Michigan Central College
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, mottoeng = Strength Rejoices in the Challenge , established = , type =
Liberal arts college A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in liberal arts and sciences. Such colleges aim to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual capac ...
, religious_affiliation = Not affiliated
Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...
(historical) , endowment = $900 million (2021) , president =
Larry P. Arnn Larry Paul Arnn (born October 8, 1952) is an American educator and writer. He has served as the twelfth president of private college Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan, since May 2000.
, provost = Christopher VanOrman , undergrad = 1,486 , city = Hillsdale, Michigan , country = U.S. , campus = Rural, (84 buildings) , former_names = Michigan Central College (1844–1855) , athletics_affiliations = NCAA Division IIGMAC , sports_nickname = Chargers , website = , logo = , coordinates = , faculty = 124 full-time, 48 adjunct , colors = Blue & white Hillsdale College is a
private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
conservative
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
liberal arts college A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in liberal arts and sciences. Such colleges aim to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual capac ...
in Hillsdale, Michigan. It was founded in 1844 by abolitionists known as Free Will Baptists. Its mission statement says that liberal arts curriculum is based on Western heritage as a product of
Greco-Roman The Greco-Roman civilization (; also Greco-Roman culture; spelled Graeco-Roman in the Commonwealth), as understood by modern scholars and writers, includes the geographical regions and countries that culturally—and so historically—were di ...
culture and
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
tradition. The required core curriculum has courses on the Great Books, the U.S. Constitution, biology, chemistry, and physics. Since the late 20th century, in order to opt out of the US government's Title IX anti-discrimination requirements, Hillsdale has been among a small number of U.S. colleges to decline governmental financial support. Instead, Hillsdale depends entirely on private donations to supplement students' tuition.


History


Founding

In August 1844, members of the local community of Free Will Baptists resolved to organize their denomination's first collegiate institution. 588 pp. After gathering donations, they established Michigan Central College in
Spring Arbor, Michigan Spring Arbor is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jackson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population of the CDP was 2,881 at the 2010 census, up from 2,188 at the 2000 census. The CDP is located withi ...
, on December 4, 1844. That site is now home to Spring Arbor University. Although religiously affiliated, the college was officially nonsectarian. Under its first president, Daniel McBride Graham, who held the office from 1844 to 1848, Michigan Central College opened within a two-room store and admitted five students. In March 1845, the government of Michigan incorporated the college, and the college enrolled 25 undergraduates by the end of its first year. Edmund Burke Fairfield assumed the presidency of Michigan Central College in 1848. On March 20, 1850, the Michigan legislature granted the college a special charter, giving it the right to confer degrees. Black students were admitted immediately after the college's founding, and the college became the second school in the nation to grant four-year liberal arts degrees to women. Outgrowing its space, in 1853 the school moved to Hillsdale, Michigan, in part to have access to the railroad that served the city. It received considerable financial support from local citizens, who wanted to develop the 20-year-old town. The cornerstone of the new building, Central Hall, was laid on July 4, 1853. After Michigan Central College completed construction and moved, it reopened as Hillsdale College on November 7, 1855. Fairfield led Hillsdale from 1848 to 1869. During his presidency, he helped found the
Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...
with Ransom Dunn in neighboring
Jackson, Michigan Jackson is the only city and county seat of Jackson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534, down from 36,316 at the 2000 census. Located along Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 127, it is approxi ...
. A prominent leader, Fairfield attended the first Republican Party convention in 1856, and was elected lieutenant governor of Michigan. Hillsdale's early anti-slavery reputation and pivotal role in founding the Republican Party led to the invitation of several notable speakers on the campus, including Frederick Douglass (who visited the school on two separate occasions) and Edward Everett, the orator preceding Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg. On August 8, 1860, Hillsdale conferred its first degrees. On March 20, 1863, the Michigan legislature formally legalized Hillsdale's change of name and location. Hillsdale no longer has any denominational affiliation but, according to its website, "the moral tenets of Christianity as commonly understood in the Christian tradition have been essential to the mission of the College". It has always been open to black and female students.


