Category: Campus Organizations

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Not Playing Sports in College, A New Way of Life

Grove City Women’s Tennis Fall 2015. Photo courtesy of Alyssa Jackson

During my last tennis match at Grove City, my strings broke and I used my coach’s racquet. The heavy feeling of a new object threw me off. I lost the exhibition match, ending my career in a let down.

Let me just say, this is no bashing of playing college sports. Playing varsity tennis taught me much. I learned time management, team development, and how to lead a team to play for the glory of God. I learned self-discipline both physically and mentally. And I learned that sports will always play a role in my life. I proudly look forward to future days as a soccer mom.

For 14 years straight I played team sports including soccer, basketball and tennis. When I made the decision to quit varsity tennis at Grove City, I stepped into unknown waters. What was life without daily practices, working out with the motivation of adding to my team, and proudly wearing my uniform to class on match days?

So, why did I leave behind these experiences? A shoulder injury definitely played a part. I tore my labrum and needed surgery, which I had the spring of my junior year. Talk about going from an athlete to a couch potato.

Time can only be used in so many ways before it is gone. Two to three hours a day of practice and two- to seven-hour matches during the week and on weekends filled my waking hours. Homework and some time with friends filled the rest. I realized that though I loved my team, competing and being in shape, I wanted to use my college experience to pursue other opportunities. One of my passions is writing, and after quitting tennis, I devoted much more time to improving my skills.

I am avidly pursuing a career in journalism. I accepted a job with the college newspaper and am now the managing editor until I graduate in December. As I move on from college, I have an internship with World Magazine, an answer to prayer and I am so excited.

Though I miss the accountability of being on a team, I know I made the best decision. Not only could I spend time interviewing and writing people’s stories, but I learned to enjoy assignments, freely attend evening lectures, and simply enjoy being surrounded by friends on this beautiful campus.

If you are a high school student deciding whether or not to play a varsity college sport, let me help you – There is no wrong answer. I split my college career of playing sports and not, and I am glad I got to dip my toes into two very different worlds. Though there is no wrong option, some are better than others. Keep in mind the time you spend at college cannot be duplicated.

Also know that our intramural (IM) sports program here at Grove City is nothing to joke about. IM soccer, volleyball, badminton, tennis, basketball, ping pong, and even flag football have all filled my four years. Though varsity sports may not be for you, alternatives abound. Do not fear when you no longer devote each moment to bettering your body and your team. Life after college is filled with marriage, jobs, travel – but the chance to play on a varsity team may not carry over. However, each of those other activities can be bettered during the formative four years of college.

Make time to enjoy God’s creation, watch a movie with your roommate, listen to a talk from a renowned guest speaker, play some IM sports and maybe go for a run. Each human consists of mind, body and soul. Each can be nourished by the choices we make. And no matter which choice you make about varsity sports in college, you will find your place.

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Community Spotlight: Resident Director

The Resident Directors of Grove City College are some of the most influential community builders on campus. Resident Directors live in the student dorms full-time and focus their time on making campus life as comfortable as possible. RDs, as we lovingly call them, oversee the Resident Assistants, arrange events, and are available to residents whenever needed. Meredith Gross has been the RD of Harker Hall for four years. Here is what she has to say about the campus community from her aspect.

What was your education prior to coming to Grove City College?

I attended Messiah College for history and communications, and Taylor University for my Master of Arts of Higher Education and College Student Development.

What is your favorite/ most rewarding aspect of being a Resident Director?

Getting to educate outside of the classroom! Some of my most influential learning opportunities happened through applying what I learned in classes to my personal growth outside of my academic life. Getting to talk through these moments with students, seeing their growth, and cheering them on is by far my favorite thing!

Does the community aspect of Harker change per year or is it fairly consistent? 

There is some change, but much of it is the same because of groups. I love this!!! I love having many of the same residents for a few years. It feels like a very cool gift. Many times my students are not the same as they were as sophomores when they graduate and that is really cool to witness.

How do you try and build community in Harker?

I try to build community by being available, approachable, and consistent. Being a young adult is hard, anything I can do to help in that process is what I want to be about.

How would you describe the community at Grove City College?

