Category: Greek Life

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What Do You Advise?

Grove City College has a reputation for fostering a very intentional and genuine community on campus that impacts students not only during their four years on campus, but throughout their lives. In fact, graduates can experience withdrawal-like symptoms from the enriched relationships they gained during their time on campus. The care and effort GCC students pour into their relationships is a rare trait compared to what other college students experience. The extra intention that goes into the relationships with peers, professors, and coaches carries on past graduation so much that many find themselves drawn back to GCC for visits or for the purpose of work.

“I am only a graduate and alumna of one year but having left the physical community of Grove City College has made me appreciate those friends I made there even more than before. A majority of those relationships hold more depth and genuineness than others outside of the small western PA school.” – Kendra Heckman

The solid foundation that the campus is built upon is the values of faithfulness, excellence, stewardship, independence, and community. The value of “Community” focuses on fostering lifelong community engagement through a dynamic campus experience marked by service, hospitality, and abiding respect for others. The active participation on campus is a living testimony of how the faculty and student body prize the vibrancy of the GCC community. Students that have passed through the GCC experience may not miss the academic rigor, but they readily admit to missing the relationships. Perhaps it is for that reason that so many faculty and staff at GCC have a large majority of their own ranks coming from prior GCC graduates. They come back hoping to find that hospitable and welcoming smile on their first day of work that greeted them on their freshman year, and hoping to pass that dynamic community on to the next generation of Grovers.

Academic departments from across campus are represented by prior graduates who enjoy working for their alma mater. These faculty and staff members find satisfaction pouring back into the lives of the students sitting in the same desks that they once occupied. After teaching at the University of Mississippi, Regents School of Oxford, Coram Deo Academy, and Hockaday Summer School, professor Joshua Mayo now teaches at his alma mater, Grove City College. Mayo teaches the entry-year composition class and the HUMA core literature course. Professor Mayo has a passion for writing and literature and views the two as “two branches of the same great climbing-tree of language-related fun.”

Another GCC alumna who has found her way back to campus is Amanda Sposato, Director of Career Services. After Sposato received her degree, she began working as an admissions counselor for Grove City College and stayed in that position for five years. While she was working in the Admissions Office, Sposato heard of an opening in the Career Services Office, applied for the position, and was selected. Now with 12 years under her belt, Sposato has stepped into the role of Director of CSO. “I loved the mission of the CSO (Career Services Office) to help students pursue their callings and found the role to be an ideal fit for me,” says Sposato.

Grove City College leaves a indelible impression on most of its graduates and even if they do not return to work on campus, it does not mean they value the community and relationships it created any less.

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Campus Competition: All-College Sing

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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.”

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Student Life: Choosing Independence

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.

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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.

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“You Have Greek Life on Campus?!”

I have been a tour guide here at Grove City College for almost a year now, and a common question I receive is “You have Greek life on campus?!” This is often paired with either a face of complete horror or exuberant excitement. Yes, we do have Greek life, but it is not exactly what you think.

The important thing to remember is Grove City College Greek groups are not nationally affiliated. In simpler terms, that means the stereotypical hazing and illegal activity you may see on the news is not what Greek life is like at Grove City. I would best describe it as a group of men or women focused on serving God in a sisterhood or brotherhood that comes with a devotion to others that I honestly cannot put into words. Our groups do not haze, we do not have off-campus housing, and all groups are accepting of all individuals. We strive for politeness, class, and spiritual IMG_3872growth in each group that calls Grove City College home.

I came to campus as a buzzing freshman with absolutely no interest in Greek life. But, here I am, knee deep in Green and White. It is an amazing asset we offer for campus life. The bonds you can create with other members of your group are ones you will carry on for the rest of your life. These relationships are encouraged through spending time with one another working on community projects, living on the same dorm hall, and going to different campus events such as talent shows or chapel.

