Author: Rachel Smith

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Senior Design Project: Designing an Airplane

As a student in the Calderwood School of Arts and Letters, I am unfamiliar with the inner-workings of the Hopeman School of Science and Engineering. So I decided to talk to one of my mechanical engineer friends to find out a little bit more about their senior capstone projects.

Every year, Grove City College mechanical engineering students complete a year-long capstone design project. Students work over two semesters in groups ranging from six to nine people to completely design, and in some cases, build a product. The projects vary depending on the interests of the students, but you can find a few past examples in this blog post. This year the projects include a mobile greenhouse, an underwater robot, a turbulence tank to study oceanographic organisms, and an airplane.

The projects are very different from normal classwork, but are much more hands-on. They require a different kind of work compared to just studying for a test or writing a paper. Some projects are more research based and some have a set of specifications to meet.

My friend is a part of the team designing an airplane. Although they do not have the funds or the time to completely build a plane from the ground up, they are designing every piece of it and hope to build a significant portion of it. This is very time intensive – it requires at least eight to 10 hours of work each week from each team member. The students are not entirely on their own, however. Each team has a faculty adviser who answers questions, provides technical help, and ultimately grades the project.

Obviously, each project is different, but they all reflect topics that the students are interested in. The goal is to provide a very practical, hands-on experience for the students. It is a real-world application of the engineering process, regardless of the specifics of the project. Although the projects are difficult, my friend assured me that they are a fantastic learning experience and a very practical transition out of college and into the real world.

 

 

 

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ICO Rhode Island

Signing up for an Inner City Outreach (ICO) trip over spring break was the very best decision I made my first year at Grove City College. Since then, I have been a part of three ICO teams, and I am leading a trip this spring. That, however, is another story altogether. Most recently, I traveled with 18 other students to Providence, Rhode Island over Thanksgiving break to volunteer at a rescue mission.

While there, we gave out over 300 turkeys, organized a pantry, painted a room, served Thanksgiving dinner, smashed cardboard, set up cots, and bagged at least 300 pounds of potatoes (I still have nightmares about the potatoes). We worked hard all week long, and accomplished a lot for the mission. By Thursday, they even began to run out of projects for us to work on.

I was amazed at what 19 people were able to accomplish in less than a week. Not only did we help prepare and serve the Thanksgiving meal, we also got to meet some incredible people. The people who work at the mission are so loving and giving, working with them was truly inspiring and humbling.

The real story here is not the work we did, but rather how God worked that week. God used the stories of the people I met to constantly remind me of how blessed I am. The entire week was a lesson in humility and gratitude.

Needless to say, student-led mission trips are one of my favorite things Grove City College has to offer. The experiences I have had, the people I have met, and the friends I have made through these trips have been among the biggest blessings God has given me in my time at the college. I would absolutely recommend them to anybody looking for a way to serve God by serving others over school breaks.

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Off-Campus Activities

One of the many great things about Grove City College is that there is always something to do. Whether it is a guest lecturer, an intramural (IM) sports game, or some kind of event hosted by one of the many campus clubs and organizations, it is a rare night on campus when nothing is happening.  

The Grove City College campus is amazing, but that does not mean that you will never want to go somewhere else for a while. Sometimes the best stress relief after a week of exams and papers is to get some friends together and go somewhere else for an evening. But what is there to do? Grove City is a small town, which means that sometimes your options are limited, but the city of Pittsburgh is only an hour away – which may seem like a long drive, but it is nothing if you have a great playlist.

The convenience of the city is fantastic, and there is always something to do. Usually, the Friday nights before a break are pretty uneventful on campus, so that is a great chance to explore the city. This semester, my ICO (Inner City Outreach) team traveled down to Pittsburgh for the annual light-up night on the Friday before Thanksgiving break.

We had a fantastic time seeing the massive Christmas tree at PPG Place, an even taller tree at the Point, fireworks, an Andy Grammer concert, and drinking fantastically festive coffee. It was a fun night out away from the stress of school with some great friends. Light-up night only happens once a year, but there is still plenty to do in Pittsburgh the rest of the year. Students often travel to the city to go to concerts, museums, and restaurants. Grove City College may seem like it is in the middle of nowhere, but with a thriving city like Pittsburgh so close by, you will never be at a loss for something to do.  

