Month: October 2019

Posted on by — Leave a comment

New Addition To Campus: Food Truck Fridays

Who’s Hangry? During the month of September, Grove City College hosted a variety of different food trucks on campus, and one of those trucks featured Who’s Hangry, Extreme Mountain Pies Food Truck. Even as a busy college student, I made sure I had an extra 10 minutes to stop by the food truck because the food was fantastic. It may not surprise you, but the line was pretty long. This gave me time to decide what I wanted to order from the menu. I mean, check out this menu, it all sounded delicious:

  • Mountain Pies
    • Pepperoni Pizza (#1 favorite, according to the workers)
    • Turkey Rueben
    • President McNulty’s Irish Stew
    • 3 Cheese Grilled Cheese and Bacon
    • Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese
  • Mountain Chips (loaded with bacon or “naked”)

The Big Decision

Finally, my friends and I were ready to order and I opted for President McNulty’s Irish Stew, while my two friends both got the Pepperoni Pizza. Before getting this fluffy, warm mountain pie, I have never had traditional Irish Stew, but I know exactly what I am telling my mother to cook me when I go home for Thanksgiving Break, it was that good! Of course, my friends both loved the Pepperoni Pizza Mountain Pie since it is the number-one seller. Char-Leigh Bates even exclaimed, “I did not know what a mountain pie was before today, now I think I need to travel to Mercer where Who’s Hangry is located to buy more!”

Food Truck Friday

Food Truck Friday 

The majority of students around Grove City College have loved all the food trucks, especially Romeo’s BBQ & Asian Food and Chick-fil-A. The Chick-fil-A food truck was a huge hit and they sold out of sandwiches within an hour! Below is a photo from a student who enjoyed the first food truck, Wieners Gone Wild.

Food Truck Friday

So, if you are a prospective student looking to expand your food palate, the new Food Truck Friday is the perfect opportunity to do just that.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Tips for Senior Year from Recent Graduates

It does not take long for anyone to see that Grove City College students typically find the College through their relatives. I am no exception. Both of my brothers attended Grove City College before me, and both have been out in the real world for several years now. Bill is 28 and currently works for the WebstaurantStore, while Sam is 25 and works as an accountant for RKL. Since they are older and maybe even wiser than me, I thought I would ask them what tips they had for seniors in their last year of college. Here is what they said:

1. It is okay to not have a job

As senior year comes around, you will become more aware and worried about how many of your friends already have careers ahead of them. When you start to see this, it begins to feel like your friends have somehow “got it figured out” and you do not. This can seem frightening, but it is important to remember that they are still in the same period of life as you and college is just a small portion of what is ahead. As long as you can make up some excuse as to why you are better than them and your dad can still beat their dad in a fight, you are good to go. Just kidding, but just remember that life is pretty complicated and almost no one gets everything right on the first try. In fact, most students will end up with careers later in life that have little or nothing to do with their major. It is okay to not have a job right away, but do not lose faith in the process.

2. Practice common interview questions

Although it is acceptable to be jobless for a bit, you do want to put yourself in the best position you can for a career. A great way to do this is to practice some of the most common interview questions so you do not freeze up when they inevitably come your way. Here are a few examples:

“Tell me about yourself.”

“What are three words you would use to describe yourself?”

“What are your strengths/weaknesses?”

“Give me an example of conflict you have had in the past and how you resolved it.”

“If your dad and my dad were in a fight, who would win?”

You would be surprised how hard these questions are to answer, so make sure you are prepared.

3. Enjoy the last year

Since it will be your last year at the Grove, try to enjoy it as much as you can. It is unlikely that your GPA will change much as a senior, so make sure you stay focused on the important things. In a year or two you will not remember that test you took, but you might look back on being with your college friends as your best memory.

So, there it is! The last few tips you will ever need as a college student. If you keep these in mind, I promise that it will improve your senior year.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Spotlight

https://vimeo.com/359858024

Many prospective students are interested in playing on a varsity sports team at Grove City College, but the majority of these students are not aware of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) that meets to enhance the student-athlete experience at this college. Hear more about SAAC from Liz Scherer.

How would you describe SAAC to a prospective student? 

SAAC has student-athlete representatives from each varsity sports team on campus. There are 40 members on the committee since each team sends two reps. We come together to make decisions on National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules, Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) rules, events that go on around campus, and basic athletic department decisions at Grove City College. A few of SAAC’s goals on campus include generating a student-athlete voice within the college, PAC, and NCAA structure, serving as a conduit of communication between student-athletes, coaches, and athletic administration, and promote a positive image of a Grove City College student-athlete.

What type of events does SAAC organize on campus?

