Hillsdale Collegian 1.16.19

Michigan’s oldest college newspaper

Vol. 143 Issue 14 - January 16, 2020

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Hillsdale settles with Mizzou College to receive $4.7 million from the University of Missouri after mishandling of funds

By | Nolan Ryan Editor-in-Chief Hillsdale College will receive almost $4.7 million after settling a lawsuit with the University of Missouri.

The settlement comes after Hillsdale filed a lawsuit against Mizzou in 2017, claiming that the institution mishandled a $5 million donation left by Sherlock Hibbs, a Mizzou alumnus who died in 2002. The gift was to be used for hiring six educators, each of whom was to be “a dedicated and articulate disciple of the Ludwig von Mises Austrian School of Economics,” according to the lawsuit. As of December, the endowment was valued at $9.2 million, according to a statement from Mizzou.

Hibbs gave Hillsdale the task of overseeing his gift.

Mizzou said in a statement that it spent $4.4 million of the original gift “to fund professorships consistent with

Hibbs’ intent to promote the teaching of free and open market economics to MU students.” Hillsdale, however, argued that Mizzou never hired professors in accordance with Hibbs’ wishes.

Hillsdale General Counsel Robert Norton, Peter Herzog — a St. Louis-based attorney — and Jay Nixon, former Democratic governor of Missouri, led Hillsdale’s legal team in the dispute. Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn said the college had a good legal team and that Norton was very capable in the way he handled the case from the start.

Arnn said he knew Hibbs for about five years before he died.

“He was a big believer in Austrian economics,” Arnn said. “He wanted to give money to the University of Missouri, to get them to improve their economics department.

So he thought up this novel

idea that they would report to us, and they had to agree to do that to get the money.”

Arnn, however, said he was reluctant when Hibbs approached him with the idea to put Hillsdale up as a guardian over the funds.

“I tried to talk him out of it. I said, ‘You’ll never be able to get them to do that,’” Arnn said. “We had two to three different commerce sessions over three years. He said, ‘You’re going to do this aren’t you?’ I said, ‘I will,’ reluctantly.”

Norton said in an email that in his reluctance, Arnn hoped “Mizzou would mend its ways.”

Mizzou was required to report to Hillsdale every four years regarding how the funds were being spent, according to Arnn. He said that the university didn’t consistently report, which led Hillsdale to investigate. After determining that Mizzou was not comply-

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ing with Hibbs’ last wishes, Hillsdale eventually decided to sue.

“They basically just flouted the agreement. It was super clear. We didn’t have any choice but to sue them,” Arnn said. “We had to sue them in Missouri. It is the University of Missouri. This fact was not lost on us.”

Herzog said Mizzou never put forth a substantive defense.

“The University of Missouri never defended its conduct,” he said. “It invoked purely procedural defenses to try to avoid being liable for its conduct.”

On the other hand, Hillsdale’s main argument throughout the legal process was substantive, not procedural, Herzog said.

When Hillsdale first filed the case in St. Louis, Herzog said Mizzou argued the case couldn’t be filed there, that it had to be filed in Boone

County, where the university’s main campus is located.

Herzog said the Missouri Supreme Court agreed, and when the case was transferred, Mizzou continued to make procedural defenses.

Norton said it seemed as if Mizzou thought Hillsdale would back down if they had to litigate the case in Mizzou’s hometown.

“However, we remained determined to proceed. We adjusted to the probate court proceeding and prepared an entirely new strategy that involved naming forty one new defendants in the suit,” Norton said. “Many of those defendants were the trustees of the university and theoretically also the trustees of Mr. Hibb’s donated money. Mizzou then claimed that those same trustees were immune from suit under Missouri state law and couldn’t be sued for not using the donor’s money as he directed, that is, to teach

Austrian economics.”

Hillsdale was prepared to challenge this notion, Norton said, and even take it up on appeal if it came to that. At that point, he said the schools came to their settlement.

“When it offered an amount close to the initial donation in question, Dr. Arnn directed that we accept the settlement and find a way to put the money to good use,” Norton said.

Mizzou officials declined to comment, and instead provided the college’s official statement regarding the lawsuit.

“During negotiations, university officials determined the most fiscally responsible course of action was to settle the lawsuit and split the endowment,” Mizzou’s statement said, adding that Hillsdale would “relinquish oversight of

See Mizzou A2

Funding from MDOT will provide funds for various road projects for Hillsdale County.

Carmel Kookogey | Collegian

County receives $2.6M for road maintenance Money will fund various projects on M-99 and M-49

Hillsdale College football alum Jared Veldheer made national headlines for his role in the Green Bay Packers’ 28-23 win over the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC divisional playoff last Sunday. The backup tackle was not supposed to play in Sunday’s game. When illness sidelined right tackle Brian Bulaga, Veldheer was pulled up to fill-in and played every snap. Drafted in 2010 in the third round by the Oakland Raiders after an All-American season with Hillsdale, Veldheer is a seasoned veteran with 10 years of experience under his belt.

By | Nolan Ryan Editor-in-Chief The Michigan Department of Transportation gave Hillsdale County $2.6 million in funding for various road projects in 2020.

Funding from MDOT, which was announced last fall, will go toward several portions of M-49 and M-99.

According to Kelby Wallace, manager at MDOT’s Jackson Transportation Service Center, his office has not set a construction schedule yet.

Most road maintenance, he added, generally takes place

between May 1 and the end of October.

“We have a list of projects where we have funding available every year. They’re scattered between Hillsdale, Jackson, and Lenawee counties,” Wallace said. “We try to spread it out as much as possible.”

Last fall, Wallace said, his office decided to select more projects in Hillsdale County in 2020 due to the need for roads to be repaired.

“We have three bigger projects in Hillsdale County, more than we’ve had the last couple of years,” he said.”

The first project is the M-49 stretch inside Reading’s village limits. Because there are curbs and gutters in that area, Wallace said this will require milling, then resurfacing it with new asphalt through the entire village limits. This project will use about $610,000 of the funding, according to Wallace.

The second project will be asphalt resurfacing on M-99 between the cities of Jonesville and Litchfield, which will require $1.4 million.

See Roads A4

Professor releases analysis of works of Thomas More By | Ben Wilson Assistant Editor A multi-decade adventure that included standing in the jail cell of a martyr, holding a prayer book from the sixteenth century, and journeying through foreign countries has culminated in a groundbreaking new text.

Professor of English Stephen Smith co-edited a newly released book, “The Essential Works of Thomas More,” with Gerard Wegemer, professor of English at the University of Dallas.

The 1500-page book presents a comprehensive analysis of More’s work and features a wide array of his Latin and English writings including his poetry, political philosophy, and theology.

Additionally, the full text of Follow @HDaleCollegian

an unproduced play Shakespeare helped create titled “The Book of Sir Thomas More” is included in the appendix.

More is best-known for his opposition to King Henry VIII’s divorce and splitting of the church. Found guilty of treason, More was beheaded on July 6, 1535, and was canonized as a saint in 1935.

The target audience is anyone who is fascinated

by More’s life and wants a greater understanding of his contributions.

According to Assistant Professor of English Benedict Whalen, the book fills a need in the academic world.

“In making More’s most important works accessible to contemporary readers in a

Professor Stephen Smith edited the book with Gerard Wegemer. Stephen Smith | Courtesy

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single, modernized, carefully edited volume, “The Essential Works of Thomas More” fills a gaping hole in modern scholarly editions,” Whalen said. “Thomas More is criminally underappreciated, and I expect that this excellent edition will do much to right that wrong.”

Smith discovered his passion for More during his studies at the University of Dallas under Wegemer, who he considers a dear friend and mentor.

“The book in a real sense represents the friendship, collaboration, and good cheer of two decades,” Smith said.

The two professors embarked on a journey to bring together all his significant works.

“When you co-edit a 1500-page book, it’s a humbling experience in many ways,” Smith said. “One thing you learn is that the author is even more complex, more human, and more multifaceted than you had thought before.”

More’s best-known work is “Utopia”, an account of an island republic featuring a dialogue about ordering a republic. In the work, he takes the role of disagreeing with the benefits of a utopia.

John Miller, director of the Dow Journalism Program, featured Smith on his National Review podcast,

See More A2

News College alum joins theology Former art professor returns to faculty as visiting professor Hillsdale as full-time faculty

A2

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January 14, 2020

is entirely home because we By | Abby Liebing can’t be everywhere at once,” Associate Editor Strecker said. “So it’s really nice Eleven years after graduthis time to be coming back to ating from Hillsdale, Cody a place where we have family Strecker has returned to but also good friends.”

Hillsdale as a visiting assistant Strecker is enjoying being professor of theology. back in Hillsdale and getting to After graduating in 2008 be on the other side of things with a major in Classics, as a professor, teaching both Strecker worked at the college younger students in the core for three years, two in admistheology classes and older sions and one in the president’s students in his upper-level office. But he always knew he theology class. wanted to teach.

Strecker likes that the the“I’d known for a long time ology course has been added that I wanted to teach, but at to the core in recent years and different times I felt it could be enjoys teaching some preschool, it could of the freshmen as be high school, they are adjusting or should it be and “overwhelmed undergraduate with changes but level?” Strecker asking the question, said. “In those how have Christians years it became spoken about their really clear that I God? Which is an just loved being important question around college whether they are students and themselves Christeaching those tians or not,” Strecker students who are said. beginning to make In his upper-level their studies their theology course, he own.” got to watch older Strecker had students wrestle with to decide in what the ideas of justificapacity he wantcation and salvation ed to teach. As a and what different Classics major, he Christian thinkers loved the combihave said about it nation of studying over the centuries. sociological study “Professor Streckwith religious er is very knowledgestudy and politics, able and it is clear law, and language. to see as a student “But it was thein his class that his ology that I was Cody Strecker ‘08 joined the Hillsdale College faculty as a every answer is well thinking about and visiting professor of theology in August. External Affairs thought out and reading in my own thoroughly grounded time and I thought months. in orthodox Christian writings this is what I’m really passionAfter finishing the program and teachings,” Senior Samuel ate about,” Strecker said. “With in Germany, Strecker moved to Musser, who was a student in the background in classics, my Waco, Texas to get his doctorStrecker’s upper-level theology studies began in early Christian ate at Baylor University. course, said. theology and that’s been a con“I chose that program be“He is very balanced and stant attentiveness I’ve had.” cause of the way that, particuopen-minded in his approach As Strecker was in graduate larly my dissertation director to Christian doctrine, while reschool studying theology, he Natalie Carnes, combines maining grounded in scriptural saw how his training in classics, historical attentiveness with truth.” especially with Professors of constructive contemporary Strecker enjoys being back Classics David Jones and Joconcerns. And that’s what my at Hillsdale and being able to seph Garnjobst, really provided own passion is,” Strecker said. again participate in a place that him with a good foundation to And now Strecker and his had such a large impact on his pursue his studies, even though family have returned to Hillsformation and education. he was continuing his studies dale and love being back in the “Hillsdale was so formative in theology and not classics.

