Category: Inside Student Life

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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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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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Double Varsity Sports with Gretchen Elsey

Gretchen Elsey Competing in the High Jump
Gretchen Taking a Shot on the Basketball Court

Gretchen Elsey is a sophomore here at Grove City College, majoring in Exercise Science, while also pursuing a Nutrition minor. When Gretchen is not in the classroom, you can most likely find her on the basketball court or on the track. That is correct, Gretchen plays two different sports at the varsity level for Grove City College. Gretchen is a shooting guard for the women’s basketball team, and she does mostly high jump, with a little bit of long jump for the track and field team.

Gretchen said it takes drive and discipline to play two varsity sports at the collegiate level, but she said she would not want it any other way. When I asked Gretchen about the time she must commit to both sports she said, “Basketball is definitely much more demanding because the season is so long. Our basketball team does a lot of community service projects as well so it’s not just basketball practice every day and it’s super cool to be able to reach out to the community and form those relationships. Whereas track is a little different because I miss a large majority of the indoor season because of basketball. They both take the same level of commitment though, in both sports, the team and coaches are relying on you to show up and focus in to get 1% better each day.”

Gretchen said she had always planned on playing two varsity level sports when she decided to come to Grove City College. I asked Gretchen if she prefers one sport over the other and she said, “That’s a tough question because they are so different. Track is nice because its more individualized in a team setting and it’s scored as a team event, but it heavily relies on how the individual performs. Basketball is 100% a team sport and everyone needs one another to perform at its best.” Gretchen said she has recently excelled more in track, but that basketball has taught her a lot about being mentally tough, which she can carry over from the court to the track.

Advantages coming from playing two sports, according to Gretchen, are all the friends and connections that are made and being like a big family with your team. She also said playing two sports really teaches her how to manage and balance her time effectively. Gretchen said some disadvantages are having less time for relaxing and taking naps, and that trying to make plans can be difficult because there is often a lack of free time.

I asked Gretchen how she manages her time when she is in the heat of her sports seasons, and she said, “It can be challenging but having very little free time really makes you have to do your work in between classes or right after practice. I’ve always been bouncing around from sport to sport and keeping busy, so for me it’s still the same routine.”

I also asked Gretchen how she focuses on academics when she is in the thick of her two different schedules, and she said, “It can be hard at times especially when there are those weeks where it feels like you have absolutely everything due and five exams and no time to do any of it, but I know that in a few years I won’t have competitive sports anymore so ultimately, I’m here to focus on my academics because that will follow me after my college career.”

Gretchen Elsey is the 3rd on the team in 3-pointers, and a two-year letter winner for the women’s basketball team. When it comes to track and field, Gretchen is the 2018 Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) outdoor high jump champion, 1st Team All-PAC, she has been named PAC Rookie of the Week twice, she has been named ECAC Rookie of the Week twice, she is the 2019 PAC indoor high jump champion, and she is the indoor record holder for women’s high jump at Grove City College.

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Intersession at Grove City College

Every year students at Grove City have the opportunity to take intersession courses provided by the College. An intersession course is taken for two-weeks, four hours a day, six days a week. Grove City offers these classes on-campus, and a select few are offered online. Intersession takes place in the winter, the last two-weeks of winter break, and in the spring, the first two-weeks of summer break. Not every class is offered as an intersession option, but many are, especially a lot of fundamental courses such as a science, accounting, math classes, etc., so students can get them out of the way before their “real” semester begins.

Sophomore Marketing major Gretchen Basham decided to take an intersession course this year, and she took hers during the winter session of 2019. Gretchen took Accounting 202, a required course for all Marketing majors, taken after completing Accounting 201. Gretchen said she decided to do this course for intersession because she wanted to get it out of the way in order to lighten her schedule for her Spring 2019 semester, and she knew she was not necessarily skilled or interested in this topic, so doing it for two-weeks straight was worth it to her in order to get it out of the way for her future schedule.

Gretchen said that she expected intersession to be a simple way to get a class done in two weeks; however, she said she found the class to be challenging, but intersession proved to be rewarding. Although a good way to take a class, she found it to be more labor intensive than she was expecting but said it could vary depending on the course being taken.

