At the heart of the Grove City College campus is the Breen Student Union, a well-used and loved location where students come together. The Student Union is a popular place where students meet for meals, work on projects, and hang out with friends. There are large windows, lots of tables, a small cafeteria that offers MTO items and a meal plan option, and the College Bookstore. This is the perfect catchall location for students to connect and interact on campus.
One of the highlights of the Breen Student Union is the Gedunk. A small café that offers a meal plan option during certain hours as well as a made to order food menu, the Gedunk has increased over the years because of the increase of use by students. Often times, class schedules limit the times when you can go to the dining halls for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, so the Gedunk offers a great alternative to a sit-down meal. At the Gedunk, you can use a tray or a plastic bag to fill with food. With a “SAC” lunch, as they call it, you are allowed an entrée, chips, a dessert or fruit, and a drink to fulfill your meal credit for that meal. This is very popular option for students, so it can get a little crowded at times, especially when they are offering chicken tenders. However, the Gedunk employees are hard-working and efficient and do their best to accommodate every student! The Gedunk made to order food includes things like quesadillas, sandwiches, salads, milkshakes, smoothies and so much more. They even serve Starbucks coffee! The Gedunk is a wonderful and useful part of the Student Union that adds much convenience and fun to the space!
Another resource that the Breen Student Union offers is the mailroom. Each student has their own mailbox and the opportunity to receive mail and packages daily. The mailroom also sends out important papers, reminders and event invitations through the mail as a way for the college to communicate with its students. Students can even send outgoing mail and prepaid packages through the mailroom, as well as send mail to other students and faculty through the intercampus mail program.
The Grove City College Bookstore is also attached to the Student Union. Here, students can purchase textbooks through the school, which often saves time, money and stress than purchasing books through other companies or services. The Bookstore also sells various necessary items like school supplies, art and music materials, everyday items like batteries and first aid as well as gifts and other school merchandise, like Grove City sweatshirts and T-shirts. This is a very convenient place when you are in a pinch and need to grab something important for a class or activity. The Bookstore is ready and willing to help you accommodate your needs!
The Breen Student Union is a beautiful and resourceful place planned and furnished with students in mind. Be sure to get comfortable here during your time at Grove City College to take advantage of the great things that are available to students!
One of the biggest lessons you learn when living the dorm life, making decisions for yourself and working out your own schedule is the importance of being organized. The struggles of staying organized are amplified in college, when your schedule is full and there are never enough hours in the day. Giving priority to organization will only improve your day, as well as your stress level. It can sometimes be difficult to know what to do in order to improve your organizational and management skills. Disorganization often leads to stress and other negativity. It’s easy to avoid the stress when you have the right mindset and tools in order to solve your problems. Here are some tips and tricks to help you stay organized, avoid the stress and have a wonderful, productive year!
1. Buy a planner and use it.
Using a planner to manage my life at college has been my #1 tool for staying organized and on top of things. Writing down due dates, reading assignments and other events is essential for remember all the important things to do.
2. It’s helpful to 3-hole punch all your handouts from class and keep them in a binder.
The start of a new semester brings an array of important papers, ranging from syllabi to handouts and more. It’s important to keep these papers together and available, so it’s a good idea to keep them all in one place. If not, they end up wrinkled and buried in your backpack, or lost.
3. Keep your desk clean and organized.
Often times, the state of your desk is representative of your mental state. By keeping your desk in order, mentally, it can help you feel like you have control over your life, and that you have a clean and organized space to do homework and be productive.
4. Sort through and clean out your backpack once a week.
This is a simple yet effective and satisfying tool for keeping organized. Your backpack will be the main place where you keep important binders, folders, and papers, so it’s a good idea to take a little time each week to clean out the garbage and ensure that everything is in order.
5. Use the Outlook Calendar to manage your schedule.
Grove City College uses Outlook as its school email provider, which comes with a variety of features. One of these features, Outlook, is a great way to manage your schedule in an efficient way. Outlook can be synced to your phone calendar, and vice versa, and will alert you via phone notification when something on your schedule is coming up. Keeping up to date with your schedule, and knowing what’s coming up next is one of the best ways to stay organized.