19th century

In 1861, many Hillsdale students joined the ranks of the Union Army during the American Civil War; a higher percentage of Hillsdale students enlisted than from any other Michigan college. 88 pp. Hillsdale continued to operate during the war, but had limited enrollment because so many young men went to war. Half of Hillsdale's students who enlisted became officers, as was typical for men with some college education; five became lieutenant colonels, four received the Medal of Honor, and three became generals. Sixty students died in the war. Hillsdale survived while nearly 80% of the colleges founded before the Civil War were forced to close. After the war, it regained its normal enrollment; many veterans returned and completed their education. Hillsdale continued to host notable speakers, including the physician and educator Sophia Jex-Blake in October 1865. Hillsdale's Delta Tau Delta chapter, its first fraternity, was chartered on October 19, 1867. In 1869, James Calder succeeded Fairfield as president. Calder served through 1871. During his administration, the commercial school opened, a theological department was established, and the college enrolled around 750 students. He resigned to become president of
Pennsylvania State University The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvan ...
. Hillsdale's first president, Daniel McBride Graham, returned for a brief second term in 1871, notably rebuilding the campus after the catastrophic "Great Fire" of March 6, 1874. DeWitt Clinton Durgin, a Union College alumnus, was president from 1874 to 1884. In 1878, the ''Hillsdale Herald'' was published, becoming the second oldest college newspaper in Michigan, behind Kalamazoo College's ''The Index''. This paper later merged with another college paper to become '' The Collegian''. During Durgin's presidency, Hillsdale's
Kappa Kappa Gamma Kappa Kappa Gamma (), also known simply as Kappa or KKG, is a collegiate sorority founded at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, United States. It has a membership of more than 260,000 women, with 140 collegiate chapters in the United States a ...
and Sigma Chi chapters were chartered. After Ransom Dunn's brief turn as acting president, George F. Mosher served as president of Hillsdale from 1886 to 1901. During this time, the college grew in size and prestige. In 1884, Spencer O. Fisher became the first Hillsdale alumnus elected to Congress. Pi Beta Phi and
Alpha Tau Omega Alpha Tau Omega (), commonly known as ATO, is an American social fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1865 by Otis Allan Glazebrook. The fraternity has around 250 active and inactive chapters and colonies in the United Stat ...
were chartered. In 1891, the ''Chicago Herald'' reported, "Hillsdale has a college second in standing to no denominational college in the country." Four years later, when the University of Chicago offered to affiliate with Hillsdale, the college rejected the proposal.


20th century

In 1900, Hillsdale ceased grazing livestock and removed the agrarian fence circling the campus. 320 pp. It began an era of institutional growth and professionalization. In 1902, Joseph William Mauck became the college's sixth president, the first Hillsdale graduate to return as president of his alma mater. Beloved by the college community and an early and outspoken advocate for women's suffrage, Mauck served for two decades. One of the women's dormitories is named after Mauck. Hillsdale adopted its first honor code and held its first homecoming celebration. In 1907, the college amended its Articles of Association, no longer requiring the president and trustees to be Free Will Baptists. This led to a decline in the theological department's prestige but an increase in the number of Christian denominations represented on campus. In 1915, the college's chapter of the Delta Sigma Phi
fraternity A fraternity (from Latin language, Latin ''wiktionary:frater, frater'': "brother (Christian), brother"; whence, "wiktionary:brotherhood, brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club (organization), club or fraternal ...
was chartered. When World War I broke out, a large proportion of (mostly male) students entered military service. By 1918 most of the upperclassmen had enlisted. Four years after the war, William Gear Spencer succeeded Mauck as president. He served from 1922 to 1932, when he departed to lead Franklin College. Under Spencer's leadership, the college prospered. During this time, Hillsdale acquired its 14-acre Slayton Arboretum, built new dormitories, constructed a new field house for its developing athletic programs, and, in 1924, chartered its chapter of Chi Omega. During the
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
, Willfred Otto Mauck, Joseph Mauck's son and also an alumnus, was selected as the eighth president, serving from 1933 to 1942. Throughout this era, the college struggled financially, was forced to cancel its new construction projects, and cut the pay of its faculty and staff by nearly 20%. Succeeding Mauck, Harvey L. Turner became Hillsdale's ninth president, serving from 1942 to 1952. Despite its financial difficulties, the college built a new library, had an undefeated and untied football team in 1938, and celebrated its centennial in 1944, when more than 1,000 alumni returned to campus for the commencement ceremony. J. Donald Phillips next assumed the presidency, holding the position from 1952 to 1971. During his administration, Philips solved many of Hillsdale's financial worries and constructed many new campus buildings. In these years, Hillsdale began to resist federal regulations, particularly concerning affirmative action, which followed national civil rights legislation. In 1962, the college's trustees adopted its own "Declaration of Independence". It affirmed Hillsdale's stance against governmental control. The college promoted the traditional education of the liberal arts and
classics Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...
. In the late 20th century, it decided to forego any federal grants or subsidies, "to reaffirm its historic independence and to resist subsidization of its affairs by the federal government." A marker designating the college as a
Michigan Historic Site The Michigan State Historic Preservation Office is one of 59 state historic preservation offices established according to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 that plays a role in implementing federal historic preservation policy in t ...
was erected by the Michigan Historical Commission in 1968. The inscription reads:
In 1844 a group of Freewill Baptists organized Michigan Central College at Spring Arbor. This college was the first in Michigan to grant degrees to women. Moved to Hillsdale in 1853 and chartered by the legislature in 1855, the school was renamed Hillsdale College under an independent board of trustees, its only controlling organization. The charter opened the institution "to all persons ... irrespective of nationality, color, or sex."
George Roche III became the 11th president of Hillsdale College in 1971. During the Roche years, Hillsdale became nationally known, in part because of its withdrawal from federal and state-assisted loan programs and grants. The U.S. Departments of Health, Education, and Welfare required the college to account for students by race as part of its affirmative action student loan program in the 1970s, but the administration publicly refused. Hillsdale's trustees said it would follow its own non-discrimination policy and that it would, "with the help of God, resist, by all legal means, any encroachments on its independence." In 1984, after a decade of litigation, the college withdrew from all federal student loans, replacing government assistance with private contributions. Roche was highly successful in fundraising until he resigned due to allegations of a personal sexual scandal. During his presidency, the college dramatically increased its endowment, established the Center for Constructive Alternatives, and hosted prominent national speakers, including
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
. It also began publishing '' Imprimis'', a monthly speech digest. Russell Kirk taught at Hillsdale one semester a year throughout this time, beginning in 1973. Roche resigned in late 1999, following his daughter-in-law Lissa Jackson Roche's suicide and her allegations of personal scandal.Alice Lloyd, "The College That Wants to Take Over Washington"
''Politico'', 12 May 2018; accessed 4 August 2018
On October 17, 1999, she said that she had engaged in a 19-year on-and-off sexual affair with him. She fatally shot herself at the Slayton Arboretum on campus with a .38-caliber handgun from her husband's gun cabinet. Married to Roche's son, known as Roche IV, Jackson Roche was employed by Hillsdale as the Managing Editor of ''Imprimis'' and Hillsdale College Press. President Roche denied the affair. The college's reputation suffered and donations declined markedly.


