Category: Student Stories

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How to Make Your Dorm Your Favorite Place on Campus

Let’s be honest, when we think of a college dorm I’m pretty sure most people automatically envision two things: white cinderblock walls and bright fluorescent lights. While that assumption tends to be a rather accurate description of your average college dorm, don’t deceive yourself into thinking that there is no possible way to brighten up the oftentimes dull space (not to mention the fact that the dorms here at Grove City College really have a certain charm about them). Personally, I like to think of a college dorm as a blank canvas, seeing as you have the perfect opportunity to make the most of the small space. Be creative and think outside of the box! Just because you may not have an excessive amount of space doesn’t mean you can’t make your dorm room both comfortable and practical.

This weekend, I was able to interview one of my dear friends, Rachel Riviere, a junior Communications major living here on campus. She graciously let me photograph her room, and answered a few of my questions regarding how she makes the most of her college dorm. Rachel’s dorm is a perfect example of how even the littlest things can make the biggest differences in a room’s atmosphere.

So here are just a few Q&A’s on how Rachel turned her dorm room into one of her favorite places on campus:

  1. What is your signature style and how did you incorporate it into your dorm room?

“I love bright, simple spaces with lots of natural light. My decorating style is minimalistic, yet creative, with white walls, twinkly lights, mixed woods and metals, muted colors and patterns, and as many plants as I can keep alive!”

 

  1. What is one of your favorite pieces in your dorm room and why?

“My favorite pieces in my room are my floor lamp and twinkly lights, hands down! They make SUCH a difference. I absolutely love natural light, but when the sun goes down, my lamp comes on! I have not turned the fluorescent lights on once this year. The soft yellow light is just so welcoming and creates such a relaxing atmosphere. The lights are really what transform the space – they’re a game changer! Before I go to bed each night, I turn off my bigger lamp and just leave the twinkly lights on while I read my Bible. It’s become one of my favorite parts of the day!”

  1. Was it hard to decorate your dorm room? If so, how did you overcome the challenge?

“I’m a junior, and every year of dorm decorating has brought different challenges. It can be hard to make a cinderblock room with bright fluorescent lights and wooden furniture feel like a home, but it can be done! I did my best to transform the bare template into a welcoming and relaxing space, and by adding personal touches such as twinkly lights, stacks of my favorite books, and a gallery wall, I was able to create a room that I look forward to returning to each day!” 

  1. How important is it to have a dorm room that you’re comfortable in?

“For me, feeling comfortable in my dorm room is absolutely essential. It’s where I spend most of my time, where I work, and where I create, so it’s important for me to have this organized and simple space that inspires me to be productive each day.”

  1. Why did you style your dorm the way you did?

“Organization has always been so important to me. If my room is a cluttered mess, I will never get any work done! I’m an artist and have my own small business, and I don’t know what I would do if my room wasn’t set up in a practical and functional manner. I also think it’s important for a dorm room to be welcoming to others, and I want my friends to know that they are always welcome to spend as much time in my room as they want! I want it to be a relaxing space.”

 

  1. Do you have any suggestions for incoming freshman who have no idea what to do with their dorm?

“It’s so important to think about the shape of your space when you’re arranging your room for the first time. In a college dorm room, there isn’t much space to begin with, so I always try to keep the furniture around the perimeter of the room. That way, you can take advantage of the open space in the middle, and it will make your room look bigger! My best advice is just to own your room – make it into a space that you love, and others will be drawn to it! Oh, and make sure to pick up a string of twinkly lights – I promise you won’t regret it!”

Overall, having a room that you’re comfortable in is more important than you think. So again, don’t be afraid to explore various options on how to arrange furniture, or what lighting sources to use; there are more options on how to design your dorm than you would assume! Above all else, don’t lose heart! After all, the white walls really aren’t all that bad, and maybe, with a few strands of twinkle lights, a plant or two, and a colorful bedspread that describes you, your dorm will become your favorite place on campus too!

Also, if you are in need of further inspiration, feel free to check out my Pinterest board dedicated to dorm ideas here //

Best of luck! – Kirsten

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Student Spotlight: Nicolas Giorgi, Designs in Rhythm

I’ve known Nic for nearly my entire time at Grove City College. He came in as an engineer with the class of 2016 with the intent to pursue product design. After extenuating circumstances, Nic left due to medical complications, but returned with the class of 2017.

