Category: Faculty Spotlights

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Tennis, Cows, and Pigs, Oh My: Grove City College Professors and Their Unique Traditions

Three Grove City College professors share how they spark joy in their students’ stressful lives with their own unique ‘traditions.’ Across the board, each professor demonstrates that he truly cares about his students.

Dr. Fuller’s Tennis Match

For instance, Economics professor Dr. Fuller offers a chance for a small amount of extra credit to any student who can beat him in a tennis match. Fuller began this tradition during his first semester teaching at the College in Fall 2017. Since then, he has given the opportunity in all his classes every semester.

Dr. Fuller

When asked why he started this tradition, Fuller explains that he is passionate about tennis, having played for all four years that he attended Grove City. Beyond that, though, Fuller emphasizes that the main goal isn’t to give extra credit points, but rather to form connections outside of the classroom with students and get to know them better.

“It’s really a ‘touchpoint’ for students, so I can seem more like a ‘human’ to them with real human interests,” Fuller says.

According to Fuller, two to three students per semester typically challenge him to a match, but only one student—former GCC tennis player and Man of the Year Karsten Lagerquist—has beaten him. Still, the opportunity has served to generate conversations between Fuller and his students, “which is really the goal,” Fuller notes.

Dr. Horton’s Cow Answers

Additionally, psychology professor Dr. Horton incorporates cow-related answers into his multiple-choice exams. He tells his students that the “cow answers” are never correct, so he narrows down the options and provides comedic relief as students take the exam.

Dr. Horton

“Why should exam day be dull and boring and dry?” Horton says. He wants to “liven up” exams and give students something to chuckle at rather than stress about.

Horton has been including cows on his exams for “at least 15 years,” ever since his daughter formed an intense interest in cows when she was little. At first, he incorporated cow-related answers for fun, but his students enjoyed them and asked for more.

Since then, his students have leaned into the “cow” idea in Horton’s classes. If students show a deep enough passion for cows, they can receive the “Cow Appreciation Award.” Only three students have ever won the award, including one young man who wore a cow costume to every exam.

Dr. McIntyre’s Pig Stamps

Finally, mathematics professor Dr. McIntyre has been awarding “pig stamps” to students who get an ‘A’ on his exams since 1994. McIntyre has a collection of four different pig stamps to correlate with the four exams in each of his classes.

Dr. McIntyre

Students can strive to “collect” all four pig stamps by getting an ‘A’ on all four exams. According to McIntyre, this is a “rare achievement.” Depending on the class, roughly one to two students per semester or year receive all four.

From his pig-covered office, McIntyre explains that pigs have fascinated him ever since he was a child. Beyond his interest in pigs, though, McIntyre continues his pig-stamp tradition because it is a “personalized incentive” that reflects his individuality.

McIntyre wants students to learn that “everyone is unique.” No two people are the same, and we should all “embrace our uniqueness.” Fuller, Horton, and McIntyre are three prime examples of Grove City College professors who demonstrate how much they care about their students.

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Home Away From Home

Keys to home

There are few people as intimately involved in creating and nurturing your new home in the residence halls as the Resident Directors (RDs) and Resident Assistants (RAs). I spoke with two RDs to bring you an inside perspective on dorm life from the ones who see it all.

Meredith Gross is the Assistant Director of Residence Life and also the Resident Director of Harker Hall, one of the women’s dorms. When I asked what she thinks is the most important lesson one can take away from living in a dorm, she discussed the real life social impact of learning to live well with others. “Living in a residence hall is great! It is fun and enjoyable, you get to live with your friends and create a new atmosphere away from home, but you also get the chance to learn to live with people who are not your family,” Meredith said, talking about the joys and struggles of living with new people. She highlighted that a strong social life has a positive correlation with doing well academically, and the students who live in residence halls are learning valuable life skills like negotiation, compromise, and leadership. Meredith strongly believes that the life skills you learn as a residential student translate well to being prepared for your goals beyond graduation.

James Phillips is the Resident Director of Ketler Hall, one of the largest men’s dorms. He cited the importance of fostering true, genuine investment in students who want it, and fights to prevent a superficial sense of belonging just by nature of being in a certain dorm or hall. As James put it, “That is more my aim – not to create an artificial sense of belonging, but to give my students space to opt in if they want to. At any given time or given day, there are people in Ketler who want to listen to what they have to say.” Community is a lot more complex than we tend to realize, and difficult to put into words. James makes it a priority to let his students know that there are Resident Assistants and himself available at any time, while making it clear that he does not intend to force a sense of superficial community. It is a hard balance, but one that he carefully tends to so that his students have fulfilling community wherever and whenever they may need it.

