Category: Extracurriculars

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Grove City College: Working a Job While in College

Being a student in college takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but also a large sum of money in most cases. Summer jobs or internships are a good way to help save money to put towards college. But that does not help cover all of the costs that accrue. Between tuition, books, extra food, car payments, and whatever else may come up, there are a lot of expenses to think about. At Grove City College, there are many on-campus job opportunities for students. Anything from cafeteria help, bookstore, tutoring positions, tour guides, and many jobs in between, there is something to fit the interest of most people.

Sometimes, on-campus jobs can get applied for and taken very quickly though. If this is the case, or none of the options interest you, off-campus jobs are always an option as well. Whether you live locally and already have a job coming into school, or if you apply for one once you arrive, it is always a possible option for extra income. There are many nice restaurants, fast food chains, and stores that are interested in hiring college-aged students. Grove City Premium Outlets, only about 10 minutes away from Grove City College, is a great option when searching for a job. The outlet mall offers over 120 stores as well as a food court for people interested in the food industry.

As for myself, I have had a job at the outlet mall since the summer before my freshman year here at Grove City College. I decided to continue working throughout the school year as well rather than trying to get an on-campus job. Personally, having the off-campus job helped me to have a different change of pace every once in a while along with gaining retail experience and make some extra cash.

There are many opportunities to make some extra cash while in college, whether it is on-campus or off-campus. It gives you a way to make some extra cash, builds experience, and helps to improve time-management skills.

 

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Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Spotlight

https://vimeo.com/359858024

Many prospective students are interested in playing on a varsity sports team at Grove City College, but the majority of these students are not aware of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) that meets to enhance the student-athlete experience at this college. Hear more about SAAC from Liz Scherer.

How would you describe SAAC to a prospective student? 

SAAC has student-athlete representatives from each varsity sports team on campus. There are 40 members on the committee since each team sends two reps. We come together to make decisions on National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules, Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) rules, events that go on around campus, and basic athletic department decisions at Grove City College. A few of SAAC’s goals on campus include generating a student-athlete voice within the college, PAC, and NCAA structure, serving as a conduit of communication between student-athletes, coaches, and athletic administration, and promote a positive image of a Grove City College student-athlete.

What type of events does SAAC organize on campus?

We do a lot at different sporting events. For example, last year we held a fundraiser during the women’s and men’s basketball games. It was a great time because the entire campus was involved and got to shoot half-court shots and try to win prizes. We are looking forward to doing this event again during the upcoming basketball season. Also, we make sure each team on campus has a brother or sister team paired with them. For example, the Women’s Basketball team and the Men’s Lacrosse team were brother and sister last year, so they both supported each other during their seasons and created a stronger community of athletes.

SAAC initiated the saying, Wolverines Together, what does this phrase mean to you?

Wolverines Together is our motto that we try to embody here at Grove City College, especially as athletes. To me, it means coming together as a community to support one another, and it does not matter if you are in athletics or not. We are trying to be one unit and create a campus-wide community.

SAAC
SAAC organized an event with the Special Olympics.
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Life Changing Electives: The Pottery Program at Grove City College

Grove City offers many worthwhile majors and minors to pursue, but if you are like most students, you will have a few general electives to fulfill as well. “General Electives” are classes of your choosing! This requirement gives students a great opportunity to explore topics and activities beyond their regular area of studies, and you can have a lot of fun doing this.

One of the most fulfilling and satisfying electives that I have ever taken is Pottery. Professor Rhoades has maintained a quality program for students with courses encompassing handbuilding, wheel throwing, sculpture, pueblo, raku, and advanced ceramics. When you are using the medium of clay, the process is always the same, but you get to choose what the final product will be. Here are some examples of the work you can create and keep at the end of the semester:

The following is a very basic description of how you begin to work with the medium of clay. You begin by wedging, the technique of mixing and rolling clay to make it consistent and remove air bubbles (air bubbles can cause problems when you fire the clay, mostly by turning your new piece of artwork into a mini explosive in the kiln). Once you have wedged your clay you can begin to create its form. There are two main techniques for doing so – handbuilding and wheel throwing. Your clay will slowly dry over time, and you can work with it until it reaches the texture of leather, at which point you cannot make any further alterations (aside from starting over again). Once your pottery is bone-dry you are ready for the kiln! First, you will bisque fire your work, then you are ready to glaze with a variety of different colors. Once you have glazed your pottery, you place your work back in the kiln for a glaze fire. If there are any runs that you do not like from your glazing then you can sand them in the studio to polish them up!