Despite immense trials, Nic pushed forward, still driven by his passion for aesthetics and practicality. With what was then a fledgling design program, Nic began to delve into the world of design, studying under Nathan Mucha, a recent Design hire at Grove City College. Through hours of study and practice, Nic honed his design skills to realize his dream.

“It’s all about the process,” Nic muses. “There isn’t necessarily a correct solution, or product, when you go into the design process. It builds on each idea you have. Likewise, the journey to becoming a good designer is not a straight shot upwards. Just like any skill or craft, there’s mistakes made; however, that’s the way things go.”

Ecce HomoAfter hours and hours of classwork and personal projects, Nic began to apply his design skills to various outlets across campus. From theatre posters to event programs, he’s applied what he’s learned to whatever comes his way.

For two years now, Nic and I have been roommates, and it’s an absolute pleasure to watch him go through the design process. The various iterations that stem from an initial concept always amaze me, but, being a perfectionist and skilled designer, Nic knows which route will bear the best results.

“Because of the classes I’ve taken and the professors I’ve been able to study under and ask questions of, I’ve had the privilege of taking part in projects which are not only campus-wide and beyond, but that have also stretched me as a designer. Grove City’s classes have taught me the basics, and the opportunities I’ve had provide me with the chance to apply those basics to a myriad of purposes.”

While Nic’s scientific background gives him the geometric and analytical tools to measure his tools with precision, his artistic experiences prior to Grove City College have tempered his design sensibilities to implement creativity into his well thought out plans. While he didn’t take many art classes before college, Nic was an avid drawer.

An aspect that ties closely into his designs, believe it or not, is his music choice. Many of my current favorite songs have come from Nic’s playlists, but his ethereal synth pop closely echos his work. There is a carefully calculated aspect to both, ideas that are filtered to ensure their purest essence is captured, and designs that are rhythmic and measured.

“Everything that I do as a designer is purposeful. It’s a microcosm of life. Whatever you may do, be it design or accounting, we are called to be meticulous and economical. We are given resources and abilities that are not to be wasted.”

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Student Profile: Bethany Haughey on the Great Conversation

Bethany Haughey is a junior English major with a wide variety of academic interests, from chemistry to history. She is minoring in biology. I recently had the opportunity to interview her about her experience at Grove City College, and we had a great conversation.

Why Grove City?

For Bethany, acceptance to the Trustee Scholar program made Grove City College the right choice. Of the seven schools she applied to, Grove City was the only Christian one. At the end of the day, she was excited about two main communities — the community of 2,400 students on campus seeking the mind of Christ and the smaller community of fellow Trustee scholars that she would join. To her, that was better than the Honors College at the University of Maryland.

How did you choose to study English, with so many academic interests?

One cannot get far on this campus without bumping into C.S. Lewis. Bethany referenced his introduction to Athanasius’ On The Incarnation where Lewis notes the importance of understanding the great conversation around us: “If you join at eleven o’clock a conversation which began at eight you will often not see the real bearing of what is said.”

For her, studying English is a great way to catch up on this conversation. But she values other disciplines too: History provides much-needed context, and theology and philosophy tell us what the conversation has said about the most important questions.

What about chemistry?

When Bethany graduated from Rockbridge Academy in Millersville, Maryland, she wouldn’t have identified as a science person — and she says she still wouldn’t, perhaps especially not this semester. But with such a strong background in the humanities, she wanted to explore science on the collegiate level. Since biology was her favorite science in high school, she has been taking the same classes that pre-med students would take.

She has also been doing independent research on polymers for DNA delivery.

Can you tell me about your research paper?

For Dr. Smith’s Civilization and the Speculative Mind (a HUMA core requirement often called “Spec Mind” by students), Bethany wrote a history research paper on the history of missiology. Studying 18th- and 19th-century China, she followed the development of missionary activity from imperialism, which imposed Western culture, to a more culturally-accepting approach characterized by Hudson Taylor. The paper grew out of her interest in China and in missions — her local church has done regular mission trips to Brooklyn for as long as she can remember, and her frequent participation has shaped her deeply.