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Opportunities at Grove City College

When I was a freshman at Grove City, I remember filling out an application for something and it asked me “How will your college be different because you have been there?” To be honest, this question completely stumped me. At the time, I had no idea how I (an average student from a tiny high school in the middle of nowhere) would be able to have any impact at all on Grove City College.

Now, two and a half years later, I can look back and see how that question has shaped my college experience thus far. It struck a chord somewhere within me and I began to search for opportunities to impact people and the college community during my four years here.

My search was far more fruitful than I could have imagined. For the sake of simplicity, I will summarize my results in three categories:

1. Opportunities for learning…outside the classroom

Grove City College hosts numerous guest lecturers and discussion events every semester. The topics range anywhere from Ronald Reagan to worldwide missions to “Wasting Time Well.” I have enjoyed events like the annual Reagan Lecture, Missions Conference, and tea time with Grove City women. There are also numerous Bible studies and smaller discussion groups. These types of opportunities have allowed me to learn from both my peers and renowned speakers, and attending them offers support to the College and the types of events that they will continue to hold in the future.

2. Opportunities for leadership

More often than not, this goes hand-in-hand with point number three. Here at Grove City, opportunities for leadership exist everywhere you look. Students have leadership opportunities in over 150 clubs and organizations. These range from Student Government to Greek groups to campus ministries to professional and academic organizations to intramural sports to academic honoraries, and the list could go on. Personally, these opportunities have helped me find my voice and built me into the person I am today.

3. Opportunities for service

Service opportunities abound on this lovely campus. Many, if not all, of the leadership opportunities mentioned above are fantastic ways to serve both your peers as well as the student body and community as a whole. Students have the opportunity to become Resident Assistants, to serve Christ on spring break Inner City Outreach (ICO) trips, and to take part in numerous campus and community ministries including Young Life, Project Okello, and a prison ministry. I have traveled to Ashland, Kentucky on an ICO trip every year over spring break, and those trips have been an excellent time of service, learning, growth, and blessing for me.

So Grove City College provides all of these magnificent opportunities, but what does that mean for students? It means that Grove City students have more opportunities to impact (and be impacted by) their peers and college community than you might realize. It means that Grove City College gives its students so much more than a four-year degree in their subject of choice – it offers them four years of personal growth and impact.

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The Commuter Kitchen- A Hidden Gem

Grove City College is full of hidden gems, but one of my personal favorites is the commuter kitchen. Designed mainly for commuter students (duh), it has a microwave, coffee pot, refrigerator, sink, and toaster oven. I love it because it allows me to bring a lunch with me that is not Ramen noodles or Easy-mac. I can bring real food, store it in the fridge, and reheat it whenever I want. It is a fantastic arrangement, especially for students who commute or who live in the lower-campus apartments.

I call the commuter kitchen a hidden gem because very few students know it even exists. Tucked away on the second floor of the student union, the kitchen is out of the way for most students despite being in one of the most highly trafficked buildings on campus. It is not really a place to hang out, but it is one of the most functional and useful places on campus.

Even though I do not spend a lot of time there, the commuter kitchen is kind of like my dorm room. It is a place where students who live off-campus can make tea, heat up lunch, wash dishes, and hide yummy snacks. It is so simple, yet so wonderful. Oh, and did I mention that housekeeping does all the cleaning? This is just another wonderful service provided by the College for its students.

I know things like this are difficult to visualize, so here are a few pictures!

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10 Reasons I am Grateful to be a Grover

1. I have a new home-away-from-home, and it’s beautiful!

Seriously, have you seen this campus? If you have not, you need to! Here are a few pictures to hold you over until you can come visit us.

2. So many amazing people have been Grovers.

All it takes to be impressed by past Grovers is a quick perusal of the alumni achievement award winners. Find them here: alumni.gcc.edu 

These stories just scratch the surface. Countless entrepreneurs, business executives, authors, lawyers, and engineers have used their Grove City degree to make an impact.

3. So many amazing people ARE Grovers!

Did you catch that subtle difference? Hint: I put it in all caps to help you out. 

I could go on for hours about the phenomenal people I have met here, but I will save some time, and let you find out for yourself.