We do a lot at different sporting events. For example, last year we held a fundraiser during the women’s and men’s basketball games. It was a great time because the entire campus was involved and got to shoot half-court shots and try to win prizes. We are looking forward to doing this event again during the upcoming basketball season. Also, we make sure each team on campus has a brother or sister team paired with them. For example, the Women’s Basketball team and the Men’s Lacrosse team were brother and sister last year, so they both supported each other during their seasons and created a stronger community of athletes.

SAAC initiated the saying, Wolverines Together, what does this phrase mean to you?

Wolverines Together is our motto that we try to embody here at Grove City College, especially as athletes. To me, it means coming together as a community to support one another, and it does not matter if you are in athletics or not. We are trying to be one unit and create a campus-wide community.

SAAC
SAAC organized an event with the Special Olympics.
Posted on by — Leave a comment

On-Campus Job Spotlight: Sports Information Assistant

Sports Information Assistant

https://vimeo.com/359676576

Tell me about the typical day as a Sports Information Assistant in the Athletic Department.

I normally work three times a week for an hour each day. During that time, I help our Sports Information Director, Ryan Briggs, with various tasks. Some of the things I do include researching opponents for upcoming games and matches, processing rosters, schedules, and details for the sporting events on campus. The majority of my work is done on the computer and there are other Sports Information Assistants that help get these tasks done.

Who encouraged you to work on-campus?

My basketball coach, Chelle Fuss, helped me get this job. She recommended me to Mr. Briggs, and ever since then I have been working with him for the past two years. I am very grateful to have a coach who cares so much about her players because without her I am not sure what on-campus job I would have.

How has this position helped you grow as a student?

Working with the athletic department has helped me become more knowledgeable about the sports going on around campus. I am more aware of the athletes who play sports here at Grove City College and that allows me to create more connections and network. In terms of growth, I am more involved with the Grove City College community, and I look forward to growing my relationships here.

How do you balance working on-campus, playing a varsity sport, and academics?

I have a lot of experience with time management coming from high school, and I know my priorities are academics first, then sports and a job. It is important to get yourself disciplined to be in a daily routine and make a schedule that you can stick to.

Do you have any advice for a prospective student who is interested in working on-campus?

I recommend if you are looking to work, I would do an on-campus job because it gets you more connected within the Grove City community. You become closer with professionals around campus, which leads to more connections when you graduate and go to the “real” world. Plus, it is always nice to make money while at college!

Sports Information Assistant

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Getting Published: Campus Magazines and More

Most writers know that getting their work published and out for the world to read is an intimidating feat. At the Grove, we have several campus publications that thrive on and publish only students’ work! Written by students and for fellow students, faculty, visitors, and community members, Grove City student publications encourage students to write everything from short stories to book reviews and poetry.

Here at the Grove, we have publications that fit every writer and style, from journalists to aspiring poets. Getting work published is an accomplishment students are proud to show their friends and family while they gain valuable writing experience and credibility to bring to future employers. Student editors staff each publication and provide helpful, constructive feedback to student writers.

Campus Newspaper

For aspiring journalists, Grove City publishes the College newspaper fondly called The Collegian. Content for the newspaper comes from students reporters who attend campus events, interview students, and cover any activities or exciting additions to Grove City. The Collegian covers everything from sports to movie reviews. Writing for this publication is a great way for students to be aware of campus current events and meet new students or even professors.

The Quad and The Echo

For those with a story to share, the College also publishes two literary magazines. One is the Quad, a student-written magazine that publishes short stories, poetry, creative nonfiction, essays, and more. The Quad publishes four issues per year, and editors distribute the magazine all over campus and at several small businesses in the Grove City community. A sister (and sometimes rival) publication to the Quad is the Echo, a magazine that publishes student art, photography, and poetry. Both publications offer students the opportunity to share their work with Grove City and its surrounding community.

Getting Involved

Students can also hold editorial positions for campus publications. Each publication has teams of editors that curate work, discuss with writers, and copy edit students’ writing for the final, polished result. Being a part of the editorial staff allows students to read their classmates’ work, learn to provide meaningful and valuable editorial feedback, and be involved in the publication and marketing process. To get involved, students submit their work electronically to the publication of their choice. From there, they will receive editorial feedback and be on the road to getting published.

Grove City’s student publications not only encourage students’ creativity and writing, but also represent the College. Grove City strives to uphold its reputation for academic excellence intertwined with Christian belief, and both of these values are evident in its students’ written work.

 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Campus Spotlight: ICO Fair

What is the ICO Fair? What does it offer?