In Residence Life we talk about three pillars we want to be about… presence, preparation, and partnership. I think that’s how I would describe Grove City at its best as well. At its best, our students are involved with events and each other, they are preparing for life after college through leadership opportunities and growth, and they are partnered in their educational journeys with the administration and faculty. I love this community! I have truly come to love all of it in the four years I’ve been here. It also means I seek its continual growth because I care about the direction it heads.

 

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AEX-mas 2017: Recap on What Happened This Year

It’s Saturday of finals week. Some students are in the thick of taking exams and studying, while some are anxiously awaiting break and finals on Monday and Tuesday before leaving. Nevertheless, campus is full of very busy and stressed individuals.

Yet one event on campus gives students the opportunity to de-stress halfway through finals! The housing group Alpha Epsilon Chi (AEX) hosts the only event allowed to occur on campus during finals: AEX-mas. Here’s the inside scoop!

Preparation:

With it being finals, there is not a whole lot of time to prepare for the event. Some members of the group do not have finals that day, so they are responsible for the set up. This event takes place on the AEX hall, the second floor of Lincoln building, so it’s relatively close for the guys.

The lights get strung, and the rooms are decorated into various activity rooms (explained later on). The smell of Wassail fills the air and a cold breeze flows in from one of the rooms. It is for some when Christmas officially begins.

Event Time!

From 7-11 p.m., everyone is invited onto the hall to celebrate Christmas and relax. There are rooms with food and drinks, as well as a caroling room where hymnals get passed out and all join in with song. Beside the extra lounge rooms there’s also the North Pole, where one room lets their windows wide open and the cold air freezes the one room and chills the rest of the hall. There are even pictures with Santa and crafts to round out all the festivities.

All in all, this event in one that is unique for both its timing, and for its closeness that is created as a result. Friends come together and interact with others they might not normally see and share conversation, carols, and sit around the craft table together and share in the finals study break time.

This year in particular, a handful of students stuck around after the event was over and had an impromptu worship session with guitars and other various instruments. Both guys and girls, seniors to freshman. This even unifies the campus and prepares hearts and attitudes towards the Christmas spirit. I am very fortunate to have been a part of this event and a part of this housing group.

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On-Campus Jobs: Call Team Member of the Admissions Telecommunications Department

Grove City is really unique in its offerings of various on campus jobs, as well as off campus jobs. With so many local business, and some national chain stores nearby, it can be overwhelming at times. Thankfully, Grove City works with student’s schedules, and offers many on campus jobs with varying tasks.

This semester, I have had the fortunate opportunity to work as a call team member for Grove City Admissions. I started in the position beginning in late August when the semester began, and recently they have been looking for more callers to add to their team!

This position entails several tasks. Steve Vago is the organizer of the Call-Team, and is regularly interacting with the call team, whether through training, aiding a particular question, or guiding prospective students though their application process. I collaborate with Steve and get the script for the week, which is our guide to who our target audience is that we will be calling, as well as the reason for our call.

Additionally, we engage in conversation with the prospective student and answer personable questions about our own experience at Grove City. Often, high school students we call wish to learn more about juggling various activities, or as about the food on campus. What better way to show them about Grove City than to have its own students give credibility and their personal stories to others? Not only does it benefit the prospective student, but provides positive customer service experience and PR for the college.

Through this working position, I have noticed countless benefits that will be applicable to the real world. Interpersonal communication is vital in both the work place and daily life, and conversations call team members are having will enhance those skills. Additionally, the supervisor/employee relationship is very strong with this team. Steve will come in and is very understanding with students’ busy schedules and is intentional about getting to know his team members and how he can best help them succeed and relate to prospective students.

It has also been a blessing to have two other members of my housing group as call team members. Through our interactions in that setting, we have grown closer in friendship and brotherhood, and well as better collaborating and problem-solving through certain questions one of us might not be able to answer right away.

I strongly encourage students to really consider applying for an on campus position. You will learn invaluable skills and make lasting relationships with the people you work for and with.

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Inside Look: Soccer Team Bus Rides

“I’ve never been to Florida, and I’ve been to Portugal.”