21st century

Larry P. Arnn Larry Paul Arnn (born October 8, 1952) is an American educator and writer. He has served as the twelfth president of private college Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan, since May 2000.
has served as president of the college since 2000. Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, ran the Washington center's speaker series. In 2013, Arnn was criticized for remarks about ethnic minorities he made while testifying before the Michigan legislature against the
Common Core The Common Core State Standards Initiative, also known as simply Common Core, is an educational initiative from 2010 that details what K–12 students throughout the United States should know in English language arts and mathematics at the concl ...
curriculum standards. Expressing concern about government interference with educational institutions, he noted having received a letter from the state Department of Education early in his presidency that said his college "violated the standards for diversity." He added, "because we didn't have enough dark ones, I guess, is what they meant." After being criticized for calling minorities "dark ones," Arnn explained that he was referring to "dark faces". He stated: "The State of Michigan sent a group of people down to my campus, with clipboards ... to look at the colors of people's faces and write down what they saw. We don't keep records of that information. What were they looking for besides dark ones?" Michigan House Democratic Leader
Tim Greimel Tim Greimel is an American politician from Michigan, who currently serves as the Mayor of Pontiac, Michigan. He previously served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives, elected in a special election in 2012 to fill a vacancy create ...
condemned Arnn's comments, calling them "offensive", "inflammatory and bigoted", and asked for an apology. In response, the college issued a statement apologizing for Arnn's remark, while reiterating his concern about "state-endorsed racism", as Arnn called affirmative action. In November 2021, Hillsdale purchased land in Placer County, California for nearly $6M with plans for a new campus.


Academics

Hillsdale enrolls approximately 350 new students each year, with a current enrollment of around 1,450 students from 47 states, the District of Columbia, and eight foreign countries. The college employs 124 full-time faculty members. Hillsdale was ranked 46th in the 2022 '' U.S. News & World Report'' listing of best National Liberal Arts Colleges. The '' Princeton Review''s ''The Best 384 Colleges 2023'' ranked Hillsdale as first for "most engaged in community service," seventh for "students love these colleges," eighth for "professors get high marks," and thirteenth for "students study the most." Undergraduate offerings include a variety of liberal arts majors, pre-professional programs, a teacher education program, and a journalism certificate program. The College offers three graduate programs: the Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship, offering both an M.A. and a Ph.D. program in Politics; the Steve and Amy Van Andel Graduate School of Government, based in Washington, D.C., and offering an M.A. in Government; and the Graduate School of Classical Education, offering an M.A. in classical education.


Campus

Hillsdale's campus contains multiple instructional and office buildings, 13 residence halls, seven fraternity and sorority houses, an athletic complex, a library, a music hall, an arts center, a conference center, a hotel, and a preschool. Hillsdale College also operates
Hillsdale Academy The Hillsdale Academy is a K-12 liberal arts school operated by Hillsdale College. Hillsdale Academy is located in Hillsdale, Michigan. Hillsdale Academy is also known for its African American< representation, boasting two African American stu ...
, a private K–12 liberal arts school. The college opened the classical-style Christ Chapel in 2019, in a dedication ceremony led by Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas. The campus features the Liberty Walk, a walkway lined with bronze depictions of famous statesmen including
George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass,
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...
, Margaret Thatcher, and
Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan ( ; February 6, 1911June 5, 2004) was an American politician, actor, and union leader who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He also served as the 33rd governor of California from 1967 ...
.


Policies

Hillsdale's charter prohibits discrimination based on race, religion, or sex. Concerning such discrimination, in the early 1980s a controversy over the school's practices threatened federal student loans to 200 Hillsdale students. Title IX prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or other education program that receives federal money. The federal government required colleges where students received federal funding to document their compliance with Title IX, but Hillsdale refused, arguing that the government could not deny federal funds to its students because the college received no direct federal funding and there was no allegation of actual sex discrimination. The Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) sought to terminate federal financial assistance to Hillsdale's students; an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) denied HEW's request in 1978, and both HEW and Hillsdale appealed to HEW's Civil Rights Reviewing Authority. In October 1979, the Reviewing Authority rejected Hillsdale's arguments and the ALJ's decision, ruling that HEW could require Hillsdale to sign the Assurance of Compliance as a condition of its students receiving federal financial assistance. The college appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit; in 1982, the Sixth Circuit ruled that government aid to individual students could be terminated without a finding that a college actually discriminated, but nevertheless upheld Hillsdale's refusal to sign the compliance forms because only its student loan and grant program is subject to Title IX regulation, not the entire college. In the related 1984 case '' Grove City College v. Bell'', the
Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
required every college or university to fulfill federal requirementspast and future requirementsif its students received federal aid. As a result of the decision, Hillsdale withdrew from all federal assistance beginning with the 1984–85 academic year; Grove City College, the plaintiff in that case, followed Hillsdale's lead four years later. Beginning in the 2007–08 academic year, Hillsdale stopped accepting Michigan state assistance, instead matching with its own aid any funds that a student would have received from the state. Since 2007, Hillsdale's entire operating budget, including scholarships, has come from private funding and endowments.


