Lindsey Lueken, Author at

Posted on May 3, 2018April 17, 2018 by Lindsey Lueken — Leave a comment

10 Tips for Incoming Freshmen from a Graduating Senior

If I Knew Then, What I Know Now…

As a senior who is about to graduate from Grove City College, I have been reminiscing on my last four years here. During my reflections, I decided to come up with a list of helpful tips for incoming freshmen. I hope you enjoy!

1. Attend Orientation Board activities

When you arrive on campus in the fall, be prepared for the first two weeks to be filled with events and activities held by Orientation Board (OB). As a freshman, I did not end up attending very many of these events because I was not sure if it was the “cool” thing to do, and it is definitely something I regret. OB works really hard to put on these events and make everyone feel welcome. These activities are a great way to get to meet other freshmen and also a chance to eat free food!

2. Get to know your Freshmen Hall

My freshman year, my roommates and I did not venture much outside our room when we were in the residence halls. However, later down the road we ended up becoming friends with others who were on our freshman hall and we did not even know it! If you are looking for a way to meet others on your hall, prop your door open while you are just hanging out in your room, you never know who could stop by!

3. Get involved on campus

At the beginning of each fall semester, Grove City College holds an Organization Fair for students to walk around and see all the various clubs and organizations offered on campus. Do not be afraid to sign up for something you have always wanted to do but have never done before. My junior year, I ended up joining the Women’s Club Lacrosse team with no prior experience, and it ended up being one of the best decisions I made in four years.

4. Prioritize your studies

There is a reason that Grove City College is known for its rigorous academics. It is important to explore and be involved in college, but do not forget to study! Figure out your most efficient and effective study techniques, and if you ever feel like you need extra help, do not be afraid to reach out to your adviser, upperclassmen in your major, or other academic resources.

5. Meal dates are a thing

Something I have learned in my years here is that Grove City students love to ask others to get meal dates in the dining halls in order to get to know one another better. Sometimes groups of friends or clubs will get weekly meal dates to catch up on each others lives. This is definitely something that is unique to the the College’s friendly culture, and it is a great way to get to know acquaintances better!

6. Always back up your computer files

One of the best perks of attending Grove City College is that everyone is given a computer. It is really important to backup the significant files on your computer such as papers or projects that are in progress. Whether it be on a flash drive or your Office 365 account provided by the College, I highly recommend backing up your files regularly in case anything were to happen with your laptop.

7. Its never too early to network

Networking is very significant to your future when it comes time to apply and interview for jobs. It is never too early to begin doing so (even your freshman year), whether you are getting contacts from your professor, alumni, or other professionals in your field of study. Creating a LinkedIn account is a great way to build your professional profile and network with others.

8. Get familiar with OneNote

If you like to take notes on your laptop rather than handwriting, learn how to use OneNote. It is a Microsoft Office program that comes available on your Grove City College laptop. It is great for organization among the different tabs and pages. If you are searching for a certain topic while studying for an exam, using Ctrl-F allows you to search for words on the current page, and Ctrl-E allows you to search for words in all of your notebooks.

9. Find an upperclassman to help you with class registration when the time comes

Scheduling for classes can tend to be a stressful time on campus, but finding help from upperclassmen is definitely the way to go. They have done it before and can teach you how it is done. Also reaching out to an upperclassmen in your major or your adviser is helpful to figure out what classes you should try to take each semester.

10. Use school resources

Using school resources is something I wish I would have done earlier in college. Grove City offers a variety of academic, campus life, and administrative resources such as the Writing Center, the Technical Learning Center Help Desk, the Mail Room, the Career Services Office, and more. The resources on campus are provided for ease of access, and some of them put on seminars such as resume writing or studying tips to help prepare you for things you will need to know.

Posted on April 30, 2018April 17, 2018 by Lindsey Lueken — Leave a comment

Business Policy and Strategy Writing Competition

Business Policy and Strategy is a senior level course required for all business majors including business management, accounting, finance, marketing, international business, and industrial management. Many students refer to the class as their “Senior Capstone” taught by Professor Richard Kocur. Throughout this speaking intensive course, students are given various writing and presentation assignments within a group. However, at the end of each semester, Professor Kocur asks his students to complete an individual writing assignment with the prompt, “What does it mean to be a Christian in today’s business world?” Students are able to submit their essays into a writing competition among approximately 60 members of the class. Professor Kocur narrows down the top seven papers, which are then evaluated by various professors in Grove City’s business department. Students with the top three essays receive a monetary prize and an in-class recognition.

