Paul Hildenbrand: Serving students for 43 years, a goal achieved
In 1981, Paul Hildenbrand, B.B.A.’86, M.A.’07, set foot on Western Michigan University’s campus as a first-year student. He was so impressed by the new student orientation process that he made it his goal to become an orientation leader in the summer of 1982. Goal achieved—Hildenbrand worked with incoming students in 1982 and 1983, educating them on all things Western. In the summers of 1984 and 1985, he moved to assisting the parent audience during the orientation process. Those experiences sparked his initial interest in becoming an academic advisor, which is where he has spent a good deal of his career at WMU. Now, he is retiring and getting ready to graduate to a new phase of life.
Hildenbrand’s first role at WMU was in media services, but eight years later, he joined the academic advising staff in the College of Education and Human Development—another goal achieved.
In the College of Education and Human Development, Hildenbrand met his most impactful mentor, Joyce DeRight, B.S.’77, M.A.’87, who served as director of advising. “She was a friend and inspiration to me,” says Hildenbrand “Sadly, she passed away in 2011. About half the campus knows who Joyce was. She was unique and kind-hearted, always conveying the way things were, with just the right amount of humor. I miss her terribly.”
DeRight’s legacy is very much alive in Hildenbrand, who has spent countless hours advising and providing outreach to WMU students first at the College of Education and Human Development and then at the Haworth College of Business. In 2008, Hildenbrand became director of academic advising at WMU Haworth, where he oversaw academic advising operations for the college. In 2012, he transitioned to manager of community college recruitment and outreach, where he has had a significant impact on the transfer student experience for business students.
"It’s tough to imagine going into the Office of Academic Advising and not striking up a conversation with Paul about his latest travels, the next trip he’s planning, or the admiration he and I share for Dolly Parton,” says Dr. Devrim Yaman, associate dean of the Haworth College of Business. “I will truly miss Paul’s positive outlook on life and collegiality. He has impacted the lives of thousands of business students, and I know, with certainty, that he always had the best interest of our students at heart. I deeply appreciate his amazing service to the Haworth College of Business and WMU!"
Hildenbrand has traveled extensively in his latest role, connecting directly with potential transfer students and answering their questions so the transfer process is as seamless as possible. He visited more than 20 of the 30 community colleges in Michigan annually. And no question was too detailed or too niche for Hildenbrand, who always put students’ needs at the forefront of every day.
“Nothing makes me feel better than when a student that I had worked with over the years comes in to tell me they’re graduating and to thank me for my help in their success,” he says.
And student success is something that Hildenbrand has invested in. He was a pioneering instructor for the Business Preparation course in 2012, an introductory course that is now part of the Bachelor of Business Administration curriculum. He also recently helped students launch a new student organization, Business Transfer Collective, which supports, empowers and connects transfer students pursuing business education by fostering academic success, professional development, leadership opportunities and meaningful engagement within the University community.
Among other notable accomplishments, Hildenbrand earned his master’s degree in 2007 and was the recipient of the College of Education and Human Development’s Staff Excellence Award in 2008.
“There is a song by Tim McGraw titled ‘Humble and Kind,’ and the sentiment of that song is how I’ve tried to pattern my life in my interactions with others,” he says. “I hope I’ve helped students believe in themselves and their abilities, and not to change their major just because they did poorly in one course. I want students to know that going to college is making an investment in their future life. I’ve encouraged students to keep the big view of life in mind, starting to think now about where they want to be in 30 or 40 years. From personal experience, I can tell you it comes up much quicker than you would expect.”
Hildenbrand has been involved in many initiatives throughout his career at WMU. One he reflects on as he nears retirement is serving on the committee to choose items to place in a time capsule to commemorate Western’s centennial anniversary in 2003. The time capsule is in the statue in front of the Seibert Administration Building and is set to be opened in 2053. “I'll be 90 when they open the capsule,” he says. “It would be great to be able to be here when it is opened, but I don’t know if I'll be around that long!”
One thing is for certain. With the time he had, Hildenbrand made an impact. He has helped thousands of students achieve their personal milestones—and has had the type of accomplishments that would have made his mentor proud.
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