Humans of Hillsdale: Allie Dewire

Humans of Hillsdale: Allie Dewire

Humans of Hillsdale is an ongoing series spotlighting Hillsdale College student-athletes, spotlighting the people behind the uniforms.

Next in the series is Charger women's basketball player Allie Dewire

WORDS: Calli Townsend
PHOTO: Grace Touchette

Allie Dewire — Adventure

Class of 2019  |  Women's Basketball  |  Toledo, Ohio

 

Each year Hillsdale College hosts "The Source," an event similar to a job fair to let students know of all the groups and clubs they can join on campus. When Allie Dewire attended that event during her freshman year, she was excited for all of the new opportunities ahead of her.

She went on to join the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, which she is now the president of, and become a member of the Chi Omega Sorority. She also got involved in Hillsdale's Adopt-A-Grandparent program. While she expected to make friends with fellow athletes and sorority sisters, she didn't expect to build such a strong friendship with her "grandma."

"I was just going through The Source and you know how you grab like a thousand things," she said. "Well, the Adopt-A-Grandparent one just kind of stuck with me. I've been lucky to have her as my grandparent every year."

Allie calls her "Grandma Jean" and says the two have grown very close over the past four years. 

"She's awesome. She 92 years old and has a walker that the people there make her use, but she just zooms around the nursing home," Allie said. "I go see her every Friday after lunch. She introduced me to her friends at the home. They have 'happy hour' and they'll serve you drinks snacks and appetizers, so she and I and her friends will sit together and hang out." 

Grandma Jean isn't the only friend Allie has made during her time on campus. Allie's friendly personality has opened many doors to new friendships. She says she hopes to be known for being nice and inviting.

"I guess people know me as a basketball player," she said, "but I try to make people know I'm welcoming and down to make new friends. I love making friends."

This idea of making new friends sparks Allie's sense of adventure. In high school, she traveled with her Spanish class to Spain. She has returned to the country and culture she loves since then, and even hopes to live there after graduation.

"I like being in new places and challenging myself in different social environments," she said. "I think their culture is so fun and it's just different. I'm just really drawn to the culture there." 

While visiting Spain a couple of years ago with Hillsdale's study abroad program Allie added a couple of stops to her trip: Switzerland, Italy, and France. 

"I went to Rome by myself and it was so cool just getting to wander the city," she said. "It was a very neat adventure."

She stayed at an Air B&B in Rome and the owner even gave her a tour of the city. 

"We got to talking and we really hit it off," she said. "He took me to a little ice cream shop that was around the corner that was supposed to be the best." 

Allie's ability to make friends wherever she goes will serve her well as she travels after college.