Mr. Kocur decided that this assignment was a great way for seniors to think about how their faith will be incorporated in their future jobs. He stated, “The assignment is a unique aspect of our business department and I think demonstrates our connection with the College’s mission and values. The essay contest serves to support not only the mission of the College, but the Business Program’s vision of being a premier undergraduate business program where scholarship and application combine with Christian principles.”

As an accounting student in the Business Policy and Strategy course last semester, I had the opportunity to complete this assignment and consider the “Christian Perspective” in the business world. I personally loved this assignment, and I took the time to look back on what I had learned in my classes at Grove City about implementing Christian values in the real world. The prompt for the paper was not an easy question to answer. However, I focused my paper on living out Christian values in all aspects of life, rather than compartmentalizing work, family, friends, and faith. Although discussing your faith in the workplace is not always appropriate, acting as an example of Christ is a great way to implement one’s Christian values in all components of their life. After writing my paper, I was lucky enough to receive third place in the competition among my classmates, which was a great way to complete my semester.

Second place writer, Olivia (Ebert) Greathouse, also enjoyed the assignment and explained how she felt on the paper. “I thought the business writing competition was a great opportunity to express and share my thoughts about Christianity and business. It forced me to put into words the thoughts in my head about how I will bring my faith into the workplace. I believe being a Christian should permeate every aspect of our lives including our life at work. While we may not proclaim our Christianity to everyone we encounter, it should be evident in our actions and attitudes each and every day.”

Austin Everett took first place in the competition, and found that this question was something that had been on his mind for quite some time. He stated, “The paper was really a culmination of four years of wrestling with the subject matter. Discussions in classes and with professors outside the classroom lit my interest in this subject which then led me to various books and thought leaders. The understanding of the Christian and his or her work became an increasingly pressing issue on my mind, so when it came to writing the paper, it was really an issue of simply putting onto paper four years of thought that was nurtured by professors and books from the church, past and present.”

The writing assignment will continue to be assigned to students in the Business Policy and Strategy course each semester. Altogether, the competition for the paper is a great way for business majors to really dive into the complexity of the question, “What does it mean to be a Christian in today’s business world?”

Posted on April 21, 2018April 17, 2018 by Lindsey Lueken — Leave a comment

Event Recap: Grover Feud

On Friday, March 9, the Gamma Sigma Phi sorority and Sigma Phi Omicron housing group hosted the 2nd annual Grover Feud in Crawford Auditorium. The event was based off the television game show, “Family Feud”, with a twist of questions based on Grove City College’s campus and student life. There were a maximum of 18 teams that registered with six members on each team. Teams ranged from groups of friends, sports teams, housing and Greek groups, and even a team of professors and faculty on campus! Grover Feud’s proceeds went to Young Life, a popular ministry on Grove City’s campus, in order to help send a high school student to camp in the summer. There were approximately 370 people who attended the event, which was over twice as many as the prior year.

All in attendance were able to enjoy the friendly competition between students and faculty, and get a good laugh from the jokes cracked by the student hosts, Kristen Bishop and Joe Colosimo. Those watching also had fun trying to figure out the answers to questions such as, “Name the funniest professor on campus.” As the teams battled their way through the single-elimination bracket, the final round came down to Nu Lambda Phi and Risky Business (the team of primarily business professors and faculty). In the end, Risky Business came out on top with a win. The members on the team included, Mr. and Mrs. Sweet, Dr. Carson, Dr. Baglia, Dr. Grimm, and Mandie McCreadie.

Gamma Sig senior, Elaina Kimpel, was the mastermind behind the event and came up with the idea to host it last year. Elaina’s thoughts on this year’s event concluded with, “Grover Feud was just an idea I came up with my sophomore year here at Grove City College that I thought would be a ‘cool event’ to put on. Two years later, that ‘cool event’ became one of the biggest fundraisers here at the school where it was able to bring over 400 students and faculty together for one night to do something fun as a college. That “cool event” would come to raise almost $1,000 over the past two years for organizations that help share the love of Jesus Christ to others in surrounding communities.”

All in all, Grover Feud was a huge hit on Grove City’s campus, and it was a great way for students to spend their Friday evening!

