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Posted on May 8, 2016May 12, 2016 by obrienvl1 — Leave a comment

Communication and Visual Arts Celebration

Grove City College’s Department of Communication & Visual Arts (CVA) hosted its first annual CVA Celebration on April 28. The event was located in the Pew Fine Arts Center which allowed for an open-house style. Students of both the Communications and Arts Departments were given the opportunity to display their best works. The Celebration fostered a sense of community as students showcased their artwork and independent research to others of similar and differing majors.

Student projects differed from book designing and independent research to pasta packaging and novel writing. Bekah Fry, senior Communication and Visual Arts major with minors in Art and Internet Entrepreneurship, presented a book she designed on Misty Copeland. Nate Mucha, Professor of Design, required students to design a book on America’s top twenty most influential individuals. Copeland is most notably known as the first African American dancer to have a solo in the America Ballet Theater. Fry consulted Copeland’s website to gain her black, white, and gold color scheme. Debby Clymer, junior Communication and Visual Arts major with a minor in Biology, showcased her independent research entitled “The Harmony and Healing Project.” Upon visiting numerous nursing homes and witnessing the demoralizing effects of dementia, Clymer desires to raise awareness of the positive effects music therapy can have on this disease. “This study allowed me to see a glimpse of just how powerful a resource music can be for those with memory loss,” Clymer said. Clymer was inspired to conduct this research after she witnessed the powerful potential of music intervention in the documentary Alive Inside.

Nate Chanski, senior Marketing major with a concertation in Art, presented his pasta packaging. His brand Cucina, brings luxury to the pasta industry through a sleek black and white color scheme. Using a minimalist 3D design, Chanski aimed at creating a design that would grasp the customer’s attention through its sophisticated high-end Italian appearance. Grace Leuenberger presented a novel about her childhood entitled, “Twenty-Two: Essay on Growing Up.” As her senior year is coming to an end with graduation less than two weeks, Leuenberger was inspired to write a novel that reflects on the most memorable moments of her childhood. “I am inspired by writers I love, like Shauna Niequist and Marilynne Robinson who so effectively weave personal narrative into their writing” Leuenberger said. Through her book she hopes to provide her readers with moments of clarity, hope, and joy. For students interested in purchasing “Twenty-Two,” contact Leuenberger via email.

This year’s CVA Celebration was a true success and has received much positive feedback. The Communications and Visual Arts Department looks forward to expanding the Celebration, making the event an annual gathering. Dr. Daniel Brown, professor of Communication and Visual Arts, anticipates that the CVA Celebration will leverage student interests and incorporate a larger audience within the coming years. Students interested in presenting next year can contact Dr. Jennifer Mobley, Chair Associate Professor of the Communication and Visual Arts Department, and Kathy Rhoades, Assistant Professor of Visual Arts and Director of the Art Gallery.

Posted on May 6, 2016May 7, 2016 by obrienvl1 — Leave a comment

Adventures in Nantes: Why I Chose To Study Abroad

Currently, I’m a junior at Grove City College studying Communications and Business, and last semester I attended GCC’s European Study Center (ESC) in Nantes, France.

As a Communications major, I have always been encouraged to study abroad. Professors insisted that such an experience would be a great resume booster. Being the homebody that I am, I never pictured myself living in a different country nonetheless adapting to a completely different culture. Yet God had a different plan!

During the course of my sophomore year, God truly groomed and matured my heart. I became more accepting of others and myself and took bigger risks that required immense amounts of faith. I felt as though God was preparing me for a season that I had never experienced before, a season that would require great personal independence as well as total dependence on Him. Little did I know, that I would be experiencing this season in a different country.

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” – Bill Bryson

As I ponder this quote, my mind traces back to the program interview I had with Mark and Deb Reuber, the directors of GCC’s ESC. Three nights before my interview, I was rapidly scrolling through my Outlook when I came across an email reading, “GCC’s European Study Center Offers Students a Semester Abroad in France.” Feeling a little adventurous, I read the brochure and filled out the application. To my surprise my application passed the first round of acceptance and I was requested to interview.

During my interview I was asked a series of questions ranging from my academic success to recreation as well as past travel experience. As the interview concluded, Deb and Mark asked me on a scale from one to 10 (with 10 being the greatest) how badly did I want to be accepted into GCC’s ESC program. Nonchalantly, I responded with a six. At this point, my parents had no idea what I was getting myself into nor did I know if this was God’s plan for me. I left the interview feeling confident yet incomplete. I remember telling God that if I was accepted into the study abroad program, then I would go because I knew this was the plan He had intended for me.

