Month: November 2016

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Why My College Decision Changed My Life

Courtney Justice

As my final semester of senior year comes to a close, I have had the chance to reflect with my classmates and friends on the progress we’ve made as students. I have spent three wonderful years at Grove City College with one semester abroad and graduating a semester early, and reminiscing on how I got here has been a constant reminder that the hard work has paid off.

I struggled for a long time to decide where I wanted to attend college, and was not even sure if college was the right path to take. I had planned to study close to home, but realized close did not necessarily have to mean staying within the state. Hearing about Grove City College, a small Christian liberal arts school, was not something initially spark my interest, but I was at the point where the college search was exhausting and my parents were getting antsy for me to make a decision.

As much as I wanted my college visit to be fast and painless,  my parents were just eager to hear I wanted to do another college visit.  My previous college visits in the Southern Ohio area had been largely unsuccessful due to my lack of finding a major that I was interested in pursuing. It was pretty late in the game when I scheduled my first visit to Grove City’s campus in January of 2013. All I remember about my tour was that I was absolutely freezing, completely underdressed, and utterly blown away at how beautiful the campus was. The way the buildings all look similar and were conveniently close to each other was exactly what I had pictured my ideal college to look like.

I hated to admit how much I loved the campus for some reason, but honestly I was so nervous about having to make a decision that would affect the next four years of my life at age 18 that I was looking for some excuse to dislike Grove City. As we walked through the dorm buildings and got to see a room, the cafeterias, and academic classrooms, I felt myself becoming happier. Our tour guide was very helpful in answering all my questions about what the Communication Major was and how I could somehow combine my interests of theater, English, art, and talking into a degree that would actually help me find a job I liked post-graduate. By the end of the tour, I liked the campus so much that I was surprised at the idea that college might be something that works for me.

After sending in my application and waiting two weeks, I finally heard of my acceptance and felt such relief. One thing that has stayed with me throughout my years in college is the comfort in God’s provision, especially when I cannot see or understand his will. I thought college was not for me, yet here I am graduating – early even – from a school with professors, classes, and friends that have changed my life.

Taking the leap and deciding to attend Grove City College was something I will always be proud of and thankful for. Despite my fears and uncertainties of the future, God has always provided a reason and an answer, and diving deeper into my faith in classes has completely blown my mind through all this.

When it comes to hard choices, there might not necessarily be a perfect answer, but you still have to make a choice. By choosing to come to Grove City College, I have learned so much about taking responsibility for my actions, treating people with love and respect, and the amazing benefits of conversation. Please enjoy the TED talk above about hard choices, and always remember that God will govern your choices.

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“Anything Goes” with the Grove City Theater Department

Each semester, the Grove City College theater department puts on a major production, as well as a few smaller theater performances with students from all disciplines. This fall’s performance was Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes” – a musical filled with gangsters, sailors, and of course hopeless romantics. Weeks of preparation and hard work by the cast and crew, sound and lighting technicians, and orchestra pit performers, went into creating this amazing show.

“Anything Goes” is a well-loved show about many outspoken characters on a ship from New York to London searching for love, money, and an entertaining time. The main character Hope Harcourt was played by freshman Jordan Luntz. This was Jordan’s first production at Grove City College, and as a mechanical engineering major it was a bit of a handful. “I was worried that coming to college as a mechanical engineering major, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to be as involved as I would like,” Jordan explained, “but Grove City is a truly special place with truly special people that made my production easy and enjoyable.” As an underclassman, she explained how many upperclassmen and directors helped teach and encourage her to make the production an easy and enjoyable experience. “The entire cast was accepting and just a pure joy to share the stage with. They did their best to work with my schedule and make my life as easy as possible,” she said.

