Hillsdale Professors in Their Native Element

Written by Kate Cavanaugh

Notebooks aren’t just for scribbling facts down to get that glimmering A on the next exam. At Hillsdale, there is a sacred space in notebooks reserved for the humorous, touching, or profound things our professors say. It may be in the margins, or the back page of a notebook. It may even be enshrined in a quote list on the notes app. Wherever it is, it speaks to the quality of Hillsdale College’s professors.

To begin, “let’s all take a deep breath here,” as Dr. Busch reminded his students one midterm-season class period. College can be a challenge, but Dr. Busch has always reminded me that there are other things in life besides academic stress, like walks in the woods. Dr. Busch, an English professor, has made it on my quote list many times. Busch gives us wholesome reminders that “we just have to appreciate where we’re planted,” but he keeps up with pop culture, too. When discussing a strange work of literature, Dr. Busch chuckled and said, “so it’s kind of a trip, as they say.”

Many of the English professors keep up with pop culture, but Dr. Lindley always gives advice on how to really grow as a young person. For instance, he informed us: “if you’re in love, you need to talk about that person’s image as flowering constantly in your mind… If you’re not doing that, then what’s the point in a liberal arts education?” He raises an excellent point about classic dating dilemmas in the 21st century. Dr. Lindley is both goofy and encouraging, assuring students who love the English major that “it loves you, too.” 

A beloved history professor, Dr. Gaetano understands the angst of growing intellectually in college. He once acknowledged, albeit a bit shamefully, his own intellectual growth spurts: “It is worth noting—in my junior year of college, I did have my monarchist phase.” Dr. Gaetano understands the intellectual climate on campus, and is known for being very open to students coming into office hours to talk about anything, from history, to their monarchical phases, to whatever is going on in their life. 

At this nonsectarian Christian college, professors address spiritual matters in a variety of ways. In addition to running the Art Department, Professor Bushey gives ironic takes on artwork during her Renaissance through Modern art history class. She likes to poke at art, artists, and patrons of the past, and religious artwork is not excluded from her dry humor. Prof. Bushey hopes God will not be offended, and points out that she has gone this long without being struck down by lightning during class. “Hopefully, I’ll get to heaven,” she once said. “And God will say, ‘this joke: funny. This joke… No.’” While Bushey enjoys contemplating the wonders of heaven, Dr. Peters prefers to give his American literature class poignant spiritual advice: “You better talk to rocks when you’re told, ‘else you’ll not get into the promised land.’” Dr. Peter’s elegant reflection on Moses’s tendency to hit rocks rather than speak to them is very relevant to the modern student. 

Dr. Wolfram, a political economy legend, is beyond famous for variations upon, “900 million people woke up in New York City today, and there was enough coffee, hot dogs, and toilet paper for everyone.” Apart from raising relevant points about the importance of the free market to hot dog production, Dr. Wolfram is known for starting every class with a band pick of the week, and ending with the album pick of the week on Fridays. And, if you ask, he may tell you how Woodstock was a part of his past.

If you’ve ever been lost in the labyrinth that is Delp Hall (where most professors’ offices are), then you have probably seen how Hillsdale professors’ personalities have a way of spilling out of their offices and onto their doors. Door decorating invites students in: not just into the professor’s office, but into that characteristic excitement about their subject. Comics, pictures, quotes, even whiteboards are all fair game for professor’s doors. Dr. Jackson allures students with a giant poster of Nicolas Cage, who solemnly clutches a book as he looks intently upon students passing by. Cut-up printouts frame this poster, displaying quotes such as “I am a sick man… I am a wicked man. An unattractive man. I think my liver hurts,” from Dostoevsky’s Notes from Underground. But past the goofy exterior is a quiet room, lined with books upon books. Within this space, and within any professor’s office, is a space to ask questions, grow intellectually, and even ask for life advice.  

Hillsdale professors are some of the most accessible and intelligent people. They have big personalities, and apart from helping you learn, they’ll find a way to make you laugh, too. The “rejoicing” of Hillsdale’s motto is not lost on them.

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Kate Cavanaugh, ’23, is an English major who flirts with graphic design in her spare time. Besides writing for the blog, she can be found mastering the creation of faux london fogs at saga. She can also be glimpsed power-walking to her one o’clock, as the making of faux london fogs can be time consuming.


Published in December 2021