Posted on April 17, 2018April 17, 2018 by Lindsey Lueken — Leave a comment

Looking Forward to Junior Crimson Day

Calling all High School Juniors!

If you are a junior in high school, Grove City College would love to see you at Junior Crimson Day on April 21! The event will begin at 8 a.m. in the Physical Learning Center and will last until 2:30 in the afternoon. Up to 1,200 students and parents will be in attendance to get their first inside look at Grove City, and they will experience much of what the College has to offer.

After morning registration, optional sessions are provided to learn about financial aid and how to plan for college. Following these sessions, president of Grove City College, Paul J. McNulty (’80), will present a warm welcome to everyone. After listening to and learning from other respectable speakers, those attending will be able to explore the campus with various activities scheduled. Those activities include:

Major Interest Fair
- Learn about the various majors at Grove City
Residence Hall Sneak Peek
- A look inside freshmen halls and dorm rooms
Walking Tour
- Escorted by student tour guides
Lunch
- Provided by Grove City’s dining halls
Financial Aid and College Planning 101 Sessions
- In case you missed the morning sessions!

Personal Experiences

After speaking with two current students about their experiences at Junior Crimson Day, I found that they were both impacted in a positive way. Attending this event helped guide them in their college decision, and it could do the same for you!

“Junior Crimson Day allowed me to see the school in a more realistic sense than I would have on a tour of the campus. I was able to spend two nights with students in their dorm rooms, exposing me to what life is like at Grove City College. The scheduled events gave my parents and I insight to what the College offers and values, along with the logistics of actually attending.”

-Gretchen Basham, Freshman

“Junior Crimson Day was the first time I had visited Grove City. I fell in love with the school by getting to see how the current students volunteered their time to be speakers, and even all the students who were working were helpful and relatable. After coming to Grove City, I decided I wanted to be able to impact incoming students the way I was impacted, so I joined the admissions team and have got to work at two Junior Crimson Days which has been a great experience”

-Victoria Graf, Senior

Registration

If you would like to register for Junior Crimson Day, you can sign up at http://www.gcc.edu/Info/Events-News/Admissions-Events/Open-Houses/Junior-Crimson-Day. The registration link is located at the bottom of the page.

Grove City College welcomes all who are available to come, and we hope to see you on April 21!

Posted on March 25, 2018 by Lindsey Lueken — Leave a comment

What to Expect at Admitted Student Day

The Event

Grove City College will be hosting its annual Admitted Student Day on Saturday, April 7, 2018 from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. This event is a great opportunity for accepted high school seniors to experience an entire day on Grove City’s campus with a full schedule of sessions presented by various groups. These sessions will offer information about several resources on campus such as the Office of Career Services and the Office of Student Life & Learning. In addition, students will be able to connect with each other and meet their potential classmates during mock classes and the Grover Connect Mixer hosted by the Orientation Board (OB). Meanwhile, parents will get the chance to learn about their child’s future education through seminars hosted by the Academic Resource Center and the Office of Financial Aid.

Student Experiences

I had the chance to talk with two current Grove City College students about their personal experiences at Admitted Student Day, and how it helped them before arriving to campus in the fall.

“I was already committed when I went to Admitted Student Day, but being there helped me out in so many different ways. Coming from a small high school, it was really awesome to see so many potential classmates, and be given the opportunity to meet them and interact with them through different things that OB put on throughout the day. It also gave me a picture of what it would look like to be on campus with other people. … In general, it just got me really excited to be going there and to really get a feel for what being a Grove City student would look like.”

-Rebecca Cloyd, Freshman

“My biggest thing about Admitted Student Day was meeting other students who were admitted too. It got me excited about going college with these people, and I made some friends that day who are still my friends today. I loved the community and that’s what helped me decide to come to Grove City.”

-Maddison Reapsome, Junior

Register

If you would like to attend Admitted Student Day at Grove City College, the registration tab is located at the bottom of http://www.gcc.edu/Info/Events-News/Admissions-Events/Open-Houses/Admitted-Student-Day. The website also gives a detailed schedule of events for the day and what more to expect. All in attendance will be asked to report to the Physical Learning Center at the beginning of the day. Grove City hopes to see you there!