Our theater department goes far beyond actors and technicians, and there are many opportunities for students to get involved in ways that are convenient to them. Senior Jonathan Fisher is a communications major with a passion for theater. Jonathan was able to give some insight about what it’s like behind the scenes of larger productions, specifically as a spotlight operator. Jonathan explained how he felt right at home with the cast and crew, even as a spotlight operator. He said, “we had a lot of fun bonding, even if it was just over pre-show meetings.” Jonathan discussed his first experience with theater and how his roles have changed over the years. “When I first came into the theater program, I was so focused on acting but it did not work out as planned, and I did not want to be backstage,” Jonathan said, “But I ended up having to do some tech things for classes I was taking, and I realized when you do tech you are involved. You are the cast and crew.” The flexibility and skills in the technical part of the show was something Jonathan was happy to contribute to and greatly enjoyed.

Being in any large scale production is tons of hard work and a huge commitment, and can definitely be a strenuous process. At the end of each tech rehearsal week, Grove City cast and crew meet and give senior speeches for those who are graduating and want to give last pieces of advice. Jonathan explained, “Something that my friend Sarah Giesler said stuck with me, and that was to choose joy. Especially during tech week, Christ is the reason we can choose joy over the stress so we can  choose to look to him.” It is so important in those moments to come together to pray and encourage one another. It is such a blessing to work with a theater department that takes so much care and consideration to appreciate one another and all the work it takes to putting on an excellent show.

Along with all the hard work, this cast had just as much fun, especially making this video in their time between scenes. Enjoy the students of the theater department!

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Internship Spotlight: Lindsay Neumann

Lindsay Neumann, ’18 is a Biblical and Religious Studies Major with a double minor in Christian Ministries and Business. She interned during the summer of 2015 at Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 

1. Where did you intern and what was your position title?

I interned at Northwestern Mutual in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as a College Financial Representative. My job included selling life insurance and helping people plan for their financial futures. I found most of my clients by just going through phone books, making cold calls, and some of them were made through my personal network.

2. How did you secure your internship?

I heard about the internship through a family connection, who gave me the number of the person in charge of the program. I continued through the interview process over breaks and got the job!

3. What are some of the top lessons you learned while interning?

The biggest skill I gained was improving my overall professionalism. I learned to handle myself in meetings and how to conduct myself around adults. I also learned the intricacies of the insurance industry and how financial planning ties many aspects of someone’s life together.

4. How did your Grove City College education help you? 

Grove City’s culture pushes you to be independent and treats you as an adult. This gave me the confidence to function in a mature workplace and engage with others much older than myself. In addition, the Humanities Core helped me to relate to others on a personal level and opened my awareness of how my worldview impacts my interactions with others. While these are skills can apply beyond the professional world, it really became evident to me how counter-cultural these ideas were when I entered the workplace.

5. What was your favorite part of your internship?

I loved forming connections with people, learning about their lives, and then helping them develop their financial plans out of a place of care for them.

6. How will your internship experience serve you in your career search?

My internship gave me the confidence to be able to navigate the interviewing process and become a capable candidate for an employment position in finance. It also helped me get a feel of professional business and an idea of what I want to pursue.

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How to Choose From Majors and Minors

Discovering what you want to major in is a difficult decision. However, did you know there are 42 possible options for choosing a minor? A minor is similar to a major, the biggest difference is the number of credit hours it takes to achieve it. Choosing a minor is a great option for a student to consider if you want to extend your studies – or if you don’t want to choose just one area to focus in.

Like any big decision, there are good sides and bad sides to pursuing a minor. The good things include a more well-rounded concentration or distinction in what you choose to study. There are many minors that highly compliment certain majors. For example, a Classical Studies minor goes well with an Education major because it shows a specific area of interest in teaching. Similarly, a National Security Studies minor goes well with a Political Science major if you have an interest in government careers. This also spreads into the STEM majors, where you could major in Biology with a minor in Chemistry, or major in Chemistry with a minor in Biology. Another great perk about minors is that you do not have to declare your minor at any specific time. After taking a few classes and getting a feel for what your major entails, one can then discuss with an academic adviser the next steps to possibly declaring a minor.

