Brother Clifton Hillegass
Nebraska '38
Founder, Cliffs Notes

If you took English Literature during your high school or college days you may be one of the millions who utilized a study guide. You might be interested to know that the most popular study guide, and the first, was created by a Nebraska Acacian. The first batch of Cliffs Notes shipped in 1958 and by the end of the year, he'd sold 58,000 copies. By 1962, sales topped the one-million mark.

Today, Cliffs Notes is by far and away the most popular supplementary study guide for English Literature and the American Classics. The phrase "cliff notes" is widely known in today's vernacular. The expression, "I'll give you the 'cliff notes' version" is the 21st century's way of telling a condensed version of a story or event.