Grove City College allows freshman the option to choose their roommates. Most of the time, students change rommates after freshman year. Marquis and Luke are a rare example of roommates who lived together for all 4 years at Grove City College.
Marquis and Luke come from two totally different backgrounds. In this 2 part video series, they explain how their different perspectives have come together and shaped them into better men in Christ. Click and watch the video to get specific insights on how Luke and Marquis have managed to be roommates throughout college and how they plan to remain as friends throughout their lifetimes.
In this video, Marquis and Luke answer the following:
How did you guys become roommates?
Where have you lived on campus?
Do you have any problems with your roommate?
What are your favorite/funniest memories?
Click here for part 2: https://blogs.gcc.edu/insider/2020/02/29/video-roommates-brothers-part-2/
Most of the time, students change roommates after freshman year of college. Unlike the rest, Marquis and Luke have managed to stay roommates at Grove City College for all 4 years. In Part 2 of “From Roommates to Brothers”, Marquis and Luke continue to discuss their journey and growth as roommates, and offer some advice to incoming freshmen.
In this video, Marquis and Luke answer the following:
What are your favorite parts about being roommates?
How have you stayed roommates all four years?
Do you have any advice for incoming freshmen?
If you have any questions regarding life at Grove City College, feel free to contact Marquis or Luke on instagram @1.quislew and @lukeurbanik.
To view part one of the series, click this link: https://blogs.gcc.edu/insider/2020/02/29/video-roommates-brothers-part-2/
How did you balance taking a class while studying abroad?
Before traveling to Europe, all the students met with our professor for the Christianity and Civilization course, and we had assignments to complete before leaving. We read numerous books and wrote responses. When we flew to Greece, we took our midterm on the airplane. This aspect was a little hard because I was tired, but I managed to get it done. While we were in Europe, we had to complete journal responses at our leisure. Finally, we all had to give a presentation at a designated tourist spot. It may seem like a lot, but I would do it all again in a heartbeat.
At which location did you present?
I did my presentation at Mycenae where I had the opportunity to talk about King Agamemnon and his tomb. It was really interesting because the view was incredible while climbing the mountain, but the tomb is in a honeycomb structure. So, when you go inside, there were cement blocks laid out to look like a honeycomb from a beehive. The acoustics were great and we all sang as one.
If a prospective student was interested in studying abroad for two weeks, what would you tell them?
I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to travel and also get coursework done too! It is great if you want to complete one of your humanities courses. The one thing I did not realize until we got there was the people you travel with will become some of your closest friends and I still hang out with them on campus now.
How did you find out about the Summer Study Abroad opportunity?
I saw a poster around campus, so I went on my.gcc.edu and went under the International Education tab to learn more about travel courses Grove City College offers.
Europe is known for its food, so what was your favorite item you ate while in Greece and Italy?
Oddly enough, I do not like vegetables, but one of my favorite things to eat was the Greek salad. The vegetables were so fresh, and they serve it with a huge block of cheese and olive oil, it was phenomenal. I still have dreams about the first salad I ate there, that is how good it was. On the other hand, my favorite dessert became baklava on this trip.
This past summer, I spent two beautiful weeks in Deschappelles, Haiti. The heat was intense, the people were very relaxed (as is common with islanders), and art was incorporated into mostly everywhere one could look. From the sides of buildings to the sounds of street musicians, I relished in the aestheticism of this country.
This country of Haiti, although severely impoverished, was rich with creativity. I experienced this fierce and natural creative spirit most when I met Pasky.
I had met this young man, 24 years of age, at the local tennis court. Being an avid tennis player myself, I would stop at the tennis courts at least once a day to play the town’s best hitters. It was titillating to barely be able to communicate with many villagers, but nonetheless exchange forehand, backhands, and serving strokes.
Pasky and I shared a match, and a few days later, he saw me walking around town with my big camera taking pictures of the area’s tree reforestation program (my reason for traveling to Haiti).
Pasky walked on over to me and said, in broken English, “Mark, will you please take a music video of me?”
