Month: January 2018

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Liberty and Socks

In the fall, Professor Sweet taught a class endearingly called Internet Content Marketing. In this course, students learned the importance of tailoring content to particular audiences in order to make a profit or showcase credibility. Towards the end of the semester, Professor Sweet asked the students to put their lessons into practice and write articles for this blog. As the editor of this site, I had the awesome opportunity to read all of these articles and choose the ones that I thought our readers would find most interesting. This particular piece is by Abigail Opst, she describes work with a business born out of a Entrepreneurship class. Enjoy!

I am a pretty competitive person by nature. It does not mean I am good at everything I enjoy, but it definitely means I love watching a good match. Even though I am not in the Entrepreneurship E-Commerce class—or an Entrepreneurship major at all for that matter—I have heard and learned a lot about it through my friends who are currently taking it. And the competition bit really piqued my interest. Over the course of a semester, the class has students form teams to start businesses and compete in selling products that ultimately support a cause of their choice. They are responsible for delegating duties—assigning chief executive, financial, and technical officers among other things—and they get to pull things together on their own.

Mended Sock Company is just one of the many companies that has come out of the class, Sophia Stangebye and Caroline Parker being my two claims to fame. Mended Sock Co. ties into the organization it supports, A21, and its mission to mend the lives of individuals who have been affected by human trafficking. Caroline explained that A21 organizes walks for freedom across the world, and Sophia added that individuals who walk dress in all black and are silent—but why not wear comfortable socks during these walks, she adds, that also support the A21 mission.

Despite the seemingly obscure class name, E-commerce is just a shortened version of electronic commerce—the idea of commercial transactions conducted over the internet. The course description describes the class as focusing on “e-commerce strategy, target market, analysis, search engine optimization, mobile commerce, social commerce, integrated marketing, [and] web usability” among other things; by “working with an external client,” students have the opportunity to explore these subjects through their own exploration of such “practical applications in the marketplace.” Though each team member takes on a different position, the goal of the class is to master the responsibilities of be each role and ultimately run an online business on your own.

Despite emphasis on eventually graduating to individual independence, the unique set of talents that each girl contributes to this team really allows their business to excel. They are open in collaboration, free from concerns about groupthink or peer pressure and conformity. Instead they can focus on what is best for the business. Mended Sock Co.’s passion for their mission and belief in their product is really attractive—and not only to me. The Dressember Foundation, another organization that aims to stop human trafficking, recently reached out to Mended Sock Co. and plans on featuring them on Instagram next week—a spotlight that has huge potential to both raise sales and thus support the mission but also to propel these girls forward into achieving their goals, supporting their mission, and feeding their passion. The fact that E-Commerce class has given them the opportunity to do this—and to see them have such success with it—is truly inspiring.

So it is time for the plug (just kidding, this was not the main point. But hey…). Not only are Mended Sock Co.’s socks super comfortable and perfect for Grove City winters, but they’re also very reasonably priced—only $8 a pair. The style is simple, delicate, and classy, but more than this, every dollar does go to benefit the A21 project. In their efforts to gain entrepreneurship experience they are also serving a greater cause, one outside themselves, and allowing buyers to get in on it as well. And so, #libertyandsocks for all.

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Coming to America

In the fall, Professor Sweet taught a class endearingly called Internet Content Marketing. In this course, students learned the importance of tailoring content to particular audiences in order to make a profit or showcase credibility. Towards the end of the semester, Professor Sweet asked the students to put their lessons into practice and write articles for this blog. As the editor of this site, I had the awesome opportunity to read all of these articles and choose the ones that I thought our readers would find most interesting. This particular piece is by Zeke Hoole, he talks about his experience being an international student for those who are nervous about making the transition from home to Grove City. Enjoy!

You there.

Yes, you.

