The Collegian, April 26, 2024

Collegian

Seniors of the year ODK selects

Grove City College

The 2024 Grove City College Senior Man and Woman of the Year awards were presented, respectively, to Ari Campbell and Alarie Findley on Wednesday during the College’s annual Recognition Convocation.

Findley, a Mechanical Engineering major from East Earl, Pa., is a Trustee Fellow and gifted violinist who

Campbell, Findley

played for three years in the String Quartet and is currently the concertmaster for both the Symphonic Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra. She has served as a leader in Orientation Board, Senior Women’s Bible Study, MECE Student Leadership Club, and her Senior Capstone Research Group.

Findley has worked as a Physics teaching assistant and exam proctor for Disability Services, participated

in the Deeply Rooted mentorship program, and served on ICO Ashland. She also played IM Spikeball for three years and participated in the Ultimate Frisbee Club and the Human Powered Vehicles Club.

Woman of the Year nominees also included: Annalese Aderholt, a Biblical and Religious Studies major from Wheeling, W.Va.; Megan

SENIOR 6

Orchesis braves elements

Mia Gallagher Staff Writer

Water, earth, fire and air. Only the members of the Orchesis Dance Company can master all four elements and bring balance to the dance world. And that is exactly what they plan to do in their spring production of “The Elements.” After a successful run of their program, “And the Award Goes To…” in the fall, the company looks to continue its tradition of excellence with this captivat-

ing show.

“The Elements,” which features the talents of 23 student choreographers and 79 dancers, promises to provide the Grove City College community and their families a mystical time.

“This show is different from anything we have done in Orchesis before. It is artistic, creative and interpretive, which highlights all of the things I think Orchesis does so well. The theme is an excellent way to carry on the tradition of Orchesis as a united com-

munity that glorifies God through dance,” sophomore choreographer Emma Conrad said.

“The Elements” consists of 20 student-choreographed dances each embodying a particular quality of the element they portray. With a variety of different dance disciplines on display – and so many unique interpretations on the theme to showcase – this production is sure to move you like a warm summer breeze.

“My favorite dance is Aria Welch’s, which represents

roots! It is a very sentimental and generational piece about the seniors grounding the Orchesis Dance Company and the freshman growing into that role,” Conrad said.

With so many beautiful dances like the one Conrad describes, “The Elements” will surely have you firmly planted in your seat and burning with the desire to see more. The company, which has been working since the start of the semes-

ORCHESIS 3

An outlier among higher ed

Violet Whitmore News Editor Emma Rossi Editor-in-Chief

Last month, a poll emailed to the student body recorded results from students across all academic disciplines at the College regarding political preferences, affiliation and opinions on abortion. The survey garnered 511 responses—22 percent of the

student body.

The poll demonstrates the unique culture and beliefs of Grove City students in measurable values, opening a cross-campus dialogue about issues surrounding abortion and two-party politics.

The statistics that resulted from this year’s installment of the poll opened conversations across campus regarding disparities in the pro-life movement, as well as op-

portunities for dialogue and education.

Most college campuses in the nation report opposite results to those gathered in this poll. What was already assumed- that Grove City is an outlier in the landscape of American college campuses, was confirmed.

When comparing this year’s poll results to those of previous years, it seems students are growing more

and more disillusioned with the candidates chosen to represent the Republican and Democratic parties. One thing remains the same, however, and that is that this is a majority conservative aligned campus. When asked who they anticipated supporting in the 2024 presidential election, 46 percent said Donald

Students battle for investor support

Emma Rossi Editor-in-Chief

After months of laborious planning and preparation, eight student-run businesses are ready to compete in the Wolverine Venture Battle (WVB).

The Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation (E+I) is set to host the 2024 installment of the annual competition on May 3. What began in mid-February is now down to the final round, during which students will have eight minutes to pitch their businesses to a panel of “investors.” Following their pitch, the teams will face six minutes of Q&A.

This year, the panel consists of 14 investors. Each of these individuals has experienced notable success in the business world, and many are returning to the Venture Battle for a second or third year. Of the 14, 11 are alumni.

One of these businesses is Carpenter, a faith-focused social enterprise program using woodworking kits to facilitate mentoring relationships with fatherless boys. Seniors Ethan David and Luke Mantzell and junior David Crowley developed their idea through work in their capstone for the entrepreneurship major.

David spoke of the WVB’s impact on his business and work as a student.

“This event is invaluable; not only do you have an opportunity to practice public speaking, diligent research and storytelling, but also the opportunity to connect with some of the highest caliber businesspeople acting as judges in this competition. Hearing their feedback on our idea and its delivery only helps us strengthen our business model and pitch! Sometimes, those connections can lead to work opportunities,” David said.

The investors’ jobs begin in the first phase of the competition’s third round when

GRACE DAVID

Seniors Alarie Findley and Ari Campbell stand with President McNulty after being awarded Man and Woman of the Year. Read about the nominees on page 6.

JONATHAN BUCCI

The price of Perspectives

My acquisition of the title, Perspectives Editor, happened almost completely by chance in the early semester of my sophomore year. The managing editor at the time, Caleb West, approached me one evening after I’d mentioned my interest for writing in passing and asked what I typically preferred writing about. After a brief short circuit, I responded: “Op-eds.” He’d asked if I had previous journalism experience. I said yes. He hired me.

I did two things. 1) I promptly called my mom to tell her all about my new gig. 2) I googled the definition of an op-ed (you know, just to be sure).

The role was accompanied by a big question: Will I be able to remain objective? It’s no secret where our college lies on the political spectrum and I can’t imagine subtly is my strong suit, either. Perspectives is about fostering discourse, creating change and providing the public with a direct platform to make themselves heard. The genuine fear that I could keep that from happening on campus was one I anticipated a struggle with almost instantly.

I reminded myself constantly that humans cannot achieve complete objectivity. It’s simply not in our nature. I also found myself truly enjoying interaction with my writers. They’re people with true passion and conviction who, like me, believe in the power of the pen and dedicate themselves to it. I’m confident that my writers do what they do with the intention of putting good into the world.

Of course, there is the slight occasion in which my human nature seeps through. From time to time something enters my inbox that strikes me as so against my beliefs that I question what good would occur should we decide to publish it.

I think about the reputation of the college. I think about my reputation being associated with the college. And while articles in the Perspectives section do not represent the views of the Collegian, they do represent the majority of the student body.

The realm of my job stretches far enough for me to keep distasteful and undefended articles from seeing the stands. But sometimes, my conscience asks me if what I’m publishing is immoral. “If this piece were to print, would I be ashamed of my school? Does this go against my morals?”

At this point, I remind myself why I love doing what I do. Perspectives is about fostering discourse, creating change and providing the public with a direct platform to make themselves heard. Is this really true if I cherry-pick what goes in based on what I believe? Maybe what’s being said is completely against my beliefs, but my beliefs aren’t the standard.

If we were to define what’s in and what’s out by a singular set of opinions, diversity would cease, and the purpose of the Perspectives section would crumble. The purpose of free speech would crumble. It’s a founding principle of our newspaper, of our college and of our nation.

The right to speak is one we can all enjoy and one that Grove City College will not neglect. In my darkest moments of bias, I am reminded of this virtue and I am wholly grateful.

Grace Scheller Managing Editor

It’s a small world

Vince Clay Entertainment Editor

Recently, I have spent some time abroad- actually, the whole semester- in Florence, Italy through the study abroad program at Grove City College. When The Collegian team asked me to write about my experience, I jumped at the opportunity. My experience in a foreign country has not only opened my eyes to new cultures and ways of life but has also taught me valuable life lessons. It feels good to be back to writing for the paper, even if it is to simply share my thoughts.

In my humble opinion, travel stories or memoirs (and travel editorials, for that matter) are tedious and boring to the extreme. How many times have we all been cornered by someone who has been gifted the opportunity to travel overseas and who subsequently brags about their purchases and complains about the language barrier and romanticizes some beach that sells cocktails for cheap? They even have a souvenir collection from every town they have ever been to. And like a sleeve of bad tattoos, they will show you and explain each one.

I was drawn to Florence through the urging of my friends Ginger and Kinley, who are here with me. In every way, I was the English major who was ready to live the life of croissants and cappuccinos, slow mornings and “la dolce vita”. In a mythological sense, I “made it out”. Other than Grove, I had nev-

er flown or been more than a state away from family and friends.

It’s true, the croissants are great, and so are the cappuccinos. I have several cafés that I frequent on my way to classes, and each day I pass by the Duomo, one of the most iconic and awe-inspiring churches in the world. The bridges that cross the Arno, the river that lazily flows through downtown, offer a beautiful view of the city and the gorgeous peaks that surround it. At sunset, it is a sight to behold, cloaked in warm streetlights and cigarette smoke and the sound of friends having a night out on the town after a day of school. It is strange and foreign, yet human and comforting.

