January 2026

Good Fit: Gucciardo Chooses Hillsdale First, Tennis Second

Steve Gucciardo, ’89, thought the Hillsdale College tennis program was a good fit when he was deciding on a college. However, he liked the school even more, which is why he spurned a scholarship offer from a NCAA Division I university to become a Charger. And he does not regret that decision one bit.

Best-Case Scenario: Hackman Heffner Grateful for Family, Hillsdale

As a high school standout from the northern suburbs of Chicago, Sarah Hackman Heffner, ’23, was recruited to play tennis at Hillsdale. Her twin brother, Brian Hackman, ’23, was also a tennis standout. The coaches were able to persuade the twins to make Hillsdale “a package deal.”

Designing Woman: Sarah Klopfer Supervises Creative Design at ESPN

Klopfer, ’16, credits her Hillsdale experiences leading her to some amazing post-graduation career opportunities. She has gone from designing media guide graphics for Hillsdale College Athletics to working for the top sports media company in the world.

Elevated Education: Jacob Mueller Learned the Higher Things at Hillsdale

Despite growing up in the elevations of the Rocky Mountains, savvy businessman Jacob Mueller, ’13, started at the ground level while beginning his education at Hillsdale College. The current CEO of Renjoy credits much of his success to his Hillsdale education.

The Hillsdale College Alumni Dozen: The Sequel

Meeting alumni and telling their stories is a joy for Doug Goodnough, ’90. Doug continues the “tradition” of highlighting some of the most memorable alumni of the year. Here are the 2025 Alumni Dozen (in no particular order or ranking).

Generations: Emerson Family Spans More Than 90 Years of Hillsdale Athletics

More than 130 years ago, the first member of the Emerson family walked the Hillsdale College campus as a student. Since that time, 18 additional family members have attended Hillsdale, become student-athletes, and left a family heritage of which very few can boast.