First impressions are crucial.
For prospective students visiting Hillsdale, the sight of construction cranes and the thundering of jackhammers could sway their decisions unfavorably. The construction, albeit temporary and with the promise of educational advancement and facility advancement, could hammer admissions rates.
Fred Schebor, associate senior director of admissions, offered insights on the matter.
“I think it’s more of a disruption for current students than it is for prospective students, and the disruption for current students is manageable because they love the college,” Schebor said.
The temporary loss of the quad’s green spaces detracts from the campus’s immediate aesthetic appeal, but it is also a sign of growth and progress — a college that’s actively improving its facilities for future students.
“The people who love what the college stands for will put up with a little bit of dust and mud because that’s not what makes up this place,” Schebor said. “The same thing is true with prospective students: If they are going to be negatively influenced to the point where it affects their decision to consider Hillsdale, then they don’t understand the fabric and ethos of the place.”
The promise of a new, state-of-the-art learning center could very well outweigh the short-term inconvenience of construction, attracting students excited by the prospect of being among the first to benefit from these facilities.
It’s a narrative that, if communicated effectively by admissions counselors and student ambassadors, could resonate with academically driven applicants.
If current students exhibit complacency and speak negatively about the inconveniences construction entails, prospective students’ impressions of Hillsdale could be tainted. That said, the reverse could also be true since students who dwell on the positives can be just as infectious.
Recalling his experience at a school that he worked at nearly five decades ago, Schebor described how tour guides would routinely field complaints about the unpleasant smell in the biology labs, which stemmed from the use of ether for animal anesthesia during minor surgeries.
“We corrected that in a big hurry,” Schebor said. “What we want to be saying is, ‘Hey, what you’re smelling is the ether that we use to expose the students to complex systems and animals, and it’s a good thing.”
Just like the adjustment one must make when transitioning from standard to military time, students must learn to perceive this construction phase as a reset — a zeroing out of the old to make way for the new.
If we present ourselves as a community that can adapt and thrive amid the noise of construction, then we are not just selling a college experience — we are showing prospective students how Hillsdale lives out its motto.
Schebor praised the efforts of student ambassadors in handling inquiries about construction.
“I have not heard any discouraging comments from our ambassadors,” Schebor said. “I mean, Mrs. Lawson has done an outstanding job, and our ambassadors are just awesome. What they’re going to do is they’re going to take this, put a positive face on it, and be energetic and enthusiastic.”
The preservation of Margaret Thatcher and the planning of alternative green spaces during construction suggest a thoughtful consideration of campus aesthetics and student life. These interim measures indicate that the college values student well-being and community, even in times of transition.
“Construction will not have a negative impact on the impression that students get about Hillsdale College, as long as they’re considering Hillsdale for the right reasons,” Schebor said. “It’s a sign of progress, it serves the greater good, it’s going to be beautiful.”
