Category: Spotlights

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Community Spotlight: December Graduate

When it comes to thinking about who makes up the community of Grove City College, often the first thought is students and professors. However, there are many more components – past and present – that play a vital role in the community here. I talked with Josh McFall, a December 2017 graduate. He studied accounting and participated in many camppus activities. Here is the interview that transpired:

Can you tell me a little about your academic journey?

I started my pursuit for higher education at Kent State University Trumbull Campus in the fall of 2013 as an undecided business major, after a semester I declared my major as Business Management before changing my major to accounting.

I stayed at Kent for two years before transferring to Grove City College. Three of my siblings had attended Grove City and I wasn’t convinced that it was the place for me. One of the turning points in my decision was at my sister Lizzy’s wedding at Harbison Chapel in the fall of 2014. I got to walk around the campus with my sister’s husband Joe, who also graduated from there. During this time, I got to talk with him about my preconceived notions and what I wanted from the remainder of my college career. Ultimately, that conversation and overall experience was the first event that led to my decision to attend Grove City College and I would end up applying about eight months later.

What has been the most difficult thing about graduating mid academic year?

Leaving my fiancée, sister, and friends in a rather anti-climactic way. I am a sentimental person, so I like having solid beginnings and endings as they help me compartmentalize my feelings and emotions. Graduating and leaving campus halfway through the academic school year is rather akin to walking out of a movie theater 10 minutes before the end of a movie while your friends all stay and watch it. You miss the last semester excitement and relief you share with other seniors who are about to graduate and walk to receive their diploma in May. I felt that excitement and relief mostly alone, and there was no fanfare or send off when I left campus. The vibe was just that of another winter break, and everyone else would see each other in a month.

Mind you, this is no fault of Grove City’s. There is nothing they could do to change the way things are. I was privileged to attend a dinner for the few seniors graduating in December at President and Mrs. McNulty’s house and it was a lovely time. Also, I will be back in May to walk, but if I’m being honest that is more for my parents than myself. If I had my way, I would choose not to walk simply because I have closed that chapter of my life and I am in a new one now (like I said, solid beginnings and endings).

What do you miss the most about Grove City?

What I miss may not be something unique to only Grove City, like chapel requirements, or jokes about rings by spring, but are unique to my personal experience and how it shaped my life. I miss the shenanigans and community of my transfer hall in Hicks, while living in the room with the window right above the trash cans everyone walks by to go to dinner. And I miss bonding with the guys of Pan Sophic while being their RA, and being given the opportunity to help foster community on my hall. And I miss having to amend my plan to get engaged multiple times due to inclement weather, another fraternity’s rush event, and a marching band competition this past October (I did finally pop the question and she said yes!). This is a tiny sliver of all that I value from my time and are they exclusively things that could have happened at Grove City? No, they could have happened at any college, but they didn’t, they happened at Grove City. And for that reason, I miss and reminisce about my time there. Those buildings and grounds will always be hallowed to me, not because they had uniqueness or specialness that was intrinsic to them (though they certainly do and that does play into it), but because that is the place where I built part of who I am today. So what I miss most is basically everything, the whole chapter beginning to end. I can’t think of one thing without being reminded of five other things.

What have you done post-graduation?

I work at Schneider Downs & Co in Pittsburgh which is a public accounting firm, and I am studying for the CPA exam.

How would you describe GCC’s community in your own words?

When people look at Grove City College, diversity is not necessarily the first thing that pops into their head’s, but to assume that the community here is totally homogeneous is very far from reality, I try to avoid making blanket statements for this reason. Like any other place, the overall community is like a patchwork quilt, and each patch in the quilt is itself another patchwork quilt, all the way down to the individual level. It’s true but ironic because I did end up just making a “blanket” statement… quilt… get it?

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Student Spotlight: Patty Jo Nickoloff

Patricia Nickoloff, who goes by “Patty Jo” Nickoloff, is always found with a big smile on her face that radiates happiness. Patty Jo is a freshman here at Grove City College, belonging in the Alpha Beta Tau sorority, a member of the Newman Club, taking part in the radio show, and playing rugby in her free time. She is double majoring in Communication Studies and Visual Arts and Entrepreneurship, along with a minor in International Studies. The majors she chose were what she had prepared to do in college, but her minor was unexpected as she realized how much she loves using her majors on a more global level.

