August Butterfly's Are In The Air

August is here, and with it comes the excitement of welcoming a new class of freshman students to Hillsdale College. We kicked off the semester with our Patriots Run, a cadence run around campus, which saw an impressive turnout of 380 students. Following the run, we held separate meetings for the young men and women with the Dean of Men and the Dean of Women, where we encouraged them to begin their college journey with the end in mind. This is an exhilarating and busy time for everyone—the students, their parents, and the college itself. The atmosphere is filled with a mix of excitement, fear, and wonder. I feel privileged to play a small part in welcoming these new students and their families. We, as a college, are deeply honored by the trust parents place in us when they drop off their sons and daughters, sometimes from hundreds of miles away, entrusting us with the responsibility of shaping their minds and hearts and building on a foundation started by their?families?

For any parent who might read this, I want to offer some advice as you send your kids off to college:

1. Encourage them to filter everything through God's word. Remind them that God's word should be the ultimate authority for their lives and purpose.
2. Pray for them. This might go without saying, but your prayers will not only bless them but also bring you peace, knowing that your children ultimately belong to the Lord. You are merely a steward of His rich blessings.
3. Let them know ownership has shifted. They are now accountable for their actions and decisions. Your role has shifted from being the decision-maker to being a counselor. Embrace this new role. The worst thing you can do is try to manage their lives from afar. Trust me, it’s a bad move. If you feel the urge to call and manage their lives, you might end up calling me. I’ll be polite, but I won’t act as your secret agent. You have to trust the counsel we give your kids. Also, resist the urge to track them with an app—it will only cause unnecessary worry when the app malfunctions. Remember, the Lord is watching over them, and your parents didn’t track you, and you turned out fine.
4. Answer their calls, especially when they’re struggling. When they call, feeling overwhelmed and questioning their decision to come to college, listen and encourage them. Remind them of God's promise that "all things work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose."
5. Don’t hold back your tears. It’s okay to cry—just try not to do it on our grass at Convocation because we’re working hard to keep it healthy! Pre-crying, event-crying, and post-crying are all acceptable. Then, we move on, because life is short, and there’s much to do.
6. Pray for them to face challenges. Pray that the Lord sends them trials of all kinds so they may grow from them. As the slogan from LG, the Korean appliance maker, says: "Life’s Good." Life will be good for your students as they learn and grow here at Hillsdale College.

And just so you know, I realize you’ve probably told your kids that they are special. I’ll remind them that they are not! They are only special? in the sense that they are God’s children. Remember nature forms us, sin deforms us, if it really gets bad prison can try to reform us, Hillsdale College informs us, but only Jesus Christ transforms us.? We take that responsibility of walking alongside?your?kids seriously, with fear and trembling, and we deeply appreciate your prayers.

Our Verse for the Men this year:

I Corinthians 16:13-14 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong Let all that you do be done in love.