Dr. Smith encouraged her to present at a conference, which she did, noting that she appreciates how pro-active faculty are in matching students with opportunities.

You have a longstanding commitment to Chinese as well?

Bethany’s mom is from Hong Kong, and speaks a dialect but not Mandarin. So since fourth grade, Bethany has studied the language and her proficiency was demonstrated recently when she placed third in the US East-Coast Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition, where she gave a speech in Mandarin and played erhu, the Chinese violin.

What do you think of Grove City’s Orchestra?

Bethany played in the orchestra in high school and has continued as first violinist. She’s been in the main Orchestra since freshman year, and this year has also had the privilege of playing in the much-smaller Chamber Orchestra. She says it’s amazing how quickly everything comes together (e.g., there is a major October concert, after just two months of school), and that the campus commitment is remarkable. Around ninety students participate and there is always a good turnout for concerts.

What’s next, after Grove City College?

Grove City has really changed Bethany’s answer to this question and she finds herself torn between two paths. On one hand, she is considering medicine, as she enjoys working in the minutiae to serve others; but lately she has also been exploring the possibility of becoming a professor of literature. Her time at college has shown her how influential a good professor can be in a student’s life.

Regardless of what lies ahead, Bethany is confident that what she has learned at Grove City will continue with her, having made her a better person.

Do you have any advice to students considering Grove City College?

Two things: Talk to the students here, and talk to the professors. You will find a wonderful community. Bethany mentions her friends and freshman hall alongside the Trustee Scholars.

Any final thoughts?

Dr. Munson’s section of Civilization and the Arts (“Civ Arts”) is amazing. The HUMA core widens your perspective and allows you to see the context of where we are today on the basis of the past.

Bethany urges prospective and incoming students to think about what they want college to be. And if that vision includes being educated and influenced as a person, she urges them to take an active role. True education is both for the mind and for the soul.

* * *

This is part of a series of interviews I am conducting with current students who embody what I most appreciate about the College: Amazing peers who challenge me with their example, reminding me of the words of Paul to Timothy: “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12, ESV)

Thank you for reading, and to Bethany for taking the time to talk!

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Major (Life) Changes – My Switch From Communication Studies to Entrepreneurship

When it comes to your college career – maybe you’ve got it all figured out, maybe not. I know I certainly didn’t upon entering college, and I’ve learned that’s perfectly okay! The college experience is uniquely different for everyone – no two experiences will be identical. I’ve learned so much throughout the change that I’ve endured, and it has allowed me to reflect on the past four years, to see how I’ve grown not only as a student, but as an individual. Many people come into college assuming that their academics will be their primary learning source. However, I believe that a bulk of my learning has been done outside of the college classroom.Image result for entrepreneurship

As a senior in high school, everyone asked me what I wanted to do. As any indecisive high school student, I answered “I don’t know,” and that was true up until the tail end of my freshman year of college.

I came in to Grove City College as a Communication Studies major, and it wasn’t until I took a Principles of Marketing course that I would recognize where my real calling is – business. As I sat in that course, I was deeply intrigued by the many facets of business that we discussed in that class. I loved the fast paced and ever-changing environment that the business world had to offer. It was that single class that made me ask myself the question – “what do I really want to do with my life.” It was because of this class that I decided to officially change my major to Entrepreneurship.

If you would have asked me what Entrepreneurship was my senior year of high school, I would have told you I had no idea. And to be quite honest, I still to this day sometimes struggle in spelling the word. My newfound major of Entrepreneurship has allowed me to experience a new side of life and a new side of me. I have found creative and innovative freedom through this major, as well as new skills to accompany those. I’m glad that I took the leap of faith in changing my major, because it has changed me for the better.

Now, I just made that sound like a piece of cake because I really enjoy my new major. However, sometimes it’s really hard to get where you want to be, especially if the major transition doesn’t work. Luckily, since I was switching disciplines within the school of arts and letters, I had very little issue in making the switch. I was a few credits behind, but I was able to make that up through some a summer class, an intersession, and some overtime credits.