The Inner City Outreach (ICO) Fair is an event held in the student union every fall semester. The goal of this event is to inform the campus community about what ICO trips our college offers and how they can learn more about the details of these trips. This year we had informational tables set up for ten different ICO trips, most of which will be serving during spring break and the others over Thanksgiving or fall break. The trips in attendance were ICO Los Angeles, Rhode Island, Tucson, Guatemala, Philadelphia, Czech Republic, Chicago, Buffalo, and Grove City.

How did the campus community respond to the fair?

There was a great turnout from the community at the fair. Each trip had a table with their respective leaders there, ready to answer any questions about their trip and offer some insights that might help any fresh faces decide which ICO could be a good fit for them. Although the trickle of students coming in and out of the fair was steady, there was no one trip that dominated the students’ interest. Each table consistently had a number of students around and ready to hear what the leaders had to say about their trip. Most students made it a point to cycle through the room, hearing the stories of each individual trip in attendance, making sure to really get a feel for all of the trips and see where God might be leading them on this journey of service.

How can the students receive more information?

Students can sign up for email lists for individual trips to receive updates as well as look to various posters around campus. This will allow students to know when and where info meetings are being held and how they can take steps toward being on the team of their choosing.

 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Life Changing Electives: The Pottery Program at Grove City College

Grove City offers many worthwhile majors and minors to pursue, but if you are like most students, you will have a few general electives to fulfill as well. “General Electives” are classes of your choosing! This requirement gives students a great opportunity to explore topics and activities beyond their regular area of studies, and you can have a lot of fun doing this.

One of the most fulfilling and satisfying electives that I have ever taken is Pottery. Professor Rhoades has maintained a quality program for students with courses encompassing handbuilding, wheel throwing, sculpture, pueblo, raku, and advanced ceramics. When you are using the medium of clay, the process is always the same, but you get to choose what the final product will be. Here are some examples of the work you can create and keep at the end of the semester:

The following is a very basic description of how you begin to work with the medium of clay. You begin by wedging, the technique of mixing and rolling clay to make it consistent and remove air bubbles (air bubbles can cause problems when you fire the clay, mostly by turning your new piece of artwork into a mini explosive in the kiln). Once you have wedged your clay you can begin to create its form. There are two main techniques for doing so – handbuilding and wheel throwing. Your clay will slowly dry over time, and you can work with it until it reaches the texture of leather, at which point you cannot make any further alterations (aside from starting over again). Once your pottery is bone-dry you are ready for the kiln! First, you will bisque fire your work, then you are ready to glaze with a variety of different colors. Once you have glazed your pottery, you place your work back in the kiln for a glaze fire. If there are any runs that you do not like from your glazing then you can sand them in the studio to polish them up!

For anyone who is hesitant because they don not believe in their artistic ability, I would encourage you to take a look at my first piece of work. It is by no means a masterpiece, in fact it is an embarrassment! But Professor Rhoades is very generous and will reward you for your efforts and improvement! Yes, even this humble piece of pottery was A-worthy.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Varsity Men’s Football Spotlight: Kelsey Tischler

Grove City College Football

How often do you have the opportunity to watch a woman play football at the collegiate level? If you have never witnessed this, I invite you to attend a Grove City College football game at Robert E. Thorn Field this year. Pittsburgh native and senior, Kelsey Tischler, is one of the kickers for the football team, and she makes sure to never disappoint the crowd. Her love for football and the program is something very special. I had the chance to talk with Kelsey and learn more about her decision to pursue collegiate football. Here are her remarks:

At what moment did you realize you wanted to play football?

My junior year of high school, I was sitting in the student section during one of the football games, and I watched the kicker kick an extra point. I thought to myself, that would be fun. So, the next night I was at a neighborhood campfire and I told my neighbor that I wanted to kick for the football team. It was at that moment, there was a fire lit inside of me. I did not realize it then, but that was 100% the Lord giving me His plan.

How challenging is it to be the only female athlete on an all-male team?

I have been blessed with the greatest teammates, and I think it speaks so highly of who they are as men. At times there are personal challenges for myself, but the guys are all so kind to me and they make it pretty easy. Sometimes, it is weird because I look around and ask myself, what am I doing here, but there is nowhere else I would rather be than on this Grove City College football team.

Do you ever question your faith since God has created a path for you that is very different from most college females?

I think there are times when I ask myself why I am here, then I understand that God has sent me here for a reason. So, sometimes there will be moments where I question something but I always go back to the Lord and His plan for me, which I know is good and this is where I am meant to be.

The football team is coming off a great 2018 season, what are the team goals for the upcoming season?

