Collegian 10.08.2026 by The Hillsdale Collegian

Students gathered at Banner Drop Oct. 5. Courtesy | Student Activities Board

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Vol. 150 Issue 6 – October 8, 2026

Charger football wins Simpson leads Homecoming after trivia night back-to-back weekends

By Robert Matteson Sports Editor Hillsdale defeated both the Lake Erie College Storm 29-9 Oct. 3 on the road, and the Thomas More University Saints 38-7 Sept. 26 at home to improve to 4-1 on the season and 2-1 in Great Midwest Athletic Conference play.

Hillsdale’s strong defense was on display in both games. Through five games, the Chargers lead the G-MAC in scoring defense, giving up just 10.0 points per game on average. “The defense has been knocking it out of the park,” head coach Nate Shreffler said. “They’re doing a great job executing the game plan and

By Jayden Jelso Assistant Editor

Senior and Whitley Resident Assistant Dylan Glover emphasized the dorm’s determination to win trivia this year. “We put in a ton of work last year and came in second in the tiebreaker,” Glover said. “I had PTSD coming into the tiebreaker this year because I thought it was going to be a repeat. But our guys pulled it together, and we pulled through.” Simpson currently leads the week’s competition with 315 points, followed by OCC in second with 310 points, and Whitley in third with 300 points. Niedfeldt and McIntyre hold fourth and fifth place respectively, with 240 and 225 points.

Simpson leads the homecoming competition after taking second place in trivia Wednesday night. Whitley took first place in trivia on a tiebreaking question. To break the five-way tie in the final round of trivia, the Student Activities Board asked competitors the number of balloons attached to Carl Fredricksen’s house during the takeoff scene in the Disney film “Up.” Whitley’s answer of 6,000 balloons was closest to the correct answer of 20,622. The trivia event included categories like “Disney Facts” and “Finish the Line,” with questions ranging from the number of Disney parks to the number of Disney princesses based on real historical figures. New Dorm scored third, Olds fourth, and Off-Campus Coalition fifth.

See Homecoming A2

Q&A: Special Forces vet talks politics and family By Elijah Guevara News Editor

Fifth-year senior Colin Morrow forces a turnover. Courtesy | Hillsdale Athletics Department

This is the first time Hillsdale has started a season 4-1 since 2018, when the Chargers finished the season 10-3 and reached the NCAA Division II Playoff Regional Semifinal. “It’s great to start out 4-1,” senior wide receiver Shea Ruddy said. “That’s never happened since I’ve been here, so I think everyone’s super excited about it. We’ve got the tough part of our schedule coming up here, so we’re looking to continue it and get some really good wins on the resume.”

keeping teams off-balanced and making them one-dimensional. So, hats off to our defense because they’ve been showing up every week and making it a little bit easier on the offense.” Against the Storm, senior Drake Badger sacked Lake Erie quarterback Hunter Newell in the endzone for a safety on the first drive of the game. Hillsdale trailed the Storm 6-2 after the first quarter.

See Football A8

Nick Freitas. Courtesy | Nick Freitas

Nick Freitas is an author, political commentator, and social media influencer with more than 2 million Instagram followers. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates as a Republican from 2016–2026 and, before then, was a sergeant and Green Beret in the U.S. Army Special Forces. Freitas gave a lecture on campus Oct. 5 titled “The Immigration Crisis That Will Destroy the West,” sponsored by Hillsdale College Republicans and Hillsdale’s Young American Foundation chapter. Q. What brought you to Hillsdale? A. I’ve been wanting to visit Hillsdale for quite some time. I’ve always loved the online courses Hillsdale provides, and it’s one of the few

Hillsdale, War Department partner for cadet program By Elijah Guevara News Editor Hillsdale College will partner with the Department of War through a new Corps of Cadets program to give Hillsdale students who want to go into military service after graduation priority officer commissioning to the military and military instruction, College President Larry Arnn announced Sept. 30. “We need students of Western Civilization and the pillars of our republic; leaders who understand the faith of Jerusalem, the philosophy of Athens, the power of Rome, and the freedom of Philadelphia circa 1776; officers of the republic proud of our country, our heritage, and our history,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said in a statement. “This flagship effort is central to our goal of increasing the number of patriotic leaders of character commissioning into the Joint Force.” Hillsdale will be one of the initial five universities designated a “Distinguished Mil-

itary College.” The program will require cadets-in-training to undergo tactical instruction and military organization. The schools are also given “Honor

that stern form necessary in the military. We are honored at this chance to be of service and grateful to the Department of War for the opportunity.”

“Military service and preparation for military service are central to the heritage of our college.” School” status, granting student cadets priority in officer commissioning that will act as a pipeline into military officership, according to a press release from the college. “Hillsdale College has been preparing students for military service and for citizenship generally for 182 years,” Arnn said in a statement. “Its curriculum is devised to achieve that general understanding of the natural and human world that helps one grasp ultimate causes. It is the best preparation for leadership in all its forms, including

The other colleges partnering with the Department of War are Liberty University, Louisiana State University, Mississippi State University, and Tuskegee University. Hillsdale’s membership in the Corps of Cadets is consistent with the college’s founding commitment to “defending liberty,” according to Peter Jennings, associate professor of leadership studies, who is a Marine veteran. “Our college has always been a friend to the military and the military a friend to the

college — military service, of course, is one of the first duties of republican citizenship,” Jennings said in an email. Jennings said the Corps of Cadets partnership is special because of the history of Hillsdale students in military service. “Military service is a tradition of the college that dates to the Civil War when over 500 Hillsdale College students served in the Union army,” Jennings said. “Military service and preparation for military service are central to the heritage of our college.” One hundred and thirty-five Hillsdale students and alumni have died in service of the U.S. in armed conflicts, according to The Collegian. While most students died in the Civil War, others also died during the Spanish-American War, the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Four students have received the Medal of Honor.

See Corps A2

colleges I can recommend to Christian or conservative parents who want their kids to go to a school where they’ll get a robust education. In my work, we talk a lot about important topics of history, philosophy, theology, and politics, and Hillsdale has always been a great resource for those things. Q. What got you into politics? A. I blame my mother. When I was growing up, my mom, a nurse, was the head of a Republican women’s club in Chico, California, and also did Christian missionary work. Our family would join in her missionary work in the Philippines, Mexico, and Okinawa. She really instilled in us what a Christian obligation

and sense of charity is, which is not outsourcing charity to the government, but doing it yourself. She also instilled in us this obligation that we live in an incredibly prosperous, free, and relatively peaceful society. If you want to keep it that way, you have an obligation to be involved. I was always really impressed by her ability to debate political issues, so that led me to study political philosophy: Frédéric Bastiat, Milton Friedman, Thomas Soule, as well as the Federalist papers and Anti-Federalist papers. When I got older I got involved with local committees, and within about four years, found myself running for office in Virginia.

See Freitas A3

CCA I speakers debate national security strategy By Ashley Luke Assisant Editor Lecturers discussed changes in national security strategy since the Cold War during this semester’s first Center for Constructive Alternative lecture series, held Sept. 27–30. The CCA, titled “America’s

America First Policy Institute, Michael Anton, former director of policy planning at the Department of State during Trump’s second term, and Victoria Coates, vice president of the Davis Institute of National Security at the Heritage Foundation.

Joshua Trevino gives a lecture Sept. 27 in Plaster Auditorium. Courtesy | Austin Thomason

National Security Strategy: An Assessment,” included lectures from Joshua Treviño, senior adviser to the president at the

See CCA A2

A2 October 8, 2026

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Michael Anton asks ‘can America be saved?’ in lecture By Ethan Savka Assistant Editor

CCA from A1 Treviño explained in his lecture Sept. 27 that political issues often come from Latin America, because its idea of liberty is rooted in their cultural heritage instead of America’s Anglo-Saxon one. Americans need to control the large bodies of water surrounding the nation in order to keep North America’s political issues at bay and remain a world power. “The key to North America lies in two Great Basins,” Treviño said, referring to the Mississippi and Great Lakes basins. “If you want to establish a successful North American polity, you’ve got to control one of those two, and preferably both of them. And if you don’t control or at least neutralize both of them, then you’re going to have a continuing, enduring strategic threat that’s going to afflict whatever polity you’re at.” David Baker, deputy assistant secretary of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, argued Sept. 27 that although countries will always act in their best interest, America needs to continue to join forces with Europe. “The threats facing us today and in the future require coordinated action on both sides of the Atlantic,” Baker said. “The United States needs to work together to build collective security and solve barriers. As President Trump’s national security strategy made clear, Europe remains strategically and culturally vital to the United States, and transatlantic trade remains one of the pillars of the global economy and American prosperity.”

Homecoming from A1

Glover said he was proud of the Whitley trivia team for its hard work. “We put the team together about a week and a half ago. They were studying all of fall break and especially the last couple of days. Blake Schaper, Dom Gaetano, Paul Jackson, Brandon Meeks, Dave Lawrence, and Nicholas Mirochnikoff. They are the smartest guys in the dorm, and they really pulled it together,” he said. Junior and Simpson Resident Assistant Thad Reudelhuber said Simpson has a winning formula for homecoming. “We have the homecoming process down to a pattern we keep to,” Reudelhuber said. “It’s worked for us, and so we keep doing it.” Simpson tied for first with McIntyre at the banner drop Monday. The dorm’s banner depicts Lightning McQueen and Doc Hudson from “Cars,” with the words “It’s just an empty cup” written beneath an illustration of the homecoming trophy. “The banner was done mostly by John Henry Lindley and Joseph Shipp. It’s been a long time since we’ve won banner drop, and we’ve gone a lot of

In his lecture Sept. 28, Anton argued that the quarter century between the Cold War and Trump’s first election was spent frivolously pouring money and resources into unnecessary wars.

affect surrounding nations, he said. “Sometimes you can be morally in the right, but your actions have a follow-up consequence,” Anton said. “It’s not enough to try to do state-

David Baker speaks at his Sept. 27 lecture. Courtesy | Austin Thomason

“Trump views that 25-year period as a period of drift,” Anton said, referring to the 25 years between the Cold War and Trump’s presidential terms. “It was an overinvestment in strategically tangential operations, waste, and wars that cost, as he says, trillions and trillions. So we’re starting late, but we are going to correct it.” Anton described the ways that America can correct its past political follies. One change was to remember both the moral and practical consequences of their foreign policy decisions. While it is easy for countries to make decisions based on their own needs, they need to realize those decisions years without ever placing in banner drop. We knew that was a huge boost from the get-go, and it gave us some room for error,” Reudelhuber said. Reudelhuber said homecoming is a good week to celebrate campus culture and engage in silliness. “For Simpson, homecoming is important because we really try to embrace the boyhood within manhood,” he said. “We do all these silly things and we do all this Disney dancing so that, one day, we can do the same thing with our little kids. For campus, it’s important because few campuses these days have any sort of actual culture where they interact with each other. Homecoming is really important to Hillsdale because it unites us in a way that nothing else does.” Senior and Niedfeldt House Director Nicholas Rutkoski said homecoming helps Niedfeldt foster community. “Homecoming is all about building community, and sometimes that community needs to be found in idiocy,” Rutkoski said. “With trivia, a lot of us don’t know the answers to these questions, so we can either sit in silence, or we can mime baseball games, jousts, and boxing matches. We

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craft well. You’re in charge of a country. You’re in charge of guiding its destiny. You have to think about your interests and what follow-on consequences are.” Coates discussed how foreign policy changed during different administrations, in her lecture Sept. 29. Trump’s newest NSS is working to bring America back as a prominent world power, she said. “The big change in 2025 was that the prioritization of the Western Hemisphere was real,” Coates said. “President Trump has forced the U.S. government to do this, and he has taken dramatic action in Venezuela, to emphasize that he is willing to back this up with

force. He wants to change the game, the game board, and he wants to make America both supreme and a very positive force in the Western Hemisphere.” Coates also emphasized Trump’s focus on China as America’s main threat instead of Russia. While some people worry about Trump’s threat to leave NATO, Coates said he won’t if NATO shifts their focus. “We want to participate in NATO,” she said. “But they have to make Russia their primary threat because our primary threat is going to be China, and we have to move Russia to secondary threat status.” Edward Luttwak, author of “The Rise of China vs. The Logic of Strategy,” retold the history of China’s political struggles in his lecture Tuesday evening. He described China’s failed military conquests and, compared to other Asian countries such as Vietnam, said it lacks a strong fighting culture. “The Chinese have many skills; winning wars is not one of them,” Luttwak said. Freshman Rebecca Aponte said she appreciated the speakers’ takes on foreign policy. “It was interesting to hear their appreciation of historical facts without getting into a super political sense,” Aponte said. “Even though there were mentions of the Trump administration or certain publications that they had written for, the speakers made sure to go with history first, but they were able to just give really unbiased judgments of every question.”

America will not be saved, the State Department’s Former Director of Policy Planning Michael Anton told students at a Sept. 29 lecture. Anton delivered the talk, titled “Prospects for the Late Republic,” at the invitation of Hillsdale’s politics honorary, Pi Sigma Alpha. Anton, who worked in the second Trump administration, gave the talk the same week as his CCA I lecture, titled “Needed Adjustments on Post-Cold War Policy.” “Can America be saved? Of course it can,” Anton said. “The more interesting question is, will it be saved? My prediction is no.” Anton clarified that by “saved,” he meant “a restoration of constitutional government.” “Working of the regime as the regime is meant to operate. Real separation of powers. Real limits on Article I and Article II powers, but also a real reassertion of Article I powers that the Congress has let lie fallow or ceded to the administrative state,” Anton said. Republicans will lose the political game because the Left already won the institution game, Anton said. “They just simply have a lot more than we do,” Anton said. “They’ve got the universities. Yeah, we got Hillsdale, but what else have we got? They’ve got the media. We got Fox, but it doesn’t outweigh ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, all the rest of it.” That power combines with a dangerous attitude Anton sees on the political left. “You think, ‘Can we just kind of chill out about this and recognize our common American-ness and try to have some semblance of civic friendship?’” Anton said. “And right now, my read on the mindset of the typical blue American is no, we can’t. Not until we have won, you have been defeated, and we’re in charge, and we get our way on everything because our way is right and true and just, and you’re evil.” Professor of Politics Thomas West said he enjoyed Anton’s talk. “Anton is one of America’s

Corps from A1

Junior Brandon Meeks and sophomores Blake Schaper, Paul Jackson, and Dominic Gaetano after winning trivia for Whitley. Courtesy | Instagram

try to find the fun in the normalcy of the week and make it even better.” McIntyre’s banner is a compilation of Disney characters flying off drawing pages, with Tinker Bell arching over Hillsdale’s Christ Chapel. OCC took second with “Seeking Beauty,” a Hillsdale version of “Sleeping Beauty.” ATO scored third with a fraternity-style composite of famous Disney characters. Niedfeldt won Tuesday’s video competition by mocking Disney’s diversity quotas and live-action remakes. OCC scored second with an inspira-

tional video about kids growing up with Disney characters as role models. Whitley took third with a Hillsdale version of the classic “There is Only One Disney” promotional video. The week will continue with Minute to Win It in Plaster Auditorium on Thursday at 7 p.m. Volunteer hours will be announced at the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl in the Frank “Muddy” Waters Stadium on Friday at 6 p.m. Homecoming festivities will close with Mock Rock in the Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m.

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The exact details and implications for cadet training and curriculum at Hillsdale remain undecided, according to Professor of History Paul Rahe. “The difference between what Hillsdale has done before and what it will be doing in the partnership is a formal relationship with the Department of War,” Rahe said. “My expectation is that the minor in military history will be tweaked for the sake of the Cadet Corps. But the changes to the curriculum are undecided.” Junior Ashley Burdo, a sergeant in the Marine Corps and member in Hillsdale’s Marine Officer’s Commissioning Program, said she has been able to understand her service better while at Hillsdale. “As Christians, by the cross, our life is not our own,” Burdo said. “We are obligated to serve in some capacity, no matter what we do. I think it is a very specific calling to those who serve out in the military. It’s obviously more intense and harsh, but we take it on with joy.” Burdo said she hopes

top political analysts,” West told The Collegian in an email. “His talk was outstanding. His thesis is that the Left wants to destroy the older American way of life and replace it with a degraded form of egalitarianism, in which everything high and noble is harnessed into the service of the low and vulgar.” West said he hopes the talk encouraged students to take action. “Anton’s talk was an antidote to the defeatism I see too often among young people on the right,” West said. “The fact that Anton was a major official in the Trump administration shows the way. Students should take heart from his success and aspire to join the fight in their own best ways, as Anton said in answer to one of the student questions.” Senior Jackson Casey, secretary of Pi Sigma Alpha, said the honorary was grateful to host Anton. “I was very impressed with the talk Anton gave,” Casey said. “I was very happy that the event allowed for an opportunity for him to comment on domestic affairs because it came along in addition to his remarks at the CCA over two lectures, which were more focused on foreign policy. So I’m quite happy that this event, through the politics honorary, allowed him to speak to domestic issues and the problems facing the American regime.” While he agrees with Anton that conservatives may only have Hillsdale for a college education, Casey said he believes Hillsdale is enough. “I think everyone in the politics department, for the most part, and I think students across departments at the college understand the mission that we play as parts of an institution, which is really trying to reclaim the legacy of a kind of liberal arts education, which doesn’t exist as it does here and anywhere else in the country,” Casey said. “There are really only a few other institutions like Hillsdale doing what we do.”

Hillsdale’s partnership with the Department of War will increase the college’s publicity among young people who apply to colleges with plans to become a military officer after graduation. “Knowing that there is something very official and substantial on campus, for those students who are more military-oriented and military-minded, will help a lot,” Burdo said. “A very established pipeline to becoming a commissioned officer is something I have no doubt would rival a lot of the military academies.” Rahe said the Cadet Corps coincides with Hillsdale’s mission of producing better American citizens and defending liberty. “Part of our purpose is preparing people for citizenship, and one aspect of citizenship is public service,” Rahe said. “Being attentive to the needs of people going into public service, through the Corps of Cadets partnership, keeps with our college’s mission. It’s good for the college, and it’s good for the country.”

