The longtime “Wheel of Fortune” host has a lot to offer. He’s a knowledgeable sports commentator, obviously a talented game show host, but what many may not know is that he was the Vice-Chairman of the Board at Hillsdale College for 15 years. And in 2019, Pat Sajak got a promotion.
Hillsdale College in Michigan is a small, private liberal arts school with an undergraduate enrollment of fewer than 2,000 students. For the better part of two decades, Pat Sajak has been serving on the Board of Trustees. In 2019, then-Chairman of the Board, William Brodbeck, stepped down.
Pat Sajak stepped up into the Chairman role. In a quote he gave to the Hillsdale Collegian, Brodbeck claimed that Sajak is more than capable of doing the job.
“Pat is a brilliant mind. He brings a sound knowledge of the school. He can dramatically move Hillsdale forward, both on campus and around the country,” Brodbeck said in 2019.
Larry Arnn, the president of Hillsdale College, praised Sajack as well.
“Pat is a man of calm and steady judgment, possessed also of a wicked wit. He is a man of selfless service, famous and yet not interested in celebrity, hilarious and yet serious. He knows the purposes of the college and is devoted to them,” Arnn said of the “Wheel of Fortune” host.
Sajak himself had a vision for expanding the school’s reach.
“Our funding comes from people who have never stepped foot on campus. And that’s the challenge: the outreach,” the “Wheel of Fortune” host and college chairman said.
He also had some kind words to share about his colleagues on the Board.
“There’s no aspect of the school that hasn’t improved under their watch — under the vision of Arnn and the passion of Bill,” Sajak continued.
Where does he find the time? Well, busy as Pat Sajak seems, “Wheel of Fortune” tapes 15 episodes at a time. The taping schedule often leaves him with three consecutive weeks of downtime before clocking in for work again.
‘Wheel of Fortune’ Host’s College Education
Despite his commitment to Hillsdale College, Pat Sajak didn’t actually attend the school.
An Illinois native, Sajak stayed local and attended Columbia College Chicago. While he was going to school, he worked as a clerk at the Palmer House Hotel. Eventually, young Pat Sajak applied for a job at a local radio station. He became a radio newsman, and once he got his start in broadcasting, he never looked back.
