Grace Hambleton

‍The daughter of a U.S. Navy sailor, Grace Hambleton has lived all over the world. These countries have included Spain and Italy in her toddlerhood to first grade and then the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in her high school and undergraduate years. While living in Italy, Spain, and the UAE, she had the opportunity to visit many more countries including Kenya, Romania, Jordan, Israel, France, Germany, and England. Her journey brought her back to the United States at the beginning of 2020, and she has spent the last 3 years re-acclimating to American society. She had the opportunity to teach first grade at a charter school in Hillsdale, Michigan for the 2022/23 school year. Through that opportunity, she found a love for guiding the souls of students. She is very thrilled to join the second cohort for the classical education program at Hillsdale College.

 

Research interests:

‍I am very interested in the application of the classical mindset to special education. I have also found a joy in exploring the convergence of Greek and Jewish education that began from the Hellenization of Judea and extended to the Talmudic tradition.

 

Post-graduation plans:

‍After graduation, I hope to go on to either achieve a PhD in Psychology or in Classical Education. My hope is to bridge the gap between special education as it is expressed in modern schools and the classical model that can and should be applied to all students.

 

What brought you to Hillsdale?

‍My time as a teacher showed me the need for teachers and administrators who have a classical foundation. I always admired Hillsdale for its goal of expanding understandings and helping students fully realize their worth in God’s eyes. I wanted to have the educational foundation to support my beliefs that all students are worthy of help and assistance in contrast to what I was told as a teacher.

 

What has been the thing you’ve appreciated most about your time here?

I enjoy my time with the rest of the cohort. What I missed during my undergraduate time was the class/dinner table discussions. At Hillsdale, there is an absence of the idea that when class stops the discussion stops. Our professors are always willing to stay after class to answer questions, and we all welcome and enjoy talking about what we are reading at all times.