Written by Vivian Turnbull, ’25
There was no single, glamorous reason that brought me to Hillsdale College. Rather, it was a series of interactions and open doors that I understand now was the Lord guiding me, stubborn as I was, from my home state of California across the country to a small Michigan college. Having set my heart on other schools years before, I was reluctant to add another to my list, especially one so far away, but I obediently did some half-hearted research and agreed to apply.
I’d done several interviews throughout the college application process, but none of them were like Hillsdale’s. Where other interviewers asked me banal questions about why I liked their school or what I would do with a million dollars, Hillsdale seemed truly interested in me, in my academic interests and hopes. We ended up talking about my favorite author, Dostoevsky, for much of the interview, and I came away admitting that something was different with Hillsdale.
My mom and I toured campus a little while later, and I couldn’t deny that the people were kind, the classes interesting, and the lush campus beautiful. I found that although I was scared to change plans and come to what, compared to Los Angeles, felt like the middle of nowhere where I knew no one, I was beginning to like Hillsdale.
Shortly after my campus tour, I visited Washington, D.C., and I had a chance to see Hillsdale’s D.C. campus and experience what WHIP [Washington-Hillsdale Internship Program] would be like. Again, I liked the professors and the campus, and I loved the idea of spending a semester in D.C. I could feel God nudging me, gently but ever-more-firmly, in Hillsdale’s direction. I finally accepted a spot in Hillsdale’s Class of 2025, and I quickly came to see that I was in the right place.
I love that Hillsdale has a wide array of activities with which to get involved. An experience I especially cherish is my time working as a resident assistant in McIntyre (a freshman dorm) during my sophomore year. I appreciated the upperclassman women who took me under their wings my freshman year, inviting me to meals and Bible study, and I wanted to extend that same friendship to the next class. I’m also a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority and had the opportunity to serve as our Student Federation representative junior year. Through Hillsdale’s GOAL program, I volunteer with an elementary school pen pal program and tutor a local fifth grader.
Hillsdale truly goes above and beyond in providing incredible opportunities for students. Through a program with the Margaret Thatcher Centre, I worked with a member of British Parliament for a summer. As a George Washington Fellow, I get to meet with visiting scholars and work as a research assistant for a history professor. I spent a semester through WHIP working for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and taking classes at the Kirby Center—an experience I cannot recommend highly enough. That semester cemented my desire to pursue politics, and I am currently applying to law school with an eye toward working in legislative affairs. Hillsdale has blessed me with wonderful mentors to guide me as I consider next steps.
Since I come from far away, it’s not always feasible to go home for breaks, but I always have somewhere to go. I spend some shorter breaks with my grandparents on the East Coast; this fall break I’m planning a trip with friends to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Many students go to the homes of professors and church families for holiday meals. One of my favorite stories is how, freshman year, a professor invited me and a friend over so we could see his farm. Not having grown up around farms, I was a bit horrified when I learned the adorable piglets weren’t just being raised as pets, much to my professor’s amusement.
When I am able to fly home, Hillsdale’s shuttle service makes it easy to get to the airport. I was initially nervous about getting around without a car, but I’ve never lacked for transportation options. When I needed a ride to the doctor, one of my rhetoric professors even offered to take me herself if I couldn’t find anyone. Many local churches, like the one I attend, help arrange transportation to events or provide outreach meals for students.
There’s so much more I could say about how Hillsdale has shaped me, but if I had to sum it up, I’d say this: Though it was hard to come to Hillsdale from California, I am so blessed that, because there is so much––and so many people—to love here, it will be even harder to leave.
Vivian Turnbull, ’25, is politics major and rhetoric and media minor. When she isn’t studying in the library with friends, Vivian enjoys walking in the Arboretum, writing book reviews for a Michigan-based company, and trying new coffee flavors.
Published in October 2024
