Chemistry

I spent most of my childhood in Michigan and was eager to return to the state upon my discharge from the United States Army. Prior to my arrival at Hillsdale, I served four years in the Army and was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, with the 82nd Airborne Division. I completed two overseas tours as a Trauma Medic and ultimately achieved the rank of Sergeant (E-5). Promoted at 20 years of age, I was the youngest Sergeant at Fort Bragg and had the distinct honor of serving as an Aide-de-Camp to the Brigade Commander of the 18th Airborne Field Artillery.

While stationed at Fort Bragg, I was invited to speak at three consecutive conferences of the Students Against Drunk Driving organization. I appreciated the impact of the program and therefore served additionally as the Cape Fear High School S.A.D.D. advisor for two of those years. As a former Eagle Scout, I felt that I could also make a tremendous impact through the Boy Scouting program. I volunteered both as an Assistant Scoutmaster and Merit Badge Advisor to both the Mason, Michigan, and then the Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Boy Scout troops. While in the Army, I was introduced to the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and spent two years mentoring a 15-year-old boy in that program. I elected to continue with the program at Hillsdale, and I now mentor a nine-year-old local student. I currently serve as the house director for the Sigma Chi fraternity house on campus.

I chose to attend Hillsdale due in part to the ease of transition from the tremendously patriotic environment of the active duty military to a similarly patriotic environment at Hillsdale College. The students here are serious students, focused on achieving their goals, and appreciating their innumerable blessings. The environment is remarkably trusting, and students do not complacently meet the minimum standards at the College. Rather, animated debate and discussion may be heard in every nook and hallway around the campus.

One of my favorite aspects of Hillsdale is the trust formed between students and faculty. Students arrive with the presumption that they are inherently trustworthy, and nearly all maintain that trust throughout their time at the College. The faculty places tremendous faith in the honesty and integrity of their students, and we all strive to live up to these expectations. The bottom line is that the academics are tough, and the professors have tremendous expectations of the students. These challenges lead us to appreciate not only the marks received, but also the material taught. We form close friendships with the fellow students in our classes and laboratories and never hesitate to spend as many office hours with a professor as is needed to understand the difficult concepts.

Upon graduation from Hillsdale, I expect to pursue medicine at one of the Michigan medical schools. Ultimately, I would like to again serve in the military-- this time commissioning into the Army as a physician within the Army Medical Corps.

Students at Hillsdale are offered several unique opportunities to study with a small handful of students outside of the campus environment. For example, biology students are offered the opportunity to go north to the Hillsdale Biological Station near Luther, Michigan, and study the mammal populations up there. Other students may, as did I, travel overseas for a historical and sociological study of a particular region. In my case, I accompanied Associate Professor of History Dr. David Stewart on a trip to northern Spain and southern France to experience the social and historical aspects of the Catalonia region. The opportunity to travel there with a regional expert proved invaluable, and many of the memories made on that trip will remain with me for years to come.

The professors at Hillsdale are carefully vetted not only for their expertise in their particular area of study, but also for their ability to engage students seemingly on any subject. This brings me to recall an experience I had with Dr. Lee Baron, Professor of Chemistry. A group of pals and I were taking a break from our studies in the chemistry study lounge, and we ended up debating the various denominations of Christianity. The conversation was getting a little animated as we all ganged up on one of the other guys. In walked Dr. Baron--all packed up to go home. Instead of continuing on her way home, she sat with us for 45 minutes encouraging us along and making jokes right alongside us. This occurred early in my first year at Hillsdale, and I knew from that day forward that the College really does do a tremendous job selecting well-rounded and enthusiastic faculty.

Hillsdale’s core curriculum ensures that the students discharged from the College are well rounded and possess the knowledge to hold their own in any conversation; whether it be a discussion on medieval history, a debate about T. S. Elliot’s literary style, or the way in which the animal kingdom may be categorized. Secondarily, the extensive core curriculum provides each student contact with subject areas in which they would not otherwise be exposed. A tremendous number of students, myself included, begin their time at Hillsdale with a narrow academic focus and ultimately broaden that, changing academic disciplines or pursuing a minor degree in a subject far from the initial course of study.

jmarkman@hillsdale.edu