Posted on January 16, 2017 by difalcolm1 — Leave a comment

Undecided? It’s Okay

As a high school senior, I felt a lot of pressure to know exactly what I wanted to do with my life – it seemed like I needed to know where I wanted to go to college, my intended major, and what I would do after graduation. The only problem was that I could not figure out any of these impending questions. I had no clue where I wanted to go or my desired major. The whole process was so stressful and I wanted to give up. However, I was able to figure it out, and Grove City made it easy for me to discover my route. Below is my journey in how I discovered the right major for myself:

Starting out: Undecided

Once I was accepted into Grove City College, the next decision I had to choose was my major. I honestly had no clue. After getting advice from my parents and mentors that I trusted, I ended up starting my freshman year as Undecided. I appreciated that I did not feel judged but accepted for not knowing exactly what I wanted to pursue in the future. They gave me an adviser, and came alongside me in the decision making process. One day, the chair of the liberal arts department even gave the undecided students a pep talk and some practical advice on choosing the right major.

Major 1: International Business

Once I was in some exploratory classes for a few weeks, I had a better idea of what I liked. I wanted to make a choice that would help me discover my true calling for the next four years. Luckily, it is not difficult to change your major, add a minor, or even add/drop a class. The goal of the College is to help students discover their calling, while making the process as easy as possible. So I decided to try International Business. I liked the opportunities and I interests gravitate towards international work.

The Right Major: Entrepreneurship

Undecided Major Studied Abroad — I even had the opportunity to study abroad in the Spring of my sophomore year!

Although I really enjoyed some of the classes I took in the Business Department, it did not feel right for me. Again, after some soul searching, prayer, and advice seeking I landed in the Entrepreneurship Department. I decided this in the summer right before sophomore year began. I was able to contact my new adviser and even talk with him over the phone before returning to school. He helped me handle all of the paperwork, and made the transition easy. The best news – I love my major!! It is a great fit for me.

The best common quality among the professors at Grove City is that they all want you to succeed. I am able to go visit with professors, ask them questions about a class, and leave feeling encouraged and cared about. Professors here look to make an investment in each student so they leave feeling prepared and equipped to do the work they have been called to do. So do not worry about coming to Grove City and having all those questions unanswered. It is easy to figure it out here!

Posted on December 7, 2016 by justicecp1 — Leave a comment

Home, Sweet Home at Grove City

When you eat, sleep, work, and spend most of your time in one place, it becomes like home to you. Whether it’s being able to walk around in your bare feet, or decorating a space that’s all yours, we all have different ways to make a place “home” to us. Living with 3,000 other college aged people is such a crazy life, but we all share one place in common that becomes our “home” for 3-4 years. I spent the past few weeks asking people, “What makes Grove City College home to you?” and got so many great responses and stories. If you’re wondering what it would be like to call Grove City College home, allow these students to explain their versions of “home” within our campus.

Junior – Abby Hassinger

“What makes GCC home for me is having a sense of family on campus. Making plans, spending quality time with people and feeling connected to life on campus helps GCC to become home. Decorating my room and putting my own stamp on it helps too.”

Senior – Philip Dudt

“I have lived in Grove City for about 13 years now. For the entire time that my family has lived here my dad has been a professor at Grove City College. I am very appreciative that I can be immersed in a place where Christians can be open about their faith and their worldview so that ‘iron sharpens irons’ so to speak.”

Senior – Bradley Warmhold

“For me, the professors, faculty, and students who show a genuine concern for my well-being and a desire to see me succeed makes me feel right at home.”

Senior – Kyle Martin

“The awesome people that I have gotten to know and the new people that I continue to meet makes Grove City feel like home to me.”

Around this time of the year, another thing that students love about our campus is the Christmas decorations that are just about everywhere. Not only are their lights on the pine trees and wreaths outside, but there are over 7 Christmas trees in different buildings on campus – including the dining halls. When there are decorations, lights, and fire’s running in different buildings on campus, everything feels more like home. It makes you want to curl up with hot chocolate and actually enjoy studying. The effort that student leadership and staff exude to put up all these decorations is something that you definitely do not get on any other college campus, and is so unique to the “Grover” community.

