about the political implications.

Weinrich said working in politics also enriched his classes.

“I liked the classes a lot — it’s amazing to be reading and thinking about politics in the heart of Washington and talking to some people who have different experiences who you wouldn’t normally go to classes with in D.C.,” Weinrich said. “I do look at the current WHIP classes, and I’m a little jealous of some of the professors — David Azerrad, Mollie Hemingway, and Michael Anton — that’s pretty cool.” Senior and current WHIP student Jenna Hageman said she appreciates the integration into D.C. amidst the close community of Hillsdale students.

“One of my favorite parts of WHIP is that the program has brought together 17 kids who wouldn’t necessarily run in the same circles on main campus,” Hageman said.

Today, a greater number of students from disciplines outside of politics participate in WHIP.

“There’s a misconception that only politics majors go on WHIP,” senior and former WHIP student Abigail Snyder said. “That is seriously untrue — anyone from a biology major or chemistry major, to accounting, to English, to politics and economics — anyone can go on WHIP.”

Current WHIP student Luke Spangler said many of the WHIP classes contain political themes.

“I never really enjoyed the 2-and-a-half hour straight class before. For me they are usually too long, heavy, and draining. Here in D.C., however, the atmosphere is light enough that my econ class energizes me,” Spangler said. “All classes, even non-political ones, lean on political themes and are taught by experienced D.C.-ers.”

Years before Hillsdale bought the Hillsdale House or owned the Kirby Center, students lived in a small, old townhouse walking distance from the U.S. Capitol. Watkins said he took classes at Georgetown University alongside his WHIP classmates and other Georgetown students.

An interview with the king and queen

By Gray Turner Collegian Freelancer

2023 Homecoming King and Queen Truman Kjos and Julianna Undseth share their thoughts on homecoming court.

What was your experience with homecoming nomination and court? Did you expect things to unfold as they did?

Kjos: My friends decided to nominate my name in the ballot box, which you can do to any senior guy or girl you want to. My name was among the top three independents, and then after that some friends made posters and memes to put online and on Instagram. It was an honor to be nominated and be on the field with

the court, because it was a great group who were there. It was very humbling. I was also happy to win with Juliana, who has been a close friend of mine since freshman year.

How has this impacted your overall Hillsdale experience?

Kjos: I was talking with my parents about it and my dad said, “Well when we sent you to Hillsdale I did not expect you to be homecoming king.”

He didn’t mean that in a bad way, it was just more like, “Oh wow that was a surprise!”

Freshman year, I just kind of existed. Around sophomore year, I started to push myself to really get involved in things. I got into radio, I got into film club, and it was then that I started to push myself to

things outside of school work and began to socialize much more.

Did you expect to hear your name called?

Undseth: Oh no! I wasn’t expecting it, for sure. I had been told that a Greek woman has won it for the past 20 years. I think for me, I was hoping an independent would win just to challenge that. Twenty years of Greek winning makes it sound like independent women are not as influential, but I have not experienced that. I am obviously an independent woman, and I have really appreciated the community of independent women on this campus, and the things that we do to create community and to love each other. I just really love what I am a part of

as an independent woman, and I wanted to represent that in the homecoming court.

As a senior reflecting on your time at Hillsdale, did you ever think about winning homecoming queen?

Undseth: I consciously try to be approachable and to be kind and compassionate toward people. I think that there are plenty of people who were not on the homecoming court who have the same qualities and demonstrate them better than me. But I like to think that being on homecoming court is a sign that I have had an impact in the way that I have been trying to show people the love of Christ.

“The classes that I took at Georgetown were intense,” Watkins said. “And I’m hearing from the students now who go to that the classes at the Kirby Center are also intense. That’s a good thing. Those experiences were life changing and very rewarding.”

Wakins interned for Crane, conducting political research in the Library of Congress. In his limited free time, Watkins explored DC’s attractions, including the Smithsonian museums.

Watkins said his interest in politics began in seventh grade, when he read Barry Goldwater’s “The Conscience of a Conservative.” His love for politics persisted throughout high school and college, where he majored in political science, and continues to this day.

“I started to read books about liberty and freedom and free enterprise and America,” Watkins said. “And so I got very excited about helping continue the tradition of liberty in the United States.”

Watkins and his wife are still involved in local politics in Texas.

“My wife and I love books, and I read a lot,” he said. “And so in our home, we have a library of over 600 volumes. We continue to be avid readers to this day.”

Today’s students enjoy many activities coordinated by WHIP — from attending sports games to visiting George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate.

Vice President of Washington Operations and Dean of the Van Andel Graduate School of Government Matthew Spalding said he would like to see the amount of students on WHIP increase in the future. The college currently plans to add two new student townhomes to the D.C. campus, according to Spalding.

Spalding said as more students have gone on WHIP over the years, Hillsdale has added more class options.

“For a college the size of Hillsdale, it’s the best internship program. The courses are serious, and we have great internship placement,” Spalding said. “It will continue to grow.”

Synder visiting the Supreme Court with her coworkers. Courtesy | Abigail Synder

An early WHIP brochure. Courtesy | Tucker Watkins

Tucker stands outside of the U.S. Capitol with the first WHIP class.

Courtesy | Tucker Watkins

Junior and current WHIP student Sarah Gregory shoots at the NRA. Courtesy | Hillsdale in D.C.

Kjos and Undseth pose together after winning homecoming king and queen. Courtesy | Student Activities Board