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Professor Spotlight – Dr. Downey

Dr. Jim Downey, PhD

This year I took my first-ever science class at Grove City College. The class was Fundamentals of the Universe (SCIC 201), also known as “Baby Physics” and the class was on Wednesday nights, taught by adjunct professor, Dr. Jim Downey.

Dr. Downey is a very interesting guy. He has an extensive background of education and is very experienced in his line of work. Dr. Downey graduated from Grove City College in 1981 with a B.S. in Physics. He then took a career in the Air Force, both active and reserve Air Force, and he stayed there for 27 years until her retired as a Colonel. Dr. Downey also has a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois, which means yes, he is a rocket scientist! Dr. Downey was a professor at Grove City College from 1992-2003, and then a Harvard Fellow from 2003-2004. He said Harvard was a very cool place to be and to learn. He also taught at the Army War College, which also was an incredible experience for him. Over these different educational experiences and career paths Dr. Downey has lived in six different states, with 11 different moves.

I asked Dr. Downey how it feels to be back on campus as an adjunct professor, and he said, “I have enjoyed the opportunity to teach physics again and particularly this course. When I was a full-time professor, I always loved teaching SCIC 201 as it was a way to expose mostly non-science people to a subject that I love and believe is important for people to know something about. I will admit when I first stepped back on campus it was a bit strange as so many years had gone by. However, it did not take long for the students to remind me how much fun teaching and learning with them can be. And it is always great to see my friends and former colleagues.”

Dr. Downey mentioned some differences in being a full-time professor and an adjunct professor here at Grove City College. He said that as a full-time professor you have essentially committed your life and career to the academy. But he said you also have the opportunity to interact with students on multiple occasions and in a variety of capacities. He said as an adjunct you also have a few advantages, such as, “the ability to focus on only one thing (assuming you are teaching just a single class). Another is a little bit of extra freedom in how you might engage the class because it is not your main job and perhaps the only thing that can happen is you are not invited back to teach again!” He also said the opportunity to bring in your professional experiences and perspectives can also be useful. Dr. Downey said the largest downsides are having to engage and disengage between your regular job and being an adjunct and a lack of opportunity to develop deeper relationships with students. You also are not really part of the rhythm and flow of campus life, so you can feel a certain detachment from the school.

I asked Dr. Downey if he finds it difficult to balance his day-to-day career and teaching here at Grove City. He said, “Yes. Clearly my priority must be to my work at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. What this most often means is that everything related to teaching at Grove City is accomplished in the evening hours and on the weekends. I know there have been times when I would have liked to work more on the class and have had to make choices just to stay on track. And any good professor will always be asking how they can improve what they are doing. However, there are also opportunities to try and share how something like physics can relate to certain aspects of my day job. And the Seminary is committed to having faculty and staff serve outside of the institution in a variety of ways. Ultimately, as in all things in life, you must figure out how to balance it to best serve all interests – not always an easy task yet a reality of life.”

Lastly in our discussion, I talked to Dr. Downey about Grove City College, and what he likes so much about this place from once being a student, and professor, and now coming back to teach once again. Dr. Downey said, “I suppose this could sound trite, but it is, in fact, the students. I am often asked what I miss most about teaching since the last 15 years of my career have predominately been in administrative roles. The answer is always the same – interaction with students. It is a joy and a privilege to speak into the lives of people with the hope that you will play a small part in preparing them for their future and whatever God is calling them to do. My time at Grove City now spans a couple generations between when I was a student and my most recent experience as an adjunct. So, I now have the entire spectrum and hope that giving back in this way closes the loop on how Grove City influenced my own life path.”

Currently Dr. Downey is Vice President for Planning & Institutional Effectiveness at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and he resides in Franklin Park with his wife, and daughter who is a senior in high school, with another daughter in graduate school. Dr. Downey is also an avid Steelers fan!

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Hopeman School Project with Professor Buxton – Exercise Science

Professor Jeffrey Buxton, Exercise Science

Professor Jeff Buxton, a professor of exercise science at Grove City College, is currently pursuing his doctoral degree in Exercise Science from the Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. He currently holds an M.S. in Exercise Science from California University of Pennsylvania and a B.S. in Kinesiology from Penn State University.

