The final post of this photo blog series will check out my personal apartment, the eclectic apartment. There is no rhyme or reason to the design behind this space. As my apartment mates and I were moving in, we knew we did not want to feel like we were at school while in the apartment, we wanted to feel like we were home. Each piece is personal and holds a special meaning to us.
The Eclectic Apartment
There are definitely a lot of colors and patterns going on in this space. The oriental rug, bright red couch, patterned blankets and pillows, and gallery wall make bold statements. We toned down the colors with a simple black coffee table, a dark wood end table, brown and black vintage trunk. We also added a variety of textures like different shaped light strands, plants and a tree branch.
The Grove City College Wolverines Women’s Lacrosse Team is pumped to start their season. They are ready for the opportunity to leave all of their effort and energy on the lacrosse field, to build relationships with their teammates and to ultimately glorify God in their actions. Team captains Claudia Bennett and Angalena Malavenda are seeking to have this season put Grove City’s Women’s Lacrosse Team on the map, bringing in more funding from the school and ultimately seeking to achieve varsity status. I had the opportunity to interview Angalena this past week. Here are her remarks.
Angalena and I started our conversation discussing the goals of their lacrosse season. This year they want to focus on stick skills, endurance and speed. She talked about the importance of having the new girls, who just recently got a stick in their hands, feel comfortable holding a lacrosse stick, cradling and passing. So a lot of their preseason activities have been helping prep these girls for the season as well as developing group work-out routines which help all of the girls get back into shape.
Angalena and I also got a chance to talk about some of her duties as co-captain. She told me that a lot unexpected problems have come up, especially in terms of financial issues. She went on to say that “without the leadership of a coach, there is a lot of responsibility that falls onto Claudia’s and I’s shoulders in order to coordinate practices, juggle financials, schedule buses, coordinate referees for our games, organizing groups for workouts, offering up free time to help girls, scheduling field times, contacting other teams to play, organizing executive meetings to discuss the above tasks and then setting up a game plan in order to coach the girls during practice.” Although all of this responsibility can seem overwhelming at times, Angalena has learned so much about leadership and organization. One of the really cool things about Grove City is that so many clubs are run entirely by students. Angalena and previous lacrosse captains have been able to take this lacrosse team from just an idea to a varsity sport by the end of the year.
We also got a chance to discuss the details on how practices are going to be run this season. She said that “practices first start with a warm up and then some conditioning work. Then we transition into a stick warm up with partner passing, shuttles and a few 3 v 2’s. We plan on doing shooting drills and more intense drills to practice our offense and scoring possibilities. We would also like to practice transitions and defensive drills.”
Another issue that a lot of girls ask going into this season is the amount of time they have to dedicate to this sport, especially since it is a club sport. Angalena responded to this by saying the time commitment during a standard practice week is a maximum of 4 hours. They organize two practices a week as well as a workout. In regards to games the time commitment is a little different since there is travel time and play time. Those hours tend to vary.
In terms of their season, Angalena told me that she has high hopes of making to the playoffs this season. She believes that “there have been a few teams in the past that I think we can beat based on the new talent on the team.”
Wrapping up our interview I wanted to get to know the team dynamic a bit and find out what the girls are like and the sense of community throughout the team. Angalena responded by saying that “we are a very well rounded team.” Majority of the girls who are on the team are involved in many other groups and clubs on campus. And the skill level on the team ranges from experienced players, who have played more than five years whether in high school or on travel teams, to players who are just picking up a stick. All in all though, the dynamic has seemed to “create a strong sense of community among the team.”
For many high school students interested in majoring in chemistry, they enjoy doing experiments and have probably successfully blown something up in their chemistry lab. However, they often have no idea what being a chemistry major really entails. Below is an interview with Lauren Hake, a senior chemistry major with an emphasis in biochemistry at Grove City College. She discusses Grove City College’s Chemistry Department and some of the unique opportunities she has been given during her time here. In the interview, Hake also provides an inside look at the life of a chemistry major to help students who are considering majoring in chemistry.
Why did you decide to major in chemistry?
I decided to major in chemistry because I was good at it in high school and really enjoy hands-on learning – something that chemistry labs require.
You have an emphasis in biochemistry. How did you pick that emphasis and what does it entail?