majors and minors

There is one possible down side to declaring a minor. Most minors require at least 18 credit hours to be completed, and sometimes more. Consequently, most of your elective hours will be taken up by your minor. This is not necessarily a down side if you have a specific minor in mind that you know you want to pursue. If you are unsure of your minor and just want to try out a few classes outside of your major before deciding, you might run out of credit hours available to achieve a minor in time. In order to avoid this, it is best to get your core classes and required humanities electives completed in your first few semesters before taking outside electives. The best thing you can do is meet with professors outside of your major and ask questions about classes and expectations, then begin taking classes that would go towards achieving a minor.

The Registrar’s website has all the information you need to see what courses fall under each minor, and how many courses are required for each minor. Some of the most popular minors here at Grove City are Communications, Spanish, and Philosophy. There are many options to choose from that can highlight your specific skills and interests. Be sure to ask questions and explore other classes to find the career path that best suits you.

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Startup Weekend Education: Pittsburgh

During my freshmen year,  several entrepreneurship students and I went to Startup Weekend Education in Pittsburgh. Startup Weekend is a program that takes place all across the country, where hundreds of entrepreneurs, developers, and business people get together and make simple ideas come to life. The first night, dozens of entrepreneurs pitched their ideas for startups designed to help children be better educated in the classroom. After all ideas were pitched, the top 10 highest voted pitches were chosen for further development. Out of the 12 pitches given, four of them were presented by Grove City College students. Each participant was paired up with a team and worked on the idea throughout the weekend. On the last day, our team had a Minimal Viable Product to present to the judges.

As a freshman in college, I was extremely nervous. There were graduate students, business people, professional educators, and people much older and wiser than me. However, while I was definitely apprehensive at the beginning of the weekend, I left feeling more confident than ever and felt better prepared to tackle the business world. I found that I was able to converse with graduate students and business people about valid ideas which helped me develop a strong understanding of business dialect. It was an amazing experience to be able to test out my education in the real world. I found that that experience was the same for many of my classmates, some of whom led teams and presented. One team of entirely Grove City students even placed in the top three!

I was extremely thankful to go to a school that pushed me and gave me the opportunity to participate in a weekend that I will not forget. Without my classes and professors, I would have never been able to add any insightful information to my team. A year and a half later, I’m seeing how my education is truly paying off!

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Media Jobs on Campus Where Students Run the Show

media services technicans

               There are many awesome opportunities for students to work on-campus jobs to get some experience during the school year. While most are fairly low key and relaxing, other jobs allow you to get your first real-world work experience in a field that could become your long-term career. Grove City’s Media Services Office hires student technicians to work campus events such as concerts, dances, and lectures – and even run chapel services.

media services homecoming setup
Homecoming Dance Setup

               As a technician and office coordinator for Media Services myself, I have had two great years of learning about media technology and working with students from many different backgrounds to create some amazing setups. With our growing team of 19 student technicians, we get plenty of opportunities to learn from one another and our different academic backgrounds.

I had the chance to interview senior Casey Latario who has been involved with media services for two years through a friends’ recommendation to apply. He enjoys working various events, but one of his favorites was setting up for the Keith and Kristin Getty Concert hosted this fall. Casey discussed, “As a biology major, I see that there are engineering techs who are super technically minded and not the best at communicating, but the other techs with different majors are better at communication and they complement each other.” Since Casey is also apart of other groups on campus, including the Adelphikos fraternity, he is able to use his talents and abilities in media production to help his fraternity out during open houses. Casey explained how he got to use the lighting truss for his fraternity open house. Because he knew how to use what they needed, it was convenient. He went on to say, “It was nice to be able to use the equipment for our group’s own events.”media services technician

While there are so many different skill sets among technicians, there is a great appeal to mechanical and electrical engineers for the hands-on experience related to their field. Senior Erik Azevedo is a mechanical engineering major who became interested in Media Services after attending a dance freshman year. “I’ve always been interested at a young age in media,” says Erik, “I also did sound for my church and enjoy making electronic music.” As a part of our learning process for Media Services, there are senior positions where students can specialize in a particular skill set like video, audio, lighting, and equipment. As the senior lighting technician, Erik prefers working larger dances or coffee concerts on campus with the freedom to run the lighting board. He said, “You get hands on experience and every event is different. You have to use skills that you learn, but there is an element of creativity to it.”