Little time had passed before I received the acceptance email I had been anticipating. For one of the very first times, I experienced God taking complete authority and control out of my hands, while I surrendered total faith and dependence to Him.

Through my experience with a different culture with new friends, language and traditions, I constantly saw more of God than I had ever seen before. I’m continually reminded of how blessed I am to have received such an awesome opportunity to experience a country full of divine beauty and history for four months.

To read more about my study abroad experience in France, check out my post about a day in the life of an ESC student.

To learn more about Grove City College’s Nantes study abroad program, check out the ESC program’s page.

Posted on April 24, 2016April 27, 2016 by obrienvl1 — Leave a comment

Four Tips from Grove City College’s Career Services Office

It’s that time of year again. The semester is coming to a close with spring formals, outdoor barbecues and final exams. Although you are excited for summer, your mind is constantly beset by anxiety and uncertainty. You have spent the last four years imprisoned by a major you were led to believe would give you credibility in the workforce, but now you find yourself facing the possibility of graduating without a job.

According to Newsweek, millennials account for 40% of the unemployment in the U.S., but you do not have to be a percentage of this statistic.

In the Princeton Review’s 2014 list of The Best 377 Colleges, Grove City College’s Career Services Office was ranked at number 16 for “Best Career/Job Placement Services.” Out of the whole state of Pennsylvania, the College was one of the only four institutions to make the list.

Dr. Jim Thrasher ’80, director of career services at Grove City College, encourages students to utilize the College’s Career Services Office to gain insider referrals. Senior biochemistry major Joscelyn Seaton said, “Grove City College’s Career Services Office taught me that when it comes to experience, never leave a stone unturned.”

According to Dr. Thrasher, job placement is a contact sport, no pun intended; it is all about making connections and relationships.

Let’s face it, job placement is super uncomfortable. Students are forced to put themselves in unknown environments and vie for positions against hundreds, even thousands of other applicants. Not only is the application process competitive, it is extremely time consuming. “Job placement is a lot of work. It is a full time job to just get a full time job,” Thrasher said.

Before starting your full time job search, let’s consult Grove City College’s Career Service Office for four tips on how to succeed in the job search process.

1. IT’S ALL ABOUT BALANCE

Whether you have noticed it or not, college not only provides students with an education, but also teaches them the importance of multitasking. This notion should be extended into the job search process. It is vital for students to gain exposure of future connections while also starting their career development process.

2. EXPECTATIONS

If you are graduating without a job, you are not alone. According to Dr. Thrasher, recent graduates are expected to receive employment within three to six months of graduation.

3. HOW TO COPE WITH REJECTION

Dr. Thrasher encourages students to be expectant rather than fearful. Students need to be willing to work through their disappointments with perseverance and determination.

4. ADVICE FOR THE MILLENNIAL GENERATION

Millennials are gurus of the digital age, but while they excel in social media awareness, they are lacking in etiquette in terms of follow-up emails and face-to-face interaction. This paradoxical dilemma reiterates the importance of building connections through relationships.

Take the tips you have learned from one of the nation’s top career services offices and begin building connections. It might take a lot of work, but Grove City College is committed to helping students find their dream jobs.

Posted on April 20, 2016April 27, 2016 by obrienvl1 — Leave a comment

A More Specific and Relevant Education

In a recent press release, Grove City College announced that they are offering new majors and minors in the 2016-2017 academic year.

In the Hopeman School of Science, Engineering, Mathematics, the Department of Biology will be offering three new majors including: Health, Molecular Biology and Conservation Biology. Counting for 10% of the student body, the study of biology attracts numerous prospective students annually. The three distinct majors are a repackaging of courses that already exist but are tailored toward careers in medicine, research and conservation application.

Dr. Jenkins, professor of Biology, states, “As a department we looked where our students were going after college and wanted to highlight certain programs that would better prepare them for graduate school or future occupations.” Out of the current 160 biology students, 10 have made a switch to the three new majors.

The Departments of Computer Science and Communications and Visual Arts are introducing a new minor in Computer Game Design and Development. Students who obtain this minor will be educated on the fundamentals of game design, development and critique. The Computer Science Department in conjunction with the Entrepreneurship Department will also be presenting a minor in High-Tech Entrepreneurship. This minor is geared towards students who have an interest in the technological division of high-tech spaces within companies.