Programs


Center for Constructive Alternatives

Hillsdale brings speakers to campus through its Center for Constructive Alternatives program. Lectures are open to the public. Speakers have included Stephen Ambrose,
Benazir Bhutto Benazir Bhutto ( ur, بینظیر بُھٹو; sd, بينظير ڀُٽو; Urdu ; 21 June 1953 – 27 December 2007) was a Pakistani politician who served as the 11th and 13th prime minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990 and again from 1993 t ...
, Harry Browne, Russell Kirk, Harvey Mansfield, Charles Murray, Ralph Nader, P.J. O'Rourke, Phyllis Schlafly, and Juan Williams. Lectures and speeches from the series are published monthly in '' Imprimis'', and distributed monthly for free. First published in 1972, ''Imprimis'' has a circulation of over five million subscribers.


Barney Charter School Initiative

The college's Barney Charter School Initiative was established to support the launch of K–12 charter schools based on a classical liberal arts model, with a strong civics component to "equip students to understand and defend the principles of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution."


Hillsdale-Oxford Scholars Program

Through an affiliation with Oxford's Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies and the Oxford Study Abroad Program, Hillsdale College offers a study abroad program at Oxford University where participants participate in classes and extracurricular as associate members of one of 38 different colleges in the university.


Allan P. Kirby Center

Hillsdale operates the Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship in Washington, D.C. The Kirby Center provides assistance to Hillsdale students who participate in Washington internships and co-sponsors the James Madison Fellows Program with The Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society. It engages with senior-level congressional staff members who the college describes as "dedicated to making first principles the foremost consideration in public policy formation". Since 2008, the center has hosted the monthly AWC Family Foundation Lecture Series,which has included lectures by David Horowitz, John Bolton, and Paul A. Rahe. The Kirby Center also hosts an annual Constitution Day celebration and conducts online town halls on matters related to the Constitution.


The Blake Center for Faith and Freedom

In 2019,
S. Prestley Blake Stewart Prestley Blake (November 26, 1914 – February 11, 2021) was an American restaurateur. He was a co-founder of the Friendly Ice Cream Corporation (known more commonly as "Friendly's"). Early life Blake was born in Jersey City, New Jers ...
donated his estate in Somers, Connecticut, to the college. Following a lengthy battle over zoning issues, the college has turned the estate into The Blake Center for Faith and Freedom. The center includes a replica of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. The college plans on hosting events similar to those held at other campuses in the future. The first event was held on May 20, 2021, with the donation of 200 books for the Jefferson Library.


Academy for Science and Freedom

In December 2021, Hillsdale launched the Academy for Science and Freedom in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The academy's stated goal is to "educate the American people about the free exchange of scientific ideas and the proper relationship between freedom and science in the pursuit of truth." The academy called the United States' response to the COVID-19 pandemic "the worst public health fiasco in history" that "has unveiled serious issues with how science is administered".
Scott Atlas Scott William Atlas (born July 5, 1955) is an American radiologist, political commentator, and health care policy advisor. He is the Robert Wesson Senior Fellow in health care policy at Stanford University's Hoover Institution, a conservative t ...
,
Jay Bhattacharya Jayanta "Jay" Bhattacharya (born 1968) is an Indian American professor of medicine, of Economics, and of Health Research Policy at Stanford University, and the director of Stanford's Center for Demography and Economics of Health and Aging. His ...
, and Martin Kulldorff, who helped found the academy, have ties to the Great Barrington Declaration.


Campus life


Athletics

The college has a number of sports teams that compete at the NCAA Division II level, including baseball, men's and women's basketball,
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
, softball, women's swimming, track and field, cross country, men's and women's tennis, and women's volleyball. The college also has club teams and intramural sports that vary from year to year. The Chargers, as the Hillsdale athletics teams are known, compete in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Football coach Frank "Muddy" Waters was the head coach at Hillsdale from 1954 to 1973. The football stadium, Frank Waters Stadium, is named in his honor.