After a long week of hard work at Grove City College, try to balance between work and relaxation, like going for a walk with your friends to get some ice cream!
Going to college brings with it a series of many joys as well as many challenges. Fortunately, with the right guidance, motivation and education, these challenges can be overcome, or avoided altogether. One of the biggest things that most college students face is the challenge of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. By this, I don’t just mean working out, although that is important. I mean that sometimes, it’s hard to manage the stresses, pressures and decisions that come with being a college student. Luckily, it is not impossible to achieve a healthy and happy lifestyle at college. All it takes is a little extra dedication, time and a good attitude.
Grove City College is in tune with its students, and works hard to provide resources for its students to succeed in their health and wellness goals. Below are five important areas to keep in mind while achieving your goals as a well-balanced, healthy and happy student at Grove City College.
Making good food choices
Finding and making healthy choices can be difficult at times. And sometimes, after a long day, all you want to do is chow down on a cheesy piece of pizza (#treatyoself), which is totally fine. But, as the age-old saying goes, all good things in moderation. On the average day to day, it’s easier to make a better food choice when you know what’s on the menu for that meal. Grove City’s Bon Appetit does a great job with this by posting the day’s menu on their website, listing all the options for each meal and each dining hall, including vegetarian and gluten free options. That way, you can be more prepared to choose your food wisely rather than choose the first yummy thing you see. Also, it can be fun to be creative with the food options available in the dining halls! Who knows what delicious, nutritious concoction you will be able to create! Another good tip is stocking your room with healthy snacks. That way, if you’re hungry between meals, the food you have to turn to are healthy, smart choices too. Your diet can affect a lot of emotional and physical aspects of your day, so remember to fuel your body well so that it can be at its best for your day ahead!
Getting enough sleep
In college, you learn that your parents were right about a lot of things, and one of those things is the importance of sleep. Full and exciting schedules require proper sleep in order for those days to be a success. Homework and studying tend to pile up, so it’s best to work hard during the day so that you don’t have to work late into the night. But, there will be that time when the late-night study session is unavoidable, and that’s ok too. It’s just important not to make it a regular occurrence. Like late nights, naps are definitely necessary sometimes, but they should not be a replacement for a good night’s rest. Sleep is your friend in college, and it needs to be treated as such, with respect, love and attention.
Scheduling workouts into your routine
It’s time to lace up your sneakers and get moving! Along with a healthy and balanced diet, it’s also a good idea to find time to get your heart rate up and sweat a little. Not only is it good for your body, but regular exercise has been shown to improve mood, focus, information retention and even sleep! All positive attributes for a well-balanced college student! The idea of “the gym” can be intimidating and seemingly a mystery if you don’t know what you’re doing. Luckily, there is a way that you can become familiar with the facilities and the equipment in an educational setting. Grove City College requires all freshmen to take a year of Fitness and Wellness classes. These classes are great, because they introduce you to the different gyms and activity areas on campus, and teach you about different styles of exercise that can be easily replicated into your daily fitness regime. Instead of heading to “the gym,” you could take a walk with a friend around the beautiful Grove City Campus or try a Pinterest workout or YouTube video in your room instead. Maintaining this routine is important for short term and long term health, so be sure to make it a priority by scheduling it into your day like you would a meeting or a class. Pro tip: it’s a lot easier to keep up with fitness (and a lot more fun!) if you have friends supporting and doing it with you!
Make time for fun and relaxation
With so much new and exciting things going on, stress might be close at hand. It can be easy to let new responsibilities and situations get the best of us at times. The best way to combat the stress is remembering to make time for friends, fun and some much needed relaxation. Weekends are a great time to catch up on homework and reading, but they are just as important for recovering, unwinding and other enjoyable things. At Grove City, you’ll be sure to meet some amazing friends, so plan a trip into town to grab coffee or ice cream, explore the town, watch a movie, play a game, take a nap, or whatever makes you happy. You work hard, and you deserve a few moments to yourself in order to be prepared for the next week. Not only will you have fun, but you’ll feel better, perform better and be better. College is a taste of the real world where you learn to understand that it is all about balance, and hard work requires a few off days in order to maintain that balance. Don’t be afraid to take time to reflect, relax and be thankful for this awesome new chapter in your life!