You can then hear confused laughter for the next 45 seconds.

These and countless other memories seem strange to the regular college student. However, as an athlete, those memories are the foundation in which team chemistry is molded.

All while on an away team bus trip.

You can go through a preseason together, which consists of two-a-day practices, three team meals, and countless other team activities, and that creates a unique bond with each team. However, it is the away team bus trips that solidify those relationships that last further than each year’s team.

So what is it like, being on a varsity team bus on the way to a game? Here are five inside scoops, using the men’s soccer team as an example.

Team Movies

The audio visual coordinator is one of the crucial roles on the team: responsible for picking a movie to watch on especially long bus rides. His choice is to the approval or dismay of the seniors and rest of the team.

Two Truths and a Lie

A men’s soccer staple at Grove City. During one of the first trips players fill out an index card with two truths and one lie. The rest of the team is attempting to determine (obviously) which statement is a lie. Followed by this is usually stories to accompany the bold claims made.

Euchre

 

The infamous card game also makes its way onto the list. Typically coach Dreves and his assistant will team up to duel any soccer guy duo towards the front of the bus, as a way to destress before focusing on the game. Have many been successful against coach? Many have tried, and few have succeeded.

 

 

Sleep

This one is more obvious, but of course athletes need their pregame rest and relaxation before the game. Whether with pillows or sprawling out onto multiple seats, each player has a unique way of getting that last bit of energy charged up. But, with that comes…

Shenanigans

Pranks while others are sleeping, tripping teammates on their way down the aisle, and various Snapchat “snipes” (when someone takes video of a teammate dancing to music, for example). You can expect there to be some fun memories made from messing with other teammates, all in good spirit and good fun, never any form of hazing. These in particular stay with the player as a memory, myself included, as I have recalled several instances of guys messing around and enjoying a good laugh on the bus.

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All in all, athletes have their unique pregame routines. They would be remiss though if they said they had no fun whatsoever with their team on the ride to their match, and that it has stuck with them more so than even in-game memories.

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On-Campus Jobs: Business Manager of “The Collegian”

In order to have a successful collegiate newspaper, there are countless individuals working behind the scenes to create content, manage the distribution, etc.

I had the chance to talk to one of the members of the Collegian’s staff who holds in a unique position within this campus organization. Jesse Peterson is a (now) December graduate who majored in communications during his time here. He held the role of “Business Manager” within this organization.

What kinds of tasks did this position entail for you?

“I was involved in the acquisition of advertisements for the Collegian and managed some of the financial duties that the Collegian dealt with. In addition, I was the person responsible for getting the weekly paper and then distributing it throughout the various campus locations.”

Can you talk more about the distribution process? I heard it was a more unique experience!

“Yes, it’s funny you should ask that! When we get the newspaper, it is printed up in Meadville, towards Allegheny College. Every Friday morning I get up and leave campus around 4 a.m. to drive up to Allegheny and collect the printed papers, put them in my car, and come back to campus. I am responsible for making sure that the newspapers are on the stands by the time most buildings open (so around 7:30 a.m. – ish). It’s sometimes a tiring thing to drive an hour there and back with the newspapers, but I’ve gained a lot of good experience from it.”

How has this job contributed to your experience at Grove City?

“I would say that I learned quite a bit of discipline having to get up so early on a Friday morning. The advertising aspect of the position engaged me in business to business conversations, and that skill is valuable when it comes to real world experiences. At Grove City, I’ve connected with other members of the writing staff, as well as numerous professors and individuals who influence the writings and creation process. Lastly, I’ve been fortunate to have some of my friends ride along with me when I get the paper, so there have been great relationships formed and improved through having this position. I’m very grateful for the opportunity, and know that while it is a bit of work, the lessons learned and experience are worth it!”

A big thanks to Jesse Peterson for speaking to me about his position, and a shout out to the entire Collegian staff who works tirelessly to get the paper out every week! Thank you for your hard work!