Gretchen said one very helpful thing about taking an intersession course is that it forces you to focus specifically on that topic and course and devote all your time to it because that is the only thing you have going on for two weeks. She also said this forced her to learn all the topics in the class, in order to do well, which allowed her to achieve success.

Gretchen said she would do intersession again if she knew there was another class she was not particularly interested in and knew she would want to get it done in the span of two weeks. She said intersession was very helpful to her and would recommend doing it with friends because it can be more fun and exciting when everyone else is gone from campus, and you can use your friends as resources when you may need some help.

An intersession experience can vary drastically depending on the course being taken, if you are with friends, if you are living on campus, commuting for your intersession experience, or in the case of the online intersession, staying at home to complete your course.

Grove City College provides many opportunities to allow its students to get ahead, and potentially add more flexibility to their schedules for future courses and semesters. There are also often many intersession traveling opportunities, where faculty-led trips go abroad, and students can earn credit while doing so.

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ICO Ecuador

Rachel and the ICO team in Ecuador (Photo Courtesy of Rachel Puls)
Rachel and the ICO team building for the locals (Photo Courtesy of Rachel Puls)

An Inner-City Outreach (ICO) trip is a mission trip where Grove City College students go out to a certain city, some in the US and some abroad, by themselves and do different missions work while also experiencing the culture of the place they are traveling to.

Sophomore Rachel Puls, who is an Elementary and Special Education major recently went on an ICO trip to Shell Mera, Ecuador from December 27th to January 7th. Rachel went to Ecuador with a group of 15 other Grove City College students. I asked her what made her decide to go on this ICO trip, and she said, “I always knew that I wanted to eventually try a missions trip, so I impulsively went to the meeting and applied and got in.”

Rachel said she absolutely loved her experience on this trip and would love to eventually go back. While there, the team built a workshop for the people living in the jungle to take classes and learn trades/skills that will help them to get jobs and sell their merchandise in the future. They also did some connecting with the Waorani Indians and people living in Ecuador as well as authentically experienced the culture and some of their traditions since they were there during New Years.

I asked Rachel if she would recommend going on an ICO trip to others, and she said, “Going as far as I did is definitely not something for everyone, but I would encourage people to try at least one in their lifetime, even if it is just in your neighboring city.  It is something that can really open your eyes to the Lord and help you to grow in ways you never thought possible.” This was Rachel’s first time going out of the country, and she said it was a great way to do it, and a way to truly experience other cultures.

She said her favorite part of the whole experience was being able to connect with so many people and not being worried about worldly or outside things, just being concerned with experiencing authentic communion together. I asked her if the trip met what she expected when signing up, and ultimately traveling there, and she said, “In some ways yes, but I also did not set many expectations and this trip went above and beyond for what I thought was going to happen and what I was going to see and experience.” She said the only downside to the whole trip was that some of the members of the group got sick toward the end, which was not the best.

Rachel said her favorite memory from the trip was when one day the team was hiking through the Amazon Jungle and she got to cut down banana trees with a machete!

Here on campus Rachel is a part of the ICO Ecuador team, and she is also a member of the Gamma Sigma Phi sorority, the Homecoming Committee, and a co-captain of the Women’s Club Lacrosse Team.

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Going to an Out-of-State College

“If you can go to school out of state and meet all new people and become comfortable in an all new place-you can easily enter a new job, neighborhood, etc. one day”- Julia Knepper

Choosing a college can seemingly be one of the most stressful decisions and important decision you can make. With thousands of different schools that offer the same majors and degrees, the decision gets even more challenging. To add on top of all of that comes the decision to stay in the state, or leave and go farther away from home. Being an out of state student myself, I know first hand the excitement and nervousness that comes with making that decision. Although a large majority of students at Grove City are from Pennsylvania or the surrounding states, our campus is fairly diverse in the sense that many of our students are from states all across the US. In order to better explain what going to school out of state is like, I reached out to some students on campus to share their personal stories.

 Julia Knepper is a sophomore from Detroit, Mich. She heard about the College through family, which is a common reason why people come to Grove City. When asked about struggles that she went through during her first year she said, “It was hard being far away from my family and having to miss out on seeing my siblings grow up.” Not being able to go to your own home on the weekends and feeling like you are missing out are things that most out of state students experience during their time at Grove City. In my opinion, the best way to overcome all of the emotions would to begin being involved in the community on campus. This can be intimidating at first, but once you break down the potential barriers it is so rewarding. There are several different way to be involved on campus whether it be through clubs, Greek life, small groups or so many other things. One piece of advice that Julia would give to upcoming freshmen looking to go out of state would be, “Do it, learn to break away from what’s comfortable because it will force you to not only rely on God more, but to build a new community.” The community on Grove City’s campus is something worth emphasizing.

