Category: Student Stories

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Behind the Scenes: The Unexpected

The Unexpected

A friend and incoming freshman recently asked me a great question: What surprised you about Grove City College? Or in other words, what did you not expect and how did you adjust?

No matter your level of preparedness, you will experience a learning curve when moving to a new place. Grove City is no exception. Though there’s a sense of adventure in the unexpected, I’ve come up with a few things to keep in mind (just to help that transition run a little smoother)!

 1. The Weather

Grove City weather is a wonder in itself. You’ll experience every season quite thoroughly and certainly want to be prepared.

During the winter months we experience quite a bit of snow, so you’ll want to invest in warmth: a coat, snow boots, hats, scarves, gloves, etc. I promise you that walking to class or downtown for coffee will be a lot more enjoyable with a few extra layers!

But fear not, spring does come! Rain boots and an umbrella are a must, but soon we’ll approach our summer weather and hanging out on the Quad, having class outside, going on a stream hike or playing Frisbee are essential.

 2. The Community

All of our students are required to live on campus (with the exception of local commuters) and it adds to a fantastic sense of community! One of my favorite aspects of living at Grove City College is knowing that I have a family away from home. I certainly did not expect to find such a beautiful community, but I treasure its gift to my life!

 3. The Need for Time Management

Grove City offers an abundance of opportunities for extracurricular activities, ministries and fun! Freshman year is often a time for students to develop good time management habits. Getting involved on campus is a great way to integrate yourself within the student body, but it does require some organization.

I did not quite understand how essential it was to create good habits early on, but I would certainly recommend it to any new college student. I promise it will make life a lot more enjoyable throughout your four years and allow you to truly get everything out of your experience.

4. The Intentionality

Coming from a large public school, I was not expecting how personable the staff, professors and administration would be during my time here. I was immediately blown away by their ability to remember my name and evident passion for our success.

I’ve had professors invite my class to dinner at their home, vouch for me in the job search and grab coffee with me just to ask about life.

You are certainly not alone on this campus and it’s quite reassuring to know!

5. Spiritual Growth

Before coming to GCC, I knew that it was a Christian college. However, I did not expect how much I would be encouraged and challenged to grow in my faith. Yes, it is “Christian” by name and we offer countless opportunities to be involved in ministry, but it is so much more than that. Friends, professors, and staff inspire me to pursue Christ in a vibrant and deeply genuine way. Though we come from various walks of faith, I have found unity within the body. We’re all learning and growing, but we recognize the value in doing it together. And for that, I am forever grateful.

All the best 🙂

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Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Projects

Every year, the Grove City College mechanical engineering seniors work on a year-long design project to demonstrate and use the engineering knowledge they gained over the past four years. There are typically five distinct projects, each with a team of approximately eight students. Students spend the first semester designing the project and the second semester building or refining their designs. Each team is supervised and guided by an adviser throughout the design and development of the project. At the end of the year, each team presents their final design to professors, family members and project sponsors.

Because mechanical engineering is very diverse and has many different applications, every year the projects are all very different. Each project highlights a different aspect of engineering, so that each student can find a project that matches their interests. The projects for the 2015-2016 school year are described below.  Check out Grove City College’s mechanical engineering website to learn more about past senior design projects.

BPMI – Control Valve Optimization

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BPMI Test Set-Up | Photo by Sarah Logie

Grove City College has a long-standing relationship with Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. (BPMI). BPMI is a company near Pittsburgh, Pa. that contracts with the United States’ Nuclear Navy program. For the past several years, BPMI has sponsored a senior design project, typically in the area of fluid mechanics.

This year, BPMI asked the design team to optimize a control valve and provided very detailed project specifications. For this project, the team utilized 3-D modeling software and CDF software, a program that analyzes and calculates fluid flow. They also built a testing station to successfully meet BPMI’s project specifications.

Wendell August Forge – Automated Ribbon Tying Machine

Wendell August Forge is America’s oldest and largest forge that makes hand-crafted Christmas ornaments, among many other products. To replace a tedious and complicated process, Wendell August Forge asked the design team to create a machine that would automatically load and index the ornaments, while automatically tying a knot and attaching the ribbon to the ornament.

The scope of this project was very large and required a 10-person team, the largest group so far. Using 3-D modeling software and extensive mechanical prototype testing, the team was able to successfully design a machine that met Wendell August Forge’s requirements. This project required more hands-on work to build and test the machine that some of the other projects.