Patty Jo dreams of working for an organization or magazine that focuses on worldwide missions, where she would help nonprofits operate more efficiently. The love she had for her Public Speaking, Spanish, and Entrepreneurship and Mission of the Church classes show her overall focus on her future direction. Professor Pritchard and Doctora Tinkey are teachers that impacted her mindset to give guidance to her passions.

Freshman year has been exciting and full of fun so far for Patty Jo. She appreciates the new and different atmosphere, as well as the support from the rest of the people at the school toward the new freshmen. “Everyone just wants to help you figure it all out and the want to introduce you to everything they love about GCC,” she said.

She enjoys the Department of Communication and Visual Arts because of the steps they take to send out opportunities for the students that help to expand the skills they already have. Patty Jo loves learning about languages and cultures, so she looks forward to more of her international studies classes. Having classes that teach her to think outside the box, show how businesses work, and how to be different but relevant are great preparation for real life experiences. Having the majors she has provides a wonderful source of relatability and understanding, not just during her class times but outside in her personal life.

“I’m passionate about art in all its forms. That’s why communication is great because art is all about communicating ideas. I love the history of the world and how things came to be, that’s where the international studies comes in.  I love new ideas.  Creating new and amazing things which is why entrepreneurship is a great major as well,” Patty Jo said.

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Student Spotlight: Ashley Raine

“I originally wanted to go to school to do graphic design/animation like a few of my friends, but I knew I wanted to go to a Christian college close to home, so I came to Grove City. I really started learning more about design and what it really is and encapsulates here and I’m so glad I’m pursuing something more graphic instead of artistic,” Ashley says.

Ashley Raine, a junior at Grove City College, shows her passion for the Department of Communication and Visual Arts through her many related interests. Ashley is a Communication Studies major with a Marketing and Design minor. She started her freshman year as a Marketing major but soon realized that she had an overwhelming interest toward classes in the Department of Communication and Visual Arts. The fact that communication is all about interacting with people made Ashley specifically intrigued to make it her main focus.

Professor Mucha, Dr. Powell, Dr. Mobley, and Professor West have been some of Ashley’s favorite professors through her three years at Grove City College. She stresses how the Department of Communication and Visual Arts has changed her perspective in that they have given her hope and the tools to get where she would like to go after graduation. The impactful professors have been very helpful in showing her what she needs to do, even outside of class, to succeed and learn more. The relatability of classes to real life is something that has really impacted her, too.

Her passion for people and connecting with them shows especially through her Instagram page. It is filled with aesthetically pleasing photos that encompass her enjoyment of family, friends, a love of cute coffee mugs, and nature, just a few of her favorite things.

“I’ve always been a very visually inclined person and was attracted to Instagram for the pictures and visual communication. I use my personal Instagram to connect to others who share similar goals and values like minimalism and faith. I think one of my favorite things I’ve done recently is take over the Gamma Chi Instagram and used it in our rebranding by showing content about who the new Gamma Chis are, why we joined, information about the group, slice of life posts, and basically using social media as a way to connect with other campus groups, alumni, and potential girls,” Ashley smiles.

Ashley’s ideal job after college would be doing something in either graphic design or advertising. Her favorite classes so far have been Design Thinking and Intro to Marketing, mainly because they introduced her to the design aspect in marketing. Although she switched her major to Communication Studies, she highlights how important marketing still is to her. The nice thing is that she is still able to take classes that are not directly in her major and give her room in her schedule to add the minors she has. Ashley smiles excitedly as she sees the department reaching a full Design Major someday for the students especially focused in that subject.

“For me personally, I consider myself an aspiring minimalist. I’m not sure if that has anything to do with communication yet, but it’s definitely a big lifestyle choice. As a Christian and a minimalist it has allowed me to spend less focus on stuff and possessions and more focus on experiences and relationships,” Ashley says. Her minimalistic attitude is important in her studies because she can use her knowledge and skills to their full potential to go toward her future. Ashley is excited to see where the next year and a half take her, especially in her journey as a Communication Studies student.