To state the obvious (or not-so-obvious), I landed on the Mediterranean coast an over-eager and neurotic sophomore ready for a change of pace, a change of perspective, and a change in life. Yet, the funny thing is, after nearly a semester of assimilating to Italian culture, I remain an over-eager and neurotic sophomore seeking some divine inspiration that will change my life. Given this, what exactly is that magic called “studying abroad”, and the exciting life it promises? What is there to gain?

The short answer is: so much. In order to grow, we need to be bent, challenged, and prodded. Perhaps the greatest challenge is to leave one’s life behind to pursue academics, friendships, and wonders in a place where no one knows your name, and no one can understand what you are saying. To open up the curtains each morning and to look upon a foreign

street and see people across the globe laughing, crying, bartering, and traveling, and to not only to look upon it, but to accept it with humility and an open perspective. The day you realize you know nothing is the day you see everything you can know.

The glories of human potential are everywhere, etched in the perfect sculptures of Donatello and Michelangelo and mined in the mosaic floors of the basilicas of St. Peter and St. Mark. However, the need for order and beauty and truth is just as strong- just ask the woman who lost everything to a street thief, or the man on the corner who struggles to hold a job and find a bed to sleep in at night. In many ways, these things are everywhere and unchanging, familiar to all of us. To go about each day with kindness and openness and the ability to see beauty is a perspective that is worth everything to pursue. Without a doubt, living across the world has been a privilege yet a sacrifice that brings my friends and I closer to this life lesson.

Perhaps it is a good thing that it is not all about croissants, lattes, views, and cheap drinks. Luckily, there are better things in store: the understanding that we are all human, and that love for your neighbor who may speak differently or live differently or wear different clothes or drinks darker coffee than you is a powerful thing. A slow morning is only the cherry on top.

P.S. To my fellow English majors, I did visit the church where Dante met Beatrice yesterday.

VINCE CLAY

All-campus sing groups go for the win

Violet Whitmore News Editor

Greek Groups on campus will face off this weekend as they compete to win best performance at the 67th annual All College Sing.

However, for the first time in 10 years, an independent group under the name Tau Mu Chi will perform in the competition. Their partici-

pation also marks the first time in program history that a group of independent men will perform at All College Sing.

The 14 remaining groups consist of sororities, fraternities and housing groups performing classic songs such as Earth Wind and Fire’s ‘September,’ the Bee Gees’ ‘More Than A Woman’ and Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You.’ Show tunes like ‘You Can’t Stop the

Beat’ from the Broadway musical ‘Hairspray’ and Frozen II’s ‘Frozen Heart’ will also be featured in the lineup.

Practice for the performances began on Mar. 15. Since then, groups have come prepared with props, costumes and entertaining songs they hope will secure them the win.

Though Alpha Beta Tau won last year’s All College Sing, senior emcee Lauren

On view at Breen: ‘The Fruits of Hate’

Kristiana Shirk Staff Writer

This semester, Grove City College French students have undertaken the skillful task of translating historical documents related to the German occupation of France. Led by Chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Associate Professor of French Dr. Kesley Madsen, the students translated documents from Dr. David Rosenberg’s collection presented in “The Fruits of Hate” exhibit.

When the German armies invaded Amiens, France in 1940 during World War II, they required all Jews to be registered. In 1942, they required registered Jews to wear the yellow star of David when out in public. Only about one month later, the German authorities rounded up about 7,000 Jews and sent them to various camps.

In 2017, Dr. Rosenberg searched for the history of those people, and with what he found, he put together the exhibit to display the lives of the people in Amiens. About a year ago, Dr. Madsen worked with advanced French students to contribute translations to Dr. Rosenberg’s exhibit, and this semester they have brought the exhibit to campus.

With every passing year, people become more detached from the impact of

WWII and the heartbreak of the Holocaust. That is why exhibits like this one are important. “I hope this will invite reflection on historical injustice and remind us of our own duty in the present to work to preserve a free and equal society,” Dr. Madsen said.

“I’m grateful that Dr. Rosenberg has given us this opportunity to work alongside him in his effort to preserve the stories of Jewish men, women and children who were unjustly arrested and deported during the Occupation. He could have done the translation himself – or I could have – but having students translate the documents allowed them to apply their French skills as a form of public service and also to cultivate a personal, humanized link with individuals and their stories,” Dr. Madsen said.

Not only does the exhibit provide a new perspective for the visitors, but it intrigued and challenged the students who worked on the translations. Sarah Graham, a sophomore psychology major with French and English minors, “translated a letter by a Jewish man, Fernand Kahn, to the French prefect requesting to be excused from wearing the Star of David, the Jewish insignia.”

“Here is a man who has two sons abroad fighting – one of whom is in a POW camp –

whose house burned down, who saw himself financially destroyed twice, whose family has been buried in French burial grounds for three or more generations, and yet he maintains a steady pride throughout the entirety of his letter. He does not grovel, but merely makes a request, laying down his national identity, patriotism, commitment to his family and personal suffering as evidence for the validity of his claim,” Graham said.

In addition to Graham and the other French students, the students of Hilary Walczak, Director of College Archives and Galleries, installed the exhibit, and Dan Wolfe and his students contributed to the exhibit as well.

“I think it’s important for students and the community to see [the exhibit] because as we get further from WWII, it’s even more important to remember what happened so we can learn from it and work to not repeat it. I’m very thankful that Dr. Rosenberg allowed us to show his award-winning research and to allow so many of our students to be able to have hands-on experience with it,” Walczak said.

See “The Fruits of Hate” exhibit from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. from now until April 30 in the STU Great Room.

Border isn’t sure who will come out on top this year.

“There’s lots of great groups this year, and lots of underdogs that have been working hard. Honestly, I think it’s an even slate. My personal opinion is that the Sig Thets are coming for blood this year, and have a good chance of winning,” she said.

While the judges deliberate after the performances,

STUDENTS

continued from # they receive each team’s Investor Packet, which consists of an executive summary and a three-year financial plan for their business.

New to this year’s WVB is the addition of a mentorship program. Students have been given the opportunity to work with alumni mentors to fine-tune their pitches and curate their Investor Packets.

Senior Aly Mapes is a member of the team behind Striker Socks, a commercial endeavor focused on their product: performanceenhancing, injury-reducing socks for professional soccer players. She shared how beneficial the WVB is to student businesses.

“Participating in the WVB is a great way to gain access to all the resources required to pursue your idea. Teams receive access to mentorship, LivePlan software and anything else the team needs.

Additionally, if you’re someone like me who thrives on deadlines, the WVB will keep you disciplined and ensure you are consistently working on your business plan and making progress as each sub-

ORCHESIS

continued from 1

ter to bring this show to life, encourages viewers to go with the flow and truly take in the beauty of each and every piece.

“Orchesis is such a beautiful production! We have all put in so much effort to create an amazing show, and I bet there is someone in it that you know! It is my hope that people can enjoy the beauty of dance and the messages expressed on stage,” Conrad said.

other Greek Group awards will be announced. The highest GPA of women and men’s groups, the Sportsmanship award and the winner of the intermural fraternity games will be awarded during All Campus Sing.

The groups will take the stage this Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Physical Learning Center Arena.

mission date approaches,” Mapes said.

“And, as with any competition, you know you have to bring the best version of your business/idea. All of the businesses entering the WVB this year are incredible and truly unique, so my team and I know we have to bring our best in order to compete and win. We are constantly being pushed to be our best, while also pushing the other teams to bring their best to beat us.”

In the WVB, teams are typically comprised of students from a variety of majors, and the E+I prides itself on its ecosystem of opportunities available to such students.

E+I Program Manager Lynn Bashew ’84 explained the E+I’s ecosystem process. For some students competing in the WVB, their business is born in the Elevator Pitch competition and/or further curated during VentureLab and VentureLaunch, which both provide students with advising and development assistance.

“We want to give entrepreneurial students of all majors the help they need to realize their dreams and fulfill their life calling,” Bashew said.

With so many talented individuals coming together in such a beautiful way, “The Elements” is a show you certainly won’t want to miss.

With only two performances remaining, be sure to reserve your tickets in SAC today! The shows begin at 8 p.m. tonight and Saturday at 11:30 a.m. in the Grove City College Arena in the Physical Learning Center.

Gamma Sigma Phi performing at last year’s All Campus Sing. The sorority joins several other Greek groups on-stage during All-campus sing.

Rockwell review

Emma Rossi Editor-in-Chief

To get a better idea of what’s going on with Grove City College’s biggest constrction project in years, the Collegian interviewed John Kamer, Project Manager for Landau Building Company.

What are some unique challenges you’ve encountered while working on a historic structure compared to modern buildings?

Rockwell Hall was built during the Depression era, and evidence suggests the original builders used whatever materials were on hand and available at the time.

During demolition, we encountered a mix of concrete block, brick, terra cotta tile and grout, all cobbled together in one section of wall.

Some of the structural steel members are not the size indicated on the original drawings, nor do they sit on the masonry walls in a manner that would be standard practice in today’s engineering.