One of the best things both Casey and Erik agreed upon is the benefit of the diverse team where everyone can use their skills to put together a great show. The photos displayed throughout this post show different activities the Media Services team does on a monthly to weekly basis, including the Homecoming dance and live mixing for coffee concerts. The great thing about a campus job such as this is the flexibility in scheduling, as well as hands-on experience that is guaranteed in learning about campus events. 

 

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Are You a Film Lover? You Need a Dr. Miller Class

In all honesty, there are too many days where I wish my homework would consist of Netflix instead of organic chemical equations. Not that there’s anything wrong with chemistry, but there certainly isn’t anything wrong with movies either. Good thing Dr. Miller thinks so too – with classes like Christian Faith & Cinema, Screenwriting, and Film Theory & History, you can learn about and watch movies in class and for homework.

K.MillerThe Communications discipline is full of diverse areas of concentration, including the study of film. I’ve had the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Kimberly Miller, professor and academic advisor to Communications students, who has a passion for teaching and writing film. Dr. Miller has been teaching at Grove City College for over 10 years, and is a wonderful resource in teaching students about the importance of the history and industry of film in our lives.

When I asked Dr. Miller why she chose to teach at Grove City, I was surprised to hear she really never planned on teaching at all. “I studied English writing in college,” she explained, “but I had a professor who asked me to fill in on teaching her film class one day [after graduation] and I just loved the students and their excitement to talk about advanced film theory.” Born and raised in Western PA, Dr. Miller naturally felt at home in Grove City and was amazed at the support and encouragement she received to begin teaching in the Communications department.

With the broadness of the communications discipline, Dr. Miller pointed out, “Flexibility is huge. Our classes support each other and allow for transferable skills to help figure out our paths.” Many classes and electives offered within communications include writing, presentation, and creativity skills that can be used in class and in the real world. Dr. Miller places a huge value in internships as “an opportunity to test drive your career path, and also be flexible to learn the field.” Taking the transferable skills utilized in the classroom to a professional work environment is a great way to prepare yourself for what the industry entails.

The idea of using a communications degree as a way to get involved with film is not something you might expect at a private Christian liberal arts college. One of the great things about offering film courses with the Communications degree is the variety it offers in a new way of writing and telling stories. Dr. Miller explained, “Film used to be a required course, but now it’s a choice elective. People would always ask ‘why do we have to take it?’ If you don’t love film that’s fine, but historically film has impacted us so much.” Even though it’s fun to watch movies for homework and analyze characters, film goes beyond Netflix culture. She continues, “Film tells stories, it’s a cultural language that we can all appreciate. It isn’t a mindless activity.”

Dr. Miller’s film classes are rather popular and often appeal to non-Communications majors. She said she frequently gets biology, political science, and education majors in film classes looking to improve writing and understand how to use film as a learning tool. Dr. Miller elaborated on how the department is focused on including the technical side of communications saying, “We’re looking forward to encouraging more internships and making yourself more marketable. As you take on a lot of things, having practical experience can support the theoretical side of Communications.”

Along with her love of film and enjoying movies with her family, Dr. Miller also relaxes by making jewelry. Whether it’s whipping up a pair of earrings as a gift to a friend or attending a craft show, Dr. Miller appreciated expressing creativity in and outside of the classroom. So whether you need a great movie suggestion, writing inspiration, or just a great person to talk to, Dr. Miller is an amazing asset to the Grove City family.