 

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“Professor Poppins”

“Our thoughts make to be our actions. You are so worthy. Think positive and step outside your comfort zone everyday to grow to our true potential,” said Trisha Pritchard to her public speaking class. Starting just last fall at Grove City College, Pritchard has already had 10 years of teaching under her belt at Butler Community College, along with time at Duquesne University. She had finished a class one day when she received a Facebook message from Dr. Kimberly Miller, asking if she would be interested in teaching a few classes in need of an instructor. Pritchard described how important this situation was in terms of connections and the good of social media. “My friendship with Kim really started back when our daughters were in dance together. So to stay connected through social media was useful not only to help maintain that friendship but also for connections such as with my position now,” Pritchard said. She further discussed how the Department of Communications and Visual Arts can rely on these social medias to bring about networking among people who would not previously link together.

Pritchard teaches public speaking and writing for the media classes here at Grove City College, two of her strong suits and passions. She stresses the importance of conversational skills in everyday situations, whether it be speaking to a group of people or even just a casual conversation. With many years of her involvement in teaching and emphasizing communication techniques, Pritchard is able to work hard in her new classes. In the past year she has found original ways to improve the classes and make them as relatable to the students as possible. For instance, she did several impromptu exercises where the students were presented an idea and delivered a pitch to the class. The students’ final grade was an elevator pitch in which they spoke in front of a room full of Pritchard’s professional colleagues. Classmates learned about open networking, casually talking, and learning about the importance of conversational skills. Pritchard had her professional colleagues give elevator pitches as well, which placed further emphasis on communication is in the real world. From a professional photographer to a journalist to an entrepreneur, students could see how whatever the career, the ability to work alongside others and transmit information is most essential. “Public speaking is important no matter the major. Working outside of Grove City College helps me to know and understand these conversational skills to then relay it to my students,” Pritchard said.

Upcoming plans for her classes include her writing for the media students working with the Butler Eagle to compile articles on small businesses for the June issue. As an active member of the Butler community, Pritchard is always connecting people in order to better society as a whole. Since starting her position as a Communication Consultant at the Butler Family Bowlaway, she’s raised revenue by 300% and has hosted a multitude of events for people of all abilities. Her most recent event was organizing bowling for blind people, something so powerful to watch as they knocked down pins. The 11 organizations, many specialties, and several awards showcase the Pritchard’s passions. Her heart for people and helping them in whatever way she can is a quality that makes her so unforgettable.

With her extremely positive and bubbly personality, students have dubbed her with the nickname of “Professor Poppins.” Pritchard plans to continue bringing happiness, fun, and relatability into her classes in hope that her students will carry it regardless of their path in life. “You can take a class just to get it over with or you can use the time you have to take it to the next level and grow. I am never satisfied and always want the best for my students. If that means completely changing my syllabus overnight because that’s a calling I hear from God, I will definitely do it,” Pritchard smiled.

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Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Kimberly Miller

While interviewing Dr. Kimberly Miller, the newly-appointed chairperson for the Department of Communication and Visual Arts, it was extremely evident the passion she has developed for her job over the years and even more so now as she delves into her greater responsibilities. Miller began her career teaching at Grove City College as an adjunct professor in the spring of 2004 and quickly moved to a full-time Associate Professor in 2005.

The previous 10-year chair, Dr. Mobley, while currently on sabbatical, decided to move from that position to focus more on her interests in service learning. Dr. Miller described how amazing Dr. Mobley is in her commitment to the department as she embraced the role to serve and benefit the students of this campus. With Dr. Mobley’s switch, this allows Dr. Miller to carry on the aspects of practical, hands-on learning as she leads this particular division of study.

Immediately, Dr. Miller is excited about the upcoming film fest. Last year’s film fest was a success as it sparked students interests in watching creative short videos and showcased the talented videographers of Grove City College. After teaching a film history and theory class, Dr. Miller was able to explain to her students the enthusiasm she had for all of the aspects in the movie industry.

Her family of four, with one of her daughters as an incoming freshman this fall, makes her even more excited to dive deeper into the comprehensive future decisions of the department. When she was just 20 years old, she was the first female to land a broadcasting internship with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Though it was not easy, her perseverance every single day allowed her the success in the baseball industry and this is a trait she wants to pass on to her daughters and students.