One of the most unique challenges Landau has faced involved the removal and rebuilding of the interior corridor structural bearing walls, which also had to support the Tower and chimneys over the past several months. This required shoring up sections of a 112-foot-high masonry tower while surgically removing sections underneath it! It’s not every day you come across a project of this structural complexity.

What phase of the project is the team in

right now? (What’s the main focus that takes up the day?)

Inside the existing Rockwell Hall, our crews are currently constructing new walls, and installing piping, ductwork and electrical conduit. This fit-out work will continue into the summer, including the hanging of new drywall to follow thereafter. Outside of Rockwell Hall,

the new connector’s concrete foundations are close to completion and the structural steel frame will be erected in late May.

This company has worked with a lot of colleges like ours. How has Grove City proven itself to be unique?

The Operations Department at Grove City College

has been remarkable to work with. They hold trust in Landau to fulfill the project’s goals, and we hold a dedication to them for allowing us to be a partner in this oncein-a-lifetime project. The physical campus has its constraints for job site access, but they are minimal compared to working within a crowded urban campus with traffic, road closures and ad-

jacent buildings that are not part of the campus. Our interaction with students and staff on the Grove City College campus has been not only positive but also an absolute pleasure.

While you’re on our campus every day, there’s a fence separating the workers from the students. What would

Alum impacts internationally

Emily Fox Community Editor

You can be anything you want to be.

Many of us might remember hearing our parents say this when we were kids, opening our imaginations to endless fantasies about our futures. Few of us can say we turned our biggest childhood dreams into reality. Dr. Randy Wilber ’76 is one of the few whose childhood dreams followed him into adulthood, and now, he serves some of the top athletes in the world.

Dr. Wilber has both an

impressive and diverse resume. He is a Grove City College alumnus, a former high school track coach, a Jack Kennedy Memorial Alumni Achievement Award Winner and a senior physiologist at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He’s worked with some of the best athletes in the U.S., including Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky, but it all started with a coffee table.

Wilber told his story on a 2023 episode of the Mid the Pines Podcast. His fascination and appreciation for the Olympic Games began on his eighth birthday when he received the “Olympics Past and Present” coffee table book. Young Wilber read about the history of the Olympic games and was drawn to how the games brought together enemies and allies alike in ancient Greece through sportsmanship.

He majored in History at Grove City and initially planned on pursuing Law

after college. He ran for the Wolverine Track and CrossCountry teams at the College.

“What I learned at Grove City College was critical in helping me make the transition from an adolescent Christian to an adult Christian. I am forever grateful to my professors, fellow students and college leaders for the faith-based baccalaureate education I received at Grove City College. It provided me with a robust theological foundation going forward into the world.” Wilber said.

He was first introduced to exercise physiology while

coaching high school track in Florida. After reading on how to better serve his runners, he decided to pursue a career in the subject. Wilber earned his master’s degree in physiology from Florida State and began the doctoral program. He applied for a postdoctoral program at the United States Olympic Training Center but didn’t hear back. Still, he didn’t give up and interviewed with the Center the next year. The rest is history.

Wilber’s faith has carried

Meditations on love & family: A letter from Dr. Love

As family and friends arrive at the College’s campus for the long-anticipated Family Weekend, I’m sure many of you have missed your family and are excited to see them and show them around. Missing the comfort of being around one’s family can be hard for students. I bet lots of Grovers miss their mom’s homecooked meals and spending time with their family.

For the first 18 years of our lives, we spent most of our time with our families and learned most everything we know from them. When we leave home for college, there’s definitely a learning curve on both sides. Some of us have small families, some of us are only children and some of us have 12 siblings. Regardless of the size of the family, the love binding families together is unrivaled by any other relationship we have experienced so

far.

While there are many miles between Grove City College and its students’ homes, Facetime and texting have made it easy to stay in touch with those we love! Distance suddenly doesn’t seem like such a roadblock when we can hear someone’s voice at any time. For some, perhaps the distance has made them grow even closer to their loved ones.

As many people have found, being away from family can be lonely. However, Grovers find friends they can consider as close

as family. We share meals and spend time with each other. When home is too far away, friends take friends to their homes or stay on Grove City’s lovely campus to spend breaks with each other.

With God as our Father, we are called to be family to one another. When we see someone lost or adrift, it is up to us to make sure they feel loved. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ, which means we all share a nearly unbreakable bond. As one family, we love and care for one another, even if we aren’t actually related.

The bond of family is truly something special and not to be taken for granted. Whenever you see your family next, tell them you love them! (I mean, of course you do, but saying it out loud has a big impact). I hope you all have a fantastic time during this Family Weekend.

“So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” – Romans 12:5

Sparks fly as the construction team from Landau Building Company works to create an efficient and comfortable space for students.

WILBER

at the SGA Coffeehouse happening May 1 at 6:30.

Coffee and chords

Catharine Runion Contributing Writer

The Student Government Association’s (SGA) spring Coffee House concert is just around the corner. On Wednesday, students can make their way to the Student Union for a night of coffee, community and live music.

Coffee House takes place a couple of times every semester. It’s a student-run, student-led concert aiming to highlight musical talent on campus. Everything is played live by student groups, providing performance opportunities for musicians who don’t fall specifically under the bracket of the music or theatre departments.

The event most frequently features acoustic acts, but it isn’t limited to soft, slow music. In the past, Coffee House has seen the Student Union lit up with rock numbers, saxophone solos and rousing sing-alongs. Whatever the vibe is, students can expect an entertaining evening.

Auditions took place this

past weekend, and SGA executives finished selecting musicians on Wednesday. The lineup consists of several talented students each performing 15-minute sets.

The show begins with a group called Southern, followed by The Mill Sisters, a Lizzy McAlpine set, and ABBA 2. At 7:30 Jenna, Hector and Cam take the stage followed by Haddon and Gwen, Joel and Manny, trio Sonya, Susan and Caroline and ending with Where’s my Saxophone.

The event is extremely popular amongst the student body, and performances frequently pack the Student Union. Junior Vice President of Social Affairs Chloe Berger said, “This is one of my favorite on-campus events because it creates an opportunity for student musicians to perform. It’s such a fun environment to do homework or just hang out.”

Coffee House is not merely an event for lovers of music and supportive friends. It also holds a special place in the hearts of the caffeineaddicted students on campus

– there’s always free coffee! SGA frequently works with the local coffee shop, Collage, to sponsor the event. Past offerings have included both hot and iced coffee and, for those who are not avid coffee drinkers, they sometimes serve hot chocolate and tea. Finals are just around the corner, so extra coffee and a good study break are welcome comforts for most Grovers. “It’s a great opportunity to escape from studying and end-of-semester stress,” Vice President of Social Affairs Abigail Haught said. “Coffee Houses have had a special place in my heart ever since I was a freshman. I appreciate how it brings students from all areas of campus together for a cozy evening in the Student Union,” Haught said. “It’s a wonderful way to relax for a while and to support my friends in their performances.”

Coffee House will take place from 6:30 to 8:45 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 in the Breen Student Union building.

New Beginnings protects life

Emily Fox Community Editor

The New Beginnings Pregnancy Center, a network of pregnancy resource centers throughout western Pennsylvania committed to walking alongside and guiding new parents has a location just 20 minutes from the Grove City College located in Sandy Lake Wesleyan Church.

Since May 2019, New Beginnings has provided clients access to free virtual parenting classes and a mentorship program for fathers. The parenting classes are part of a learn-to-earn program allowing parents to receive currency for the center’s shop, where they can purchase both new and slightly

used items for babies such as diapers, wipes and clothing.

New Beginnings is a Christian, pro-life nonprofit completely reliant on both financial donations and donated items for their store. The organization’s client base is mainly composed of single working moms, but it also serves pregnant women and families of children up to three years of age.

The parenting courses teach mothers and fathers about a range of subjects, such as labor and delivery, child development, potty training, discipline and even budgeting. The parenting classes and the father’s mentorship program were developed from the BrightCourse curriculum. Fathers

can also meet virtually with mentors to discuss maintaining healthy relationships and Biblical fatherhood. The Sandy Lake location is currently collaborating with a group of writing students from the College to develop new publicity materials for the center.

The nonprofit’s parent organization, Promise of Life Network, was founded in the 1980s when the Slippery Rock Crisis Pregnancy Center and the Habakkuk Pregnancy Resource Center combined. Now, the network offers a range of educational and medical resources to families including New Beginnings Centers at various locations throughout west-

BEGINNINGS 6

Seven questions with… ODK Professor of the Year

Dr. Michael Falcetta

How did you feel when you found out you were Professor of the Year?

I was surprised, honored and thankful.

If you could teach a class in another _discipline for one day, which would you choose?

Great question. Assuming I’m actually qualified as a subject matter expert, I’d enjoy teaching a physics class in quantum mechanics. If I could teach anything I wanted – and something I wish I was qualified to teach – it would be something in the Old Testament. Alas, I am just a humble chemist!

How would you describe your perfect day?

