Author: Emily Stein

Emily is a sophomore Accounting & Business Management major at Grove City. She hails from the Pittsburgh area, is the youngest of three siblings, and the owner of two cats. When she doesn't have her head buried in a book, she can be found listening to music, enjoying food, or hanging out with her friends (or all 3 at once).
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Professor Spotlight: Dr. Cramer

I recently got to interview another member of the chemistry department here at Grove City: Dr. Susan Cramer. After attending Malone University and obtaining her undergraduate degree in chemistry, Dr. Cramer got her master’s degree from the University of Toledo. While she was on a trip home, she stopped by her alma mater (Malone), and was informed of a teaching opportunity, which she later applied for and accepted. After teaching at Malone for four years, she returned to the University of Akron to get her Ph.D. While there, she saw an ad for an opening in the Grove City College Department of Chemistry and has been here as a faculty member since the fall of 2002.

Dr. Cramer is involved in variety of aspects for the department. As an organic chemist, she primarily teaches that class and the lab that accompanies it. She was originally hired to teach polymer chemistry, as well as “baby chem” (chemistry for non-science majors), and she still teaches these classes periodically. Teaching class and labs is something she enjoys, and she mentioned to me how Grove City is unique because professors are the ones doing all the teaching, not graduate assistants.

Having grown up on a small dairy farm in Ohio, the small-town aspect of Grove City is just one of the things that is very attractive about the College to Dr. Cramer. She also enjoys the amount of equipment and instrumentation that Grove City provides for students to use to get “hands-on” experience. One of the things that originally drew her to Grove City was the resources the College is able to provide to students, since many other colleges do not have these same opportunities. Another thing that drew her to Grove City, and has kept her here, is the fact that Grove City is a Christian institution. Dr. Cramer wanted to stay at a small Christian college since this is similar to where she went to college. She told me that she “can openly share [her] faith” here, and that is something she was unable to do at other institutions she worked.

Unlike many other professors, Dr. Cramer is not actively involved in research at the College. However, this does not mean she is not busy filling her time with other things. She is a faculty advisor for the Grove City chapter of the American Chemical Society (ACS), as well as the chemistry honorary. She is also well known for her willingness to participate in different events on campus, the most famous being Faculty Follies (this year, she did an excellent dance number that her students loved). “I think it’s fun to give students a good laugh every once in a while.”

Something Dr. Cramer emphasized during our interview was the level of personal interaction that happens between students and faculty at Grove City. They both get to know each other well, and faculty will not only know student’s names, but they will know much more about them. She mentioned that she has lunch with different students regularly, and every year she hosts a fall party at her house for members of ACS. She also highlighted how students become very close with the other members of their class, and how that is fun for both the students and the faculty. She was able to recount to me many different stories of interactions with students over the years, and how that makes her job more enjoyable. Her care for students was evident even as I sat outside her office with friends a few weeks after this interview, and she took the time to come say hi to all of us and check in on how everyone was doing. Dr. Cramer has served Grove City well for many years, and will no doubt continue to do so.

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Professor Spotlight: Dr. (Mr.) Homan

As the senior member of the Department of Chemistry, Dr. Timothy Homan has seen a lot at Grove City College, and I enjoyed being able to sit down and talk with him. Specifically, he mentioned that he has seen five offices, six college presidents, and the hiring of all seven of his colleagues in the department. After attending a small college in North Carolina for undergraduate, the University of Colorado for graduate school, and the University of Minnesota for post-doctoral studies, Dr. Homan spent a year teaching at Anderson University in Indiana. He learned about Grove City in the news, and soon applied here for a faculty position. He was initially rejected, but later was hired and has been here for 27 years.

For the last 14 years, Dr. Homan was the chair of the Department of Chemistry until recently handing the reigns over to Dr. Augspurger. He has served on a plethora of committees during his time here, spending the majority of his time working on the department’s accreditation with the American Chemical Society. He has also seen many big transitions in campus life, including new buildings, the abolishment of Saturday classes, students being permitted to walk on the grass, and the transition from having chapel four days a week to two days a week. He also mentioned that he has even begun to see the children of students he taught during his early years come and learn from him as well.

Although he will not be here next semester, Dr. Homan is still confident in the work done by his department. He and his wife (Dr. Kristin Homan, a psychology professor at Grove City) will both be taking sabbaticals to work as visiting scholars at the University of Wisconsin. While there, he will be working in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and he hopes to gain knowledge that he can bring back to Grove City to help develop a medicinal chemistry class.