You; a young, knowledge hungry, opportunity seeking teenager trying to find a college to commit yourself to, and perhaps knowingly or perhaps unknowingly – you have stumbled across the name of this small, Christian college buried in the middle of Western Pennsylvania called Grove City College. College is a new, nerve-wracking, often terrifying experience to anyone – but to you it is even more than that. For you this also includes traveling far from your home, from your family and far from the friends and places you have been so accustomed to all your life. And that is truly terrifying.  Trust me, I know.

Because three years ago, I was you.

I spent my childhood growing up in Asia; being born in Sri Lanka and then spending my growing years between there and the country of Malaysia. Given the lacking standards of College level education in those parts of the world, I had always known that I would have to look for educational institutions abroad. After a long and interesting period of narrowing down colleges (a story for another time), I was set on going to Grove City College. The application process was exciting, and then my joy of being accepted and being sure of going there was through the roof. How could it not be? I feel that you, like me, will relate to the feeling of excitement and exhilaration that accompanied the thought of “I’m going to America!” This was the place I’d seen in all those Hollywood movies I loved watching growing up. This was the home of my favorite actors, actresses and musicians, this was the hub of culture and all things happening, this was the land of opportunity and the thought of going there was exciting. My excitement stayed with me when I boarded the plane, flew across the globe and made my way to the college I was going to. And I remember so vividly, that it was not until I said goodbye to my aunt and uncle and sat down on my bed, that the fear of being so far from home hit me.

And you will feel this way.

There will be days when you miss the smell of your house, the company of your siblings, the love and scoldings of your mother, the advice of your father, the barking of your dogs; and most of all the reassurance of being home. Perhaps the cruelest thing that the process of coming to America will ever do to you is labeling you an “alien” until you work your way into citizenship (if, like me, you choose to) – and trust me when I say that there will be times when you feel the weight of that word lay heavy on you. Unlike any of the students you will encounter here; you as an international have so much more to prove, so much more to work for and the pressure of that combined with the pressures of the academic rigor here and the strangeness you may feel at being far from home can sometimes feel like it’ll crush and drain you. But here’s where I will encourage you with two of the biggest things I have learned here at Grove City:

  1. You are not here because of your grades or your family or your status or because of pure chance; you are here because God wants you to be here.
  2. Of all the places you could have gone to, you have chosen to leave home to come to a school where you will feel very much at home, where the line between friends and family is often blurred.

But you have some work to do to feel at home here, and here is where I would like to give you three select pointers based on my own experiences of life in Grove City.

  • Shake your Self-Consciousness: It is not a secret that you are going to stand out here. With only 5% diversity and a much smaller number of international students; your skin color, your accent, your style, your mannerisms might stand out. A frequent companion to standing out is self-consciousness, but I urge you not to let self-consciousness get in the way. I have seen a lot of international students keep to themselves and stray away from groups and activities because of their self-consciousness; and as someone who did fall victim to that for a while, I can tell you that it does not help you in anyway. This maybe a campus with little diversity, but it is also a campus with little to no judgement. The community is warm, accepting and friendly; and you will go far by allowing yourself to interact with and befriend the people around you who may look and sound nothing like you.
  • Clubs and Activities: It is the most cliché thing about every college poster; telling you to join and be a part of clubs and activities – but on this campus, it is especially important to international students like you and me. You will find that you will meet your best of friends while sweating over an intense game of IM basketball, or while chatting over coffee at the monthly campus coffee houses, but never just by sitting by yourself in your room. Whether it is a good thing or not, there is a negative assumption of people who shy away from communicating and keeping to themselves on this campus, so engage with and surround yourself with people – it is the best way to feel comfortable here, and the friends you make here are the kind that you stay friends with permanently.
  • Do not be Judgmental: In the same way the Bible reminds us to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” it is important to not be judgmental of people around you here. The culture here is different, and it is easy to judge people who aren’t of the same mindset as you (especially politically here at Grove City). But in order to be a part of the American community you need to remember that all people here have the freedom of speech and more importantly opinion. So it is important to stay away from arguments or shunning people because their opinions may differ from yours. Civilized conversations on things build character, but the second you start judging people based on their beliefs and opinions, you push away people who may have been very good people for you to have in your life.