Knowing your resources
Sometimes, it’s hard to manage the challenges that college brings, and that’s ok. It can be difficult to avoid the cold going around, or maybe you are dealing with a heavy burden and you are seeking help in order to manage. Grove City College provides Counseling and Health Services located at the Zerbe Health and Wellness Center to meet the physical, mental and emotional needs of its student. For more information, please use the links included below.
Junior Paige Foley might not fit the mold of your stereotypical engineer, but that’s ok. She can engineer her own.
As one of 13 girls out of 65 total Mechanical Engineers in her class, Paige has experienced first-hand the interesting challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated field. I was fortunate enough to be able to sit down with her to discuss her experiences so far as a Mechanical Engineer major at Grove City College.
What is your major?
Mechanical Engineering with a Robotics minor. Robotics is a new minor that the college just added, and I’m really excited to be able to take those classes!
Did you have any experience or education about engineering before coming to college?
I took two engineering classes during my last two years of high school. One was a co-ed, basic engineering class with very few girls, and the other was called Women in Engineering. The school felt the need to offer a separate course for girls interested in engineering because of the different learning and project styles seen in girls in comparison to boys. They found that women tended to ask questions before starting a project, while boys asked questions after something went wrong. I always thought this was an interesting comparison.
What have been your favorite engineering classes at Grove City College?
I’ve taken a lot of great classes that I’ve enjoyed at GCC, but Design Manufacturing (MECE 208) and 3D Modeling (MECE 210) have been my favorite classes by far. Last summer, I had an internship where I was able to directly apply what I had learned from these two classes, which was very exciting. They taught me how to use the industry software for modeling and design.
Have there been any other classes that have greatly influenced you?
One of the classes that stuck with me that related to my major was a required class called Science, Faith and Technology (SSFT 212). It was taught by one of my engineering professors, and we discussed how faith and science can coexist. It was really beneficial to talk about the ethics behind science, and how we as Christian are called to learn to be good stewards of the Earth, which involves understanding and learning about how it works. It helped me in terms of my major to understand that my future profession is important to Christian and worldly society because I am utilizing my skill set for the glory of God.
What do people say/think when you tell them that you are a Mechanical Engineering major?
Sometimes when I say I’m an engineer, people usually seem surprised because they think that it doesn’t seem to fit me, and question whether I’m qualified. I think that people react this way because engineering in general has a reputation for being very difficult, and there aren’t a lot of girls that decide to pursue it as their career. I’m proud of my major and the hard work that I’ve put into it, so I don’t mind talking about it to other people who have questions. I’m putting in the work now so that I can prove to everyone later that I have what it takes.
Given the minority of women to men in engineering, how would you describe your experiences with equality within your major?
Grove City had done a really great job at keeping the academics equal among genders. All the professors are great, and they are fair, helpful and qualified. Unfortunately, there is some social barriers that get in the way at times, but it never interferes with my education. And because girls are such a minority in the Engineering Department, we all have really bonded. We all have similar schedules and spend a lot of time together, studying and working on homework. Some of the girls have even created sorority-like letters that they wear to represent our small group of engineering women.
Have you had an internship? How has that enhanced your education?
This past summer, I was fortunate to have had an amazing internship experience at a railroad company called A. Stucki. As a mechanical engineering intern, I used 3D modeling software to make shafts, fit pieces, and model things like cast iron skillet. I was even able to reverse engineer using scanning arms and other tools and instruments in order to create certain pieces. I loved learning and applying what I’ve been learning in classes in a real world setting. What was really cool and encouraging was that I learned that the company that I interned for had just hired two GCC grads, and that the Vice President of Engineering was a GCC grad as well. It was great to see people outside of the college who knew that GCC comes with a great education. Even as a sophomore, I was prepared to apply what I learned in a real-world setting.
What advice would you like to share to someone interested in pursuing Engineering at Grove City College?
