Location matters. Where we live informs our decisions — like throwing on a sweatshirt to avert that Midwestern autumn chill — but it also does something more. It instills us with a responsibility to that place.
The college you attend dwells within another place, a city of the same name. This connection is no accident. The city provided the college with the means to be here: In 1853, Hillsdale’s residents donated the land and thousands of dollars for the college to move from Spring Arbor. The city helped us then; we have a responsibility to do the same for it now.
Philosopher G.K. Chesterton wrote in his book “Orthodoxy”: “Men did not love Rome because she was great. She was great because they had loved her.”
That idea rings true today. Just last week, Houston Texans player J.J. Watt raised $30 million for victims of hurricane Harvey. To live in any location is to accept the opportunity to strengthen it.
For college students in Hillsdale, Michigan, this could mean getting a job downtown or learning the names of the servers at The Palace Café. You could join a church fellowship group or visit a locally based shop. Another way to get involved is to volunteer.
Intermingling classes and volunteering is a great way to practice the virtue we talk about in the classroom. The college’s GOAL Program has more than 20 different volunteer opportunities — whatever your interests, you can find a need to fill.
Living in Hllsdale is a distinct, time-bound opportunity to learn from those around us. It is a chance to engage and bridge a divide between the local community and the college.
There is no better way to experience a city than by working with and for it. You have an obligation to this community, whether you want it or not, and you have all the resources to fulfill it.