During my junior year, I chose to take a biochemistry class as one of my electives. I really enjoyed it and kept taking more of the biochemistry courses that were required to get a concentration. It required two biochemistry courses, plus some additional chemistry electives. You can pick from three different concentrations – biochemistry, physical and synthetic.
What do you want to do with your chemistry degree?
I would like to go into quality control for a pharmaceutical company, ideally. I really enjoy working with instrumentation and running the tests required in quality control. I also like the fine detail that goes into different testing methods and that is required for quality control work. Most of the work I’ve done at Grove City has been with instrumentation and that’s really been my focus here.
Have you had any chemistry-related internships? How did you get it?
Yes, I was a Chemical Processing Engineer for Armstrong World Industries in Lancaster, PA. I worked there previously as a product line worker. They needed a chemical engineering intern, so they asked me if I would like to work for them because of my degree in chemistry. I worked to test and maintain their water testing facility, trained operators and wrote a manual for their gas chromatography machine (GC). I also created a trouble shooting guide and designed and ran quality tests to make sure the ceiling board tiles, Armstrong’s product, were in spec.
How many hours a week do you spend in lab?
It varies by year. By your junior year, you’re probably in lab about 20 hours a week. It varies on how many electives you take, and if you chose to be a teaching assistant. Most of those hours are outside your designated lab time, so there is flexibility on how much time you’re in the lab. If you get all your lab stuff done in lab, good for you! But normally you have to come into the lab at extra times to finish labs or for other things you’re doing.
What does a typical lab look like for you?
It depends on the class you’re taking. Freshmen labs teach you how to run instruments and how to do things in lab, like how to properly titrate using a burette. So then, you are prepared for your upper level labs where you are doing a lot of the work on your own and designing portions of the lab yourself. You have enough experience then to confidently work in the lab on your own.
In my personal opinion, the hardest lab you have to do at Grove City is your organic major lab. For a normal week for that lab, you would come in on Tuesday afternoon and you get a vial with only a number on it. You have to first determine the type of compound, and then create a derivative and run an IR (Infrared spectroscopy). This normally takes at least eight hours and often requires that you come in at other times. But it’s a great real-world experience because planning the tests and making the derivative is all up to you. Plus, there is a high probability you will have to identify an unknown at some point in your professional career.
Taking a selfie in the Laser Lab
How long did it take for you to feel comfortable in lab?
I’ve always liked lab, so I’ve always been comfortable in lab. However, I finally felt like I could come into a lab and do it all myself with confidence by the start of my junior lab. Freshman and sophomore year is when I learned all of the necessary lab techniques and how to use all of the equipment. But, junior year is when you start doing it without a lot of aid or supervision. The professors are there if you need them, but you’re able to do it on your own.
Are you involved in any research?
I just completed a three semester research project. Basically, without getting into too many technical details, the Instrumental Analysis class was trying to create polymethylmethacrylate, a type of polymer, using a raft agent. Unfortunately, they couldn’t get a steady molecular weight and steady chain length, so it was my job to use the Differential Scanning Calorimetry Instrument to figure out whether we could get a steady glass transition state, and if not, to figure out what methods were needed to fix that issue. In terms of research, the instrument that I was using was relatively new and no one had really used it yet, so I spent a lot of time working on the instrument to see how it worked and running tests to get consistent responses from the samples.
I got involved in this research by working as a teaching assistant (TA) for the professor, Dr. Falcetta, involved in the research. He liked my work as a TA, so he asked if I would be interested in doing some research for him. It was only supposed to be a short period, but ended up being three semesters worth of work. I got three credits for my research with him. There are a lot of different research opportunities like this for Grove City students and I highly recommend starting research as early as freshman year.
What do you think makes Grove City’s Chemistry Department unique?
Grove City’s department is unique because they allow freshmen students to get hands-on experience with the instruments in the instrument lab. This is very different from other schools, because there, a lab tech would run all of the experiments. Those students don’t get any experience using the instruments. I believe that I am more hirable because I know how to use and operate these instruments. I have found that lots of companies are looking for people who know how to run these instruments well. In fact, that’s one of the reasons I was hired as an intern for Armstrong. They got really excited when they found out I knew how to use a GC.
What’s your favorite experiment/lab that you’ve ever done?
