One of the last questions prospective students typically ask when looking at a college is “how is the food”? At Grove City College, there is a wide array of options at your disposal with two separate cafeterias, and it can feel overwhelming at first. In the months leading up to my wedding this past summer, I was very careful about what I was eating, and I learned a lot about how to eat healthy in the Grove City cafeterias. Whether you have gluten allergies or you are trying to lose some weight through healthy eating, it is all possible at Grove City College.
If you have allergies or eat only vegetarian or vegan foods, Grove City is extremely accommodating. Both cafeterias have gluten free sections, with the main option being a gluten free version of what is being served at the regular stations. There are gluten-free cereals and breads, so you can make your own meal, and they are careful to not cross-contaminate any of the foods. At other stations, there are signs denoting whether the food is vegan, vegetarian, or gluten free friendly. Additionally, the salad bars are nicely separated so that you can pick and choose the kind of food that you can eat and build your own salad or other meal. Hicks has fresh chicken and beef made to order, so you can create a healthy meal with your protein of choice. MAP has Meatless Mondays, which are perfect for vegetarians and vegans looking to get a tasty meal.
Here is an example of how I ate on a given day: MAP cafeteria has an omelet station, so I would start my day with a healthy dose of protein and veggies in a green pepper, onion and spinach omelet. For lunch, I would create a grilled chicken salad at Hicks with its made to order chicken and the salad bar. Finally, I would end my day with the main meal being served and some roasted veggies with pepper. It was simple, quick, and an effective food schedule that kept me full and healthy! Grove City has loads of options, and it made my meals easy to create with the variety of foods.
1. I have a new home-away-from-home, and it’s beautiful!
Seriously, have you seen this campus? If you have not, you need to! Here are a few pictures to hold you over until you can come visit us.
Harbison Chapel is absolutely lovely in the fall.
A lovely view of the chapel, partially obscured by trees on the quad.
The new STEM building is not only high-tech, it’s also beautiful.
Rockwell Hall of Sciences stands majestically at the upper end of the quad.
A close-up of the Rockwell clock tower
The campus has several lovely patios that are perfect for studying or just hanging out with friends.
2. So many amazing people have been Grovers.
All it takes to be impressed by past Grovers is a quick perusal of the alumni achievement award winners. Find them here: alumni.gcc.edu
These stories just scratch the surface. Countless entrepreneurs, business executives, authors, lawyers, and engineers have used their Grove City degree to make an impact.
3. So many amazing people ARE Grovers!
Did you catch that subtle difference? Hint: I put it in all caps to help you out.
I could go on for hours about the phenomenal people I have met here, but I will save some time, and let you find out for yourself.
4. As a Grover, I have the privilege to learn from some of the best professors around.
I couldn’t imagine going to college without these professors. The faculty here is more caring and understanding than I expected college professors to be. They really are here to help their students learn and grow as people. Not only are the profs incredibly intelligent, knowledgeable, and helpful, they are also fun and enthusiastic about their respective areas of expertise. Fun story: I once had a professor jump off of a table because he was so excited about Vivaldi. That is the kind of passion you find at Grove City.
If you want to find out more about our outstanding faculty, check out some of the faculty feature blog posts or this link: Faculty Directory
5. Being a Grover means I am challenged everyday.
Grove City College prides itself on rigorous academics, and there is a reason for that. The nature of the curriculum ensures that you will not be able to get away with sleeping in class. But why would you want to do that anyway? You will learn so much (even in the humanities core) that your tuition dollars will be well worth it.
6. It has taught me what it means to live, learn, and worship in community.
Because Grove City is a relatively small school, students have the opportunity to a much larger proportion of the student body than at a larger college or university. I personally know the majority of people in my major, but I have also had the opportunity to meet people outside of my major through core classes that all students are required to take.
Not only do Grovers live and learn in community, we also worship together, both during weekly chapel services and on Thursday night Warriors services. Warriors is a student-led worship service held in the chapel. If you want to read more about it, check out this student blog:
7. I understand things that only Grovers get.
King McNulty. Shoe in the door. The swim test. The scooter gang.
Hierarchy of people at Grove City: 1. Jesus 2. Ronald Reagan 3. C.S. Lewis 4. President McNulty
These might not make a lot of sense to you right now, but Grovers get it.
8. By the time I graduate, I’ll have spent four years in a community that strives to glorify God in all things.
Yes, even sports.
9. I get to learn from the unique successes and failures of Grovers who have gone before me and come back to campus just because they care.
I can’t count the number of alums who have come back to speak on campus. Their stories are always inspiring, informative, and insightful. The best part is that they come back because they love the College and they care about the students.
10. Most of all (as you may have guessed already), I am grateful to be a Grover because of all the wonderful people here.
Considering five of my points have been about people, this should not be a surprise. These ten points can be summed up as follows: You will not find people like those at Grove City College anywhere else!