If there’s one thing I can leave you with, it’s this – don’t think that if you come in as one major, you can’t graduate as another. As of now, I am on track to graduate with a major in Entrepreneurship with a minor in Communication Studies. And just think – I only started out as Communications! Remember, there’s no glass ceiling on what you can do when your mind’s put to it and your heart’s in it. Follow God’s call for your life – He won’t lead you astray. A lot of the time that leap of faith – whether it be changing your major, auditioning for the musical, or trying out for a sport – takes obedience on our part to get God’s blessing in our lives.

I encourage you – don’t settle for something you don’t want. Go after what GOD wants for your life!

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10 Things Grovers Say and Why They Say Them

There are some pretty common things Grove City College students always say while living on campus that range from asking about chapel to offering to go somewhere else for the day. I asked around what other people have heard and compiled a list of 10 things Grovers say and why they say them:

  1. “How many chapel credits ya got left?”

It is required as a student to acquire 16 chapel credits per semester. It is extremely easy to get this done because there are over 50 opportunities to receive a credit per semester. Because it is so easy to get all 16, it is also very easy to procrastinate going to chapel on Tuesday and Thursday morning. A great conversation between two people could start by simply asking how many credit one person has – if it’s some ridiculous number (like 24, I’m not kidding about that) Grovers can laugh at one another for not “groverachieving” when it comes to chapel.

  1. “Let’s go on a Sheetz run”

A super common, very popular eatery less than a 5 minute drive from campus – Sheetz. The MTO (Made to Order) food is to die for at 11:30 p.m. when you need fried mac n’ cheese bites. Even if you do not want to get any food, it is a great way to just get off campus for a few minutes. Kick back, sit in the car, and enjoy another student’s company.  

  1. “I wish Beans was open later”

Beans on Broad is a small coffee shop on Broad Street within walking distance of the school. The only catch: it is not open later than 6 p.m. and not at all on Sunday – not prime for a college kid. During finals, the place is packed because it has great coffee with a cozy atmosphere. Kind of like a “campus away from campus.”

  1. “I dunno, I gotta talk to my advisor about it”

Each student at GCC is assigned an academic advisor they keep for all four years. This advisor is a professor within a student’s department whom they go to for anything regarding their academic career, future career, or academic issues. Whenever a student is thinking of changing majors, it is normal to hear they have made no decisions about the transition because they have not spoken to their advisor about it yet.

  1. “Can I borrow some quarters?”

The laundry has to get done, and sometimes it has to be done whether a student has quarters/Crimson Cash or not. Yes, it is possible to run out of underwear. Since it is only $1.75 to wash and dry one load, borrowing that amount from a buddy is not that big of a deal. Make it up to them with a cup of Joe from Beans.

  1. “3rd floor HAL is the struggle”

As an Entrepreneurship major who has majority of her classes on the third floor, I relate to this quotation more than the rest. While Grove City College is considered to have some of the most fit college students in the United States, climbing up to the third floor of the academic building is no stress-free feat. I swear the only person who can do it without panting is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

  1. “What church do you go to?”

Note, not “do you go to church?”  but “What church do you go to?” GCC does not offer a Sunday morning service in Harbison Chapel because the school wants its students to make a home church off-campus. Typically freshmen are looking for suggestions on what churches to try and will ask upperclassmen for suggestions on the places they have been to – and ultimately stayed at.

  1. “McNulty is bae”

The sentence does not make the person sound very intelligent but it is more than true. Our President, Paul McNulty, is such a cool guy and he makes an effort to be at as many student events he can. His wife holds a Bible study for upperclass women every week and it is common to see their chocolate lab, Boomer, being walked around the Quad on nice days.

  1. “I’m in the mood for some chicken tenders”

Consistency is key. The student union’s GeDunk Cafe almost always has chicken tenders for lunch and dinner and thankfully they are not half bad. The downside is they aren’t as appealing after having them for three consecutive days. So when a Grover is in the mood for chicken tenders and the Gee has them, it is a good day.

  1. “You don’t know what an omelet is because you didn’t know Sherry” – all seniors

Bon Appetit is an amazing caterer for the College and every morning they have an omelet station where students can order specifically what they would like with their eggs. There used to be a worker who was an expert omelet maker (Sherry) but she has since moved on to better things and the seniors still have not gotten over it.