That’s a tough question. I’ve done a lot of great labs here. I’ve extracted DNA from a strawberry using a blender, alcohol and detergent. Another cool lab I’ve done was testing the amount of iron in calf serum, a derivative of blood, using the atomic absorption spectrometer. I liked the DNA lab because it was really cool to physically see the DNA and the sequence coming out. You could see it – it was like clear jelly that floated to the top of the vial. It was really cool to think we extracted it from something as simple as a strawberry. I also just really liked doing the calf serum – it involved fire and who doesn’t like fire! Both of these experiments were very applicable, real-world experiences. I liked how they were done using common items.
Do you have any advice for students interested in majoring in chemistry?
I think the biggest complaint I hear from students who come into the major is that they expect it to be like Breaking Bad, when really it is a lot of theory and mathematics. It’s important that coming into the major, you realize it’s going to be really difficult because you’re learning a lot of information in a short period of time. However, if you talk to upperclassmen, they have valuable advice to give and can help you with some of your classes. It’s also important to know that chemistry isn’t all just playing with fire or extracting DNA from things. There’s a lot of paperwork and boring labs, but it’s all worth it when you get to create new chemicals and make new discoveries.
For more information on Grove City College’s Chemistry Department, click here!
Running is a favorite activity for many. Whether it’s to stay in shape or simply for the enjoyment of it, there’s no physical activity quite like it. While the treadmills in the campus gym or the indoor track above the IM room can be great, there’s something about running in the outdoors that’s more enjoyable. It’s great to be able to breath in the fresh air and take in the scenery around you while getting a good workout.
Several running routes and trails exist around campus that students enjoy jogging on regularly. One popular route is the Pinchalong “lollipop” route, which is right off of South Madison Street and stretches on for about 5.5 miles, starting and ending at campus. This pavement road path takes you past open fields and farms and offers a scenic view.
To run this route, follow Pinchalong to Diamond Road to Enterprise Road, to Tieline Road, which will lead you back to Pinchalong. Check out this route on a map.
View along Pinchalong route | Photo from http://www.trulia.com
Another popular route is a 3.5-mile loop located right off of East Main Street along Greenwood Drive. At a fork in the road, you can choose from two different loops. The path to the right surrounds an open field and contains more hills than the path to the left, which circles around the Hunter Farm Park soccer fields. Runners jog both loops to complete the full 3.5 miles.
Like the Pinchalong route, this road is very scenic, as it meanders along tree lined, paved paths, and streams of water flowing from Wolf Creek. The foliage is especially beautiful in fall months. Check out a map of this route.
Lastly, Memorial Park offers a running trail that is also enjoyable to trek on. This route is located off of West Main Street along Memorial Park Drive and is situated right next to Grove City Area High School. The 3-mile paved path surrounded by tall trees follows Memorial Park Drive to a wooded trail that passes baseball fields and leads out to George Junior Road. Once you’ve reached George Junior Road, it’s best to turn around and follow the same route back.
Not only are these trails great for running, but for walking and biking as well. All of these mentioned routes are safe and scenic and allow you to enjoy the outdoors while simultaneously getting some exercise. Many other routes exist, so many students enjoy going out and exploring the surrounding area to discover new running paths.
This photo blog series takes a peek into the Colonial Hall student apartments. Each highlighted apartment takes on a different design approach to its space. This next space is a colorful vintage that is filled with homey accents.
The Country Chic Apartment
My favorite part of this space? The shutters! Doing some decoration shopping in antique stores will not only save money but also give your apartment an unique flavor. The pale blue trunk adds a pop of bright color and the burlap pennants are a simple country chic touch. The secret to a happy space is simple…fresh flowers. Adding a mason jar of fresh flowers provides color and beauty.
Every Grover needs some time off campus to break away from homework and re-energize. Moraine State Park, located on Pleasant Valley Road in Portersville, PA, offers the perfect day trip getaway to soak up the sun while enjoying time with friends.
Whether you’re looking to swim, hike, boat or just lay out and tan, Moraine is an ideal spot. This 16,000-acre park is only 21 miles from Grove City and is open year round Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on weekends during the summer.
If you are wanting to take a dip in Lake Arthur, there are two beaches along its shore where swimming is permitted. Pleasant Valley Beach is located on the South Shore and consists of a 1,200-foot turf and sand beach with a paved path into the water. Lakeview Beach is located on the North Shore and has a 550-foot sand beach. A sand volleyball court and playground are also available on the west side of the beach. All beaches are open daily from Memorial Day Weekend until Labor Day and the hours are sunrise to sunset. Admission to the beaches is free.