There is so much more that I could talk about because I can only imagine how many more questions you have that are yet to be answered – but whatever questions you may have I urge you to reach out to the Office of Student Life and Learning on this campus. They do a fantastic job helping international students, and guiding you throughout every process – from showing you how to add/drop a class, to helping you identify and follow the path to working and living in America. And if you would like my perspective, then don’t hesitate to email me and ask anything of me that you would like to at hooleer1@gcc.edu.

My friend, no matter where you are from – remember that you are considering or committing to a campus community that will welcome you and be good to you, if you return the favor in good fashion. Here is a place where you will make memories and build relationships that will last a lifetime. So I urge you to seize every opportunity and show people both here, and at home why you are here and why it is in every way the place God wants you to be! If my story and my advice has been helpful even in one way to you, then I am very thankful to God for using it so. And should you end up coming to Grove City and pursuing and finishing your education here, then I will pray that God will bless and do great things in your life here, like he did and continues to do for mine.  

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China Intersession Abroad: A Terrible beginning Turns Into The Trip of a Lifetime

In the fall, Professor Sweet taught a class endearingly called Internet Content Marketing. In this course, students learned the importance of tailoring content to particular audiences in order to make a profit or showcase credibility. Towards the end of the semester, Professor Sweet asked the students to put their lessons into practice and write articles for this blog. As the editor of this site, I had the awesome opportunity to read all of these articles and choose the ones that I thought our readers would find most interesting. This particular piece is by David Cheung, he describes his trip to China for class credit. Enjoy!

This past summer I had the amazing opportunity to go to China for class credit. We got to go to the cities of Shanghai, Suzhou, Nanjing, Xian, and Beijing. This trip was led by Dr. Hogsette and Dr. Ayers, who could not have been better chaperones. Also, nine other Grove City students were part of the trip. Almost all of the students took the Civ Lit Class that could be completed on the trip. My friend Gabe and I were the only students who chose the other option, a Chinese Culture class. This was due to Gabe and I being Chinese minors. We left for China May 21st and returned on June 2nd, so we spent a total of about 10 days, spending two days in each city.

Despite my high opinion of the trip, it ironically started out very poorly. This was not a failure on the College’s part or the professors. In fact, it was completely my fault that the trip had such a difficult start. It was early in the morning on May 21st. I was on my way to Pittsburgh to fly out from the airport there with the rest of the group. Once I arrived with all my luggage and met up with my fellow students, I reached into my pocket to get my passport. That is when my heart rate shot through the roof, because I realized I had forgotten my passport and visa! Turns out, I left it at my house which was two hours away. The speed with which I sprinted to my car could have shattered any sprinting record in PA. I was able to get ahold of my uncle who went to my house, grabbed my passport, and met me halfway back to my house. At this point the time was around 6 a.m. and my flight was scheduled to leave at 7 a.m. I reached the airport at about 6:50 a.m., turning an hour drive into a 50-minute one. At the airport, everything was a blur. I remember everyone in the line for screening, allowing me to cut past them in order to make my flight, and sprinting down the long corridor leading to all the different flights. Of course, my flight was one of the farthest possible, which made me completely out of breath when I reached the front desk. The man giving me my luggage tag and scanning my ticket seemed a bit irritated at how close I cut it. I checked my phone for the time which was 6:58 a.m. Once on the plane, everyone clapped and I sank into my seat with both embarrassment and relief.

Thankfully, this was the worst part of the trip by a very large margin. After enduring a 14-hour flight, we reached our first destination, the city of Shanghai. The sites we got to see were beautiful. The Jade temple we visited was a famous Buddhist temple and people were constantly walking around praying to these statues that are set up all over the place. Particularly the white jade Buddha is the one that is famous. They hold it in such high regard that no pictures are allowed to be taken of it. It was a little off putting, being a Christian inside a temple dedicated to the worship of these statues, and with monks chanting all over the place. I was intrigued by how much the Chinese people hope in and have reverence for these Buddhas. It showed a lot of us on the trip how blind we are to the world outside the US, and even just outside of our little college. The experience was a powerful one, and we gained insight into the cultural values of China. We also visited other more typical tourist destinations in China, such as the Great Wall. This vast and seemingly unending wall was beautiful on the mountainous landscape of eastern China.

