I grew up in Parma, Ohio, which is located just outside of the city of Cleveland. Every year we would hope for and are disappointed in two things; a short winter and winning sports teams. I attended Brecksville-Broadview Heights schools until my sophomore year of high school where I transferred to Normandy High School. At Hillsdale, I am the president of the Hilltop Highland Dancers and I participate in the A.A. Milne Society and almost all of the science honoraries. During the week, I tutor students in biology and attend an on-campus Bible study. I love late night chats with my friends on our front porch, breakfast at the Coffee Cup Diner, walking around Hillsdale, and reading poetry on Friday nights (E.E. Cummings is my favorite).

There are many reasons I chose to come to Hillsdale, but the biggest was the Biology Department. When looking at colleges, I wanted to go into biology, and I knew that Hillsdale was a place where I could receive a good education without a continual conflict between my studies and my faith. Hillsdale was also the only college I looked into that made student research a requirement for graduation as a science major. It was a unique opportunity that emphasized the great education I could receive.

It sounds cheesy, but what I like best about Hillsdale is the community. It is the friends I’ve made here and people on campus who have made the experience amazing. The community here causes us to take what we’ve learned in the classroom and apply it to everyday life. The friends I have made here have shaped my life, and they continue to challenge me to do better.

After graduation, I would like to attend graduate school to pursue a degree in either immunology or epidemiology. Eventually, I would love to have a career as a researcher and contribute research that will help people.

Some of the unique experiences I’ve had while attending Hillsdale are the late night discussions I have with friends. These talks could be about anything, from religion to favorite books, and they’re always enlightening. The talks never get heated; we always try to be respectful of whatever the other believes. It’s through the discussions that I learn more about what others believe and how others view things. It’s incredibly refreshing to be able to talk to someone civilly who believes something different from you. It’s through these talks that I’ve grown as a person.

It’s hard to pick a favorite professor story as I’ve had so many wonderful experiences with many professors here. One memory that sticks out happened last spring with Professor Angie Pytel. I was taking her upper-level Neuroscience class and was working on the first assignment, a lengthy scientific research paper. It wasn’t my first research paper, but it was definitely my first scientific research paper. I had no idea how to write it. When it came time to turn in the rough draft, I was convinced that I had done it all wrong, so I went to Professor Pytel with my anxieties. She was quick to reassure me that she would read my paper as quickly as possible and that it was only a rough draft. The next day in class, Professor Pytel announced that she had read the rough drafts. She then looked at me with a thumbs-up and a smile, mouthing “It’s good!” It was wonderful to know that she was there to help me, not make my life more stressful.

The Hillsdale core curriculum has radically changed how I view life. It has taught me how to live a good life and has taken my education beyond the classroom. The great books have taught me about human nature and redemption. The Heritage courses have taught me about what I believe as an American. Instead of cramming knowledge that will fade after the semester, the core has imparted life-long lessons to me.

ddavis@hillsdale.edu