Boat rentals are also a popular activity at Moraine. Crescent Bay Boat Rental, located just past Pleasant Valley Beach on the South Shore, offers pontoon boats, motorboats, kayaks, canoes, rowboats and sailboats for rental. Prices for rentals can be found here. Fishing is also available throughout the park with exception to certain areas listed here.
There is also 28 miles of hiking trails that are great for an afternoon of enjoying the beautiful wildlife throughout the park. Trails such as Sunken Garden, Hilltop, Pleasant Valley, Five Points and others offer a variety of difficulty levels and distances, as well as terrain and scenery, so that everyone is sure to find a trail to fit their preference.
There is also a seven-mile biking trail located near the shoreline between Davis Hollow and the Bike Rental Building in the northwest corner of the park and a six-mile mountain biking trail located on the North Shore off of Mt. Union Road and Alexander Ridge Road. Bike rentals are available along the North Shore between 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
If you need a snack during the day, concession stands are located on the North Shore at Lakeview Beach and on the South Shore at Pleasant Valley Beach. They are open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Picnic tables and charcoal grills are also located throughout the park for visitors’ convenience.
Whether you’re looking for a relaxed day of sunbathing on the beach or an active day of canoeing around the lake, Moraine is the place to go. Pack a picnic and sit by the water, or bring your sneakers and hike on one of the many trails. Either way, your day is sure to be fun and memorable.
During the Fall semester of 2015, a Grove City College student advertising group headed up an integrated marketing communications plan worth being highlighted for its quality of work.
Dr. Scott Powell, professor of business at Grove City, strives to bring out the absolute best in his students by challenging them to semester-long projects that involve hands-on experience. One of Dr. Powell’s most notable courses is his Advertising class. The project in this class requires students to form groups and select an organization within the local area for which to develop an integrated marketing communications plan.
Group members Evan Broome, Nathan Chanski, Allison Blain, Stephen Betteridge and Sarah Williamson in the fall 2015 section of Powell’s Advertising course chose to take on the local Emmett’s Orchard as their organization of choice. Over the semester, these group members worked together in tandem with the Emmett’s Orchard owners from the research phase to the presentation of the deliverables.
Below is shown the work these Advertising students produced throughout the semester in their best attempt to promote the local orchard.
Campaign Objectives:
To raise awareness for our target market—that being, college students and young families within the Grove City area.
Brand Personality Goal:
Emmett’s Orchard is an outdoor getaway that celebrates fall, offers students a home away from home and promises the simple characteristic of authenticity.
Can you do research at a small, undergraduate, liberal arts college? Yes! Grove City College has a flourishing research program spread among various programs in both technical and non-technical majors. Dr. Erik Anderson, a professor of Mechanical Engineering, is one of many professors at GCC passionate about engaging undergraduate students in research. Intrigued by the mechanisms by which fish move and the factors that drive ants to move in perfect harmony, Dr. Anderson’s research lab is focused on looking at living systems to motivate new technology. Alex Voris, a senior Mechanical Engineering student, is one of over a dozen students working in Dr. Anderson’s biomechanical lab.
Alex Voris, Mechanical Engineer ’16
How were you able to become involved in research at Grove City College?
The summer after my sophomore year I was hired as an intern at a manufacturing plant. The experience, while valuable, was not what I was looking for and I decided that I wanted to explore the research side of mechanical engineering. Upon returning to school at the beginning of my junior year I talked to various mechanical engineering faculty about potential research opportunities, and after an informal interview process, I was offered a position in Dr. Erik Anderson’s lab.
What is the research you are conducting?
I work in Dr. Anderson’s biofluids lab conducting research on remora fish in collaboration with Dr. Brooke Flammang from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Our research is focused on the adhesion mechanisms of remora fish, which use a suction disk to attach to other fish in turbulent conditions. Using videos to analyze the attachment and detachment of a remora fish, we hope to be able to understand the mechanisms used by remora fish in order to create a better method of suction for whale tags. The research we are conducting is novel, as this is the first time that there has been a concerted effort from an engineering group looking at the suction disks of remora fish. A video that I took of the remora attaching and detaching to a surface is shown below.
Do you receive any form of compensation for your work, such as class credit or monetary compensation?