Dr. Birmingham, chair of the Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Departments, proclaims, “Both of these minors are multidisciplinary, allowing students of all majors to use there general elective hours purposefully and accessibly.” According to Birmingham, the departments initially collaborated in November of 2015 and both minors were successfully approved in December.

Under the provision of the Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering, GCC is proud to present a Robotics minor to students interested in hands-on learning as well as practical design and programming. The Robotics minor equates to a capstone project for seniors. Those obtaining this minor will be educated on the integration of robotics in light of an ethical and Christian worldview.

Students also have the opportunity to achieve a minor in Medical Physics. The Physics Department is making a conscious effort to provide students with a minor that correlates with job interest in radiology, nuclear medicine and nuclear engineering.

Dave Tarnish, chemistry major of 2017, states, “The new Medical Chemistry minor helps prepare students who want to pursue the medical field get a more specific and relevant education.”

The Department of Political Science has recently added a Pre-Law minor. According to Dr. Stanton, associate professor of the Political Science Department, the Pre-Law minor will aid students seeking identifiable skills that the American Bar Association requires for those attending law school.

Stanton explains, “The minor involves courses in several departments that develop reasoning and logic skills, communication skills and some basic understanding of the U.S. Constitution, ethics and philosophy of law.” Dr. Caleb Verbois, assistant professor of Political Science, is the new Pre-Law advisor. In order to further assist students pursuing law school, Verbois is in current communication with lawyers of Grove City College’s administration, including President McNulty.

Students can learn more about these wonderful opportunities through flyers and postcards as well as digital marketing outlets including emails, phone calls and the College’s webpage.

Posted on April 11, 2016April 20, 2016 by obrienvl1 — Leave a comment

Grove City College’s Legacy of Affordability

For the first time in 18 years, Grove City College has made the executive decision to have a 2.95 percent increase in their overall tuition cost. In order to offset the cost of consumable laboratory materials, the College will charge students affiliated with lab courses a $100 fee for laboratory supplies. The College will be implementing this fee in the fall of 2016, giving students enough time to process the financial increases with upcoming scheduling. Students of all majors are to be impacted by the $100 fee, through the College’s liberal arts vision, making it mandatory for each student to complete two science courses upon graduating.

According to President McNulty, there are two specific reason for the raise in lab fees. First, the consumable products affiliated with labs are of a significant expense to the College. The executive board believes that these materials ought to be paid by someone and altogether surpass the budget of what normal tuition prices cover, that being the salary of professors. Second, in terms of fairness, the lab fees mirror the principle of not charging students for the education of others. The lab fee will answers questions of impartiality, selectively targeting students who participate in labs.

Due to the increase’s premature notice, there has not been a large amount of initial feedback. McNulty desires to ensure administration, faculty and students that other departments were considered for monetary increases, which have not been pursued at this time. For example, independent studies are offered to students at no additional charge. Supplementary costs, including extra payments for professors, are paid for by the College, not students individually. McNulty states, “Affordability has taken a hit in most colleges, with the average college tuition rising 3.5 percent annually.” Grove City College strives to not lose their financial distinction by stabilizing the tuition, which they have proven successful in the last 18 years.

McNulty along with the executive board frequently reviews the budget, taking the college’s statement of affordability seriously. In order to satisfy students’ high expectations of a rich and rewarding education, engaging professors and welcoming facilities there are numerous fiscal challenges that emerge. If the College just focused on affordability, then faculty, classes and campus activities would be significantly decreased and possibly cut from the overall budget. According to McNulty, “Grove City College, from a Christian perspective, is driven toward combining affordability with academic excellence.” Such a statement has been reflected in the College’s significantly low tuition rate compared to its competitors, including private and public schools.

Lee Wishing III, Administrative Director of The Center for Vision & Values, further deliberates this concern by tapping into the College’s history. Referencing the vision of the College’s founding board of trustees, Wishing reflects upon a quote stated by Joseph Newton Pew (President of the Board of Trustees), Isaac S. Ketler (Founding President), and Samuel P. Harbison (Trustee), which can be identified on a stained glass window in Harbison Chapel. The statement reads, “We dedicate this college to the development of sound scholarship and Christian character in all aspiring youth,” Wishing confidently states that such a declaration is indicative of the trustees’ notion of providing accessible and affordable education to all aspiring youth.

