An Education Revolution: Returning to Hillsdale for a Master’s in Classical Education
Written by Stephanie Gordon
“I remember when people said how hard my first day of teaching was going to be, but I got in the classroom and felt so excited and was full of joy after my first day,” said Lauren Blunt, ’24, M.A. From that very first day in the classroom, Lauren knew her future would include education.
Lauren obtained her bachelor’s degree from Hillsdale in 2020, and blindly accepted a sixth grade teaching position at a classical Christian school in Louisville, Kentucky. Lauren fell in love with positively impacting her student’s lives. “Being in their life as a voice to encourage them to pursue godly virtues and the right things—that’s what I fell in love with,” Lauren said.
Recognizing this passion and learning of Hillsdale’s Diana Davis Spencer Graduate School of Classical Education, Lauren knew she needed to return to Hillsdale to complete her master’s to strengthen herself to be the best teacher she can be. “I knew I wanted to be the best kind of teacher I can; that’s what students deserve,” said Lauren. “Having that solid base of knowledge about why I’m doing what I’m doing is so vital because no matter where I go, I’m going to hold on to that.”
Lauren fondly remembers her fourth grade teacher and how she changed the trajectory of her life in a way she thinks only a teacher can. “My parents were so influential in my life, but this outside person speaking into my life really pushed me toward the path that I’m on now,” Lauren added. “Realizing that my responsibility is huge in that regard is sobering, and also something I take seriously.”
Having grown up in public school, Lauren reflected on her childhood education and said it was the best option for her family. “The school I attended was well funded and the teachers were good,” Lauren said. “ It was a really good education, but one of the things that bothered me about my time in public education was this idea that the reason I was learning was so that I could be well informed, get into a good college, and get a good job. I wanted those things, but it felt like that wasn’t enough.”
When it came time to consider colleges, she recalls sitting in her kitchen on a shared family computer when her dad poked his head into the kitchen and said, “Hey! My best friend graduated from this place called Hillsdale and I’ve heard really good things about it. I think you should take a look.”
It just so happened that a Hillsdale admissions counselor was visiting her high school the very next day. “The rep explained to me what Hillsdale was and what the College believed about education,” Lauren said. She said she took a critical look at the people who were coming out of the College, and noticed they were very different from other college graduates. “I couldn’t quite articulate what that was at age 17, but I knew I wanted it.”
“It [Hillsdale College] just changed who I was and really enriched my life,” Lauren said. “As hard as it was for me to leave the classroom, I needed to leave so I can re-enter stronger, better, and more prepared to give students an education they deserve.”
Lauren explained that the Graduate School of Classical Education is focused on grounding its students in the understanding of things—especially what things are ultimately made for. “Spending significant time discussing man’s end before getting into the logistical aspects of education means that graduates of the program are deeply equipped to guide their future students toward lives rich with meaning and beauty,” Lauren said confidently. “Believing that people are created for more than career-oriented success or societal fame means that the products of this program, both the graduates and their students, will experience lives of significance, and nothing is more beautiful than that.
As for Lauren’s future, she said she desires a job in K-6 administration. “I don’t think that I’ll come straight out of this program and go into administration, but that is something I am potentially working toward,” she concluded. “Whether I go into administration or teaching, I am happy that this program has equipped me to be the best that I can for the students that I have.”
Stephanie Gordon, a lifelong Hillsdale native, is the managing editor of Hillsdale College’s Student Stories Blog. She is married to chiropractor, Dr. Matt Gordon, and has three children – Eloise, Flora, and Jack. When she has a spare moment, she enjoys paleo baking, floating on Baw Beese Lake, and breaking a sweat at the gym.
Published in July 2023