Hillsdale College, Author at Hillsdale College

Hand-written Pi numbers on green chalkboard

Mathematics & Poetry

In his Math 403: Real Analysis course this semester, Dr. Gaebler offered an extra credit opportunity. Write a poem – a haiku, a limerick, or a sonnet – that encompasses some aspect of what we have learned so far this semester. Thus, I present to you “Sonnet √2,” a proof of the irrationality of the square root of two, written in true Shakespearean style.

The History of π

Each year on March 14, people around the world celebrate a number. That’s strange! But March 14, when written as 3/14, gives the first few digits of the famous mathematical constant π, which is approximately equal to 3.14159265358979…. What is π and why is it so special that we honor it every March 14? To understand some reasons, let’s start at the beginning, or as close to the beginning as we can find, for the history of π spans nearly 4000 years and it “has been known for so long that [its origin] is quite untraceable” (MacTutor, A history of Pi).

Maran McLeod: CCA Formation and Friendship

For Maran McLeod, her job is all about people. As the lead CCA student assistant, Maran has had the opportunity to meet and talk with many important CCA guests, including donors, friends of the college, and even actresses.

Living & Working in Chicago | Shelby Kittleson ’13

2013 graduate Shelby Kittleson moved to Chicago shortly after her graduation in May. Since then, she’s been thriving in her new environment and wanted to share her great story. We decided to ask her a […]

From Mindless Parroting to Deep, Independent Thinking

By my freshman year of high school, I had decided that I would attend Hillsdale College. When people asked me why Hillsdale and not any other school, I answered “’Cause I want to learn how to think, not what to think!”

Edward Everett Oratory Competition: Dylan Hoover

We talked to Dylan after he won the competition about his speech-writing techniques and involvement with the Speech Team as well as Mock Trial. We thought his speech-writing traditions were pretty unique.

Mary Randall Preschool: Laughter and Learning

How often do college students get to build castles with wooden blocks or make snowmen out of shaving cream? I can happily say that I have recently done both. At Mary Randall Preschool, these and other similarly delightful activities are everyday occurrences. Play is the order of the day, and the children enthusiastically welcome college volunteers to join in their fun.

10 Phone Interview Tips

When was the last time you actually talked to someone (other than your mom) on the phone? Most of us have little use for calling people. Want to order pizza? There’s […]

Spotlight on Dr. Weaire: Dead Elephants and the Art of Latin Grammar

By the time I applied to Hillsdale, I had a pretty good handle on Latin grammar, and I tested into the 201 level. I suppose that I thought that I had seen it all. One Latin class is the same as any other, right? Wrong.

Hillsdale is a Home

At the beginning of the year, you get asked the same five questions over and over again: name, year, potential major, hometown, and why you chose Hillsdale. Through this litany of questions, I began to realize that the way I had found and chosen Hillsdale College was perhaps not the most typical amongst my peers.

Coping with Shakespeare: Why Writing Hurts

About a year ago, I walked into the office of one of my English professors, sat down, and struck up a conversation. Purportedly—as far as he was concerned, and, even as far as I had convinced myself—I was there to talk about graduate school. And we did, for quite a while.

Professors of Influence: Dr. Stephens

A short, square man strides confidently into a classroom full of chattering freshmen. They don’t notice him. They are too busy arguing about Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, attempting to show off all that they learned from the preparatory assignment that Hillsdale prescribes to all incoming freshmen. The short man stops at his desk, looks ‘round the room quizzically, wondering at the air rich with arrogance, and slams his portfolio down hard. The sharp slap of paper on desk mutes the debate, and all students turn their heads to wonder at the man standing before them.