Next time you are on Grove City College’s campus, pay attention to student conversations and see how many times you hear one of these phrases said – I can guarantee that it will be more than you think!

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Passing Along Passion: Children’s Theatre

Theatre. There’s nothing quite like it. Particularly musicals. There’s something transcendent about music in and of itself, but when it accompanies a narrative, music allows an audience to be drawn in to the world that is unfolding before them.10265363_761181937233773_1386222157842786465_o

As an adult there is something about musicals that takes us back to childhood. Even if the message of the show is simple, the suspension of disbelief that results from a musical takes us back to a time where our imaginations created worlds for our friends and us to inhabit.

With arts budgets being cut across the country, children are not being exposed to theatre the way the generations before them were. Grove City College Theatre is doing its part to expose local students to the magic of theatre. The end goal of Grove City College’s annual Children’s Theatre production is to not just to entertain local elementary students, but to possibly pass along the passion for theatre that the college’s performers have to those in attendance.

Every school year during the spring semester, Grove City College’s Theatre department puts on an hour-long musical production with the children of the community in mind. I’ve had the honor to participate in the last three productions, in two of which I had leading roles.

I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when I first signed up for “The Emperor’s New Clothes” my freshman year. After a hectic callback session, we were off and rehearsals began. One of my fondest memories at Grove City is the rehearsal process for “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” and a number of friendships were made during that process. That’12990919_227559204266836_1078502338172869803_ns not unique to that production, though. That’s what Children’s Theatre is all about. When you’re there for the fun of the show and for the children, there’s something very organic and  beautiful that emerges.

When show week arrives, the cast gets out of classes for one, sometimes even two morning shows for an often packed auditorium. With meet and greets before and after the show, the students who are bused in from local schools get to meet the characters from the show, something that allows for full immersion into the show.

The cast has just as much, if not more, fun than those in attendance, and this is evident to everyone in attendance. The hope is that one day one of those 3rd graders in the audience will grow up and put on a production for a local grade school with the intention of not just entertaining, but of passing along passion for theatre.

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How I Found Grove City – A Personal Story

Just like every college student, every 18-year-old hates the question: “So, what do you want to do with your life?” Well, I was the same way. As a 17-year-old senior in high school, I really didn’t know what I wanted to do or how I was going to get there once I decided what I wanted to do. I had some plans, but those plans changed; changed like the days from one to the next. And it isn’t until one hot summer Wednesday afternoon that my decision would know where I was meant to be – Grove City College.

Like any typical high schooler thinking they knew what they wanted, I was the same way. All throughout high school right up until my Junior year, I had my heart set on attending Valley Forge Christian College (now The University of Valley Forge) to major in Music Performance. However, once I toured and saw how far away it was from home (six hours – located close to Philadelphia), and when I realized that Music Performance wasn’t any sort of “career” goal, my gears quickly shifted away from that.

Once I had no game plan, my mom stepped in to help me (thank goodness!). She suggested that I look into majoring in Dance at Point Park University. I’ve danced for about 19 years, so I knew that it was something I loved, and maybe that would be the path to take! The summer of my junior year of high school, my parents enrolled me at the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. However, after a few classes, I realized that maybe that route wasn’t for me either. As much as I loved dance, the environment that I was in stripped everything that I loved about dance away. It was more about the competition and less about celebrating and enjoying dance for the art that it is. In other words, it just wasn’t for me.Grove City College

At a loss for what to do about me seemingly having no game plan to move forward from high school, I began to ask God where he wanted me to do with my life. After all, He’s the one with all the answers, right? I didn’t really know where to look at this point, until I heard of some people in my class looking into Grove City College. To be quite honest with you, I had no clue that Grove City College existed, which is why I proceeded to ask “why do you want to attend college at the outlets?” Silly me. Well, one Wednesday afternoon, Grove City College was about to become a lot more to me than just some “outlets” – and little did I know that it would soon become my home for the next four years.

As I toured Grove City College for the very first time, I felt a peace and a comfort that this was to be my place of study for the next few years. Upon the conclusion of that tour, both of my parents would also echo that same feeling. I didn’t know what I was looking for until I found Grove City College, and it all came into place on that day.

I took a leap of faith and applied only to Grove City College, and I ended up getting accepted. I took that acceptance as a clear sign that this is where God wanted me, and I’m so blessed to have been able to attend such a great college.

