Brotherhood in Virtue: Greek Life at Hillsdale
Written by Liam Martin
When my roommate first encouraged me to attend fraternity rush events my second semester of freshman year, I was a bit skeptical. Growing up, my only knowledge of Greek life was what I saw in movies and heard in the news, and it wasn’t always positive. I certainly never suspected fraternities and sororities could be a force for personal improvement and a pillar of a college community. At Hillsdale, however, I’ve found exactly that.
In the process of joining Delta Tau Delta, one of the four fraternities on campus, I was impressed with the quality of community Hillsdale Greek life fosters. Rather than being cookie-cutter “frat boys,” the fraternity brothers are driven, high-achieving students who are dedicated to each other’s development. They have a wide range of personalities, interests, and backgrounds, but all share a common dedication to truth, courage, and faith.
I was having a tough semester socially and emotionally. In the brothers, I found a strong group of men who supported me and helped me grow. Joey Spoelstra, ’24, the fraternity chaplain, took me to the sports complex and encouraged me to lift weights. Juan Vargas Hernandez, ’22, who hails from Columbia, took me to church every Sunday and encouraged me in my faith. Alex Schnell, ’23, the fraternity academics director and a student from Germany, offered to teach me how to cook the food he grew up on while helping me with career planning. The list could go on, but the trend remains: every brother has brought their unique passions and talents to help make me a better man.
And this community isn’t unique to Delta Tau Delta. My classmates who rushed the other fraternities and sororities have similar stories to tell, even though each has their own particular values and culture. Toby Klooster, ’25, said of pledging Sigma Chi, “Joining a brotherhood is an opportunity to offer a helping hand to others while recognizing your own weaknesses and your need for the support of others.” Like me, he had no intention of going Greek when he first came to campus, but “observed the relationships, the events, and the overall presence surrounding Greek life on campus.”
Meanwhile, for transfer student Evelyn Kilty, ’24, her decision to rush Kappa Kappa Gamma was more planned. “I was motivated to rush because at my previous college, I struggled to find like-minded people and a real, authentic community in which I felt seen, known, and loved,” she said. “I thought that joining a sorority would help me find my footing at Hillsdale as a spring transfer and would create a support system and community that I could be grounded and rooted in.” In Kappa, she particularly found a group of women who radiated “sincerity, warmth, and welcome” and who supported each other in becoming better people and students.
“Going Greek” at Hillsdale means something very different from the cultural stereotype. Hillsdale’s fraternities and sororities assist in the mission of the College rather than distracting from it. By helping to form Hillsdale students in a shared goal of solidarity, leadership, and academic excellence, Hillsdale Greek life enables students to put into practice what we learn in the classroom.
Liam Martin, ‘25, is a native of rural Ohio and plans to major in History. In his free time, he enjoys coffee, Shakespeare, Latin chant, and debating politics and religion with whoever will listen.
Published in April 2022