I responded, “Pasky, you’re a rapper?”
He said “Oui, oui.” (meaning yes, yes).
It was natural that I accepted the challenge, even though I had not used video editing software since high school. I traveled to the country to help Haitians and this was my opportunity, one which could not have been more directly offered to me.
So, we set to record the next day. Pasky showed up wearing quirky and colorful rural costume of sorts, and had brought his friends from the tennis courts as his personal hype-men. So, we set forth, me recording, Pasky singing, and his friends joking and suggesting different dance moves to their rapper-friend. I was very grateful to be able to record what I think of as a pure manifestation of Haitian culture that developed before me.
We had a blast hitting up different spots around town and having random members of the community get involved, all while having good fun.
My personal favorite part of the video is the last minute, where the music fades out and you can only hear the raw noises of the excited Haitians. The country has an amazing culture, represented by this final part of the film clip.
The day before I left, Pasky gave me a nice present. It turns out, he’s an excellent pencil artist as well! Here is the portrait he created with myself as his inspiration to show thanks for me agreeing to give him his hour or so of fame… he even depicted me showing peace!
Indeed, I loved the country, and now, looking back, I love the simple and pure memory of the video-recording experience. I look forward to going back to Haiti and meeting Pasky, my friend, at the cement tennis court in the heart of Deschappelles.
Grove City College offers a myriad of career-focused internships and job opportunities on-campus. This past semester, junior Gretchen Elsey had the opportunity to work with the athletic training department as a Student Athletic Trainer. Academically, Gretchen is pursuing a major in Exercise Science and a minor in Nutrition. Outside of classes, she keeps herself busy playing varsity basketball and track and field, while also committing time toward the Exercise Science Club. In the following interview, I had the opportunity to sit down with Gretchen and learn more about her experience as a Student Athletic Trainer.
How do you balance working on-campus, playing two varsity sports, and academics?
Being involved in so many things teaches you time management. I think my high school experience has helped me prepare for the things I do now because I was always involved in a lot of things. Truthfully, I love working, playing sports, and focusing on my studies. I could not see my life without doing all of these things and they make me want to stay motivated to do them.
Tell me about your current role as a Student Athletic Trainer.
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What advice would you give a prospective student hoping to get involved in the STEM field?
The STEM majors are an up and coming career path. Being an Exercise Science major has taught me a lot about different sports and my sport as well. I also have learned about how different athletes can respond to different stimuli, and this will help me in my future career.
Who influenced you to work as a Student Athletic Trainer?
The head athletic trainer, Rick Hawk, needed help for the upcoming football season and he knew I was pursuing a degree in Exercise Science. So, he approached me and asked if I would be interested in learning more about athletic training and truthfully, I believe this was another way the Lord has opened a door of opportunity for me. Also, I work with two other Student Athletic Trainers and they have become very close friends.
Do you envision yourself pursuing a career in athletic training?
I could see myself making a career out of this. I look forward to going down and helping the football team every day, while also growing as a professional in this industry. Finally, I would highly recommend this program and other career-focused programs that Grove City College offers because the relationships I am making now will help me tremendously in my future career.
Thank you, Gretchen, for the great insight. I look forward to hearing more about your experience soon.
What is a Housing Group? Men have a unique opportunity at Grove City College to join “Housing Groups” (also known as “Independent Men’s Residence groups”). In addition to fraternities, these groups provide a crucial communal presence in the residence halls by their continued involvement throughout all of campus. These groups work individually as well as with other organizations on campus to host events, participate in Intramural sports, and live together in what is called “Block Housing”.
The Tri-Rhos pose together for a picture outside of Hopeman hall during their annual Homecoming cookout
Rho Rho Rho: The Tri-Rho housing group, commonly referred to as the “Rhos,” was established in 1974. The group’s official colors are maroon and gold and their mascot is a lion. Living in Hopeman Hall (a men’s dorm on campus), they pride themselves in being highly involved in campus activities both as a group and also as individuals. As a group, the events they put on annually include:
The Tri-Rho Hymn Sing
An annual event where Rhos gather together with “Rhoses” (female friends of rhos) and host a worship service
Through this event, the Rhos are the only group of its kind to offer chapel credit at an all-campus event.