As for me, Grove City became home when I realized I was surrounded by amazing Christian people who were invested in me and helped me grow in my faith without feeling judged. Also making a dorm room a homey space helps as well, but overall Grove City College is a place we’ve come to know and love, and have been able to proudly call it our home.

Posted on December 7, 2016 by justicecp1 — Leave a comment

Exploring Cultural Differences: The Story of an International Student at Grove City

Experiencing a new culture for the first time can be overwhelming, especially as a student. Exploring cultural differences is something valued and respected at Grove City College. There are many international students who attend here, each with an interesting story about how they found Grove City, Pennsylvania out of all the places in the world. Junior Dan Peiffer moved to the United States three years ago from Rehovot, Israel and shared about how he came to attend GCC.

As a junior, Dan studies Communications with a minor in Studio Art. After the influence of his father attending Grove City College, he decided to move to America for his college education. Dan is fluent in Hebrew and English, but had never experienced primarily English-speaking classes. Starting out, Dan audited a few classes to study English as the primary language. He said, “After auditing, I realized it’s a piece of cake. English is hard, but not that hard.” Experiencing the campus and culture of Grove City was something to get used to, but with the help of students and faculty, it became easy for Dan to fit right in.

There are many cultural differences between Pennsylvania and Israel as you could imagine, but Dan was able to learn quickly. “Professors are very understanding,” he explained, “some of the classes I record because I can’t take notes in time, so that helps me a lot.” Adapting to the language is only half of the intercultural experience. Dan told me that, “one of the first things [he] remembers [from his] first year was when someone fist-bumped me instead of a high-five. I thought it was a thing for little kids, so I thought it was weird, but I realized it was normal so now I find myself doing it.” It’s the little mannerisms and cultural symbols we participate in that seem normal to us that can seem strange to someone coming from an entirely different culture. Dan explained, “I still have a lot of mistakes with English words sometimes. It’s more funny than embarrassing at this point.”

Our differences are what make us unique and stand out from others, but as an international student, those differences can seem more obvious in accents and mannerisms. Dan said, “Some people like to ask me constant questions, but I like when people treat me the same.” Cultural differences are something many students are passionate about. With groups such as S.E.A.D. which stands for Students Excited About Diversity, sharing the things that make us culturally unique is something highly valued amongst students. “Although I am different,” Dan said, “it’s nice to be treated normally here.” Dan aspires to stay in the United States and work somewhere like Pittsburgh or a city where he can pursue video production. As a communications major, Dan is passionate about photography and video production, and is able to get hands-on experiences through classes.

Posted on December 7, 2016 by justicecp1 — Leave a comment

Alumni Insights: Electrical Engineering After College

Graduating college is a huge honor and accomplishment that deserves recognition and celebration. Our alumni are some of our greatest resources for career advice, handling student life, and encouraging those still currently completing their undergraduate degree. Recent graduate of the class of 2016, Abigail Liff is an alumna of the Electrical Engineering program and was willing to share her experiences and advice about life after Grove City.

Experience at Grove City College

Abbi works as an electrical engineer for FirstEnergy in Ohio. While at Grove City College, Abbi enjoyed her time living in a small town similar to her hometown in Kent, OH. “I loved the people and the small school atmosphere,” she explains. Each of our engineering programs at Grove City complete a senior capstone project where students are put into team to conduct research and design something to be used in a practical setting. Being passionate about research, Abbi went beyond the classroom to get more hands-on experience in electrical engineering research through summer internships. She explained how she felt very prepared for life outside of college because of these internships that she held both in high school and during college summers.

Getting More Experience

Being in the field of engineering is no easy job, and it can be difficult to find where your interests lie in a broad field. Abbi explains, “Electrical engineering is very rewarding, but it is very difficult and requires a can-do attitude to make it all the way through the program.” She had the opportunity to study abroad in Nantes, France with the European Study Center program with other electrical and mechanical engineers. During this time, she worked with her senior capstone group to create a better food refrigeration system with the help of some French students who studied food engineering. Together they worked in labs and collaborated information to bring back to America to use to finish their senior capstone project. Being in different environments and research groups in and outside of our campus has provided wonderful experience in the field that has helped her get the job she has today.

