Hometown Hillsdale: Andrew Fink, ’06
Written by Stephanie Gordon
Michigan State Representative Andrew Fink, ’06, said he didn’t have a particular plan for his future after graduating from Hillsdale College. Despite this, he knew he wanted to eventually call Hillsdale home. Today, Andrew leads a life of public service, working for his community and fighting for the American way of life, all while raising his five children with his wife, Lauren (Grover), ’07.
Hailing from Ypsilanti, Michigan, Andrew knew he wanted to attend Hillsdale College after a successful campus visit and sitting in on classes led by Dr. Tom Conner and Dr. Mickey Craig.
The guitarist said music was a large part of his Hillsdale experience and genuinely attributable to his friend circle. “I was in the jazz program, and I played jazz combos and big band,” Andrew said. “I like to tell Chris McCourry [Hillsdale’s director of jazz ensembles] that I was the first and worst guitar player in the big band.”
Aside from music, Andrew was president of the politics club and a member of Phi Mu Alpha men’s music fraternity. He also recalls fond memories of volunteering in the Hillsdale community for “Paint the Town” and Habitat for Humanity, to name a few.
Andrew especially enjoyed his time in the classroom with Dr. Craig, Dr. Robert Eden, and Dr. Nathan Schlueter. “I also sat in on Dr. Arnn’s Churchill seminar, and to say that Dr. Arnn’s mentorship has been important to me would be to understate it pretty severely,” said Andrew. “These courses with these professors were important for my own thinking, and many remain close friends.”
Life after Hillsdale came together despite Andrew’s preparation, rather than because of it, he explained. “I was vaguely expecting to go to law school, but that’s largely because my family is full of lawyers.”
Right before graduation, though, Andrew interviewed with Congressman Tim Walberg to work on his congressional campaign. He worked with Walberg until November 2006, and then worked as a legal assistant until he started law school at the University of Michigan the following fall. It was during law school that Andrew decided to join the Marines.
Knowing that the military hires attorneys, it was easy for Andrew to favor the Marines because of their training. “I always had a sense that I owed it to my country to serve in the military,” he said. “I would have felt unsatisfied if I hadn’t.”
During spring break of his second year of law school, Andrew married Lauren, and he graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 2010. Between graduation and reporting for active duty, he spent six months working in the Career Services Office at the College, focusing on enlarging its role and its capabilities for the students.
After serving in the Marines, the Finks moved back to the Ypsilanti area, and Andrew worked at the family firm that soon became Fink and Fink. “Lauren and I decided we wanted to move back to Hillsdale to raise our children,” he said. “Hillsdale is the place we have in common, and it always seemed natural for us to live here.”
The Finks live in Hillsdale’s countryside, doing what they can to provide their children—Evangeline, Frederick, Dietrich, Van, and Gustav—with an enriching life. “We’re so comfortable here and the community here is great,” said Andrew. “The church we have here at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church is terrific. It really is the ‘it’s the people’ thing.”
Andrew emphasized that Hillsdale provides an opportunity for growth for everyone. “There are great people to work with around here,” said Andrew. “You really can do anything. Toasted Mud is a prominent example of an incredible business in small-town Hillsdale. There’s an opportunity to try what you love.”
Andrew was elected in November 2020 to serve the 35th District in the Michigan House of Representatives, and still practices law when time allows. He recently announced his campaign for Michigan Supreme Court. “The courts are not the only protector of our citizens’ rights, but they are often the citizens’ last opportunity to be heard,” said Andrew. “The Supreme Court’s role, both as decision maker in the most important cases, and as the administrator of the entire court system, is critical to Michigan’s success. I’m pursuing this seat because I want Michigan’s citizens to thrive and be confident that the court system will give each and every one of them equal protection and due process.”
On living a life of public service, Andrew likes being in the position to stand up for the community and fight for the American way of life. “I also enjoy hearing about and recognizing achievements by small businesses or high school students. I didn’t think about this before I took office, but there are 110 of us from all around the state. I enjoy my time with my colleagues. Conversations between these people from all parts of the state are all so different, but it’s been great to be around them.”
And for current or prospective Hillsdale students interested in pre-law, Andrew emphasized that it makes no difference that Hillsdale doesn’t have a pre-law major. “I have spoken with deans of law schools, and they love to see a variety of educational backgrounds,” he said. “There are different backgrounds that produce different strengths. One of my uncles said the best lawyers are engineers who can write. You have to communicate, but you also have to think clearly. Some of the best courtroom attorneys are theatre majors because they think about how to communicate through speech. So if you’re a chemistry, classics, or theatre major, don’t think that a history major has a leg up on you. There are many different backgrounds that are advantageous for law school.”
As Andrew continues his life in public service, he believes that Hillsdale will always be home to him and his family. “We feel connected here,” Andrew concluded. “Life didn’t just bring us here. This is where we want to live life.”
Stephanie Gordon, a lifelong Hillsdale native, is the managing editor of the Virtue and Valor: The Official Blog of Hillsdale College. 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 November 2023