Our whole family would be together at a beach house. We’d make breakfast together, lots of fruit, but also homemade waffles. Then, we’d take a long walk on the beach with our dog, Eigen – a large, all-black goldendoodle who gets a lot of attention when we walk the beach. Since we’re all introverts, we’d take a few hours for ourselves after we get back to the house. My time would be spent reading something interesting or working on a chemistry research project. My wife would create artwork with her watercolors and our daughter would probably take a nap! For lunch, we’d have fresh ahi tuna over a salad with plenty of fresh veggies, and perfectly timed on my perfect day, several of our closest friends would happen to arrive just in time for lunch! More beach time, lots of good conversations, naptime for the little ones, maybe a few board games. For dinner, we grill chicken and veggie kabobs and our daughter makes homemade naan bread and tzatziki sauce! More board games, conversation and dessert. Then, we all watch Guardians of the Galaxy 4 – which is released at the perfect time for us to watch it together; it is way better than the

What’s your go-to Chick-fil-A order?

Large grilled nuggets, no fries – trying to be good, BBQ sauce and in times of decadence – like twice a year- a frozen lemonade. I’m much more adventurous at Thai or Indian restaurants.

What is the first thing you would do if you won the lottery?

After doing responsible things, I would take three family trips over three summers: a small coastal village in Italy, somewhere in the Irish or Scottish countryside and New Zealand (Lord of the Rings tour). I definitely wouldn’t stop working!

What is one trend from when you were growing up that you wish would come back?

Well, it’s not disco. I think I miss the idea that if you wanted to watch a movie or TV show, you did that together with people and you actually had to schedule it.

What are you looking forward to doing this summer?

All the parts of my perfect day - just not in 24 hours! After graduation, my wife and I will spend a good portion of the summer in North Carolina with our daughter who lives just 10 miles from the ocean, so we get to the beach a lot. We’ll visit with former students who are like family –some of whom happen to have very cute kids – play board games, share lots of home-cooked meals, watch the occasional movie and hang out with our North Carolina friends. I’ll also get time to read. I’m about halfway through a 900-page biblical theology of the New Testament by Beale and work on some chemistry research projects. I’m ready for summer!

WHAT’S FRESH AT THE GROVE

In Pew...

GCCConcertSingers

April 26 at 6 p.m.

Arnold Recital Hall

Enjoy hits from Broadway and movies including ‘Pitch Perfect’ and ‘Hamilton.’

Read more on page 7

At the PLC... Orchesis: The Elements

April 26 at 8 p.m.

April 27 at 11:30 a.m.

PLC Arena

See 20 student coreographed dances performed by 79 students.

Read more on page 1

In the Student Union... “The Fruits of Hate” Holocaust Exhibit

April 26 from 9 to 6.

April 27 from 9 to 3.

STU Great Room

View student translated documents from the WWII occupation of France.

Read more on page 3

At the PLC... All College Sing

April 27 at 7 p.m.

PLC Arena

Come see GCC fraternities and sororities as well as an independent group perform this weekend in the PLC.

Read more on page 3

3rd installment. Since it’s a perfect day, I get to sleep by 10 p.m.!

ABIGAIL HAUGHT

ODK honorees

Meet the 2024 nominees for Senior Man and Woman of the Year

Alarie Findley

East Earl, Pa.

She is a Trustee Fellow and gifted violinist, she played for three years in the String Quartet and is currently the concertmaster for both the Symphonic Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra. She has served as a leader in Orientation Board, Senior Women’s Bible Study, MECE Student Leadership Club, and her Senior Capstone Research Group. Alarie has worked as a Physics TA and exam proctor for Disability Services, participated in the Deeply Rooted mentorship program, and served on ICO Ashland. She also played IM Spikeball for three years and participated in the Ultimate Frisbee Club and the Human Powered Vehicles Club.

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Annalese Adderholt

Wheeling. W. Va.

She has served in SGA and Young Life throughout her college career and is currently the President of Young Life. She spent two years writing for The Collegian, served as editor for The Quad during her junior and senior years, and served for two years on a committee to interview prospective Biblical and Religious Studies faculty. Annalese was also a field starter and worship leader on the Women’s Soccer Team.

Carolyn Scott

Oxford, Ms.

She is a Trustee Scholar, she serves on SGA and is a fellow with the Institute for Faith & Freedom. Cara writes and edits for Checkpoint News, Cogitare, and the GCC Law Journal. Cara is also involved in the Women’s Discipleship Group, the Imago Dei Advisory Council, the Lux Mea Film Festival, the International Discipleship Group, the Deeply Rooted mentorship program, Homecoming Committee, and the Curriculum Review Committee.

Megan Gagnier

Pompey, N.Y.

She is a trustee scholar, she has studied abroad at the University of Salamanca and served as a research assistant in the Modern Languages Department. Megan has worked as a Student Ambassador for the Admissions Office, a PFAC Student Technician,and a Teaching Assistant for the Spanish Department. Megan has held leadership roles in Orientation Board, The Well Bible Study, Omicron Delta Kappa, and Alpha Psi Omega Theatre Honorary.

Caroline Garrett

Hillsborough, N.C.

She is a member of the Gamma Sigma Phi sorority, she has served as a Teaching Assistant in the BARS department, Team Leader for ICO Chattanooga, mentor in the Deeply Rooted program, and volunteer with the Hillcrest PCA Youth Group. During summer 2023, she served as a ministry volunteer in Cambodia with the Global Outreach Program. Caroline has also been a leader in Orientation Board, the Senior Women’s Bible Study, and New Life.

Gagnier, Spanish Secondary Education major with a minor in Musical Theatre from Pompey, N.Y.; Caroline Garrett, a Biology major from Hillsborough, N.C.; and Carolyn Scott, a dual Philosophy and French major from Oxford, Miss.

Campbell, a Biology/ Health major with a minor in Biblical and Religious Studies from Memphis, Tenn., is a Trustee Scholar and volunteered for two months in Cambodia with the Global Outreach Program, led ICO

BEGINNINGS

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Chattanooga for three years, served as President of New Life, worked as a freshman RA, led 24-Hour Worship, and participated in the MENtorship program.

Campbell conducts research with Dr. Brian Yowler and is a Student Ambassador for the Pre-Health Society, as well as an active member of TriBeta Biology Honor Society. He has played on the men’s soccer team and participated in multiple IM sports leagues since his freshman year. Ari has been inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa and is the recipient of the Frederick S. Kring Lead-

Ari Campbell

Memphis, Tn.

He is a Trustee Scholar, he volunteered for two months in Cambodia with the Global Outreach Program, led ICO Chattanooga for three years, served as President of New Life, worked as a freshman RA, led 24-Hour Worship, and participated in the MENtorship program. Ari conducts research with Dr. Yowler and is a Student Ambassador for the Pre-Health Society, as well as an active member of TriBeta Biology Honor Society. He has played on the Men’s Soccer Team and participated in multiple IM sports leagues since his freshman year. Ari has been inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa and is the recipient of the Frederick S. Kring Leadership Award.

ership Award. Man of the Year nominees also included: Ethan David, an Entrepreneurship major with a minor in Biblical and Religious Studies from Mars, Pa.; Timothy Gibson, a Mechanical Engineering major from Warminster, Pa.; Collier Kaufman, an Exercise Science major from Lowell, Mich.; and Kristopher Sekera, a Finance major from Trafford, Pa.

The awards are presented jointly by the leadership honoraries Mortar Board and Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) as a service to Grove City College. Man and Wom-

Ethan David

Mars, Pa.

He is the co-founder of Resense, an award-winning company that helps dementia patients and their caregivers. He is also a Team Leader for ICO Tucson, Vice President in the Alpha Epsilon Chi housing group, Sunrise Service leader for Orientation Board, President of Mortar Board Honor Society, and Vice President of the CEO Club. Ethan has been inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa and is a recipient of the Andrew S. Korim Original Thought Scholarship.

Timothy Gibson

Warminster, Pa.

He is a member of the Omicron Xi fraternity, he has served as Team Leader for the Outer-Mountain Outreach Service Trip, participated in the Global Outreach Program, and volunteered as a Youth Group Leader and Sunday School Teacher at Grace Anglican Church. Tim has also played varsity football, club ice hockey, and multiple IM sports. He has been inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board and is a recipient of the Edward G. Young Scholarship.

Collier Kaufman

Lowell, Mich.

He has served as Captain of the Varsity Tennis Team, Vice President of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, and Chaplain for Round Table Honor Society. Collier has also served with New Life Ministries, ICO Dominican Republic, Orientation Board, the MENtor Project, and Residence Life. Additionally, he has played IM sports since his freshman year and is a member of the Exercise Science Club and Omicron Delta Kappa.

Kristopher Sekera

Trafford, Pa.

He is a leader in the Beta Sigma fraternity, he also serves as Captain of the Men’s Club Volleyball Team, Vice President of New Life Ministries, Executive Leader of Orientation Board, and Trip Leader for ICO Atlanta. Kristopher has also worked as a TA and been involved in 24-Hour Worship, Met By Love, IM sports, and inter-fraternal sports.

an of the Year selections are made based on scholarship, leadership, and service. The candidates were voted on by students and faculty.