Life After Grove City College

After obtaining her degree, Abbi began working at FirstEnergy in Ohio through an experience at the Grove City College Career Fair. She said, “The Career Fair helped me get my job because I met a FirstEnergy representative who was very interested in Grove City College students and knew about the engineering program at our school.” Making these connections during college have made all the difference in finding a career path that has worked out for her.

When it comes to deciding on a college major, there are many factors to consider in developing a career to build on for the next four years and beyond. One of the best pieces of advice Abbi gives is practicing perseverance. She advised, “If you want to get this degree, you have to go in to the program telling yourself ‘I will stick with this. I am going to get this degree.’ I told myself that at least once a week, and I got through it, but it’s definitely not for everyone. I saw a lot of people leave because they didn’t have the right attitude.” Always consider the hard work and dedication it takes to obtain a college degree.

Posted on December 7, 2016 by justicecp1 — Leave a comment

Using an Independent Study as a Resume Builder

The hardest part about applying for a job is having to fill out the dreaded “experience” section. Whether you have a ton of past work experience or no past work experience, it is difficult to sum up your skills in a readable and practical way. One of the great opportunities offered at Grove City College is creating an independent study. An independent study is a great experience you can put on your resume. The study is similar to an internship where you design a project or complete a task that displays and highlights your skills within a semester.

Independent Study While Abroad

When I was a junior, I was able to be a part of the European Study Center program in Nantes, France. This program was unique because it offered courses taken directly through Grove City College instead of an outside university like most study abroad programs. I worked with professors from Grove City while in France in order to create a independent study that was focused around my major, communications. One of the best parts about having an independent study while in another country was the fact that I was able to communicate with students from all over the world. With the guidance of communication professors in America, I conducted a series of interviews of American and French students where I asked about how cultural differences affect communication styles. This was an amazing experience that I was very passionate about, and used to increase my experience in independent research and design.

How to Create an Independent Study

Independent studies are not only for students who study abroad, but also for students on campus as well. In order to create an independent study, there are a few steps to complete to gain course credits. Any independent study must be approved by your academic advisor, as well as the chair of the department in which you study. Just like any other course, an independent has to have a syllabus and a timeline of course work that gets turned in and graded. This also includes necessary readings and outside projects or assignments relevant to the study. For my study, I interviewed French and American students to see how cultural differences affect social and educational perspectives. I consulted various books about cultural competence, communication styles, and body language, as well as kept a video blog where I would post about research and experiences. This blog, as well as interview assignments were turned in and evaluated throughout the semester. Not every independent study is alike, and some can have different guidelines for grading upon discussion with your academic advisor. For some independent studies, a final project might be a research paper, a machine, or a public presentation. These can often times count as senior capstone projects, and can fill between 1 and 3 credit hours.

Independent Study as a Resume Builder

Independent studies allow just that – independence in using the ideas you have as a student to create something meaningful and relevant to what you are studying. If you have an idea you are passionate about, an independent study is the perfect excuse to pursue it. Not only can you get credit for it, but you can research and gain experience to help in future job searches. Having research experience can be beneficial in a job looking for someone who can be reliable for deadlines, and work independently. Below is an example of one of the video blogs I created for my independent study of our experiences as abroad students in a different culture. This study is an experience I will always cherish.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dzfvys3d1vcsfn4/Blog%20Video%20%232-%20We%27re%20such%20tourists.mp4?dl=0

Posted on December 5, 2016December 5, 2016 by justicecp1 — Leave a comment

Commuter Life at GCC: Pro’s and Con’s

Dorm life is definitely not for everyone. Living off campus can be an option that some people prefer over living in the dorms. At Grove City College, students are allowed to commute if they live close by with their parents or guardians, or if they are married. With nearly 2,500 students attending, only about 5% of students choose to commute. I had the opportunity to talk with a student about his experiences commuting for the past three years.