Leaf Rake
Rhos go through the community providing community service every fall semester, raking leaves for free.
Open House
The Tri-Rho open house is the first rush event of the year where the Rhos open their doors and purchase Chinese food, welcoming prospective Rhos who have potential interest in joining the group.
Rho Sit
An event held spontaneously throughout the school year where the Rhos bring their couches out from their halls and put them on Lincoln lawn. The Rhos welcome friends to join them in playing spike ball and cornhole as they enjoy the weather.
BYOM
Once a month, the Rhos open their dorm rooms and invite friends to “bring your own mug” to the hall to partake in coffee and tea as they share good conversation and delicious cookies.
Nugfest
Every spring the Rhos partner with a fraternity on campus known as the Okies. The two groups plan and carry out the event known as Nugfest in which they purchase thousands of chicken nuggets and hand them out to people on campus.
The Annual Tri-Rho Extravaganza
The Extravaganza is the arguably the most anticipated, but objectively the most heavily attended, event on campus. The Rhos go to great lengths to make this event “extravagant”. Hosted in February, the extravaganza is a dance where the Rhos have a coat check, door prizes, mocktails, cheesecake, shrimp cocktails, a photo booth, and a senior surprise. The best part about this event is that it is completely free of charge.
Rohanna Foote, class of 2020, is well-known at Grove City College as one of the top sprinters for the Wolverines Track and Field team. The Ardmore, PA native had a standout season in 2018 and is looking to capitalize on her success for her final year as a sprinter. Academically, Rohanna is majoring in International Business with Marketing and French concentrations. Off the track, Rohanna enjoys spending time with her discipleship group and Students Excited About Diversity (S.E.A.D.). I had the opportunity to sit down with Rohanna and discuss her upcoming track season and the impact Grove City College has had on her life up to this point.
Why did you choose to come to Grove City College and compete on the Track and Field team?
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What would you say is unique about Grove City College’s Track and Field team?
I think the community here is really special. I visited Geneva and Westminster before Grove City, but I felt most at home with the track team here. Also, I enjoy how we are all brought together by Christ. We do Bible studies, team events like tie-dye, and team worship.
Do you find that the coaching staff is approachable when you are seeking advice?
Yes, I think all the coaches are open and great at giving advice. My freshman year, the current Athletic Director, Todd Gibson was the track coach and I remember him inviting me into his office one of the first days of class. He told me if I ever needed help finding a tutor or help with anything, his office was always open. I have found that this is the same with our current track coach, Jessica Smith. I have gone to her office to talk about my personal life, family, track, and academics. She is always easy to talk to and makes herself available.
What has been your favorite track team memory?
My favorite memory was traveling to Ithaca, New York for the All-Atlantic Region Track and Field Conference Championship. It was really fun, from the bus ride to the actual meet. We were all focused and performed our best, then we got to hang out as a team for the remainder of the weekend.
Do you have any specific goals going into your final season?
I want to continue getting personal records in my events, the 60m, 100m, 200m, and the 4x100m relay. In addition, I hope to set a few school records in my respective events. Aside from sprinting, I am trying long jump for the first time this year and my goal is to get a mark!
What advice would you give a current high school senior who has one track and field season left before college?
Based on my high school experience, I was in my peak condition and I think it is important coming into freshman year of college to continue training throughout the summer. Also, when you get to college stay focused on your academics, but also make time to go to the gym. Track is a team sport, so have a good team spirit because you are contributing to how well the team does overall.
