October 2016 -

Posted on October 31, 2016 by difalcolm1 — Leave a comment

Homecoming 2016: Get Pumped!

Homecoming 2016.

September 26- October 1. Homecoming week is a celebration of all that Grove City is. There is so much more to the week than just the stereotypical football game. If sports just aren’t your thing, that is okay–there are plenty of other ways to celebrate the phenomenal school we attend.

Personally, my two favorite parts of homecoming are the parade and the homecoming court. This past year’s parade theme was “Fairytales” and the various Greek groups around campus worked hard to come up with creative ideas to dazzle the judges. And as the parade passed by students are able to cheer on some of their favorite seniors and honor the student leaders at the school. There is so much value in a close-knit community on campus– it is a much more personal campus life when you know students and faculty.

Homecoming Committee

Truly, a lot of work goes into making homecoming week great. A group of about 75 students return to campus early in August to plan for the week of Homecoming. Every aspect of the student activities–from the Powder-puff Football game to the Java Jam Coffee House–are thought through by students. This committee’s overall purpose is to plan engaging activities that are memorable for the whole student body as well as provide a way for graduates of the school to look back in remembrance of their college years.

Personal Experience

As the past Vice President of homecoming committee, I considered it an honor to take part in planning an event that had over 100 years of history attached to it. The homecoming committee not only preserves the history, but every year has the opportunity to add in some innovation as well.

Every year it is difficult to gauge the amount of student participation in any of the events thrown by the committee during the week, but as a whole the events never disappoint. At every event, you can expect food, prizes, and fun. Every homecoming week is jammed pack with events, not only encourages student participation around campus, but also to encourage the local Grove City community to get involved. In the parade alone, there are current students, local businesses and community groups, including Sweet Jeannie’s, as well as high school marching bands, and reunion classes walking with the current students. Homecoming is a week to remember at Grove City College!

Check out a glimpse of the events below!

Video credits: Joshua Kuiper, Homecoming Publicity Committee, 2016

Posted on October 31, 2016October 31, 2016 by difalcolm1 — Leave a comment

Oh, the Humanities!

Grove City College is a liberal arts school therefore there are certain academic requirements that must be met before graduation. At this school, that means a humanities core requirements for every student in every major. However, I have come to realize the value of the whole-person education offered here.

The humanities core requirements stretches across almost every area of academia. Course requirements include natural sciences, social sciences, physical education, foreign languages, and biblical & historical studies. Each category is chosen to target a specific zone of education.

Dr. Jewell, a former College president, remarked at every graduation ceremony that he knew he was shaking hands with a “well-educated person.”

Whether a student in the Calderwood (Liberal Arts) School or Hopeman (STEM) School, every student is expected to fulfill these requirements. Some might read this and have cause for concern because of a general anxiety for anything outside of a general comfort zone, but I have found that there are a considerable number of benefits to this system:

Mix of Majors in Each Class

Sometimes, the only chance I would have as an Entrepreneurship major to have class with an Engineering major is in my humanities classes. As I continue to progress in my classes, I noticed they become focused on major-specific classes. That limits the variety of students I would get to interact with in a classroom setting. However, there is so much value to be had from collaborating with people who think in different ways. I enjoy the opportunity to work with people of all academic backgrounds in these classes. Plus, I like having an in for starting a conversation with someone–this gives everyone a common ground throughout campus.

Helpful when Studying Abroad

In the spring of my sophomore year, I studied abroad in Florence, Italy. It was a dream trip for me. The culture that I experienced blew my mind. However, what made that cultural exposure so much more valuable was the Civilization & the Arts class I had taken the semester prior. In that class, I learned how to analyze and appreciate artwork of all genres. Later on, when I was in Italy I visited some of the most prestigious museums and got to apply those concepts that I learned. It was so satisfying knowing how to interpret that art. I went abroad and felt prepared to walk into any museum and not feel like a fool.

Well-Rounded Education

Overall, the classes that I will take at this school will become a reflection of who I am after graduation. The opportunity to expose myself to so many different types of classes is an extremely valuable trait as I enter the workforce. As a current student, I can without a doubt vouch for the benefit of a humanities core.

Posted on October 25, 2016October 25, 2016 by Suzanne Holcombe — Leave a comment

Parisian Museums: Beyond the Louvre and the Orsay

When I studied abroad in Paris last semester, I made a long list of things I wanted to do, parks I wanted to see and museums I wanted to visit. By the end of the semester, I marked off every single box on my forty-plus item list except for one! I am so glad that I held myself accountable to discovering what my city had to offer – including many things that people often miss when they spend a very short time in Paris.