Molly Seirs, a sophomore from Colorado, found that having friends that live in Pennsylvania has been a blessing. She said that, “Knowing so many people that live near the college really helped my transition because I knew that I had so many different friends I could go home with if I needed a weekend off campus.” Having friends from around Grove City is a huge blessing to any out of state student, and since  most of the students are from within the state, those types of friends are not hard to find. When asked to give one piece of advice to a prospective student, Molly said, “Trust God and go day by day trusting that He has a plan and purpose for your time here. College can be challenging for everyone even the people who live ten minutes away, but it’s also one of the best times of your life, so don’t waste it! Don’t be afraid to reach out to friends or even professors for guidance and direction when you are struggling.”

-All of the photos in this blog were taken and edited by Julia Knepper.

Molly Siers (Brunette) and Julia Knepper (Blonde)

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Inside Married Life: Priya Sprunk’s Perspective

Priya Sprunk was a Psychology major with a concentration in Exercise Science during her time at Grove City College. As a member of the 2017 graduating class, Priya still feels very connected with the students. She was a member of the Sigma Theta Chi sorority, and still holds close relationships with the current girls, along with alumni. About a month after graduation, Priya was married to her best friend, Nate Sprunk, who changed her formerly the last name of Graczyk. Since Nate is a current senior at The Grove, Priya was able to shed some light on their relationship while in different stages of their lives.

When asked what it is like with Nate still in school, Priya responded with:

“It is different for sure. It is a somewhat challenging dynamic when one person in a relationship works full time and one is a student full time. I sometimes wish I didn’t have to live in my college town because it makes me feel like I haven’t fully moved on from college. However, my job helps me feel like I’m making a difference, which helps. I work as an instructor for adults with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities who have graduated from high school, but still, need to develop independent living and employment skills before living on their own. I really enjoy it!”

Priya stressed how it has been hard to make time for other friends after working full time and then coming home to spend time with Nate.  However, she feels that marriage has helped both become more independent and hard-working, along with giving them the happiness of living together.

“We met about 10 years ago when I was in 7th grade and Nate was in 6th grade. We were part of the same youth group and were always close friends. I had a huge crush on him, but we didn’t start dating until the summer of 2014 before my freshman year at Grove City College. The college time together helped us grow together; I don’t even recognize the young and immature teenage couple we were four years ago. Living in a Christian environment helped me grow spiritually and make Christian friends who hold me accountable while encouraging me. Later we began to think about marriage as we started thinking about our future careers and what we wanted for our lives.  By the fall of my junior year after many discussions by ourselves, with both sets of parents, and with friends, we had decided we were ready to commit our lives to each other. We were engaged the following March,” Priya said.

Priya and Nate continue to enjoy each other’s company, build upon their relationship, and focus on God. By attending church, reading their Bibles, and praying together, their commitment to growing spiritually has shown in their actions toward others and each other. They lift one another up while practicing patience and empathy in the hard moments. Priya looks forward to their awesome future.

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Favorite Aspects of Grove City College – The Atmosphere

When looking at other colleges my senior year of high school, I thought I really liked the bigger city campuses like Pitt or Duquesne, but the more I considered walking to classes every day and the feeling of overall safety, I decided that those campuses were not for me. As much as I wanted to rebel against every aspect of Grove City College, it felt more like home with each visit, especially since a large portion of my family are alumni.

Over the past four years, I have loved the small campus. Yes, there are times that I wished I had an abundance of restaurant options or more places to visit, like Penn State, but it has challenged me to find excitement even when it seems lacking. With my love for photography, the open, quiet town and outskirts of Grove City have made for interesting subjects of my camera. Walking around the train tracks, down Pinchalong road, through the peaceful neighborhoods, over the beautiful campus, and in the quaint downtown have been a few of my favorite parts of attending this college.