Midwest, in a familiar place for me intellectually, morally, “Their ability to unpack that is much closer to family and socially that to have the a text and to attend to the and friends. opportunity to give back to the formal features as well as the “We lived in four different college and seek to participate important traditional content places in the first ten years of on the other side of things in has stuck with me, specifically our marriage and feel like our the great work that the college with my approach to poetic lives are irrevocably fractured is dedicated to is a great honor,” theology, which has been a real because of that, because we he said. passion,” Stecker said. “To learn have communities in each of from them how to combine these places but none of them linguistic attentiveness with literary capacity has been an important skill that has been foundational, although I have gone in a different direction, it is all funded by those skills.”

Strecker went to Duke University Divinity School for his master’s degree. It was a two-year program which he extended by participating in the exchange program which allowed he and his wife Mary and their two oldest boys to move to Reutlingen, Germany, where he studied at a university and seminary for nearly 11

Mizzou from A1

the gift.”

Hillsdale neither agreed with nor opposed Mizzou’s request for the court to approve a “modification of the terms of the will so that we won’t audit them anymore,” according to Herzog, who served as the lead trial counsel for Hillsdale. He said Mizzou will no longer be required to appoint professors who subscribe to the Austrian school, though he noted that they are still required to hire advocates of free market economics.

“In probate court, the University of Missouri wanted the court to approve the settlement,” Herzog said.

“Bob convinced Mizzou that the right result was to split the amount that remains in the trust.”

Christian Basi, Mizzou’s media relations director, said in the university’s statement that the portion of the settlement which it kept will “allow us to continue our work of educating students about free and open markets.”

“We also will use some of the proceeds from the gift to sponsor a biannual symposium on the MU campus that will focus on Austrian economics, which was of particular interest to Mr. Hibbs,” Basi said in the statement.

Herzog said that Mizzou has committed to spend at least $15,000 on the symposium every two years. If they don’t, that money will go to Hillsdale.

When it comes to the ideas at play in the case, Chairman and Associate Professor of Economics Charles Steele said there are various sub-schools of thought within Austrian economics, but this case regarded Ludwig von Mises’ theories.

Steele said von Mises emphasized marginalist economics and mainstream economics with an Austrian twist. For von Mises, entrepreneurship is what will most effectively test things in the market, Steele said.

While Steele was not involved in the case, he said he looked into who Mizzou hired with Hibbs’ gift. He looked at the college’s website and perused the CVs, bios, and publications for the faculty.

“None of them mentioned any connection to the Austrain school,” Steele said. “You’d expect someone connected to be attending conferences or writing papers or even having discussion related to it.”

Arnn and Herzog both noted the importance this case has pertaining to the state of higher education in the country, including the gifts alumni leave to institutions.

“It illustrates, in my opinion, the very significant issues involving the use of funds that are gifted to colleges and universities,” Herzog said. “Bob Norton and I wrote an opinion piece about whether or not you can trust your alma mater.”

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By | Lily McHale Collegian Reporter After a five-year hiatus, Roxanne Kaufman has returned to Hillsdale as a professor of art. In addition to teaching classes, she also manages the Sage Art Gallery.

Dr. Barbara Bushey, chair of the art department, expressed her pleasure about Kaufman’s return to campus in an email.

“I am pleased to be able to hire Professor Kaufman full-time,” Bushey said. “I find her to be a capable and compassionate instructor, and a wonderful artist. Her demeanor in the classroom is always poised and professional, and also warm and encouraging.

We are lucky to have her.”

Kaufman earned a bachelor’s degree in fine arts with a focus on photography at Spring Arbor University and completed her graduate studies at Goddard College in Vermont.

“I did my undergrad work at Spring Arbor and I completed my graduate studies at Goddard College in Vermont.

It was low residency and I was able to work in other professional fields like publishing and in the photography studio while I was doing my master’s degree. My undergrad is fine arts with a focus and concentration in photography

More

from A1 “Bookmonger,” to discuss the new book.

“Steve Smith is one of the college’s great teachers and one of the world’s experts on Thomas More,” Miller said.

“I’ve enjoyed having him on my National Review podcasts.”

The research for the book included a trip to Yale’s

both digital and darkroom procedures. And my master’s work was primarily alternative photographic processes, art therapy concepts, and psychology.”

Kaufman’s master’s work with art therapy has continued post-graduation. She worked at a residential treatment facility in Jonesville and studied art therapy concepts with youth who had behavioral, emotional, and physical setbacks.

“The therapy was successful, especially for the students who had trouble articulating their struggles. They could draw out what they felt or use different colors that represented their feelings.”

Kaufman has continued her use of art therapy in the classroom.

“At Trine University a lot of my students couldn’t remember the last time they colored so we would do some art therapy concepts with them and everyone was so happy and excited,” she said. “There’s a reason the dot coloring books have become popular. People miss using their hands and the easiest way to start doing that is art.”

Junior Meghan Gwilt said that Kaufman’s teaching style is especially helpful when learning challenging new concepts.

“She’s very sweet and helpful. Since we’re learning

new software she’s doing a lot of step-by-step help with us,” Gwilt said.

Kaufman previously taught at Spring Arbor, Trine University, and Jackson College.

Though she is a new full-time professor, Kaufman’s history with Hillsdale has helped her with the transition.

“I love being here,” she said.

“It was a very easy transition because I knew my co -workers and now I have just enough teaching experience where I don’t feel completely nervewracked about what’s going to happen. I’m excited about bringing my own twist but also following the paths that have already been laid by professors here.”

Kaufman appreciates the mission of the college and believes that art plays a role in a liberal arts education.

“I’ve always been a strong believer in liberal arts. While we may have one main interest or job that we’re meant to do, I think doing that main job well means having a broad perspective, having as many tools to do it well, uniquely, and personalized. Art can either be something that you utilize in your job directly or it just helps you build an interest or an outlet. Making something and creating something is important no matter who you are.”

Beinecke Library where Smith examined artifacts belonging to More. Through his extensive research, Smith found many themes in More’s writings.

“More’s life and writings address key themes from beginning to end,” Smith said.

“A few are the vital importance of friendship, the peril of tyranny, the challenge of first principles and integrity, the education of conscience,

the beauty of virtue, and finally the need for prayer and the love of God, if we are ever ‘to make merry together in heaven,’ as he hoped to the end.”

While Smith knew a vast amount about More, his new research taught him more.

“I’d love to write a new book on the Thomas More I discovered through this long and illuminating project,” Smith said.

Herzog said that, as reported in a Wall Street Journal article, donors gave $46.7 billion to colleges and universities in the U.S. in 2018. He said that as the stock market has gone up and as the country has seen an increase in wealth, “donations to colleges and universities have gone up dramatically.” Herzog said Hibbs understood there was a possibility Mizzou would not comply with the terms of his gift and was smart to set up an external mechanism to enforce the terms.

“Sure enough, he was right. But in most cases, this doesn’t become apparent,” Herzog said.

Arnn, meanwhile, said this case points to a crisis in modern education when it comes to committing to historical principles. The crisis of the age, he said, is that old commitments are no longer regarded as noble commitments.

“The shocking and terrible thing in higher ed is that all of the old and distinguished colleges, they began with some beautiful principles. Very few of them pay the least attention to that anymore,” he said. “Once you’re breaking that original compact, why not break the smaller ones that come along later? Someone gives money to do ‘x,’ then 20, 50 years later, ‘x’ means ‘not x’ or ‘y.’”

The settlement with Mizzou, Arnn said, is a “small victory in the opposite direction.”

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Online: www.hillsdalecollegian.com Editor-in-Chief | Nolan Ryan Associate Editor | Abby Liebing News Editor | Regan Meyer City News Editor | Julia Mullins Opinions Editor | Alex Nester Sports Editor | S. Nathaniel Grime Culture Editor | Stefan Kleinhenz Features Editor | Cal Abbo Web Content Editor | Alexis Daniels Circulation Manager | Regan Meyer Assistant Editors | Elizabeth Bachmann | Liam Bredberg | Emma Cummins | Ashley Kaitz | Rachel Kookogey | Sofia Krusmark | Victoria Marshall | Calli Townsend | Ben Wilson Faculty Advisers | John J. Miller | Maria Servold The editors welcome Letters to the Editor but reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity, length, and style. Letters should be 450 words or less and include your name and number. Send submissions to the Opinions Editor at anester@hilldale.edu before Saturday at 3 p.m.

FDA limits on vaping liquid could cause more smoking

tain much fewer chemicals By | Alex Nester than traditional cigarettes.

Earlier this month, the Blaha reports further that Food and Drug Administra- most of the illnesses and tion announced that it plans diseases that result from to impose limitations on using e-cigarettes are not the sale of flavored e-cigacaused by the flavored juices rette vaping liquids, with and pods that the Trump the intention to squelch the administration is looking alleged health crisis posed to ban. Rather, Blaha found by this smoking alternative. that the illnesses were The ban, however, could lead largely caused by vapers teens who use the product to modifying their devices and turn to smoking — a much purchasing vaping liquids more dangerous alternative. on the black market.

Though vaping clearly is This certainly isn’t to say unsafe, unhealthy, and has vaping is safe, or that teens caused serious injury and should vape. Some vaping death, banning flavored juices contain vitamin E e-cigarette cartridges could acetate, one of the main cause greater, more dangerculprits for vaping-relatous consequences. ed illnesses which is often Since 2011, cigarette found in the illicit, unregusmoking among midlated vaping liquids that are dle- and high-school-aged sold on the street. teens has declined. Though Vitamin E acetate is also the purpose of the Trump found in vaping liquids that administration’s ban would contain THC, the chemical be to promote teen health in marijuana that causes a by comhigh. And on “Though the purpose of the Tuesday, the batting underage Trump administration’s CDC reported vaping, the a new study ban would be to promote which found ban could lead teens teen health by combatting that 82 percent and adults of individuunderage vaping, the ban als who were alike to smoking. could lead teens and adults hospitalized for The vaping-related so-called alike to smoking. ” illnesses had crisis at some point surroundused vaping liquid that coning vaping-related illnesses tained THC. Many vaping began last spring, and since juices also contain nicotine, then, 57 people have died making vaping addictive, due to a vaping-related like smoking cigarettes. Beinjury or illness and 2,600 yond these findings, Blaha others have fallen ill due to says there is still much to be the products. learned about the harms of Though these illnessvaping. es and deaths are terrible But that doesn’t mean — and wholly preventable vaping should be out-right — the toll of vaping is nobanned. Teens, especially where near that of cigarette 18 and 19-year olds, are old smoking. enough to make the deciIn 1964, U.S. Surgeon sion for themselves whether General Luther Terry or not to smoke or vape. released the first report to And though the public has detail the dangers of smokknown for half a century the ing cigarettes. The research plethora of negative health found that average smokers effects of cigarette smoking, were nearly 10 times more cigarettes are still legal for likely to develop lung cancer teens in many states to purthan non-smokers. For chase and smoke. heavy smokers, the risk of Further, the issue of reggetting lung cancer was 20 ulating vaping and smoking times greater. should not be within the Though only 14 perjurisdiction of distant federcent of the population still al government agencies, and smokes cigarettes today, would be better handled at smoking still causes more state and local levels. In fact, than 480,000 premature many states have already deaths annually, according imposed limits on the sale of to the Centers for Disease flavored vaping liquids. And Control and Prevention. The before Congress voted in CDC also reported that an December to raise the federaverage cigarette smoker al tobacco-purchasing age to will live 10 years less than 21, 19 states and 530 localian average non-cigarette ties had already done so. smokers, and that cancer Older teens and adults and heart disease are the are more than capable of two leading causes of death making a decision for themfor smokers over the age of selves whether or not to 35. vape, and a ban on flavored Cigarettes expose smoke-cigarette liquids could ers to 7,000 toxic chemicals, lead many who would have and though scientists are vaped to the more dangerunsure of exactly how many ous alternative: smoking. chemicals are in vaping liquids, Dr. Michael Joseph Alex Nester is the opinBlaha from Johns Hopkins ions editor for The Collegian University said he has “no and is a senior studying doubt” that the liquids coneconomics.