My advice to anyone looking to pursue Engineering at Grove City is to not be deterred from pursuing it because of the challenging classes and schedule, and the stereotype of the lack of a social life. People may feel like you may not be able to have a social life, but I can assure you it is possible. It all depends on how diligent you are with your time. You can be involved and have a social life. Also I would love for people to know that just because I’m an engineer, that doesn’t mean that I want to build a car. Engineering is so much more broad and diverse than designing and building motors and vehicles. I have had a great experience with the Grove City College Engineering Department and encourage those interested to look into it, talk to professors and students, and even sit in on a class if possible.
Listed below are some Grove City College resources to help you learn more about the Mechanical Engineering Department:
Choosing to be a Communications major was one of the best decisions that I have made in my life so far. Despite some wrong turns in the beginning of my college career, I was able to eventually come to find a career path that fits me, what I’m good at and what I want to do with my future. The Communications Department at Grove City College offers a close-knit, encouraging community of creative and hard-working individuals ready to make the world a better place. Many people find their way to Communications after struggling with other majors, just like I did, to find their rightful place among like-minded people. The possibilities are endless with Communications, and the skills that are acquired through its study can open many doors to help achieve all your goals and dreams. Not sure if Communications is the right path for you? Listed below is a short list of qualities that are common among Grove City College Communication majors:
1. You have a wide variety of interests and talents
Instead of just one thing that you are gifted in or find interesting, there are many! You are a well-rounded individual who likes the arts as well as politics, or reading and keeping up with sports. You find that you don’t “fit” perfectly into just one category. This can make it hard to pinpoint a good career path for you, but rest assured that Communications is broad enough to be able to highlight and provide opportunity for all your gifts and interests. After all, if you do what you love, you will surely love what you do.
2. You aren’t entirely sure what you want to do with your life
College is the best time to try new things to try and figure out what you like to do, and how you can turn that into a career. The best part about Communications for some people is that it offers so many different avenues of focus that the likelihood of finding something that fits you is very high. Grove City College has such a great Communications Department because they work hard to get to know you and your interests, and help you find compatible opportunities that help you figure out viable career options. Finding out what you’re meant to do is what your college journey is all about, but choosing Communication Studies is a great start in realizing your career potential.
3. You enjoy people and value relationships
Communication Studies is all about the why and how of interacting and connecting with people, which is essential to so many aspects of life. Communication majors understand the importance of studying and improving upon human connection in all its many forms, which is prevalent in the kinds of projects and works that they tend to be involved in. Collaborative work is valued. Relationships and the way people work together are interesting and deserve attention. In communication, there is a communicator, a message and a receiver. Within this simple model, there is so much to discover, create and study. If any of this is interesting to you, you may find that Communications is a study that could engage you and help you learn more about things that you find important.
4. You are interested in social media, current news and other kinds of entertainment
Social media and other platforms of entertainment have become staples of our society and one of the focuses of Communications is to study and master its features and capabilities. Finding the most effective means of creating valuable images, messages and other content is a priority. You recognize the importance of social media and its impact on commerce, news and media and want to be able to use those skills for a productive purpose. Grove City College does a great job at maintaining and innovating new ways to incorporate social media and other media-related experiences and opportunities to Communication majors that seek it. Students that are well-equipped with the skills and the passion for impacting the media with creative, influential and honest content are the type of people that can find a home within Communication Studies
5. You want a career that is creative, social and important
By this point, I hope to have convinced you that Communication Studies is a broad spectrum of talents and opportunities that can fit a wide range of people. Regardless of the direction that Communications takes you, you can be assured that it can offer you a viable and exciting career that seeks creativity and innovation, willingness to effective communicate and interact with others and the chance to make a difference with effective communicating. This is where your interests in art, photography, sports, theater, social media, writing, talking with people, or volunteering can transform into a meaningful and tangible career path. With Communications, you are giving yourself the platform to begin to make your dreams and goals a reality.
The Independent Women’s group, “Miss Independents,” strikes a pose for the camera during one of their practices.
Grove City College is an institution that values its history and traditions that have made it into such a noteworthy school. Certain events continue to prove to be campus-wide favorites that bring the students together to celebrate the amazing and talented people on campus. One of these favorite events is All-College Sing. This event takes place late in the spring semester during the annual Family Weekend, when families of current students are invited to join in on the campus life and activities to celebrate the end of the school year.