HVAC Missions Project – Christian Leadership University in Burundi, Africa

HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, and is a subset of mechanical engineering that deals primarily with thermodynamics, fluid flow and heat transfer. Almost every year, there is an HVAC-related senior design project. This year, the HVAC team worked to create the building plans for the Christian Leadership University building that may one day be built in Burundi, Africa. This project had a missions-based component because the team worked with contact Len Rosenberg and Ministry Architecture, Inc. Ministry Architecture, Inc. works to design buildings for ministry organizations throughout the world with the goal of advancing the Gospel.

This project is different from other projects because the team’s only deliverable was a set of HVAC design plans based on Len Rosenberg’s architectural designs. They did not have to physically build a machine or system. This project required HVAC knowledge, as well as the use of a program called Revit to create a 3-D model of the proposed building.

United Plate Glass – Automatic Kevlar Rope Winder

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UPG Team’s Final 3-D Modeled Design

United Plate Glass (UPG) is a local company that specializes in tempered plate glass products. Part of its manufacturing process involves large rollers wrapped with Kevlar rope to prevent the glass from breaking. UPG asked the design team to create a machine that would automatically and uniformly wrap Kevlar rope around the rollers so the UPG workers no longer had to do this. Because the team’s final design is to be installed in UPG’s factory, the machine had to be production quality.

To complete this project, the team relied on 3-D modeling software, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), and machine design knowledge. Because the machine was to be installed in UPG’s factory, safety and reliability were stressed. The team was able to successfully design and build a machine that met all of UPG’s requirements.

AntBot – Ant Tracking Robot

For the past year or so, the Grove City College biology department has been tracking and studying the behavior of ants. Engineering students have even written computer code to filter and track ants’ motions. For this project, a team of both mechanical and electrical engineering students was formed to design a robot that would automatically track ants.

This project required significant knowledge of control systems and image processing because the robot had to identify the ant’s location, as well as follow it to its next position. The compute code written by engineering students in the past was improved and enhanced to better track the ant. This project required a close relationship with the electrical engineering team to successfully develop and test the robot.

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Adventures in Nantes: Why I Chose To Study Abroad

Profile PicCurrently, I’m a junior at Grove City College studying Communications and Business, and last semester I attended GCC’s European Study Center (ESC) in Nantes, France.

As a Communications major, I have always been encouraged to study abroad. Professors insisted that such an experience would be a great resume booster. Being the homebody that I am, I never pictured myself living in a different country nonetheless adapting to a completely different culture. Yet God had a different plan!

During the course of my sophomore year, God truly groomed and matured my heart. I became more accepting of others and myself and took bigger risks that required immense amounts of faith. I felt as though God was preparing me for a season that I had never experienced before, a season that would require great personal independence as well as total dependence on Him. Little did I know, that I would be experiencing this season in a different country.

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” – Bill Bryson

As I ponder this quote, my mind traces back to the program interview I had with Mark and Deb Reuber, the directors of GCC’s ESC. Three nights before my interview, I was rapidly scrolling through my Outlook when I came across an email reading, “GCC’s European Study Center Offers Students a Semester Abroad in France.” Feeling a little adventurous, I read the brochure and filled out the application. To my surprise my application passed the first round of acceptance and I was requested to interview.

During my interview I was asked a series of questions ranging from my academic success to recreation as well as past travel experience. As the interview concluded, Deb and Mark asked me on a scale from one to 10 (with 10 being the greatest) how badly did I want to be accepted into GCC’s ESC program. Nonchalantly, I responded with a six. At this point, my parents had no idea what I was getting myself into nor did I know if this was God’s plan for me. I left the interview feeling confident yet incomplete. I remember telling God that if I was accepted into the study abroad program, then I would go because I knew this was the plan He had intended for me.

Little time had passed before I received the acceptance email I had been anticipating. For one of the very first times, I experienced God taking complete authority and control out of my hands, while I surrendered total faith and dependence to Him.

Through my experience with a different culture with new friends, language and traditions, I constantly saw more of God than I had ever seen before. I’m continually reminded of how blessed I am to have received such an awesome opportunity to experience a country full of divine beauty and history for four months.

To read more about my study abroad experience in France, check out my post about a day in the life of an ESC student.

To learn more about Grove City College’s Nantes study abroad program, check out the ESC program’s page.

