
We’re pretty excited to start doing our collective thing as Bethel’s Department of History, Philosophy, and Political Science. But we’ve got to admit: that’s kind of a mouthful.
So what can you call us for short?

The historical record on this matter is sketchy, but oral tradition holds that it was philosophy professor Sara Shady who first suggested we call ourselves the Hippos. As in:
HIstory
Philosophy
POlitical Science
While learning the term for a group of these remarkable animals gave some of us pause, the nickname stuck. We’ve already heard our provost and deans use it, and at the end of the spring semester, some Honors students who had been studying in our commons area gifted us with this department mascot.

Humanities3, well, the 3 is supposed to be superscript… Or something so you can have your theme song to the tune of “We Three Kings”. I can’t think of anything right now because, well, I was a history and political science major, not an English lit major…