“In Their Eyes” Professor Matthew Gaetano reminisces on his days as a Hillsdale student

Home Features “In Their Eyes” Professor Matthew Gaetano reminisces on his days as a Hillsdale student
“In Their Eyes” Professor Matthew Gaetano reminisces on his days as a Hillsdale student


Listening to Assistant Professor of History Matt Gaetano reminisce about his time as a Hillsdale College student confirms that some things never change. This college that the students fondly poke fun at remains strong in spirit, just as it did a decade ago.

Gaetano, a professor of history since the beginning of last semester, was an honors student at Hillsdale from the fall of 2001 to spring of 2005. After graduating he went to the University of Pennsylvania to complete his Master of Arts in History, where he also worked as a teacher’s assistant. In 2010, when he was researching in Italy, the college notified him that it was accepting applications for a position in the History department.

“I just realized that at Penn a lot of (my class ideas) just wouldn’t work; it just would not have worked to do a class on Boethius,” Gaetano said. “There might be a few schools like (Hillsdale) but it was a very limited number where I could feel that the things that I could offer would be really important to the schools general mission.”

This unique pursuit of learning impressed Gaetano when he stepped on campus as a freshman. He referenced the same feeling that most freshman experience their first fall: stark awareness of their own ignorance.

“For me my Hillsdale education was transformative,” Gaetano said.

“I didn’t know very much when I left high school, I knew a lot less than a lot of other freshman. So all of this was entirely new to me.”

Gaetano, a New Jersey native, mentioned his first retreat with the Honors Program, saying he was sure his mouth was agape at the profound things Provost David Whalen and Professor of History Mark Kalthoff said.

Almost as common as those profound words were the characters who brought and continue to bring this campus so much joy and life.

“There were people who would wear the most absurd garments, like this one guy who would wear top hats and walk with a cane,” Gaetano said. “There was also a guy who would climb up in a tree in the old quad and just sit up there with people studying beneath it. He would read up there and just stare off into space. This is a funny place.”

Gaetano said the college replaced the old Delta Tau Delta house with the Suites his senior year, after the administration removed the frater- nity from campus. Students ate in the Dow Leadership Center, since the Grewcock Student Union was not finished until 2008. Students also attended classes in Kresge Hall since both Lane and Kendall Halls were not completed until 2005.

Gaetano explained that Lane and Kendall improved upon Kresge. Senior year, when he took Associ- ate Professor of English Stephen Smith’s class on Dante, the power went out. “Dr. Smith just kind of rested in the silence but then he said ‘I’m not a Luddite. I appreciate modern technology.’ It was kind of a funny moment realizing how loud that building was.”

As always, the Pantheon of Hillsdale professors was strong, yet some characters have been added since then.

“Dr. [Justin] Jackson, who is certainly a part of that Hillsdale pantheon, came my senior year,” Gaetano said. “ And Professor [Harold] Siegel, who attracts the really great history students, was new when I left. Dr. [Stephen] Smith had already become one of these major figures on campus – he came my freshman year. … Dr. [Eric] Hutchinson graduated my freshman year – people talked about him.”

However, Gaetano stated, “A lot of the things were the same. Dr. [John] Somerville had a reputation for being a really tough grader but very worth it. I took Dr. [David] Jones and he had a presence – just always impeccably dressed.”

And of course, students complained about SAGA food, many seniors lived by the maxim “ring by spring,” and the students fondly joked about the transformative and quirky learning experience that is unique to this little college in Hillsdale, Michigan.

eshelton@hillsdale.edu

We are excited to announce a new series for this semester’s Spaces page. “In Their Eyes” will feature former Hillsdale College students who now serve in the administration, or as members of the faculty.