Professor Buxton has a wife, Mandie, and three children, Cayden (8), Elliya (6), and Amya (2). On campus, professor Buxton is a faculty advisor for Exercise Science Club, a faculty advisor for IRON, a member of the Wellness Committee, and he teaches multiple classes on campus, including: Introduction to Exercise Program Design, Personal Training, Exercise Prescription, Research Methods, Biomechanics, Research Practicum, Certified Exercise Physiologist. He has been a professor at Grove City College for six years.

Currently, Professor Buxton is completing his dissertation with the project: “The Effects of a Novel Ground-based Movement Training Program on Functional Movement, Range of Motion, and Muscular Strength and Endurance.” A dissertation is the primary project that is completed as part of a doctoral degree. In general, it is a research project of some kind that is carried out by the doctoral student under the guidance of their faculty and a dissertation committee, which is chosen by the student. This project is a necessary requirement to complete for the doctoral degree Buxton is pursuing.

When asked to “define” the project that he is working on, professor Buxton said, “My project will be looking at the effects of ground-based movement training on select fitness characteristics, including functional movement abilities, dynamic motor control, joint range of motion and muscular strength and endurance. Ground-based movement training (GBMT) is a style of training that explores and utilizes dynamic human movements. The quadrupedal position (all fours) is the base for most GB movements and often these movements mimic those of the animal kingdom! GBMT generally involves crawling patterns, rolling, specific poses or postures and transitions between these poses.”

The project will be a simple pre-test/post-test design. After pre-testing subjects will be randomly assigned to either eight weeks of GBMT (60min sessions 2x/week) or a control group (simply maintain current physical activity). After the eight-week intervention professor Buxton and his research group will perform a post-test and analyze the results.

When asked what data collection is involved with this dissertation, Buxton said,  “We plan to collect body composition changes (fat mass, fat free mass, etc.), joint range of motion scores for the shoulders, hips and ankles, Functional Movement Screen scores (functional movement quality), Y-Balance test scores (dynamic motor control for upper and lower extremities), hand grip strength and pushup test scores (upper body muscular endurance).”

As far as procedure goes when completing this dissertation, there were many different components.  First, his project had to meet the approval of his doctoral degree concentration track director. It then had to be approved by the universities head of research. From there the project proposal had to be approved by his dissertation committee members. He said, “At this point I am now awaiting approval from both Grove City College and Rocky Mountain University’s IRBs (Institutional Review Board). Once I have both IRB approvals, I can begin recruiting subjects and eventually collecting data.”

While waiting, he is pilot testing his methods with the help of student research assistants. According to Buxton, there is no concrete completion date for the dissertation, other than the seven years provided for most doctoral students. He said, “My hope is to begin and finish data collection this upcoming spring and then to defend my project at the end of the summer.”

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Favorite Aspects of Grove City College – The Professors

It is normal to have professors you might not connect as well with, but when you find ones that you can really relate to, it can be extremely meaningful. I was lucky to know a few before starting college, since my parents are alumni, and create new relationships that developed further over the past four years.

Specifically, my advisor, Dr. Miller, has been a wonderful mentor, teacher, and friend to me. I do not allow myself to go to her office when I have homework to do because well, we end up talking about anything and everything for hours. I am thankful to have someone to relate to in terms of my major courses along with career aspirations; Dr. Miller knows specifically how to help me relate college classes into the real world. Her knowledge of professional and personal communication makes her the experienced, relatable professor she is to her students.  When I finished scheduling for my senior year, she said to me, “Taylor, you know that you already completed your major and do not have to take those two Communication classes in the spring with me, right?” I know that I did not “need” the classes, but I was more than happy to take them as electives since she would be my professor. She is that great.

I have appreciated professors that go out of their way to help me with classes, projects, personal issues, or future opportunities while considering my individual passions and hobbies. Professor Sweet is another example of someone that is always connecting students to different possibilities, like post-college careers or campus opportunities. His love for helping small businesses and others shows in his teaching, along with one-on-one relationships with students. Professor Sweet has helped me dive into new projects that I would have been uncomfortable with otherwise and increase my internet knowledge to advance my personal career path. I have also enjoyed having back-to-back classes with him, entertaining the class with embarrassing and funny jokes or stories that he somehow relates back to our specific class discussion.

Besides professors of classes I have, I love the overall kindness from any employee of the College. Women’s basketball coach Chelle Fuss was introduced to me from my mom’s years of involvement with the basketball team. Since then, Fuss has opened her life to me to be someone I can turn to in times of difficulty, need for advice, or to simply enjoy her company. Going to her office several times a week to talk and catch-up on each other’s activities has been such a positive addition to my time at school. Fuss also has helped me build my photography portfolio by incorporating me with the basketball team and photographing their weekly games.