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October 8, 2026 A3

‘Patience and dedication’: Students reel in fish at tournament By Elizabeth Caneday Assistant Editor Students set out on canoes, cast their lines, and waited for fish to take the bait at Hillsdale’s new fishing club’s first event Saturday, Sept. 26 at Lake Michindoh. “Everyone had a great time,” said sophomore Josiah Manna, president of the fishing club. “Most people caught a lot of fish. We were out there for over three hours, and it just flew by.” Five teams of two students each competed to catch the

largest fish and take home the travelling trophy, a metal fish signed by the competition’s winners. The 10 students caught a total of 25 fish. Sophomore David Texas Ardis and senior Luke Johnson’s team, Chattahoochee, won the competition with a bass weighing 9 pounds 3 ounces. They received a $50 Bass Pro Shops gift card as the grand prize. “This was a great opportunity to get away from campus, get outdoors, and enjoy this last little bit of good weather

Sophomore David Texas Ardis poses with a fish. Courtesy | Josiah Manna

that we have before the winter comes,” Ardis said. “This being my first event with the fishing club, I would say it was great, and I’d do it again.” Hailing from South Carolina and Tennessee respectively, Ardis and Johnson said they had to learn the peculiarities of the lake. “Compared to Tennessee, it’s a different habitat in the water,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot of these lilies and a lot of vegetation that we don’t have. Most of the water’s not as deep here, and the bass aren’t as big. Figuring out how to fish that new habitat and target the bigger fish is a new thing.” Ardis said the temperature of the water and temperament of the fish determined their strategy. “The fish here versus the south are much less aggressive on the lure,” Ardis said. “We have to fish slower, try to fool the fish even better than we would back home.” While Team Chattahoochee caught at least a dozen fish, other teams had varying levels of success. Junior Monica Bentley and sophomore Evan Myers only caught three fish, according to Bentley. “Forty minutes before the end, we caught all three with-

in ten minutes of each other,” Bentley said. Sophomores Josiah Manna and Asher McGlinchy, two of the club’s founders who facilitated the event, helped Bentley and Myers find a good spot. “They got three fish. Bam, bam, bam. Just like that. It was awesome,” Manna said. Manna, the club’s president, cofounded the club this semester with McGlinchy and sophomore Joseph Bromm. Manna said Morgan Morrison ’21, director of outdoor programs, talked to him about founding a fishing club at Hillsdale. “It was always a dream of mine in high school. What if I could start a team or a club at Hillsdale?” Manna said. “I’d be like, ‘Nah, it could never happen.’ But it’s happened now.” Manna said the fishing club will host various events throughout the year to bring fishing and a greater appreciation of nature to the student body. “This club is for every student at Hillsdale who wants to get into fishing, learn how to fish, advance in their fishing skills, and just get outside and have a good time,” Manna said. Over the summer, Manna worked with Bromm and McGlinchy to find sponsors, plan

Junior Julius Meduna kisses a fish. Courtesy | Josiah Manna

events, and become recognized as an official club on campus. “Our goal for the future is to launch a traveling, competitive side of the team that does tournaments and goes around in the area,” Manna said. “Eventually in the far future, we want to find national tournaments and be recognized intercollegiately as a team.” McGlinchy said the club will focus on events which will educate the student body about fishing and its relevance to the liberal arts. “Not only does being out

here in nature teach us about science and the world that we live in, but it also grows us in virtue,” McGlinchy said. “Fishing requires so much patience and dedication, and knowledge about your environment. There’s so much science that goes into fishing. By starting this club, we’re going to bring so much to Hillsdale, promoting the conservation of God’s beautiful resource that he’s provided us, and awareness of what goes into maintaining these bodies of water.”

Homestead sells organic produce on South Quad Freitas speaks on Marxist By Patrishia Arteaga Collegian Freelancer

The Hillsdale Homestead runs a market sale by the South Quad every Friday from 3:30–5 p.m. to sell organic produce on campus. “We are selling whatever we have made at the Homestead, such as potatoes, carrots, beets, and tomatoes,” said senior Maria Adamow, who works as the greenhouse manager at the farm. “We’ll be making soups and tomato sauce, and also selling eggs from our chickens as a regular thing.” Ryan Perkins ’22, director of campus recreation and club sports, founded and manages the Homestead. “Going into the winter, we are going to sell everything from our summer garden, and begin planting in the greenhouse for this upcoming year,” Perkins said. “Once the greenhouse produce begins to be harvestable toward the end of

Freitas from A1 Q. What’s something about being in politics that people outside politics might not know? A. I served 10 years as a Virginia state politician, and the legislature is an interesting beast. Everyone thinks you have a lot more power than you actually do. To get anything done, you have to carry a bill, get at least 51 votes in the House, 21 votes in the Senate, and have a governor who will sign it. At no point in 10 years did I have a Republican House, Senate, and governor. It was frustrating. But what it did was force me, who was not in the majority, to make a lot of deals. I didn’t like making deals on things like guns, life, or raising taxes. So I ended up being the guy who would fight in floor debates. Although the other side of the aisle would kill my bills because it’s me, I realized fairly early on that my role was going to be to heavily participate in the floor debate and in letting people know what was actually going on in the General Assembly and I used social media. But I was very blessed because I had a constituency that didn’t necessarily want me to write a lot of laws, but to fight for the values they believed represented that district. So even though my own colleagues would tell me I wouldn’t get bills passed or get committee chairmanships,

the semester, our sales will pick back up.” Since its founding in 2024, the Homestead has grown from a budding garden into a smallscale farm with the eventual goal of becoming a self-sustaining business, according to Perkins. “We started that summer with just tomatoes, peppers, and 50 chickens. I was actually raising our little baby chicks in my house director suite in Whitley,” Perkins said. “We had a huge garden in the summer of 2025, so we started selling produce, starting over in front of Delp Hall last spring.” With the help of volunteers and a growing demand for organic produce, the Homestead began to establish itself in campus life, he said. “We quickly realized that there are a lot of people on campus that want homegrown vegetables and fresh eggs. We are very popular among the students and the staff, and then

coming into this year, we have added sheep and bees as well,” Perkins said. “We are trying to expand what we can offer to the student body.” Formerly Glei’s orchards and greenhouses, the Homestead is 10 minutes northeast of the college, on Milnes Road. Workers head into the farm in the mid-morning to gain firsthand experience growing food and maintaining small gardens, according to Perkins. “They can pop in for 30 minutes or an hour, and that’s an opportunity to get to know how to work with sheep, raise plants, care for fruit trees, among other things,” Perkins said. Serving at the farm can improve daily life for busy college students, according to junior Ashley Burdo, who has volunteered at the Homestead for three years. “It’s a valuable experience to see where your food comes from, to be more conscientious of what you put into your body,

as well as living a holistic lifestyle,” Burdo said. “It’s also a mental break from everything that we do on campus — it’s quiet, beautiful, slow, and not overly strenuous, which is how God intended us to be.” Perkins said working at the Homestead could help students have a well-rounded college experience. “We see the farm as an opportunity for students to take their education out of the classroom and to learn hands-on,” he said. “All the virtues that we learn in the classroom come to life when you are given ownership of a plot of land and you have to grow your own food.” Adamow said the Homestead develops the spiritual sense of the worker. “It is based on St. Benedict’s ‘ora et labora.’ We are praying and working to get experience with God’s creation and to understand it better through that,” Adamow said.

I knew that’s not what my constituents sent me to do. They wanted me to fight, so I came to fight.

A. I think this is a great time for young people that are worried about the future of their country to do two things in particular. One is, because you’re in Hillsdale, to take advantage of your great professors. At a lot of these universities that might have good professors, it’s actually a teaching assistant in a 300-person lecture hall. Here, with a oneto-nine teacher-to-student ratio, you actually get to engage in in-depth conversations with some of the leading experts in their fields. Take full advantage of that, because through this education you’re gonna be able to flesh out ideas, develop good arguments, and use them on people that are willing to listen. When you can articulate your positions and beliefs effectively, you can earn people’s trust in your values and judgment. The second thing you should do is, for the love of God, if you’re single at Hillsdale, find your bride or husband. The best way to transfer values from one generation to the next is through family. You want to get married to someone who shares your faith, your values, and your worldview. Being at Hillsdale, you have an incredibly high probability of meeting someone who shares those things. Don’t wait to settle for marriage after you’ve lived life and figured everything out — marriage is the adventure. Have kids, and do not hand their education over to the government. By

just doing that, you can save the country.

Q. What other type of content have you made on social media that people have responded well to? A. Something I ended up doing later on was not just talking about politics, but about faith. I talk a lot about family, being a husband, a father, and a girl dad and a boy dad. Also, I’m a bit sarcastic. A lot of people enjoyed the humor, especially the parts they could relate to, whether it was about their marriage or raising kids. I started to recognize that far more people were stopping in the airport to say thank you, not because of my political commentary, but because of something I said about how to raise daughters or how to raise a son. I hear much more from terrified fathers with a little girl who are watching my videos on the first things your daughters need to hear from your dad, or fathers with sons watching a video I did on the things every son needs to hear from their fathers. It’s a great way to connect with people, and in many cases people would learn about me from those kinds of videos, and then be introduced to my political commentary down the line. Q. How can Hillsdale College students start to get involved in issues we care about?

Q. What do you love most about America? A. The meritocracy. When we say the word “freedom,” it means different things to different people. But what makes America unique is not just the ability to vote or economic freedom, but the fact that you could come from anywhere and, as long as you embraced American principles and the culture and traditions that made them possible, you could build something that was truly yours, and someone wouldn’t arbitrarily take it from you based on class or religion. We have a 250-year tradition with hiccups and problems, and yet there’s no better place in the world to be able to build something that is totally yours. That’s so important because my job in this life is to be obedient to God. And in a free society, the options for how I can obey God, build a family, and educate my children are far more robust, not just anywhere in the world right now but at any point in world history. The fact that so many people have been willing to fight and die to sustain that and pass it on to future generations is something that we should be very grateful for.

threat to US education

By Ashley Luke Assistant Editor The Left is subverting America’s founding documents and culture through Marxist ideologies, increasing division among conservatives and liberals, Special Forces veteran and former Virginia House Delegate Nick Freitas said in a lecture Oct. 5. “This is no longer a disagreement between fellow countrymen. This is a disagreement between diametrically opposed worldviews that cannot coexist with one another,” Freitas said. “So one side will win, and one side will lose. And increasingly, I find myself in a position unwilling to live in the sort of country that the modern Democratic Party wants to usher in.” Hillsdale College Republicans, in partnership with Hillsdale’s chapter of Young American Foundation, hosted Freitas for his lecture titled, “The Immigration Crisis That Will Destroy the West.” Freitas said the Left is targeting young people through Marxist education. “I’m seeing this constant drumbeat of a narrative about U.S. history, our Founders, and the Constitution, all designed to demoralize a generation of Americans into thinking that there’s literally nothing to be proud of about being American, and you hear that spoken so much by the Democratic Party,” Freitas said. He described how Marxist theory quickly changes someone’s opinion into an act of violence. “We were moving from attempting to rob me of moral legitimacy to suggesting that by even expressing an opinion outside of the critical theory narrative, I was engaging in an act of violence,” Freitas said. “And if I’m engaging in an act of violence simply by expressing a different viewpoint, then when they engage in an act of violence against me, that’s not aggression. That’s just self-defense, and that’s how you watch millions of people get online and celebrate the murder of Charlie Kirk.” One of the reasons indoctrination through education is so important to the Left is because of their declining birthrates, Freitas said. According to Freitas, the birthrate for the Left is well below the replacement rate of 2.1 children, leaving them desperate for young people to indoctrinate.

The issue Freitas found with the liberal view of immigration was that they do not want assimilation into American culture. This idea leans heavily on the government programs and natural rights presented in the founding documents the Left claims to hate, he said. “The hard question we’re going to have to ask ourselves is, ‘What happens when you have a significant portion of your own population that will utilize the benefits and protections afforded to all citizens by the Constitution?’” Freitas said. “What happens when people will utilize that to subvert it, overthrow it, and supplant it with something that would be different? That’s the question your generation is going to have to solve.” Freitas argued that a simple way to keep the liberals in check was to get married and have children above the replacement rate. He said conservatives need to be increasingly more careful about what institutions they are sending their children to, adding that he and his wife homeschooled all three of their children. “You want to transfer your values to your kids. I think that one of the greatest things I ever managed to achieve was that all three of my children are very well invested, very productive, but they absolutely love Jesus Christ and can’t stand Marxism,” Freitas said. Sophomore Claire McEachen said she enjoyed Freitas’s thoughts on foreign policy. “With my dad being a veteran in the Air Force, it was really neat to hear another Christian perspective on foreign policy,” McEachen said. Sophomore Jordan Nelson, who is the vice president of Hillsdale College Republicans, said he valued Freitas’ practical advice and experience. “I really appreciated that his military background gives him a realistic approach to politics, which, in the academic setting at Hillsdale, doesn’t always happen,” Nelson said. “We run into philosophy, which is a good thing, but that’s not the case with Nick. He’s about practicality. He did 10 years in the Virginia House of Delegates as proof of that. So I think he’s big on putting politics in practice.”

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A4 October 8, 2026

The Collegian Weekly

Fall break came too early this year By Patrick Matteson assistant editoR Fall break came too soon this year. It’s not that fall break was too short. It’s that it came before students needed a reset. With Homecoming activities underway and papers and essays due this week, a break a week from now sounds delightful. This year, fall break fell on Oct. 1-2. It hasn’t occurred this early for at least a decade, according to catalog records. Last year, it was Oct. 9-10. In 2024, it was Oct. 17-18. Three years ago, it was Oct. 19-20. In 2017, what was once called “mid-semester recess” was right before the end of the month, on Oct. 26-27. I still appreciated fall break this year, even if it was early. It was a great time to catch up on sleep as well as a chance to return home. We’re lucky we got a few days off — schools such as Brigham Young University and Pensacola Christian College do not have a fall break at all. Hillsdale has a lot to fit into the fall semester: Homecoming, Parents Weekend, CCAs I and II, and of course, fall break. Scheduling must be a complicated nightmare for those who have to do it. But this year, the timing made it difficult for the break to accomplish what are presumably its major goals. By early October, students have settled into the semester, but we have not yet reached the point of exhaustion that makes a few days away from campus feel absolutely necessary. We have gotten through the first six weeks, figured out our schedules, and started to establish a rhythm. This year the rhythm of the semester was just beginning to feel normal when the semester stopped for a few days. Fall break was early enough in the semester that

professors had little time to schedule papers and midterms beforehand, but it was late enough that those assignments were already looming when students returned to campus. And we knew what was waiting for us when we left. Homecoming started on Monday. The papers are still due soon. The exams are still a few days away. And we haven’t even finished reading “Paradise Lost” in Great Books II. Thanksgiving break still has some stress with upcoming finals, but at least it is a “fresh start” of sorts returning to review sessions. But when fall break comes this early, there is simply more of the semester to worry about. Fall break didn’t feel like a fresh start this year. A later fall break would allow most professors to schedule papers and midterms before the recess, and students would get a break when the semester has actually begun to wear on them. They might return to campus rejuvenated rather than overwhelmed. If the goal is to simply give students a couple of days with no classes, then the current schedule works. But if the goal is to restore energy, relieve some of the sleep debt, and give students a real opportunity to step away from school, then the calendar can do better. Fall break was great, but I wish it had come at a time when I could appreciate it for the break it was supposed to be. Patrick Matteson is a sophomore studying politics.

Peacemaxxing: Find calm in the everyday As midterm season is upon us, make time for peacemaxxing in everyday life. Modern slang adds the suffix “maxxing” — a slang term for maximizing — to describe an effort to master a certain behavior. It uses range from “looksmaxxing,” the trend of over-accentuating good looks; “auramaxxing,” the trend of expanding one’s good vibes or “aura”; even “Catholicmaxxing,” the trend of intensely practicing the faith and possessing sacramentals. Hillsdale students should

adopt a new version, and start peacemaxxing. At its simplest, this could include setting aside a bit of time each day to do something that brings moments of calm and serenity into your life — praying, journaling, taking a walk, or drinking a cup of tea while reading a book. A more intense peacemaxxer might reorder his entire daily life to prioritize peace, even to the point of eliminating interactions or involvements that don’t provide the life-giving calm promised by Christ.

But peacemaxxing doesn’t mean avoiding challenges. It involves taking life head-on while reordering the mind to a positive outlook. It’s remembering, during the hours-long study session, that studying is something you get to do rather than something you have to do. It’s taking off your headphones on your walk around campus and recognizing that your time at this place is limited. Peacemaxxing is about joy and maximizing every experience, no matter how small, so

you can value the goodness in everything. It’s about finding fulfillment in life, and having a rightly ordered perspective in everything life provides. Hillsdale is hard, but it is a gift and is something we should appreciate by finding peace in everything we have the privilege of experiencing. During this midterm season, try to add some peace in your life. Refocus on what we get to do as Hillsdale students, and search for the peace that God intends to be part of every human life.

