Notable Hillsdale College Alumni Recognized at 65th Annual Awards Banquet
October 4, 2016
Hillsdale, Mich.— Hillsdale College honored four distinguished alumni at its 65th Annual Awards Banquet, held in the Searle Center on Friday, Sept. 23. Beth Deer Walker and Kevin Shinkle, both graduates of the class of ’87, received awards for outstanding professional achievement. Hans Zeiger ’07 was recognized with the young alumnus award. David Rambeau Hough received the honorary alumnus award for his philanthropic service to the College.
“Hillsdale College instilled in me a real commitment to service – whether it’s public service, service to your family or a particular institution,” said Walker. “I’ve been lucky to watch the college grow and change since I graduated. The transformation has been incredibly positive and incredibly inspiring. It makes me really proud to be a Hillsdale graduate.”
“At Hillsdale you’re taught how to think, how to meet challenges and exceed them,” Shinkle added. “The chance to spend four years immersed in learning and becoming a better human and the focus on the soul and the body is irreplaceable. That has helped me my entire career.”
Beth Deer Walker graduated summa cum laude from Hillsdale College in 1987 with dual majors in English and political science with a minor in history. She served as senior class president and was a member of Chi Omega. Walker earned her law degree from The Ohio State University where she was articles editor for The Ohio State Law Journal. After graduation, she joined the West Virginia law firm Bowles Rice McDavid Graff & Love, focusing her efforts on labor and employment law and mediation. Most recently, Walker was elected to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, the state’s highest court, in a statewide election, and will take office Jan. 1, 2017. She lives in Morgantown, West Virginia, with her husband, Mike, and stepdaughter.
Kevin Shinkle graduated from Hillsdale College in 1987 with majors in history and political theory. During his time at the College, Shinkle served as editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, The Collegian, and was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. He also participated in the Washington-Hillsdale Internship program, working for then-U.S. Representative Jim Kolbe (R-AZ). Shinkle is currently senior vice president and chief communications officer at Delta Air Lines. He is responsible for external communications, media relations, and employee and cross-divisional communications throughout Delta’s global system. He and his wife Barbara have two daughters and reside in Ewing, New Jersey.
Hans Zeiger was an American studies major at Hillsdale College and graduated in 2007. He was elected senior class president, Homecoming King, and selected to be Outstanding Senior Man. He hold a master’s degree in public policy form Pepperdine University, and undertook further graduate studies in political science at Claremont Graduate University. Zeiger was elected to the Washington State House of Representatives in 2010, where he is currently serving in his third term representing the state’s 25th district. He was named Legislator of the Year by the Associated General Contractors in 2013 for his work to complete Highway 167 from Puyallup to Port of Tacoma, Washington. Zeiger is married to Erin and has a daughter and two stepsons.
David Rambeau Hough received his undergraduate degree from MacMurray College and graduate degree in divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary. He then began his ministry in Michigan, where he met his future wife, Bonnie, who then attended Hillsdale College. After many years in ministry, Hough decided focus on helping people with serious illnesses, and earned a degree in counseling. He now works as a private psychotherapist specializing in terminally ill adults and children, and in marriage and family therapy. He and his wife have two children, Trevor and Hilary, who graduated from Hillsdale College in 2010. The Houghs are members of the College’s The President’s Club and helped to establish Hillsdale’s Frederick Douglass Scholarship fund.