October 2025

Hometown Hillsdale: Stacy Vondra, ’95

Education and learning have always been a constant for Stacy Bryan Vondra. So has Hillsdale College. From head teacher to director at Mary Randall Preschool, to speech pathologist for the Branch County ISD, students have remained at the heart of it all for Stacy.

A Wild Ride: Lundberg Retires After 40 Years at Hillsdale College

Ask Bill Lundberg to sum up his 40 years at Hillsdale College, and he is at a loss for words. After spending his first 27 years as a head coach for the men’s cross country and track and field programs and more than a decade as the head of the Hillsdale College Wellness Initiative, Lundberg retired from the College in May.

How Do I Love English?

When Faith Senne, ’27, first registered for Great Books II, she was interested in pursuing an English major or minor because of Dr. Justin Jackson’s Great Books I, but she didn’t think she would end up doing it. Because of poetry and Great Books II, she changed her mind pretty quickly, thanks to Dr. Benedict Whalen.

Classically Connected: Pursuing Virtue at Hillsdale College and Its K-12 Schools

Hillsdale College’s influence on K-12 students around the country has spread the importance of critical thinking in students and tradition in education. For Adam Robbins, ’27, his K-12 education gave him insight into many subjects and histories, but most importantly, it gave him the ability to think freely and rise to self-government.

Passport to Play: International Students Find Land of Opportunity at Hillsdale

They come to Hillsdale from distant lands, drawn by the same qualities that attract American student-athletes to Hillsdale: an excellent education plus the chance to compete at a high level with scholarship support. Hillsdale’s international student-athletes have found that and more—while also adjusting to life in small-town America.

Cardinals Rule: St. Louis Native Meinecke Working for Her Hometown Team

Elisabeth Meinecke, ’07, has always had a love of sports. Although Meinecke couldn’t compete on the playing field, she could do the next best thing: write about those who do. For the past 10 years, she has been the senior editor/producer of Cardinals Magazine, which is the multimedia news site of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Hometown Hillsdale: Abby Strehle, ’19

Born and raised in Hillsdale County, Abby Titus Strehle, grew up in the small farming village of North Adams. Attending Hillsdale College was her dream and ultimate goal as a K-12 student. In fact, Hillsdale was the only college to which she applied. As Abby grows older, her appreciation deepens for the place that shaped who she is.

Have You Had Your Hillsdale Moment?

Homecoming weekend’s alumni baseball game was a huge hit. It is the kind of experience the College and the Alumni Office hope to provide for our alumni in so many ways. Have you had your Hillsdale moment? We’ll do our level best to help you experience it.