Pro’s of Commuting

Zach Ferguson is a senior Communications major with a minor in Studio Art. Growing up in Butler, PA, Zach commutes about 30 minutes to campus every weekday. He explained, “I save about $9,000 per year by commuting, and because I am paying for college on my own it made sense.” Saving on the cost of room and board is one of the biggest benefits of commuting rather than living on campus. Zach said, “Getting to go home every day and keeping the same friends from my hometown that go to different schools is a big plus. I also still go to the same church nearby where my best friend is the pastor.” Knowing the area and having the benefit of a separate space away from campus is always a huge benefit of living near a college town.

Con’s of Commuting

While there are plenty of good things about living at home and commuting, there are also a lot of downsides to being away from campus. Zach discussed, “It’s definitely hard to make friends on campus because I’m not on campus too much. It’s hard to find community.” Being a part of the campus experience with other people is one of the main factors that build community here at Grove City College. Zach explained how he is friends with other commuters, and that there is community within that, but he wishes he had more people to connect with on campus. “I’m not thrilled about living in dorms,” he said, “but I wish I would have done it for the people.”

Being a commuter, it can be more difficult to get involved with campus groups and events. However, because he is able to live in the same area, Zach has an off campus job that causes his schedule to be more stacked than normal. He explained, “When I was a freshman and sophomore I had a different schedule, so it was easier to be on campus, but now I live a half hour away with a job, so coming to school feels like I’m coming to my job.”

Is it Worth the Money?

All in all, Zach said he would not recommend commuting. “You save money, but you miss out. It’s hard to balance work, school, and personal life when you live in a different place,” he said. During the four years you spend at college, it is important to be present in the time and place. While commuting may be a good option for you, it’s helpful to have an insider perspective on what it is like once the work load begins. The college years go by quickly and it’s important to consider where you want to invest your time while you’re here, but remember that Zach’s perspective is only one of the many opinions held by communters at Grove City.

Posted on November 29, 2016November 29, 2016 by justicecp1 — Leave a comment

Why My College Decision Changed My Life

As my final semester of senior year comes to a close, I have had the chance to reflect with my classmates and friends on the progress we’ve made as students. I have spent three wonderful years at Grove City College with one semester abroad and graduating a semester early, and reminiscing on how I got here has been a constant reminder that the hard work has paid off.

I struggled for a long time to decide where I wanted to attend college, and was not even sure if college was the right path to take. I had planned to study close to home, but realized close did not necessarily have to mean staying within the state. Hearing about Grove City College, a small Christian liberal arts school, was not something initially spark my interest, but I was at the point where the college search was exhausting and my parents were getting antsy for me to make a decision.

As much as I wanted my college visit to be fast and painless, my parents were just eager to hear I wanted to do another college visit. My previous college visits in the Southern Ohio area had been largely unsuccessful due to my lack of finding a major that I was interested in pursuing. It was pretty late in the game when I scheduled my first visit to Grove City’s campus in January of 2013. All I remember about my tour was that I was absolutely freezing, completely underdressed, and utterly blown away at how beautiful the campus was. The way the buildings all look similar and were conveniently close to each other was exactly what I had pictured my ideal college to look like.

I hated to admit how much I loved the campus for some reason, but honestly I was so nervous about having to make a decision that would affect the next four years of my life at age 18 that I was looking for some excuse to dislike Grove City. As we walked through the dorm buildings and got to see a room, the cafeterias, and academic classrooms, I felt myself becoming happier. Our tour guide was very helpful in answering all my questions about what the Communication Major was and how I could somehow combine my interests of theater, English, art, and talking into a degree that would actually help me find a job I liked post-graduate. By the end of the tour, I liked the campus so much that I was surprised at the idea that college might be something that works for me.

After sending in my application and waiting two weeks, I finally heard of my acceptance and felt such relief. One thing that has stayed with me throughout my years in college is the comfort in God’s provision, especially when I cannot see or understand his will. I thought college was not for me, yet here I am graduating – early even – from a school with professors, classes, and friends that have changed my life.