Another option offered solely for men are housing groups. A housing group is similar to a fraternity in that it has Greek letters and all the guys live together, but it is not as involved as a fraternity. Frats typically have multiple community and on-campus projects throughout the year, but housing groups have fewer obligations. My advice to guys is to look at both fraternities and housing groups and get a feel for how they are different to decide what is right for you – I guarantee you will find great individuals in both groups.

To support my opinion of how fantastic Greek life is, I asked a few different members of several groups what they thought about Greek life:

Jillian Breckinridge, Phi Sigma Chi (my sister in the blue!)

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“I love how no matter what, all of the girls in my sorority have my back. Also I love the community that was formed through various events, meetings and living on the same hall.”

Stephen Weaver, Pan Sophic

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“Greek groups are valuable in the sense that they not only help the community around Grove City but also give students something to do other than study.”

Erin Sixt, Gamma Sigma Phi (left)

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“Grove City Greek groups are different from public university groups because they are all rooted in Christian principles”

Zach Berry, Phi Omega Sigma Housing Group (bottom left)

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“If you know you don’t want to join a fraternity but find yourself in a situation where you have friends you want to live with, joining a housing group can be a great solution. This way you can still find your identity as a follower of Christ and not pledge a fraternity.”

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The Joys of Being an Independent

One of the most unique aspects of Grove City College is that we have sororities. Not many Christian colleges have sororities on their campuses. This can either be something that attracts you to Grove City or it may be a concern you have with coming here. When I chose to come here, I had never really thought about whether I would want to join a sorority or not. In the end, I chose not to join a sorority and I am glad that I did not, however, I deeply love the sororities on our campus.

We have all seen the college movies that perfectly depict what college life is like. Or do they? In the movies, the sorority girls are perfect. They have the perfect boyfriend, perfect hair, and perfect wardrobe. Meanwhile, the independent girls have no friends, are geeks, and date the weirdest guys on campus. As rush started my freshmen year, I started to get worried. What if I became that independent girl in the movies? What if all my friends join sororities and I have no friends left? I feared the sorority girls because all I could picture were the movies with the rich girls who were rude to everyone else. All of my fears were so wrong.

My junior year, I was placed as an RA on a sorority hall. I was so nervous. In the end, they have become some of my best friends. They have disproved all of my previous thoughts on sorority life and I am so thankful that God placed me where He did. Living on a sorority hall is so fun: the drama, the friendships, the constant laughter coming from all of the rooms, and the food that is always left out for everyone to eat. The sorority life is beautiful. So do I regret not being in the sorority? Not at all. I have gotten to know girls in every sorority on my campus. I have friends in most of the sororities and I see nothing wrong with most of the sororities. In fact, there are several that I would consider joining. However, I love being an independent. I love all my friendships with girls in different sororities. Now, of course, sorority girls are friends with girls from all different groups, but in the end, my loyalty does not belong to any particular group. I love being able to connect with underclassmen and mentor the girls who didn’t join a sorority and now feel left out. I LOVE doing all I can to bridge the gap between sororities and independents. That comes in both encouraging the sorority I RA for to reach out to the independents on my hall but also helping independents to see the beauty in sorority life.

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Girls and I from the sorority I RA for

I would not trade the independent life for the sorority life. Being an independent has taught me so many important things during college. However, as you get ready for college and consider whether you would ever want to join a sorority, know that I, as an independent, think that sororities are wonderful. In the end, you must make a choice that is best for you. If you want to join a sorority, go for it, but also maintain relationships outside your group. If you want to remain independent, do it, but never judge the sororities based off of false pretenses. Both “lives” are great and you must find the life you believe you will thrive in most.

Do not let the sororities scare you from choosing Grove City College. The sororities are wonderful groups of girls and all of the things you see in movies, may not be true.