January 16, 2020 A3

The Weekly: Public figures shouldn’t abuse platforms The opinion of The Collegian editorial staff

Ricky Gervais shocked Hollywood at the 2020 Golden Globe Awards when he harshly criticized stars for using the award stage to project their political platforms.

“You’re in no position to lecture the public about anything,” Gervais said in his opening monologue. “You know nothing about the real world.”

Public figures have the right to freedom of speech, like everybody else. But regardless of platform, career, or politics, one should use this right prudently. Part of

this depends on knowing the proper time, place, and platform to make political statements.

Professional soccer player Megan Rapinoe made headlines in 2016 when she kneeled during the national anthem in solidarity with football player Colin Kaepernick. Before the FIFA World Cup Final last June, Rapinoe complained about the prize money gap between men’s and women’s FIFA world cup winners.

Most recently, she slammed the International

Olympic Committee for banning political statements and protests at the 2020 games in Tokyo. The IOC rulebook, which was recently given to expected competitors, explicitly bands kneeling and hand gestures during the games.

The rules, however, do not prohibit athletes from expressing their political opinions on the internet or social media accounts throughout the games. There is also nothing that prohibits the Olympians from making political statements during interviews.

Controversial opinions or ideas that contradict popular narratives should not be silenced. But those making these statements should do so on their own time — just like government employees or anyone else in the workforce.

There is a time and a place to respectfully express one’s opinions and critiques, particularly if individuals feel they are shedding light on a grave injustice against themselves or others. But that time is certainly not while they are on the clock.

US should pay respects to Qaboos

Deceased Omani sultan fostered peace between hostile adversaries By | Abby Liebing Iran’s antics have largely distracted everyone from the death of another more important military leader: Sultan Qaboos bin Said alSaid of Oman.

After a slew of events, including the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani and Iran knocking Ukraine International Airlines flight 752 out of the sky and firing missiles into Iraq, many overlooked Qaboos’ death, which is a crucial development in Middle Eastern affairs.

Washington’s response to the situation should have been much faster, and Oman should be central to the United States’ Middle Eastern policies at the moment.

In the 50 years that Qaboos sat on the throne, Oman didn’t make international headlines very often. Of all the chaotic Middle Eastern states, it is one of the quietest, thanks to Qaboos’ firm hand.

Though he kept a low profile, Qaboos was the only stable Arab ruler and a valuable friend to the United States and the Western World.

After a bloodless coup in which he took the throne from his father in 1970, Qaboos modernized and developed Oman to make it an important regional player.

His diplomacy in the region was broad-ranging and helped keep peace in the Gulf region. Throughout his reign, he was a key advocate for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks,

and while other Arab leaders were secret about their dealings with Jerusalem, Qaboos was open and friendly with Israel. He even welcomed former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1994 and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2018 to Muscat, the capital city of Oman.

Most importantly, Qaboos simultaneously fostered close relations with Iran and the United States, carefully making himself a neutral intermediary as he balanced relations between the two hostile states. Over five decades, he proved himself a valuable friend to the United States, and the key to diplomatic relations between America and Iran.

In 1980, after the American embassy takeover in Tehran, though he had close ties with Iran, Qaboos allowed the United States use the island of Masirah to stage the unsuccessful rescue mission for the 53 hostages from the U.S. embassy whom Iran captured. In 2011, because of his leverage and ties with Iran, he facilitated the release of American hikers held by Iran.

Qaboos even paid $1 million for their freedom. And in 2013, Qaboos was the middle man for former president Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

He allowed diplomats from the United States and Iran to secretly meet in Oman to lay the groundwork for the deal

that was signed in 2015.

Though the JCPOA was a terrible deal, which Trump withdrew from in 2018, deeply upsetting Qaboos, the sultan wisely kept balancing the relations between the United States and Iran, remaining America’s most valuable friend in the region.

After his death, however, Washington seems to have forgotten Qaboos’ crucial friendship, assistance, and alliance in a tumultuous corner of the globe.

Caught up in Iran’s shenanigans, the United States failed to account for the importance of Qaboos’ death. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spoke on the phone to his Omani counterpart, Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, after Qaboos’ passing.

Then, the White House announced that “A senior U.S. delegation will travel to Oman to pay our respects.”

This is not enough.

In contrast, the U.K. appropriately responded to Qaboos’ death, immediately sending Prince Charles and Prime Minister Boris Johnson to offer condolences. Johnson’s appearance in Oman highlighted that the UK was paying respects not just to a fellow monarch, but to a trusted friend of the West.

The UK rightly showed their support for Oman as a key ally in the Middle East.

In light of events over the past two weeks events and the kerfuffle with Iran, rela-

tions with Oman should be forefront in American foreign policy. Not only has Oman been a friend to the United States, but Oman holds the key port of Duqm on the Arabian Sea. This port facilitates visiting American aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines, which gives the United States the ability to deal with any Iranian naval threats and guard Gulf oil exports.

With Iran’s unrest and the endless instability throughout the region, this is not the time for the United States to devalue Oman and the importance of Qaboos’ reign.

With Qaboos’ death, the throne passed to his cousin, now Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said. Washington’s late and flippant response to Qaboos death was inexcusable. America still needs Oman. With a new and untested sultan on the throne, regional players will most likely begin to test Oman’s strength to see where Haitham’s loyalties lie.

It is crucial for the United States to start healthy relations with Haitham so as to continue Qaboos legacy and Oman’s key friendship with the West.

Abby Liebing is the associate editor of The Collegian and a columnist on Middle Eastern politics. She is a senior studying history.

Use makeup to reflect human nature Celebrities, influencers use social media to push beauty products, trends that reflect false reality

By | Emma Cummins Though we often talk about the unrealistic standards set by the beauty industry, one may not have expected the next step in the beautifying process would be giving up our own blood cells. Known as a “vampire facial,” the doctor will draw your blood, extract the platelet-rich plasma, and apply it topically. Kim Kardashian is just one celebrity who has taken advantage of this process.

The makeup industry has profited by motivating women to create an aesthetic appeal for themselves, while at the same time eliminating the true purpose of skincare and makeup: to ornament and accentuate an individual’s God-given, natural beauty.

From the time of the ancient Egyptians, men and women alike wore eyeliner, eyeshadow, lipstick, and blush. The ancients used makeup as a symbol of beauty, as well to denote their spiritual beliefs and social status. It was a tool, meant to express deeper truths about an individual’s conception of beauty, femininity, and spiritual realities.

Makeup still serves as an outlet for individuals to ornament their natural beauty and unique style. But with pressures from social media and the rapidly-expanding skincare and makeup industries, celebrities and influencers have led many individuals to use makeup to change themselves and project false,

disingenuous messages.

Though calling makeup a tool is decidedly unromantic, one can compare it to the way Cicero instructed orators to ornament their speeches. The ability to decorate, embellish, and refine reflects both a human being’s rational nature and the deep understanding they have of the thing being ornamented. If one can communicate something beautifully, then he understands it better than if he could only communicate it simply. If one understands the beauty of the human face, using makeup to accentuate that beauty signifies a greater appreciation and understanding of that beauty.

Ornamenting what is already beautiful is part of human nature. In the same way one decorates a church or embellishes an essay, makeup can be used as a way of beautifying an individual’s appearance.

Makeup should not be used to project an image different from one’s own natural looks. The evolution of the beauty industry has diminished our nature to the point where makeup has mostly become a form of self-fashioning, not a symbol of our rationality.

In 2018, the global skincare market was valued at nearly $135 billion, and the global face makeup market was worth $31.3 billion. The makeup market is projected to reach a value of $36.5 billion by 2024.

With an expanding industry, the use of social media, and celebrity-driven skincare

routines and products that range from leech therapy to bee-venom facials, makeup has become another way to impress others. The person who can afford the highest-quality makeup and skincare products, master the techniques of makeup application, and gain the most Instagram followers is the one who has the greatest social and cultural currency. This is most often the celebrity being paid millions to concoct another mixture with their name on it.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s “Goop,” her lifestyle company which sells “GoopGlow Morning Skin Superpowder” and other skincare and health products has been repeatedly accused of advertising these items with no scientific evidence of their efficacy.

While mastering the art of putting on makeup doesn’t mean an individual is necessarily projecting a fake image, some of these celebrity-endorsed products or techniques detract from an individual’s true beauty.

Even celebrities who don’t wear makeup use it as another way to create an impression on people. The desire to be “raw and real,” as Alicia Keys says, is simply another practice which trends on the other extreme end of the spectrum, this time by not wearing any makeup at all.

Putting on makeup for the explicit purpose of enhancing one’s natural beauty doesn’t make an individual any less real. Both overusing makeup or rejecting it as a tool reduc-

es the very human desire to ornament one’s own natural beauty. Though some may naturally be inclined to wear less makeup, the decision to reject makeup in order to be more “real” can often be an unknowing rejection of our nature.

Given the size of the industry and the pressure created by social media demands and celebrities, makeup has ceased to be a rational form of expression. It is no longer ornamentum, but instead a way of self-fashioning in the spirit of living skin-deep.

This mode of living reflects the deeper problems with a modern society, whose greatest solutions come packaged in a $60, three-ounce bottle with some French words on it.

Makeup can serve to create a dissonance between our interior and exterior mode of living. By only using makeup to cover up or project something different from the internal state of one’s soul, a person risks denaturing himself.

We should and can use makeup to accentuate our natural looks. Our ability to create new makeup products and take care of our skin and looks is a sign of our ingenuity and rational nature. We must, however, cultivate these abilities wisely and with the purpose of ornamenting our already beautiful features.