Taking the leap and deciding to attend Grove City College was something I will always be proud of and thankful for. Despite my fears and uncertainties of the future, God has always provided a reason and an answer, and diving deeper into my faith in classes has completely blown my mind through all this.

When it comes to hard choices, there might not necessarily be a perfect answer, but you still have to make a choice. By choosing to come to Grove City College, I have learned so much about taking responsibility for my actions, treating people with love and respect, and the amazing benefits of conversation. Please enjoy the TED talk above about hard choices, and always remember that God will govern your choices.

Posted on November 19, 2016 by justicecp1 — Leave a comment

Media Jobs on Campus Where Students Run the Show

There are many awesome opportunities for students to work on-campus jobs to get some experience during the school year. While most are fairly low key and relaxing, other jobs allow you to get your first real-world work experience in a field that could become your long-term career. Grove City’s Media Services Office hires student technicians to work campus events such as concerts, dances, and lectures – and even run chapel services.

media services homecoming setup — Homecoming Dance Setup

As a technician and office coordinator for Media Services myself, I have had two great years of learning about media technology and working with students from many different backgrounds to create some amazing setups. With our growing team of 19 student technicians, we get plenty of opportunities to learn from one another and our different academic backgrounds.

I had the chance to interview senior Casey Latario who has been involved with media services for two years through a friends’ recommendation to apply. He enjoys working various events, but one of his favorites was setting up for the Keith and Kristin Getty Concert hosted this fall. Casey discussed, “As a biology major, I see that there are engineering techs who are super technically minded and not the best at communicating, but the other techs with different majors are better at communication and they complement each other.” Since Casey is also apart of other groups on campus, including the Adelphikos fraternity, he is able to use his talents and abilities in media production to help his fraternity out during open houses. Casey explained how he got to use the lighting truss for his fraternity open house. Because he knew how to use what they needed, it was convenient. He went on to say, “It was nice to be able to use the equipment for our group’s own events.”

While there are so many different skill sets among technicians, there is a great appeal to mechanical and electrical engineers for the hands-on experience related to their field. Senior Erik Azevedo is a mechanical engineering major who became interested in Media Services after attending a dance freshman year. “I’ve always been interested at a young age in media,” says Erik, “I also did sound for my church and enjoy making electronic music.” As a part of our learning process for Media Services, there are senior positions where students can specialize in a particular skill set like video, audio, lighting, and equipment. As the senior lighting technician, Erik prefers working larger dances or coffee concerts on campus with the freedom to run the lighting board. He said, “You get hands on experience and every event is different. You have to use skills that you learn, but there is an element of creativity to it.”

One of the best things both Casey and Erik agreed upon is the benefit of the diverse team where everyone can use their skills to put together a great show. The photos displayed throughout this post show different activities the Media Services team does on a monthly to weekly basis, including the Homecoming dance and live mixing for coffee concerts. The great thing about a campus job such as this is the flexibility in scheduling, as well as hands-on experience that is guaranteed in learning about campus events.

Posted on October 20, 2016 by justicecp1 — Leave a comment

You Know You’re a Communications Major When…

As a prospective student, you might be asking yourself what exactly a Communication Studies major is? You know what a journalist, broadcaster, and writer does, but how does that fall under one general “Communications” degree?

When I first began my college search, I had no idea what I wanted to do or even if college was the path I was supposed to take. I knew that I liked writing, so I considered studying English. Then I thought no, too many books and old authors I don’t care about. What about my passions for theater and singing – maybe I could be a music major? Then I realized I can’t play an instrument, nor did I have the patience to learn. I also loved learning French in high school, but could I really become fluent? How can I combine writing, public performance, and communicating with people on a professional level?

Discovering Communications was the answer that combined all my interests. The Communications degree is wonderful because it is broad enough for you to try multiple things, but also allows opportunities to narrow your focus. I have had the chance to take classes in the fields of business, marketing, art, Christian ministry, foreign language, journalism, and many more dynamic fields that a Communications degree has to offer. I found my niche in Communications because I realized that everyone has a different goal or passion, but with a like-minded, creative mindset that utilizes each unique skill specifically.