It was a tiring, but rewarding climb up the large steps to get to the higher points of the wall. We also saw the world famous Terra Cotta Warriors museum, which had many different statues who were buried in the giant Tomb of Emperor Qin. Our tour guide told us that they protect the Emperor in the after-life. The Emperor believed that every clay item that was buried with him would go with him to heaven, so there were clay animals, bowls, pots, servants, and many other things.

Even though these sights were very grand and beautiful, my personal favorite place we visited was the Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. We were able to talk to Chinese college students that were our age. It was so cool to compare our experiences with theirs. They would attempt to practice their English with us, and we would do the same with Chinese. They had many different demonstrations ready, to show us their medical practices and beliefs. They placed a high importance on using herbs to heal illness rather than turning to medication. Also, they view the body as all being connected through energy pathways. This energy is called “chi.” It is easy to disregard this idea, but there has been some amazing feats performed by the Chinese people as a result of this concept. We also got to see their beautiful garden that they grow all their herbs in. It was breathtaking when we laid eyes on it.

A professor from the college led us through the garden describing all the plants as we continued along. When the time came to say good-bye to everyone at the university, they gave us all gifts to take back with us. They were such gracious hosts, and a lot of us quickly became friends and exchanged numbers. I kept in contact with them for a while after the trip and I now have lots of friends to practice my Chinese with.

Everywhere we went, our meals were all so delicious. No matter where our location, there were always vegetables cooked perfectly with a dark sauce of some sort, many kinds of chicken dishes, and of course endless amounts of tea. Also, all meals required us to eat with chopsticks, and to eat “family-style.” This means that all of the food is in the center of the table, and people grab small portions of it at a time to put on their individual plates. This is very different from in the US where we all get our own dish. I personally loved “family-style” eating because it allowed me to try everything. There are also a lot of very unusual dishes we ate while in China. A few such foods were jellyfish, sea slugs, sea cucumbers, and cow stomach. Some of these dishes were completely different from what you would expect, such as the jellyfish being crunchy. On the other hand, some were exactly what was expected like the sea slugs have a slimy texture. Most of these dishes I thoroughly enjoyed (with the exception of the jellyfish) and am so glad that I was able to try this cuisine. I was hesitant to eat all of this crazy food at first, but by the end, I was eating duck eyes and not thinking twice about it. The fact we all got to try these new things together helped all of us students get closer as we marveled at these unique foods. Furthermore, the Chinese culture also believes in long meals that you leave only when you cannot take another bite. This made it so we spent a lot of time getting to know each other within the group.

Everyone in the group really got along well with each other. There was not a single person that I had any complaints about on this trip. Each person was included, no matter what we did. I largely contribute it to the fact that we all had to watch out for each other when we had free time, because we did not have a tour guide to take care of us. None of us were fluent in Chinese which made it very difficult and dangerous to be alone. However, as a result, everyone got to know each other very well. The friendships we formed continued even when we returned back to the States. We still try to grab a lunch as group every once in a while, and we have an ongoing group chat. I became closer with everyone on this trip, but much more so with the two other men that went. There were only three male students on this trip: Travis, Gabe, and myself. I was acquainted with these guys before the trip, but did not know them all that well. Gaining all these new experiences together really bonded us. We had to experience jet-lag together, eat all our meals together, sleep in the same room, shop with each other, and hangout during our free time. Every night we would re-hash everything that happened and talk about how excited we were for the next day. Nothing was ever boring with these guys, and yet I always felt relaxed around them as well. Us three still get tea together every week and are even better friends since the trip. Without going on this trip, I would have never had the great opportunity of getting to know these individuals.

