Doyle sings with student band Runaround at Centralhallopalooza 2024.
Courtesy |Caleb Diener
Daniel Doyle is a senior biochemistry major from Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is the senior class vice president, Events Team Lead for the Student Activities Board, and a member of men’s music fraternity Theta Epsilon, leadership honorary Omicron Delta Kappa, and secretary of the Hippocratic Society, a pre-med medical ethics group. He is the lead singer for student band Runaround, and participates in Chamber Choir, College Choir, and Opera Workshop.
What is a song you’ve had on repeat?
“Beneath Thy Compassion” by Apollo Five. Paul Mealor is the composer, and Apollo Five is the choir that’s performing it. I don’t even know how I found it, but it’s really beautiful.
What’s your favorite class at Hillsdale?
As much as the class is really notorious for being incredibly difficult, I really, really loved Organic Chemistry. It’s definitely the hardest class I’ve taken, but it also was one of the most edifying classes I’ve taken. It really is like learning a language, and you find yourself at the end of that class being able to speak about certain things in ways you never would have been able to before. I also met a lot of really good people in that class.
Who has been your biggest inspiration in life?
Definitely my dad. He’s an ophthalmologist, eye surgeon, a great father to six kids, now six grandkids. Just a really good, faithful man.
What is your favorite song to sing with Runaround? What is a song you want to perform with Runaround that you haven’t yet?
“Careless Whispers” is my favorite to sing, and “Crazy Train” is my favorite to perform. I know that’s a pretentious distinction, but it is a real one. I really hope to do an MCR song before we graduate (“Famous Last Words” or “Welcome to the Black Parade”)
What’s your go-to coffee order?
Dirty Chai. Yeah, I’m a caffeine addict.
What are some words of advice for freshmen?
Overbook your schedule with extracurriculars that excite you. I find that many people here are so afraid of being stretched thin, and as a result just stay out of any extracurricular commitment altogether. Do too much. It will be stressful at times, but you’ll surprise yourself with what you can accomplish, and you’ll be better for it.
If you could dream the same dream every night, what would it be?
I would dream that I could fly and have super strength. Every night I’ll stop the wrecking ball from taking down Donnybrook…and every time I wake, I will sigh with sadness.
What is something many people would never guess about you?
I sang under Martin Neary several times, who was the former Westminster Abbey choir director and directed the music for Princess Diana’s funeral.
What’s your favorite book quote?
“There should be priests to remind men that they will one day die. At certain strange epochs it is necessary to have another kind of priest, called poets, actually to remind men that they are not dead yet.” –G.K. Chesterton, “Manalive.” Shoutout Dr. Moore’s Great Books II Class.
If you got stuck in a fictional universe for a year, where would it be and why?
Alderaan. It’s literally Star Wars Rivendell. Enough said.