Dr. Michael F. Falcetta, professor of Chemistry, was presented with the 2024 ODK Professor of the Year award on Wednesday. Falcetta joined the faculty in 2003 and has taught general chemistry, physical chemistry, molecular modeling, and other courses over the years. He has also served as an adviser to student organizations, most recently Phi Omega Sigma, the “Possums” men’s housing group.

An expert in physical chemistry, Falcetta is an active researcher who publishes regularly with his Grove City College collaborator Dr. Mark Fair in leading journals, including The Journal of Physical Chemistry, and speaks at scientific meetings and conferences.

Whether teaching nonSTEM students, engineers, or chemistry majors, students say he is known for his ability to explain complicated ideas in a way that makes chemistry both understandable and engaging.

The Alpha Omega Medical Centers provide free ultrasounds, STD testing, pregnancy tests and women’s wellness visits to mothers.

Alpha Omega also detects cases of sex trafficking and

ern Pennsylvania and several Alpha Omega Medical Centers. The nondenominational nonprofit is dedicated to supporting the pro-life movement by providing women with resources, helping them choose life and continuing to be present with the women throughout their pregnancy and post-partum.

domestic violence helping mothers escape from dangerous situations.

Alpha Omega has significantly contributed to helping mothers choose life. The Promise of Life website states that over 95 percent of atrisk mothers choose life after getting an ultrasound and receiving information about their pregnancy options. In 2018, the centers prevented 63 abortions.

ed by Promise of Life May 18 in Grove City’s Memorial Park.

Students wanting to support the work of New Beginnings and Promise of Life can donate financial resources to the main New Beginnings location in New Castle, donate items to their store or attend the 5K run/walk for life host-

Additionally, from 1 to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday, students can donate items like diapers, wipes and lotions to the Sandy Lake store location at 3096 Sandy Lake Grove City Rd.

Family Weekend booked with four concerts

Emma Rossi Editor-in-Chief

Campus is especially busy during Family Weekend, and the College’s Department of Music is no exception. This weekend, four groups will be putting on concerts for visitors, students and staff.

Tonight from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., The GCC Singers will be performing in the Arnold Recital Hall in Pew Fine Arts Center (PFAC).

The GCC Singers is a women’s choir made up of 27 singers from all different majors and choral backgrounds. For this weekend’s performance, the choir will be performing music heard in movies, on television and from the Broadway Stage.

Those in attendance can look forward to an acapella arrangement of ‘Just the Way You Are/Just a Dream’ from the movie ‘Pitch Perfect,’ another movie hit ‘City of Stars’ from ‘La La Land’ and from Broadway’s ‘Hamilton,’ ‘Dear Theodosia.’

The show will feature many other songs performed by the choir, soloists and instrumental accompaniment. The soloists for this year’s concert are junior Naomi Blankenship, sophomore Mary Rose Tamburrino, freshman Hannah Jen and freshman Evelyn Montone.

The choir is under the direction of Dr. Stacy Paparone ’93 and accompanied by senior Katherine Hatfield and sophomore Faith Chapman.

“The women of this choir have been working diligently to prepare an exciting slate of songs for the concert. It is always fun to kick off the series of Music Department concerts that take place on Family Weekend,” Paparone said.

Later this evening, the

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him through some of his toughest battles. “Throughout my career, I have always relied on a phrase that my parents imparted to me as a child. They told me, ‘Go to bed, don’t worry about it and put it in God’s hands.’ Since they first told me that, I’ve faced many challenging times when I have ‘put it in God’s hands. In August 2018, I was diagnosed with Stage-4 metastatic cancer, a medical challenge that comes with an ominous set of statistics. It was the greatest challenge in my life, so I ‘put it in God’s hands.’ On August 31, 2023, I marked five years since my diagnosis and thank the good Lord for every new day going forward. I believe he has ‘more work’ for me to do, especially helping others who are less fortunate than me.”

At the Olympic Training Center, Randy trains mainly track and swimming athletes to deal with conditions such as altitude, heat, exercise-induced asthma and even jet lag. Most recently, he received a position on the International Olympic Committee International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Program (ICECP), where he mentors coaches from underdeveloped countries across the globe. These coaches develop a program for their sports they present to the International Olympic

Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble will perform at 7:30 p.m. in Kelter Auditorium in PFAC.

The Symphonic Band will present four pieces, two of which will feature student conductors. Senior Patrick Onofrey will conduct ‘Undertow’ by John Mackey. Onofrey’s work with DAW software to program electronic sounds will also be featured in a newer piece titled ‘Deus Ex Machina,’ which will open the concert. Junior Evan Misekja will conduct ‘Colorado Peaks’ by Dana Wilson.

For the Symphonic Band’s fourth piece, three of the trumpeters, Misekja, sophomore Liam Cummings and junior Andrew Stine, will be featured in the performance of ‘Bugler’s Holiday’ by Leroy Anderson.

The Wind Ensemble will perform two selections. The first is Robert W. Smith’s ‘Aces.’ Director of Bands Dr. Andrew Erb spoke to the significance of the piece.

“Smith, a well-known and important composer of wind band literature, passed away in 2023, so we perform this not only to honor the Air Force but also as a tribute to Smith’s enormous contributions to the band world,” Erb said.

The wind ensemble will end the concert with a piece titled ‘Meridian’ by Ola Gjeilo.

“This work is a lot of fun to play and features an incredible piano part played by junior Allison Harnly,” Erb said.

To close the weekend’s series of concerts, the Jazz Ensemble and GCC Stage Band will perform at 1 p.m. on Saturday in Crawford Auditorium. The band’s director, Dr. John Hasper, spoke of

Committee (IOC) to receive an IOC certificate which allows them to advance their careers and support their families. In 2023, 35 coaches from 35 countries in 24 different sports earned a certificate.

“I was very proud to witness the graduation of the four coaches that I mentored over the duration of the 2022-2023 ICECP Course….

Three of the four coaches I mentored graduated with the distinction of ‘high honors.’ I have stayed in contact with all of them and am very happy to report that they are doing well, both professionally and personally.”

“They continue to advance in their professional careers, and they have emerged as strong leaders within their respective countries. For example, Mr. Armstrong was named as the Head Coach of the Barbados National Team that competed in the 2023 World Track & Field Championships held in Budapest, Hungary in August 2023. I was able to reunite with Ramon and witness one of his athletes, Sada Williams, earn the bronze medal in the W 400 m event,” Wilber said.

Wilber mentored three coaches in the 2023-24 class of ICECP, including track coaches from the Cape Verde Islands and Bosnia & Herzegovina, as well as a table tennis coach from Kosovo. Each presented their plans to the Olympic Committee in

the excitement surrounding the concert.

“I am continually amazed by the talent and dedication of these musicians. Their level of musicianship is even more remarkable when you notice that only a small handful of the 24 musicians are music majors or minors. These groups exemplify my belief that you don’t have to be a music major to be a terrific musician,” Hasper said.

The Ensemble will feature vocalist sophomore Olivia Falasca, who will sing songs by Norah Jones, Sammy Rae & The Friends and Ella Fitzgerald.

“Olivia is an exceptional talent, and her performance will undoubtedly captivate the audience and leave a lasting impression,” Hasper said.

The concert will also feature solos by trumpeter Misejka and freshman trombonist Henry Tan.

“The Family Weekend jazz concert is special though, as a showcase for the remarkable talent of our students,” Hasper said. “It’s an honor to work with such dedicated and talented musicians, and it’s rewarding for all of us to see the families in the audience. I am particularly honored to have worked with our graduating seniors for several years and cannot express my appreciation for their hard work enough.”

On Sunday at 4:30 p.m. in Harbison Chapel, a concert featuring the combined Concert Choir and Touring Choirs will perform Mozart’s Requiem. Under the direction of Associate Professor of Music Dr. Katherine Mueller and accompanied by organist Dr. Bradley Fitch, the choirs will present this monumental work.

March.

Dr. Wilber leaves for the Olympic Games in Paris on June 11, where he will serve Team USA for almost three months managing several facilities in a few different countries, including the San Moritz Altitude Training Base in Switzerland and Italy and the USA Track & Field Training Complex in Paris, France. Additionally, he will lead the Paris 2024 Heat & Humidity Prep Initiative for Team USA Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

Wilber’s life has consisted of a series of unexpected events and experiences, but ultimately, he has been rewarded for pursuing God’s plan for his life and has touched lives across the globe. my career, I have always relied on a phrase that my parents imparted to me as a child, they told me, ‘Go to bed, don’t worry about it and put it in God’s hands.’ Since they first told me that, I’ve faced many challenging times when I have ‘put it in God’s hands. In August 2018, I was diagnosed with Stage-4 metastatic cancer, a medical challenge that comes with an ominous set of statistics. It was the greatest challenge in my life, so I ‘put it in God’s hands.’ On August 31, 2023, I marked five years since my diagnosis and thank the good Lord for every new day going forward. I believe he has ‘more work’ for me to do, especially helping others who

Trump, three percent said Joe Biden, 12 percent said a third-party candidate and 38 percent said undecided. It was also found that 84 percent of students plan to vote in the 2024 election, while five percent do not, and 11 percent are unsure.