Emma Cummins is the assistant opinions editor for The Collegian and is a junior studying politics.

A4 January 16, 2020

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Project Connect will take place on Jan. 23 at Free Methodist Church

Various agencies and organizations from the community gathered for Project Connect in 2019 at Hillsdale Free Methodist Church. Julia Mullins | Collegian

By | Julia Mullins City News Editor Project Connect brought together 27 local agencies and 208 community members in 2019.

As a project of the Hillsdale County Continuum of Care, Project Connect helps individuals and families find the care and services they need.

This year, Project Connect will take place on Thursday, Jan. 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the gym of Hillsdale Free Methodist Church.

Clint Brugger, who serves as the chair of Hillsdale County Housing Continuum of Care and the county manager at the Community Action Agency, said the main goal of Project Connect is to direct people in the community to resources.

“Project Connect was designed as a one-stop shop for those experiencing a housing crisis or struggling with

poverty to get connected with local resources,” Brugger said.

Project Connect provides people with resources and information about education; housing; employment training; food and utility assistance; veteran, health, mental health, legal, youth, and senior services.

Brugger said there should be more agencies at Project Connect this year as more organizations have decided to get involved.

LifeWays Community Mental Health of Hillsdale, which provides people with resources and services about mental health, has attended Project Connect in the past and will be there again this year.

Rebecca Calkins, public relations coordinator for LifeWays, said Project Connect is great for face-to-face interactions with members of the community who may not know about LifeWays.

“There’s a lot of people with mental illness who end up homeless, and we want to help those people,” Calkins said.

“We want them know that recovery is possible.”

Some participating organizations will provide community members with children’s pajamas, winter hats, mittens, laundry soap, haircuts, and various hygiene items until supplies runs out.

Community members will also have the opportunity to eat a hot meal at Project Connect.

Brugger said the best part of Project Connect is being able to see the different service organizations work together to help people who are moving toward self-sufficiency.

“I’m very pleased with how the community comes together to focus all our attention on people who are struggling to make ends meet,” he said.

The City of Hillsdale: A ‘strong town’

By | Calli Townsend Assistant Editor The City of Hillsdale may not rank among the top towns in Michigan in terms of its household income, but it is still be considered a “strong town,” according to the Strong Towns Strength Test. The city’s current conditions meet six of the test’s 10 standards, which were laid out in the form of 10 “yes” or “no” questions.

Kea Wilson, director of community engagement for Strong Towns, said the national organization was founded to help keep towns financially strong and resilient. According to the Strong Towns Website, a “town” can include “every city and town in North America.”

This nonprofit media organization provides communities with tools, resources, and other online content to encourage and inform them about how to keep their towns strong.

One of the key features of the Strong Towns organization is the Strong Towns Strength Test.

“The Strong Towns Strength Test is a list of 10 questions that we encourage any citizen or leader to ask of their town,” Wilson said. “You

don’t need advanced analytic skills or a big budget for indepth analysis. It’s something anybody can do.”

Some of the questions include: “If your largest employer left town, are you confident the city would survive?” and “Is it safe for children to walk or bike to school and many of their other activities without adult supervision?”

Hillsdale City Manager David Mackie answers “yes” to both of these questions.

“Hillsdale College is the city’s largest employer and Hillsdale Hospital is our second largest employer,” Mackie said in an email. “If the college left town, the city would survive, but it would be a much different community. Inevitably, we would lose additional businesses that are supported by the college’s staff and students.”

He also said he believes Hillsdale is a safe place for children and families.

“I believe Hillsdale is a safe place for children to play or walk to school without adult supervision,” Mackie said.

“We continue to have a strong public safety presence in both the City of Hillsdale and Hillsdale County.”

The Strong Towns organization and its Strength Test were both developed by

Charles L. Marohn Jr. He is a professional planner and engineer who realized that the feedback public organizations received weren’t built on a human scale — the feedback was too general or too complicated for ordinary citizens to understand. He decided to create this test as a way to provide “bottom-up feedback,” meaning the feedback would come directly from the citizens of that town.

“He wrote the test as a way for the layman to start identifying a town through a smalltown lens,” Wilson said.

The test isn’t about the wealth of the citizens who make up the community.

Rather, it’s about the wealth of the community seen in things like land value per acre or the revenue of local businesses.

One of the major influences on a town’s strength is the ease of opening and running a business. Two of the 10 questions on the Strength Test pertain to the city’s ordinances, such as: “Imagine your favorite street in town didn’t exist. Could it be built today if the construction had to follow your local rules?”

Jane Stewart, owner of Smith’s Flowers, said the City of Hillsdale is great to work with.

“When I first purchased

the building, I had to get various permissions, but they walked me right through it,” Stewart said. “There were things I needed to fix things for my own safety and for the customers, like adding in a light-up exit sign, but they walked me through it. They’re not hard people to work with.

If you have any questions you can call them or just walk on over.”

As it pertains to the way a city manages its money, the test asks, “Before building or accepting new infrastructure, does the local government clearly identify how future generations will afford to maintain it?”

In response to this question, the City of Hillsdale has a six-year plan for capital improvements for the years 2019-2025. The 41-page document can be found on the City of Hillsdale’s website and outlines the new projects, the budgets for them, and where the funds are coming from.

Another aspect of the test reviews the safety of the town, its sense of community, and the ability for families to live near one another.

“This is an awesome community. People will say, ‘Really, you trust me to send you a check?’ I say of course,’” Stewart said. “We all look out

LoPresto said she has been going to tip-up festivals her entire life and enjoys being part of an event that brings the entire county together.

“It’s a county-wide social event. It brings people from all parts of the county to visit, socialize, and support the HCCC,” she said.

LoPresto said the event began in 1960 on Baw Beese Lake when several ice fishermen threw a few dollars in a hat and agreed that whoever caught the biggest fish of the day would win the money.

When the HCCC became involved with the festival, initially, it moved the event to there are per mile.” from A1 The construction teams The third major project use their field reviews and will take place on M-49 in laser data to figure out what two stages: between Allen and pavement is holding up and Litchfield and from Litchfield what the right treatment is to to the Calhoun County line. keep the roads functioning Wallace said for these porproperly. tions of road, teams will use For instance, Wallace said a chip seal, a process where if a road is in decent shape, they spread tar and put down the construction teams will fine rocks and stone. This will use the chip seal treatment. cost about $587,000, accordChip seal, he said, is made ing to Wallace. when the road is “in pretty Wallace said his staff goes good shape, but we want to out, completing field reviews restore the surface and give to best determine what roads better friction.” in the tri-county area need to With the funding for the be repaired. big projects, Wallace said the “We have technical paveplan is to “adjust these roadment data we get. We have a ways before they fall into very statewide contract that propoor condition.” vides laser measurements on It is more cost-effective, all of our roadways,” he said. he said, to do preventative “We can see how many cracks maintenance treatments

Sandy Beach on Baw Beese.

Today, the event takes place at HCCC’s clubhouse at 3835 South Bird Lake Road in Osseo.

“It’s quite a tradition, and it’s an enjoyable one,” LoPresto said.

LoPresto added that over the course of four days, she estimates that anywhere from 600 to 800 people will stop by the Tip-Up Festival.

The steak fry, taking place on Jan. 24 at 5 p.m this year, typically brings in more than 200 people, according to LoPresto. She also said the reverse cash raffle should attract about 150 to 200 people on rather than wait until a road is in bad condition, at which point teams would have to remove the pavement and perhaps even the gravel under the road.

“We try to proactively address these roadways with treatments that are less expensive and a little quicker,” Wallace said. “This helps with tourism, and it helps folks so they have less maintenance on their cars. It supports economic growth.”

While the schedules have not been developed yet, Wallace said his office will avoid completing all the projects at the same time. The Jackson Transportation Service Center will also communicate with the local cities and villages to work around things like festivals.

Saturday.

The biggest draw for people, LoPresto said, will be on Sunday when the HCCC gives out prizes for the fishing contest. This year, the largest pike will win $200, and there will be cash prizes for panfish as well.

LoPresto said she enjoys teaching kids how to ice fish.

“You get a kid that’s never ice-fished before, but they pull up their first fish and they’re hooked,” LoPresto said.

More information about the Tip-Up Festival events can be found on the HCCC’s Facebook page.

Conservation Club prepares for its 60th annual Tip-Up Festival By | Julia Mullins City News Editor The Hillsdale County Conservation Club will hold its 60th annual Tip-Up Festival, featuring euchre tournaments, a fishing contest, coyote and squirrel hunting contests, and music by the DJ “Sound Generator.”

The Tip-Up Festival will begin on Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. with a euchre tournament.

The fishing contest and coyote contest both begin on Jan. 24 and end on Jan. 26. There will be a squirrel contest on Jan. 25.

Tip-Up Chairman Peggy

Roads

“Typically, we reach out to the local media and give press releases,” Wallace said.

John Sanders, manager at the Hillsdale County Road Commission, said that while the county road commission isn’t going to be working on the MDOT-funded projects, the commission has its own maintenance issues to cover.

For example, Sanders said they are currently planning joint repairs between the cities of Hillsdale and Jonesville.

Sanders said that this spring the commission will also need to replace some culverts and do some gravel repairs.

The road commission is looking at doing maintenance on culverts north of Jonesville. Sanders said the construction teams are planning to handle these projects

for each other and help each other. It has a ‘homey’ feel, that small, hometown feel.”

Superintendent of Hillsdale Community Schools Shawn Vondra spoke very highly of Hillsdale’s community and the relationships between businesses, schools, and families.

“There are many local businesses who employ schoolaged children. Employers do this because they see the value of helping one another develop a positive work ethic, build confidence, develop a sense of responsibility,” Vondra said. “The local businesses are very generous with providing support for extracurricular activities for children. Last year, when our high school’s robotics team qualified for the World Championships, individuals and businesses made sure the team had the necessary financial resources to be a part of that amazing opportunity.”

Hillsdale High School also supports 21 athletic teams and offers 21 enrichment and service clubs, such as National Honor Society, student government, and esports.

“From my family’s personal experience, we — myself, my wife Stacy, and two children — have lived in Hillsdale for a bit over 20 years. It has

been a wonderful community to raise our children,” Vondra said. “Like all Hornets, our children have been able to enjoy and benefit from a variety of experiences in sports and extracurricular clubs.

When combined with the opportunity for curriculum that ranges from nearly A-Z, from AP Calculus to welding.

We couldn’t be happier with the options available for our children.”

In September, Marohn published a book titled, “Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity.” Wilson said the book is an encapsulation of how the Strong Towns message came to be, as well as Marohn’s personal journey from a professional planner to a thought leader.

“His new book is about the Strong Towns message as a whole, which is a nonprofit media organization to give people of all walks of life tools to identify our problems to grow and build our cities,” Wilson said.

More information about Strong Towns and a full list of the Strong Towns Strength Test questions can be found at www.strongtowns.org.

