Hometown Hillsdale: Adam Stockford, ’15: The Road Less Traveled

Written by Doug Goodnough

Hillsdale Mayor Adam Stockford, ’15, took the road less traveled to Hillsdale College.

From a distance standpoint, the Hillsdale native didn’t have very far to go. However, as a 30-year-old nontraditional student who was working full-time and was more than a decade from his high school graduation, it was a daunting task.

Enter Hillsdale College President Dr. Larry Arnn.

An occasional visitor to the local hardware store where Stockford was employed at the time, Dr. Arnn encouraged him to read his book, The Founders’ Key.

“When I read that book, I got very interested in Hillsdale and the founding documents,” Stockford said. “I wanted to make it a goal of mine to go back to school, and specifically, Hillsdale College.”

Stockford decided first to attend Jackson College, where he earned his associate’s degree in law enforcement. He then applied to Hillsdale, and was accepted as a transfer student. However, there was one final hurdle to clear: paying for tuition.

Reaching out to Hillsdale Director of Financial Aid Richard Moeggenberg, Stockford said, “I told him I really wanted to do this, but I was having a hard time paying for school.”

Moeggenberg was able to find the financial aid that helped make Stockford’s dream of attaining his degree from Hillsdale a reality.

“It worked out really well,” he said. “I worked full time the entire time, but it turned out to be a wonderful thing.”

Completing his bachelor’s degree in politics, he quickly put his education to work. He was appointed to the local zoning board of appeals, then was elected to a spot on Hillsdale City Council. In 2017, he decided to run for mayor and defeated the incumbent. He is completing his first term as Hillsdale’s mayor and will run for re-election this fall.

“I have put what I learned at Hillsdale College into practice,” Stockford said of his mayoral experience. “I very much look to my education there when it comes to passing policy and in my interactions with the state and federal government.”

A self-described “strict Constitutionalist,” the 41-year-old Stockford said he has some simple advice for others interested in getting into politics.

“Always stay an idealist and look to the founding documents,” said Stockford, who currently works at the H.J. Gelzer and Son furniture store in downtown Hillsdale when not at City Hall. “Everything you need is right there.”

Editor’s Note: This is a new series featuring alumni who live and work in Hillsdale County. The first installment features City of Hillsdale Mayor Adam Stockford, ’15. 


Doug Goodnough, ’90, is Hillsdale’s new director of Alumni Marketing. He’s looking forward to connecting with fellow alumni in new and wonderful ways.

 

 


Published in May 2022