“Despite the ever-present tension of providing a great education within affordable means, Grove City College from a business perspective has been and continues to be a remarkable place,” states Wishing. From Pew’s original vision of no federal funding to the current increasing inflation rates of today’s economy, the College has remained strong in its roots. Opposed to being federally funded, the College’s revenue primarily streams from fundraising and student tuition and fees. Grove City College is driven towards exposing false perceptions of value and personal validations by offering students an academic experience where the integration of faith, learning and financial practice is ever so present.

Picture found from Google images.

Posted on April 4, 2016April 6, 2016 by obrienvl1 — Leave a comment

An Inside Look At Grove City College’s Admitted Student Day

Grove City College’s Admitted Student Day offers high school students (already accepted) an academically exclusive experience at the College. Students are given the opportunity to meet the administration, faculty, future classmates and roommates. There are a plethora of activities scheduled including a welcome from President McNulty, Student and Parent Panel, Mock Classes, Internship and Career Panels, etc. The College seeks to confirm students’ decisions by the end of the event filled day, in hopes to offer students a new home in August.

This year’s Admitted Student Day on April 2 was attended by over 300 students with over 900 guests (20 states represented). The top majors of the Class of 2020 include Mechanical Engineering, Accounting and Biology. According to Sarah Gibbs, Director of Admissions, “The purpose behind Admitted Student Day is to provide an authentic collegian experience to future students, giving them the opportunity to take a deeper look at their major’s department, meet future classmates and experience the friendly atmosphere.” Students are given the opportunity to make their final decisions by visiting the table for the Office of Admissions where they can deposit their checks. Steve Vago, Senior Admissions Counselor, emphasizes that it is crucial that current GCC students be themselves during the course of the day, exercising and displaying the College’s distinguishable friendly reputation. Gibbs and Vago have seen positive results and have received encouraging feedback, specifically from parents who found Student Life and Learning’s involvement with the Parent and Student Track Sessions along with the Student and Parent Panels very accommodating.

Alec Gehman, future mechanical engineer in the Class of 2020, expressed that the role of Christianity along with the importance of faith was really evidenced throughout the day’s activities, which even further encouraged his decision. Father of Gehman, Bare states, “The involvement of the President, Faculty and Career Services made the experience surreal, truly displaying the College’s inclusive and pristine character.” A couple, who desires to remain anonymous, stated that they have seen the progressing role faith continues to play in the life of their daughter, who currently attends GCC, and are excited to have their son attend the College as a political science major. After attending the Admitted Student Day for a second time, they enjoyed returning back to GCC to learn about a different department where their son can succeed academically being trained in a school whose political views are in alignment with a moral and sacred worldview. After conducting numerous interviews with the administration, students and parents it appears that this year’s Admitted Student Day has outdone itself!

Posted on March 23, 2016April 25, 2016 by obrienvl1 — Leave a comment

Oniris’ French Students Take Grove City College

Each year Grove City College offers the French students of Oniris the opportunity to experience the American school system for one month. This year GCC hosted five amazing women who were not only a delight to be around, but were so helpful in answering any questions American students had about the French culture.

The French students were asked questions relating to their time at GCC and how specifically their American experience effected them academically, socially and culturally. According to Enza, the American and French school systems are drastically different. While the typical American class runs fifty minutes to an hour and fifteen minutes, the average French class is two hours. Enza also elaborated on the level of intimacy and interaction GCC professors and students share. She concluded her portion of the interview discussing the varying schedules American students have in comparison the French school system.

Marie-Anne describes her experience, in regards to the spiritual atmosphere, as a “Very special feeling.” In 1905 France declared separation from Church and State, which forbids any practice of Christianity in the school systems. Marie-Anne discusses the extraordinary feeling of integrating both believers and non-believers on campus and how drastically different that is from Oniris. Claire was very enthusiastic about GCC’s social life and the numerous clubs and groups students of all backgrounds and lifestyles participate in. The seemingly unlimited amount of activities GCC offers in comparison to Oniris, truly became apparent as the French students attended the Ballroom and Swing Dance Clubs, Glee Club and the Symphonic Orchestra Concert.

Camille and Clémence conversed about GCC’s sense of community and what it looks like from an outsider. Camille said that she felt so invited and welcomed. According to Camille, conversations are more personalized in America in comparison to France, where students are more private and not open to discussing topics other than religion and politics. From the exteriors of buildings to the warm and friendly atmosphere, Clémence felt GCC’s inviting sense of community everywhere. To Clémence, GCC displays a place of life not just a school.

These women were such a joy to interview and I know GCC truly enjoyed hosting them!