Academics Archives

View of the Freshman Convocation attendees, outside.

What is the Freshman Pledge?

As an incoming student to Hillsdale College, the freshman pledge was a commitment to principles I already understood to be a crucial part of a liberal arts education. Hillsdale freshmen come to college with educational and moral standards already set in their lives. The freshman pledge does not contain concepts that are foreign to incoming students, and it is not for the sake of keeping students in line; it serves a greater purpose.

Beyond the Gate

I barely remember taking the Freshman Pledge during the Convocation ceremony at the beginning of the year. I do, however, remember the Convocation addresses given by seniors Morgan Delp and Matthew O’Sullivan. They spoke glowingly of Hillsdale, saying it was something special, sharing the types of guaranteed-to-please happy memories that one would expect to hear at an event attended by new students and parents, but nonetheless speaking earnestly and without any sentimental fluff.

The Truth, Goodness, and Beauty of Life as a Hillsdale Student

“The pursuit of truth, the love of the good, and the cultivation of the beautiful.” This is what every Hillsdale student promises to pursue when he or she takes the Freshman Pledge. The true, the good, and the beautiful are what Hillsdale is all about.

10 Things Students Should Know When Traveling Abroad

Passports are the most exciting things. They get you into strange and wild new places. They allow a smooth welcome back to the United States. The stamps and visas are like a “collect them all” for the nations of the world. Here are 10 things to know when planning your next overseas trip.

Biblical Narrative: The Summer Session to Take

Studying biblical narrative requires particular focus because of its unique challenges. As LaRae Ferguson explains, “I feel like we have to unlearn more things when studying the Bible than with other texts. We come to the Bible with many assumptions, primarily that it’s holy literature. We have to temporarily set those assumptions aside before we can bring them back and gain a richer understanding of the text.”

Reading Lists from English Majors

My summer reading list is quite extensive (and it just keeps growing), but here is a sampling.

Biochemistry, Polanyi, and Lewis: Encountering the Mystery of Human Life

“What do you want to communicate to the world?” “I want the world to know that science is beautiful.” Inspired by Dr. Jim Stephens’ question, Elisabeth Wynia chose the most ambitious topic of all: the mystery and beauty of life.

Dr. Swinehart Takes Marine Biology to its Natural Habitat

With Dr. Swinehart’s recent Florida Keys Biology summer session, students had the opportunity to take care of their Biology core requirement in a way that everyone ought to find appealing: snorkeling and catching weird fish.

Summer Reading List – Dr. Daniel Coupland

Education professor Dr. Daniel Coupland gives us his summer reading list suggestions.

Hillsdale Art Majors

Obtaining a degree in Art at Hillsdale is entirely unique, focusing on traditional styles of art work. One thing Art Majors do is make master copies of famous works. Students do their best to recreate the famous piece. When seniors graduate from Hillsdale with a degree in Art, they are required to have a senior art show to showcase their pieces from the last four years. I spoke with some of this year’s seniors to find out a little more about their artwork.

Spotlight: Erich Steger

Before coming to Hillsdale, Erich Steger was so shy and introverted that his mother worried about his chances of thriving at college. On top of that, Erich himself was unsure of what to expect from his Hillsdale experience. “I knew I was going to study the sciences; I didn’t have that in question,” he says. “I declared a chemistry major right away.”

Summer Reading – Provost David Whalen

This summer we’ll be asking different professors, staff, and departments for their summer reading lists. Here are Dr. Whalen’s picks!