I highly recommend the trip for anyone. There were so many benefits to going. I completed a class, got exposure to a different culture, got to know professors, tried new foods, and formed so many amazing friendships. I had been to China two other times prior to this Intersession trip. They do not compare to the experience I had while in China with this group. I doubt I will ever have quite the same experience again, unless I go on another trip with Grove City. If you are able to go, do not miss out on this opportunity. In looking back at it, I know it was no doubt worth every penny. 

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Baseball Spotlight: John Bini

John Bini

Elementary Education Major

Class of 2020
Position: Pitcher

What has been your favorite baseball memory?
The trip every year in the spring to Florida. It’s a long bus ride, about 15 hours, so being able to hang out with the guys on the bus, watching movies, making jokes, and playing games. When we get down there we stay in a condo or a house. It’s a great experience to get away from school with the guys on the team.

What is unique about Grove City’s baseball team?
Our coach is unique, Coach Royer has been coaching for a long time, he coached both DI and DII. He knows a lot about baseball and to get someone with that knowledge with a Division III program is unique, and how much he wants to teach the human being not just the athlete, he focused on character, respect, and responsibility.

What should a perspective baseball player know?
It’s more important choosing the school over the sport. Choosing a solid school that’s not going to make you a better athletes but a better person overall is very important. Look into the school itself and not just the baseball team.

How was the program different from what you thought it would be coming in as a prospective athlete?
We had a coaching change freshman year, and he [Coach Royer] turned the whole program around. I thought it would be fun and not too serious and I’d be here to get a good education. We are a team that’s about getting better at the sport and putting the time in.

What has your baseball experience been like over the past four years and how did baseball affect your collegiate experience?
It is a time commitment, so with any sport you will have time you can dedicate to your friends, socially it has helped them a lot because you met different people, in your classes you’ll meet people from your same major. With baseball you have that commonality but you meet different people in different majors and with different perspectives. I’m better structured during baseball season, so I can keep my class schedule and my study schedule. It’s helped me be more responsible

What advice would you give to someone who is on the edge of playing baseball at GCC?

The most important thing for a prospective student is to not get stuck on the DIII tag that they are a joke. Come to the school, see how we play, talk to the coach. The team as a whole is really committed to baseball, everyone on the team loves baseball and loves to play, and the knowledge you get isn’t something to can get anywhere else.

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Football Spotlight: Kyle Beyer

Kyle Beyer

Class of 2018

Elementary Education/ PreK-4 Major

Position: Safety

What has been your favorite football memory?

Definitely the night game against St. Vincent. We went into the game with a long losing streak. It was a game we knew we could get, and we had a huge crowd. When we won the game, the crowd stormed the field and it was a huge moment.

What is unique about Grove City’s football team?

The coaching staff and camaraderie on the team from the top-down: from the president to athletic director to the coaches and teammates, we have the same vision of brick by brick and we want to make that vision a reality. Brick by brick is when coach DiDonato came with the vision of winning, he knew we can’t do it in one game, but by starting with one practice, one game, and one season at a time.

What should a perspective football player know?

When you come to Grove City, you are coming into a great institution with a great coaching staff that will be there for you along the way and they will help you out with whatever you need.

How was the program different from what you thought it would be coming in as a prospective student?

The time you have to put in. College football is different than high school football. It takes time you to put in work with film study and with lifting. The mentality stuff that go into it: the playbook is thicker, but its cooler to dive into the football and get into the game in depth and become a real student of the game.

What was your football experience like over the past four years and how did football affect your collegiate experience?

I’ve had a great experience with football over the past four years. It has affected my life because I’ve built lasting relationships with my teammates and coaches. Football teaches a lot of about life and the real world, because you have to face adversity and overcome circumstance, setting goals and reaching those goals every day.

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Football Spotlight: Deion Minor

Deion Minor

Class of 2018

Business Management Major

Position: Linebacker

 

What is your favorite Grove City football memory?

The Thiel game. I was able to finish my career by winning the Mercer County Cup, and after what we went through for the past few years, it was nice to end with such a high note.

What is unique about Grove City’s football team?