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Grove City College Prison Ministry

In the fall, Professor Sweet taught a class endearingly called Internet Content Marketing. In this course, students learned the importance of tailoring content to particular audiences in order to make a profit or showcase credibility. Towards the end of the semester, Professor Sweet asked the students to put their lessons into practice and write articles for this blog. As the editor of this site, I had the awesome opportunity to read all of these articles and choose the ones that I thought our readers would find most interesting. This particular piece is by Anna Walker, she describes her work with the prison ministry on campus. Enjoy!

You do not have to go far to hear people call Grove City College “the bubble.” More than not, the bubble is not referred to as a good thing. After being here two and a half years, I can confirm, Grove City College is in many ways a giant bubble – we leave our wallets everywhere, never lock any doors, can find people praying almost anywhere on campus and almost everyone you encounter on campus is abnormally friendly. But are not we called to be salt and light? What does that look like on a Christian college campus? I have one of many solutions to that question through getting involved with Prison Ministry.

Grove City College’s Prison Ministry all began with one student getting a group of their friends together to go to neighboring Mercer County’s Prison to lead Bible studies. Since then the ministry has continued to grow and became an official organization in 2016. I found out about the ministry at the Org Fair, which is an all campus event hosted in the early fall where students are able to learn about all the different organizations on campus. I knew I wanted to get involved with an off campus ministry, but prison ministry never crossed my mind. Like many of the students at Grove City, I grew up in a Christian family, attended a Christian school am now at a Christian college – my qualifications for working with prisoners’ backgrounds was nonexistent. Which brings me to perhaps the greatest reason why Prison Ministry is such a powerful ministry to be involved in: It does not lightly penetrate the “bubble” students live in at Grove City, it tears it to pieces.

Every week, two or three individuals from the ministry are sent into the prison. Girls go into the women’s pods and the guys go into the men’s pods. It’s typical to work through a Bible study curriculum and use whatever remaining time to get to know the prisoners and to spend time praying with them. With that being said, some weeks I have gone in and never touched the planned lesson because the girls had big questions about faith or because what they needed most was simply a loving ear to listen. I quickly learned how little we as Christians know about sharing the gospel with nonbelievers. It’s so easy at a place like Grove City to feel like the ultimate superstar Christian between being involved with hall Bible studies, attending chapel twice a week and talking about God on the daily with other Christians, but we miss the mark. We so easily overlook the major component of our faith which is to share the gospel with nonbelievers.

To listen to a girl tell you she is sentenced to 30 years behind bars, to see the tears well up in her eyes as she tells she has no family, that she has lost everything because of a meth addiction and hear her say that there is no purpose for her life, it changes you. I learned that talking about God with other Christians on the daily is not a substitute for Jesus’ command to share the gospel with nonbelievers. Being a part of Prison Ministry has been one of the most challenging, growing, joyous things I have done with my time at Grove City. The ministry works as continual reminder that we are not called to merely know about Jesus, but to be Jesus’ hands and feet to this broken world.  Spending time with the prisoners forces you to trust the Lord to give you words when there are none, to give you wisdom where you lack and to fully rely on His spirit for guidance. One of the most amazing parts of going to the prison is that the individuals who come desperately want to know God. It fans into the flame the love you had for Christ when you first came to know Him and ignites a deep passion in your heart to share the life-changing news of God and what His son did on the cross.

When I come back to campus after spending time at the prison all my priorities are realigned. The trivial things of college such as the quiz I failed that morning, the research paper I have looming over my head, the stress of getting a successful job after college and selfish pursuits all fade. The Grove City bubble has been broken. I recommend this ministry to anyone who is looking to be pushed out of their comfort zone and be exceptionally challenged in their faith during these college years.

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So You Want to be an RA?

RA Staff MAP West

If you love getting to know and caring for the people around you, the Resident Assistant position at Grove City College might be right for you! A Resident Assistant, or RA, is a full-time student who lives on campus in the residence halls and is responsible for facilitating community on his/her hall and upholding policy across campus (among numerous other things). It is a great opportunity to be involved in campus and serve the people living around you.

