The 12 Months of Hillsdale Alumni
Written by Doug Goodnough
We’ve come to the end of another year (or more accurately, the start of a new one). And what a year it has been for the Hillsdale Alumni Office! We have completed a full schedule of events around the country, engaged alumni in (hopefully) new and exciting ways, and informed and educated as many of our 15,000-plus alumni as possible about happenings at Hillsdale College.
Now, we’re ready to do it all over again in 2024. However, let’s first take a quick look back at 2023. With a tip of the hat to the “12 Days of Christmas,” I offer you the “12 Months of Hillsdale Alumni.”
January
An Alumni National Tour event at the Detroit Athletic Club (DAC) had the convergence of more than 80 Hillsdale alumni and some of our best and brightest students. The Alumni and Career Services Offices partner several times a year to help bring together alumni and students for a unique networking opportunity. And the DAC provided a perfect venue for those conversations.
February
A renewed focus on regional alumni chapters began with a kickoff event in the Phoenix area in late February. The new chapter is one of four active alumni chapters finalized in 2023.
March
Another month, another regional chapter! This time, Lansing was the scene of another chapter launch event, this time hosted by the Lansing Country Club.
April
One of our office’s favorite events of the year is the 50/60-Year Reunion. Once again, this event did not disappoint. Those who attended from the classes of 1963 and 1973 had a memorable experience, including participating in the annual Spring Convocation with our graduating seniors. The stories of Hillsdale past were many, and we are always grateful our guests are willing to share them with us.
May
White & Blue Weekend is quickly becoming a staple of the Alumni event calendar. There are so many reasons why, but one is hosting the annual Alumni Awards Banquet. This year, we honored another outstanding group of alumni, and introduced the Elizebeth Smith Friedman Award for Freedom. A codebreaking pioneer who helped America and its allies win two world wars, the 1915 graduate will now be memorialized through this new recognition.
June
The Hillsdale Alumni Association Board welcomed its largest class in years, as 11 new members were voted into service. Elections will be now be conducted in the spring to better align with the College’s fiscal year calendar.
July
Ohio was the starting point for the 2023-24 Alumni National Tour, with events in Cleveland, Columbus, and Toledo. The Toledo event was a trip to watch the Mud Hens, the AAA affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. An overflow crowd attended, signaling that this may be an annual event on the tour.
August
The Alumni and Athletics Offices have always had a special relationship, and the new Arete athletic donor update publication has strengthened those bonds. Greek for “excellence,” Arete tells the stories of Hillsdale College Athletics past and present. The inaugural issue featured new Athletic Director John Tharp.
September
Homecoming came a bit early due to the conference football schedule. But the timing seemed to be perfect, as a tremendous turnout and weather conditions made this one to remember. The Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet and the groundbreaking for the Phi Sig Pavilion were the “cherries on the sundae.”
October
One day. Two events. Again, the Alumni and Career Services Offices partnered for events in Nashville and Chicago on October 19. With students on fall break, they spent some time with businesses and businesspeople during the day, and then converged for an alumni reception at night. This is what you call a “win/win.”
November
This wasn’t specifically an event, but a unique activity. Alumni were mailed a Christmas card. However, it wasn’t meant for them (we did that in early December). We asked alumni to fill out a card to our current students wishing them well during final exams and the Christmas season. Those cards that are returned to our office are distributed to our students during the Founding Fest event on campus. We handed out around 450 of them. Didn’t participate this year? Make sure you do next time around.
December
Speaking of Founding Fest, the student 1844 Society (led by our own Braden VanDyke, ’21), helps organize and host the annual event that celebrates the College’s founding (officially on December 4 each year). The Quad is transformed into a winter wonderland, and more than 1,000 students, faculty, staff, and community members attend to usher in the holiday season (and final exams).
We can’t wait to see what the next 12 months will bring. Happy New Year from the Alumni Office!
Doug Goodnough, ’90, is Hillsdale’s director of Alumni Marketing. He enjoys connecting with fellow alumni in new and wonderful ways.
Published in December 2023