For anyone who is hesitant because they don not believe in their artistic ability, I would encourage you to take a look at my first piece of work. It is by no means a masterpiece, in fact it is an embarrassment! But Professor Rhoades is very generous and will reward you for your efforts and improvement! Yes, even this humble piece of pottery was A-worthy.

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Campus Club Spotlight: Scherzo!

On Friday September 13th, the Grove City College men’s vocal ensemble Scherzo! (formerly the Men’s Glee Club) had their second set of open auditions for anyone interested in becoming a member of the club. After holding a handful of open rehearsals, bringing in eight for auditions, Scherzo! accepted four new members joining the club.

What does this year look like for “Scherzo!“?

Beginning the year with a new name and a new group of singers, there are many changes in store for the club and their upcoming repertoire of performances. Making an effort to move away from a number of their expected gigs, the group will be taking on performances in all new venues and organizations around the Grove City community with a plethora of new pieces guaranteed to represent the fresh start the group is undergoing.

What led the group to change their name?

The decision for the name change was long discussed within the group due to the normal connotation of the name Glee Club with the popular show “Glee,” which aired on FOX television. The group decided it would be best for their vocal ensemble not to be directly compared to the TV series due to very different approaches to what an acapella group looks like, as well as the various drama which the show dealt with. Scherzo! is an acapella group mainly focusing on the quality and range which a group of male singers can produce when solely focusing on the music itself, where the TV series is much more focused on the production as well as vocals. Seeing that Scherzo! is not a production centered group, they came to the conclusion that the best thing to do to help public perception of what the group truly is, would be to change up the name to something more intriguing and less correlated with a widely known series.

Scherzo! will hold their annual concert, containing their whole repertoire of music, in May 2020.

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The Swing Dance Club

The Grove City College Swing Dance Club is an organization on campus whose aim is to teach students the fundamentals of swing-style dance. The club is part of the Partner Dance Organization on campus that also includes the Ballroom Dance Club. The Swing Dance Club meets weekly on Wednesdays at 7:30 to cover a half an hour of new instruction followed by an hour of free dance, in order for members to practice their skills. The club organizes and hosts one special dance a semester which is open to the entire student body. In the fall semester, the club organized a very successful dance called the Blacklight Dance. In the above video, the officers of the club share what makes swing dancing such a fun activity.
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Women’s Rugby Team

https://youtu.be/Hy-Of7vottk

Recently, I had the opportunity to talk to the members of the Grove City College Women’s Rugby Team. The team is considered a club team. This means that they compete against other colleges but are not an official varsity sport. The girls on the team come from a variety of years and majors, but all say they have grown really close throughout their season last fall and continual conditioning to prepare for the future seasons. While several of the players take part in other sports at Grove City or have in the past, many of the players had not tried rugby before joining this group. They were enthusiastic to talk about their unique sport and successful games.

 
 
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Inside Grove City Ministries – DRIVE

Grove City College prides itself on incorporating faith into its academics and extracurriculars. One of the notable aspects about the College includes its variety of campus ministries. Students can choose to be a part of the Redbox Ministry, the International Justice Mission, or they can go on an Inner-City Outreach. A lot of these ministries focus on spreading the gospel to cities around the world, but one group has a slightly less traditional approach.

DRIVE is a ministry group on campus that tells the gospel through silent dramas performed to music. Their acronym stands for “Dramas Reaching Inner Cities through Visual Evangelism.” They minister to those living in inner cities near the College, including Youngstown, Pittsburgh and New Castle. Every few months they go to one of these cities to perform their dramas. When not doing dramas on the streets or in shelters, DRIVE holds a few on campus events a year. At least once a semester, DRIVE members do “flash mobs” where they spontaneously start doing dramas somewhere on campus. They also plan to host a “DRIVE”-in theatre event where students can view the dramas and get to understand the group’s mission better.