I’ve been richly blessed throughout my time here at Grove City College. I’ve taken upon a variety of leadership roles, administrative positions, and committees in my time here. I’ve met some amazing people and have built spectacular and life-long relationships that have brought true blessing in my life.

So, I encourage you, no matter who you are or where you are, I encourage you and charge you to seek the Lord in everything that you do. I really wasn’t kidding when I said that He had all the answers – all you have to do is ask. Luke 11:9 says: “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” If you look at the first letter of each of those verbs, it spells a familiar word to us all, and what God wants us to do – ask him. That’s the only way we’ll hear. Seek first His kingdom, and all blessing will be yours.

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Why I Decided to Be An Resident Assistant (RA)

Being a Resident Assistant at Grove City College has been one of my favorite opportunities during my college experience. Many of the responsibilities include being an available resource to your hall, making intentional effort to get to know residents, putting on programs, enforcing the rules, and attending meetings with respective building staff and Resident Directors.

There are several different places where you can serve as an RA on Grove City’s campus: a freshmen hall, an upperclassmen hall, or a Greek hall. Although at different times these are drastically different places. During training, we are taught to simply love our residents and invest time into them in order to help them have the best experience here at Grove City.

My freshmen RAs at Grove City have impacted my experience so much; I do not know what I would have done without them! I love being an RA because of the excuse it gives me to talk to people and create meaningful connections with them. There are many reasons to choose to be an RA, here are a few other reasons from current RAs here at Grove City:

“I wanted to apply to be an RA before the end of my very first semester because my freshman RA inspired me to become one. He was very caring and a great individual who shaped me as an individual and my whole college experience. I wanted to be that person for someone else. Two years later, I am an RA – but not a freshmen RA. I am an RA for mostly seniors, and I cannot be him… but I can be myself. I enjoy being an RA because it allows me to put at use my extroverted and friendly sides while serving my residents and the community at Grove City College. My freshman RA inspired me to be friendly and outgoing, and most importantly to serve.”

-Luis Ramirez, upperclassmen RA

“I became an RA because I understand the importance of the RA’s role on a freshmen hall and I believed that with the help of guidance and a great staff, I would be able to have a great influence on a freshmen hall.”

-Steve Maker, freshmen RA

“I love being an RA because it gives me the opportunity to meet so many interesting people that are not a part of my major.  It also allows me to connect people with similar hobbies and interests. “

-Alex Moldovan, upperclassmen RA

“I love being an RA because I get to know people who might have not crossed my path if it was not for this position. I enjoy serving and loving these friends. It is also a great position for growth!”

-Amy O’Brien, upperclassmen RA

“I have always appreciated my older friends and mentors, and I thought that I could keep their examples and impact on myself, or I could share it with others. I thought that being a freshmen RA was a great opportunity to reach into the lives of younger guys.”

-Schuyler Kitchin, freshmen RA

“The Resident Assistant role has benefited me in many ways. In particular, being an RA has given me the opportunity to talk with truly wonderful people who I probably would not have gone out of my way to meet or interact with otherwise.”

-Mark Capper, upperclassmen RA

“Being an RA has allowed me to step into a role where I have met and learned about some really amazing people. I have had so much fun laughing and living alongside people I would not have met otherwise!”

-Hannah Finley, upperclassmen RA

“I love being an RA because I get to learn how to support people and show them Christ’s love. It has taught me patience as well as perspective and I have found myself leaning on God for strength, which has helped me to grow personally.”

-Becki Krupp, upperclassmen RA

The Grove City community is full of wonderful, caring people and many of these individuals are using their gifts to serve the campus as an RA. While not always an easy job, it is most always a rewarding one. Even though we never truly know how many people we have touched through our time on the halls, we will always keep striving to invest in our residents.

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Clubs on Campus: Part Two

If you’re interested in a particular activity, sport, or game, Grove City offers an abundance of campus-wide groups to get involved. With over 130 student organizations on campus, there are plenty of ways to join and meet great people in the process. Going off of my previous post on “Clubs on Campus Worth Trying,” here are some more student stories about the unique clubs and activities they are involved in on campus.