One of the things Dr. Homan emphasized while we were talking was the principles that Grove City holds. Originally, these principles were what attracted him here. At the time, Grove City was involved in a Supreme Court case, and Dr. Homan was impressed by a college holding so firmly to its beliefs. This has not changed in the time he has been here, and he commented that “[the] principles on which the College has made its stake have been kept.” He also mentioned the commitment to science that the College has had the entirety of his time here. “One of the things I appreciated…from the very start, is the College’s commitment to science education…the College is willing to support our sciences financially, and I’m not so sure you’re going to find that level of commitment [elsewhere].”

After 27 years, Dr. Homan was able to comment very accurately on the strengths of Grove City’s Department of Chemistry. “In the years I’ve been here, we offer a very strong major and our graduates are very successful. You work hard, but I think you’ll find the department… [wants] to see you succeed and we are here to help you succeed.” He mentioned specifically the opportunities that are available to students, through research and their time in the laboratories and the classroom. Dr. Homan also had high praise for all of his colleagues, both for their work in the classroom and for the relationships they are able to build with students. “I think you’re going to get an excellent education, but it’s not just going to be an academic education. I think the life and Christian commitment of the institution is going to provide a great experience for you as well, and I think you’re going to be shaped in a way that will lead you to a good life.”

Dr. Homan has been an integral part of the education of countless students during their time at Grove City College. His reputation speaks volumes for the care he puts into his work, and the relationships he builds with students have a greater impact on them than many people could even imagine. Although I only spent a small amount of time with him, I can say with complete confidence that Grove City is blessed to have such an exemplary professor and person on our campus.

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Professor Spotlight: Dr. Guevara

If you sit in the right place in chapel on Tuesday or Thursday, you will probably have a young blonde woman scan your ID card on the way out. That woman is one of the members of our Department of Chemistry here at Grove City, Dr. Holly Guevara. Dr. Guevara is one of the newest and youngest professors in the department, having just started teaching at Grove City in the fall, right after finishing her graduate work. She got her doctorate from the University of New Hampshire, after completing her undergraduate at Eastern Nazarene University, where she was one of only four chemistry majors in her class. She originally heard about Grove City when she was doing her college search, and then made the connection for the faculty position when she was in New Hampshire. She got to know a lot of alumni in her church while she lived there, and they helped her make the connection when the position opened. Although she has not been here long, she has already become an integral part of the department.

One of the reasons Dr. Guevara came to Grove City was the opportunities that would be available at a school this size. She wanted to be able to have close relationships with students in a mentorship role, and she wanted to be able to focus on teaching and spending her time in the classroom. However, this does not mean all of her time is spent exclusively in the classroom. She is currently working to set up a research project that will begin over the summer and into the next year. They will be researching the metabolism of the benzene ring by the human body, and how it is broken down. This is a continuation of the work she did in graduate school, which is where she was first exposed to the science involved in this research. She also wants to do work with rotaxanes to see how they could be made into polymers to be used in drug delivery. Although this research still has not started, Dr. Guevara is excited about how much room there is for creativity and exploration. The access all students have to research at Grove City is one thing she highlighted, as this is something that is imperative for students to have as they pursue a chemistry education.

Even though she has been here for such a short time, Dr. Guevara is already excited about the relationships she is forming with both the other faculty in her department as well as the students she is getting to know. “I love our department…the faculty are really easy to work with from a faculty perspective, but I think from a student’s perspective they’re pretty accessible as well.” She also commented to me on the respect and community students have that she has noticed here at Grove City. Students are hardworking, respectful, and take the time to get to know their professors, and it is evident to her. “I really like the very friendly, supportive nature…you go other places and that’s not the case, so that’s really nice to have here.”

Dr. Guevara also advocated the benefits of coming to a small Christian school while we were talking, which was pleasant to hear coming from someone who has been here for such a short time. “The personal attention you get at a small school is worth it…you’re more of a name and less of a number. At a place like Grove City, the faculty and other students are advocating for you to succeed, but we do it in a God centered way.” Dr. Guevara has already made a positive impact on the students here, and I am positive she will continue to do so in her time here.

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Professor Spotlight: Dr. Falcetta

I recently had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Dr. Michael Falcetta, one of the chemistry professors here at Grove City College. After obtaining his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York (Oswego), Dr. Falcetta traveled to the University of Pittsburgh where he completed his graduate and post-doctoral work. While there, he worked to build an electron-scattering instrument during his time as a post-doctoral researcher. He then took a few years off and worked at a church in the City of Pittsburgh as a youth pastor before deciding to attend seminary. Although he did not complete his seminary degree, this experience was one that has stayed with Dr. Falcetta throughout his career and impacts the way he relates to those around him. Before coming to Grove City, Dr. Falcetta worked at Anderson University and Roberts Wesleyan University. Although he had never heard of Grove City, he applied for a chemistry position here and has been a faculty member since. He now resides in the Grove City area with his wife and his daughter who is a student here.