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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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How to Make the Most of Your College Experience

As a senior a few weeks before graduation, I look back at my four years at Grove City College and wonder how they went so fast. I found a family away from home, I participated in so many great projects and organizations and I had so many great late nights. I can barely fathom that this chapter in my life is coming to a close. So as I am leaving, I would like to give tips to those who do still have time about how to make the most of your college experience.

Get Involved

I know that you have probably heard this one before. Maybe this advice is so common because it is true. That is what I am going to go with. Most of my closest friends are not from my classes; they are instead from the organizations that I joined. This is a time when you can get involved in projects and organizations that truly interest you. If you spend all of your time sitting in your room, I can guarantee that you will not get as much out of college as your involved peers.

Study Hard

Does this sound boring? Maybe. However, I can tell you that you will be much more willing to give up some of your time later for fun things if you are not playing catch up from a poor grade earlier in the semester. Remember, ultimately you are called here to be a student. Do not take that lightly.

Invest in Friends

You may have some of these friends for life. These are the people who will be at your wedding and who will pick you up when you need help. When I leave this school in a few weeks, one of my greatest accomplishments will be finding such great people who help me grow and fostering the beautiful friendships with them that I often feel unworthy of.

Do Not Shy Away from Faith

Our College’s slogan is that, “Faith and Freedom Matter.” One of our goals is faith. I will look back on these four years knowing that they greatly impacted my faith and spirituality. Do not shy away from this part of our school. I leave here a better woman because of the ways I have grown in my faith. Students here are so lucky because we can discuss faith with our professors and friends. It is like we are in a huddle preparing ourselves for being lights in our future work forces.

I hope that these tips help you. These four years will be some of the best times of your life. Live them to the fullest.

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STEM Hall: An Inside Look

In August of 2013, Grove City College opened the doors to a $39.5 million state-of-the-art facility: the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Hall. STEM Hall has become the second home to many students, including myself, on campus due to its unique features. I have highlighted my three favorite below.

Grove City College STEM Hall at Dusk.
Grove City College STEM Hall at dusk.

 

1. The open-air atrium

STEM Hall atrium, featuring sage-glass windows.
STEM Hall atrium, featuring sage-glass windows.

The open-air atrium of STEM Hall is the perfect place to work on group projects and study. With large tables to spread out and expansive windows to connect you to the outdoors, the atrium is always packed with students from all majors. The atrium boasts sage-glass windows, which darken in bright light to reduce sun glare and radiant heat.

2. Glass Walls

Glass-walled labs in STEM Hall, promoting the concept of "science in sight".
Glass-walled labs in STEM Hall, promoting the concept of “science in sight.”

Emphasizing the idea of “science in sight,” the laboratories in STEM hall are glass-walled. This concept aims to demystify the work scientists do in the lab and encourage more students to take up STEM studies.

3. Dry-Erase Walls

STEM dry erase wallsThe walls in the basement can be written on – they feature “wall-talkers,” which allow the walls to function as dry erase boards. This makes the basement of STEM perfect for working out problems, diagramming reactions and brainstorming ideas.

For more pictures of STEM, be sure to check out these panoramic photos.

 

Note: The photos from this post were taken from the Grove City College webpage.

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My Bible Study Experience at Grove City

bible1College is a smorgasbord of activities. But one that falls by the wayside, even at Christian schools, is the pursuit of God. A barrage of homework, friends and the enjoyment of activities often crowds out time to study the Scriptures or pray.

My encouragement to any Christian looking for well-spent years at college is this: don’t neglect Bible Study. Especially studying with others. It seems like a simple thing, but it is really important.

During my own time at Grove City College, I have experienced the various sides of community Bible study. Each of these has taught me uniquely and kept me from becoming overwhelmed with stress or the troubles of life.

College Group Study

Sophomore year, I was a member of the Orientation Board, a group of students who plans activities to welcome the freshman class. This was a stressful process, one that required us to work closely together as a team.

We held a Bible study as a part of our team meetings. I can say confidently that the perspectives, testimonies and vulnerability that this fostered between us was one of the main things that allowed our team to be effective together. It showed me that I was not alone in my failings and that others needed to learn the same things I was learning.

Many of the groups here at Grove City College provide this opportunity. Find one. It will be richly rewarding.