 

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All Campus Sing

All Campus Sing

When people think of All-College Sing the first thing that typically pops into their mind is either Glee, Pitch Perfect or acapella groups like Pentatonix. I never really thought of how much time, dedication and determination it takes in order to bring together a group, find a song that will fit perfectly and then teach them how to sing and dance in front of thousands of people. This year I had the opportunity to lead a group of 40+ girls to perform in front of the entire campus and the surrounding community in a production that has gone on for over 20 years.

All-College Sing is an event that Grove City puts on during Family Weekend, when parents come up to see the campus, spend time with their kids and experience a bunch of different programs that Grove City College puts on like the Business Plan Competition, a student art exhibit and much more. Grove City’s All-College Sing is unlike any other college. There are regulations on the type of music, the dance routine and the costumes to ensure the production is family-friendly and fair for each campus group.

While All-College Sing Chair seemed like a daring task to take on at the time, it has been more rewarding than I could ever have imagined. Over this semester I have worked with several extremely talented musicians to merge two pieces of music together to create an original arrangement. Seeing my vision for the piece come to life on the first day of rehearsal was the most fulfilling feeling in the world and the girls that I represent, the sisters of Sigma Theta Chi, helped bring it to life. These girls have dedicated their time, effort, energy and heart to help me accomplish what seemed to be an impossible goal.

In regards to other’s experiences with All-College Sing, I talked with Shannon McDade, the previous All-College Sing Chair for the Alpha Beta Tau sorority. She said, “All-College Sing is an opportunity for groups on campus to participate in one holistic event.” She went on to say how she “loved teaching the girls, preparing the music and having them be excited about the event.” Rhythmix senior Sarah Demar enjoyed the event because she got to “hang out with girls from different grades and majors with ease because they all shared a common interest in singing and dancing.”

According to junior Danielle Werner, her favorite part is when the groups make parodies or focus the performance around a comedic element. For example, she said that the Pan Sophic fraternity performed a parody of the song “I’ll Make a Man Out of You.” Instead they called it “I’ll Make a Pan Out of You.” The one thing she would change is the length of the performance and the award ceremony right after. But overall Danielle would give the event a “two thumbs up.” Some performers, like Claire Dobransky who is a senior member of the Gamma Sigma Phi sorority, loved the event for its bonding experience and enjoyment of watching other groups perform.

This event not only brings together individuals from different walks of life across campus, but it also brings the community together for a night of fun, family-friendly entertainment.

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AEX Live Campus-Wide Music Event

Of course, most are aware of Greek Life within the Grove City College campus, and yet a significant portion of the groups on campus are very often overlooked. I’m talking about “housing groups.”  Housing groups are groups of men that live together on a single hall, and operate very similarly to the fraternities on campus.

One of these housing groups calls themselves AEX, or “Alpha Epsilon Chi” which, translated from Greek, means “brothers in Christ.” These “brothers” enjoy heading up many different events on and off campus—some exclusively for the group members, and others are for the entire campus’ enjoyment.

Among the events, which includes the entire campus, is an event called AEX Live. This event features live performances from unofficial musical acts for four hours of an evening in mid-April. The only catch: each musical act must have at least one AEX man as part of their “band” that performs on stage.

AEX Live is an annual event that has become one of the biggest and most beloved by the campus community and is also held the night of April’s Junior Crimson Day! How can you go wrong with four hours of non-stop musical performances while eating free soft pretzels and root beer floats while you listen and chat with your friends?

Take a look at some photos for yourself of the 2016 AEX Live.

All photos taken by Drew Hayward, member of Alpha Epsilon Chi.

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All photos taken by Drew Hayward, member of Alpha Epsilon Chi.

It’s like Grove City’s very own Coachella!

The best part about AEX Live is that students from all different parts of campus can get involved in the performances. All you have to do is get in touch with your friend in AEX and get the band together!

Hopefully, we might even see YOU performing at AEX Live next year!