Nonchalance is not the move Young men need to embrace their humanity — emotions and all By Monica Smies Collegian RepoRteR Young men have become too nonchalant. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “nonchalant” as the quality of “having an air of easy unconcern or indifference.” Nonchalance is just an act — it doesn’t mean you don’t care about the world. It’s pretending not to care about the things you love and hate. Being nonchalant numbs and disrupts the reality of being human. When we disregard our emotions we live on autopilot. Experiencing emotions is natural, and part of being human. They’re not just points of weakness. They are necessary to love. Jokes about nonchalance are everywhere on Instagram and TikTok. People in every one of my circles say some of my actions are “too much,” calling me “very ’chalant.” Friends encourage one another to be more nonchalant by quietly telling one another to “calm down” or “be quiet” about things that warrant a much different reaction. Encouraging the sterile emotional response of young people when excitement is appropriately called for causes them to embrace a detrimental nonchalant attitude. Friends encourage one another to act less on what they feel because of the fear of being too much and thus unrelatable or disagreeable to the group. But, organically reacting to the joys and sorrows of life is a good and natural part of what it means to be human. It’s bad for the human psyche to numb itself to emotion. As the psychologists Edward Deci and Richard Ryan explain in their article about “Self-Determination” theory, human beings need to feel that they have autonomy, are competent, and can relate to one another in order to be fulfilled, and thus happy. The last of these, “relatedness” as a psychological factor, demon-

strates why people are being nonchalant: they fear not being able to fit in. People deeply desire to feel that they belong and to know they are loved. But sometimes people abandon themselves in pursuit of acceptance. Rath-

with diverse beliefs. According to the Institute for Family Studies, this study indicated that “young men care about their status, want to contribute, and are distressed by the gap between their current circumstances and what they

er than being honest about what they love, people act as if they are above caring about anything, in hopes that others will like them more for having no opinions. YouGov conducted a study in April 2025 on the recent demoralization of young men that surveyed 2,000 U.S. men between the ages of 18 and 29

really desire for their life.” As young men across the U.S. wrestle with their role and purpose, they need to feel that they can relate to another and fall back on their community. The YouGov survey asked young men to agree or disagree with how much the following statement resonated

with them: “All in all, I am inclined to think that I am a failure.” A staggering 46% of the men ages 18-23 agreed they felt this way to an extent, while only 32% of men ages 18-29 disagreed. Although it might be more comfortable to act nonchalant, young men need to be free to express themselves to find lasting community and identity. We cannot be loved if we show only a fabricated and carefully limited version of ourselves. Being nonchalant is denying the reality of your emotions, and by extension who you really are. When someone represses his emotions to fit in, he limits who he is and prevents what he truly wants — to be known and loved. If young men do not give one another the opportunity to see who the other is, to love him for who he is, flaws and all, they will never form the connections they need. True connection requires a departure from the cultural movement of nonchalance. People in my generation are isolated because they aren’t authentic — they’re too nonchalant. The remedy isn’t to close ourselves off. It’s to open ourselves up to others despite the fears that may come with that endeavor. We need messy, raw, and real relationships. Don’t hold back a laugh or a smile when you see something that makes you happy, and don’t be afraid to cry in front of a friend. The things that give you joy and unrest deserve to be experienced alongside real friends. Monica Smies is a sophomore studying philosophy. Illustrated by Annie O’Connor.

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October 8, 2026 A5

Looking for hope in the news? Read The Pour Over. By Daniel Johnson assistant editoR As a journalist, I follow a lot of different news sources. Only one of them leaves me feeling more at peace after reading it. Independent Christian media start-up The Pour Over began with an email founder Jason Woodruff sent to six friends. Today, more than 1.6 million people listen to or read it each week. TPO has grown exponentially because it does good journalism. Its tri-weekly newsletters consist of short news summaries followed by a Scripture-based analysis, a format that clearly differentiates between facts and analysis instead of curating the facts to feed a particular narrative, pointing readers to hope in

Christ while allowing them to see the details unmanipulated. Students tired of slanted and discouraging news coverage should read TPO. The publication summarizes the main stories of the day in brief emails and five-minute audio clips, and presents each story alongside an excerpt of Scripture that points readers back to a perspective of eternal hope in Christ in the midst of current events. TPO doesn’t claim to give a definitive Christian analysis of the news; it simply provides short, factual summaries of major events and weaves in reminders of God’s promises, which transcend the chaos of current events. I was skeptical when I first heard TPO’s claim that it was nonpartisan. “Objectivity” is too often just a disguise for the

partisanship and inflammatory content that dominates modern journalism. But TPO’s stories on topics from the war in Israel to immigration policy, have proven that the news outlet is capable of clearly separating facts from analysis. The analysis it does provide sifts stories through a framework of eternal hope instead of curating them to confirm readers’ political biases and boost the outrage that feeds the modern media machine. When Fox and CNN reported Christa Pike’s failed Sept. 30 execution in Tennessee, each quickly followed the initial report with news analysis stories interpreting the event through their respective political narratives. Fox fit the story into a narrative about justice being in jeopardy, while CNN presented

the case through the lens of ethical concerns about the death penalty. Both outlets blended facts with their own interpretations. TPO clearly separates fact and analysis. When the outlet covered the execution story in its Oct. 2 newsletter, the outlet simply summarized the main facts of the case in seven short sentences before quoting Job 12:10 as a reminder to take hope in Jesus as the Lord of life and death in the midst of a broken world, where things like botched executions happen. Everyone interprets the world according to some narrative. What’s different about TPO is its humility to distinguish between the facts and their opinion, and their hopeful, rather than inflammatory, focus. TPO is uncompromis-

ingly Christian, but it doesn’t conflate the facts of the stories it reports with the worldview it uses to make sense of them. Thoughtful political analysis is a crucial part of journalism and public discourse. But too often outlets mix news and analysis together — interfering with the reader’s ability to make sense of the facts himself — and force them into a political binary. TPO’s factual reporting and uplifting analysis that transcends politics is a much-needed addition to the news world. As traditional media sources arrange the facts of current events within their chosen political narrative, they incite their readers towards outrage and fear over circumstances that they likely have little control over. TPO calls its readers

back to what they can control — their prayers and perspective — and to the power and love of the God who stands above all earthly circumstances. Subscriber by subscriber, TPO is showing there’s a hunger in the market to stay informed without getting outraged. Although the outlet will particularly appeal to those who agree with TPO’s Christian perspective, its facts-first, humble approach to journalism will benefit anyone who subscribes. Mainstream news outlets would do well to take notice. Daniel Johnson is a junior studying philosophy and theology.

The chapel is a holy place, not a shortcut By Atticus Maas Collegian FReelanCeR Some of us at Hillsdale are doing a bad job of honoring what is sacred. A convenient route through Christ Chapel is inviting us to disregard our traditional reverence for what is holy. Taking a shortcut through the chapel is disrespectful and inappropriate. About two weeks ago I was following two Simpson Residence RAs from the dorm to the dining hall when sophomores Isaac Trotter and Russel Mangiapane took a detour around Christ Chapel on their way to the Grewcock Student

Union. Typically, students go through the chapel to get from Dow Hotel to the union, at the direction of college signs. When Trotter and Mangiapane explained why they bothered to take the extra time, it made a lot of sense. The detour is only about 100 seconds longer. Construction makes it more difficult to get places in time. When you have to get across campus on a tight schedule or in bad weather, any shortcut seems like a godsend. But Hillsdale students should get their priorities straight. The chapel is the most beautiful building on campus because it’s a place of worship and fellowship. When we step

inside, we should marvel at its craftsmanship and honor the noble purpose it serves. Our campus has many spectacular buildings, but the lofty ceilings, the smooth stone, and the religious imagery of this place uniquely lift the eyes and hearts of students heavenward. Moreover, the chapel is a sacred place. The word “sacred” meant “set apart,” or even “restricted,” both in the Hebrew and Latin origin. Just as the Israelites kept the Ark of the Covenant in a special room in the Temple, and Christians bow before the church altar to receive communion, Christ Chapel is a physical place that ought to be treated differently. By avoiding

Jodel builds community By Charlee Amason Collegian RepoRteR As someone with 1,052 karma — points for popular posts and votes on Jodel — I would know that Jodel is one of the primary forms of campus communication, news, and humor. Jodel is an anonymous networking app for posting and reading short messages — called “jodels” — shared by locals within a 6.2 mile radius. Jodel provides unfiltered news and campus-wide updates. It’s essentially the Wikipedia or Reddit of Hillsdale. Students heard when the library website was down and discovered Walmart’s addition of ApplePay because of posts on Jodel. And when the Grewcock Student Union flooded in January, Jodel announced the news before campus security did.

Jodel’s weakness is that it can feature explicit comments and grotesque gossip. Anonymity can inspire boldness to the point of recklessness, but it is ultimately up to an individual’s conscience about whether he takes it that far. At a school whose honor code so heavily emphasizes self-governance, students should see the platform as an opportunity to practice virtue. Ignore the gossip, and use Jodel for party updates and harmless jokes. The negativity you can’t avoid serves the useful purpose of preparing us for what we will face in the unsheltered world beyond Hillsdale. Furthermore, Jodel is the great facilitator of all off-campus events. Party culture, though it has weaknesses, is a good. Gathering with friends, dancing to fun music, and meeting new people are good for balancing out our studious lives. For a campus that works hard academically Monday through Friday, Riverside at 11 p.m. on a Saturday night could benefit everyone. Hillsdale students work hard; they should also play hard. Too many students are currently studying harder than they need to on a Friday night, or locking themselves in Hell for way too long. Downloading Jodel and seeing just how much more fun your Hillsdale experience could be might help you “play harder.” In addition to announcing off-campus events, many events occur due to popular requests on Jodel. Jungle last semester frequently threw parties in response to Jodelers’ requests — and now, Riverside does the same. Hillsdale has a very intellectual student body that comes with quirks. It’s a wholesome thing to see a fundie wearing his “Lord of the Rings” T-shirt and playing “Settlers of Catan” with his friends in AJs in silly accents on a Friday night. It’s also culturally acceptable by most — which wouldn’t be the

case on any other college campus. But what is deemed culturally acceptable may have gone too far. Sometimes everyone needs a reminder of normalcy: listening to a group of friends speaking in elvish — yes, elvish, the language from “Lord of the Rings” — is not normal. Jodel allows you to appreciate Hillsdale’s quirks while also confronting them with humor. It should not be common to see someone barefoot in the library. Wearing shoes in public is a simple act of social etiquette, as Jodelers noted after seeing a student in the library without shoes. One user wrote, “please put your shoes back on. #beggingyou.” Another user said, “Its 10 a.m. Please keep your shoes on in the library. #itscommondecency.” And Jodelers don’t just point out the necessity of wearing shoes. They also point out problems with riding scooters on sidewalks. One user commented with 25 upvotes, “these scooter drivers be coming right up behind me #almostgothit.” Upvotes are positive ratings people give to demonstrate agreement with a certain post. These satirical jokes are not only funny, but they also speak the truth and remind students they shouldn’t tail people with their scooters, walk around barefoot, or display intense levels of PDA in the union. Jodel humanizes Hillsdale College. It offers refreshing and lighthearted joy that everyone could use from time to time. After all, who would ATO NR be without Jodel? Charlee Amason is a sophomore studying history. Illustrated by Maggie O’Connor.

casual walks through the chapel, we revere the significance and importance of the building, as well as what takes place there. Some people say that this route is good because it brings more people into the chapel and offers an opportunity to pray and meditate on what is truly important, if only for a second. If the chapel shortcut offers a reminder to pray, that’s because it is no longer just a shortcut. But if, like me, you are tempted to use it as a route to somewhere else, rather than as a holy destination, you should go around Christ Chapel. I have walked into the chapel several times while having a loud conversation or whistling to my-

self, only to find people praying quietly in the pews. Unless you want a moment of silence, add less than two minutes onto your walk. It may not seem like a big deal to take the shorter path to lunch, but it’s important to honor the sacred even in the busy parts of our days. Students should honor Hillsdale’s holiest building by exercising that lauded self-government and electing to go around the chapel. The habits and routines that characterize our daily lives best show who we are as Hillsdale students, and we must be intentional about each of them. That doesn’t mean fewer people should enter the chapel,

but rather that people who enter the building use it for its purpose — prayer. But those visits should be deliberate and reverent. And the more people who choose quiet prayer time over quick walk-throughs, the more uplifting each person’s time in the chapel will be. As Hillsdale students we are all called to honor the sacred. Start by getting in a few extra steps and walking around the chapel. Atticus Maas is a freshman studying the liberal arts.

Jodel breeds resentment By Monica Smies Collegian RepoRteR One of my biggest regrets at Hillsdale College is the amount of time I have wasted on Jodel. There is more harm than good done on Jodel and students should do their best to avoid using it. Reading defamatory posts about other people is not necessary or beneficial for anyone. It’s a waste of time and promotes gossip. Jodel is “your local social networking app that allows you to anonymously post and view short messages, known as ‘jodels,’ within your local community,” according to its website. On Hillsdale’s local Jodel “open chat,” Hillsdale College students anonymously post questions, share local gossip and find out which off-campus houses are throwing parties. The app moderates comments to an extent, occasionally removing posts with names or extremely explicit or inappropriate posts. Jodel allows initials of students and occasionally first names and nicknames. It is clear that Jodel’s anonymity promotes action without responsibility. A person can say whatever he would like and no one will ever know it was him. Jodel can be hilarious, and it can even be helpful as a fast but somewhat unreliable local outlet for breaking campus news or academic advice. But students should think twice about spending so much time on an app where they will inevitably read nasty comments about other people and be tempted to join the banter. A common trend on Jodel is to slander individuals or groups of people such as members of Greek life, revealing sensitive information about other people, speaking poorly of professors and even making fun of the way people

look or what they are doing in a certain location. It is one thing to vent to a friend about something that frustrated you and quite another to tell the whole campus about it. It is disheartening when looking at Jodel to see how shallow Hillsdale College students can be to participate on an app where making fun of unsuspecting students or groups of students going about their daily lives is a common and “funny” trend. We have freedom of speech, but students who are using the app to harm the reputations of others, whether what they say is true or not, abuse that freedom. They do themselves and the student body a great injustice. Thoughts become reality. It doesn’t matter if the rumors spread on Jodel are true — even if they’re not, they become the way those pouring their time into Jodel view their fellow students. When I was on Jodel, I found that I began to look down on certain professors, students, and Greek life merely because of what other people were telling me about them, even if I had never interacted with them myself. I began to give into the online gossip culture and found myself gossiping on Jodel, something I really regret. I still have Jodel, but I have not opened it in months. It simply isn’t worth it anymore to sift through the gossip in hopes of finding something useful, or feeling a sense of connection to the rest of campus. Though campus news is sometimes found fastest on Jodel, I would rather wait than deal with rumors and uncertainty riddled in the “news” Jodel provides. Students wanting to have a deeper connection with the Hillsdale community do not need to go to Jodel, a place filled with slander and gos-

sip. It’s not worth your time or happiness. Get off the app and talk to people in person. You only have four years here, and to spend your free time on an app like Jodel would be a tragedy. Monica Smies is a sophomore studying philosophy. Illustrated by Maggie O’Connor.

City News A6 October 8, 2026

Keefer House developers complete structural work

By Henry Fliflet and Rebecca Aponte Assistant Editor and Collegian Freelancer

After eight years and seven project extensions, the Keefer House Hotel’s structural restoration from a tax-exempt obsolete building to a commercial property was completed by its Sept. 30 deadline, according to Hillsdale city officials. CL Real Estate Development, a real estate development firm based in LaSalle, Illinois, has not set a date for when the hotel will open as a business. It has worked to restore the downtown property since 2018. The group’s aim is to convert the landmark 1885 building into a $13 million, 34-room boutique hotel. “They’ve been working at a pretty frantic pace for the last couple of weeks to try to get things finished up before that deadline,” Sam Fry, Hillsdale’s assistant city manager, said. After a compliance review with the city assessor, CLRED announced that the project did not need a further extension for its obsolete property rehabilitation permit. OPRA status gives business a temporary tax freeze to encourage the redevelopment of commercial properties that are functionally obsolete, according to the Michigan.gov website. According to Fry, the Keefer’s structural work is complete, signaling the completion of its restoration from “obsolete” status. The property still needs finishing touches, furnishings, and to address any final issues that the county inspector may bring up. “All thats left is what I would consider the fit

and finish projects,” Fry said. “Some interior work, building out the bar area, additional painting, laying some carpet. Basically, the

“As far as the OPRA certificate is concerned, we are just looking to see if they have rehabbed the building and cured its obsolete ele-

The lobby area of the Keefer House Hotel on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Ethan Savka | The Collegian

things that they want to do with the rehabbed building in order to get it ready for use as a hotel.”

ments,” Fry said. Since the start of the Keefer’s active reconstruction in 2021, CLRED has

The structural work on the renovation is finished, according to CLRED. Ethan Savka | The Collegian

While the project is not functionally complete, these projects are not part of the OPRA requirements, Fry said.

encountered multiple delays and challenges, most recently replacing its general contractor in February. Despite

missing multiple deadlines imposed by the city, the construction team has continually worked on the building since the project started. In the last few weeks, CLRED’s const r uc t ion company, Global Builders, has been working to finish the project by the end of the month and meet the city’s most recent deadline, which was set in January. Fry said he has had a firsthand look at the completion of the Keefer project. “I don’t have an opening date as of now,” Fry said. “I had an opportunity to meet the general manager that they’ve hired, but I don’t have any update on that part just yet.” Fry said that the city has stayed involved in the Keefer project for the entirety of the project. “I understand that they’ve hired a general manager for the hotel at this point,” Fry said. “It looks like they’re very, very close to having that finished. I think they’re trying to work really hard on seeing if they can get to substantial completion before that deadline.” Completion of the Keefer House Hotel represents more than the conclusion of a construction project; it will play an important role in the development of downtown Hillsdale, Fry said. Parents of Hillsdale College students are already seeking to book rooms at the Keefer for May 2027 commencement. “Every day as I come in and leave, we’ve seen folks that are working, we’ve seen a lot of activity at the site,” Fry said. “I think they’re getting extremely close.”