The fish board from a previous Tip-Up Festival.

Courtesy | Peggy LoPresto

before Jackson TSC’s groups come in to do work on M-99.

Sanders said these repairs are going to be good for residents and their vehicles.

“Any time you do road repairs, it’s less repairs on cars,” Sanders said. “We’re trying to improve the roads so there’s less wear and tear on vehicles.”

Jake Hammel, director of public services for the City of Hillsdale, echoed Sanders thoughts, adding that the driving experience will be improved for city and county residents.

For Hillsdale, it can be hard to get funding for twolane highways, Sanders said, because there are so many of them in the state. But he said Hillsdale has been fortunate in working with the Jackson

TSC because the county’s highways have been kept in good shape the last few years.

“That’s all due diligence in working with the TSC and Kelby,” Sanders said.

This is important not only for drivers, he said, but also for the roads themselves. The county road commission and Jackson TSC are trying to maintain a high quality for the road conditions so that reconstruction projects aren’t necessary. Sanders said it’s always better to do maintenance and repairs than let the roads deteriorate. Road construction is the most expensive project.

“I can crack and seal 10 miles of a road for what it costs to reconstruct a half mile,” Sanders said.

SPORTS

A5 January 16, 2020

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Men's Basketball

Chargers tied atop G-MAC with 5-1 conference record

Patrick Cartier shoots a free throw during a game earlier this season. s. nathaniel grime | collegian

By | Calli Townsend assistant editor The Hillsdale College Chargers dove into conference play over Christmas break, as they went 5-1 against G-MAC opponents.

The team now sits at a 9-6 overall record.

In the conference rankings, Hillsdale is in a threeway tie with the University of Findlay and Walsh University, as each team boasts a 5-1 conference record.

Walsh, with its 14-2 overall record, however, sits at the top, and Findlay stands at 10-5. Kentucky Wesleyan University, who Hillsdale will play this week, sits in fourth.

The Chargers got things started during the break with a statement win on the road over Alderson Broaddus on Dec. 5. Hillsdale took an early 7-0 lead en route to a 91-68 victory. Four Chargers put up double digits in scoring, while junior forward Austen Yarian and freshman forward Pat Cartier led the team in rebounding, each snagging five.

On their way back to Hillsdale, the Chargers stopped at Ohio Valley University on Dec. 7 to take on the Fighting Scots in a close contest. Hillsdale held its biggest lead of 10 points in the beginning of the second half, but eight different

SATURDAY, JANUARY 4

| hillsdale, mi

Lake Erie (9-7, 3-3) Hillsdale (8-5, 4-0) THURSDAY, JANUARY 9

| tiffin, oh

Hillsdale (9-5, 5-0) Tiffin (7-9, 1-5) SATURDAY, JANUARY 11

| columbus, oh

Hillsdale (9-6, 5-1) Ohio Dominican (7-9, 4-3) THURSDAY, JANUARY 16

| hillsdale, mi

final

59 71 final

95 71 final

64 77 7:30 P.M.

Kentucky Wesleyan (6-10, 5-4) vs. Hillsdale (9-6, 5-1)

| hillsdale, mi 3:00 P.M. Trevecca Nazarene (1-16, 1-7) vs. Hillsdale (9-6, 5-1) SATURDAY, JANUARY 18

lead changes and four ties throughout the game kept things interesting.

With 12 seconds remaining, the Chargers led 68-65.

Free throws by senior guards Dylan Lowry and Davis Larson in the game’s final seconds put the Chargers ahead 71-65, creating a large enough gap to stop any kind of comeback by the Fighting Scots. They went on to win 71-70.

A week later, the Chargers were home with plenty of time to prepare for G-MAC rival, the University of Find-

lay Oilers. On Dec. 14, the Oilers came to town to face a 77-65 defeat by the Chargers.

Cartier put up his first double-double in his college career during this game, earning himself the G-MAC Men’s Basketball Athlete of the Week. He scored 24 points, shooting 10-13 and 2-2 beyond the arc, and still snagged 10 rebounds.

“The Findlay game was awesome to get a win at home against our rivals. My teammates did an awesome job getting me easy looks,” Cartier said. “G-MAC Player

Connor Hill drives to the basket during a game earlier this season. s. nathaniel grime | collegian

Davis Larson shoots a three-pointer during a game earlier this season. s. nathaniel grime | collegian

of the Week was pretty cool and was a great representation of our team success thus far this season. We played a great game and I was fortunate to receive the award.”

With 36 rebounds, 19 assists, and six steals, the Chargers outplayed Findlay in every category. Junior guard Connor Hill dished out seven assists and scored 14 points, while Lowry and Larson each added 10 and 14 points, respectively.

The Chargers took a break from conference play to face Lewis University in Chicago on Dec 17. It was a narrow 68-65 loss for Hillsdale, de-

G-MAC STANDINGS SCHOOL

t1. WALSH t1.

FINDLAY HILLSDALE 4. KENTUCKY WESLEYAN t5. LAKE ERIE t5. CEDARVILLE t5. OHIO DOMINICAN 8. MALONE 9. ALDERSON BROADDUS t10. TIFFIN t10. OHIO VALLEY 12. TREVECCA NAZARENE t1.

spite a career-high 26-point game from Lowry.

“The Lewis game was a tough loss for us,” Lowry said. “As for my career-high goes, it really is all about my teammates setting great screens for me and the coaching staff putting me in comfortable positons to score.”

They continued their non-conference road trip as the Chargers headed to Northern Michigan University. There they earned another win for their record book, 70-52.

An early lead created momentum for the Chargers.

Larson and Cartier each put up 15 points, while Yarian added 11. Hillsdale outrebounded Northern Michigan by one, and managed to total 16 assists, which are both key goals for the Chargers’ success.

Returning home and to conference play, the Chargers took on the Tiffin University Dragons. A strong finish to the first half gave Hillsdale a comfortable 16-point margin to close the game with a 95-71 win. Yarian led the team’s efforts with an impressive double-double performance with 17 points and 13 rebounds.

On Saturday, however,

G-MAC

OVERALL

5-1 14-2 5-1 10-5 5-1 9-6 5-3 6-9 4-3 10-7 4-3 8-8 4-3 7-9 3-3 9-7 3-4 4-11 1-6 7-10 1-6 4-12 1-7 1-16

Ohio Dominican University handed Hillsdale its first conference loss of the season, 77-64. Ohio Domican University got off to a strong start, finishing the first half with a 19-point lead, 50-31.

The Chargers outscored the Panthers 33-27 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the game’s early deficit.

Yarian led the Chargers’ efforts for Saturdays’ game as he scored 15 points and snagged seven rebounds.

The Chargers will compete at home this week as they take on Kentucky Wesleyan University on Thursday and Trevecca Nazarene University on Saturday.

“Kentucky Wesleyan and Trevecca are two teams who score a lot of their points from behind the three-point line, so defensively that’s where it’ll start for us,” Lowry said. “They are both solid defensively so for us it’s all about not turning the ball over and getting everyone involved because we’re at our best when a variety of guys score the ball.”

Thursday’s tip-off is at 7 p.m., while Saturday’s game begins at 3 p.m. in the Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena.

Sports

www.hillsdalecollegian.com

Scoreboard

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL january 2 Ursuline (5-9, 2-3) Hillsdale (4-9, 1-3)

Jaycie Burger Sydney Anderson Julia Wacker Sydney Mills Lauren Daffenberg Courtney Krol Grace Touchette Amaka Chikwe Maverick Delp Kennedy Pratt Anna LoMonaco

january 4 Lake Erie (6-10, 3-3) Hillsdale (4-10, 1-4)

Sydney Anderson Lauren Daffenberg Grace Touchette Jaycie Burger Courtney Krol Julia Wacker Amaka Chikwe Maverick Delp Sydney Mills Anna LoMonaco Macy Berglund Arianna Sysum Kennedy Pratt Sophia Pierce

january 9 Hillsdale (5-10, 2-4) Tiffin (7-10, 2-4)

Sydney Anderson Lauren Daffenberg Jaycie Burger Courtney Krol Amaka Chikwe Grace Touchette Sydney Mills Julia Wacker Maverick Delp Anna LoMonaco

1 2 3 4 FINAL

20 27 21 19 87 22 16 23 20 81

fgm/a 3pm/a ftm/a pts reb ast

5/11 3/7 6/6 19 3 0 5/14 3/8 4/4 17 9 3 5/9 2/3 2/2 14 7 1 3/4 1/1 2/2 9 7 0 2/11 1/5 2/2 7 6 3 3/12 1/7 0/0 7 3 2 1/3 0/2 1/1 3 2 4 1/2 1/2 0/0 3 1 0 1/2 0/0 0/0 2 2 0 0/1 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0

1 2 3 4 FINAL

15 13 17 30 75 15 12 20 12 59

fgm/a 3pm/a ftm/a pts reb ast

5/11 2/5 3/4 15 3 2 4/10 2/7 0/0 10 5 0 3/6 2/4 2/3 10 3 1 2/13 2/5 2/2 8 3 3 2/6 1/2 2/2 7 4 1 2/3 1/1 0/0 5 5 0 1/5 0/1 0/0 2 4 0 0/0 0/0 2/4 2 2 1 0/3 0/2 0/0 0 4 2 0/1 0/0 0/0 0 2 0 0/2 0/1 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0/1 0/1 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0

1 2 3 4 FINAL

11 18 16 17 62 13 16 12 18 59

fgm/a 3pm/a ftm/a pts reb ast

6/11 3/7 2/2 17 8 0 4/12 2/10 2/2 12 2 0 4/11 3/7 1/2 12 5 1 1/12 1/7 2/2 5 4 5 2/4 0/0 1/2 5 9 0 2/8 0/4 0/0 4 6 4 2/3 0/1 0/0 4 1 0 1/3 1/3 0/0 3 8 1 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 1 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0

january 11 1 2 3 4 FINAL Hillsdale (5-11, 2-5) 16 8 19 9 52 Ohio Dominican (8-9, 3-4) 13 16 13 17 59

Grace Touchette Lauren Daffenberg Julia Wacker Courtney Krol Amaka Chikwe Sydney Mills Maverick Delp Sydney Anderson Anna LoMonaco Macy Berglund Kennedy Pratt Arianna Sysum Sophia Pierce

fgm/a 3pm/a ftm/a pts reb ast

7/13 4/6 0/0 18 4 2 3/15 1/9 0/0 7 5 3 3/7 1/2 0/0 7 5 2 2/7 0/3 2/2 6 0 0 1/4 0/1 2/2 4 1 0 1/6 1/2 0/0 3 11 0 0/2 0/0 3/4 3 2 0 1/6 0/3 0/0 2 7 2 1/3 0/0 0/0 2 2 0 0/1 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0

MEN'S BASKETBALL january 4 Lake Erie (9-7, 3-3) Hillsdale (8-5, 4-0)