The life lessons that Coach DiDonato teaches everyday at practice. He always talks about four second phrases, focus on your vision and not your circumstance, be where your feet are.

What is something a perspective football player should know?

Be willing to learn and be ready to have your life change by Coach D who is a fantastic coach. He just taught me that not matter the circumstance, how to pursue it and learn from the good and the bad and take it as a life lesson.

How was the program different from what you thought it would be coming in as a prospective athlete?

Everybody is good and everybody is fast, everybody was the best at their high school so you have to be better everyday.

What has your football experience been like over the past four years and how did football affect your collegiate experience?

My best friends are football football players, these players will be the ones at my wedding. It has enhanced my GPA here by all the resources that Coach D and the academic resources office brings here.

What would you say to a prospective football player that is on the edge of playing at Grove City?

Definitely give it a try, football here at this school can change your life, opportunities like this wouldn’t be around without this organization. Work hard, train hard over the summer and be ready to come in in August and get the ball rolling.

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Football Spotlight: Randall LaBrie

Randall LaBrie

Class of 2020

Finance Major

Position: Quarterback

 

What has been your favorite football memory?

I got an opportunity to become the quarterback and help the team, which was an amazing opportunity to step up.

What is unique about Grove City’s football team?

I think that it’s a group of guys that really care about each other, at other schools many kids are about themselves. Here, there’s a family connection between the guys and I think that is very special.

What should a perspective football player know?

It [the program] is in a positive direction. The team has a bright future in front of them because of the culture and the way things are developed there. There is such a strong connection of family and the Grove City College community backs us up so well. You have all the support in the world, all the way down from the president of the college to the players on the team.

How was the program different from what you thought it would be coming in as a prospective athlete?

In high school, you were kinda “the guy” when you are on the team, when you come to college you are having to find your role on the team all over again. That’s the big thing.

What has your football experience been like over the past four years and how did football affect your collegiate experience?

I’d say a lot of ups and downs, Through coming in and not being a starter and not playing and then now I am playing and starting and winning games. I remember where I was and can see where I am going. Being on the team has helped me stay focused and the guys on the team help a lot with academics. If you are in a class, the older guys can help you out. We had study huddles that the freshman go to to get help.

What would you say to a player that is on the edge of playing football at Grove City?

Play 100%. No matter what your role is on the team, its a family, being on the team you’ll find that, and it’ll open up so many doors for a young freshman’s life. Just by being on the team and a part of something.

The coaching staff is some of the most important people in my life, Coach DiDonato is one of those most inspirational people I’ve ever met. The coaching staff does everything. Coach D doesn’t just coach football: he teaches life. It’s not just football, football, football; we learn a lot of life lessons, and there is stuff you can take away from what he teaches and preaches. It has shaped my life differently from meeting him and playing for him.

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Football Spotlight: Daniel Sedjo

Daniel Sedjo

Mechanical Engineering Major

Class of 2018

Position: Right Guard

What has been your favorite football memory?

The Geneva game. That was always a frustrating game to lose in the past. I tore my ACL during the game sophomore year. It was really satisfying to beat them this year. It was finding our identity as a team, especially as an offense. The beginning of this year last season, we didn’t really know who we were.

What is unique about Grove City’s football team?

I think we have a great leader with Coach DiDonato. We have great expectations and there’s a great vision he puts in front of us. He can articulate it and present it so well and that is something real special.

What should a perspective football player know?

The visual that Coach D has set for the team is a bold one. The goal is to become PAC champions and that will happen in the next couple years. It’s where the team is currently going under coach D and we got to see that growth this season.

How was the program different from what you thought it would be coming in as a prospective athlete?

I came here and wasn’t sure I would play football in college. When I came here, I watched a game I wasn’t too impressed. What surprised me was the camaraderie and the brotherhood on the team. The first couple years had some aspects that weren’t great but what surprised me was the camaraderie.

What was your football experience like over the past four years and how did football affect your collegiate experience?