I love museums, and a large part of my to-do list consisted of smaller museums around the city, where a lot of tourists do not visit. My experiences with these less visited museums were amazing; not only were they smaller and less overwhelming, but they weren’t filled with people. Here are my top choices:

6. Musée Rodin.

This museum is as much of a museum as it is a beautiful garden. Inside the building are found many of Auguste Rodin’s most famous pieces, including the the Thinker, while outside is a garden designed to display some of his larger works. I spent a gorgeous spring morning writing in my journal on one of the benches.

5. Musée Cognacq-Jay

This museum was formerly the home of a rich family with an extensive art collection. Along the walls in many of the rooms are works of art in the rococo style, in which the artists use many pastel colors and portray the sitter with a half smile.

4. Musée Gustave Moreau

Moreau was an artist living in Paris in the 19th century. The second floor is Moreau’s apartment, while his studio is located on the third and fourth levels. Over one hundred of his works are displayed through this museum and include the portrayals of mythological figures. I think that the staircase is beautiful!

3. Musée Nissim de Camando

This museum was one of my favorites. The Camondo family reigned as wealthy bankers and this museum gives an adequate representation and preservation of how the family lived at the turn of the 20th century. The mansion was built in 1911 and donated to become a museum in 1935. Coming here reminded me of watching Downton Abbey, only a French version. Who knew mansions this grand can be found right in the middle of the city?

2. Musée de l’Orangerie

While the Orangerie is more well known than the museums previously mentioned, there are still many people who have not heard of it. This museum, located on the north bank of the Seine across from the Musee d’Orsay, is home to two oval rooms of Monet’s waterlily panels. My first time here, I spent two hours in these two rooms alone! Monet painted these panels towards the end of his life in the 1920s and donated them to the French government so that the public could enjoy them. I did.

1.Musée Marmottan-Monet

This museum is my favorite because Claude Monet’s biggest collection of paintings are located here, and so very few people know about it, so there were very few tourists the both times that I went. This museum also hosted a temporary exhibition called “The Art and the Child,” which traced how French artists have portrayed children through the centuries. There were many magnificent pieces that were brought in from private collections and other museums all over the world. In addition to this special exhibit, the entire downstairs showcases over forty of Monet’s works, from Parisian scenes to larger works of his waterlily series. I exhausted myself trying to take in every single one of his unbelievable works.

On a quick side note: Most visitors are unaware that students who study abroad in France for over three months are required to have a visa. This temporary student visa gives the individual temporary “citizenship” of the European Union. At almost every tourist place or museum in France, the EU allows citizens under the age of 26 free admission to nearly all of the museums located in Paris. I can think of two museums in all of Paris that I paid to get into.

The next time you are in Paris, consider seeing one or two of these instead of the customary Louvre or Orsay. Not only will you get to experience a charming and smaller museum, you will get to explore a new part of the city where maybe you wouldn’t have gone before. I loved studying in Paris because living in this city made it so easy to find things to do and places to visit.

Posted on October 24, 2016December 5, 2016 by difalcolm1 — Leave a comment

Auto Care: A New Industry Partnership

Grove City College has one of the best Career Services Offices in the country. They have been repeatedly ranked in the top 20 for career services by the Princeton Review. One of the newest reasons Grove City College stands out is due to its recent partnership with the Auto Care Association.

ACA is looking to make a partnership with Grove City and seeks to hire GCC grads. Photo Cred: Ari Carter

About Auto Care

The auto care industry is a 300 billion dollar industry. It is the second largest market in the United States behind healthcare. The Auto Care Association is a representation of anyone in after-market care related to anything automotive. Recently, the college has made a new partnership with the Association, and the Entrepreneurship and Business departments are very excited about the opportunity to work with industry leaders in the classroom setting. Further, the College also had the privilege of bringing in a panel of Auto Care leaders during Grove City College’s annual Career Fair to share their wisdom with students.

New Course Offering

With the Auto Care Association signed on to sponsor a new course at Grove City called Supply Chain Management, students can expect a new way to explore a new industry. This course will focus on the logistics of managing a supply chain. Making this class unique is the simulation set for use in the course called “Fundamentals of Supply Chain Management”. The Entrepreneurship department is known for utilizing simulations like this one to provide students with practical, hands-on experience. As a student, I am looking forward to gaining experience and knowledge in this field, that I can use to discuss in an interview setting.

Auto Care Panel

The Panelists were gracious to spend some time investing in students at the Auto Care Mixer. Photo Cred: Ari Carter

One of my favorite events hosted by the Career Services Office is the annual Career Fair. This year, there were over 160 companies recruiting for internships and full time positions. After the Career Fair this year, the Entrepreneurship department hosted a panel of Auto Care leaders who shared information not only about the Auto Care industry, but also about tips for hiring and breaking into the industry. Personally, I was grateful for the opportunity to make connections with some potential future employers. It is awesome to see that my school is valued enough that employers want to make connections with its students.