I sat down with some of DRIVE’s student officers and members to ask them some questions about the group and what they stand for. Because the group is so unique and focuses on off campus ministry, not everyone knows what DRIVE truly accomplishes.

The biggest theme I noticed in the answers to the questions was one of community.

During all of the interviews I filmed, everyone talked a lot about the community in DRIVE and how it not only drew them in, but kept them coming back to meetings. The mission of the group centers around giving back to communities, both spiritually and practically. Several of the members and officers give insight into this and into what being in the group is like.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QWLWfAQKoE

 

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Sorority Spotlight: The Sisters of Sigma Delta Phi

Elizabeth Becherer, a junior accounting and finance major, is an active student at Grove City College. She has a radio show on WSAJ-FM 91.1 in the evenings, participates in weekly meetings and events with SEAD (Students Excited About Diversity), is a member of the accounting society, and, since freshmen year, is an active member of the Sigma Delta Phi sorority. The students who join Greek Life are more than their affiliation, but Greek Life is always interesting to learn about. I sent Elizabeth some questions regarding her sisterhood. Here are her responses:

How is Sigma Delta Phi unique?

The sisters of Sigma Delta Phi (known as the “D’phis” on campus) are a down-to-earth group of girls. I think most of us would agree that our favorite memories of sorority life are just of hanging out on the hall with our sisters. A lot of us are a little introverted, so rush events are not necessarily our favorite thing (but you do not have to be bubbly to be in a Greek group). In general, we are a small group of diverse and independent girls who enjoy coming together to relax and enjoy each other’s company and the sorority gives us a chance to do just that.

What philanthropy does your sorority participate in every year?

The D’phis are always looking for ways to stay involved on campus. For years, we have hosted a series of fundraisers to raise money for the Pittsburgh Project. Each year, we hold a rose sale, candy cane sale, and casino-style game night to benefit their after-school and summer programs for urban youth. More recently, we have also been working with the Grove City Area Pet Rescue and often take groups down to the shelter to visit the pets and clean.

What was your experience like as a rush (someone who participates in activities to join a Greek group)? How is being an active member of a group?

To be completely frank, I did not like the rush process much at all. It can be draining to meet so many people in such a short time, and interactions can begin to feel impersonal. That being said, if you can weather that social whirlwind, things get so much more fun. I am constantly with supportive girls who help me feel involved and make college fun. I also have a great group of friends that I can bring to volleyball games, my radio show, meals, church, and whatever else we get up to each week.

How has your sorority grown you over the past three years?

We are a smaller group of girls, and that means a lot can change in a few years. Everyone in our group receives a chance to be involved in its direction because everyone takes some sort of a position. I have seen the group become much more conscious of taking girls who will be a positive influence on the group. We also want them to add their unique talents. It has been so much fun to grow close to each year’s new actives and see what new perspectives they bring. These girls have grown me by presenting me with the responsibility of respecting everyone’s perspective and engaging with the different ideas.

What would you tell a prospective student who is considering rushing?

Be open to it! A lot of people have definitive opinions of Greek life at Grove City. Most of them are negative. Even if you are not sold on being in a sorority, I think it is a good idea to try. On a small campus like ours, it can be a great way to be involved. Do not knock it until you have tried it!

*To attain eligibility to join Greek Life you must have a 2.0 grade point average. You also must be a full time student (at least 12 credits per semester).

Sigma Delta Phi
Junior Elizabeth Becherer, far right, poses in letters with her sorority sisters.
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Sorority Spotlight: The Sisters of Phi Sigma Chi

Phi Sigma Chi 2019
Breanne Wenk, middle right, enjoying spending time with her fellow sisters of Phi Sigma Chi.