With the small campus comes more personal relationships among the student body, professors, coaches, and administrative staff. In talking with students who attend larger colleges, they are always amazed that I go and sit with my advisor regularly to catch up on each other’s home life. I appreciate my relationships with everyone on this campus and how influential they will be even post-college. It is crazy to think that my freshman year roommates will be there for monumental moments in my future, as I will be with them. My faith has genuinely grown during my time here, from friends, teachers, the incorporation in classes, and the overall Christian values of the College.  Although graduation will be bittersweet, I know that the lessons and morals I have strengthened at Grove City College will always be with me.

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Rob Kunst – Balancing Football & School

Rob Kunst, a senior Finance major and Analytics minor, has played football all four years during his time at Grove City College. He began playing his junior year of high school, sparking his passion for the sport. Rob’s decision to play college football was inspired by his two uncles, alumni football players from Grove City. His dad also played football during his time at California University of Pennsylvania. “I knew playing football in college wasn’t going to be easy, and as crazy as it sounds, I think that’s why I did it. I wanted to be pushed, tested, and have an opportunity to learn lessons that can’t be taught in a classroom,” Rob explained. He specifically chose to come to Grove City College for the academic reputation, religious atmosphere, friendly culture, and strong alumni network.

Coach Chris Smith, the College’s head coach on the previous staff, recruited Rob four years ago, along with coaching his two uncles way back when. In high school, Rob played tight end and inside linebacker. He came to college as a tight end but has evolved into a tight end and wide receiver hybrid.

Rob discussed his football season schedule, as it is a year-round commitment. For pre-season, players receive an optional summer training book with detailed regimen regarding lifting, running, conditioning, and nutrition. With three years of past summer internships, Rob was challenged with fitting training into a structured 40-hour work week. He worked hard to start his days at 5:30 in the morning for training before work, a process that eventually came naturally in his day to day life.

After a rigorous routine of “eat-sleep-football” during August football camp, the season begins … but so does school. Football is six days per week, including games on Saturdays, until about mid-November. Balancing football and school is not easy, but Rob found a way to stay organized and use prioritization skills daily.

The post/off season begins with lifting after Thanksgiving, leading into the spring semester of school. After months of daily training, April brings Spring Ball, a time where the NCAA permits team practices on the field three days per week for five weeks. In addition to the training and practicing in the spring, there are also team meetings one night per week that include senior leadership training.

Head coach Andrew DiDonato has been a huge blessing for Rob; he has a positive mindset no matter the situation, takes responsibility for all of his actions, strives for a successful life, finds joy in helping others, and works effectively even with challenges. “One of the biggest lessons in faith has been that true, overflowing, and everlasting joy comes from a meaningful relationship with God. If that’s what fuels my fulfillment and happiness, then there’s nothing in this world that can take my joy away. Living this out has changed my life and strengthened my walk with Christ,” Rob said. Although Rob will not develop his football career after college, he plans to support coach DiDonato and the Grove City College football program in any way he can.

“I have already began to apply lessons to academics, my career, and relationships. I would say that the most significant impact has been on my early career. To provide some context, I came into Grove City’s football program in the pit of its 33-game losing streak. There’s nothing fun about being part of a losing streak, but the experience of working towards ending one is priceless. Living out this challenge was the closest simulation I had to turning around a failing company in the business world. With that in mind, the lessons preached by successful entrepreneurs and business influencers about building a prosperous business align closely with the lessons that we had to implement as a team to improve our success. Therefore, these skills have been highly applicable to a business setting and have already helped me to succeed in several different business/finance internships and secure a full-time position with an exceptional company in August of 2018 – before even stepping foot on Grove City’s campus as a senior. These lessons aren’t a secret, and they’re not ‘life hacks.’ They just require necessary discipline to live out and follow every day,” Rob said.

After graduation, Rob will be based in New York City and can help large companies solve complex business issues as a consultant at Protiviti, a global management consulting firm that helps its clients solve problems in areas like business process, analytics, internal audit, and technology. Rob’s goal to become a consultant stems from being a part of the transformation that is taking place within Grove City College’s football program. He wants to help companies, managers, and executives become better at what they do, along with reaching their goals. Rob is excited to have the opportunity to help and grow with Protiviti. He thanks his influential professors, coaches, internship colleagues, members of the Career Services Office, and quality friends for the constant support and compassion.