Football

Hillsdale College has sponsored a football team every year since 1891 with the exception of 1943 and 1944 seasons being canceled because of World War II. Their overall program record is 647–438–48 in 128 seasons of play. They split the 1985 NAIA National Championship with Central Arkansas after the game concluded in a 10–10 tie. They have won 34 championships since 1891, their most recent championship-winning the GMAC Conference in 2018. They have had 55 All-American players in program history and 10 All-American Academic players. Hillsdale College competed in the NAIA from its inception until 1990, where it became an NCAA Division 2 institution.
Keith Otterbein Keith Edward Otterbein (born May 19, 1957) is an American college football coach. He was the head football coach for Hillsdale College from 2002 to 2023. From 1986 to 1994, Otterbein served as the head football coach at Ferris State University. ...
is the present Hillsdale Football coach. He is in his 19th season, as he became the head coach in 2002. Thirteen players from Hillsdale have been drafted in the NFL, and eleven have been signed as undrafted free agents. Hillsdale has been a part of four different conferences and was also independent at one point. From 1880 to 1960, they were a part of the MIAA. From 1961 to 1974, they were independent. In 1975, they joined the GLIAC until 1989. In 1990, they left the GLIAC to join the MIFC from 1990 to 1998. In 1999, they rejoined the GLIAC conference and remained there until 2017. Now, they stand in the GMAC conference. A few outstanding records from over the years are the program's longest winning streak, 34 in 1954–1957 and Troy Weatherhead holds the record for the highest percentage of passes completed in a season, 76.9%, in the year 2010.


Other sports

In 2018, Hillsdale College was named one of the best schools in the U.S. for student-athletes by
Next College Student Athlete Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) is a for-profit organization that connects middle and high school student-athletes with college coaches. NCSA teaches middle and high school student-athletes about the college recruiting process. The NCSA At ...
's 2018 NCSA Power Rankings. Hillsdale was the fourth ranked school among all NCAA Division II colleges and universities in the U.S. The NCSA Power Rankings, which recognize the best colleges and universities in the U.S. for student-athletes, ranked Hillsdale within the top 10 among all Division II schools for several sports including football, baseball, softball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's track and field, women's swimming and women's volleyball. Hillsdale men's track and field also ranked 97th overall (among all divisions). Hillsdale also has a nationally ranked competitive shotgun team. Competing in both the Association of College Unions International and the Scholastic Clay Target Program circuits, the team are seven-time ACUI Collegiate national champions, winning in 2012, 2014–2018, and 2021. It competes in six shotgun shooting disciplines:
trap A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research. Trap or TRAP may also refer to: Art and entertainment Films and television * ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...
, skeet,
sporting clays Sporting clays is a form of clay pigeon shooting, often described as "golf with a shotgun" because a typical course includes from 10 to 15 different shooting stations laid out over natural terrain. For safety, the course size is often no smaller ...
, and a variation on each.


Greek life

North American Interfraternity Conference Fraternities * Delta Tau Delta – Kappa Chapter, rechartered in 2007 * Sigma Chi – Alpha Kappa Chapter, rechartered in 1980 *
Alpha Tau Omega Alpha Tau Omega (), commonly known as ATO, is an American social fraternity founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1865 by Otis Allan Glazebrook. The fraternity has around 250 active and inactive chapters and colonies in the United Stat ...
– Beta Kappa Chapter, 1888 * Delta Sigma Phi – Tau Chapter, 1915
National Panhellenic Conference The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) is an umbrella organization for 26 (inter)national women's Fraternities and sororities, sororities throughout the United States and Canada. Each member group is autonomous as a social, Greek alphabet#Use ...
Sororities *
Kappa Kappa Gamma Kappa Kappa Gamma (), also known simply as Kappa or KKG, is a collegiate sorority founded at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, United States. It has a membership of more than 260,000 women, with 140 collegiate chapters in the United States a ...
– Kappa Chapter, 1881 * Pi Beta Phi – Michigan Alpha Chapter, 1887 * Chi Omega – Rho Gamma Chapter, 1924


Alma mater

Hillsdale's alma mater is "White and Blue". The words and melody were composed by Bess Hagaman Tefft, Class of 1937.