In contrast to a 2020 poll conducted by The Collegian of nearly 600 students, it was recorded that 67 percent of students voted for Trump, 18.55 percent voted for Biden and roughly eight percent voted for other. In 2016, a similar poll noted that 52.33 percent were planning to vote for Trump, 13 percent for Clinton, 18 percent voted for others and 15 percent were not voting.

The most recent poll shows the smallest amount of support for an election or candidate ever recorded at the College. When asked about their party affiliation in the 2024 poll, 61 percent voted Republican, five percent voted Democrat, 27 percent voted Independent and six percent said other. In the 2020 poll, 71 percent voted for a candidate and 29 percent went by party affiliation, in sharp contrast to newly collected data.

Paul Kengor, Senior Director and Chief Academic Fellow for The Institute for Faith & Freedom and professor of political science at the College, was not surprised by the results. “The numbers confirm what I expected, and frankly what one would expect from a college once named by the Princeton Review as ‘the most nostalgic for Reagan,’” he said.

“I also find interesting, and not surprising, the notable gap between those identifying as conservative and/or Republican and those planning to vote for Donald Trump. There’s a 20 percent-plus gap there. That’s quite revealing. It reflects the reality that a lot of young conservative Republicans are not big fans of Donald Trump.”

In addition to taking the campus’s political temperature, the results addressed the student body’s position on abortion. The data showed that 46 percent of students

are less fortunate than me.”

At the Olympic Training Center, Randy trains mainly track and swimming athletes to deal with conditions such as altitude, heat, exercise-induced asthma and even jet lag. Most recently, he received a position on the International Olympic Committee International Coaching Enrichment Certificate Program (ICECP), where he mentors coaches from underdeveloped countries across the globe. These coaches develop a program for their sports they present to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to receive an IOC certificate which allows them to advance their careers and support their families. In 2023, 35 coaches from 35 countries in 24 different sports earned a certificate.

“I was very proud to witness the graduation of the four coaches that I mentored over the duration of the 2022-2023 ICECP Course…. Three of the four coaches I mentored graduated with the distinction of ‘high honors.’ I have stayed in contact with all of them and am very happy to report that they are doing well, both professionally and personally.”

“They continue to advance in their professional careers, and they have emerged as strong leaders within their respective countries. For example, Mr. Armstrong was named as the Head Coach

said abortion should be illegal in all cases, 43 percent said it should be illegal in most cases and only 10 percent said abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

The Collegian poll asked students if abortion should be legal in certain circumstances, including cases of rape, incest, life of the mother and fetal abnormalities.

Over 60 percent of students polled at the College were opposed to exceptions in cases of incest, rape and fetal abnormalities. However, 42 percent supported abortions in case of life-threatening circumstances, 28 percent were opposed and 30 percent were uncertain.

Dr. Michael Coulter ‘91, Chair of the Political Science Department and humanities professor, was not surprised by the poll results. “National survey suggests young people identify as pro-choice, but there’s certainly a contingent of young people – such as those at Grove City College –who embrace the pro-life label,” he said. “GCC students are essentially the inverse of students nationally.”

Under three percent of students polled at the College were in support of abortion in all cases. Most divisions on campus are not between prolife or pro-choice advocates, but variations of how illegal abortion should be.

President of the Grove City College Life Advocates, junior Liliana Zylstra, does not view abortions that protect the life of the mother as inconsistent with the beliefs of the pro-life movement.

“There is some disagreement within the pro-life movement over what types of medical intervention should be considered an abortion and therefore over whether abortion can be medically necessary at all. Yet whatever language is used, virtually all pro-life advocates care about protecting mothers anytime their lives are threatened,” she said. OUTLIER continued from 1

of the Barbadoes National Team that competed in the 2023 World Track & Field Championships held in Budapest, Hungary in August 2023. I was able to reunite with Ramon and witness one of his athletes, Sada Williams, earn the bronze medal in the W 400 m event,” Wilber said.

Wilber mentored three coaches in the 2023-24 class of ICECP, including track coaches from the Cape Verde Islands and Bosnia & Herzegovina, as well as a table tennis coach from Kosovo. Each presented their plans to the Olympic Committee in March.

Dr. Wilber leaves for the Olympic Games in Paris on June 11, where he will serve Team USA for almost three months managing several facilities in a few different countries, including the San Moritz Altitude Training Base in Switzerland and Italy and the USA Track & Field Training Complex in Paris, France. Additionally, he will lead the Paris 2024 Heat & Humidity Prep Initiative for Team USA Olympic and Paralympic athletes.

Wilber’s life has consisted of a series of unexpected events and experiences, but ultimately, he has been rewarded for pursuing God’s plan for his life and has touched lives across the globe.

Through the Lens

The Office: The Collegian edition

The lively, storytelling characters of Wednesday nights in the Tower

Next Wednesday will be my final night in the busiest secret corner of campus. It’s a retired art room at the very top of a tower, decorated with faded red carpet and couches older than myself.

It’s filled to the brim with stacks on stacks of Collegian issues, yellowed from the days of sunlight pouring in. But it is the people inside that really bring it to life.

There is no group that is as dedicated and full of joy as the Collegian staff. Good journalism and truth is what fills the pages of each issue, but it’s laughter and good friendship that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Photos by Grace David, Photo Chief

GETTYIMAGES

Homeschooling cultivates human spirit

The benefits of homeschooling

Abigail Kengor Staff Writer

As one of this campus’s many homeschool alumna, I wish to offer a look into why our parents may have chosen to homeschool and why we should continue the tradition of homeschooling in our own future families, if possible.

A work of art like human life takes time to develop: first, nine months in the womb, isolated from everything except a mother’s constant love. Then, after birth, a child gradually gains independence, reason and worldly awareness.

Patience is needed to properly nourish this deliberate progression of the human person. The prevailing society is much too inclined to goad it on at break-neck

speed, stunting intellectual, moral and spiritual growth — three areas of interior growth we need perceptive souls to see.

That perception requires slow, personal interaction with another soul. The exterior aspects of the physical, emotional and mental can indicate growth in these other areas, but we shouldn’t follow a generalized diagnosis that is scarcely accurate in the exterior to nurture the much more elusive things we cannot see.

In short, nurturing the whole person requires attention to these exterior and interior traits, which often affect each other. Relying on standardized solutions and growth plans designed by fallen men doesn’t work to cultivate every single complexly created human soul.

In homeschooling, my mother was able to attend to my spiritual formation,

perceive the unique struggles, passions and apathies I experienced with various subjects and alter my entire curriculum plan to accommodate them. This flexibility encouraged the cultivation of my interests and talents and understood that equal knowledge in all subjects isn’t as important as basic intelligence in general and then expertise in one or two particulars.

Homeschooling also acknowledges the fact that abundant knowledge isn’t the only valuable pursuit; people who decline college in favor of other valuable lines of work aren’t failures.

The ideal homeschool system is focused on cultivating the human spirit by freeing, equipping and exciting it to glorify God. Through fostering the moral, intellectual and spiritual, the human spirit is enlivened. This is what our humanities core

recognizes: the arts, faith and appreciation of humanity’s deep intellectual heritage.

Homeschooling is more suited to avoiding the utilitarian aims of modern education. It recognizes quality’s superiority to quantity, that when the treat of education is scraped too thinly, the taste isn’t savored at all. And that is when all of education seems bland.

Classical schools also have this aim if homeschooling is impracticable for a family, but the parental aspect of homeschooling is still ideal. The separation of families from such an early age in today’s school system is a sad thing many unwittingly suffer. The family is a central unit of a healthy society, and its glue of love is enriched by constant application.

Practically, homeschooling is the safer option because of our culture today and the rampant spiritual, moral, in-

tellectual, physical, emotional and mental dangers are on abundant display in many public schools. From atheists to indoctrination to Planned Parenthood-sponsored school assemblies to school shootings to drugs, kindergartener is quickly stripped of their innocence.

Homeschooling can preserve the innocence of children. While sheltering often has terrible consequences, a degree of protection is entirely appropriate.

By first instilling in children a love for goodness, truth and beauty, their eventual exposure to the evil, lies and ugliness of the fallen world will provoke more spiritually adamant responses.

Education focused on the moral imagination and preservation of innocence will equip vibrant human spirits to fight for God and the Heavenly kingdom.

Confronting evil in the name of peace

Hunter Oswald Staff Writer

As the horrors of war continue to cast their dark shadow over the nation Israel, the world continues to grow darker. On April 13, the Islamic Republic of Iran carried out Operation “True Promise,” launching more than hundreds of unmanned ariel vehicles, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles into the state of Israel.