We have had the same goal since day one when I walked in here and we were one of the worst teams in the country. It would be to glorify God in the pursuit of earning a degree, building lasting relationships and competing for PAC championships.

Which coach gives you the most inspiration on or off the field?

Coach Brest just joined the coaching staff this past year as the kicking coach and he has had a really big impact on me. Throughout my three years here, Coach DiDonato has done an incredible job, and it is hard to put it into words. I cannot believe that he is my head coach. He is the best coach anyone could ever ask for, and he incorporates winning but also character, making sure we are developing as young men and women off the field.

Can you tell us about the significance of the phrase, Brick by Brick?

This phrase means a lot to everyone on the football team. To me and a lot of the other players, it means vision, process, and love. We have a vision, our process is to keep laying bricks until it becomes a wall and love is what holds everything together.

Grove City College FootballGrove City College Kicker

Posted on by — Leave a comment

On Campus Starbucks vs. Off Campus Dunkin’

Grove City College offers a variety of ways to get food on campus. A student or anyone looking for food on campus can either go to Hicks dining hall, Map dining hall, or to the Breen Student Union to get a meal. At the Student Union, the food options are smaller and to-go. This can be really useful to students with busy schedules because they can quickly grab their food, go to class, or do what is necessary for their day, while still being able to make time for meals. They also offer other items that are not part of a student meal plan, so you would have to pay for those items in either normal money or crimson cash, cash that you put on your student ID card.

One thing offered at the Student Union, that is not part of a student meal plan, is Starbucks.  This can be pretty convenient to students because they can grab a cup of coffee before their morning class or while they are doing homework. Starbucks is a well known coffee shop for quality coffee, but one problem is that it is also well known for higher prices.

Due to the higher prices and not a lot of options in the Student Unions’ Starbucks, a lot of students will look to other places for their much needed coffee. One of those places is Dunkin’ Donuts. Dunkin’ is a pretty close walk, being just across the street from the Colonial Hall Apartments, and many students take advantage of the ability to do their homework there.

Just from being present in both Dunkin’ and the Student Union, it is safe to say that more students get their coffee from Dunkin’.  This could be for multiple reasons: the coffee is less expensive, you are able to use a rewards membership unlike at the Starbucks in the Student Union, etc. If the Student Unions Starbucks made a few changes, for example, being able to use the Starbucks rewards app, then they could possibly get more business in that regard.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Unconventional Study Tips

Close your eyes and picture this. A freshman shows up at Grove City College and is having a great time. Weeks go by without him/her even noticing, but then finally it happens. The day of reckoning. The freshman’s first test. Normally this would not be a problem, but this is not high school anymore, and the freshman does not know how to study. Well, maybe he/she knows how but is having a hard time doing what he/she has been told to do. He/she has heard it all a million times, go to the library, put in earplugs, and isolate yourself from humanity, but he/she just can not get himself to do so. Now open your eyes. Did I just describe you? If so, read on for Karl’s unconventional college study tips.

Tip 1 – Drink something

The first tip is to drink something. Anything. If you are like me, you probably think that studying is boring, and you would be right. It is. Sometimes you can not seem to stop your mind from wandering, and it feels like you need something else to think about that will not distract you yet provide your brain with brief moments of opportunity to think about something else other than studying. I have found that drinking something helps me focus on studying for longer periods of time precisely because of that. My personal favorite things to have while studying are non-caffeinated versions of drinks that wake me up, such as tea and coffee. You may find that although decaf coffee does not actually provide any caffeine boost, it reminds you of a time where it did and helped you feel truly alive, rather than feeling how you are right now in the middle of the night studying for a test.

Tip 2 – Just start

Studies have shown that people are more likely to finish a task they have started than if they have not started at all. This may sound silly, but there is something about the human mind that wants to finish something as soon as it is started. Instead of lying in your bed and thinking about studying, try sitting at your desk and opening your textbook. As soon as you do this, you are much more likely to actually study than the person who is thinking about studying in their bed.

Tip 3 – Study for 15 minutes WITHOUT DISTRACTION

When you first start studying, you will notice that it is easy to distract yourself in the beginning. Whether it is your phone, your computer, or your pesky roommate ripping Beyblades onto your head, it all seems more distracting in the beginning. Believe it or not, there is an element of momentum to studying. Once you study for about 15 minutes without letting yourself be distracted by anything, the next hour will fly by. Try it out, it feels amazing. Just make sure you do not let yourself get distracted by a single thing for those first 15 minutes or it will not work.

There you go, three study tips that I bet you have not heard before. Hopefully these help you study in the upcoming years, but hey, there is a possibility they will not help. The most important thing is to keep trying until you figure out what works for you! Never forget that.