Grove City College awards mechanical engineering elective credit by considering the class as an independent study. Generally, research counts as one to two credits per semester. In order to receive class credit, you are required to develop a syllabus with your professor outlining what your goals are for the semester. Additionally, you must give an end of the year presentation to faculty and students to communicate your results.
What has been the hardest part of your research?
The hardest part of my research was the process of getting started, particularly learning to work and communicate with new people, as well as learning new software programs.
What has been the most rewarding part of your research?
The most rewarding part of my research was breaking new ground. It is exciting to see results, which I could then show to Dr. Flammang and together we would come up with a conjecture as to what was occurring and why. It makes the work I am doing in the lab applicable to real world problems.
What technical skill have you used most during your research experience? What non-technical skill have you found yourself using frequently?
The technical skill I have used the most is developing an understanding of the mechanics of how a fluid interacts with a surface and developing a logical process describing what is occurring. Specifically, I have had to learn how to write code in MatLab to analyze the movement of animals, the corresponding fluid reaction and to predict what would happen when similar events occur in the ocean.
The non-technical skill that I have used frequently is communication. I have learned more about public speaking and writing throughout my research experience than I have learned in any of my classes as a result of practice and experience through presentations and conferences.
Have you had the opportunity to present your research?
In addition to presenting my research at Grove City College I was selected to present my research at a biology and biomechanics conference in the fall of 2015. Using the communication skills I developed through this research experience, I was able to tailor my presentation to a biology focused audience and make it less technical. In doing so, I won the undergraduate presentation award.
My research has also been mentioned in numerous other conferences, and it is in the process of being published.
How does your research align with your classes?
Conducting research has allowed me to apply my knowledge that I have gained in the classroom to real world examples and problems. My classes helped me develop logic skills to think through problems and develop solutions. For example, I have learned how to apply the scientific method to a research question, I have learned how to determine and test different variables, hypothesize potential solutions and analyze variables.
Has your research experience shaped your plans for graduation?
My research experience assisted me to get a position at one of the National Science Foundation’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (NSF-REU) program at the University of Alabama the summer after my junior year. Moreover, it persuaded me to attend graduate school to pursue my Ph.D., which I will begin in the fall of 2016 at the University of Alabama. This research experience has opened many doors for me. And similar experiences are possible for any student at Grove City College.
To learn more about Grove City College’s Mechanical Engineering program, visit the department page!
Moving from the campus dormitory rooms to the Colonial Hall apartments can be an intimidating move. Instead of a small room shared with two or three people, you now have a kitchen, living room, bathroom and bedroom. Depending on the size of apartment you may have a single bedroom or a double bedroom. There is so much space to decorate, where to start? This photo blog series will give you a peek into apartments and hopefully spark some inspiration for yourself.
The Cozy Apartment
This apartment makes you want to cuddle up with a cup of coffee and read a book. The comfy couches, knitted blankets, ficus trees, and coffee table books are simple accents that brighten up the room–all that is missing is a fireplace.
Last year Sarah Klein, junior Communications and Entrepreneurship major, planned a Grove City Shark Tank for students to pitch business ideas to improve Grove City College. Sarah says, “The goal of the event is to garner student ideas and input on how to improve campus life because there’s no one more qualified to know student needs than students themselves.” Last year 30 teams and individuals entered Shark Tank. Ten of those teams moved on to the final round in front of the judges, students and faculty.
Grove City Shark Tank is based off of the television show Shark Tank which gives startup companies an opportunity to receive venture capitalist funding from big name successful businessmen, such as Mark Cuban, Kevin O’Leary, Daymond John and others, in exchange for equity in their company. In Grove City’s version of Shark Tank the students are competing for funding for their idea for campus improvement of $1,000 and personal cash prizes for the top three ideas. These cash prizes are $300 for first place, $200 for second and $100 for third with an additional $50 bonus for whichever team is the crowd favorite.
The winning idea, a campus improvement or event with $1,000, is put into effect! Last year the winning pitch was to purchase Spikeball sets to start an intramural league on campus, kicking it off with a large scale tournament last fall semester.
This year’s Shark Tank is on March 11. Grove City Shark Tank is taking the Grove by storm… or is it by sea? Anyways, the event is worth competing in and definitely worth attending. Grove City Shark Tank is growing this year by a considerable amount and more ideas are continuing to be entered. It benefits the college and the student body as a well, what’s not to love?
This is just one of the many events on campus that the student body has started and loves.