According to the Institute of War, the attack was carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) from the cities of Dokuh and Kermanshah City in western Iran. The pretext for Iran’s unprovoked attack was Israel’s strike on the Iranian Con-

sulate and Embassy in Damascus, Syria on April 1 that killed high-ranking members of the IRGC. Ayatollah Khamenei posted a video on X, stating “The malicious Zionist regime has made a wrong move in this case… the malicious Zionist regime will be punished.” Fortunately, the damage from the attack was minimized by a joint force of United States, United Kingdom, Jordanian and Israeli air forces that intercepted Iran’s drones and missiles.

While Biden and world leaders declared their commitment to Israel in the wake of the attack, the Biden administration told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid any counterattack against Iran in fear of the potential of creating a larger conflict in the Middle East. Despite pleas

from the West to avoid any retaliatory operations, Israel managed to successfully launch a retaliatory strike on Iran by conducting airstrikes. This caused heavy damage to the air defense systems of the Natanz Nuclear Complex on April 19.

While some may regard these developments as irrelevant to the United States, they are unfortunate results of Biden’s leadership and flirtation with appeasement.

I am reminded of the words Neville Chamberlain declared on Sept. 30, 1938, in the wake of the Munich Conference: that the nations of Europe and Nazi Germany had achieved “peace in our time.” It would only be six months later that Hitler and his forces would march from the Sudetenland and subjugate the rest of Czechoslovakia, which would be subject-

ed to the worst conditions under their tyrannical rule.

What happened at Munich wasn’t the seeds of peace being sown, rather it was the seeds of discord that would spring up to become the very horrors that continue to frighten the modern world. Unfortunately, Biden has become the new Chamberlain of our day and American leadership has succumbed to the idea of appeasing our enemies despite their claims of strength. Rather than standing up to Putin in February of 2022, Biden and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken decided to withdraw U.S. forces from Ukraine, enticing Putin to invade Ukraine 10 days later.

As Iran ramps up its support for Hamas and Hezbollah and continues to pursue its efforts to develop nuclear weapons, Biden has lifted

sanctions on Iran giving them $10 billion under the pretext of humanitarian aid. When looking at America’s response to Ukraine and Israel, one might wonder how long until China decides to march on Taiwan.

It’s vital to remember peace is not won by those willing to cower to restless tyrants, but achieved from a position of strength and willingness to confront those who seek to undermine the very virtue of peace.

America has always remembered this and has done so throughout history whether it was standing up to Hitler, Stalin, Mao or others who sought to expand their empires of evil. Even in the darkest of days, America stands as a beacon of hope and it’s up to us to ensure we protect our interests from a position of strength.

A greener America

Violet Whitmore News Editor

When I drive through rural Pennsylvania and see a dizzying number of farms, it seems ironic to me that many of the surrounding areas are essentially food deserts— areas without access to grocery stores replaced by Dollar Generals and Walmarts instead.

Homegrown food and small-scale farms are disappearing in America. The time, effort and money it takes to plant, tend and process food to be shipped to stores is no longer worth it to many farmers. In this battle of convenience, farmers will never come out on top.

Ultra-processed foods are cheaper, more convenient and more accessible to Americans-- processed foods are easier to ship, package and have a longer shelf life than naturally grown food.

Yet myriads of health problems, obesity and mental health issues rise from an artificial diet, and research from Henry Ford Health suggests that between 60 and 90 percent of the American diet consists of processed food and beverages.

Data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer notes that increased processed food intake is associated with an increased risk of cancer, and many flavors and coloring in food are relatively unregulated despite a multitude of studies

proving their harmful effects. Due to a rise in low-cost food production and large corporations who partner with mass production farms, Americans are becoming more estranged from their locally grown food. Currently, roughly two percent of Americans own farms, but only about six percent of U.S. farms market foods locally through direct-to-consumer sales (American Farm Bureau Federation). Farmers struggle to make money in competition with large corporations or partnerships that take a cut of the proceeds.

Large production farms produce a great majority of

Letter to the Editor

As a parent of a Grove City student, I often read your student newspaper. I was taken aback by a recent article called “Homosexuality is incompatible with sexual love.”

While everyone is entitled to their own opinion, it saddens me to think that students will read this and think that they are living in sin. I can assure you that homosexuality is not a choice and that it is not a sin.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15-24-yearolds. LGBTQ+ young people are more than four times as likely to commit suicide.

LGBTQ+ young people are not inherently prone to suicide risk because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, but rather placed at

higher risk because of how they are mistreated and stigmatized in society.

It would be nice to have articles that uplift marginalized members of the community and not make them feel worse. Let’s spread more love, and not hate in this world.

If you need support, the Trevor Foundation is a free resource. Trained counselors understand the challenges LGBTQ+ young people face and are available for support 24/7. They will listen without judgment. When you text, chat or call, all your conversations are confidential, and you can share as much or as little as you want. For more information go to www.TheTrevorProject.org.

-Mathew Blom

homegrown food, but also tend to overproduce food to make a profit. Many stores cannot sell food as quickly as they can produce it, and a general distaste for bruised, smaller fruits and vegetables among Americans contributes to food waste on a massive scale. About 40 percent of all food grown and produced nationally by Americans is never consumed, and nearly 60 million tons of food waste are thrown out every year. It’s no wonder farmers are leaving the fields behind.

According to the USDA, the average age of an American farmer is roughly 57 years old. Farmers are becoming less equipped to take

care of their land, in some cases selling land that’s been in their family for generations to large corporations who are just looking to make money off of mass-produced food pumped full of GMOs. Generations of knowledge, culture and holistic living are being lost at the price of convenience.

In order to conserve resources, better serve farmers and stay healthier, Americans need to return to farming. Of course, this is not possible for every American, but supporting local farmers, markets and efforts to make direct consumer purchases help local farms in big ways.

Career farming is not the only option for Americans either—homesteading has become popular among Millennials and Gen Z, often as “hobby farms”. By raising small herd animals, gardening and canning, many families find time to bond with each other, eat healthier and discourage food waste. By producing what you need when you need it, homesteaders become their own farm to table process.

Major barriers for farmers in the past related to drought, pest control and light sources can now be overcome by grow lamps, indoor or greenhouse gardening, and better access to water. Machines now plant and maintain plants for farmers and harvest them when they’re finished.

In many ways, farming is easier than it’s ever been— and we need to encourage and support farming in every way we can for our future’s sake.

Perspectives Policy

The purpose of the Perspectives section is to give a space for student voices. Here, student writers have the space to critique, question and analyze the world around them.

Perspectives articles represent the views of the individual writer. They do not represent the views of The Collegian, The Collegian staff or Grove City College.

While pieces in Perspectives are subjective by nature, The Collegian has standards for publication.

Articles submitted for publication are expected to provide arguments of substance that rely on fact and are void of foundationally emotional and biased arguments.

This is not a space to parrot party lines. Perspectives articles are expected to take original stances, and, where applicable, consider

the interaction of faith within their topic.

This is a space where all voices can be heard. It is our goal as The Collegian staff that Perspectives reflect the diversity of thought represented on the college’s campus.

Additionally, The Collegian will not accept a Perspectives article if the topic has not been reported on by the newspaper. This means that the publication of a submitted or proposed article may be delayed so The Collegian can provide a factual, unbiased context for the paper’s readership.

If you would like to submit an article for publication or want further clarification of The Collegian’s expectations contact Editor-in-Chief Emma Rossi or Managing Editor and Perspectives Editor Grace Scheller.

ROCKWELL

continued from 4

you like students to know about the project?

We hope the students think of us as “good neighbors.” While at times we may be loud, dusty and occasionally block the circle in front of Buhl Library, we recognize the transformation of Rockwell Hall will be worth it in the end – and we hope the campus shares this sentiment.

Behind the fence, there is a team of dedicated trades-

people, architects, engineers and construction managers working hard to deliver a building of quality, uniqueness and preservation of Grove City College’s tradition. A lot of people are worried the renovation will cause Rockwell to lose it’s charm. Can you speak to your company’s efforts to preserve the building’s character?

The iconic exterior of Rockwell Hall is being preserved, almost to its original splendor from before the project

began. The brick and limestone have been cleaned and repaired, and the stainedglass windows have been refurbished, with replacement scheduled for later this summer. The roof will be replaced with a new clay tile roof, matching that of STEM Hall, and the new windows will carry the design cues from the former, but with far greater energy efficiency. Additionally, various artifacts from the academic building will be salvaged and put on display throughout the building. Landau is

Word on the street...

Which senior will you miss most?

Tessa DiGuglielmo ‘26

I am going to miss Etienne Pienaar. The fish population of Wolf Creek likely will not. He is friendly, clever, knowledgeable and unique— and he’s quite good at hoodwinking aquatic creatures with his invisible line’s silver hook. We will be sad to see him go, but the trout will be just fine.

Toby Hay ‘27

working closely with Susan Grimm from the Operations Team and Professor Clem from the Physics Department to build out a multistory glass display that will house the Foucault pendulum, serving as a focal point and nod to Rockwell Hall’s rich history.