Local man sues city and city officials

By Gemma Flores City News Editor

Hillsdale resident Lance Lashaway filed a lawsuit Sept. 29 against 17 defendants, including Hillsdale County, the City of Hillsdale, several members of the city council, the mayor, and certain county commissioners, alleging that they are infringing on his First Amendment Rights. Lashaway has had a series of run-ins with the Hillsdale City Council since Mayor Scott Sessions began enforcing a rule that members of the public need to state their full names and addresses before making a statement to the council in May 2026. Lashaway refused, calling the rule unnecessary and previously unenforced. Since then, he said, he has been removed four times from county commissioner meetings and five times from city council meetings as of Oct. 5. Before June 2026, Lashaway’s lawsuit claims, the city council’s rule and procedure guidelines requested that members of the public identify themselves when addressing the council. At the June 1 council meeting, Sessions introduced a motion to change the language from “request” to “require.” Even before the motion passed, Lashaway claims in the lawsuit, Sessions was enforcing the proposed rule. “Basically, it comes down to this: Are rules supposed to follow the law? Is the law supposed to follow the

constitution? Does requested mean required? This is very basic stuff,” Lashaway told The Collegian. According to Michigan court documents, Lashaway initially filed the lawsuit against the City of Hillsdale, the City Council, Sessions, Ward 3 Councilman and mayoral candidate Bob Flynn, Ward 3 Councilman Gary Wolfram, Ward 2 Councilman Will Morrisey, Ward 1 Councilman Greg Stuchell, and Ward 4 Coun-

Law Firm based in Troy, Michigan. Lashaway said he has expanded the scope of the case to include more recent examples of the alleged injustice. Sessions, Ward 3 Councilman and mayoral candidate Bob Flynn, Ward 3 Councilman Gary Wolfram, and Ward 2 Councilman Will Morrisey were served at the council meeting Oct. 5. “My name is Hannah Tunis, I live on Chestnut Street

“Basically, it comes down to this: are rules supposed to follow the law? Is the law supposed to follow the constitution?” cilman Robert Socha June 10, 2026. He was granted a dismissal of the case without prejudice on Sept.10, meaning that the defendant will be allowed to file again. “After it got out, a bunch of smart people read it and an amazing lawyer fell into my lap. So, I motioned to have it dismissed without prejudice and my lawyer made it better and added the new retaliation that has been happening,” Lashaway told The Collegian. Lashaway is now represented by Carson Tucker, a lawyer with the Lex Fori

in Reading, Michigan, and I am here as a process server,” Tunis said during public comment. “I have papers to serve you, Mr. Wolfram, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Morrisey, and Mr. Flynn. I’ll pass those out to you now.” Sessions objected, saying that Tunis could not serve them at this time as it was not on the agenda. Tunis then handed the papers to City Clerk Katy Price and left the room. Immediately after, Lashaway took the podium. “Don’t forget about me,” Lashaway said, refusing to

state his name. S essions turned of f Lashaway’s microphone, stating that he was out of order. He then read Section 6.3 of the Hillsdale City Council Rules and Procedure, which states that the presiding officer of the council, in this case Sessions, must recognize members of the public before they can address council. In order to be recognized, members of the public must state their name and street address or ward. Sessions said Lashaway was out of order and demanded he return to his seat. When Lashaway did not move from the podium, Sessions instructed the sergeant-at-arms to remove Lashaway from the room. Kelley Mapes, a resident of Allen Township, voiced her opinion on the matter to the council. “You put everybody in harm’s way doing that. And that’s exactly why people, under your First Amendment right to speak, should not fear process,” Mapes said. “You already know who Lance is. Quit wasting the public’s time. What you’re doing is nonsense. You’re all better than that.” Assistant City Manager Sam Fry, Sessions, and Flynn all declined to comment on the lawsuit as the litigation is ongoing. Both said the matter has been handed over to the city’s insurance provider, Traveler’s Insurance.

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HOPE Harbor founder to appear in court today By Gemma Flores and Ethan Savka City News Editor and Assistant Editor The operator of Hillsdale Thrift will face a city occupancy case Oct. 8 as she plans to refile a federal housing lawsuit she dropped last month. Melissa DesJardin, former executive director of HOPE Harbor, said the court hearing is set for 9 a.m. Thursday. The city claims the group is using its West Carleton Road property as a sober transitional house without an occupancy permit. DesJardin said she has faced public confusion from having her name in the filings. “In the court’s eyes, it’s against the thrift store, but in all of the filings or the docket online, it only says my name,” DesJardin said. She said she learned at a Sept. 29 hearing that she cannot represent the nonprofit. DesJardin then called roughly 26 lawyers, but had not retained one for the Oct.

located behind the Hillsdale Community Thrift store. Over the summer, the director’s board disbanded, and DesJardin resigned as the executive director. She and a few of the former directors created a nonprofit called Your Way Home, which operates as a replacement for HOPE Harbor. DesJardin said the federal case was dismissed without prejudice after a split with Hope Harbor, and that she will refile in about a month under Your Way Home. The city has said in council meetings that the Carleton Road use is not permitted. Kim Thomas, assessor and code official for the city, noted the confusion about who the lawsuit was specifically against. “This should actually be City of Hillsdale v. Hillsdale Community Thrift because that is who actually owns the property,” Thomas said. “Melissa DesJardin is listed as their resident agent on their corporation filing, so that’s

Missy DesJardin and her husband, Brian, in 2025. Moira Gleason | The Collegian

8 hearing as of Wednesday morning. Under Michigan Court Rule 4.201(G)(5), if the defendant fails to properly appear at the date and time on the summons, the plaintiff may move for default and the court may enter a default judgment. The city’s lawyer Tom Thompson and Assistant City Manager Sam Fry did not respond to a request for comment at the time of publication. DesJardin said the building now houses a mother, a father, a 6-month-old, a blind woman, and three people with cognitive disabilities. Stays at the facility average about six months, she said, because apartment waitlists run about that long and adult foster-care homes have their own lists. Responding to the enforcement of the city’s new rule, Hope Harbor, BMAK Charity Thrifts, and DesJardin sued the city March 23, alleging the city denied a reasonable accommodation to run first-floor recovery housing in a B-3 district, where dwellings are not allowed on the ground floor, and that the denial violated the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. It also alleged the city demolished a tent and billed BMAK for the demolition. HOPE Harbor, which stands for Hillsdale Opportunity Promoting Empowerment, was a transitional living facility for the homeless

why her name is listed on all of the legal documents. She is just acting as their agent, she is not the one single person responsible for their property, and that is part of what the issue is on why this is being delayed.” The litigation has progressed slowly, Thomas said. “We have written a number of tickets,” Thomas said. “We were scheduled for a hearing in front of the judge two weeks ago that was continued because she did not have an attorney present at that meeting. Last week, we were again scheduled for a hearing, her board had still not appointed an attorney to represent them for the hearing. As an individual on the board, she was not able to act on their behalf, so we have been continued again. We have another meeting scheduled for Thursday at 9 a.m., where she is to have an attorney present.” The legal representative present at Monday’s council meeting explained why DesJardin needs a lawyer. “A corporation or an LLCany officer of that entity, can’t come to court and represent that entity, an attorney has to represent them.” According to Thompson, the Oct. 8 hearing will proceed, whether or not DesJardin has a representative present.

Ava-Marie Papillon illustrated the City News header.

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October 8, 2026 A7

Hodshire trial delayed a month By Gemma Flores City News Editor The probable cause conference in the case against Sheriff Scott Hodshire was postponed at the request of the defense until Nov. 4, according to Michigan court records. Hodshire has pleaded not guilty to two felony charges for allegedly tampering with an investigation carried out by the Williams County Sheriff ’s Office in Ohio, as previously reported by The Collegian. Hodshire, who is halfway through his second term as Hillsdale

At the conference Sept. 30, Shea requested that they postpone the date of the probable cause conference as they had not finished reviewing the evidence in the case. “I’m going to need some time to talk to the assistant attorney general to allow me to finish the remaining 25 gigabytes of discovery that I still need to get through,” Shea said. “There are a number of, and by a number of, I mean a dozen or more audio and video recordings, that I have not been able to absorb.” Judge Daniel Goostrey

“There are a number of, and by a number of, I mean a dozen or more audio and video recordings, that I have not been able to absorb.” County Sheriff, is accused of informing a suspect that law enforcement officials from Williams County had a search warrant for his property and what the officers were looking for. The case is being prosecuted by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office. The probable cause conference (PCC), which is a meeting where the prosecution and defense review the evidence in the case under the judge’s guidance, was originally scheduled for Sept. 30. This date marked four weeks after Hodshire’s Sept. 2 arraignment hearing, which is longer than the typical period of two weeks. The defense initially requested an extension until Sept. 30 to allow time to review the evidence. “There’s a number of witnesses, there’s going to be recordings, there’s a phone dump — at least one, maybe more,” John Shea, Hodshire’s attorney, told the judge during the arraignment. “We’re going to need some time to get through that all before we can have a meaningful PPC.”

granted this request, and rescheduled the probable cause conference via Zoom presided over by Judge Goostrey in Jackson for Nov. 4. Hodshire has maintained his innocence and announced in a Sept. 2 press release published to the Hillsdale County Sheriff ’s Department Facebook page that he has no plans to resign. “All I will say is that not one person from my office nor myself did anything intended to interfere with a sister agency’s investigation or otherwise take action that was knowingly criminal in nature,” Hodshire wrote in the statement. “During the next several months, or however long this process takes, the court will weigh the work of my office and me, not the court of public opinion.” Neither Shea nor the Michigan Attorney General’s Office responded to requests for comment by the time of publication.

Historic train to return this weekend By Olivia Glisson Collegian Reporter

The Hillsdale Railroad Festival will return for its second year this Saturday with a historical train journey and activities like apple-picking, chainsaw carving demonstrations, and live music in Hillsdale County. The program starts with a train ride from Hillsdale to Crossroads Farm in nearby Reading, where visitors can enjoy a corn maze and orchard strolls. An hour later, the train takes visitors back for a fall-themed block party with live music and food trucks in Hillsdale’s Courthouse Square. According to the Indiana Rail Experience website, the festival “celebrates the city’s railroad legacy with fami-

ly-friendly fun and historic charm.” Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, a nonprofit group that seeks to preserve railroad attractions, is putting on the event. Its programs connect three states, Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana, and 80,000 people have ridden on its trains since 2022. “My favorite part is the fact that this is a train that takes people to a destination, and even though it is a train with cars from the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s, it’s performing both a function as an attraction, as a ride, as an experience, but it also has a purpose, which is to connect people from point A to point B,” said Kelly Lynch, executive director of the society and founder of the event.

Lynch also emphasized a desire for more events like this in the Hillsdale community in an effort to give back to the community. “We’re looking and collaborating with a lot of entities in Hillsdale to further develop tourism,” he said. We’re looking to make Hillsdale more of a regular origination point and a stop for our trips. The more people we can carry, the more people we can attract, the more events we have, and the more we can do in towns like Hillsdale, the more these communities will benefit long-term,” he said. “That really brings it home for us because we’re trying to celebrate our culture and our traditions. We’re trying to expose as many people to what we love, what we preserve and what we share as possible.”

Hillsdale Assistant City Manager Sam Fry said that the Indiana Rail Experience has been a great way for people to experience the city. “They’ve been visiting Hillsdale for the last 4 years, so we’ve been able to welcome thousands of guests and passengers to downtown Hillsdale,” Fry said. “We’re very excited to continue that partnership and keep working with them on these events. The railroad and autumn festival event coming up this weekend should be a lot of fun.” The next Indiana Rail Experience coming to Hillsdale is the annual Charitable Christmas Train, where Santa comes to town to give out gifts. That event will be in late November.

Navy veteran honored at County Fair By Lucy Billings Assistant Editor

One-hundred-year-old U.S. Navy veteran and physician Charles “Bud” Vear received Hillsdale County’s Veteran of the Year Award at a ceremony at the county fair Sept. 28. “Military service, community engagement, character, patriotism, and veteran advocacy are the things we look for,” Jenny Spahr, chair of the Veteran of the Year selection committee, said. “His community engagement was heavy, along with his patriotism and character, of course. I think he’s a pretty special guy.” After growing up in Illinois, Vear came to Hillsdale, marrying his late wife, Gloria, later a ’82 Hillsdale College graduate, and sent seven of his 12 children to the college. Spahr said Vear stood out for his lifelong dedication to community service. He is also distinguished as one of the last remaining World War II veterans alive in Hillsdale, according to Spahr. Before settling in Hillsdale, Vear served two years in the U.S. Navy, one of these

years overseas in China. He spoke about the perspective he gained from living abroad and experiencing so much of American history. “I come from what they refer to as the ‘Greatest Generation,’” Vear said. “I lived through the depression and

They give me hope.” Vear is the current president of the local Right to Life chapter, has been a member of the American Legion and the Exchange Club, volunteered at Perennial Park senior center, authored six books, co-founded the Sauk

Charles “Bud” Vear accepting the award from Congressman Tim Walberg. Courtesy | Cassie Hambleton

the war, at a time when patriotism, respect, obedience, and hard work were all the norm. Today there is a lack of appreciation of what it has taken to maintain this nation, which I think is the greatest country that has ever existed. It has required a lot of sacrifice from a lot of people. I’m encouraged by the students at Hillsdale College.

Theatre, been active in community at St. Anthony Catholic Church, and integral in the work of Helping Hands Pregnancy Resource Center, according to Spahr. Vear accomplished all of this with his wife while working as a physician, delivering over 2,000 babies and raising their own. Vear gave credit to his late wife for

the ability to pursue dreams lying in so many different directions. Gloria Vear died in 2019. “My wife was an optimistic visionary,” Vear said. “She looked at the goal and didn’t worry about the journey. She said we’re going there and we’ll figure out how to get there. Without her I certainly wouldn’t have ever been a doctor.” Bryce Asberg ’21, executive director of Helping Hands Pregnancy Resource Center, said in an email to The Collegian that Vear and his wife were personally invested in support for women at the pregnancy center for over 40 years. “Dr. Vear is a man whose life has been thoroughly dedicated to the protection of all precious human life,” Asberg said. “Hillsdale County has been forever changed by the service and sacrifice of Bud Vear, and Helping Hands is part of that legacy. I praise God for how He has used Bud’s work to promote and advance a biblical view of human dignity.”

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A8 October 8, 2026

SportS

Action Shooting

Women's Swim

Chargers win nationals, beat U.S. Naval Academy

Swim team takes first at Indiana Wesleyan meet

By Daniel Johnson AssistAnt Editor The Action Shooting team took first place in the limited division and second place in the limited optics division in the National Collegiate United States Practical Shooting Association Championship Sept. 26, hosted in Hillsdale at the Ailes Action Shooting Range at the John A. Halter Shooting Center. Sophomore Joseph Beecher took fifth in the limited division, followed by seniors Jianna Coppola in sixth, Clara Bozzay in eighth, and sophomore Kathryn Madden in tenth, rounding out the top four Chargers scoring in the limited division. In the larger limited optics division, seniors John Beecher and Jonah Kirstein took third and fifth, respectively, followed by sophomores William Grohs in ninth and John Blaney in 11th. Competitors from 11 colleges, including the United States Naval Academy, Clemson University, and Virginia Tech University, shot targets set up around obstacle courses

assembled in 10 distinct stages of the match. The scores for the four highest-placing athletes for each team are combined to form the team score. Athletes compete in two different divisions based on the kind of sights they use, and are scored on the basis of how quickly and accurately they can finish each stage. The team’s win in the limited division was especially sweet this year, according to Coppola. “It's a great feeling to beat Navy this year, especially after just barely losing to them last year,” Coppola said. Coppola added that the win re%ected this team’s dedication and excellence. “I think the win represents the consistent work we as a team have put in and the fact that we fielded the most well-rounded team ever this year,” Coppola said. “Even our new guys have developed the most quickly we have ever seen. We all shot very consistently this year and had no issues with our guns. We also increased our physical training regiment this semester which helped us to shoot consistently and stay mentally focused over

a 10-stage match that went all day.” Senior Kayla Davenport (Kayla Mullin before getting married over the summer), said the team’s second-place finish behind Virginia Tech University in the limited optic division came down to a very close margin, the equivalent of shooting just outside the center — the “Alpha” zone — on one target on each stage. “That’s one shot in the Charlie instead of the Alpha, because Charlie is three points and Alpha is five,” Davenport said. “There could be 20 targets on a stage, and only one of them you shot a Charlie instead of an Alpha. And so each person did that on each stage. That's the difference.” John Beecher, a captain on the team, said that while the team hoped to take first in both divisions, the limited optics team had nothing to be ashamed of. “We shot very respectably,” Beecher said. “Virginia Tech just really brought it. They had their top two guys take first and second. I took third, so I was behind them. Their top shooter is absolutely phenomenal.”

Davenport said the team benefitted by a differently structured schedule this year. “We prioritized going to as many matches before the Collegiate as possible this year,” Davenport said. “And I think that was a great decision. I think that’s a strategy that will continue going forward. Just because, especially for the freshmen, it gave them a lot of exposure.” Davenport added that Action Shooting isn’t something one can do perfectly. “In this sport, there’s no perfect or like, OK, I did it,” Davenport said. “In shotgun, you can get all 25 or all 100. There’s no mark of that in this sport. There’s always something that you could have done better.” Beecher said the match re%ected how far the team has come since he was a freshman. “The team started out as a club with hardly any money, hardly any ammo, hardly any guns, and now we're a varsity sport, we’re sponsored,” Beecher said. “We have really, really world-class resources. We’re very spoiled, very privileged, and every year the team gets more organized, to a higher level of shooting.”

Club Rugby

Rugby takes first win against John Carroll on the road By Reagan Vicars

CollEgiAn FrEElAnCEr Hillsdale College Club Rugby won for the first time this season, defeating John Carroll University 14-5 in University Heights, Ohio, Sept. 26. Several players re%ected on this game as a turning point in the %ow and spirit of the team. This shift was embodied by the work of rookie Jacob LaBante who achieved a rugby “Zulu” when he scored a try in his debut game. “This is the game where everything started to click, especially for the backs who were able to pass it all the way down the field, ” junior Peter Kaiser said. The John Carroll Blue Streaks scored first, but missed the conversion kick. The Chargers had no offensive response before halftime. Momentum shifted at the break when head coach Mike Harris urged the team to “slow

down, get it together, and remember what [they] practiced.” The players had motivation of their own too. Freshman Luke Molenkamp described the team’s mindset. “We got sick of ‘going down fighting’ and we just wanted to win,” Molenkamp said.

they were gassed and we still had more life in us. It helped inspire that second effort,” Jimenez said. Senior Luke Jones scored at the start of the second half, and junior August Enman made the following conversion kick. LaBonte scored the Chargers’

Team photo after the victory. Courtesy | Hillsdale College Rugby Instagram

Senior Angel Jimenez said the second half was a testament to the team’s endurance. “I think we found out that we are a second half team when

second try. He received the ball from the backs, broke through the Blue Streaks’ defensive line, and dove into the try zone in a way that Jimenez described as

“superman-like.” Enman again made the conversion kick. The Chargers won despite losing three players to injury. Jimenez went down with an ankle injury early in the first half, and LaBonte left with a shoulder injury after scoring his try. Senior Joe Johnson also stepped off the field due to concussion concerns. The Chargers will face the defending Division III champions, Slippery Rock University, Saturday Oct. 10 at noon for Homecoming at Hayden Park. Jimenez will miss the next two weeks to recover, but he is optimistic for the performance of the mechanics of the team as it grows in experience. “With these injuries, we are having to replace a couple parts of the machine. We can’t make small mistakes, and we are going to try to compile everything we’ve learned and put it all together against Slippery Rock,” Jimenez said.