Roommate Study

No matter how much you like them, living with other people can be difficult. My roommates and I decided to study through several New Testament books together last year. It was hard to fit this into our schedule, and we ended up convening during the later part of a Wednesday night each week. But this was time well-spent. We all agree that it was the best part of our year together.

My encouragement is this: do not wait for a Bible study to just naturally happen. Seek it out, and even plan it yourself.

Men’s Hall Study

This year, the freshmen on my hall did just that: sought it out. They approached me, their RA, and said that they want to do a Bible study together.

bibleI am currently leading this study. The book of Daniel has inspired us to live differently—for them as they begin their time at college and for me as I bring it to a close. Being on the leading end has really changed how I look at studying the Bible with fellow students. It takes preparation and effort, but also requires letting others lead. It has been incredible to see these new students support each other in prayer and grow in their faith together.

 

These are my experiences with Bible studies at Grove City College. There are many similar opportunities here, but they will only yield as much as you invest in them.

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How to Make the Right College Decision in Five Minutes or Less

pan·ic

noun

1.sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behavior.

“She froze in panic, as if the wrong decision would catapult her into the miserable expanse of failure and a career at McDonald’s.”

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You see it. The light at the end of the tunnel. It’s so close you can practically feel the warm rays of relaxation, the sweet relief of having made a decision and not just any decision, but the right one. There’s only one problem. You haven’t done it yet. In fact, you’ve put it off until the last possible minute and now feel the lump inside your stomach growing at an exponential rate, trapped in the messy mire of your own creation. Panic becomes the new normal.

To what am I referring?  Your college choice, of course.

There’s no mistake in applying to a plethora of good choices, it’s when the time comes to make the best, right decision for you that the world screeches to a halt. So in order to prevent mass panic I’ve compiled a list of fool-proof tips that will help you narrow down your decision in a matter of minutes.

But before we begin, take a deep breath. Your life won’t be over if you do end up making the “wrong” choice. There’s this nifty thing called transferring and despite what you may assume, it’s not unheard of and completely acceptable. So that’s a load off of your shoulders right off the bat!

 

Ready to choose a college? Let’s go.

 

The Right Stuff.

If there are any colleges still on your list that have to do with following a significant other, your parents are legacies there and you are facing an enormous amount of pressure to attend their alma matter, it’s the cheapest (yes, I did say that), you want to prove a point or it has the most prestige, take a second look. You need to choose a college that is going to be the right fit academically and socially for you. Even if the school may be the cheapest on your list all the money you save won’t be worth spending four years at a place you don’t belong. If you could say yes to any of the above, start over and find yourself in . . .

List-Mania.

This is how I personally found my way to Grove City College. It’s simple: take a piece of paper, fold it in two and label the columns “pros” and “cons.” Do this for each college you are applying to. If for any school the cons outweigh the pros, you have a problem. If you can’t figure out if the pros outweigh the cons, create numerical values for each characteristic (I did a one to 10 scale with 10 being the most important attribute) and tally up your results.

Location, Location . . . . Location?

You may have heard location is everything, and I do believe in certain cases that is an important attribute. But if you are leaning towards a school based upon your dorm’s proximity to the beach, or your ability to go bouldering every day, that might not be your smartest move. Take into account all the other attributes of the school first. If I was choosing simply by location I would be in sunny Southern California instead of Western Pennsylvania. It was hard kissing that school goodbye, but at the end of the day if I chose the school that fulfilled every other category perfectly (sans location) and it ended up being the right fit for me.

The Realist.

Can you afford to go to this school? Will it put you in debt till you’re 75? Which school offered you the most scholarships? Take a good hard look at your current financial situation and where you aim to be in the future. Most of the time I recommend to look beyond money and choose a school with a history of good return on investments; however that’s not realistic for everyone. Talk with your parents and figure out which schools you should cross off your list based off of lack of financial aid or the obscene number of loans you might have to take out to graduate.

Back to the Future.

It all revolves around everyone’s favorite question: what do you want to be when you grow up? When choosing a college this inquiry becomes very real, however, and should not be taken lightly. Though you may not know exactly what your major will be, or what your future career goals are, choose a school that has a variety of interesting programs you could see yourself enrolling in. Don’t limit yourself right off the bat and choose a school with an amazing taco bar, but no fields of study you find particularly fascinating. Also jobs. Kind of a big deal these days. Find a school that will offer you assistance and has an extensive alumni network. I cannot stress this enough, especially in today’s market where it doesn’t matter as much where your degree came from but rather who you know.