Soon to be pediatrician Breanne Wenk is a current Biology/Health major with a minor in Exercise Science. Breanne is a busy athlete on campus, participating in club Ultimate Frisbee, twirling for the Wolverine Marching Band, being a tour guide on campus, and is an active member of the Phi Sigma Chi sorority. The students who join Greek Life are more than their affiliation, but Greek Life is always interesting to learn about. I sent Breanne some questions regarding her sisterhood. Here are her responses:

How is Phi Sigma Chi unique?

I think our sorority is unique in how diverse we are, yet united.  We are all very different and involved in so many different things on campus, but when we are together, we are all one. Not divided into separate cliques, actually a group that everyone gets along, which I think is pretty rare.

What philanthropy does your sorority participate in every year?

Our main philanthropy event that we host every year is our Phi Sigma Chi 5k “Sunset Sprint.” The benefits go to help the Grove City Medical Center. We also do two annual bake sales for Children’s Miracle Network as well as a kickball tournament for ASPCA.

What was your experience like as a rush (someone who participates in activities to join a Greek group)? How is being an active member of a group?

As a rush, as well as an active, my experience has been great. I never thought I’d join a sorority coming to college, but when I met the Phi Sigs I knew they were different. All of the girls were so real and down to earth, and I could tell they liked me for me. I wasn’t just another number or another girl rushing, I was their genuine friend and I know that they will always be there for me no matter what.

How has your sorority grown you over the past three year?

I have had the opportunity to serve as chaplain for the Phi Sigs for the past year, and it has really helped me to develop in my faith and as a leader. As the spiritual leader of our group, I was pushed to be more confident and outspoken about my faith in God and all of our blessings, as well as pushed to be a better listener and friend when mediating conflicts within the group. Aside from being the chaplain, the group has helped me improve on conflict resolution skills and organization skills for all campus events.

What would you tell a prospective student who is considering rushing?

I would highly encourage any prospective student to Grove City to rush. Even if they do not have any intention at all of joining a sorority, they may find a group that they fit in to, and if not, it is still an amazing way to meet upper classmen students and make friends. After rush, campus felt so much more like home and friendly, because I recognized so many faces and people.

*To attain eligibility to join Greek Life you must have a 2.0 grade point average. You also must be a full time student (at least 12 credits per semester).

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Nanotechnology in Grove City: Part Two

Nanostructures- Seeing the What Cannot be Seen

Dr. Wolinski of the Grove City College Physics Department leads a study on the development and uses of Gallium Oxide nanowires. Six young men of the department work week after week tuning machines and making discoveries on the possibility of building bridges micrometers wide. Part Two consists of Zachary Johnson and Ryan King, programming and running tests with the SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope). The device images, engraves, and scans samples to give the team a good view of their work.

Zachary Johnson- Introducing the SEM

Zach begins today’s journey with the SEM. He does much of the actual sample scanning for the group. After Seth Byard creates a sample, he sends it to Zach to take some photos. Zach fits cut up silicon wafers into the SEM and vacuum seals the electron chamber for a clear image. After that, most of his work takes place on the computer, isolating the micrometers of area he wants to photograph. Inside the chamber, electrons bombard the sample and bounce off every which way. A specialized sensor inside can follow the motion of electrons and generate an image of what they bounced off of. At this point, Zach zooms and refocuses repeatedly until he has gone in far enough and has a clear image. The electron beam can focus in to allow for better photos, and can even concentrate enough to carve the samples themselves!

Ryan King- Software to Keep the Electrons Scanning

However, in order to use the SEM at all, Zach must control dozens of variables at the time, an arduous process for sure. Yet Ryan has come to solve this problem. His job for the research team is to create a program for the SEM, a job requested by the manufacturers themselves! Tescan, the company that built the SEM, has quite a number of clients who cannot keep track of the variables. In fact, they have a number of buyers who break their machines by running too many parameters at once. Ryan’s program keeps track of the parameters running and gives updates about them- warning users of dangerous situations before they run out of time. Ryan’s work is a pivotal part of the research, and is quite impressive to boot.

If you enjoyed this article, make sure to check out the video in the link below for the full story!