With these being only a few of the awesome relationships I have formed at Grove City College, I could not be more thankful for the amazing people to educate, guide, and grow with me in my four years.

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Foundations and Filmmaking

The Kelly Barnes Dam broke loose and Greg Bandy’s life shook. The whelming flood took 39 lives on the morning of Nov. 6, 1977. As most people would after witnessing such a horrific event, Bandy asked the question “Why am I still alive?”

The scene sounds like a movie. And maybe one day it will be. Professor Greg Bandy specializes in teaching multimedia. He joined the Grove City College faculty this fall, previously working at Asbury University, where he received his undergrad in Secondary Education.

While at Asbury, he co-founded the Highbridge Film Festival in 2005 with Jeff Day. They were both professors in the Media Communications department at the college.

Before Bandy found his passion of filmmaking and screenwriting, he practiced journalism on a smaller scale. While writing a local newspaper, he developed a skill set which can be beneficial in business, non-profits, education, research and many other fields. “At the heart of solid creation is journalism skills,” Bandy said. But journalism is not bound simply to newspapers. Instead, journalism includes design, writing, production and multimedia. “Journalism today is content creation,” Bandy said.

“It starts with knowing how to write a story,” Bandy said. Therefore, he teaches his classes building up from the basics. First, his students will learn how to write a story. They may acquire six or so new skills. Then the next class they take they will add six more skills. The progression continues until students are fluent in the language of multimedia.

“We are not swimming in content, we are drowning, but liberal arts education is the key to that,” Bandy said. Learning about science, math, writing and language all aid in writing good stories. Though science may be difficult to fully grasp, it is an avenue for new writing. It is a new network for content creation. The liberal arts education at Grove City is one reason Bandy accepted a position here.

He currently teaches Journalism, Video Production, and Documentary Film. “The school has invested nicely in the production tools in the TLC,” Bandy said. These tools assist students in creating their own documentary films by the end of the semester. “Production is different,” he said. “It includes technology, people, art, writing, problem-solving, and creative, narrative production.”

He looks forward to building upon the Communication and Visual Arts department and driving it in a new direction. He hopes to create an intersession course in which students produce a film from screenwriting to the finished cut. Bandy loves story-telling and hopes his Rhodesian Ridgeback dog will join him in Grove City soon.

Check out Bandy’s Instagram at profbandy. He also has his films on Vimeo of his first and most well-known films is on C.S. Lewis. Find the film and others here: https://vimeo.com/16791969

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Professor Spotlight: Dr. Anderson

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is home to a wide range of personalities and stories. One professor with an interesting background and field of expertise is Dr. Erik Anderson. Graduating from Gordon College with a Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Biology, he went on to pursue a Master’s in Biology and eventually a Ph.D. in Ocean Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Anderson has spent years researching bio-mechanics (or marine organism propulsion), how marine organisms move in the ocean.

This field has many fascinating engineering implications. Dr. Anderson stressed to me that his research is not necessarily focused on searching for answers. Rather, he is studying marine creatures’ movement in order to hopefully lend insight to engineering breakthroughs, similarly to how Velcro was developed. For example, a home ceiling fan was created to mimic the movement of a jellyfish, in order to cool down a room more efficiently. Other applications of bio-mechanics include marine resource management. In studying how much energy a fish needs to survive, the amount of food to keep the animals alive can be calculated. Once this is is discovered, scientists can discover how many fish an ecosystem can effectively sustain.

Dr. Anderson is very passionate about his work. He explained to me that he has always enjoyed fluid mechanics and mathematics, and began fishing at the age of four. Bio-mechanics is the perfect blend of these interests, for he even has the opportunity to fish on the ocean in order to obtain specimens to study. If you have any interest in this field, you should reach out to Dr. Anderson. He often allows students to work alongside him who have demonstrated strong skills, a desire to learn, and an interest in bio-mechanics. Abby Noll, a senior mechanical engineering major, has spent multiple summers working alongside Dr. Anderson at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Perhaps his research may be of interest to you!

 

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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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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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Reel Life at Grove City College: Sophie’s Favorite Dr. Schaefer Stories

A few episodes ago, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Paul Schaefer, a professor of religion at Grove City College.

Something I loved about that interview was the way he talked about his students. It was clear he adores them. He talked about their joy and their eagerness to learn. He talked about the passion he has for teaching them. All of it highlighted to me how wonderful of a professor he is.

It had another effect too, though. It caused me to want to hear the student side of the story — what do his students have to say about him?

In this episode of Reel Life, I sat down with one of them to answer that question.