Jillian Parks, Editor-in-chief:
Aside from Media Theory and Criticism, which I already wrote an entire article on last semester, the best class I took during my four years at Hillsdale was Advanced Writing with Director of the Dow Journalism Program John J. Miller. The class was made up of a small but diverse group of students, from seasoned journalists to curious English majors, and everyone had something to gain from that range of perspectives. It was enlightening to discover that, while my instincts when it came to writing were good, I lacked some of the foundational knowledge required to be a really good writer. From rules concerning concision, to feedback about word choice, to being pushed to get at the heart of what I want to say, Advanced Writing was the class that gave me the best practice for writing and sustaining an argument.
Isaac Green, Managing Editor:
When I signed up for Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy Alexandre Winston’s Aesthetic Theory course two semesters ago, I thought it would be nothing more than a niche class for nerdy philosophy majors like myself. I left the class with exactly the opposite opinion: The philosophy of beauty is a subject liberal arts students of all disciplines would benefit from studying. In addition to changing the way I think about art, poetry, and even music, the material led me to examine the place of wonder at the heart of learning for the first time — wonder that arises when we experience the infinite in something finite, when we encounter the divine in the sensible world. The class was full of frustrating paradoxes and seemingly unanswerable questions, but it gave me a much richer perspective on life and education than before.
Michaela Estruth, Senior Editor:
History of Christian Thought I with Assistant Professor of Theology Cody Strecker perfectly synthesized my interests and time at Hillsdale. Senior year, I intentionally left space in my schedule to take classes of my choosing that fell outside of my major and minor. I turned to theology classes, and this class happened to be open. The survey through centuries of early ancient to medieval history approached much of the historical knowledge I’d learned from a theological viewpoint. I enjoyed setting these thinkers in context and dialogue with one another. Theologians’ efforts to describe God flooded my mind with countless images I had never before considered, leaving me humbled in wonder at our God, who is beyond description. My theological knowledge deepened and so did the depth of my faith.
Olivia Pero, Outreach Director:
The most influential class I took during my time at Hillsdale was Associate Professor of Politics Kevin Slack’s public policy class this semester. It’s been the most interesting class to me because we talk about current events and issues that pretty much everyone in our generation has experienced or witnessed, such as COVID-19 and the pressure to get vaccinated, the chronic health issues many Americans face because of the foods we eat, and the detrimental effects of social media on children and teens. This class has led me to think beyond the things most college students are focused on and to consider how I want to raise my future children, especially when it comes to education, technology, and values.
Ally Hall, Design Editor:
The day you become annoyed with birds is the day you’re too busy with life, according to my former Associate Professor of English Brent Cline. The only people who are allowed this peevish luxury are farmers. Charming lines of wisdom like this were weekly occurrences in both of Cline’s Great Books courses, classes I took out of order. My punishment for trying to drop out of college during spring semester freshman year was having to take an English course a year late with teenage boys. But Great Books I afforded me the chance to revisit texts I had rushed through when I first read them in high school. Cline’s lectures enriched my understanding of vital texts in the Western canon and crafted new patterns of thinking about literature, writing effectively, and existing beyond the classroom. I find myself spiritually richer and a far better writer because of his perspective.
Colman Rowan, Culture Editor:
It’s pretty simple for me. I’m an English major, so my most influential class was Associate Professor of English Dwight Lindley’s Great Books I. I’ve taken so many great classes here, always trying to take the best options — regardless of difficulty. Mercifully, the question does not demand me to determine the best course I’ve taken, but the most influential. My time at Hillsdale has been a little rushed since I transferred in and am getting out of here in only three years, so I had to pick my major pretty quickly. Along with Great Books that second semester of my first year, I took intro philosophy and American Heritage — both excellent courses — but Lindley’s impersonation of Homer’s Paris, along with many other things, won my heart. After this class I decided to be an English major. If you didn’t enjoy Great Books, you didn’t have enough fun. And if you regret skipping your Great Books readings, make some time to take an upper level English class. It’s worth it.
Kamden Mulder, Features Editor:
Some people say it’s wise to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. That’s precisely what I learned in Professor of Politics Kevin Portteus’s course Progressivism and Liberalism. Portteus taught me why the introduction of progressive philosophy has led to the degradation of the integrity of the U.S. Constitution, sparking a deep frustration with progressive thinkers and the expansion of the administrative state. Starting with German Hegelian philosophy and early progressivism, I now understand the foundation of the belief system and can interpret the actions of presidents such as Woodrow Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt through this lens. By understanding my enemies — or the progressives — I can better articulate how the history and politics of this era have shaped how our government functions today.
Nathan Stanish, Ad Manager
Assistant Professor of Education Jonathan Gregg’s Classical Quadrivium showed me what it’s like to enjoy writing a paper and enjoy taking an exam — two things I formerly only thought possible for masochists. His class was the perfect synthesis between education (my career) and theology (my major). Journeying through arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music doubled as a journey through the development of faith, from the basics of God’s existence to the complexities of theodicy. Every exercise in that class opened my eyes to more imaginative ways to learn. The papers, in particular, demanded genuine creativity as we constructed dialogues and told stories rather than dissecting two lines of text in 10 pages of academic speculation. Every major stands to gain from studying the quadrivium. It is the foundation of our classical education and my inspiration as a future 3rd-grade teacher.