In season it takes up a lot of time so it is a commitment. I think that it has affected me socially. The friends I have on the football team are friends I’ll have for the rest of my life. The experience of going the first three years of not winning and the adversity, and then finally breaking through this year. Coach D says focus on the visual and not your circumstance and it sounds cliché, but over the past year that’s become a real meaningful statement. It was tough with the time, but the upside to it was that with other engineers on the football and with the support they gave was encouraging, it makes you manage your time well. It helped me a lot with my time management.

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Men’s Swimming: Brett Gwynn

Brett Gwynn

Accounting Major

Class of 2018

Butterfly and Sprint Free

What has been your favorite swim team memory?

The Moraine Park picnic, where we all go and introduce ourselves to the freshmen and we have a good time in the water.  We do a watermelon game where we cover a watermelon in gelatin, we gather up in teams and see who can get the watermelon to their goalie. It’s a good team bonding exercise where we see who can get the watermelon to their person with a new group of swimmers and divers.

What is unique about Grove City’s swim team?

It’s a very close team, we are close knit like a family. If anyone has any issues or problems with homework or a personal life issue, we always have someone who is there to respond and help them with the issue. We also do meals together and study in STEM (the Science Technology Engineering Math building) together. We have weekly bible studies.

What should a perspective swimmer know?

One thing that I believe is that it’s not the times on the board you’re going to remember after we graduate, it’s going to be the times that we had as teammates with your friends. So, spending times with them is a lot of fun; they are a great family and a great team. It is times where we have movie nights or Moraine picnic are the the times you will remember, you may have a good race sometime and you’ll remember them, but the times spent with the team are the ones that will bring a smile to your face.

How was the program different from what you thought it would be coming in as a prospective athlete?

So, in my high school, we focused more on just getting yardage in on a fast interval. Our coach works on technique, it’s not quite about garbage yardage and time, it is about how well you can swim the stroke and how efficient.

What has your swimming experience been like over the past four years and how did swimming affect your collegiate experience?

I like to think that swimming has helped me to schedule my time a lot better, it takes up a chunk of time so you have to do you have to do your homework in the time slots it lets you have. It has definitely helped me to organize my time schedule better and I problem have better grades when I’m swimming than when I’m not, because its helping me to prioritize things like homework and studying.

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Women’s Golf: Ashley Winters and Molly Arendt

Ashley Winters 

Class of 2018

Biology Major

Molly Arendt

Class of 2019

Marketing Management Major

What has been your favorite golf team memory?

Ashley: We pranked one kid on the team, we went out to winter the night of PACs (Presidential Athletics Conference), we sang happy birthday to him and he didn’t know that we knew his real name was Nicholas. Surprise!

Molly: Last PAC’s we went to see the guys and all the girls just sat on the hill facing down watching the guys and hung out.

What is unique about GCC golf?

Molly: The girls team is really close, very fun and energetic!

Ash: It’s like a family thing, we get dinner together and we kinda are like each others sisters, we want each other to do well.

What should a perspective golfer know?

Molly: They should really meet with the team and have dinner with us. It’s a lot of fun, its probably the most fun sport on campus.

Ashley: You think it is going to be so much more intense, and its really not that bad, you don’t have a set practice and you get to go out when it works with your schedule, very flexible.

How was the program different from what you thought it would be coming in as a prospective athlete?

Molly: I didn’t know we had a golf team. I thought it was going to be more intense.

Ashley: I thought it was going to be super intense and competitive, yes it is competitive and but it is very laid back and a ton of fun.

What was your golfing experience like over the past years and how did golfing affect your collegiate experience?

Ashley: The people you wouldn’t have met many people on the team, and now they are my friends forever. You get a bonding experience with people you’d never have a relationship with.

Molly: If I wasn’t here I’d be studying all the time, it is stress relief.

What would you say to an athlete on the fence about golfing at Grove City?

Ashley: If you are on the fence at least meet us and try it. Give it one or two practices and it’s just a fun time.

Molly: It is basically like a free country club membership and that’s an experience I would never have.