Students searched the Grewcock Student Union for a stuffed animal cow wearing a blue Hillsdale sweatshirt in a scavenger hunt organized by Hillsdale Dining Services Feb. 1-3.

For the three days, the cow was hidden in three different places. Senior Katie Edison won Feb. 1, and senior Madison Gilbert won Feb. 2, but the cow hidden on Feb. 3 was not found until Feb. 11.

Students who found the stuffed animal won prizes, including Beat headphones and a JBL speaker. 

“A few years ago, we hid coins in the dining hall, and students loved it,” Tammy Cole, operations manager for dining services, said in an email. “This year, we decided to expand the idea to the entire building and make it more challenging.”

Cole said each morning, Sophia Rome ’25, who works for dining services, arrived early before anyone was in the building to hide the Hillsdale cow.

“It has been very well received, and the more students who participate, the better,” Cole said. “Of course, in the future, we will always look for ways to change things and keep it exciting.”

Gilbert won the JBL speaker. She found the stuffed animal near the lost and found bin at the top of the stairs outside the Knorr Family Dining Hall. 

“There’s a black umbrella there, and a hint of white caught my eye, and the cow was right inside the umbrella,” Gilbert said. “It was honestly just a very lucky find.” 

Senior Jihye Kim, who participated in the scavenger hunt, said it was fun but infuriating. 

“I wanted to participate because I love to win,” Kim said. “I like being a winner. And I wanted to get a JBL speaker. I failed in both, though, which was very sad.” 

Kim said because Edison found the stuffed animal in the first five minutes on the first day, it was very well hidden the second day. 

“I was walking around the Union, just looking around, and people were looking at me like I was some crazy woman, but I didn’t care,” Kim said. “Sacrifices have to be made for the sake of winning. I couldn’t find it, and then Gilbert comes along nonchalantly, and she just finds it. She looks in two places and finds it.” 

Kim said she was happy for Gilbert and Edison, but wished she’d done better. 

“I wish that I had the eyes to see and the ears to hear, but apparently I don’t,” Kim said.