One of the things that came up most frequently in my interview with Dr. Falcetta was how much he values his relationship with students. He told me that he “love[s] being with students, and teaching, and doing research,” and that if “they changed the character of the students…. I would really consider leaving.” He enjoys working with those of us who are “grappling with the big questions,” and he strives to do his best to get to know students outside the classroom and pursue relationships with them. “I love equipping people to do their own thing well…I really like to develop their skills, their independence, I want them to become thinkers.” He does his best to stay in touch with students after they graduate and continues to help people through the tough questions they face after college.

Dr. Falcetta was quick to highlight the relational aspect that is a part of a chemistry degree here at Grove City. Students are able to relate to each other, as well as professors, in an environment that is not overly competitive like many schools. He also mentioned the plethora of resources available at a school this size, and the success of the students that graduate from here. Research at Grove City was something he emphasized, especially the large amount of opportunities that are available to students. His main research on campus is in collaboration with a physics and engineering professor, Dr. Mark Fair. For the past 10 years, they have been doing computational research to model molecules and find out what happens when electrons are added to molecules.

While not in the classroom, Dr. Falcetta is very involved in the lives of different students on campus. Not only is he the faculty advisor for a housing group on campus, he and his wife lead a small group of students that they host in their home. He also works with students in the summers to do research work at the College. I was also surprised to learn he has an affinity for languages, and he is currently teaching himself Welsh. It is very evident his experience in seminary and working with youth still impacts his life. Although he does love working with college students, he did mention that he would love to work with young men who are not college bound and help them pursue opportunities that will help them build careers not based on college education. Even in my short interview with him, I could tell that he has a passion for the students he works with day in and day out. The work done by Dr. Falcetta at Grove City is highly praised by all who interact with him, and it is very evident this praise is justified and well deserved.

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Professor Spotlight: Dr. Wong

I was given the opportunity to interview one of the most interesting members of the Department of Chemistry this last week: Dr. Ven Ney Wong. Although she is originally from Malaysia, Dr. Wong came to Grove City College three years ago as a professor. She primarily teaches the analytical and instrumental portions of the chemistry curriculum, which means she spends the majority of her time in her labs, using a variety of different instruments. Her background is in forensic chemistry, which came about after an internship at the Illinois State Crime Lab during her undergrad years at Southern Illinois University. While there, she helped to catalogue and publish the library showing the spectrum of different drugs, primarily through her work with a mass spectrometer.

Dr. Wong actually took me into her different labs while I was interviewing her, and I was able to see the instruments she uses with her students every day. The one we spent the most time at, and the one that she has the most experience with, was the mass spectrometer. Essentially, mass spectrometers show the mass of certain compounds, which can identify the “fingerprint” of compounds. One of the most popular labs she does with students is to test the amount of cocaine in various denominations of bills. They use different methods of extraction for various dollar bills, and then use the mass spectrometer to determine the levels of cocaine in the various bills.

During our tour of her instrument lab, Dr. Wong was able to show me a plethora of research projects that she is involved in at the school. One of the projects she is currently working on is in collaboration with a biology professor at Grove City, Dr. Stephen Jenkins. They are researching slave maker ants and studying how the chemical compounds of the different ants interact. She also showed me a project a student had started that was a breathalyzer that would change the color of a hydrogel if alcohol was detected. In class, she is working with students on making a lie detector that tests for skin resistance, which can show the urge to lie. She pointed out to me that a lot of the work they do in instrumental lab has a basis in forensics, since most forensics heavily relies on instruments.

Beyond all the exciting work she does with research and in her labs, Dr. Wong was able to offer a unique perspective on the atmosphere of Grove City, since she has such a different background. She commented to me how it was interesting to her to see the relationship between professors and students at Grove City. “It is more than just professor and student…the professors here do everything to help, in terms of career, time management… I think they journey with the students.” She noted how there is a lot of like-mindedness and similarity of lifestyles at Grove City that is very unlike anything else she has seen in her career. “If you’re a student who is looking forward to having a relationship and enjoying your time studying, learning, and wanting that extra push…we give lots of opportunities here.” It was evident to me in my interactions with Dr. Wong that she plays a big role in creating that atmosphere at the College. Almost all of her research she does with students, and she told me story after story about different things students have done. It is remarkable how much she could tell me about different students after only three years at Grove City, and I can only imagine how much more she will be able to recount in years to come.

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Professor Spotlight: Dr. Shaw

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Kevin Shaw, who is one of the professors in the Hopeman School at Grove City College. As a member of both the biology and chemistry departments at Grove City, Dr. Shaw is a unique person. He teaches primarily biochemistry courses, in which students learn the chemical approach to trying to understand living systems. He has been at the College as a faculty member for 18 years, having also obtained his undergraduate degree here as well. His Ph.D. is from Texas A&M University, where he was in the biochemistry and biophysics departments. After completing only nine months of post-doctoral work, he came back to the College to fill a recently vacated teaching post, primarily teaching anatomy to begin.