Women's Tennis

Chargers dominate at Davenport Invite By Elaine Kutas

sEnior Editor

Every Hillsdale women’s tennis player won at least one match each at the Davenport Invite, Sept. 25-26 hosted by Grand Rapids’ Davenport University. Junior Emma Palus and sophomore Sydney Singh won all three of their singles matches and senior Ané Dannhauser and junior Briana Rees swept their three doubles matches. Dannhauser and Rees went into the weekend as Hillsdale’s top doubles team and came away undefeated, winning the A doubles %ight title with two wins against Davenport teams and one against a team from Northwood University. Individually, Dannhauser beat two of her three opponents in singles, winning 6-1 in both matches, while Rees won one of her singles matches. “Everyone came out extremely strong and we were able to build on the momentum from the weekend before,” Dannhauser said. “The team did a better job at playing one

point at a time and not letting any negative results affect the rest of the weekend.” Beyond her undefeated three singles matches, Palus won two of her three doubles matches with partner junior

last tournament and just really try my best to stay competitive the entire weekend,” Singh said. “I definitely still want to be as supportive as I can for my teammates and for myself.” Head coach Melanie Zam-

Dannhauser (left) and Rees (right) compete in doubles Sept. 19. Courtesy | Elaine Kutas

Julia Zlateva, winning two tiebreaks to beat teams from Northwood and Davenport. Singh said that last week she struggled on the court but this weekend’s competition went better because of her attitude. She said she’s looking forward to the matches this coming week. “I’m mostly just trying to have that same energy as our

pardo said the team played excellently thanks to good weather and it being their second competition, so they already had a chance to get nerves out of the way with earlier competitions. She said Zlateva stood out this week. “We name a teammate of the week on the team and Julia won that this week,” Zampardo said. “Mainly because of her

perseverance from really not feeling great about her game at the first invite, but continuing to work through it and then to this past invite at Davenport. She was playing incredible.” Freshman Addison Trotter got her first wins of the season, two against Northwood players and made the final of the C singles draw with her wins. Freshman Emily Muresan had a B flight victory against a player from Purdue University Northwest. “The freshmen are doing great,” Zampardo said. “They’ve been playing doubles together. It’s definitely a shock for them. They’ve never really played doubles before, either of them, and so throwing two freshmen together who’ve never really played that before has been fun to see them work it out.” The team will next compete at the ITA Midwest Regional in Grand Rapids beginning Oct. 10. This is the final competition of the fall season, and according to Zampardo, is what they work for all fall.

By Lucy Billings AssistAnt Editor Hillsdale Women’s swim defeated Indiana Wesleyan University and Campbellsville University at an invitational hosted by Indiana Wesleyan Oct. 3. The Chargers finished 80.8 points ahead of Indiana Wesleyan and 113.7 above Campbellsville, taking first in 12 out of 14 events. “My emphasis during the first half of the season is always ‘don’t waste a race,’” head coach KurtKirner said. “You go out and you give your best effort. In swimming you don’t always have the opportunity to give your best performance at the start of the season. That happens at the end of the year for an experienced swimmer, but I really was impressed with how they performed for the first meet of the year.” Junior Ella Malone took first in the 50-yard butter%y with a time of 26:75 and the 100-yard butter%y with a time of 1:00:44. Last minute issues with timing technology resulted in approaching races with an adapted mindset. “I had to focus a lot more on how it felt and what I was doing within the race,” Malone said. “In the future I want to take that focus I had on the race itself into races when the timing system is working correctly. I want to be focused on how I’m swimming the race so that I can be technically focused.” Junior Matilyn Wilhelmsen came back strong to

Football from A1 “Anytime the defense gets a stop and scores points, that’s a huge thing for the team,” Shreffler said. Midway through the second quarter, Newell was again sacked in the endzone for a safety, this time by fifth year Neal Likens and senior Evan Bienick. Junior quarterback Eli Boyce ran for a 13-yard touchdown, and Hillsdale converted the two-point conversion, to give the Chargers the lead on the ensuing possession. According to James Gensterblum, director of athletic communications, it is the first time Hillsdale had two safeties in the same game going back to 1998 when the college started keeping game-by-game statistics. Badger finished the game with nine tackles and 2.0 sacks. He was named G-MAC Defensive Player of the Week. Hillsdale had 4.0 sacks as a team. Bienick added a fumble recovery. On offense, Shreffler said he wants to see his team start faster. “We had essentially six negative plays right in a row from the start of the game, and we can’t do that,” he said. Ruddy led the offense with eight catches for 127 receiving yards and a rushing touchdown. Junior wide receiver Tutt Carrico added 47 receiving yards. “As far as Lake Erie, we had a couple of missteps early on in the game, and even about halfway through the game, but we persevered,” Ruddy said. “I think that is a big takeaway from that game, perseverance.” Boyce finished the game with 188 passing yards. He also had two rushing touchdowns. Hillsdale got off to a fast

competition after a severe shoulder injury last season. She placed first in the 50yard freestyle with a time of 24:84 and first in the 100yard freestyle in 53:48, both personal best times. She was also a member of the 400yard freestyle relay team that took first place. “It was really good to be back in, racing for the team. I really missed it and it was just so nice to contribute,” Wilhelmsen said. “When you’re injured for a year, it feels very lonesome. It was great to finally be a part of it fully and pour into my team.” According to Wilhelmsen and Malone, the energy and morale on deck was outstanding. They said the women expected to take this meet and most of the team’s goals were very individual. “It wasn’t so much competition-wise that we were nervous,” Wilhelmsen said. “There were some personal ambitions of wanting to see where we were or see where we need to improve.” Kirner said he anticipates a strong season ahead based on the way the women showed up at this meet. “We’re going into a heavy training period for the next four weeks to get us ready for mid-season meets but I’m really happy with the point we are at right now,” Kirner said. “We have the opportunity to make a lot of really good progress.” The Chargers compete next at home against Findlay University and Davenport University Oct. 17, their senior day meet. start against the Saints when Boyce connected with sophomore running back Ben Ngishu for a 6-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive of the game. Senior quarterback Colin McKernan threw for 105 yards, ran for 23 yards, and added a rushing touchdown. Boyce led Hillsdale with 66 rushing yards and threw for 96 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Sophomore quarterback Avery Holt completed his only pass of the day, a 4-yard touchdown to senior tight end Andrew Konieczny. Ruddy had 68 receiving yards. Carrico added 48 receiving yards. Freshman tight end Will Simpson caught his second career reception, a 30yard touchdown from Boyce. “Against Thomas More, we played a pretty solid game overall,” Ruddy said. “I would say we played to our level and played with effort. Our big focus this year has been beating teams with our effort, and I think that’s been pretty evident so far.” Against the Saints, the Chargers’ defense allowed just 188 total yards. Junior defensive back Ryin Ruddy had an interception. Badger and Bienick each contributed 1.0 sacks. Bienick and freshman Matthew McIlroy each recovered a fumble. “Our defense was playing like everyone knew what they were doing, playing hard, and playing fast,” Bienick said in a postgame press conference. “We’ve been really good at not letting up the deep ball, not letting them run much. I think we did a great job overall.” The Chargers return home to play nationally ranked Walsh University at 2 p.m. Oct. 10 at Frank “Muddy” Waters Stadium during homecoming weekend.

Sport%

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October 8, 2026 A9

Opinion

'Roll out the barrel': Milwaukee Brewers will win their first World Series By Gabe Gerth CollEgiAn FrEElAnCEr After three games in their National League Championship Series matchup against the San Diego Padres, the Milwaukee Brewers look poised to advance and go all the way to a World Series title. 'e Brewers lead the series 2-1, against a Padres team that was on a roll and looked formidable coming into the playo(s. 'e Brewers have cooled them o(, and look prepared to make a run for the World Series trophy. The fate may rest on the scrawny, young, yet steady shoulders of Jacob “'e Miz” Misiorowski. The National League Cy Young Award favorite possesses a staggering 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, with his op-

ponents only boasting a 0.160 batting average. In the first game of the NLDS, the Miz’s first pitch, clocked at 104.8 mph, the fastest ever thrown by a starter in the playo(s. For those who are not baseball stat geeks, opponents only score an average of 1.8 earned runs per nine innings, they have less than one walk or hit per inning, and they get hits 16% of the time that they face him. The Miz dominated the regular season to a frightening degree. Misiorowski was the starting pitcher for Milwaukee’s )rst playo( game and will either throw game 5 of the NLCS, if the series extends that far, or throw the opening game of the NLDS. Also of note has been Milwaukee’s “small ball” philoso-

Strong finish sets golf up for Findlay Invite 'e Chargers )nished sixth at the Sunnehanna Collegiate Invitational Sept. 28 - 29 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. After shooting 12 over par in the opening round, Hillsdale combined for 14 birdies in the )nal 13 holes of the last round. 'e Chargers’ )nal score in the invitational was 858. 'e Chargers were able to play at an excellent course, according to senior Oliver Marshall. “'e course was fantastic, one of the best courses I have played in my time at Hillsdale,” Marshall said. Sophomore Parker Stalcup said he played one of the best invitationals of his career, shooting 72 in round one, 68 in round two, and 70 in round three to )nish with 210, placing seventh individually. “I was hitting it very well that tournament,” Stalcup said. “I think I only missed seven greens in regulation for all 54 holes. I didn’t make a double bogey all week. I was leaving myself in the correct spots o( the tee and giving myself lots of uphill putts on those greens. I didn’t make as many putts as I would’ve liked, but my lag putting was really good that week.” According to Head Coach Luke Kelly he’s been pleased to see the team improve over the semester. “Parker Stalcup played really well, )nishing in the top

their old-fashioned, gru( manager. When Craig Counsel left Milwaukee for the rival Chicago Cubs in 2023, many faithful fans were heart-broken and unsure of Murphy’s capabilities. Now, Murphy is the reigning National League Manager of the Year, having earned the award two consecutive years. “He’ll say the quiet part out loud,” said Rhys Hoskins, a former player. “'ere’s a level of honesty and transparency at all times, whether you like it or want it, or not.” Another characteristic of Murphy is his habit of pulling snacks, such as pancakes and spring rolls, from a pocket in his hoodie. Murphy is a curious manager who can range from being a curmudgeonly competitor to a snack machine.

All of this seems to be part of the magic of his managing, seeing as the Brewers have )nished with the 5th, 2nd, and 1st best records in the MLB for his three years as manager. Murphy produces results, as well as brutal honesty, and on occasion, food. 'e Padres came into this series on a tear, winning 20 of their last 23 games, but the Brewers have managed to rain on their parade thus far. Game one was punctuated by home runs from both Jackson Chourio and William Contreras, the two most prominent sluggers on the Brewers roster. In game two, the Brewers produced a walk-o( win in the bottom of the ninth inning via a bases loaded single from Chourio. The Brewers were unable to secure a sweep though in game

three, due to a strong o(ensive night from the Padres and a costly error by rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt. The perseverance and patience shown by the Brewers in game two were emblematic of their baseball philosophy: take what is given to you, be patient, and pounce when the opportunity is given. 'e Brewers have the patience to take walks when needed, but also the clutch ability to capitalize on their opponent’s mistakes in crucial moments. From the beginning of the season, to the start of the divisional series, the Brewers have consistently played the game their way. 'ey need to stay the course to bring the MLB title to Milwaukee for the )rst time in team history. Brewers fans, this is your year.

Shotgun

Golf

By Grace Brennan CulturE Editor

phy. Milwaukee does not possess an o(ense with anything close to the horsepower of the Los Angeles Dodgers, but it did not matter this season. 'e Brewers )nished with the best team batting average, the second most runs scored, but tenth in home runs. 'e Brewers did not need to “go yard” this season to win baseball games. Many think that playo( baseball is di(erent however, with more runs needing to be earned from home runs. 'e Brewers will test the theory that postseason success depends on homers, with their feisty mentality of getting on base, taking walks, and stealing bases. 'is is a “Moneyball” kind of o(ense, where getting on base matters more than hitting home runs. 'en there is Pat Murphy,

10. It’s been nice to see some of his hard work paying o(,” Kelly said. “Everyone had a solid week. 'ere are some things that still need to be cleaned up to get to where we need to be, but I saw nice improvement overall.” 'e weather on Monday and Tuesday was misty and rainy, according to Stalcup. “'e weather wasn’t anything to worry about, except the wind picked up here and there making it a little harder,” Stalcup said. “'e greens were softer than usual which made it easier to attack some pins and have better looks for birdie.” Junior Jackson Piacsek shot 76 in the )rst round, 72 in the second round, and 68 in the last round, )nishing with a total score of 216, to tie for 34th. John Cassiday and Oliver Marshall both scored 218 to )nish tied for 44th. “I played mediocre, just had some trouble putting all week. I hit some good shots but just couldn’t make enough birdies,” Marshall said. Hillsdale will play in the Doc Spragg Invitational at the Findlay Country Club Oct. 12 in Findlay, Ohio, hosted by the University of Findlay. 'is event will host top teams from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. “I thought we learned a lot last week about our games and our team,” Kelly said. “I’m excited to get to Findlay next week which should be a great event for us.”

Hillsdale claims conference championship By Daniel Johnson

AssistAnt Editor

'e Hillsdale Shotgun team won overall their conference championship Oct. 1-4 at the Cardinal Center in Marengo, Ohio. The Chargers, at the Association of College Unions International and Scholastic Clay Target Shooting Program Upper Midwest Conference Championship, with a combined score of 2,099/2,250, won all six shooting disciplines included in the shoot: super sporting, sporting clays, doubles skeet, American skeet, doubles trap, and American trap. In the women’s division, junior Lucci Kern took second overall and junior Taylor Dale third after the two tied with a score of 395/450 and entered a shoot-off, junior Marin McKinney took fourth (394/450), and seniors Ava Downs (391/450) and Madeline Corbin (387/450) rounded out the top six. Seniors Davis Hay (422/450) and Luke Johnson (419/450) took third and fourth in the men’s division,

followed by sophomore Zach Hinze in )fth (414/450). “It was good to win the shoot-o(,” Kern said. “But she’s my teammate, so I would’ve been happy if either one of us won.” Shotgun competitions are scored on the basis of how many targets shooters hit, with the top five scorers on each team in a given discipline scoring. Athletes shoot at 100 targets each for each discipline. Several Chargers shot perfect scores in one of the shooting disciplines according to head coach Jordan Hintz. “Luke Johnson shot a perfect hundred in skeet, Lucci shot a perfect )fty in trap doubles, and then Zach also broke )fty in skeet doubles,” Hintz said. “It’s not easy to do. It takes a lot of concentration. Staying focused throughout the whole thing is difficult.” Hinze led Hillsdale’s top )ve in skeet doubles with his perfect 50/50 score, followed by senior Marin McKinney — who took first place for women in the event — and sophomores Max Versluys and Brayden Hoppa each with

Games

49/50. Hay and Johnson tied for fifth position with equal scores of 48/50. In super sporting, a technical discipline requiring athletes to shoot targets coming from a wide variety of trajectories, Hinze took third overall with a score of 46/50. Dale won the women’s division after shooting 38/50. Versluys, Hay, senior Alex Hoffman, and Johnson completed the top )ve. Johnson shot a perfect 100/100 in American skeet, )nishing second on the men’s side. Versluys and Hay broke 99 clays, and Hinze, Hoppa, and McKinney each shot 98/100 to complete the team score, with McKinney taking second for the women in the division. In sporting clays, Hay led with a score of 88/100, taking third in the men’s category, followed by Hay and Hinze (86/100), Johnson (85/100), Versluys (83/100), and Dale (82/100). Dale, Downs, and McKinney swept the women’s podium in the division. Hoffman shot 99/100 in American trap, taking third individually, followed by Corbin,

Hay, and Johnson each with 98/100. McKinney rounded out the top )ve and took third for the women after she and Downs each shot 97/100. Kern took women’s 1st place with the only perfect 50/50 of the category. Johnson took )rst for the men after he and Hay shot 49/50 and entered a shoot-off. Freshman Kinsey Duzan and Hoffman shot 46/50, rounding out the team total. The Chargers’ next competition will be a larger event, according to Johnson. “This upcoming shoot is a big one,” Johnson said. 'is is going to let us know where we're at going into nationals, and what it's going to take, and what we're going to need to do to come at nationals correctly. 'is shoot that we just got back from, I would just sum it up as a kind of tune-up for this weekend.” 'e Chargers will shoot in the ACUI/STCP Fall Central Midwest Championship Oct. 9-11 at the World Shooting and Recreation Complex in Sparta, Illinois.

9/24 Solutions ABCD Each row and column contains 1 each of A, B, C, and D, as well as two blanks. The letters around the border indicate the first letter to appear on that end of the corresponding row or column.

This week's solutions will appear alongside next week's puzzles. If you have questions or feedback, please contact Matthew Tolbert at mtolbert@hillsdale. edu.

CHARGER CHATTER Rintaro Goda, Tennis

What’s the silliest name you’ve ever been called?

What's your least favorite movie?

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Compiled by Matthew Tolbert

Photo Courtesy | Austin Thomason

Freshman Will Simpson catches a pass.

Senior Drake Badger lines up on defense.