Notable people


Notable alumni


Politics and law

*
E. Ross Adair Edwin Ross Adair (December 14, 1907 – May 5, 1983) was an American lawyer and World War II veteran who served ten terms as a U.S. Representative from Indiana from 1951 to 1971. Early life Born in Albion, Indiana, Adair attended grade and high ...
(1929), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana *
Chester Hardy Aldrich Chester Hardy Aldrich (November 10, 1863March 10, 1924) was an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 16th governor of Nebraska and as a justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court. Personal life Aldrich was born in ...
(1888), Governor of Nebraska and justice on the Nebraska Supreme Court * Joseph Cella (1991),
United States Ambassador to Fiji The United States ambassador to Fiji is the official representative of the government of the United States to the government of Fiji. The ambassador is concurrently the ambassador to Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu, while residing in Suva, Fiji ...
*
Chris Chocola Joseph Christopher Chocola (born February 24, 1962) is an American businessman, lawyer, and former politician. A member of the Republican Party, Chocola served in the United States House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007, representing Indian ...
(1984), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana's 2nd congressional district and President of the Club for Growth *
Cyrus Cline Cyrus Cline (July 12, 1856 – October 5, 1923) was an American lawyer and politician who served four terms as a U.S. Representative from Indiana from 1909 to 1917. Career overview Born near Mansfield, Ohio, Cline moved to Steuben County, India ...
(1876), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana *
David L. Cornwell David Lance Cornwell (June 14, 1945 – November 2, 2012) was an American Vietnam War veteran who served one term as a U.S. Representative from Indiana from 1977 to 1979. Early life and career Born in Paoli, Indiana, Cornwell attended Paoli publ ...
(1964), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana * Dan Crane (1958), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 22nd and 19th congressional districts * Phil Crane (1952), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 8th congressional district *
Robert William Davis Robert William Davis (July 31, 1932 – October 16, 2009) was an American politician from the state of Michigan. He represented the state's 11th congressional district, which at that time included the Upper Peninsula and a large portion of N ...
(1952), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 11th congressional district *
Solomon Robert Dresser Solomon Robert Dresser (February 1, 1842 – January 21, 1911) was an inventor and a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Biography Solomon R. Dresser was born in Litchfield, Michigan. He attended the common ...
(1865), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania and founder and president of S.R. Dresser Manufacturing Co., now Dresser Industries * Spencer O. Fisher (c. 1865), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 10th congressional district *
Albert J. Hopkins Albert Jarvis Hopkins (August 15, 1846August 23, 1922) was a U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman and United States Senate, U.S. Senator from Illinois. Biography Hopkins was born near Cortland, Illinois on August 15, 1846. He was admitte ...
(1870), U.S. Senator from Illinois *
Henry M. Kimball Henry Mahlon Kimball (August 27, 1878 – October 19, 1935) was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. Kimball was born in Orland, Indiana and attended the common and high schools of Orland. He graduated from Hillsdale College in Michigan ...
(c. 1900), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 3rd congressional district * Verner Main (1907), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan * Spencer G. Millard (1877),
Lieutenant Governor of California The lieutenant governor of California is the second highest executive officer of the government of the U.S. state of California. The lieutenant governor is elected to serve a four-year term and can serve a maximum of two terms. In addition to l ...
* Joseph B. Moore (1879), justice on the Michigan Supreme Court * Thomas Morrison (1997), representative for the 54th District in the Illinois General Assembly *
Aric Nesbitt Aric Nesbitt (born January 25, 1980) is a member of the Michigan Senate, representing the 26th district, which includes Van Buren County, Allegan County, and Kentwood & Gaines Township in Kent County. He serves as the President pro tempore ...
(2001), member of
Michigan House of Representatives The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2010 ...
(2011–2017), 66th district and House Majority Floor Leader; President Pro Tempore of the Michigan State Senate (2019–present) *
Walter H. North Walter H. North (January 31, 1933 – October 31, 2014) was a Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the Michigan Senate from 1995 through 2002. He was also an assistant to Michigan State Treasurer Allison Green, and comptroller a ...
(1896), justice on the Michigan Supreme Court *
Jasper Packard Jasper Packard (February 1, 1832 – December 13, 1899) was an American attorney, Civil War veteran, and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives for Indiana's at-large congressional district and Indiana ...
(c. 1853), newspaper editor and U.S. Representative from Indiana *
Paul J. Ray Paul J. Ray is an American attorney and government official who served as the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) from 2020 to 2021. Early life and education Ray is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Paul ...
, Administrator of the
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA ) is a Division within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), which in turn, is within the Executive Office of the President. OIRA oversees the implementation of government-wide policie ...
*
David Viviano David Viviano (born December 8, 1971) is a justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, appointed by Governor Rick Snyder on February 28, 2013, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Justice Diane Hathaway. Prior to his appointment to the ...
(1994), justice on the Michigan Supreme Court * Beth Walker (1987), justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals *
Betsy Woodruff Swan Betsy Woodruff Swan ( Woodruff; born October 31, 1989) is an American journalist who is currently a national political reporter for ''Politico'' and contributor to MSNBC. Biography Swan was born in Columbia, Missouri. She graduated with a BA ...
(2012) reporter * Hans Zeiger (2007), author and representative for the 25th Legislative District of Washington


Military and public service

*
Clinton B. Fisk Clinton Bowen Fisk (December 8, 1828 - July 9, 1890) was a senior officer during Reconstruction in the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands and served as the Prohibition Party's presidential candidate during the 1888 presidential el ...
(c. 1844), Civil War soldier and statesman, namesake of
Fisk University Fisk University is a private historically black liberal arts college in Nashville, Tennessee. It was founded in 1866 and its campus is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1930, Fisk was the first Africa ...
and
Prohibition Party The Prohibition Party (PRO) is a political party in the United States known for its historic opposition to the sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages and as an integral part of the temperance movement. It is the oldest existing third party ...
candidate for president in
1888 In Germany, 1888 is known as the Year of the Three Emperors. Currently, it is the year that, when written in Roman numerals, has the most digits (13). The next year that also has 13 digits is the year 2388. The record will be surpassed as late ...
; first inductee into the Hillsdale County, Michigan Veteran's Hall of Fame in 2001 *
Mary Hannah Fulton Mary Hannah Fulton (31 May 1854 – 7 January 1927) was a medical missionary sent to South China by the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, Presbyterian Church. She began her work by setting up a dispensary in Kwai Ping, then conti ...
(1874), medical missionary in China *
Washington Gardner Washington Gardner (February 16, 1845 – March 31, 1928) was a lawyer, minister, politician and Civil War veteran from the U.S. state of Michigan. Biography Gardner was born in Morrow County, Ohio. He entered the Union Army and served in Com ...
(1870), Civil War soldier and statesman *
Charles Vernon Gridley Charles Vernon Gridley (24 November 1844 – 5 June 1898) was a captain in the United States Navy during the American Civil War and the Spanish–American War. Early life Gridley descended from Thomas Gridley (1612–1653), who emigrated from En ...
(c. 1860), Civil War sailor and Spanish–American War Naval captain *
Moses A. Luce Moses Augustine Luce (May 14, 1842 – April 13, 1933) was a Sergeant in the Union Army and a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions in the American Civil War. He went on to become a leading lawyer, judge and businessman in early San Diego, where ...
(1866), lawyer and Medal of Honor recipient for service in the Civil War * Erik Prince (1992), Navy SEAL and founder of
Blackwater Blackwater or Black Water may refer to: Health and ecology * Blackwater (coal), liquid waste from coal preparation * Blackwater (waste), wastewater containing feces, urine, and flushwater from flush toilets * Blackwater fever, an acute kidney disea ...