Pledge week is a lot of fun for students at Grove City College. It is the process of becoming a member of a Greek group. The Beta Sigma fraternity was founded in 1922. Its colors are red, which represents loyalty, black, which represents strength, and white, which represents pride. The fraternity has 4 main symbols, the bulldog, the handshake, the brick, and the stars, which all symbolize something different. The Beta Sigma Fraternity holds 2 main events a year, the Monster Mash and Professor Preach off. David Bereck, the pledge master (PM) for the Beta Sigma Fraternity, says that it is a week that “unites the pledges with the fraternity as brothers of Christ”. It is a week of building relationships, community, and commitment to the group. A PM is one member of the sorority or fraternity that leads pledge week. He (or she), is in charge of making the schedule of events, attending the events, and leading the rushes from task to task. The PM must act a certain character for the week. He is to act scary and intimidating so that the rushes can build a tighter bond and endure the week together. David says that the most difficult part of being PM is acting the part and not breaking down and helping the guys out. Each morning, the pledges have a time of devotion together before breakfast. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, they attend chapel together. Each evening, they have dinner together, usually with a different sorority each night. The purpose of this is to meet new people who are also involved in Greek life. Throughout the week, pledges must complete certain tasks that are created by the PM. They can be anything from counting the number of cars in the parking lot to presenting a five-minute presentation about the difference between bread and toast. It is a week of endurance, fun, and loyalty. At the end, it is all worth it because you have life-long brothers or sisters.
When a professor announces that there is a guest speaker extra credit opportunity, it usually does not matter who the speaker is or what the speaker is going to talk about. Most students attend simply to get the points in hopes of helping their grade in the class. One of my Marketing Professors, Professor Havrilla, announced in my Market Research class that there was an upcoming extra credit guest speaker opportunity. The next day, I went to the designated room and I did not even take the time to investigate who the speaker was or what he was going to talk about. Like many students, I just figured I would attend for the points. Within a minute after the speaker was introduced, I was highly intrigued. The speaker was Jack Kopnisky, a 1978 Grove City College Alumni. Dr. Kopnisky is from Manhattan and is the President and CEO of Sterling Bancorp. He has a successful history of transforming businesses.
Under his leadership, Sterling Bancorp grew from $3.2 billion in assets in 2011 to $32 billion in assets in 2018 (my.gcc.edu). Needless to say, he is a pretty successful guy. He offered some business advice and centered his presentation around those topics. He listed a few attributes that all successful people are, and it was very fascinating to hear. He said that successful people work harder than everyone else. Successful people read everything and keep up with current world events. Successful people are never satisfied; they always want to find ways to grow and improve. Successful people set goals. Successful people make things happen. The advice and insight that Dr. Kopnisky offered was so inspiring and it changed the way that I go about daily life as a business major. It changed the way that I view challenges and it inspired me to work harder than ever. I will always keep the things he said in the back of my mind as I go into my business career next year. So next time you can get some extra credit, my advice is to appreciate the opportunity and try to learn something from it. You never know when something is going to impact you and your career.
College is a busy few years. Between schoolwork, sports, clubs, and Greek life, many students have trouble managing a schedule, and having a job is not even a thought. Being a teacher’s assistant is a flexible and rewarding job. A teacher’s assistant is a student that helps a professor with grading assignments, such as homework and papers. It is a pleasant college job because you often do not have to be present somewhere for a set schedule. Often, the professor hands you a stack of homework to grade with an answer key and you can do it from the comfort of your own dorm. All you need to do is keep track of your hours and log them into the system. It is often even therapeutic and rewarding to not only feel like you are accomplishing something while getting paid, but you are helping a professor that has a lot of his plate as well.
Professors are very appreciative of students who offer their time to help them with their coursework. The job also allows you to form a stronger connection with the professor. It is often refreshing after a long day of classes to meet up with the professor for a few minutes to go over some work and maybe even chat about life. It is an enjoyable job because it is flexible and often professors are very lenient on deadlines. It is rare that I have been told that something needs done by tomorrow and that it is urgent. Usually, there is little pressure to complete your assignments because professors understand that like them, we are busy too. It is a relatively easy and enjoyable way to earn some extra cash while being a college student.