With only three weeks under her belt in the spring semester, Dr. Miller is still adjusting to the newer issues and demands at hand in the department. She discussed how many facets of the job that are not usually realized, even something as slight as unusual classes that count toward a communication credit. Dr. Miller is extremely grateful for Dr. Mobley; her advice and guidance throughout the years has helped shaped Dr. Miller into the person she is today. Along with Dr. Mobley, fellow department professors Dr. Brown, Mr. Mucha, and even the newest adjunct Mrs. Pritchard give support and wonderful reference points. The energies and passion of the professors bring out the best for the department as a whole.  Dr. Miller looks forward to the future growth of the overall program and the ways she can further serve the students of Grove City College.

 

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Reel Life at Grove City College: A Chat with Jonathan, Education Major

At Grove City College, Jonathan Moore is known far and wide as friendly, active, and focused. He brightens every room he enters with a smile and laughter. As an Education major focused in Special Education, a Resident Assistant in a freshman hall, and an involved member of campus activities, he has a lot on his plate. Jonathan is a fantastic example of a college student with varied, balanced interests.

In this episode of Reel Life at Grove City College, I ask Jonathan about his experience. Hear about his favorite characteristic of Grove City students, his Friday night social activities, his one-word descriptor of his time here, and more in the video.

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Liberty and Socks

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 Abigail Opst, she describes work with a business born out of a Entrepreneurship class. Enjoy!

I am a pretty competitive person by nature. It does not mean I am good at everything I enjoy, but it definitely means I love watching a good match. Even though I am not in the Entrepreneurship E-Commerce class—or an Entrepreneurship major at all for that matter—I have heard and learned a lot about it through my friends who are currently taking it. And the competition bit really piqued my interest. Over the course of a semester, the class has students form teams to start businesses and compete in selling products that ultimately support a cause of their choice. They are responsible for delegating duties—assigning chief executive, financial, and technical officers among other things—and they get to pull things together on their own.

Mended Sock Company is just one of the many companies that has come out of the class, Sophia Stangebye and Caroline Parker being my two claims to fame. Mended Sock Co. ties into the organization it supports, A21, and its mission to mend the lives of individuals who have been affected by human trafficking. Caroline explained that A21 organizes walks for freedom across the world, and Sophia added that individuals who walk dress in all black and are silent—but why not wear comfortable socks during these walks, she adds, that also support the A21 mission.

Despite the seemingly obscure class name, E-commerce is just a shortened version of electronic commerce—the idea of commercial transactions conducted over the internet. The course description describes the class as focusing on “e-commerce strategy, target market, analysis, search engine optimization, mobile commerce, social commerce, integrated marketing, [and] web usability” among other things; by “working with an external client,” students have the opportunity to explore these subjects through their own exploration of such “practical applications in the marketplace.” Though each team member takes on a different position, the goal of the class is to master the responsibilities of be each role and ultimately run an online business on your own.

Despite emphasis on eventually graduating to individual independence, the unique set of talents that each girl contributes to this team really allows their business to excel. They are open in collaboration, free from concerns about groupthink or peer pressure and conformity. Instead they can focus on what is best for the business. Mended Sock Co.’s passion for their mission and belief in their product is really attractive—and not only to me. The Dressember Foundation, another organization that aims to stop human trafficking, recently reached out to Mended Sock Co. and plans on featuring them on Instagram next week—a spotlight that has huge potential to both raise sales and thus support the mission but also to propel these girls forward into achieving their goals, supporting their mission, and feeding their passion. The fact that E-Commerce class has given them the opportunity to do this—and to see them have such success with it—is truly inspiring.

So it is time for the plug (just kidding, this was not the main point. But hey…). Not only are Mended Sock Co.’s socks super comfortable and perfect for Grove City winters, but they’re also very reasonably priced—only $8 a pair. The style is simple, delicate, and classy, but more than this, every dollar does go to benefit the A21 project. In their efforts to gain entrepreneurship experience they are also serving a greater cause, one outside themselves, and allowing buyers to get in on it as well. And so, #libertyandsocks for all.