Science and engineering

* Bion J. Arnold, pioneer in electrical engineering and mass transportation


Professional sports and athletics

* Andre Holmes (2011), wide receiver for the Denver Broncos * Jared Veldheer (2010), offensive lineman for the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
* Tom Heckert (1990), former general manager for the Cleveland Browns *
Spanky McFarland George McFarland (October 2, 1928 – June 30, 1993) was an American actor most famous for starring as a child as Spanky in the ''Our Gang'' series of short-subject comedies of the 1930s and 1940s. The ''Our Gang'' shorts were later syndicated ...
(1976), college baseball coach at Northern Illinois and James Madison *
Ron Tripp Ron Tripp (born April 22, 1953) is a World Sambo and Judo champion. His name is well known in the MMA world, especially among Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling enthusiasts, as he is the only person to hold an official victory in compe ...
(c. 1975), expert in sambo and judo and current general secretary of USA Judo * Chester Marcol (1972), placekicker for the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
and Houston Oilers *
Chuck Liebrock Chuck Liebrock (born May 24, 1945) is a former professional Canadian football offensive lineman who played ten seasons in the Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a profess ...
(1967), offensive lineman in the Canadian Football League for the Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers *
Bruce McLenna Bruce Oliver McLenna (December 23, 1941 – June 18, 1968) was an American football player. He played college football for the University of Michigan in 1961 and for Hillsdale College in 1964 and 1965. He played professional football for the ...
(1966), halfback for the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
and Kansas City Chiefs *
Bud Acton Charles R. "Bud" Acton (born January 11, 1942 in Troy, Michigan) is an American former basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was a 6'6" 210 lbs small forward and played collegiately for Alma College and Hillsdale ...
(c. 1964),
NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
player with the San Diego Rockets * Howard Mudd (1963), offensive lineman for the San Francisco 49ers and
Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
and offensive line coach for the Philadelphia Eagles *
Wayne Schurr Wayne Allen Schurr (born August 6, 1937) is an American former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who appeared in 26 games for the Chicago Cubs in . The native of Garrett, Indiana, was a right-hander listed as tall and . Schurr attended Hill ...
(1959), relief pitcher for the
Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
* Mike Lude (1948), head football coach at
Colorado State University Colorado State University (Colorado State or CSU) is a public land-grant research university in Fort Collins, Colorado. It is the flagship university of the Colorado State University System. Colorado State University is classified among "R1: ...
and athletic director at Kent State University, University of Washington, and
Auburn University Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a public land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama. With more than 24,600 undergraduate students and a total enrollment of more than 30,000 with 1,330 faculty members, Auburn is the second largest uni ...
* Fred Knorr (1937), radio executive and part-owner of the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
*
Lynn Bell Lynn Everett Bell (November 18, 1883 – May 30, 1959) was an American college football coach and professional baseball player. He played professional baseball from 1906 to 1914 and served as the head football coach for Michigan State Normal Coll ...
(1906), minor-league professional baseball player and college football coach * Amanda Eccleston (2012) Retired professional mid-distance runner for Brooks.


Academia and scholarship

*
Manuel Ayau Manuel Francisco Ayau Cordón (December 27, 1925 – August 4, 2010) was the founder of the Universidad Francisco Marroquín in Guatemala. He was born in Guatemala City, on December 27, 1925. After diverse studies, he obtained a B.S. in mechanica ...
(1973), Guatemalan-born politician, humanitarian, and founder of the " Universidad Francisco Marroquín" *
Clara Kern Bayliss Clara Kern Bayliss (March 5, 1848 – March 1, 1948) was an American writer and educator. Early life Clara Marie Kern was born on her family's farm near Kalamazoo, Michigan, the daughter of Manasseh Kern (1809–1892) and Caroline Herlan Kern ...
(1871, 1874), first woman to graduate from Hillsdale, became writer, educator * Elizebeth Friedman (1915), pioneer in cryptology * Peter Leeson (2001), economist *
Robert P. Murphy Robert Patrick Murphy (born May 23, 1976) is an American economist. Murphy is Research Assistant Professor with the Free Market Institute at Texas Tech University. He has been affiliated with Laffer Associates, the Pacific Research Institute, ...
(1998), economist and author *
Gennady Stolyarov II Gennady Stolyarov II (born 1987) is a Belarusian-American libertarian and transhumanist writer, actuary, and civil servant known for his book ''Death is Wrong''. Stolyarov also leads two transhumanist political parties. In his children's book ...
(2008), libertarian and transhumanist writer *
Robert Page Sims Robert Page Sims (1872–1944) was an early African American academic, civil rights leader, scientist, and college president who held positions at Virginia University of Lynchburg and Bluefield State College. Sims was born in Meyerstown, West Vir ...
(1897), college president, civil rights activist