Posted on March 23, 2018March 13, 2018 by Lindsey Lueken — Leave a comment

Stairwell Concert featuring Jackson Clemmer and Julia Knepper

If you are ever looking for something to do on campus and you are musically talented, the stairwell in the Physical Learning Center is a place with great acoustics on campus. Ever since I was a freshman, I have always enjoyed listening to my friends play guitar or sing in the stairwell, whether it was just for fun, or if it was an event they put on. Often times during the week leading up to finals, there will be an hour-long concert held in the stairwell famously named the “Stairwell Sessions,” and students can perform during that time. More recently this semester, Jackson Clemmer and Julia Knepper put together a concert in the stairwell. The concert had a great turnout, as the stairwell was completely full, due to the Facebook Group they created to get the word out.

After speaking with Jackson and Julia, they both had a great time performing for others on campus. Julia said, “I loved the idea of collaborating with another songwriter and musician and creating a more intimate environment for people to come hear some good music.” Both of the musicians played their own original pieces, and it was a great way for others to hear their songs. Jackson stated, “My hope for the show was to create an environment where I could put my original music in front of people who were ready and excited to listen. Most of the songs I had never played for more than a couple people, so it was really exciting to get feedback from a larger audience.”

See the above video for a short clip of Julia’s song “Talk.” Jackson and Julia will be performing another concert on March 24th at Collage Coffee and Art House located on Broad Street in downtown Grove City.

Posted on March 15, 2018March 13, 2018 by Lindsey Lueken — Leave a comment

Men’s LAX is Back (and Officially Varsity)

Just last year, Grove City College announced exciting news that the Men’s Lacrosse team would transition from a club to a varsity sport during the 2017-2018 year. Previously a volunteer assistant coach at Duke University, coach Alec Jernstedt was hired as Grove City’s head coach last spring, along with assistant coaches Zack Jew, Bill Sigmund, and Luke Toburen. The new varsity team has a roster of 25 players, including three senior captains. Those captains are Sam Calhoun, Ben Dumm, and Nate Sprunk.

Calhoun has experienced a tasking, yet exciting experience during this new season as he states, “The transition to varsity from club has been very exciting for everyone involved. Coach Jernstedt is incredibly knowledgeable and is an incredible leader. We also have many rising stars in the freshman class who will make an impact for four years here. Although we had a team before, a lot of what we do is still new and a challenge for us is creating a team culture and expectations that are sustainable over time and will allow the team to be successful in the future.”

Sprunk has had a similar experience to Calhoun, and he is also thankful for all of the College’s facilities and staff to make this varsity team happen. “Transitioning to varsity has so far been both a challenging and rewarding experience for me. It took time for me to adjust to the physical demand of having practice and workouts almost every day, but the payoff is worth it. The resources the school has provided us with have also been a huge blessing. Having a full coaching staff has helped to improve the focus and organization of our team as a whole. I am really excited for this season because it is the start of a new chapter for Grove City Lacrosse and we have the opportunity to do something really great.”

Dumm has also enjoyed the transition and feels that the team has worked hard to deserve this varsity spot. He states, “Our lacrosse team is a special group of guys. We have a bunch of great lacrosse players, especially in the upperclassmen, that could have gone to play varsity at other places, but chose to come to Grove City and play club lacrosse because they loved the team and the mission and vision of being a Christian lacrosse team. To our whole team, but to these guys especially, going varsity is something that they deserved, and it is an incredible blessing. The transition has been difficult. We have a lot more responsibility and commitment. Whether it be for lifting, practice, or chalk talks, we are devoting more time to lacrosse than we ever have before. For those of us that love lacrosse, this has been the best part! Coach J has also been a huge addition to our team. His knowledge of the game and his energy have made practices more fun and challenging than ever. Just this week seeing Coach J game-plan for our first game, and seeing him draw up new plays and new strategies against each team has been so cool because he has a lot of knowledge. All in all, there have been so many challenges that have come with being a varsity team, but at the end of the day, the ability to play the game at a higher level is exciting and fun for all of us!”

All in all, these players have appreciated their chance to play as a varsity team and see a successful future for the Grove City College Men’s Lacrosse program. The team has high hopes for this season as they compete in the Ohio River Lacrosse Conference (ORLC), which combines the President’s Athletic Conference and the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. They will play a total of 15 in-season games, 10 of which are conference games. The schedule can be found on http://athletics.gcc.edu. Grove City College wishes the lacrosse team good luck on their inaugural varsity season!