 

If you’re still lost in a sea of questions no matter how much research and contemplation you’ve given to this college decision, as a complete last resort: flip a coin. You may think I’m joking but I promise you I know someone who made their college decision based upon this and is doing quite well for themselves. But remember: Last. Resort.

 

Have a tip that helped you narrow down your college decision? Comment below!

 

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Reflecting on my Decision to Attend Grove City College

IMAG0751_1When considering attending Grove City College, there are a variety of favorable aspects to take into account. Grove City has many intriguing qualities, particularly its Christian environment and quality academics. For me personally, Grove City seemed like the obvious choice as a high school senior deciding on schools.

Coming from a family of Grovers, I always had an interest in Grove City. Hearing about my parents, aunts and uncles, as well as my two older brothers’ experiences here, it sounded like a place I would thrive in. After visiting a few times for Homecomings and various events, I could see myself attending this place I’ve called home for the past four years.

After attending a private Christian school growing up, I knew I wanted to continue to grow my faith in a Christian atmosphere. I thought Grove City would help foster my faith, and I can definitely see how it has. From the Biblical perspectives presented in classes, and participating in Bible studies, to forming friendships with like-minded Christians, it’s been a great environment that’s helped prepare me for going out and defending my faith in the real world.

Another enticing aspect of Grove City was the curriculum. Looking through the course bulletin prior to attending, I was intrigued by many of the classes. Since being here, I genuinely feel that I’ve gained a quality and complete education. I’ve been able to take such a variety of classes in departments such as Humanities, Biology, Math, Political Science, Spanish, Exercise Science, Physical Education and Art. This academic variety has broadened my horizons and helped shape me into a well-rounded individual.

As a Communications major, the Communications courses have been particularly enjoyable for me. Core classes like COMM 135, Writing for the Media and COMM 303, Professional Communication, as well as Communication electives like COMM 235, Journalism and COMM 359, Screenwriting have all been insightful and interesting. I’ve also been able to take advantage of Art classes like ART 104, Beginning Wheel Throwing and ART 210, Visual Communication Design, which have appealed to my interest in Visual Communications and being creative.

The knowledge I’ve acquired and the experiences I’ve had while being here, especially internships and professional opportunities, have been very beneficial in helping guide me in my career path. As I look to graduate in just a few short weeks, I’m excited to apply all that I’ve learned to the world beyond these campus walls.

Reflecting back on my choice to apply early decision to Grove City and my experience here, I can say that I’ve been blessed to attend a school dedicated to Christian principles and excellent academics, and I’m a more knowledgeable and equipped individual because of my time here.

 

 

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The Free Market Cafeteria System

 

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One of the biggest factors when choosing a college is food. “What is the cafeteria like?” asks almost every family that tours Grove City College. But what most people don’t ask is: “how responsive is the cafeteria?”

You see, though it is clearly important to go to a school that serves good food, it’s equally important to look at how it addresses the three major cafeteria issues:

  1. “Good food” is relative. You can’t always please everybody.
  2. Sometimes, well-intended food is just not good. Lobster Newburg cafeteria style may not always turn out as good as it was meant to be.
  3. Duration. Just because something is good doesn’t mean students want it every two days.

How a cafeteria addresses these issues is extremely important

Here at Grove City College, I and many other students have observed the incredible responsiveness of our three cafeterias. Sure, they can’t please everybody, but good communication between students and staff allows them to please a lot of people as often as possible. Our cafeteria staff is all about learning what offerings are actually good and how often students want to have these offerings.

It’s a simple as this: my friends and I write a note on one of the response cards—something like “I like deez tacos”—and before we know it, there’s an extra meal each week where they serve tacos! I call it the free market cafeteria system.

Cafeteria

Here are a couple examples of our free market cafeterias in action:

My friend Emily is lactose intolerant. The GeDunk cafeteria had previously offered only regular milk, but when Emily reached out to them, they began stocking almond milk as well.

Every month the cafeteria staff hosts a Food Feedback Forum—a specially prepared dinner with prizes for participants. At one forum I attended, students asked if there could be more protein options for the salad bar. The next week, the salad bar added cold meats such as turkey for salads.

Yes, we have three great cafeterias here at Grove City College. But more importantly, we have three responsive cafeterias.