Theta active Claire Lucas expressed her enthusiasm well when she said, “All-College Sing is one of my favorite campus events of the year. It is an opportunity to try something new, it is basically the musical career I never had, as well as come together to support other students on campus.”
One of these celebrated and beloved events is All-College Sing, where Greek, Housing and Independent groups from all over campus come together to compete in a musical showdown. Beginning in 1972, there are 45 years of alumni who have participated, making it a lasting tradition that draws large crowds. Each group competing picks a song and works all semester practicing choreography, vocals and group personality. All arrangements, instrumentals, choreography, costumes and conducting are student directed. The bar is set high for these performances, as this is usually one of the most well-attended events of the weekend. The competition level between groups is also high, making for an exciting atmosphere and big performances. It’s a great time to participate in Grove City College activity, whether on stage or in the audience cheering on your friends and peers.
Junior and Housing Group AEX member Tom Miller mirrored these sentiments and shared his personal positive experiences with this exciting event. “All-College Sing has been a unifying experience during my time in my housing group. The hours spent practicing with my brothers and performing for our community have yielded a tight unity between us that makes me proud to be a part of something great and humbled to have this opportunity.”
An even rarer occurrence is the participation of an Independent group taking the stage to compete against the more established groups on campus. This year, junior Ellen Upton has taken the initiative to bring together a great group of unassociated, talented women to perform for the title. “All-College Sing, especially for the independent women, is a great opportunity to get to know new people, come together to reach a goal, and to have a lot of fun putting on a show. I would never have met some of these girls if it wasn’t for this group and I love that they are all as excited about it as I am. I think for both the independent women and all of the Greek groups it’s an awesome experience and builds a sense of community and accomplishment that otherwise might not exist.”
“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Emerson, with this quote, thoroughly explains the intrigue, adventure and excitement that accompanies most students that decide to pursue a study abroad program. One such student is junior Accounting and Finance major and Spanish minor Sarah Kuhn. She currently studying abroad in Granada, Spain through the opportunities offered to each student and major through the Grove City College Office of International Education (OIE). I was fortunate enough to have a conversation with her in between her international adventures to ask her a few questions about her experiences so far, her international insights, as well as her advice to those looking to pursue a study abroad program.
How was the planning process of choosing and applying for a program? Do you have any advice after your successful planning experience?
“Planning to study abroad is not a difficult experience. As long as you have the required packets and paperwork and some organizational skills, you will be able to figure it out. If studying abroad is important to you, then that is enough motivation to be able to make it happen. Also, the OIE is more than willing to help you with any problems or questions. I would advise that those wanting to study abroad do some research about classes and credits both at Grove City and in their desired program to make sure that they will transfer. It also helps to take Humanities courses earlier rather than later, because those classes will not transfer from abroad. It may help to plan out your courses ahead of time so that you are prepared.”
How has studying abroad changed your perspective on things like life, education, etc.?
Junior Sarah Kuhn and I discussing her study abroad experience to Grenada, Spain over a lovely video call.
“It had really shown be how big the world is. It has been such an eye-opening experience to be surrounded by so many students who are not Christian and to observe how they approach the world, art, travel, education, and the beauty of Creation. It makes me think of my understanding and learning through classes like Speculative Mind and Civ Arts.”
What has been the best part about studying abroad so far?
“The best part overall has been the opportunity to see things in person that I never imagined really existed. It’s been so amazing to see vague and intangible things that I’ve only learned about becoming real, like Europe itself and works of art. I recently traveled to the beach and was able to experience the Mediterranean Sea for the first time, which was pretty special.”
What is your favorite thing about living in Spain?
“I’ve really enjoyed the opportunities to practice and learn more Spanish. That was really important to me, and a big part of why I decided to study abroad. I’ve loved being in Spanish classes, conversing with professors and asking questions that I was able to apply to my life directly outside of the classroom in a real-life setting. I’ve loved learning about the culture and the different dialects within Spain. The culture is so diverse and there’s so much I still don’t know, and I think that is really cool.”