Patrick Cartier Davis Larson Dylan Lowry Connor Hill Austen Yarian Cole Nau Trenton Richardson Tavon Brown Jack Gohlke

january 9 Hillsdale (9-5, 5-0) Tiffin (7-9, 1-5)

Patrick Cartier Dylan Lowry Austen Yarian Davis Larson Connor Hill Cole Nau Tavon Brown Trenton Richardson Peter Kalthoff Jack Gohlke Mike Travlos Noah Kalthoff Jacob Ngobi Kyle Goessler

1 2 FINAL

23 36 59 32 39 71

fgm/a 3pm/a ftm/a pts reb ast

10/12 0/0 8/10 28 8 0 4/7 2/5 2/2 12 6 4 4/13 3/5 0/2 11 4 2 2/5 0/2 5/8 9 5 6 2/6 1/2 2/4 7 10 3 1/2 1/2 0/0 4 0 1 0/1 0/0 1/2 1 2 1 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 5 0 0/2 0/2 0/0 0 1 0 1 2 FINAL

48 47 95 32 39 71

fgm/a 3pm/a ftm/a pts reb ast

11/12 1/1 1/2 24 7 2 5/10 3/6 6/6 19 0 7 7/10 2/2 1/2 17 13 1 4/9 0/1 2/3 10 8 6 4/7 0/1 2/2 10 1 2 2/3 2/3 0/0 6 2 0 2/2 1/1 0/0 5 3 1 1/1 0/0 0/0 2 0 0 1/1 0/0 0/0 2 2 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 1 0 0/1 0/0 0/0 0 1 0 0/1 0/0 0/0 0 0 0 0/0 0/0 0/0 0 0 0

january 11 1 2 FINAL Hillsdale (9-6, 5-1) 31 33 64 Ohio Dominican (7-9, 4-3) 50 27 77

Austen Yarian Patrick Cartier Cole Nau Connor Hill Jack Gohlke Davis Larson Dylan Lowry Trenton Richardson Kyle Goessler Tavon Brown Mike Travlos

fgm/a 3pm/a ftm/a pts reb ast

7/12 1/4 0/0 15 7 1 3/6 1/1 2/2 9 1 1 3/5 3/5 0/0 9 2 1 3/8 0/1 1/3 7 2 1 3/9 1/7 0/0 7 4 0 2/6 0/2 2/2 6 3 1 2/6 1/2 0/0 5 1 1 1/3 0/1 1/2 3 4 1 1/1 0/0 1/1 3 1 0 0/2 0/2 0/1 0 1 0 0/1 0/1 0/0 0 0 1

January 16, 2020 A6

Women's Basketball

Despite close contests, Chargers struggle to begin conference play By | S. Nathaniel Grime sports editor With 11 conference games remaining on its regular-season schedule, the Hillsdale College Chargers find themselves near the bottom of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference standings. At 2-5 in conference play and 5-11 overall, Hillsdale is five games behind conference leader no. 25 Walsh University (14-2, 7-0 G-MAC).

Hillsdale, however, does have an opportunity beginning Thursday to go headto-head with some of the teams at the top of the standings. Five of its next seven games come against three of the top four teams in the standings, beginning with Kentucky Wesleyan College (16-1, 7-1) on Thursday.

Although the Chargers have won only two of their first seven conference games, four of their five conference losses have been by a margin of six points or fewer. Cold spells in shooting either at the beginning or ends of games have often been the difference.

Hillsdale began the new year on Jan. 2 hosting Ursuline College (5-12, 2-6).

The Chargers competed with Ursuline for most of the forty minutes on the floor, but a 27-16 second quarter in favor of Ursuline proved to be the difference. The 81 points were the second-most Hillsdale has scored in a game this season, despite the loss.

Ursuline shot 53.2% from the floor in the victory, while the Chargers shot 37.7%.

Hillsdale also went 17-for17 from the free throw line.

Ursuline outscored the Chargers in the paint, 5222, whereas Hillsdale often relied on three-point shooting in addition to its perfect night from the free throw line.

On Jan. 4, Lake Erie College (7-10, 4-3) defeated the Chargers in Hillsdale, 75-59.

A 30-12 fourth quarter in favor of Lake Erie proved to be the difference. Despite leading early in the fourth quarter, Hillsdale couldn’t overcome its 31.1 shooting percentage in a difficult final 10 minutes. The Chargers were again overwhelmed in the paint, with Lake Erie scoring 42 points inside to Hillsdale’s 16.

Hillsdale found the road more friendly on Jan. 9 when it traveled to Tiffin University (7-10, 2-5) and narrowly emerged victorious, 62-59.

Thirty-nine of Hillsdale’s 64 shots from the floor came from beyond the three-point line, but a stout defense and just enough timely shooting gave the Chargers the edge.

On Jan. 11, Hillsdale fell in another narrow contest, 59-52, this time against Ohio Dominican University (8-9, 3-4). The Chargers scored just eight points in the second quarter and nine points in the fourth quarter, and a quality defensive performance wasn’t enough to overcome the inconsistent offense.

Looking forward, the Chargers host Kentucky Wesleyan on Thursday, and Trevecca Nazarene University (5-12, 2-6) on Saturday.

| hillsdale, mi

THURSDAY, JANUARY 2

final

87 81

Ursuline (5-9, 2-3) Hillsdale (4-9, 1-3) SATURDAY, JANUARY 4

| hillsdale, mi

final

75 59

Lake Erie (6-10, 3-3) Hillsdale (4-10, 1-4) THURSDAY, JANUARY 9

| tiffin, oh

final

Hillsdale (5-10, 2-4) Tiffin (7-10, 2-4) SATURDAY, JANUARY 11

62 59

| columbus, oh

final

Hillsdale (5-11, 2-5) Ohio Dominican (8-9, 3-4)

52 59

| hillsdale, mi 5:30 P.M. Kentucky Wesleyan (16-1, 7-0) vs. Hillsdale (5-11, 2-5) THURSDAY, JANUARY 16

| hillsdale, mi 1:00 P.M. Trevecca Nazarene (5-12, 2-6) vs. Hillsdale (5-11, 2-5) SATURDAY, JANUARY 18

G-MAC STANDINGS SCHOOL

1. 23 WALSH 2. KENTUCKY WESLEYAN 3. FINDLAY 4. MALONE t5. CEDARVILLE t5. LAKE ERIE 7. OHIO DOMINICAN 8. ALDERSON BROADDUS t9. TIFFIN t9. HILLSDALE t11. TREVECCA NAZARENE t11. URSULINE 13. OHIO VALLEY

G-MAC

OVERALL

7-0 14-2 7-1 16-1 6-1 10-7 4-1 10-5 4-3 11-5 4-3 7-10 3-4 8-9 3-5 6-9 2-5 7-10 2-5 5-11 2-6 5-12 2-6 5-12 1-7 2-9

Women's Track and Field

Chargers compete indoors at University of Findlay By | Kate Pipher collegian freelancer The women’s track team looked alive following a break from competition.

For their second meet of the indoor season, the Chargers traveled to the University of Findlay Open.

The women were strong in field events. In triple jump, freshman Emily Gerdin led her team and the rest of the competition with a jump of 10.86 meters.

Her runner up was senior teammate Carlin MacDonald-Gannon who jumped 9.86 meters. MacDonald-Gannon recently added Charger track and field to her athletic resume as she is also a member of Hillsdale’s softball team. In the second meet of her collegiate career, Gerdin also placed sixth in the long jump with a leap of 5.07 meters. MacDonald-Gannon finished eighth.

As the sole competitor for the Chargers in high

jump, sophomore Alexie Day jumped into a tie for third place with a mark of 1.58 meters.

Senior Kathryn Bassette vaulted her best of the season, taking fifth place in the pole vault with a vault of 3.28 meters.

“I felt like vault went really well because Coach Fawley and I came up with a different strategy,” Bassette said. “Instead of starting out at a higher height, I ended up starting at a shorter approach and a shorter height and just cleared on the first attempts, which was really good for confidence.”

The women’s throwing squad put together an impressive performance in both the shot put and weight throw. In the shot put, sophomore Nikita Maines lead the team with a put of 13.97 meters which put her fourth in the completive heat and qualified as an NCAA Division II provisional mark. Her fellow teammate, Michaela

Burkhauser placed sixth with a throw of 12.73 meters and freshman Katie Weldy threw 12.53 meters and came in eighth.

On the track, the women showed up to compete in five of the day’s events. Freshman Jillian Roney qualified for finals in the 60m hurdles and placed sixth in her second collegiate meet with a time of 9.50 seconds. Junior Kajsa Johansson took second in the 60m dash with a time of 7.71 seconds.

“I knew that the prelim didn’t feel good because I didn’t feel bouncy throughout and I didn’t hold my accel for long enough,” Johansson said. “I had to think about that a lot in the final and that went better. I stayed in my accel longer and I’m usually more warmed up by then.”

In the mile, Charger sophomore Amber Mango took second place with a time of 5:36.42. Her freshman teammate Natalie Martinson ran

for third place finishing with a time of 5:40.24.

In the 200m dash, freshman Dakota Stamm finished fourth with a time of 26.54.

Sophomore Alanna O’Leary came in 5th (26.86) followed by freshman Jillian Roney who ended sixth (26.87).

“My race felt okay,” O’Leary said. “I know I could’ve pushed myself harder so for the future I really want to focus on the little things more and approach every race with the mentality that I want to give as much as I can.”

To finish out the strong day of competition, the women’s 4x400 meter relay team made up of Stamm, O’Leary, freshman Judith Allison, and junior Carmen Botha came into a close second with a time of 4:02.36.

The Chargers compete next Friday, Jan. 17 at Youngstown State University for their third meet of the indoor season. Events begin at noon.

Men's Track and Field

Chargers continue indoor season strong By | Kate Pipher collegian freelancer The Hillsdale College Chargers showed up to compete following a holiday hiatus, traveling to the University of Findlay for the Findlay Open.

In the field events, sophomore Ben Raffin vaulted his way to first with an NCAA Division II provisional mark of 4.77 meters. In the long

jump, sophomore John Baldwin secured a second place finish with a leap of 6.76 meters.

In high jump, senior Ryan Thompson finished in fourth place with a jump of 1.93 meters.

“I think I have a lot more to improve on, but you know, I’m happy with the provo. It’s what I was looking for at that meet,” Raffin said.

“I’m just looking to move forward now in the process.”

On the track, senior Ian Brown ran a 8.57 to qualify for the finals of the 60m hurdles. In the finals, he improved with a time of 8.50 and placed fifth.

“I’m excited that the meet went as well as it did. For the first races back after Christmas break, it feels awfully good to run nearly as fast

as your best,” Brown said.

“Obviously there is a little rust from not being able to train in the Biermann, but all things considered, this weekend went well for my teammates and me.”

Sophomore Jacob Schmidt qualified for finals in the 60m dash and ran a 7.19 to earn seventh place.