By learning in an environment with people similar to me, I’ve become more vulnerable in the classroom. It’s easy to communicate with others who love to get better at communicating, and Grove City has taught me how it feels to actually start caring about what you’re learning. So allow me to share with you some “typical Comm. major” things that you might relate with. If you enjoy..

Reading or writing blogs
Watching and critiquing movies & wish Netflix could be a career (hello, film class).
Using social media for more than your friends’ profiles
Listening to and watching sports broadcasts
Doodling in your spare time and want a way to pursue art
Finding wisdom through TED talks.

Be sure to take serious thought into how you can realistically pursue your passion and turn it into a degree. If you’ve never heard of TED, this is a great source to listen to other scholars about ideas, career paths, and almost anything you might find interesting. In the meantime, check out this great talk about how to be a better communicator.

Posted on September 28, 2016October 24, 2016 by Suzanne Holcombe — Leave a comment

French: All Day Every Day

Last spring, I had the opportunity to study abroad for four months in France.

Grove City has a wonderful study center in Nantes, but I chose to go through an outside study abroad program rather than directly through the College. There are many different options for studying abroad that aren’t only through Grove City; they require a bit of an application process the semester before, but my program provider had wonderful people working there who were able to help me through every step of the process.

Another helpful event that the College puts on each spring and fall is a study abroad fair that brings in a number of different program representatives, which was a great opportunity for me in being able to talk to the people who work for these programs.

After much consideration of what I was looking for in my experience, I determined that my three main objectives were to learn French, to live in a somewhat large city, and to get out of my comfort zone by going on my own without anyone I knew.

After doing a lot of research, I decided to study in Paris at L’Institut Catholique (Catholic Institute). All of my classes would be in French, I would have the opportunity to live with a host family, and I would be able to live in and explore the city of lights!

I visited Paris for the first time three years ago on a trip I took with my brother and sister through several European countries and I remember being a bit skeptical before I arrived there. I reasoned that since everyone raves about Paris, could it really be that wonderful? Spoiler: I loved it. I loved the Eiffel Tower and how it towered over the city, I loved the quaint streets, the quiet cafes, and the stunning architecture of the buildings and bridges.

When I decided to return to Paris to study there, I was beyond excited, but I had no idea just what an amazing experience I would have. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

To set the scene, I lived with my host mom in a huge apartment complex in the 19th arrondissment, which is in the northeastern part of the city. My University was in the 6th, which is in central Paris, just south of the river. My daily commute (when I say daily, I only had class Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays) was 35 minutes by the Metro, which was one of my favorite parts of the day. I loved the idea that if I minded my own business and didn’t open my mouth, I could be French!

As I mentioned, all of my classes were in French and were each three hours long at a time, usually from 9:00 am-12:00 pm, or 2:00-5:00 pm. My grammar and writing class met three times per week while my Discovering Paris and Parisian Cinema each met once. I studied with international students and made friends from all over the world including Japan, India, Chile, Colombia, and Taiwan. Class was a neat experience because much of the time the only thing we had in common with our fellow students was our (albeit somewhat limited, especially at the beginning) French ability, so we were forced to use it in order to communicate.

There was something so freeing about being anonymous in a city as majestic and beautiful as Paris; I could walk down the street and take everything in without anyone noticing me. My program provided me with a Navigo Pass, which gave me access to the Metro and bus systems in the entire ile-de-France, which extends quite a bit out of the city. The possibilities were endless; I could go see all the museums, parks, stroll along the river, anything I wanted.

Living in Paris made me more aware of the world around me. I loved the way in which Parisians approach life: they are on time to work, but think nothing of enjoying a cafe crème for a few hours in the afternoon with a friend. I loved watching all of the people on the street and trying to guess their destination and learning how to wander the different neighborhoods and streets without a destination.

In coming posts, I am going to explain more of the different aspects of my life abroad and some of the things I learned, but suffice it to say that it was the best decision I’ve made so far in my life. I will be writing about some of my favorite museums, my favorite places to visit, and several of my different experiences outside of France. Come along with me to relive my dream of a semester!