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Grove City College’s Relay for Life

Recently Grove City College’s Sigma Theta Chi Sorority and the Pansophic Fraternity hosted Relay for Life. According to the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life is a life changing event and experience that “gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to Celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, Remember loved ones lost, and Fight Back against the disease.” Every single day more and more people are affected by this awful disease, whether it is a close family member or a friend. Each year in late April these two groups come together to help make a difference in the lives of their families and friends, and quite possibly your family and friends.

Relay for Life

Originally, Relay for Life was brought to campus in 2005 to raise support for fellow Pansophic member Brett W. Elsess who died of cancer in the early 2000’s. One of his fraternity brothers, Ryan McKracken, the Sigma Theta Chi sweetheart at the time, decided to start Relay for Life at Grove City College to help bring awareness to the fight against cancer.

This year Dillon Irwin and Taylor Lennox headed up a campaign to make this year’s Relay for Life the best one Grove City has seen thus far. The timing of the event was shortened drastically to encourage more participation throughout the event rather than just at the beginning. Also this was the first year CLP credit was available for other Greek groups, which encouraged more participation as well. For those of you who don’t know about Greek Life, CLP stands for community living privilege, basically this means that each Greek group on campus has a certain requirement of community service that they need to meet in order to stay a Greek group. Other reasons this year was different than years prior is through a more effective marketing and fundraising strategy. They started fundraising, setting up teams, and sending out support letters to family and friends in the fall. They also put up more fliers, signs, and had a dorm-storm, where flyers were placed under each students dorm the night before the event. They also gave each team that signed up more resources including letters to families for sponsorship that they could send out. Finally, they got the President of the College, Mr. McNulty, to speak during the event on how cancer has personally affected him and his family. According to Taylor, they “entirely re-branded and restructured what the event looks like to hopefully set a precedent for future relays to come.”

Relay for Life Banner

Reactions from students and members of the community who participated in the event were very positive. They all seemed to like the changes, especially in terms of shortening the time period of the event. It seemed to keep all of the students engaged and actively participating in each of the different events and games that were provided like the dunk tank, the corn hole tournament, the sumo wrestling mat, face painting, and so much more. While this year was definitely a memorable year for Grove City’s Relay team’s they are even more excited to continue the trend of Celebrating, Remembering, and Fighting back against cancer for years to come.

Relay for Life Photo Booth

Check out Relay for Life’s website for more information!

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An Interview with Nu Lambda Phi President Thane Feldeisen

I recently had the opportunity to interview Thane Feldeisen, the president of the Nu Lambda Phi fraternity. The following is what transpired:

What do you like the most about your fraternity?

The ability to be open with guys and know that they have my back. For the first time in a long time I was able to be truly real with people about my struggles and past. My brothers are supportive and caring, checking up on me when it seems I’m not being myself. Not only is the fraternity supportive, but they are also constructive. My brothers will call me out when I do something out of line, and whereas I may not always appreciate it at the time, it’s all with the best intentions for me to grow and mature. I like that being in a fraternity isn’t just being with a group of friends, but it’s being with a group of brothers. No matter how corny or annoying it is when people refer to their fraternity as “brothers” or sorority girls flooding instagram with “I love my sisters!”, family is the best way to describe the relationship I have with the rest of the guys. We may not always get along or like each other, but ultimately we’re in this together and have each other’s backs.

What is your greatest memory of being a Nu Lamb?

My greatest memory of the nu lambs has to be when a group of us played tackle football in the snow. It was early February and the field was covered in about two feet of fresh snow, but that did not stop us. We formed teams and played for a long time. By the end of it I couldn’t feel my feet, but it was the most fun I have ever had at the college.

Your Fraternity puts on a lot of events, do you have a favorite?

My favorite even that we put on would have to be the Lamb Roast. We have put on the Lamb Roast during the fall semester for the past two years and it has been a lot of fun. Typically we hold it on a Saturday afternoon and we have a lot of food and a variety of lawn games such as flag football, spikeball, corn hole and sand volleyball, just to name a few. It’s a good way to just relax, have some good food and spend time hanging out with old friends and making new ones as well.