The men also placed well in the mile. Freshman

Sean Hoeft placed fourth with a time of 4:35.16. He was followed by his fellow freshman Isaac Waffle who ran a 4:49.16 to end up in 11th place.

In the sprints, the Chargers dominated the 200m dash placing five men in the top 10 finishers. Junior Adam Wade lead the team with a second place finish and a time of 22.75. Third

place went to Jacob Schmidt (23.29).

To round out the day of good competition, the men won the 4x400 meter relay with a time of 3:28.04.

“I was just glad I didn’t get passed and we could pull off the win,” Baldwin said.

The team will be Youngstown State University for their third meet of the season on Friday, Jan. 17.

January 16, 2020 A7

www.hillsdalecollegian.com Student band Penny and the Mandimes won Phi Mu Alpha’s Battle of the Bands. Carmel Kookogey | Collegian

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A shepherd in Sibiu, Romania. Stefan Kleinhenz | Collegian

The Prodigal Son: My journey home to the Romanian countryside By | Stefan Kleinhenz Culture Editor

Showered with kisses, adorned with clothing, fed like a king — I was like the lost son from the Gospel of Luke. I did nothing to earn the love of my relatives; I just called to say I was coming to visit their small village in a couple of days. They defined for me the meaning of true love and genuine hospitality.

The people of Cotofeni, Romania, are the definition of humility. By American standards, they live in poverty, but by their standards, they have more than they need, and they want to share it with everyone.

Nothing is store-bought, and everything is the fruit of their labors. It is their pride and joy to have guests with whom to share their livelihood.

A few days before Christmas, I was staying in a major city in the northern part of Romania when I decided to make the five-hour train ride south to see my family.

It wasn’t the first time I met them, but I had grown in both perception and stature since

my last visit.

As the train pulled into the station, about a 45-minute drive from their village, I saw my uncles Alin and Marian waiting on the platform. If meeting me as the train doors opened wasn’t enough of a hospitable greeting, before I had my arms through my coat and my scarf around my neck, Marian was on the train grabbing my last suitcase. I stepped off the train empty-handed to see their backs walking away from me and their arms wide with bags underneath. I caught up to them on our way to their car and offered to carry my own bags, only to be dismissed with a smile that said: “Don’t be ridiculous.”

I arrived at the gates of their home to be greeted by everyone from the grandmother to the 8-month-old baby in her arms. Everyone was kissed. No one was left unhugged.

I was escorted to the main room which was full of the same smiling faces. Every inch of the table was covered with food, and every hand held a

beer (the only item that came from the store). We ate, we drank, and we laughed like I never left all those years ago.

Communicating with them is an enjoyable challenge with a deeply powerful message.

Between my broken Romanian, their few English phrases, and a lot of hand movements, we understood one another like we were in each other’s minds.

We communicated on a deeply human level: We spoke the language of love because their genuine kindness needed no translation, and it called for emulation.

We moved outside where the air was brisk, the beer was fresh, and the music was loud. The best pig was killed, prepared, and enjoyed.

I was wearing my heavy ski jacket that I had only worn once before because it was never cold enough to justify its excessive weight. Marian’s wife was concerned I’d still be cold in temperatures a little above freezing, so she draped me in a jacket of their own while Marian crowned me with his own beanie in the

same effort to assure I was well cared for and comfortable. Anytime I was seen throughout the next couple of days without the extra coat and hat, I was quickly reminded that I was improperly dressed.

Celebrating with family is nothing new, especially growing up in an ethnic house.

From birthdays to holidays to everything in between, being with family to celebrate is routine, but I’ve never been celebrated simply for the sake of showing up. I’ve never been given so much, so freely. I’ve never been treated like a lost son returning home.

The next day we drove down the gravel road in Marian’s manual car which assured every pebble and shift of the gear was felt in the back of the seat. He gave us a tour of the village, including where he worked at the water tower and where my great-grandfather grew up.

Marian was hesitant to drive through the village with us in the car because Americans stick out like a sore thumb, and news travels

Walking in the footsteps of Christ Students discover the holiness of Israel’s topography of the morning on our flight to Israel, I recognized a rich culture I knew little about.

Coupled with these experiences, our tour guide, Adrian, brought out the context and significance that various Gospel stories meant to a first century Jewish audience. As I learned how central Jesus’ Judaism was to his identity, I again realized how little I knew of it.

I was convicted that my knowledge of Jesus the man was limited, and for that I felt ashamed, doubting the strength of my faith.

But then I had a different kind of spiritual encounter — a conviction about the sacredness and holiness of the land I was exploring. I realized the land of Israel truly is a holy place.

Toward the beginning of the trip, I started meditating on Deuteronomy 11, where God outlines to the Israelites his love for the land he will give them, as well as the blessings he will reap upon said land if they are obedient.

Verses 11 and 12 read: “But the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from heaven, a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year.”

I read that God loves the land of Israel and his eyes are continually upon it.

offered an individual greeting of health and happiness in the new year.

The celebration didn’t stop until Alin and Marian had me back on the train two days later and we waved goodbye, only separated by a foggy train window.

I didn’t speak the same language as anyone in the village, but I knew I was family because of the way they treated me. We didn’t share the same culture, but I knew I was welcome because their hospitality was even reflected in the actions of their neighbors.

Marian told me to come back whenever I want and that I didn’t even need to call ahead of time. In my broken tongue, I tried to clarify: “So I can just knock on the door and you’ll be ready for me?” I asked with a smirk.

“No,” he replied, shaking his head and wagging his finger.

“The door is always open,” he told me, mostly with his hands. “Just walk in.”

I watch the ‘Bachelor’ so you don’t have to

Skyline of Jerusalem. Courtesy | Caroline Hennekes

By | Victoria Marshall Assistant Editor I was naive to think I would feel a connection to Jesus Christ during my 10-day tour of Israel.

I fell into the trap that almost every Christian falls into when visiting the Holy Land: believing you will have a spiritual encounter when presented with the birthplace of Christ.

Instead, what I felt at first was a distance from the figure central to my faith.

When I journeyed with 43 other Hillsdale students this past winter break on the Passages Israel tour, I saw various biblical sites and learned the complex history and culture of the times in which Jesus lived.

And to my surprise, with each experience and passing day learning of the Jesus from Nazareth, Bethlehem, Galilee, and Jerusalem, I found that Jesus became increasingly distant from me. I felt I did not know him.

Walking the streets of Jerusalem, experiencing Shabbat with a Jewish family who kindly let college students into their home, watching observant Jews pray at the Western Wall near the Temple Mount, exploring the ruins of a first-century synagogue in Magdala near the Sea of Galilee, and even seeing Hasidic Jews pray with their phylacteries in the early hours

fast in a village where you can walk from one end to the other in under an hour. He explained to me that having guests gives him a sense of pride and is a sign of prosperity, so parading them through the village could be seen as showing off and would make everyone else jealous.

So, much to Marian’s disdain, when we got out to look at my great-grandfather’s now-abandoned childhood home, the whole street came out to see us.

“Oh, Marian always has the guests,” they said as he rolled his eyes at me and laughed.

Driving back up the dirt road, another resident who wasn’t fast enough walking up the street signaled for Marian to stop the car and roll down the window.

“Don’t be upset, Marian,” the neighbor said. “I just want to say hello to your guests and wish them a happy new year.”

The older gentleman walked to every car window, leaning in to give each of us the traditional greeting of a kiss on both cheeks, and he even kissed my hand. He then

I then asked God to show me why this land was so special.

I first considered the topography.

In Deuteronomy 11, if the Israelites follow God and serve him, he will bestow the land with rain; if not, he will close up “the heavens.”

The natural topography of the land — a land of mountains and valleys — means that the land is dependent on rain to be fertile. Therefore, what makes this land unique is that its inhabitants are utterly reliant on rain for their survival and prosperity. By living in this special land, as compared to Egypt, the Israelites had to rely on God to give rain and sustain life.

The land requires obedience and faith.

I then considered the love Israel’s current and former inhabitants have for this land.

When we visited a moshav — a cooperative agricultural community — at Netiv HaAsara, a town just outside Gaza, our guide Barack spoke of the danger he and his family face every day as residents.

In the past year alone, Barack’s settlement has faced a barrage of 10-12 rounds of missiles from Gaza — one round equaling one missile per minute for as long as 24 hours. Residents only have about eight seconds to find a bomb shelter, which is why Barack’s children sleep in one.

After all the violence and

psychological terror, the people of Netiv HaAsara still do not leave the land. Despite this violence, I saw a vibrant, growing community on a beautiful piece of land overlooking Gaza.

These people, under constant existential threat, feel tied to this land and do not wish to leave. They regard the land as sacred, and, for that reason, they will not give it up.

But not only Jews have a claim to the land. Palestinians, who occupied it 70 years prior, also claim it as their own.

When I heard from a Palestinian Christian and Muslim refugee from the West Bank, they made clear that they felt a tie to Israel, which they consider their proper home. Like the Jews, they view the land as sacred.

For both Christians and Muslims, Israel is of tremendous importance to their faith.

And so, just like ancient and modern-day inhabitants, I was convicted of the sacredness of the land I was visiting.

This was the spiritual revelation I least expected.

Although I did not feel closer to Jesus, I experienced a great reverence and awe for the land itself. I realized that the land I walked — where Jesus walked — was holy ground, and in that alone my faith grew.

By | Haley Strack Collegian Freelancer Here we are again. It’s less than 30 minutes into the three-hour premiere of ‘The Bachelor,’ and you guessed it, I can practically hear the wedding bells. If you follow the Bachelor franchise, you know what it promises — a chance at true love, female empowerment, diversity — but let me save you the time.

Meet season 24’s bachelor: Peter Weber, an airline pilot desperately trying to find his “co-pilot.” After having his heart crushed by “Alabama Hannah” Brown, last season’s Bachelorette, Peter accepted a bid to be this season’s bachelor — and with it, an opportunity to get to know 30 mid-tier Instagram influencers.

As the show begins, we get a chance to meet the women who will be vying for Peter’s heart.

The introductions start as they often do — limos packed with girls ready to make a lasting first impression. The ladies have never met Peter, but rest assured, he is the one.

Right out of the gate, we’re hit with some promising contestants. There’s Hannah Ann, whose passions are Jesus and lip gloss; Maurissa, though you might know her as Miss Montana Teen USA (a rather prestigious title); and Kelsey, a professional clothier (I’m just as confused as you).

Next, there’s Alayah who brings a special something to give to Peter — a letter.

It’s composed by her dear Grandma Rose, and get this, Peter also has a grandma named Rose! It’s fate. It’s also a painfully awkward way to greet a stranger.

And just when you thought the girls couldn’t get any better, here comes Jenna — with her emotional support cow, Ashley P. The devil

works hard, but the bachelor producers work harder.

The girls make their way inside and head straight for the bar cart. Soon enough, Peter enters the house, with all 30 women waiting to sink their perfectly manicured claws into him.