Courtesy | Ashley Van Hoose

Junior Eli Boyce scans for a pass. Courtesy | Ashley Van Hoose

C harger S portS

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A10 October 8, 2026

Cross Country

Men's Tennis

Young players impress in Kuzma shatters record, wins Notre Dame Invite Grand Rapids matches By Ethan Savka AssistAnt Editor Hillsdale’s underclassmen men’s tennis players won all but one of their matches at the Davenport University Invitational Sept. 25. Freshman Zeteny Paragi took two matches in the top singles flight, 7-5, 6-4 over Purdue University Northwest and 6-4, 6-3 over Northwood University. Freshman Jack Ford, after an opening loss, beat Northwood 6-2, 6-1 and Davenport 6-4, 6-3. Sophomore Patrick Cretu beat Davenport 6-4, 6-3 and led Northwood 6-0 when their player retired due to an injury. Junior Ryan Papazov said the weekend was less about any one score and more about the team tightening their mechanics. “Overall, singles play was a lot better,” Papazov said. “We continue to see improvements compared to the first invitational, some standout performances. You had Zeteny getting really far. You had Jack pulling off some great wins.” Seniors Henry Hammond and Ellis Klanduch were playing through injuries, but went 2-1 in the top doubles flight, winning 8-5 over Northwood and 8-6 over Davenport. Junior Alejandro Cordero Lopez, who beat Northwood 7-5, said the performance from the freshmen came from the freshmen’s hard work in practice. “Apart from having very good results, they have shown a better level every week of practice and they have shown a clear improvement in the level of their matches,” Cordero Lopez said.

Klanduch said the team has shown strong growth this season. “I think we’re communicating better and we’re learning how to work better with our specific doubles pairings,” Klanduch said. “And coach was deciphering about switching teams up for a minute, but we’re, as of now, sticking with the same team.” All four Hillsdale doubles teams won at least once. Paragi and Cretu beat a Northwood team 8-2. Ford and Papazov beat Davenport 9-7 and Northwood 8-4. Cordero Lopez and junior Rintaro Goda took two Davenport teams, 8-6 and 8-2. “We will be a tough team to beat in doubles,” Cordero Lopez said. “%e wins demonstrate our level and confidence.” %e Chargers close the fall season at the ITA Midwest Regional, back in Grand Rapids, beginning Oct. 17. Papazov said he has played it twice, and looks forward to the freshmen experiencing it for the first time. “Even though you’re representing your team, you’re not playing as a team,” Papazov said. “I’m excited to see how the freshmen adapt. Typically they grew up in juniors without playing for a team, so it will feel a bit more natural to them.” %e team will focus on preparing for the matches in practice over the next two weeks. “We are really looking forward to ITAs, which is the peak of the fall. It is where we show all the improvements and the work we have put in in practice,” Cordero Lopez said.

By Blake Schaper CollEgiAn rEportEr

Junior Ally Kuzma shattered the five-year record for women’s 5K in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, receiving her second G-MAC Cross Country Athlete of the Week award this season. Kuzma ran a time of 16:23.77 at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational Oct. 2, winning the event and beating the previous record set by Mackenna Curtis-Collins of Malone University in 2021. Finishing more than 30 seconds ahead of the previous mark, Kuzma became only the second woman in G-MAC history to break 17 minutes in a cross country 5K. Kuzma said the Joe Piane Invitational was her first open meet she participated in in college. “%e first part was a little bit crowded, but later it was nice because I had somebody to look towards for pacing. I stayed in the pack and focused on gapping later on,” Kuzma said. Kuzma did not even know she broke a record when she finished the race. “I love how Coach Lynn is always focused on the little things. I am not always the best at stretching or doing the recovery stuff, but he is helping me at that. He is wanting me to be the best athlete I can be, which is what I want to be,” she said. Kuzma hopes to continue improving so she can help Hillsdale qualify for nationals like she did last year. “I have been blessed this college season to have a lot of success, so I am really grateful for that,” Kuzma said. “My focus going forward is going to be championship season —

conference, regionals, and nationals.” Kuzma defeated the NCAA DII national champion Lauren Kiley of Grand Valley State University, as well as everybody on the North Carolina State University team, the defending NCAA DI team champion. Sophomore Jefferson Regitz said the men’s team is also making small improvements that will hopefully set them up for success in the G-MAC meet in

second time our top five have raced together this season, so seeing where we are at was super cool.” Hillsdale’s top runner, junior John Ahrabi, ran a 25:06 for the 8K, first among Hillsdale’s athletes. Will Windsor ran a 25:26. “I’m very optimistic about how we’re going to improve fitness-wise; we have five weeks until the G-MAC,” Regitz said. “We have some really great pieces falling into place with

Junior Ally Kuzma at the Notre Dame Invitational. Courtesy | flotrack on Instagram

November. “We did the open meet, which was a little different because the men and the women raced together, so that was a new experience for me,” Regitz said. “From the men’s side, it’s a pretty encouraging performance. It was really only the

a really tight top five, because that’s what scores. If we’re all within 25 seconds of each other, and we’re running competitively, I could see us performing very well at the G-MAC championship.” Regitz placed 4th on the team with a 25:20 time.

“I was struggling the whole time from the start when the gun went off, to the finish, which was a little bit upsetting for me,” Regitz said. “I don’t think I had the right mindset going into it. But I’m going to learn from it. It was nice that I have fitness to carry me through my mental inefficiencies.” Joe Lynn, the head coach of the men’s and women’s cross country teams, applauded Kuzma for her dedication and perseverance. “Cross country and distance running in general is a lot of hard work and not a comfortable thing to do. Ally isn’t afraid of either of these things,” Lynn said in an email. Lynn has decided the best course of action with Kuzma is to take an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach to her practice. “I have no special plans in training and I am planning to continue to move along in the season as we have,” Lynn said. “My focus now is on keeping up on the little things and training at appropriate levels for what each day or training session calls for.” At the G-MAC Preview hosted by Tiffin University Sept. 28, Hillsdale sat out the top five runners from the men’s and women’s teams, letting them rest before this past invitational. Despite this, Hillsdale finished third out of seven teams, with a total of 81 points. %e college saw three of their five men’s runners finish with collegiate bests in the 6K in the race. Hillsdale’s cross country teams will travel to New Boston, Michigan, to compete in the Warrior Challenge hosted by Wayne State University Oct. 24.

Volleyball

Chargers “Raise the Roof” at home, drop conference match on road By Ashley Luke

AssistAnt Editor %e Hillsdale women’s volleyball team hosted “Raise the Roof ” community weekend Sept. 25-26, sweeping Kentucky Wesleyan College and %omas

More University. Hillsdale also defeated Findlay University Oct. 2, but lost to Tiffin University on the road Oct. 3. Hillsdale stands 4-4 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference and 8-8 in the season. Justin Price Agency Farm-

Freshman Taylor Brownsword against Thomas More University. Courtesy | Ella Schafer

ers Insurance sponsored the community weekend, providing free admission for both games Sept. 25-26 as well as the football game on Sept 26. %e volleyball match Sept. 25 supported LoveINC, a local volunteer organization that connects churches to community members in need. “I thought it was such a cool idea, and such a cool way for the volleyball team to support a local ministry,” Jessical Hurley ’17, executive director of LoveINC, said. “I graduated from Hillsdale and was an athlete. I just love the idea that the team was doing what they could to support a local ministry in a really meaningful way.” Hurley said LoveINC hosted a silent auction during the “Raise the Roof ” event fundraising for their roofing min-

istry which provides new roofs to those in need at minimal cost. Senior Clara Dornbirer, LoveINC’s goal program leader, and Christian Peck-Dimit, Hillsdale’s marketing and game day experience manager helped organize the event, Hurley said. %e Chargers defeated the Kentucky Wesleyan College Panthers 3-0 Sept. 25 and the %omas More University Saints 3-0 Sept 26. Freshman middle hitter Ella Vandermark had 7 kills against the Panthers and junior middle/outside hitter Ellie Fles had 10 kills against the Saints. In a press conference after the Kentucky Wesleyan game, sophomore setter/right side hitter Grace Drake said her teammates supported her throughout the game and helped get her into the right

mindset while playing. “As a team, we do a really good job in the locker room, getting ready, getting in a good mindset. We really develop our routines before games,” Drake said. “We keep those pretty consistent so that we can come out with a good mindset.” Freshman outside hitter Madison Geer said in a press conference after the Thomas More game that Hillsdale’s skill in serving gave them an advantage. “We are very technical on the team,” Geer said. “It’s something we start every practice with, serving and passing.” %e Chargers have worked hard in practices, and their effort was evident in the game against the Saints, Gravel said in the same press conference. “Hopefully every week

there is change,” Gravel said. “Whether we win or lose. We had a lot of work going into this team, we had a lot of new faces, a lot of new looks from our people on the floor and every week we get more comfortable with that and raising the bar.” On Oct. 2, Hillsdale won 3-2 against the University of Findlay Oilers on the road. Hillsdale lost to the Tiffin University Dragons 3-1 Oct. 3. Fifth year libero/defensive specialist Chloe Pierce had 31 digs against the Oilers. Drake managed 53 assists and freshman outside hitter/defensive specialist Taylor Brownsword had 16 kills in the same game. Hillsdale will travel to Allendale, Michigan to face Grand Valley State University Oct. 9.

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October 8, 2026

Simpson residents celebrate banner drop. Grace Brennan | Collegian

CULTURE Teams ‘go the distance’ at Disney-themed Banner Drop By Sophia Mandt Senior reporter Hillsdale’s 42nd annual Homecoming began Sunday night when 16 teams “let it go” at banner drop. On Monday, the Student Activities Board announced Simpson and McIntyre Residences tied for first place. Teams lined up along the Grewcock Student Union balcony, shaking the ground as they jumped and roared to Kanye West’s “Homecoming” and many Disney songs. At midnight, Greek houses, the off-campus teams, and dorms — some united as coalitions — dropped hand-painted banners for all to see. An anonymous panel of judges announced the top five teams in this year’s Disney-themed banner drop on Monday. Following McIntyre and Simpson, Off Campus Coalition won second place, Alpha Tau Omega took third, and the dorm coalition KBW (Koon, Benzing, and Waterman) placed fourth. The judges consider factors like neatness, creativity, incorporation of theme, and the poster’s overall impression, according to Director of the Student Activities Board Sophia Rome ’25. Senior and Co-Head Resident Assistant Alex Buehrer said Simpson hasn’t placed first in banner drop since 2015. “For a while, banners were not exactly our strong suit,” Buehrer said. “That was a pretty big deal for us.” Buehrer said Simpson residents poured themselves into their “Cars” themed banner this year and credited freshman John Henry Lindley and sophomore Joseph Shipp for their work on the banner, which features “Cars” characters Lightning McQueen, Doc Hudson, and the movie’s coveted “Piston Cup.” “We have this winning tradition,” Buehrer said. “This is where the dorm culture becomes so much more full. And

The Simpson banner waves at Banner Drop. Courtesy | The Student Activities Board

to us, that’s something that we find really valuable because you’re committing yourself to something, and it’s fun.” Junior and Head Resident Assistant of McIntrye Elizabeth Schueckler said she thinks McIntyre’s first-place tie was well-deserved. “I know that there were girls staying up super late at night voluntarily,” Schueckler said. “No one asked them to, but they were putting in so much time to make it look so good.” Schueckler said sophomore Ava Severance worked especially hard on the banner, which was inspired by the classic “Steamboat Willie” Disney cartoon. “I love running up the stairs with the whole dorm,” Schueckler said. “It’s my third year doing it with Mac, and being one of the freshmen to being one of the RAs last year to now literally leading the pack was so fun, and

then turning around and seeing all of my girls running up the stairs so excited for something that they’ve never experienced before.” Seniors Elizabeth Putlock and Lucy Bachiochi are this year’s off-campus captains. Seniors Ella Lovins and Aryn Tomasetti put in much of the OCC banner work, according to Putlock. Titled “Seeking Beauty,” it features Sleeping Beauty wandering with forest creatures alongside a distant castle — Central Hall. Putlock said Lovins and Tomasetti had the idea to write “where dreams become good, true, and beautiful,” as a twist on the famous Disney quote “where dreams come true.” Senior Aryn Tomasetti said she and Lovins spent at least 10 hours working on the banner. “We put it up in the apartments, which was the best place for it because they have high

ceilings and very long layouts,” Tomasetti said. “You could back away far enough to see what it would look like from a distance as you kept working. I had never worked on a banner where we watered the paint down to get the gradient. That was the hardest part.” Tomasetti credited seniors Wendy Swem, Katharine Reyes, and Rhys Woodard for helping with banner design. Junior Finn Rowan said he doesn’t think ATO has ever placed in all of banner drop history. “Normally, in what I can remember, it’s just a spray-painted banner,” Rowan said. “Last year, I did the banner alone. That was probably the first time we actually tried, and then this year we had more people, so it was better.” Rowan said he and fellow ATO members sophomore James Lennington and junior Thomas Sharbach brainstormed the banner design, which features portraits of Disney characters captioned with the names of various ATO members. “Originally, we were gonna do Looney Tunes characters, but it turns out that’s not Disney, so we just came up with other stuff, and I think it’s honestly better,” Rowan said. “I like making it and seeing how much time everyone else puts into it. It’s cool seeing the entire balcony shake, just waiting for it to fall one day.” Putlock said she loves the hype leading up to midnight. “It’s super late, but everyone’s got so much energy,” Putlock said. “I love when people dress up in all the funny costumes.” Buehrer said every year he looks forward to the final countdown before Banner Drop. “Everyone’s been hot and sweaty for the last hour and a half,” Buehrer said. “And when everyone unfurls their banners, it’s a pretty big moment. We’ve been prepping for a long time. At this point, we are all ready to get this started and have this week happen.”

The Off Campus Coalition Banner is dropped. Courtesy | The Student Activities Board

The McIntyre banner placed 1st with Simpson's banner. Courtesy | The Student Activities Board

From Huron to Honky Tonks: Seniors explore from Michigan and Tennessee By Rebecca Aponte Collegian FreelanCer When senior Arimathea Bennett began planning her fall break trip to Nashville, she did not expect to return with a new fear of outhouses. For Hillsdale students, fall break is often a long-awaited reprieve from midterms, Mock Rock practices, and lines winding out the door on the way to Saga. With this opportunity for free time comes the responsibility of planning a long weekend that is both exciting and renewing. Bennett began planning her fall break this past summer with her friends seniors Isabelle Ellis, Lauren Pashoud, Maria Grazia Stroik, and Nicole Masaka. On Thursday morning, the five of them began the eight-hour drive to Nashville. By Thursday night, Bennett said they were enjoying the sights and sounds of the Honky Tonk Highway. “We did so many different things,” Bennett said. “We vis-

ited the cathedral and went to the monastery. We also went to Broadway Street, did all the honky-tonks, and went clubbing, too.” One of her highlights of the Nashville trip was going to the LoveShackFancy boutique, located just outside Belmont University. “It was something I absolutely needed to do when we were in Nashville,” Bennett said. Bennett’s fall break did not end there. After two nights of exploring the city, she and her friends drove up to rural Indiana, where they went camping on a horse and alpaca farm. “I just feel like we did everything,” she said. “We experienced the nightlife for two nights, and then the next night we were basically sleeping outside.” The farm was where Bennett experienced an outhouse for the first time. “I would never do it again,” she said. “When I saw it, my first reaction was, ‘There’s no way I’m doing this.’”

Senior Becca Gilchrist also spent her fall break in Tennessee, away from conventional facilities. She traveled with her Hiking Appalachia leadership class on a three-night backpacking trip in the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, a threehour drive from Nashville. The group arrived in Tennessee late Wednesday night, spent the night at a campground, and trekked in the mountains for the next three days. “I think I’ve had some cool fall break trips before, but this one was by far the most memorable,” Gilchrist said. “It pushed me outside my comfort zone, and it’s been something that I’ve been planning for a couple years now.” Gilchrist originally heard about the trip from her fiancé’s brother, who took the same class last spring. Besides getting to travel with housemates, seniors Lucy Hicks and Claire Pipher, the trip gave her an opportunity to get to know new people in an adventurous setting. “We’ve spent the past semester

in class together, but I only knew a couple of the people going into fall break,” Gilchrist said. “By the end of the trip, though, we were all friends.” Though she said she had gone backpacking before, she didn’t anticipate everything that arose during the trip. “I realized random things like, ‘Oh, I only brought two pairs of socks and now all of them are wet,’” Gilchrist said. “There were little things I regretted not bringing.” She said the trip surpassed her expectations and gave her the opportunity to take a step back from more hectic aspects of student life. “There were lots of really cool beautiful moments,” Gilchrist said. “We didn’t have our phones, so we just brought digital cameras. We got to see some natural things, and the whole trip was a bonding experience, hiking, and cooking our freeze-dried meals together.” Back in Michigan, senior Ellery Toman said she spent her

fall break bonding with family and friends. According to Toman, she traveled home to Kalamazoo and enjoyed time with her family before volunteering at Cedar Bay Camp and Retreat Center for the weekend. While Toman was home, she said she made it a priority to spend quality time with her siblings. Her 10-year-old brother Sayer, an aspiring cross-country athlete, took her on their first 10mile run. “He had never run more than five miles before, but he wanted to do 10 with me,” Toman said. “Our other siblings had cross country practice, so we had the time to do it together. He’s not old enough to be on the team, but he really wants to run.” Toman also celebrated her brother Ansel’s fifth birthday by getting hot chocolate and playing board games with him. “He beat me in two out of the three games, which was very unfortunate,” she said. That weekend, she and a friend, sophomore Elizabeth Ca-

neday, headed to Cedar Bay Retreat Center to cook and do dishes for a women’s church retreat. Toman’s family goes to Cedar Bay’s summer camp every year. She had volunteered there several times before, but this was the first time that Caneday was able to serve with her. “It was random that I got to do this,” Toman said. “But it was what I wanted to do. I was really thankful that the pieces fit together and that Elizabeth was willing to come with me last minute.” To an extent, being a senior made her want to go home for fall break, Toman said. After having spent three years at Hillsdale, she no longer felt the pressure to go on a big trip with more of her friends. “Looking ahead, I won’t have as many opportunities to just go home,” Toman said. “I also think that I didn’t feel the need to be on a huge trip with all of my friends. My current friendships have grown so much and are much more established.”

