When Hillsdale Feels Like Home
Written by Stephanie Gordon
Accepted to Hillsdale at age 15, Cheyenne Trimels, ’17, made the move to Hillsdale, Michigan, from Cheyenne, Wyoming, at age 16. Although thousands of miles stood between home and Hillsdale, Cheyenne said it was easy to make Hillsdale her new home for four years. For Cheyenne, Hillsdale set itself apart from other schools—it was familial.
Besides being familial, Cheyenne was excited and intrigued with Hillsdale’s course catalog. Always fascinated with history and politics, even at a young age, Cheyenne appreciated the College’s emphasis on the two programs.
Knowing she would study history, she switched her minor from Spanish to politics after taking Dr. Kevin Slack’s Constitution 101 course. “This class certainly shifted the focus of my academic career and also the ideas for what I had for after college,” said Cheyenne. “He had a passion and enthusiasm for the material. He presented it as fresh and excited as if he were learning about it for the first time.”
Cheyenne went on to say she enjoyed taking classes with Drs. Paul Rahe and Adam Carrington. “Isn’t it cool that no one has just one favorite professor at Hillsdale? They were all so good,” Cheyenne said.
After graduation, Cheyenne taught high school and middle school history, but in early 2020, she took a job with Carvana, an online car retailer, working in governmental affairs. “Buying a car is a big deal, and making that experience better is something that does actually help people,” she said. “I was drawn to that idea because I was in education. Making the transition from education to working for a corporation, I was able to keep that satisfaction of helping others by working for Carvana.”
Cheyenne explained that Carvana’s CEO, Ernie Garcia III, wanted to revolutionize the car buying experience. With nearly everything available online, Cheyenne said Carvana believes buying a car should be no different. “When you think about it, we purchase a lot online,” said Cheyenne. “With Carvana, you purchase the car, and you get to keep the car for seven days; you can drive it in your own neighborhood and see what the car is like in your daily life. If you don’t like it, you can return the car and unwind the entire transaction.”
Cheyenne heads the legislation front for Carvana and moderates laws that could affect the company. And with the relationship building and outreach that comes with her job, she is also involved with making political decisions. “Getting to be a part of something that will only continue to grow has been really fun,” said Cheyenne. “I don’t think I would’ve had this opportunity had it not been for Hillsdale.”
Cheyenne said the core curriculum’s emphasis on good writing and eloquent speaking has practical benefits when seeking jobs. “Some people think that getting a politics or history degree won’t get you a job after graduating, but you can study things you want, and also get experience through an internship to supplement it,” Cheyenne said. “You’ll be marketable because you’ve learned great things.”
Now, nearly five years after graduation, Cheyenne said she gets homesick for Hillsdale. “The College is really there to help its students,” said Cheyenne. “There’s a familial structure at Hillsdale. They were taking care of us. I was able to get a really good education while making really beautiful relationships.”
Stephanie Gordon, a lifelong Hillsdale native, is the managing editor of the 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 April 2022