Interested in pursuing film or photography as a career path? Read about some possibilities here on various jobs in the media industry.

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Inside Look at the Young Life Leaders at Grove City College


One of the greatest experiences that I have had at Grove City is the opportunity to be a leader in Young Life. Young Life is a Christian mentorship ministry whose mission is “introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith.” Young Life is an international organization that reaches 600,000 kids in 99 countries throughout the world.

At Grove City, we minister to high schoolers, middle schoolers, and adolescents with special needs in four school districts throughout Mercer County: Grove City, Mercer, Hermitage, and Sharon. Experience in Young Life in high school is not required to be a leader! I hadn’t even heard of it before I came to Grove City. But, of course, if you do have experience in high school, this is a great way to continue in Young Life and step up as a leader!

The defining quality about Young Life is that it is a relational ministry. We go where kids are. We visit them in the morning at school, coach track and field, go to football games, and are actively involved in their lives. These actions tell kids that we are interested in them and want to be involved in their lives. Our hope is that they’ll see the love of Christ through us and will want to enter into that relationship! While all of this does demand a lot of sacrifice, the process of laying down your life draws you closer to Christ and deepens your relationship with him.

I am a Wyldlife leader in Mercer Middle School. This past summer, I had the opportunity to take a middle school girl to camp at Northbay in Northeast, Maryland. The goal of camp is to give kids an excellent experience in order to reflect the excellent love and nature of our God. There were four zip lines, bubble soccer, water tubing, kayaking, and a giant swing. My new friend had never been to church prior to this trip, and it was so great to see her light up throughout the week and listen and understand the gospel talks each night. At the end of the week, she gave her life to Christ! The unique thing about Young Life is that I still see her and get to disciple her through her new walk with Jesus!

The community of Young Life at Grove City is extremely rich. There are 50 leaders that are divided into 10 teams. Each of the teams is assigned to one specific middle or high school and they average around five college students. The relationships that you build with your team members and other members of Young Life is so unique because they’re built around a common love for Christ and a desire to lead kids to Him!

 

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Under the Microscope: Biology at Grove City

Biology at Grove City College

Dr. Steve Jenkins is chair of the Department of Biology, and exudes energy for the discipline. In biology, he gets to “see creatures that God has put together and that spring from his mind.” He has been teaching at the College for years and clearly enjoys the post. Our discussion centered on three topics: new majors in the department, interesting research from two former professors, and why Grove City is an excellent choice for studying biology.

The new majors offered to freshmen for the first time this year are Biology/Health, Molecular Biology, and Conservation Biology. The majors allow students to explicitly focus their biological studies as preparation for a career in health, or to focus the scope in a “small bio” or “big bio” direction — either focusing on the chemistry of life in more detail or focusing on nature and the diversity of creatures. As students progress through the new majors and graduate, the department will continue to evaluate and improve the sequencing. This is an exciting time and place to study the science of life. Two courses being taught for the first time this year are Advanced Genetics and Cancer Biology.

Dr. Jenkins did not downplay the traditional biology major, however, and noted that all of the biology majors are essentially identical for the first two years of study. He also believes that studying biology is excellent preparation for many career paths.

When I asked why students would study biology at Grove City, Dr. Jenkins said, “I tell students that STEM Hall is a beautiful hall, but the physical building is not the most beautiful part. It’s what happens inside. In STEM, we have Christian faculty teaching from a Christian perspective of the created order, and students see that the Creator has his imprint on everything.”

Dr. Jenkins is an entomologist, and says he knows that the privilege of seeing and understanding so many wonders is undeserved, a gift from a gracious Creator. He also defended biology itself, as the study and not as the application: While we admire people who go into medicine and will help human society, learning and teaching are also ways to glorify God. As a Christian entomologist, he has a metaphorical “leg up” on fellow entomologists, because he knows that every insect he studies has been made by God and reveals something about the Maker.