4. As a Grover, I have the privilege to learn from some of the best professors around.

I couldn’t imagine going to college without these professors. The faculty here is more caring and understanding than I expected college professors to be. They really are here to help their students learn and grow as people. Not only are the profs incredibly intelligent, knowledgeable, and helpful, they are also fun and enthusiastic about their respective areas of expertise. Fun story: I once had a professor jump off of a table because he was so excited about Vivaldi. That is the kind of passion you find at Grove City.

If you want to find out more about our outstanding faculty, check out some of the faculty feature blog posts or this link: Faculty Directory

5. Being a Grover means I am challenged everyday.

Grove City College prides itself on rigorous academics, and there is a reason for that. The nature of the curriculum ensures that you will not be able to get away with sleeping in class. But why would you want to do that anyway? You will learn so much (even in the humanities core) that your tuition dollars will be well worth it.

6. It has taught me what it means to live, learn, and worship in community.

Because Grove City is a relatively small school, students have the opportunity to a much larger proportion of the student body than at a larger college or university. I personally know the majority of people in my major, but I have also had the opportunity to meet people outside of my major through core classes that all students are required to take.

Not only do Grovers live and learn in community, we also worship together, both during weekly chapel services and on Thursday night Warriors services. Warriors is a student-led worship service held in the chapel. If you want to read more about it, check out this student blog:

7. I understand things that only Grovers get.

King McNulty. Shoe in the door. The swim test. The scooter gang.

Hierarchy of people at Grove City:   1. Jesus    2. Ronald Reagan    3. C.S. Lewis    4. President McNulty

These might not make a lot of sense to you right now, but Grovers get it.

8. By the time I graduate, I’ll have spent four years in a community that strives to glorify God in all things.

Yes, even sports.

9. I get to learn from the unique successes and failures of Grovers who have gone before me and come back to campus just because they care.

I can’t count the number of alums who have come back to speak on campus. Their stories are always inspiring, informative, and insightful. The best part is that they come back because they love the College and they care about the students.

10. Most of all (as you may have guessed already), I am grateful to be a Grover because of all the wonderful people here.

Considering five of my points have been about people, this should not be a surprise. These ten points can be summed up as follows: You will not find people like those at Grove City College anywhere else!

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To Commute or Not to Commute?

So you have made the big decision. Grove City College is for you. Time to celebrate!

But now you have another decision that you may not have anticipated. You live close enough to campus to live at home, so you have to decide whether you will move to the college and live on campus in a dorm, or if you will stay at home and make the commute to campus every day.

As someone who made that very decision, I am here to offer you some friendly (and hopefully helpful) advice. This might seem obvious (or maybe not), but it is important to know that your college experience as a commuter student would be vastly different than you experience would be if you were to live on campus. But do not let this scare you away! You are still just as much of a college student as everybody else and just as valued as a part of the Grove City College community. Your daily routine, however, will be slightly different from that of your peers.

As you know, commuter students do not have an assigned dorm room. You will live at home and drive to campus every day. There are certainly good things about this arrangement, and there are also some drawbacks, which I will get to in a second. First, you will not have to pack up ALL YOUR STUFF and cram it into a car, just to unpack it a few miles away. You might be surprised at how much less stressful this makes the beginning and ending of the academic year.

Second, the transition to college life is a little slower, and you can take it at more of your own pace – you are not just dropped of and expected to survive. 🙂 Because you do not live on campus, you can gradually spend more time there outside of your classes. A small warning though: do not spend all your free time chilling at home. Become a part of the vibrant college community!

Finally, the best things about living at home, in no particular order:

  1. No communal bathroom – this is always a plus
  2. More options for food – you can eat at one of the dining halls OR bring your own
  3. Pets! You will be the envy of all your peers because you did not have to say goodbye to your beloved dog (or cat) for 3-4 months.
  4. Did I mention the money you will save by not paying for room and board??? Yeah, that is a big one.