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M O V I E R E V I E W S

October 8, 2026

CULTURE It’s a ‘Primetime’ for controversy and criminals By Jayden Jelso aSSiStant editor NBC’s TV show “To Catch a Predator” was cancelled after just three years, but now the entertainment company A24 has immortalized it in the form of “Primetime,” a new crime-thriller — produced without host Chris Hansen’s consent. “To Catch a Predator” involved adult decoys posing as minors online, where they spoke with pedophiles in chat-rooms. After luring these predators to an innocent-looking house, hooked up with hidden cameras and surrounded by police, Hansen would step out from behind a curtain or doorway, talk to them, and deliver his iconic line: “You see how this looks, right?” On its own, “Primetime” mostly succeeds at telling the story of “To Catch a Predator.” It chronicles its production, moral weight, and ultimate cancellation after Texas Assistant District Attorney Bill Conradt’s exposure as a predator on the show and his subsequent suicide. Alongside the supporting cast, Robert Pattinson delivers yet another phenomenal performance as Hansen. With his generational 2026 run — starring in films like “The Odyssey” and “Dune: Part III” — he’s determined to leave his “Twilight” days behind him. A24 is known for releasing films with unique cinematog-

raphy and editing, and “Primetime” is no exception. The colors of the movie give it an aged, network-television look, perfect for a story that takes place in the early 2000s. Despite the story’s intrigue, cast, and artistic vision, the film crams too many storylines and characters into its runtime of less than two hours for any of them to feel satisfying. First, there’s Hansen’s obsessive drive to produce a quality show that ties in with his ambition of stopping what he calls an “ancient evil.” His desire to make it big eventually trumps his desire to protect children. On top of this, he struggles in his relationship with his wife, whom he’s cheating on, as well as against the NBC overlords who think the show is becoming dull. These elements alone would have made for a compelling story that didn’t feel overstuffed. But “Primetime” includes many other characters and plotlines. There’s Dan Plum (Skyler Gisondo), an aspiring actor who gets cast as a decoy on “To Catch a Predator.” There’s also Andie Bender (Merritt Weaver), Hansen’s producer who considers leaving the show for bigger and better things. Finally, there’s Xavier Von Erich (Matthew Maher), the man who chats online with predators to lure them in and who ultimately catches Bill Conradt. These characters all have their own storylines, and though

it is not a flaw to have multiple well-developed characters, they have separate conflicts and relationships. Before any of them can reach an emotional high, the film moves on to another character. These flaws, along with moments of graphic nudity that only serve to shock, drag down the film. However, many on the conservative right, such as Matt Walsh and Kristin Hawkins, are denouncing “Primetime” as a movie that makes a villain out of a pedophile catcher, claiming that Hollywood has abandoned morals. Hansen himself said, “Nothing in that movie happened in real life. Nothing. There was somebody who sadly took their own life, who got caught in a sting, but other than that, nothing happened the way it was portrayed.” Hollywood is no pillar of virtue — there are countless elements of the film industry that prove this — but “Primetime” should not be the subject of outrage. At its best, the movie tells the story of a complicated man and an even more complicated issue, refusing to jump on board with Hansen’s methods but also refusing to fully attack them. It is a nuanced piece of art that gives equal time to both sides of a fundamental question: is it right or wrong to broadcast the catching of pedophiles for public entertainment, and what does this expose about our society?

Primetime movie poster Courtesy | A24, Instagram

The right-wing response to this movie reveals an inability — or unwillingness — to comprehend nuance. In real life, Hansen made dodgy decisions, and it is not required that the film ignore those choices in order to fully condemn the predators. For a long time, conservatives have been asking for agenda-free, nuanced films. Now, with “Primetime,” many of

them seem to have flipped the script. Despite this, “Primetime” has some reasonable controversy. Regardless of the movie’s entertainment value or its nuance, producing it without first asking Hansen is impolite at best and libelous at worst. One can only ask the filmmakers: you see how this looks, right?

‘Unabomber’ movie explodes onto Netflix By Jayden Jelso aSSiStant editor The longest manhunt in United States history lasted nearly 18 years, targeting American terrorist Ted Kaczynski. Now, with “Unabomber,” Netflix has delivered a thought-provoking and thrilling adaptation of the story. The film follows two characters: a 16-year-old Kaczynski (Jacob Tremblay) during his days at Harvard University in the 1950s, and Joanne Miller (Shailene Woodley), a fictional FBI agent leading the hunt for Kaczynski in 1996. At Harvard, Kaczynski participates in what he thinks is a study on philosophical debate, run by psychology professor Henry Murray (Russell Crowe). In real-

ity, the study became a precursor to the illegal 1960s MKUltra experiments, a mind-control and chemical interrogation program ran by the CIA. Despite dramatizing much of the story, such as Miller’s FBI plotline and Kaczynski’s strained relationship with his father, “Unabomber” gets most of the facts right. The film starts with Thomas Mosser — an advertising executive and one of Kaczynski’s actual victims — opening and triggering a mail bomb. Later, the movie portrays Kaczynski’s reclusive, Thoreau-inspired life in the woods before his brother, David Kaczynski, turns him in. Netflix’s recent attempts to adapt the stories of real-life serial killers have not gone well. TV shows like “Dahmer” (2022) and “Ed Gein” (2025) are at best dis-

turbing and at worst glamorizing, but “Unabomber” doesn’t fall for the trap of glorifying Kaczynski or his crimes. Instead, it asks fundamental questions about why he did what he did without excusing his actions. Throughout the film, the audience watches Kaczynski shift from an eager college student to a psychologically broken young man. His intelligence, when paired with the illegal experiments he unknowingly participated in, helps set the precedent for his later crimes and manifesto about his resentment of the industrial system. FBI Agent Miller spends weeks pouring over this manifesto, going against the wishes of her superiors and searching for clues that might reveal his identity. Though her hunt for him is thrill-

ing, the film unfortunately shifts much of the credit for Kaczynski’s arrest from his brother and the real FBI agents to the non-existent Miller. The addition of her character — the only woman on a team of doubtful men — felt like an unnecessary attempt to shoehorn feminist undertones into a story where it never was. Despite this, the film shines in its portrayal of Kaczynski’s time at Harvard. Nineteen-yearold Jacob Tremblay has proven himself a fantastic actor in his own right, able to hold his own across from Russell Crowe, a Hollywood titan. The scenes the two share are sharply written, unnerving, and suspenseful. Similarly, Shailene Woodley is long past her “Divergent” days, and though the FBI storyline has its problems, she delivers a com-

Phoebe Bridgers unplugs at Lost Weekend tour By Lonán Mooney Collegian reporter In a time of rising disconnection and intrusiveness of artificial reality, screen-free concerts might be the future. To some, the concept of a modern day concert being entirely phone, camera, and tech free is harrowing. Fans such as myself who attended singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers’ Lost Weekend tour are a part of more than just a fanbase, but a cultural renaissance.This tour has the potential to be a cultural shift for concerts in years to come. The Lost Weekend show at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, on Oct. 3, began like any other with a long wait in line. At the doors, all technology, including cameras, phones, smart watches, etc. were placed in “Yondr” pouches. These pouches are an innovation originally designed for the classroom, where students can have possession of their phones without being able to access them. Once my friend and I entered, the air was different. Conversations broke out in bathroom queues; attendants complimented each other’s outfits. My friend and I agreed that before it even began, this concert was a communal affair. Lights filled the arena, illuminated in ethereal hues to match the otherworldly tones of Bridgers’ music. Every song in the setlist was carefully planned in accordance with visual effects and

Phoebe Bridgers Tour Poster Courtesy | Tour Dates, Instagram

dynamic musicality that filled the entirety of my sensorium. I was breathtaken, as the arena hushed. Tears filled my eyes that matched Bridgers’ radiant eye makeup as she projected across the screens. The show began with Bridgers’ song “The Outside,” as artfully directed blue lighting and the piercing sound of strong

vocalities filled the arena. The crowd cheered before they were silenced by anticipation. Bridgers emerged at the climax beneath a showstopping dome. Fans were dancing, swaying, and engaging in a beautiful and communal way. Through simply excluding technology, the focus changed completely, from something to document to something

to truly live and experience. The audience remained totally engrossed, awaiting every note, and every flickering of the light; completely and utterly immersed without the distraction of electronics. After she performed her first five songs with little or no commentary preceding them, Bridgers finally addressed fans. “Thank you all for giving up your phones for a few hours,” Bridgers said. “Everything they say about it is true. Not having screens just makes everything more connected and personal.” Each location and performance share a total absence of handheld tech. My friend and I were initially skeptical when preparing for the concert, doubtful of the organization and whether it would be more enjoyable without the ability to document the experience. Curious concertgoers and fans alike agree Bridgers was onto something revolutionary. Music performance used to unite individuals through shared interest. Modern experiences differ, in how they feel isolating, with each attendee documenting for personal records, too timid to sing in case it damages the integrity of the recording. A concert becomes just another opportunity for content creation, something to post about on Instagram. This cultural shift of making concertgoing more about performing for the outside world, and documenting it to share on

social media counters the integrity of music performance. In this instance, the concert becomes about lived experience. Especially in relation to the prevalence of artificial interaction that seems to be ever impending, choosing to disconnect for a few hours breaks the cycle of performance for social platforms. However, this simple choice by an artist might be a unifying force for fanbases, calling back to bygone days. Many would agree that this is a positive and subtle act of rebellion against modernity which has the power to change musical performances and social interactions. Attending the concert was powerful, beyond Bridgers’ fantastic performance, strong musicians alongside her, and breathtaking effects. It remains etched in my memory because my friend and I got to experience it to the fullest extent without technology, as did all the fellow attendees. The experience was life-affirming, tying in my emotional attachment with the album when it was released, and Bridgers’ delivery through performance. In a time of uncertainty and disconnection, this experience confirmed to me that art and community ultimately have value in modern culture, regardless of what disheartening news might seem to communicate.

pelling performance as Miller. Aside from a couple instances of language and mostly off-screen violence, the film doesn’t quite earn its R rating. Neither the script nor the camera lingers on the crimes, as most of the thrills come in the form of conversations between characters as well as the anticipation of Kaczynski’s arrest. This makes “Unabomber” a much more compelling adaptation than “Dahmer” could ever be. There is a healthy way to engage with true-crime stories, and that is by discussing criminal psychology and what it says about the human condition. Unfortunately, most truecrime adaptations fall prey to glorifying — and sometimes romanticizing — criminals. “Unabomber” doesn’t.

C O N C E R T S

www.hillsdalecollegian.com

October 8, 2026 B3

Simpson aims for a Homecoming four-peat

By Skye Graham

AssistAnt Editor Simpson Residence hopes to reclaim its prized homecoming trophy this year, and the men have spent months preparing for it. “I started working on homecoming over the summer,” Simpson head resident assistant and senior Joe Vankat said. “If I see something cool on social media and think it might be cool in a Mock Rock, I’ll save it to a file and come back to it later.” Vankat said Mock Rock preparation starts ramping up a$er the Student Activities Board announces the theme, because the team leaders can work on theme-specific music and choreography. !is year’s Disney theme brought opportunities for a creative and unique Mock Rock performance, according to Vankat. “The night the theme was released, we got together and spent probably three hours ironing out our music for Mock Rock,” Vankat said.

Simpson’s Mock Rock leadership team puts in several hours of work a day outside of regular practice time, according to Vankat. Leaders are assigned tasks such as mixing music, helping with stunts, and creating choreography. The last team to win homecoming that was not Simpson was the Off-Campus C o a lit ion in 2022. “Part of why we want to win is honoring our friends who have graduated,” Simpson resident and junior Liam Brennan said. “Simpson has a three-year win streak so far, so everyone at Hillsdale right now has never seen a homecoming where Simpson has lost.” Junior Charlie Taylor, one of the men choreographing Simpson’s Mock Rock dance, said the entire Simpson team is working from 8–10 p.m. every weeknight in the three weeks leading up to the event. Most of the choreographers have limited experience with dance choreography when they first start, according to Taylor.

“The guys will try to find things online and research and peruse, seeing if there’s anything that would work,” Taylor said. “But sometimes we just kind of spitball it.” Taylor said Simpson freshmen have been motivated during homecoming preparation this year, which has paid off in their Mock Rock performance. “I feel like this is the most ambitious Mock Rock we’ve done yet,” Taylor said. “Homecoming is a crazy time commitment, and maybe kind of stupid sometimes, but we live for it.” In addition to Mock Rock preparation, Simpson RAs assigned other men to lead the rest of the homecoming activities. Sophomore Joseph Shipp and freshman John Henry Lindley were the main designers and painters of Simpson’s winning banner, which they unveiled at banner drop at midnight on Monday. “The idea works great for Simpson, since it quotes ‘Cars’ to reiterate our very classy response to the homecoming trophy being stolen last year,”

Campus Characters Hershey Hackberry

By Elizabeth Caneday

AssistAnt Editor

Hershey Athysivam, who goes by Hershey Hackberry, is a senior from Dallas, Texas, studying politics with a minor in journalism. She has been an RA for the last three years, serving McIntyre, the WHIP campus, and the Townhomes. She is a Kehoe Family Initiative for Entrepreneurial Excellence Fellow, the social media manager for The Collegian, a Homecoming court nominee, and Chi Omega’s social chair.

eity and “it” factor. I feel like “10 !ings I Hate About You” beautifully captures that. I recently showed this movie to a bunch of Sigma Chis at my house and I think it was a hit. My favorite song is “Ain’t Nobody” by Chaka Khan. What’s the story behind Dhaksberry, your Kehoe business? I learned to sew when I was 16 because nothing fit me and I wanted to start a clothing business. Mostly I’ve done tailoring. When I went to D.C., a lot of professionals needed their

me. But as of right now, it looks like I’m moving to D.C. postgrad and joining the swamp. What’s a favorite memory from your time in D.C.? I had the opportunity to make Sen. Ted Cruz a Halloween costume. His deputy chief of staff called me into her office and she was like, “I heard you have a sewing business. Would you be interested in making the senator’s Halloween costume?” And I was like, “Absolutely, what do you need?” And it was

What do you want to leave as your legacy at Hillsdale?

Do you plan to expand Dhaksberr y after graduation?

I was a WHIP RA, which is by far my favorite RA job. I was in charge of hosting events. As RA, you’re supposed to build community, and I took that to the max. I decided that we need to throw an all-house birthday party. In December, we had a 17-person birthday party and

I want to be remembered as someone who really embodied YOLO. You only live once, so go hang out with that friend, postpone that paper, get off your phone, and go on as many side quests as you can. Major in sidequest-maxxing.

If you got arrested, what would your friends assume was your crime?

“You get it for way cheaper, but at the same time, it takes way longer for the game to get to you than if you were to wait and get it on Amazon,” Ritzer said. “!en it would be more expensive, but it would come in a week.” Ritzer said he’s learned a lot throughout the process of designing and launching Dinoniche, including the potentially toxic fumes resin printers can emit if not ventilated properly. “!e room I had my printers in was completely closed off,” Ritzer said. “We had the windows up, even if it was 30 degrees outside, just cross-ventilating. When I announced

What is the most “Hillsdale” thing you’ve ever experienced?

What’s your favorite memory from your time as an RA?

!irty-six hours. !at was last spring, finals week. I pulled an all-nighter in Penny’s and took an exam. I do not recommend it, but it was sponsored by Red Bull.

Game from B4

!ere’s just something about everyone laughing over a nice cozy room and good food and good stories and good people. When people come up to me and say “I really needed this” or “I loved this party,” that really warms my heart and brings me so much joy. Honestly, if I can major in anything over again, it would be majoring in hospitality because I think the art of hosting is really lost in this world, and I would like to bring it back.

a 6-7 T-shirt. !at is not exactly the highlight of the memory.

What’s the longest amount of time you’ve ever stayed awake?

My favorite book is “Crime and Punishment” by Dostoyevsky, my GOAT. He is the first person I’m talking to in hell. He has my whole heart. My favorite movie is “10 !ings I Hate About You.” Classic. We need more people with unapologetic spontan-

Why do you love hosting?

pants hemmed or shirts taken in or sleeves shortened, and I was able to do that because I bought my first sewing machine a$er I got my first paycheck.

!ere’s just something so perfect about a can opening, specifically a Red Bull can. It just hits. It’s better than a regular can opening because the Red Bull tabs have a little red bull, like an actual bull, on the tab. I feel like that just makes it sound more crisper.

W h at i s y o u r f av or i te book, movie, and song?

we invited all of our internship friends to our house. We bought a cake, and it was a great celebration of our long semester away from home. It was called Birthday Palooza. It was so fun.

I was at Rough Draft at 10 a.m., trying to finish a paper that was due at 11 a.m. In front of me, there are two fundies on a date. Now, I don’t like to use “fundie” because sometimes that can be offensive, but they were very fundie. First off, my question is, what are you doing at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday on a date? But we can get past that. Second, he’s trying to rizz her up with philosophical knowledge, but I honestly could not string two things together about what he was saying. And I don’t think she could either because he was doing most of the talking. Red &ag. !en he’s like, “Are we going to take this on another date?” And she was like, “I don’t think so, because you have the traits that I had problems with in my past relationship,” and now I’m invested. I’m no longer working on my paper. And he’s like, “OK, I totally understand. A couple friends and I are trying to do a movie night tonight. Would you be interested in coming?” And I’m like, “What in the smooth out the rejection?” !at was the end of it. It was so distracting. Only at Hillsdale would someone go on a second date, the date where it counts, at Rough Dra$ at 10 a.m., and get rejected.

What’s your favorite sound?

Probably driving on the wrong side of the road. I do this too frequently. I’m not even British. I’ve never been to Britain. I’ve never, ever, needed to drive on the wrong side of the road or park on the wrong side of the road. I definitely always assume that the left is the right and I do have to put my hands up on the steering wheel sometimes.

Shipp said. “Once we had the idea, it all came down to time and attention to detail.” Vankat said Simpson’s trivia team studied everything they could about Disney for Wednesday’s trivia competition. “They just find any trivia questions they possibly can online about anything related to Disney,” Vankat said. “Disney World, Walt Disney the guy, Disney Movies, Disney Channel, and anything else they can find.” Brennan said volunteering during homecoming week is a rewarding experience for the dorm and helps the men build a stronger community outside of academics. “It’s a great time as Christian men to serve people,” Brennan said. “One of the critiques I’ve heard is that Simpson only does volunteering during homecoming. !at is true for some people, but what I’ve found is that usually people love it so much that they continue volunteering throughout the year.”