Notable faculty


Present faculty

* Michael Anton, former senior national security official in the Trump administration *
Larry P. Arnn Larry Paul Arnn (born October 8, 1952) is an American educator and writer. He has served as the twelfth president of private college Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan, since May 2000.
, educator and political scientist *
Bradley J. Birzer Bradley J. Birzer (born 1967) is an American historian. He is a History professor and the Russell Amos Kirk Chair in American Studies at Hillsdale College, the author of five books and the co-founder of ''The Imaginative Conservative''. He is kno ...
, history professor and holder of the Russell Amos Kirk Chair in American Studies *
Ronald J. Pestritto Ronald J. Pestritto is an American academic. He is the Graduate Dean and Professor of Politics at Hillsdale College, and the author of two books and the editor of five more. Early life Ronald J. Pestritto graduated from Claremont McKenna College ...
, graduate dean and professor of politics * Paul A. Rahe, historian *
Wilfred McClay Wilfred M. McClay (born 1951) is an American academic currently on the faculty of Hillsdale College. Early life and education McClay graduated from St. John's College, and received a Ph.D. in history from Johns Hopkins University in 1987.Wilfred ...
, historian and author *
Gary L. Wolfram Gary Lee Wolfram is an American economist. He is the William E. Simon Professor in Economics and Public Policy at Hillsdale College and President of Hillsdale Policy Group, a consulting firm specializing in taxation and policy analysis. Early ...
, economist and public policy analyst *
D. G. Hart Darryl G. Hart is a religious and social historian. Hart is Distinguished Associate Professor of History at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. He previously served as dean of academic affairs at Westminster Seminary California from 200 ...
, historian *
Mollie Hemingway Mollie Ziegler Hemingway (born August 3, 1974) is an American conservative author, columnist, and political commentator. She is the editor in chief of the online magazine ''The Federalist'' and a contributor for Fox News. Initially a harsh cri ...
, journalist


Visiting faculty and fellows

* Victor Davis Hanson, classicist and war historian * D.G. Hart, religious and social historian * Mark Helprin, novelist and intelligence expert *
Carl F.H. Henry Carl Ferdinand Howard Henry (January 22, 1913 – December 7, 2003) was an American evangelical Christian theologian who provided intellectual and institutional leadership to the neo-evangelical movement in the mid-to-late 20th century. His earl ...
, theologian * David McCullough, historian *
Madsen Pirie Duncan Madsen Pirie (born 24 August 1940) is a British researcher and author. He is a co-founder and current President of the Adam Smith Institute, a UK neoliberal think tank which has been in operation since 1978. Early life and education B ...
, British researcher, author, and educator * Mark Steyn, journalist * Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States


Past faculty

*
Michael Bauman Michael E. Bauman (February 14, 1950 – October 2, 2019) was a Professor of Theology and Culture and Director of Christian Studies at Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan. He was also a member of the faculty of Summit Ministries, in Manitou ...
, theologian *
John Jay Butler John Jay Butler (April 9, 1814 – 1891) was an ordained minister and theologian in the early Free Will Baptist movement in New England, serving as Professor of Systematic Theology at Cobb Divinity School at Bates College in Maine and later ...
, Free Will Baptist theologian * Allan C. Carlson, historian * Ransom Dunn, dean and professor emeritus * Clark Durant, educator, Senate candidate, co-founder of
Cornerstone Schools (Michigan) Cornerstone Schools is a system of charter schools in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It has four K-8 campuses and Cornerstone Health + Technology High School, all located in the city.Imprimis * Richard Ebeling, Austrian School economist *
Burton Folsom Burton W. Folsom Jr. (born 1947, in Nebraska) is an American historian and author who held the Charles F. Kline chair in history and management at Hillsdale College from 2003 until his retirement in December 2016. Biography Folsom received his B.A ...
, economic historian *
Sir Martin Gilbert Sir Martin John Gilbert (25 October 1936 – 3 February 2015) was a British historian and honorary Fellow of Merton College, Oxford. He was the author of eighty-eight books, including works on Winston Churchill, the 20th century, and Jewish h ...
, official biographer of
Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...
and twentieth-century historian * Daniel McBride Graham, abolitionist, inventor * Russell Kirk, conservative writer *
Madsen Pirie Duncan Madsen Pirie (born 24 August 1940) is a British researcher and author. He is a co-founder and current President of the Adam Smith Institute, a UK neoliberal think tank which has been in operation since 1978. Early life and education B ...
, British researcher and former visitor in philosophy and logic * Frank "Muddy" Waters, College Football Hall of Fame inductee


Notable administrators

* Pat Sajak, Wheel of Fortune host, President of the Hillsdale College Board of Trustees


References


External links

*
''The Hillsdale Collegian''
the campus newspaper {{authority control Liberal arts colleges in Michigan Educational institutions established in 1844 Education in Hillsdale County, Michigan Buildings and structures in Hillsdale County, Michigan Conservatism in the United States 1844 establishments in Michigan Nondenominational Christian universities and colleges in the United States Private universities and colleges in Michigan Free Will Baptist schools Michigan State Historic Sites