Overall, this new partnership with the Auto Care Association is a huge win for the College and more importantly, for its students. Connecting students with a new industry and potential careers is above and beyond what the average Career Services Office might do.

Posted on October 20, 2016 by justicecp1 — Leave a comment

You Know You’re a Communications Major When…

As a prospective student, you might be asking yourself what exactly a Communication Studies major is? You know what a journalist, broadcaster, and writer does, but how does that fall under one general “Communications” degree?

When I first began my college search, I had no idea what I wanted to do or even if college was the path I was supposed to take. I knew that I liked writing, so I considered studying English. Then I thought no, too many books and old authors I don’t care about. What about my passions for theater and singing – maybe I could be a music major? Then I realized I can’t play an instrument, nor did I have the patience to learn. I also loved learning French in high school, but could I really become fluent? How can I combine writing, public performance, and communicating with people on a professional level?

Discovering Communications was the answer that combined all my interests. The Communications degree is wonderful because it is broad enough for you to try multiple things, but also allows opportunities to narrow your focus. I have had the chance to take classes in the fields of business, marketing, art, Christian ministry, foreign language, journalism, and many more dynamic fields that a Communications degree has to offer. I found my niche in Communications because I realized that everyone has a different goal or passion, but with a like-minded, creative mindset that utilizes each unique skill specifically.

By learning in an environment with people similar to me, I’ve become more vulnerable in the classroom. It’s easy to communicate with others who love to get better at communicating, and Grove City has taught me how it feels to actually start caring about what you’re learning. So allow me to share with you some “typical Comm. major” things that you might relate with. If you enjoy..

Reading or writing blogs
Watching and critiquing movies & wish Netflix could be a career (hello, film class).
Using social media for more than your friends’ profiles
Listening to and watching sports broadcasts
Doodling in your spare time and want a way to pursue art
Finding wisdom through TED talks.

Be sure to take serious thought into how you can realistically pursue your passion and turn it into a degree. If you’ve never heard of TED, this is a great source to listen to other scholars about ideas, career paths, and almost anything you might find interesting. In the meantime, check out this great talk about how to be a better communicator.

Posted on October 13, 2016October 28, 2016 by sweettj — Leave a comment

Advertising at Giant Eagle: Guest Lecture

Mr. Robert Baker, Senior Director of Advertising for Giant Eagle, visited campus to guest lecture in Dr. Powell’s Advertising course. Mr. Baker intrigued the audience with lessons learned during his professional career.

Upon graduating from college, Baker started his journey in the business world, thinking he would land a higher position immediately. He soon discovered that it was not going to be that easy. Baker worked several jobs, trying to find one that would be the right fit for him, and pay well, but the time and effort required challenged his pre-conceived notions.

Baker had his fair share of “no’s” while he worked door- to-door sales and other entry-level positions. He learned that one needs to understand what is being sold, and to believe in it, to be successful. “Don’t stop when you hear no; keep on doing what you believe in.” This concept is very important to Baker because if he would not have been persistent in his trek up the corporate ladder, he would not be where he is today. He told the audience, “Do the job in front of you…even if it’s not the job you want to do forever” and “If you do your job, do it well and then do a little more each time, you will end up getting your boss’s attention” and maybe an opportunity to take the position you really desire. Baker stressed how necessary it is to do the job you are assigned well because that is why you were even given the position in the first place. One needs to stay focused on their assignment if they ever want to be recognized and promoted.

After working for a few different companies, several bumps in the road, and many learning experiences, Baker accepted a position with Giant Eagle. He did not immediately become the Senior Director of Advertising, but it did not take long for the company to recognize his abilities. He now oversees all of Giant Eagle’s advertising efforts, a $60 million budget, and a staff of nearly sixty full-time Team Members. He has worked to develop and improve programs like fuelPerks!®, a loyalty program that rewards customers via discounts at Giant Eagle’s getGo™ gas stations. “It is extremely important to figure out a sustainable competitive advantage.” Giant Eagle’s fuelPerks!® has been just that, yielding an impressive 90% scan rate.

Giant Eagle now has over 400 locations and plans to continue expanding west. They recently developed a segment called Market District™, which is a higher-end supermarket with more fresh and local foods than traditional Giant Eagle stores carry. The company is also developing innovative programs like Curbside Express, where a customer can order online and pick up their items at the store without leaving their car.

With over $10 billion in annual revenue, it is clear that Giant Eagle’s marketing efforts are working well. Baker also stressed the importance of making people (both Team Members and customers) feel valued. His closing comments define his career, “Work hard and you’ll achieve success.”