When she was 16, Hershey Hackberry worked at Peppa Pig World of Play. Courtesy | Hershey Hackberry

Dhaksberry is a side hustle. I plan to run for office one day. I love D.C. and I’ll definitely move to D.C. a$er I graduate, but the campaign trail seems exciting. We’ll see where the Lord takes the Kickstarter, my suitemates, Benu and Jamahl, were like, ‘Nice, we can finally sue you for the fumes!’” According to Ritzer, miniatures games differ from traditional board games because they come with built-to-scale replicas that players can customize as they would any other decorative model. !e replicas are also usable in the game itself, which is usually played on a tabletop. “!ere are stores completely dedicated to miniatures games that sell lines of different paints and different glues and different grasses you can put on the bases of models,” Ritzer said. “People really get into it.” Ritzer said he based Dinoniche specifically on the Hell

Creek Formation, fossils from Wyoming, South Dakota, and Montana, 66 million years ago. In the future, he hopes to launch further expansion packs covering other geological ages. “T. rex, triceratops, ankylosaurus, and Edmontosaurus are all in the Hell Creek Formation,” Ritzer said. “If you’re trying to get something going, you have to start there. But that’s a very, very small snippet of history, because dinosaurs were around from 220 to 65 million years ago, so I can really expand my game infinitely.”

Joseph Ritzer with dinosaur miniatures. Courtesy | Isaac Ritzer

From Broadway to Hillsdale: Meet the new lighting designer By Sophia Bryant

FEAturEs Editor For Christian DeAngelis, staying up past midnight — or all night — is part of his job. Hillsdale’s new lighting designer worked 94 hours a week and only slept for five hours a night when he worked on the Broadway show “Doctor Zhivago” in New York City while simultaneously teaching at Virginia Commonwealth University as an assistant lighting professor. He worked in New York for six days, then took a train to Virginia to teach on his day off. “ The first two weeks were awesome,” DeAngelis said. “It was like ‘Yay, I can keep doing this.’ By the third week — and it was eight weeks of this — I started to pass out uncontrollably.” DeAngelis said it was challenging but worth it. He has also worked as an assistant lighting designer on the Broadway shows “Guys and Dolls” and “Bonnie & Clyde.” “You’re just working nonstop when you’re in New York,” DeAngelis said. DeAngelis designed the lighting for Hillsdale’s most recent show, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” “It felt like a nice collaboration with everyone, and I had an amazing time working on it,” he said. DeAngelis said lighting controls the mood and atmosphere of shows, movies, museum exhibits, stores, and even kiosks in airports. “Lighting design is everything that you see, entertainment-wise, when you go to a concert, or you go to theater, or opera, or ballet, anything that is controlling the emotion on stage and the mood,” DeAngelis said. One of DeAngelis’ favorite memories of working in lighting design was when he pulled an all-nighter with a friend. DeAngelis was the lighting designer for the Fringe Festival in New York, and his friend was the sound designer for the show, so the two stayed up together designing the show. “ It’s a b s o l u t e l y j u s t friendship and being with people that you have worked with from time to time,” DeAngelis said. “I always call when I meet a director or a designer for the first time a ‘first date.’ Essentially, you know if you’re going to get along with each other pretty well within five minutes of each other, and so if you keep working with those people over and over again, you have an attachment of more than just friendship. You can read each other’s minds.” DeAngelis earned an undergraduate degree in microbiology at Michigan State University. He initially wanted to become a doctor. “I was really in love with theater when I was in college,” DeAngelis said. “I was also doing microbiology, and I really, really liked theater. And then one day, somebody asked me to help them, and that’s how I got hooked with that. My dad was an electrician, so I was around lighting a lot, but not design.

So I knew what I was doing, I guess. And then slowly but surely, I just started getting into actual design work.” He then attended the University of Michigan and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in design and production. He got his Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, San Diego. DeAngelis moved to Hillsdale in June, but he started working on “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” in May. First, DeAngelis met with the director of the show, Visiting Assistant Professor of Theatre Victoria Matsos, and listened to her vision. He then found lighting inspiration for the show and met with Matsos individually to make sure they were on the same page. “You want to go in with that feeling that you and the director have this connection together, where you’re essentially reading each other’s minds, or I’m reading at least their mind,” DeAngelis said. He started the design by creating 3D renderings of the set, stage, and lights for each scene. Next, he drew up a light plot, which is a blueprint of the theater showing where the lights will hang. “The plot tells us where the lights are going to go,” DeAngelis said. “The electricians hang the show, and in this case, the students were hanging the show.” Junior Sofia LaHood, who works in the light shop, said their job is to hang all of the lights for the performances based on the light plot and help focus them, then DeAngelis programs the lights. “He definitely trusts us a lot,” LaHood said. “He’ll explain things and then go work on something else, and then we will just do that, which is good. We’re adults, and he trusts us as such.” Junior Quenby Smith, who also works in the light shop, said it was different to work with a professional who’s made a career out of lighting design. “Not to out the former head of the light department, but he was 22,” Smith said. “He was my brother who just graduated. So it’s a big adjustment.” Sophomore Tanner Jelso also works in the light shop. He said ever yone who works there was a little nervous when DeAngelis first joined, since they knew Ciaran Smith, the previous manager, well. “We’re thinking DeAngelis might be a really strict professional guy from Broadway or something, but no, he was super fun,” Jelso said. DeAngelis said he wanted to work at Hillsdale because he felt it treated theater more seriously than some of the large schools he previously worked at. “Everybody is just so nice here, and I haven’t had that, and so it was a fresh breath of a release that made me want to work here,” DeAngelis said. “And the fact that I’m the lighting designer and not an assistant professor helps with some of that stress.”

www.hillsdalecollegian.com

October 8, 2026

F E A T U R E S

The students who traveled to the beatification. The Collegian | Francesca Cella

Catholic Society pilgrimages to Sheen beatification By Gemma Flores

City nEws Editor Fifty-one Hillsdale students loaded onto a bus for an eighthour pilgrimage to St. Louis Sept. 23. The group trekked to the beati!cation of Blessed Fulton Sheen, who is on the path to becoming the !rst American-born bishop to become a Catholic saint. Sheen, a theologian who brought Catholicism into the homes of millions with his radio and TV programs, served as bishop of New York City from 1951 to 1966 and the Archbishop of the Titular See of Newport, Wales, from 1969 to 1979. The Vatican officially declared him “Blessed” — meaning that he lived a holy life and is in heaven — Sept. 24 in St. Louis. A beati!cation is the second-to-last step before canonization, or sainthood, in the Catholic Church. Senior Elizabeth Schlueter, vice president of Hillsdale’s Catholic Society, said she and senior Elizabeth Putlock came up with the idea last spring while studying for !nals. “Lizzie burst in and said, ‘Beth, there’s this beati!cation for Fulton Sheen next September. We should totally take a group from Catholic Society.’ We sent out an interest form that day,” Schlueter said. Putlock, who served as Catholic Society’s vice president last year, said the group worked out the logistics of the trip over the summer. Due to an annual donation from an anonymous donor, Schlueter said that the members of Catholic Society’s board knew they had enough funds to at least heavily discount the cost of the trip. By the end of planning, however, the trip was free for all group members. “I’m really grateful the trip got to happen, and it’s so beautiful that it could be free to students,” Putlock said. “We were very blessed to have had that opportunity to go to the beati!cation of an

American saint, completely free.” grew up. With that many Hillsdale Putlock said she loved how students, ranging from sopho- the priests customized their mores to seniors, on a single bus, vestments to the occasion with Schlueter said the trip was cha- JMJ — standing for Jesus, Mary, otic, but fun. and Joseph — which Sheen used “It was pretty loud on the bus as shorthand to dedicate his work at !rst. Everyone was yapping, we to the Holy Family. played truth or dare with lots of “It was the coolest thing seedares,” Putlock said. “We prayed ing all the priests and seminarthe rosary to remind ourselves ians,” Putlock said. “Each had that it’s a pilcustomized grimage.” vestments that Putlock said had JMJ on the Catholic Sociback, which was ety encouraged Fulton Sheen’s the students to thing that he bring a prayer started. It was intent ion, a really sweet to person or thing see.” to specifically After Mass, pray for, with the group was them along the free to explore journey. again and had The group a pizza dinner left Hillsdale at their hotel. at 3 p.m. on They left at 7:30 Wednesday and a.m. on Friday arrived in St. for the second Louis close to leg of their trip: midnight. a pilgrimage to Schlueter Peoria, Illinois, said the group where Sheen is spent the next entombed. They morning exattended Mass Catholic Society’s T-shirts ploring St. Louat the Cathedral Courtesy | Maria Adamow is and attendof Saint Mary of ing talks and the Immaculate performances at the Dome at Conception, where Sheen was America’s Center, a former foot- ordained a priest in 1919. ball stadium turned expo center, “Going to Peoria, seeing that in honor of Sheen’s beati!cation. it’s just an ordinary American The main event was the beati!ca- town and all these thousands of tion Mass in the Dome. people are pilgrimaging there Senior Maria Adamow, events to reverence this great man, it’s coordinator for Catholic Society, just a great reminder that hosaid more than 60,000 people liness isn’t anything crazy but attended. Though the Mass was something that’s within reach of supposed to begin at 2 p.m., Ada- all because God makes himself mow said it started later than an- available to all people,” Schlueter ticipated. said. “The Mass itself was over Putlock said such access to a three hours long. The procession saint on American soil reminded took 40 minutes,” Adamow said. her of Europe. Four Hillsdale students sang “When you’re in Europe, in the choir at the Mass with their there are saints, relics, and tombs former school, Peoria’s Chester- everywhere. But in the U.S., we ton Academy, a Catholic classical don’t really have that yet,” Putlock school in the town where Sheen said. “For us to go to this town in

the Midwest and be able to venerate the tomb and the relics of an American blessed, it’s a cool reminder that sainthood can happen in ordinary places.” For Schlueter, the most impactful thing about the trip was seeing the way that God works through people to show his goodness and power. “I remember at one point, the guy who was giving the homily who came down from the Vatican, he talked about all the reasons that the Church was elevating Fulton Sheen as a blessed,” Schlueter said. “He made the point that the Church doesn’t raise up blesseds for their own glory but as an example for the faithful of what God can do in your life when you open yourself up to him.” Schlueter said that, though no formal plans had been made yet, she hoped that Catholic Society could continue to o&er free or low-cost pilgrimages for students. “I think there’s something so powerful about pilgrimages, about going to a place, walking in someone’s footsteps, and stepping into their life and out of yours for a moment,” Schlueter said. “Being at the beati!cation mass, seeing all these other Catholics — there were so many young families and so many religious and priests and seminarians, you just really felt that the Church was alive. It was such a good reminder that this really is the universal Church.” Adamow said this pilgrimage made sainthood feel more tangible to her. “The saints feel kind of foreign to me sometimes,” Adamow said. “But Fulton Sheen was a man of our time, he had a television, that was his whole evangelization thing. It showed that it was possible, especially going back and visiting his hometown. It was so tangible that he was a regular guy that grew up like everyone else and decided to follow Christ in the best way he could.”

T. rex and Triceratops: Alumnus creates dinosaur game said. “It was $130, but we were like, ‘Hey, we got nothing to do By Anna Northcutt while we’re in the house, why CollEgiAn rEportEr don’t we get this and try it out?’” To Ritzer’s surprise, the game’s A spontaneous purchase of playing pieces were miniature the game Star Wars: Legion inspired an alumnus to create a !gures which had to be put toscienti!cally-accurate dinosaur gether and decorated. While Ritzer said he never would have miniatures game, Dinoniche. In summer 2022, Joseph bought the game if he had realRitzer ’24 spent several months ized it involved miniatures, he in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and his fellow students ended up working alongside other students having a blast with it. Born and raised in Denver, as a research assistant to David Houghton, professor of biology Colorado, and surrounded by and director of the G.H. Gordon fossils, Ritzer said he’d had a strong interest in dinosaurs from Biological Station. When the students weren’t a young age. After discovering busy conducting caddisfly re- Star Wars: Legion, he decided search, they often went into town there should be something similar for dinosaurs. to explore, according to Ritzer. “I started doing some research “One time, I saw this game called Star Wars: Legion,” Ritzer and there wasn’t anything, so the idea was born for Dinoniche,” Ritzer said. Ritzer said Dinoniche stands out f rom ot h e r miniatures games because he designed the gameplay to mirror how dinosaurs interacted in nature. “Mo st of the time, when people think Joseph Ritzer teaching Thomas Tesfaldet how to play. about miniaCourtesy | Alex Scherer tures games,

you think of one person having an army on the right side of the table, and the other person having an army on the left side of the table,” Ritzer said. “With Dinoniche, the idea is that you set up the game with all the animals everywhere, and then it’s about the ecological interactions. Animals get points by !lling their niche in their environment.” When plans for enrolling in a graduate program didn’t work out, Ritzer said he was left in fall 2022 wondering what to do with his love for paleontology. Then he discovered a Serbian creator named DinoandDog who would design custom dinosaur models and send an STL file — a file readable by 3D printers — to the customer. “I was like, ‘Oh wow, this might be the way to make my game happen,’” Ritzer said. Living in the Suites Residence with two other students his senior year, Ritzer used their spare room for his 3D printers. Toward the end of the academic year, he had enough models printed to test out the new game, mostly with fellow teammates from track. Dagur Einarsson ’24 said he and other students would often meet up and play the game for two to three hours at a time. “Ritzer’s a smart guy, but it’s crazy to see someone’s idea $eshed out in an actual game,” Einarsson said. “He knew all

the rules, but there was really no manual to start with.” Benu Meintjes ’24, Ritzer’s suitemate, said he remembered checking the printers for Ritzer while he was in class to make sure the plastic !lament hadn’t snagged. “Ritzer is just one of those guys that have an idea for everything and a plan for everything,” Meintjes said. “If one thing fails he’ll come up with the next idea. He doesn’t doubt himself.” After test-driving the game, Ritzer connected with LaunchBoom, a marketing agency that specifically targets customers who hope to crowdfund their product. In September of this year, Ritzer launched Dinoniche on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, where backers have already pledged more than $130,000 in support of the game. Those who pledge are not charged until the game launches, and if a set amount of money required is not raised by a speci!c date, they will not be charged at all. Funding for Dinoniche has surpassed its goal, according to Ritzer, so the game’s production is now guaranteed. In the meantime, people who pledged sooner rather than later will receive the game at a discounted price when production is complete.

See Game on B3

Student baking business exists for more than sugar By Matthew Tolbert

wEb & puzzlE Editor For senior Abriana Badalamenti, a lifelong care for people with special needs has blossomed into a baking business. Special Creations, a business in Career Services’ Kehoe entrepreneurship fellowship, provides baked goods for Penny’s co&ee shop in Kirn Residence. Badalamenti bakes in the Penny’s kitchen twice every week after closing. “I came into the Kehoe Fellowship wanting to start some kind of business that helps the special needs community, but I wasn’t really sure what that was going to be,” Badalamenti said. “Eventually, I had the inspiration from my brother from home, who loves to bake.” In fact, her brother Mickey Badalamenti with autism kindled this passion in her for those with special needs in the !rst place. “He's older than me, so I grew up with him my whole life,” Badalamenti said. “I just want to help people like him, and so I got very interested in volunteering for that community ever since I was young. When I came to Hillsdale, I wanted to do something for that community.” This commitment shows not just in how the business is run — she bakes with special-needs members of the community once per week— it’s even re$ected in the name of the business itself. According to Badalamenti, Special Creations has a double meaning to communicate her care for those with special needs as well as what she bakes. “Our tagline technically is ‘Specially baked creations, made by God,’” Badalamenti said. “The special creations are the things we make and are also the people making them. These people are created very specially by God.” For Badalamenti, Special Creations became a way to spend more time with and serve special needs adults she knows in town, many of whom she met through her church, Hillsdale United Brethren. “I met a group of adults who have special needs who all live in the same group home, and they go to the HUB,” Badalamenti said. “I’d like to give them an opportunity to do something fun together, and also something that teaches them skills.” Gracie Marie Bump, one of the special needs people Badalamenti baked with, enjoyed

learning through Special Creations. “I like getting to bake because I’m not really experienced with cooking,” Bump said. “I’ll take the experience however I get!” Badalamenti said her primary customer is Penny’s, who purchases baked goods wholesale. According to Rebekah Bollen, dean of women and Penny’s general manager, this partnership achieves one of the main goals of Penny’s. “Penny’s is a ‘for the students by the students’ project, if you will,” Bollen said. “We have creative, inventive entrepreneurs, but also servant-minded students. We liked the idea of using the Penny’s platform to give them an opportunity to grow, but also add some variety to what we’re bringing to the students.” According to Olivia Calvert ’25, Penny’s deputy general manager, Special Creations’ fresh baked goods are a welcome and needed complement to Penny’s other o&erings. “We get cookies and scones from a supplier in Detroit, and they’re frozen dough balls that we’re able to cook, but we’re not able to have anything fresh,” Calvert said. “Abriana is able to come bake in the evening, and we’re able to sell it the next morning, which is just something that we never had the capacity for before.” Calvert, who led the college’s special education volunteering program during her time as a student, said Special Creations’ partnership with local special needs adults is a wonderful complement to existing programs to serve that community. “There are a lot of great places in the community, like Spark and Key Opportunities, that help people with disabilities,” Calvert said. “Special Creations is another way to tap into those resources and help a very necessary part of our population.” But for Badalamenti, the greatest privilege is being able to build deeper relationships with more of God’s special creations. “We get to have conversation that we wouldn’t typically have at church,” Badalamenti said. “It’s given me a chance to know each individually, very personally. That’s what I wanted through this business: for all of us to interact on a deeper level.”

Baker Robert Smith, Badalamenti, and volunteer Samara Williams. The Collegian | Matthew Tolbert