What are the biggest differences that you have seen between Europe and America?
“Mostly, I have noticed how much more secular Europe is in comparison to the United States. Many times over the months I’ve been here, I have been able to share and explain the gospel with people who really didn’t have any idea what Christianity is all about. I’ve noticed that Americans tend to have such a small scope of perspective, and that studying abroad highlights the range of that scope in different ways. People in Europe are much more culturally aware than Americans, and speak more language and have a better understanding of more cultures outside their own.”
Anything else you’d like to share?
“I am surprised how few people studied abroad from Grove City this semester, only 13! If you choose the right program and plan it right, studying abroad (flights included) can cost less than a semester at the College. Also, studying abroad has made me so thankful for Grove City College’s community, their strong Christian education, and formative classes. I am so lucky to have a Grove City College education as a base so that I can succeed wherever I am in the world, and to be able to use what I learn as well.”
Sarah Kuhn is forging her own path abroad, and surely Emerson would be proud. Her experiences and insights will add so much diversity and culture to Grove City College, as does every student that studies abroad. Choosing the path abroad can lead to a discovery of culture, faith, self and so much more, and the OIE helps make those dreams a reality for Grove City College students. So it has been said, and can be applied to those seeking an abroad adventure, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
Independence is an essential part of growing up and becoming an individual. There is value in having confidence to be able to accomplish something successfully on your own. Being independent is a highly desirable quality to possess. It’s a great key skill to add to your resume. So, it should be no surprise when I say that choosing to be an Independent at college can be a great thing too.
Being an Independent means that you have chosen not to be a part of a Greek or Housing Group on campus. At Grove City College, there is a large Greek presence, with many different groups to pursue. Greek life is always a valid option for those who seek that kind of group identity and friendships. However, one’s decision is not restricted to either rushing a Greek group or becoming an bored outcast. Choosing to be an Independent is just as much of an important decision as choosing Greek, and should be a valid option for those who are unsure of their extracurricular future.
Independent Women have fun too!
Being an Independent among many Greek groups at Grove City College has proven to be an enriching and growing experience for me. As a freshman, I was worried that I would lack something important in my college experience because I didn’t feel like I fit into the Greek life. So I chose to be an Independent, and found that there was a whole different side of a college experience that was just as fulfilling. Some of my friends made the decision to go Greek, while some chose to be Independent. Despite some division between the two choices, my friends had to choose what was best for them and what they wanted out of their college experience. For me, I fit best among independently-minded people. I was lucky enough to have great friends around me who chose the same path, and we set off on the adventure that is Independent living.
I learned that to be an Independent means you have the freedom to make choices and try new things. Just because you don’t wear Greek letters doesn’t mean that you do not have the same opportunities to have fun and experience all that Grove City College has to offer. By choosing Independence, a network of like-minded individuals is created. The environment you choose to be in becomes an empowering and exciting group to be apart of. The possibilities for each individual are endless, and each person brings their own interests and personality to the table.
Student Insight
Junior English major Bethany Wilson commented about her experiences as an Independent. “I enjoy having a variety of different kinds of friends, and the flexibility that being Independent allows. Choosing Independence has been a positive experience because I have formed a lot of close friendships without a sorority to bring us together. It has been great in forming bonds with people in many different directions instead of just in one place.”
Caitlin Washburn, a Junior Biology/Psychology major, also added to why she chose to be an Independent. “I like being able to choose with who and where I live, and I like that I don’t feel like my friends are confined to one group of people. I don’t have to meet a certain image or stereotype, and I like the freedom to be who I am instead of fitting a certain mold.”
The variety of choices and involvement only add to the diversity of people you find on campus. Whether Greek or Independent, your choice is valid and in no way impedes your abilities and experience at college. There is no right or wrong way to choose, as long as it is true to your goals and to yourself.
At the heart of the Grove City College campus is the Breen Student Union, a well-used and loved location where students come together. The Student Union is a popular place where students meet for meals, work on projects, and hang out with friends. There are large windows, lots of tables, a small cafeteria that offers MTO items and a meal plan option, and the College Bookstore. This is the perfect catchall location for students to connect and interact on campus.
