Not only is Hillsdale filled with bright young students, but the college is also teaming with alumni who put their talents and skills gained from their time on campus to work as directors, deans, and professors.
Senior Director of Alumni Marketing Doug Goodnough ‘90, Director of Employer Relations Sharon Kinsler-Rupp ‘90, and Dean of Men Aaron Petersen ‘96 are three of the many Hillsdale alumni continuing their careers at their alma mater.
Goodnough was a member of Delta Sigma Phi and the sports editor of The Collegian in addition to playing baseball during his time on campus.
Goodnough earned Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All-Conference Honors three times (as a sophomore, junior, and senior) in his career with the Chargers as a first baseman and pitcher.
Among his favorite memories from baseball include the team’s yearly trip down to the Detroit Tigers’ spring training facilities at Henley Field in Lakeland, Florida.
“Those trips were always special,” Goodnough said. “Especially when our vehicle usually broke down somewhere on I-75.”
After graduation, Goodnough remained on campus to be an assistant baseball coach as well as the sports editor of the Hillsdale Daily News until 1996. In February of 2022, Goodnough returned as the director of alumni marketing.
“It is a privilege to be back,” Goodnough said. “When Hillsdale calls, you answer, and I am thrilled to be back furthering the mission of the College.”
Kinsler-Rupp was a member of Pi Beta Phi as well as a contributing member of women’s cross country and track teams, competing in the 5-kilometer, 1500-meter, 3000-meter, 5000-meter, and relay races.
During her career, Kinsler-Rupp and her teammates won four cross country, four indoor, and four outdoor track and field GLIAC Championships.
Individually, Kinsler arrived at Hillsdale and was almost immediately a top 25 national runner. She placed 12th in the NAIA District 23 Championship in cross country her senior year. Kinsler also was also a three-time NAIA All-American runner, with her only year not earning honors coming in her sophomore year, which ended prematurely due to injury.
She also qualified for multiple indoor and outdoor national championship meets throughout her career. Her fondest memories during her running career were the relationships and bonds she made with her teammates.
“These are my people,” Kinsler said. “We still hangout and to this day we are all very close.”
Kinsler also attributes this family she made on campus as her reason for returning to Hillsdale to work for career services in Jan. 2020.
“This place always seemed like home to me,” Kinsler said.
Aaron Petersen joined Delta Sigma Phi, served as a resident assistant in Simpson Residence, and played varsity football and baseball for the Chargers. During his collegiate football career, he earned all-conference honors as a tight end and helped the Chargers win an NCAA Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference Championship in 1992.
His favorite memory on the field was catching two touchdowns in a comeback victory over rival Grand Valley State University on Oct. 15, 1994.
“We were down two scores,” Petersen said. “We had two big plays, one was the ‘Hillsdale Special’ and the quarterback threw it into the endzone to me. The other one was the ‘Delaware Special,’ which normally gets thrown to the wide receiver, but when coach called the play, my quarterback looked and pointed at me, and sure enough, he threw another touchdown pass to me. That was a fun game to win.”
On the mound, Petersen also earned all-conference honors and contributed as a right-handed pitcher, designated hitter, first baseman, and outfielder. His favorite memory from baseball came late in a game during his freshman year.
“I came in as a relief pitcher in the top of the 7th inning, up 2-1, and I gave up a hit to make it 3-2,” Petersen said. “In the bottom of the 7th, I came back up to bat with a couple runners on, I was still upset that I let down the starting pitcher who was a senior pitching his last game. The opposing pitcher made a mistake and I hit one to the wall. It drove in two runs and we won the game. That senior still teases me to this day that I stole his last win from him.”
After graduation, Petersen taught science and coached football and baseball at Grand Rapids Catholic Central high school before returning to Hillsdale as the dean of men in Jan. 2001. He says that Hillsdale’s excellence and uniqueness were big factors in his decision to return to his alma mater.
“It really is a special place,” Petersen said. “I remember thinking that there’s not too many places where you can get a top-tier education, be able to play two sports, join a fraternity, and be a resident assistant.”