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Does your fraternity support a specific charity or organization through fundraisers?

Recently, the Brothers of Nu Lambda Phi held an event known on campus as The Amazing Race. The goal of this event was to raise funds and support the local Young Life Ministry. After weeks of preparation and over 100 participants, Brother of Nu Lambda Phi, in partnership with the Sisters of Alpha Beta Tau, raised over $200 to donate to Young Life. Our support of Young Life stems not only from the call that Matthew makes in Matthew 28:19 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” and our agreeance that Young Life answers this call so well, but also from the current and past involvement of Nu Lambs within the Young Life Ministry.

Can you tell me a little about your faculty advisor and what he means to the Nu Lambs?

The faculty advisor to the Nu Lambda Phi fraternity is Joe Cirelli.  Joe is the assistant head of Residence Life at Grove City College and beloved by many of the students on campus.  Without question, Joe has a strong passion for fostering community in the residence halls at Grove City and that passion is clearly shown through his advisory position within the Nu Lambs.  Not only does Joe make himself available on a regular basis to the Nu Lambs as a group, he is intentional on the individual level.  He invests in each of the members, especially the leaders within the fraternity with whom he meets with on a regular basis.  Without a shadow of doubt, the Nu Lambda Phi fraternity appreciates Joe’s role within the fraternity and hopes to be able to have his continual assistance in the future.

Can you speak to the friendships you’ve made as a member of the Nu Lambs that you might not have made otherwise?

Even before I was officially part of this fraternity the Nu Lambs gave me friends I never would have met on this campus and strengthened the relationships I had with others. The four of us that first wanted to restart this fraternity may not have been as close had we all not agreed to talk to the alumni freshman year.  Since then, I’ve had the honor of meeting a lot of great guys who I would trust with a lot.  I am really looking forward to getting to know the new guys better and getting to know a new pledge class in the spring.

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An Interview with Beta President James Plante

I recently had the opportunity to interview James Plante, the President of the Beta Fraternity, about his experiences with the fraternity. The following is what transpired:

What do you enjoy most about your fraternity?

I know it sounds cliché, but just the guys that join the group. When I first joined the Betas I always thought that we had to recruit to get good guys to join the group. If I have learned anything it is that the best guys we get are the ones who know what they are looking for and find it in our group. The ability to walk up and down a hall of 30 guys and walk-in to any of their rooms just to talk about anything (serious or not) is something I will always cherish.

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What is your greatest memory of being a Beta?

I had the honor of serving as president of the Betas this past calendar year. This was one of the best experiences, and greatest learning experiences, probably of my life. This past year we fulfilled our goal of raising $25,000 for our fraternity scholarship that goes to one member of the fraternity. This fall we were actually able to reach $42,000. This has been my greatest memory of being a Beta. I know all the hard work that went into the vision for the scholarship and raising the money over the past 3 years.

 

Your Fraternity puts on a lot of events, do you have a favorite?

Easy. Monster Mash. I would argue it is one of the best dances on campus and I think others would agree.

Does your fraternity support a specific charity or organization through fundraisers?

From Monster Mash we actually raise close to $1,000 every year for the Alpha Omega crisis pregnancy center in Slippery Rock, Pa, which provides women with the resources necessary to ensure a safe delivery and life for their baby.

Can you tell me a little about your faculty advisor and what he means to the Betas?

Anyone who knows Professor Tim Sweet knows the kind of guy he is. He became our advisor my sophomore year and has been a tremendous help with our fraternity. With him leading our group we have been able to fulfill our goal of raising $25,000 for our scholarship.

Can you speak to the friendships you’ve made as a member of the Betas that you might not have made otherwise?

I have made some of the best friends in my life from my fraternity. We are each very different but I know we will be friends for life. In fact, 4 of my 6 groomsmen in my wedding next year are guys I pledged with 3 years ago.

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