One of the main things Dr. Shaw does at the College is research that he leads with students. His research is primarily in the field of protein thermodynamics, and the work that he is doing is being added to a database that he has been building up over his years. He mentioned that one of things he would do if he was no longer a professor would be to become a database administrator, so it was very clear to me that he has an enthusiasm for data that is unlike many others.

A main reason Dr. Shaw enjoys Grove City College is that professors are the ones teaching the classes and labs to students, which is unique to many colleges and universities these days. Dr. Shaw mentioned how he loves the teaching portion of his job, specifically because one of the classes he teaches is a biochemistry seminar. In this class, he explained that students learn how to explain very complex and abstract concepts to people who may not have been exposed to that specific area or may not have been thinking about such topics. He also loves spending time in the lab, which is a rather “freeform” aspect of his job.

He mentioned that he loves “hanging out with students” who help to keep him young. Part of his job is to be the academic advisor to students who want to go to medical school, so he has a lot of interaction with students, specifically discussing the intricacies of applying to med school. One of the things he highlighted was the variety of majors that get accepted to medical school. There is a lot of freedom for students who have an interest in medicine, and that many different majors have an equal shot at pursuing a medical career. He talked about different students who have gone on to become researchers, academics, and a variety of other careers. He was quick to encourage me that although many students are hesitant to major in biochemistry since they don’t actually take a biochemistry class until their junior year, almost every (if not all) student finds they enjoy it.

Outside the classroom, Dr. Shaw has a wife and two children, who are “lots of fun” and he also likes running “moderate to long distances” when he has the time. However, it is very evident that the majority of time is spent at school, doing the work he loves. I could tell even from our short interview that he is devoted to his job, and he cares greatly about the students he works with day in and day out. Dr. Shaw is a stellar member of our faculty here at the College, and I hope that I get to interact with him more in the future.

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Dr. Augspurger: Chemist, Chair, Commissioner

If you walk past the gym at lunch time on any given day of the week, you will probably see a collection of middle-aged-looking professors running around, playing basketball in the infamous “faculty basketball lunch league.” Included among this motley crew is their fearless commissioner, Dr. Joseph Augspurger. When he is not breaking ankles and taking names, he spends his time being the chair of the Department of Chemistry at Grove City College. I had the opportunity to interview him and learn more about his life, as well as his time at Grove City.

After growing up on a farm outside a small town, “much smaller than Grove City,” in central Illinois, a young Dr. Augspurger traveled to the University of Illinois (Champaign) to complete his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering. He would eventually return to receive his Ph.D. in physical chemistry, and he would then travel to Cornell University for his post-doctoral work. In 1996, after living in five states during 11 years of marriage, he came to Grove City College to become a professor.

During his 22 years here at the College, Dr. Augspurger has seen a lot. He has seen the transition from Rockwell Hall of Science to the new Science Technology Engineering and Math building, he has seen life as both a regular professor and a department chair, he has seen his children grow up and come to college here at Grove City, but most of all, he has seen a lot of students through their time in the chemistry department. He recounted to me many stories of alumni who have gone off into wildly different directions with their chemistry degrees, all of whom have found success in the fields they have chosen (including at least 70 students who have obtained Ph.D.’s). The most interesting thing he noted was how he has seen two students get their degrees in biochemistry at Grove City and end up getting their Ph.D.’s in biology and returning to Grove City as biology professors.

Although there are countless other institutions of higher education that could both provide him a career and students an education, Dr. Augspurger believes Grove City is the place to be. He highlighted the quality of both the faculty and the students he has encountered over his time here, noting that “we attract strong students” and that the chemistry department has “always had a good department,” which makes his job much more enjoyable and fruitful. He also noted the resources and equipment in place at the College, which are outstanding for a school this size. Something he placed special emphasis on was the community and relational aspect of the department. He talked about the cohesion that exists between students in their classes and labs, and the extra interaction that exists between students and professors since it is a relatively small school. “I think we’ve got a lot to offer people that come this way…if somebody wants to make this succeed, I think we will do whatever it takes to try to make it possible.”

On a more personal note, I can attest to the work Dr. Augspurger does at the school for students. I had him for a class, and during that time he stood out to me as one of the top professors I have had. Although it was only a two-week class for non-science majors, he took the time to learn my name, and get to know me. He was thrilled to be able to open our eyes to science that we had never encountered before, and he wanted to do whatever he could to give us a positive experience. The work he does is exceptional, and everyone who encounters him will soon learn that.