At this point, commuting to the Grove probably sounds like the best idea ever. But let me caution you. Do not make this decision hastily. For nearly every one of these positive reasons to live at home, there is a downside. The biggest challenge of a commuter student is building lasting friendships and community on campus. This is exponentially more difficult to do when you do not live in the same buildings and eat in the same dining halls as your peers. You might think this is not a big deal, but, I assure you, it is. This decision should not be made lightly. Take some time to consider pros and cons of each option, and most importantly, pray about it. What is right for someone else might not be right for you, and vice versa. No matter what you decide, know that we are excited to have you at Grove City College!

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8 Do’s and Don’ts for Freshman Commuters

Hello again, commuter friends!

This might seem obvious, but it is important to know that your college experience as a commuter student will be different from that of your peers. You will be driving to and from campus every day, you will not have a dorm room (who needs ‘em?), and you likely will not be eating every meal at the dining hall. Your transition to college will also be a very different experience compared to students who move to campus. Here are a few handy Do’s and Don’ts for your transition to college as a commuter. (Most of these also apply to literally every college student ever, but are especially important for commuter students.)

1. DO go to Connection Group Activities

Connection Groups are put together by Orientation Board right when you get on campus. They are small groups run by two upperclassmen for freshmen to get to know one another the first few weeks of college. They may seem awkward, and take up time that you may not think you have, but they are a great way to meet people and build friendships when you first arrive on campus.

2. DO go to the org fair…and sign up for things!

Do not be afraid to sign up for email lists of clubs that you think you might possibly maybe want to be a part of. Even sign up for clubs that meet later than you think you want to stay on campus. The worst thing that can happen is that you have to unsubscribe from their email list.

3. DO find 1 or 2 clubs or organizations to join

This is good advice for all new college students, but it is ESPECIALLY important for the commuter student. Because you do not have a roommate or live on a hall with RAs and 20 other people, it will be more difficult for you to build community on campus. Joining an organization or club (or two) is a fantastic way to counteract this and build friendships right from the start of your college experience. Take it from someone who has been where you are, it is totally worth it to stay on campus a few extra hours for a club meeting once a week!

4. DO come to campus for more than just your classes

This should not be unexpected, given point #3. But seriously, and I cannot emphasize this enough, COLLEGE IS MORE THAN JUST THE CLASSES YOU TAKE! If you only come to campus to go to class, then you probably will not have much fun – again, I speak from experience. Take the time to go to events at night or on weekends. It will be worth it! Remember, you’ll have to be intentional in becoming a part of the wonderful community we have here at Grove City, so just be here!

5. DON’T treat your classes like a 9 to 5. Have fun!

I know it seems like I am beating a dead horse here, but this is key. If you only come to campus to go to class, then you will end up treating your college experience like a job, which it is not. You are (most likely) a full-time student, but so much learning happens outside of the classroom, and if you clock out after your last class ends at 4, then you’ll really miss out. Do not short-change yourself by acting too much like an adult.

6. DO buy a meal plan

This was some of the best advice I was given at the start of my freshman year. Through Bon Appetit, the College offers partial meal plans for students who live off campus or in the apartments on lower campus. You can buy 25, 50 or 75 meals in advance. This might sound like an extra, unnecessary expense (not paying for room and board was probably a deciding factor in your choice to live off campus), but I assure you, it is 100% worth it. Purchasing a meal plan will allow you to get meals on campus with your friends who live here. It will also give you much more freedom in planning your schedule because you won’t have to worry about bringing your lunch/dinner everyday.

7. DO hang out with people in the dorms and Student Union

You can hang out with people wherever you want, but the point here is just to talk to people – build friendships with people outside of the classroom. There is a commuter lounge with tables, comfy chairs, lockers and a kitchenette located on the second floor of the Student Union, which I would encourage you to use, but do not just stay there! Sit downstairs in the Student Union where you can run into people you know and catch up while you are doing some homework. It could be as simple as that, or just chilling with somebody in their dorm room in between classes.

8. DO learn to manage your time well

This is another one that goes out to every college student, but as a commuter, you will lose some time driving to and from campus every day, so it is especially important for you to know how to plan ahead. For students who live close to the College, this is not as much of a big deal, but the further away from the College that you live, the more time you will lose driving every day, so it becomes all the more important to plan ahead. This may sound difficult and a little ominous, but it is completely doable. You can, in fact, be a full-fledged college student even if you live off-campus.     *Pro tip: use a planner!*