When I tell people I’m from Oklahoma, the response I usually hear is: “Like the play?” And after living there for 18 years I can confidently say that it is not only like the play, but much better. I loved growing up in Oklahoma. Born to two wonderful parents, I was always encouraged not only to pursue my interests, but wholeheartedly serve my Savior, Jesus Christ. They sent me to a small, Christian school in Kindergarten, and I so loved my experience there that I stayed through my senior year. My many interests throughout high school led me to play soccer, join the debate team, Student Council, and create music. Those interests continue to impact my life today. At Hillsdale, I have a job as a Student Ambassador, take piano lessons, play intramural sports, serve as a Young Life leader, and lead worship for Unite, a monthly worship gathering.

Sometime in my junior year of high school, my dad talked to me about the strengths of a “liberal arts education” and mentioned a few liberal arts schools that he wanted me to consider—Hillsdale among them. I responded, “Dad, if I tell all my friends that I’m going to Hillsdale College, they'll make fun of me.” …I was right, too: they made fun of me. This did not discourage me, obviously. At Hillsdale, I saw a dedication to quality, liberal education and purposeful community that I did not see at other colleges. Many schools emphasize the liberal arts, yet Hillsdale offers such a unique experience with the dynamic professors and broad core curriculum that they really stood out in my college search. Most importantly, though, the community welcomed me and made me feel at home. I loved the people, and I continue to love them.

The people. When you first drive into Hillsdale township you will pass a sign that says: “Welcome to Hillsdale—it’s the people.” The truth of that sign reveals itself to me every day. I am incredibly blessed by the loving friends I have made here. They make such a positive, daily impact on my faith and personal growth that I am forever indebted to them. Even those I wouldn’t call my “friends” are a daily blessing to me. For example, I never lock my door or worry about leaving my laptop sitting at a desk in the library. This kind of community is—at the very least—special.

I want to be the next C.S. Lewis. Practically, this means I will hopefully go to seminary and get a Master of Theology degree, then start a church while doing work on my doctorate.

The unique student-professor relationships amaze me every day. I had a history professor who takes students on field-trips, a math professor who goes bird watching with students, and I saw an English professor come to my friend’s birthday party. I have also had multiple professors meet me with me either to discuss class work or go over papers when they didn’t even have scheduled office hours for that day. Consistently, I see Hillsdale professors make sacrifices to create time for their students.

I have an English professor, who, at first glance, appears fairly mild-mannered. That is, he is not the type of man you would think goes absolutely crazy at sporting events. One afternoon, however, I was in the student union and saw this professor and his wife talking trash to each other while playing an intense game of ping-pong. It took me awhile to recover from my laughter.

Among a number of other benefits, two particular things stand out when I consider the core curriculum’s impact on me. First, it taught me how to read well. So often, we read books, letters, and magazines without looking deeper into the mind of the author. In both of my heritage classes, my professor continually asked things such as: “What does this statement reflect about his beliefs?” or “What are the presuppositions?” These questions forced me to read at a deeper level than I ever had before. This ability affects the way I read everything else, including the Bible. Secondly, the core curriculum gave me a working understanding of the ideas behind the history of the Western world, and thus America’s founding. In the core, I learned about the important people, philosophies, and events that helped shape the world we live in today through historical and literary analysis. Examining these important issues has trained my mind to think more clearly and effectively.

tlacy@hillsdale.edu