You are able to apply for the RA position for your sophomore through senior year. All residence halls have RAs, freshmen buildings and upperclassmen buildings alike, so there are opportunities to be an RA for numerous demographics. In upperclassmen buildings you will be the only RA on your hall and will likely have a roommate of your choosing (though some buildings offer the opportunity to live in a single room as an RA). While it shocks many people that as an RA I still have a roommate, I love it. My roommate is one of my biggest sources of support and helps to create a sense of community on the hall just as much as I do. Some freshmen buildings have two RAs per hall, meaning that you will have a roommate who is an RA and the two of you will work together to care for your hall.

RAs work in teams with three to 11 RAs (depending on the size of your residence hall) and one Resident Director (RD). New this year, MAP North, the primary residence for freshmen women on campus, also has an Assistant Resident Director (ARD) as part of their team. These teams are great opportunities to learn and grow in both a professional setting and a personal setting – they will likely become some of your closest friends and will understand your experience as an RA and student better than most others on campus.

As an RA you have the opportunity to plan events (called programs) that will help your residents learn and grow beyond the classroom in addition to building stronger relationships with one another. These are very neat, as Residence Life provides funding for these programs so there is really a lot that you can do with them. These events really shape people’s college experiences and I highly encourage you to attend RA programs even if you are not an RA yourself.

You will also have duty responsibilities as an RA, which each residence hall does slightly differently. In general, you will be “on duty” one night per week, which means that you will have to be in your building and do some rounds of the building to check for facility concerns, to uphold policy, and to check for safety concerns. When you are on duty you are “on call” and if a resident in your building experiences an issue, you are the first one they would call and/or come to. These nights are great opportunities to hang out in your room with your door open and see who is around to hang out with.

Being an RA also means weekly staff meetings with your building staff and bi-weekly or weekly one on one meetings with your direct supervisor, the Resident Director (RD) for your building. Otherwise, being an RA is a very flexible schedule – you choose when to run programs, you have input into the duty schedule, and you get to choose when to knock on doors and invite people over.

The RA position has shaped my college experience entirely. I am currently a senior and have been an RA since my sophomore year. For both my sophomore and junior years I was an RA on the same hall in a suite style building and my residents were primarily seniors. This year I am in a different suite style building and my residents are primarily freshmen and transfer students. All three years have been amazing experiences and God has grown me so much through them. The other RAs who I have worked with and each of my RDs have shaped me and supported me through my difficult semesters and my easier semesters, and I have definitely made lifetime friends through this position. If you are wanting to be an RA during college, Grove City College is the place to do it.

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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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On-Campus Jobs: Student Assistant at the Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation

GCC Business Suite

Many students are worried about working while they are at college, and luckily there are many opportunities at Grove City. There are many off-campus options due to our proximity to Grove City Premium Outlets as well as many great businesses to work at just barely off-campus on Broad Street like Sweet Jeanie’s and Beans on Broad. On-campus jobs are a great option, though, because supervisors understand that you are a student first and are able to be very flexible with scheduling, not to mention the “commute” is basically non-existent.

One of my positions on campus is as the student assistant to the program manager of the Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation (CEI) at Grove City College. I started in this position in September of my sophomore year, and have enjoyed it ever since. The CEI recently increased its student staff, which means that there are many possibilities in this department.

In this position, I mostly work on administrative tasks given to me by my supervisor, Lynn Stillwaggon ’84. Twice a week I come into her office to work with her on details for that week. I also put together and send the weekly newsletter for the CEI. My jobs  can include anything from sending emails to students about events, and requesting help for events from faculty or staff to hanging up posters and writing our weekly newsletter. It has been a great opportunity to be involved in my major department and to understand the behind-the-scenes workings of our Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation.

One of the biggest benefits of this position has been a great relationship with my supervisor. Mrs. Stillwaggon is a Grove City College alumna and has been a great supervisor and mentor for me over the past two and a half years. In between tasks we will chat about our weekends and life in Grove City, to more important conversations about life in general. This is a benefit that I think many student workers at Grove City College can agree with – our supervisors become so much more than that and we learn so much from them. These positions are much more than menial jobs.

I have also gotten to know many other students on campus through this position, whether it be from sending emails in order to gain information for a press release or because I am helping to organize our annual Elevator Pitch Competition, I have interactions with all kinds of people who I may not have met otherwise.

Working on campus has been an excellent experience and I have learned so much from the people I work with.