There are many clubs that are designed to fight for social injustices. Senior Trevor Smith is involved with LINK, a club that stands for Liberty in North Korea. This organization rescues, relocates, and rehabilitates North Korean refugees. He explained, “They find refugees…typically [upon relocation] they require education on how banks work, what electronics are – all the everyday tasks we take for granted are totally new to these refugees.” This club is known as the “rescue team.” They raise awareness of refugee crises and plan fundraising events. The “rescue team” also sells authentic South Korean snacks and drinks.

 campus radio station clubOne of the larger clubs on campus is the WSAJ radio station. Students are given the opportunity to host their own radio shows and DJ new music on a live broadcast. Senior Brad Warmhold has been involved with WSAJ since freshman year. He explained, “I do radio because I personally enjoy being recorded in a live atmosphere working with music. There is a good degree of freedom in choosing music, and the fact that I get to do it with my closest friends is an added bonus.” The radio station is a great opportunity for students to learn public speaking and broadcasting skills, as well as listen to their favorite music and spread it across campus.
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Junior Abby Hassinger has been passionate about horseback riding well before college began, and was excited to get involved with the equestrian club on campus. While we do not have any stables on campus, the equestrian club participates in horse shows with other schools all across the region. As the president of the equestrian club, Abby and her fellow club members co-host horse shows, as well as attend and participate in other events at nearby schools. The equestrian club participates in various types of shows that require different skill sets, allowing each student to perform in areas that are best equipped.

It is amazing to be a part of a campus that recognizes the diverse interests of its students. Each of these clubs and organizations strive to create a community where students are accepted for their interests and passions. Getting involved on campus with a club or organization is an easy way to get plugged in to student life.

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Clubs on Campus Worth Trying Out: Part 1

clubs on campus

Did you know there are over 130 student clubs and organizations to get involved in at Grove City College? Not only are there the typical intramural sports clubs such as lacrosse, soccer, basketball, and volleyball, but there are also unique organizations such as euchre, fencing, hiking, and horseback riding. With all the options to play sports, sing, or learn something new on campus, students surely find a way to act on their passions to create opportunities for people with similar interests to come together.

I was able to talk with a few students about some interesting clubs they a majority of college campuses do not offer. Junior Connor Monahan is studying Mechanical Engineering and is involved with the Newman Club. Connor said, “The Newman Club is a Catholic Campus Ministry group on campus. We have weekly meetings where we bring in local speakers or campus faculty. We also participate in community service projects.” This is a club for students who are either Catholic or want to understand more about Catholicism. The Newman Club is an awesome opportunity to branch out on campus.GCC Martial Arts club

We also have a club focused on martial arts and various types of fighting and wrestling. Sophomore Nathan Smith is involved with this program, and explained, “The martial arts program has primarily turned into a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu club. We meet every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday…we learn some new techniques, drills, and then we grapple. We have a lot of dedicated people in the club who have even joined Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academies back at their homes!” Unlike other campus groups, the martial arts program can be expanded on and off campus. According to Smith, “We recently invited my instructors from my gym back in Ohio to put on a seminar here at GCC. The program had an excellent turn out and everyone had an amazing time. We plan on doing another seminar next semester.” Martial arts programs provide students with great opportunities to include previous involvement in similar extracurricular activities into their college life.

 Grove City Outing ClubNot all Grove City clubs are on the College’s campus. For example, the outing club meets on campus, but mainly consists of hiking, camping, and other outdoors-related activities. Senior Philip Dudt who has been involved since freshman year said, “We enjoy God’s creation on trips over breaks (backpacking especially), fellowship with friends at the club’s cabin, and lasting memories made during car rides to these remote locations we hike.” This is an ideal club for those who enjoy hiking and backpacking, and a great opportunity to get to know the area around Grove City.

With all these great organizations being offered to Grovers of all grades, it is a difficult decision to choose one specific organization. Subsequently, there will be another post discussing students’ experiences with more unique clubs. Along with what is listed on our GCC website, there are many other groups and clubs that you can learn about at the Organization Fair. The fair takes place during the first few weeks of school and provides Freshman with the chance to meet members from each club and learn about what they do throughout the semester. These are great opportunities to get involved and meet new people as you start your Grove City College career.