Our Lord Jesus himself points us to biological metaphors and lessons rather often: Look at the birds of the air. Consider the lilies of the valley. See how your Father feeds and clothes these, with so much splendor? So do not be anxious. (Matthew 6:26-34) And do not forget that the Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed (Matthew 13:31); though it is foolishness to the world, the church will grow while nations rise and fall, and the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).

I have had a few classes in STEM Hall myself, and it is an amazing building. But Dr. Jenkins loves the quotes engraved in the stone most of all. His favorite is from Louis Pasteur: “The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the Creator.” Dr. Jenkins concurs with Pasteur, admitting he has had many mountaintop experiences studying even the smallest creatures within the course of his career.

From the discussion, I was reminded again of the privilege of studying under professors who are not only sharp but wise, men and women who love their discipline and, in loving it, grow in love for their God. Here are teachers who are also disciples, leaders who are also servants, intellectuals whose loves are fanned by their knowledge.

Whether studying biology or literature, philosophy or engineering, I suggest that the community of Christian teachers and students makes Grove City the gem that it is. Together we look, whether through the lens of a microscope or through the text of a Shakespearean sonnet, and see that “the world is charged with the grandeur of God,” as Gerard Hopkins put it. We are also gathered in his name, and he is surely here among us (Matthew 18:20).

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True View Ministries: Grove City College Interns Work In Live Broadcast

True View Ministries is a multimedia outlet that is passionate about proclaiming the truth of God’s Word. Specializing in television broadcasts, True View’s goal is to transform the women of the world by proclaiming the Word of God with a passion in love as well as equipping and encouraging women to live authentic Christian lives. Co-founders, Jamie Shaver and Julie Van Gorp, created this ministry network to provide women with a global source to get Biblically sound and culturally relevant insight that challenges them to live fearless Christian lives. The ministry primarily operates through the “True View” TV show, which seeks to channel the lens of the Scriptures, changing the way women view and interact with the world. Next to live broadcasts, True View also hosts and participates in conferences, posts blogs, provides mentorship, and publishes Bible Studies.

This Wednesday through Friday, True View will be producing one of their largest broadcasts from New Castle, PA. Special guests from all over the nation will be featured and discuss topics including Divorce, Purity, and Parenting. Anne Kerr, Founder and President of TrueNorth Freedom Projects, along with Mindy Pierce, Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) of Grow Counseling, will address issues related to Pornography and Parenting in a sexualized culture. Other focuses more relevant to Christian Millennials include Social Media, Racial Utility, and Bullying. Justin Butterfield, Senior Counsel for Liberty Institute, will present a case in favor of defending, promoting and contending the Christian faith. Although the broadcast is projected towards parents and spouses, college students are encouraged to tune in and learn more about these pressing current dilemmas.

Two students of Grove City College’s Communication and Visual Arts Department were chosen to serve as interns for True View’s live broadcast. Katherine Hussey, Senior Communications Major and Spanish minor, will serve as Camera Operator and Floor Director. Victoria O’Brien, Senior Communications Major with concentrations in Business, Entrepreneurship, and Pre-Law, will intern as Director of Social Media Development. Both interns share a common interest and passion for news broadcast, video production, and reporting. Although GCC does not offer specific courses in these areas, Hussey and O’Brien are prepared for this opportunity through related communication courses and past internships experience. Hussey has served as a News Intern at KDKA News Radio where she was responsible for writing radio scripts and assembling recorded demo newscasts. O’Brien interned as a Video Journalist for Bold Global Media where she curated original content for the website as well as produced and anchored the company’s daily show. Both interns agree that the audio and video workshops hosted by GCC’s Media Services positively aided in their internship experiences.

True View Ministries is open to providing additional students with the opportunity to participate in future events. Shaver welcomes other students who are interested in advancing True View’s mission to contact her at jamie@trueviewministries.org.

 

True View Part II