November 2016

Why I Chose Hillsdale: Anne Hotz, ’18

For a long time, I thought my Hillsdale story wasn’t much of a story at all. Since middle school I had been familiar with the College and its mission due to a number of family friends who had attended. The more closely I looked into Hillsdale, the more I was intrigued.

Hillsdale College Central Hall exterior.

For God and Country

Throughout Hillsdale College’s history, many of its students, faculty, and staff have defended American liberty and freedom in armed conflicts around the world.

Pursuing Truth and Defending Liberty

Taimur Khan is a Marine Corps veteran and current student at Hillsdale College. He served two tours of duty as an air support operator, first in the Pacific, and then in Afghanistan.

Continuing to Defend and Support the Constitution

After retiring from the air force as a major, Mr. Wykes joined the inaugural class at the Van Andel School of Statesmanship, moving to Hillsdale with his wife and family. His graduate coursework at Hillsdale, and now his job as the director of operations for the graduate school, are a continuation of the oath of service he took as a member of the air force to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Military Kids at Hillsdale College

Many of us remember our dads coming home from work in a suit and tie. Junior Elizabeth Turner remembers her father coming home at the end of the day in camouflage and combat boots. Elizabeth’s father serves in the army, and Elizabeth is one of several Hillsdale students who have grown up shaped by their experiences of a loved one in the military.

A Shared Mission to Defend the Constitution

Lt. Col. Michael Murray’s interest in the military was rooted in his family heritage. No, military service was not a Murray family tradition. In fact, Michael’s father was an Irish immigrant. But preserving the freedoms that gave his father the opportunity to immigrate drove Michael to service in the armed forces.

From the South Pacific to Southern Michigan

Hillsdale freshman Greg Woodard, a twenty-five-year-old veteran of the US Marines, did not take the conventional path to the military. The son of an American father with dual citizenship, he grew up in Canada and attended a Catholic minor seminary in high school with plans to become a priest. However, after one year of attending college, he discerned that he wasn’t being called to the priesthood and decided to serve in Afghanistan like his older brother.

Duty, Courage, and the Soul

Sitting in his office, you get an immediate feel for the institution that has most impacted Dr. Peter Jennings’ life: the Marine Corps. An old recruitment poster hangs next to the door, and the screensaver on his desktop rotates between pictures of his family and his time in Iraq and Kuwait.

Pursuing Statesmanship

Class of 2014 graduate Ian M. Swanson may be young, but that’s not stopping him from diving into politics. This year, he ran for state Legislature in his home state of Nebraska.

A Study In How To Be A Citizen

Dr. Adam Carrington, assistant professor of politics, explains that “studying the Constitution is studying how to be a citizen in our own time and place.” This study helps Hillsdale succeed in its mission to “cultivate human beings and citizens.”