The conversations are dull and pointless, but sweet Mykenna, who “considers her ability to dance with a full glass of wine and not spill a drop” her greatest talent, already knows that her and Peter have the makings of the “greatest love story of all time.” Granted, she did speak with him for a whole two minutes, which translates to three years in Bachelor time.

Hannah Ann, our resident Jesus lover, gets the first impression rose and proves that there is room in Peter’s heart for another Hannah.

Unfortunately, 29 other women are left heartbroken — they were sure they would be Peter’s first pick.

The night concludes with a riveting rose ceremony.

Like every Bachelor before him, Peter makes sure to choose the dramatic girls first, let the boring ones go, and keep a few ethnic women in the mix.

And as tensions rose during the ceremony, tears fell. Poor Katrina (one of the boring ones) thought her and Peter were “meant to be together,” she said. “I didn’t see it coming at all.” Neither did we, Katrina. Neither did we.

It does certainly seem that this season has all the makings of a perfect love story: a house full of materialistic women, a man with 30 (29 now, sorry Katrina) girlfriends, and cringe-worthy airplane puns.

Will Peter find love? My money is on Ashley P. Let the games begin.

www.hillsdalecollegian.com

January 16, 2020

Students traveled the world over winter break

A8

St. Anthony’s RCIA class of 2019.

Courtesy | Phil Bernston

Core and conversation inspire Catholic conversion at Hillsdale 12 students confirmed at St. Anthony’s in 2019

Sophomore Ashley Kaitz and her family traveled to Great Britain and visited Eilean Donan Castle (top left), Isle of Skye (top right), and Stonehenge (bottom). Courtesy | Sara Kaitz

43 students visited Israel on the Passages trip. Junior Caroline Hennekes photographed a scroll in Qumran (top left), the Mount of Olives (top right), fruit trees in the Church of Nativity courtyard (bottom left), and columns in the Church of Nativity (bottom right). Courtesy | Caroline Hennekes

Sophomore Jane O’Connor explored Tainan, Taiwan (top left, bottom left, bottom right), and Kaohsiung, Taiwan (top right). Courtesy | Jane O’Connor

Dear Dale,

I spent $400 at the vending machine in my dorm last semester. How do I save money and budget better?

-Overspent Oliver

Oliver, Wow, that’s quite a feat. Even though it comes out to about $4 a day, that adds up quickly. The foods you’re likely getting from the vending machine are candy, chips, and sugary drinks. The bigger issue is your diet and eating habits in general. Do you eat enough protein and other nutritious foods, or do you rely on quick sugar and caffeine spikes to keep you going? Try eating more balanced meals and perhaps you won’t crave the vending machine trips as much.

If you can’t change your eating habits, try changing your spending ones. Put aside a weekly budget for yourself or try to earn money to keep up with your vending expenses. Try using only cash at the vending machine instead of credit cards – it’s easier to see how much you’re really spending that way. Finally, try purchasing those foods in bigger quantities at the grocery store or Amazon if you don’t have a car on campus. For the sake of your health and wallet, good luck this semester.

-Dale

To submit questions to Dear Dale, contact The Collegian on social media or email cabbo@hillsdale.edu

By | Elizabeth Bachmann Assistant Editor At a college where more than 90% of students actively practice a religion and where debates about transubstantiation versus consubstantiation, the significance of Christ’s incarnation, and, most contentiously, Mary’s perpetual virginity echo through the halls, Catholicism seems to be gaining new ground.

Between 2016 and 2019, 76 people converted to Catholicism at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church and were confirmed after undergoing the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults. Many of them were Hillsdale students. In 2019 alone, 12 out of 24 converts were Hillsdale students.

Nationally, the percentage of Catholics declined from 24% to 21% of the population since 2014. Approximately 2% of U.S. adults identify as Catholic converts, according to a PEW Research Center survey in 2018. At Hillsdale, 26% of the student body identifies as Catholic according to a 2018 Collegian survey.

Though national Catholicism is on the decline, Catholicism at Hillsdale is clearly growing.

Based on their personal experiences, nine recent Catholic converts cited three major factors that impacted their theological beliefs and led to their conversion while at Hillsdale: a unique blend of passionate and respectful theological conversation, a community of devoted Catholics, and Hillsdale’s focus on classical liberal arts and the Western tradition.

Sophomore Shelby Dorman currently attends RCIA classes and intends to join the Catholic Church at Easter.

Her interest in Catholicism began with questions about transubstantiation and the incarnation, but before coming to Hillsdale, she said she didn’t think about becoming Catholic or even know anyone who practiced Catholicism.

Encountering people of sincere faith from all different denominations at Hillsdale helped Dorman begin to process the questions that had been simmering in the back of her mind since high school.

“When I went to Hillsdale, I held a lot of classic stereotypes against Catholics,” Dorman said. “I think there were a lot of barriers in my mind because of incorrect things I had heard. So having those lies torn down, I was able to see some truth in there.”

Friends opened a door that Dorman hadn’t even recognized before, and, “after a lot of angst,” she began attending RCIA. Dorman emphasized that, despite fears about how her Protestant friends would react, they were all supportive.

Junior Grace Mauck is in the process of converting and agreed with Dorman.

“The main thing is just how open people are to talking about their faith. When people try to convert you, it is off-putting and offensive, like they don’t respect your own faith,” Mauck said. “I never felt that way. It was more that people here wanted to tell me how they loved, worshipped, and prayed to God.” St. Anthony’s Catholic Church is also uniquely attractive to converts. Senior Claire Calvert and her father, Kenneth Calvert, a professor of history, live in Hillsdale and converted as a family. Claire Calvert’s older brother forged the path, then she, her parents, and her younger brother followed suit. Though Claire Calvert began the conversion process before enrolling at Hillsdale College, she said that St. Anthony’s plays a special

role in the Catholic community at Hillsdale and in her conversion.

“Anyone I have talked to who comes and goes from Hilldale says that St. Anthony’s is so different and so special,” Claire Calvert said.

“It is hard to pinpoint what it is. It’s Father David, it’s the local families, it’s a conglomeration of all these people who really have a passion for their faith and a love for this tiny little church in the middle of nowhere. It somehow draws you in and you feel this presence of God and a welcoming spirit.”

Rev. David Reamsnyder, pastor at St. Anthony’s and convert to Catholicism himself, emphasizes rich theological understanding and scriptural teaching in his weekly homilies, which, according to Dorman, is very comforting and familiar to Protestant listeners.

Many converts are uncomfortable with the word “conversion” to describe their entrance into the Catholic Church. Rather, they see it as another step in their perpetual journey toward Christ.

Junior Isaac Kirshner, also in the process of converting, especially took offense to calling his faith journey a “conversion.”

“I have always loved Jesus,” Kirshner said. “I don’t worship a different Christ now, but through his church, a fuller Christ. I mean that he has so radically illumined more of himself to me and has blessed me with a deeper desire to love Him more. Conversion, for me, has been the daily turning of my heart toward the heart of Christ, which is love.”

Both Kenneth Calvert and his daughter stressed that Protestantism was crucial in their faith formation and played a key role in their journey toward Christ.

“From ages 5 to 18, I went to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church just outside of town. It was the first place where I learned catechism and church doctrine and where I began to form an appreciation for having a strong spiritual life,” Claire Calvert said. “There was a real beauty in the service that I still to this day appreciate.”

Kirshner, Mauck, Dorman, Claire Calvert, and senior Phil Bernston, President of the Catholic Society, all said they experienced an intellectual conversion before their hearts turned to Catholicism. More than a place for religious beliefs to intermix and percolate in discerning minds, Kirshner said his experience at Hillsdale was a journey toward intellectual orthodoxy and true conservatism.

“For me, becoming traditionally conservative made me consider Catholicism,” Kirshner said. “The idea that we should conserve what we have been handed down and not just do away with the wisdom of the ages. No, truth is truth a thousand years ago the same as it is today.”

Reading Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Earth’s Holocaust” in American Heritage marked a shift in Kirshner’s understanding of the extra-liturgical.

“In the story, the townspeople burn a crucifix and books and other accoutrements of religion because they say desire to get to the pure, simple faith by doing away with all that seems extra,” Kirshner said. “But as you read it, you realize that all that had been passed down is actually your pure and simple faith. They burned everything they have been given, and they end up with nothing.”

For Bernston, a 2019 convert, Western Heritage and Great Books classes piqued his

curiosity about church history.

“I never really understood historical Christianity until I came to Hillsdale,” Bernston said. “Western Heritage, and really the whole core, lends itself to conversion because you start reading the great thinkers of the faith — Augustine, Aquinas, and the church fathers — and I was amazed that I had not learned any of this stuff.”

Mauck said Aquinas, Augustine, and Dante, in particular, led her to question the relationship between scripture, tradition, and the historical church.

“I was reading these books of the Western canon that really focus on God and I was exposed to so much more understanding that really spoke to me on a spiritual and intellectual level,” Mauck said. “I started to notice that before I became familiar with the Catholic Church, I didn’t give credence to how many intellectual ideas went into the church and how beautiful that really was.”

Though Mauck and many of her fellow converts first experienced an intellectual conversion, she said her heart stubbornly resisted her reason. One of the biggest problems for Mauck, and also for Kirshner, Dorman, and Claire Calvert, was Catholic doctrine about Mary. She said over the course of a few months she could not stop thinking about Mary and how she fit into the church. Mauck stumbled into conversations about Mary all over campus, caught herself thinking about her all the time, and even dreamed about her often.

But Mauck’s biggest roadblock into the church transformed into a serious drive toward conversion.

“I am so blessed because I genuinely believe that Mary came to me,” Mauck said.

“My best friend is a devout Catholic and I told her what I was going through and I was like, ‘I think I need to pray the rosary.’ So she taught me what to do and we started praying it and I just broke down in tears because I felt so much of her presence around me and that was it. From that moment, I was like, ‘I need to join the church.’”

While conversions are exciting for Catholics in Hillsdale’s small community, given the decline of Catholicism in the U.S., Kenneth Calvert emphasized the global trend of Catholic resurgence.

The Catholic News Agency reported a 17.8% increase in Catholicism globally. Because Hillsdale is a relatively small college campus, students and faculty can see the effects of the Catholic resurgence more personally.

Claire Calvert said this is one of her favorite parts about Hillsdale’s spiritual community.

“It is not just a Hillsdale thing,” she said. “It is just the will of God working here and everywhere else. I think it is a beautiful thing because it is such a small community that we can really see it happening in people that we know really well and care about very much.”

Mauck said her experience of conversion at Hillsdale was multi-faceted. Though discussions, classes, and professors played a role, she ultimately placed the credit far above the earthly.

“I just think God’s presence is so clear at Hillsdale. I have never been in a place where I feel the Lord’s presence all the time,” Mauck said. “I don’t think it is a coincidence that there are so many conversions here. I think it is because the Holy Spirit is so present here.

It is really beautiful.”