When completed, Rockwell Hall will remain a campus landmark, with its iconic exterior preserved and enhanced by the renovation.

Chris Bolland has made a major impact on my friend group, and once he’s graduated, campus won’t feel the same at all. Of course, keeping in touch long distance is always an option, but then I won’t be able to see him in his Mr. Civil War glory face-toface.

Alaina Donnell ‘26

I feel like being sentimental and maybe embarrassing people…so, sarcasm aside, I’ll definitely be missing Sierra Grissom and her very annoying – I mean great – presence. I’ll also miss Evie Sutter and Holly Grose, both of whom have inspired me in my RA role.

Michael Chmura ‘27

I am going to miss Sam Hertzer the most. I have greatly enjoyed being around him, as he gives wonderful insights into topics on Catholicism. Not only that, but in every conversation, he has many really funny things to say, whether it’s doing an impression of someone, telling a good story or exclaiming, “Being Catholic is so cool!” His mix of intelligent insight and distinct sense of humor has created some very positive memories for me. Furthermore, I’ve had some excellent times with him at church, whether that be going to Latin Mass or serving for Stations of the Cross with Fr. Andy.

Ruth Badger ‘26

I will miss Emily Haller, my sorority sister in Sigma Delta Phi. She is so full of joy and fun! If you ever go to a school dance, she will be dancing away. She is there for anyone who needs her and always has a nice word to say.

Brae Sadler ‘27

I will miss Caleb Repp. He is one of the most thoughtful people I know, and I think he will do great things.

BLOOMBERG

‘Tortured Poets Department’ Swift’s 31-track album meets mixed reviews

Cecilia M. Landis Contributing Writer

As a Swiftie, I hold one general opinion about Taylor Swift: She is a lyricist, not a melodist. This rings true for her eleventh studio album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’.

I stayed up last Thursday until midnight to listen to the album with my roommate and a small group of friends. We had a great time, but I began to find that much of our dialogue was circling towards criticism of this new album.

“This song sounds exactly like Lana Del Rey – I’m here for Taylor, not Lana.”

“Where’s Post Malone, Taylor? I can’t hear him!”

“They used this same beat in ‘peace’.”

“What are these lyrics?”

“She’s really copy and pasting Lana Del Rey.”

All of these things were true. A good handful of songs did seem to use the same exact melodic formula Lana Del Rey is known for in her songs. The reverberation around a deep voice, the same echoey angelic effect humming through every note, the lyrics spreading their themes through death, drugs and death.

Several songs sounded like old Taylor tracks. ‘Florida!!!’ definitely samples, or at least seems to sample, ‘peace’ from her 2020 album ‘folklore’ once or twice. ‘I Can Do It With a Broken Heart’ follows a similar blueprint as ‘Mastermind’ from her 2022 album ‘Midnights’.

Aside from these melodic inconsistencies, the lyrics certainly didn’t seem to be

what we had expected. “The Alchemy” details (with an overwhelming surplus of football puns) the singer’s relationship with Travis Kelce.

“As certain as death and taxes is the fact that Swifties will never lose faith in Taylor Swift, and ‘The Tortured Poet’s Department’ won’t shake them (or me).”

These puns include, but are not limited to “when I touch down”, “cut ‘em from the team” and “warm the benches”. ‘Down Bad’ reverts to a rising theme of ‘I’m a millennial who’s writing songs with Gen-Z slang because it’s

cool.’ Just read the chorus of ‘Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?’ out loud while standing in a mirror and you’ll get the gist.

This is not all to say that the album didn’t have its shining moments. ‘So Long, London’ begins with an acapella overture with the title of the song repeated over and over again like the hum of church bells, all of this leading to a fantastic song. ‘I Can Do It With a Broken Heart’ proves Taylor is still capable of producing fun songs even if they’re sad. The chorus of ‘But Daddy I Love Him’ is reminiscent of Taylor’s earlier and muchloved eras like ‘Fearless’ and ‘Speak Now’.

Ultimately, however, “The Tortured Poet’s Department” feels like a rainbow reminiscent of all of her past works.

This would be fine, except

for the fact that her previous studio album ‘Midnights’ was supposed to have been of the same sound. This then begs the question: can Taylor Swift write new music? If she can, she certainly didn’t put much of it in ‘The Tortured Poet’s Department’.

The fact is as certain as death and taxes: Swifties will never lose faith in Taylor Swift and ‘The Tortured Poet’s Department’ won’t shake them – or me. Despite a few flaws in the new album and the consistent inability to produce unique sounds for the majority of her work, the songs generally exhibit excellent songwriting abilities. It is supposed to be poetry, after all. But if we’re starting to realize that Taylor Swift is reproducing the same stuff, we have to ask ourselves: what’s next?

‘The Walking Dead’ and religion

Emma Rossi Editor-in-Chief

The Walking Dead (TWD) franchise recently expanded to include ‘The Ones Who Live’, the story of the show’s main character Rick Grimes and his experience in a world far past the initial spawn of the virus that ended the world by reanimating the dead and sending the living into chaos.

The original show produced by AMC now has seven spin-offs that come together to create a Walking Dead universe. While some of the spin-offs are better than others, I truly believe nothing can compare to the original series – 13 seasons spanning 13 years following the beginning of the apocalypse.

From the outside looking in, the show seems like a drawn-out yet stereotypical piece of zombie apocalypse media. However, what I’ve experienced from the show is far more than just people killing zombies.

The show explores the deepest depths of humanity in its portrayal of grief, hopelessness, religion, anarchy and the indomitable human spirit. TWD strips its charac-

ters of comfort, security and structure which reveals their true characters and what people are willing to do to survive.

In the first seasons, the show truly focuses on survival. But, in the second season, once the main crew, led by Rick Grimes, inadvertently find themselves sheltering on the farm of a stranger named Hershel’s, the plot delves into complexities that humanity could only face in such extreme circumstances. Discussing the themes of all

thirteen seasons is an insurmountable task for one article, so I’ll be focusing on the show’s second season, which still resonates with me even after most of its characters have been killed off and the world in which the show closes couldn’t be more different.

heavily present in the second season. The show begins in Georgia, showing each character’s strong southern roots that contribute to the first season’s Southern Gothic feel. A story wouldn’t be Southern Gothic without its characters having complex relationships with religion.

Killing the living dead, called Walkers, is something each character must grow comfortable with, but Hershel, a devout man of God, sees the Walkers as people and believes a cure will come. As a result, he captures as many Walkers as he can

and keeps them in his barn, including his reanimated wife, stepson and many of his neighbors and friends. His continued hope in God brings conflict, as many of the characters have become estranged from the faith they once identified with. While searching for a missing child Sofia, Grimes and his group find themselves killing Walkers in a church, right in front of the altar displaying a prominent crucifix at its center. After the rest of the group leaves Grimes alone in front of the altar, he asks for a sign.

of thorns adorning the symbolic Christ’s head. This is the last time Grimes ever speaks to God.

Carol, the mother of the missing Sofia, comforts herself by praying with her rosary clutched in her hand. When she tries to console Grimes’ young son Carl by telling him that if the worst has happened, at least Sofia is in heaven. Carl then tells Carol there is no heaven. She never speaks of heaven again.

In later seasons, Carol uses the same rosary she once prayed with to attack a man, and again, later, cut ropes from around her wrist to attack her captor. A rosary, so symbolic within the Catholic faith, serves as a representative of the characters’ warped sense of God. What they once found comfort in, they now weaponize.

Blood, supposedly remaining from the bloodshed before the scene, then seeps from the crown

Religious themes are

For a show that has affixed itself firmly in secular culture, the presence of religion in its central themes reaffirms what Christians have known for ages: you can’t tell a story about people without God seeping through the narrative.

Coppola’s ‘The Conversation’ celebrates 50 years

David Smith Staff Writer

Between creating two of the greatest films of the 1970s, ‘The Godfather’ (1972) and ‘The Godfather Part II’ (1974), Francis Ford Coppola presented audiences with an underrated classic. ‘The Conversation’ features Gene Hackman as Harry Caul, a surveillance expert who faces a moral dilemma when his recordings reveal a potential murder.

Harry Caul is a man his peers laud as a genius and the best at his work. Still, he is not as polished as he may seem. He succeeds in eavesdropping in a public place, but the tapes are stolen. His triple-locked apartment is still able to be opened by his landlord to give him a birthday present. Harry may be fooling everyone to maintain his façade, but he is only fooling himself.

Harry is deeply dissatisfied

with his work and unhappy with his lot in life. One of his previous jobs resulted in the deaths of a woman and a child. Now, he is desperately afraid that his new tapes will lead to another murder. Throughout the film, Harry is consumed with guilt. He expresses his concerns in a confessional with a priest, saying, “I’ve been involved in some work that I think will be used to hurt these two young people. It’s happened to me before. People were hurt because of my work, and I’m afraid it could happen again . . . I was in no way responsible. I’m not responsible. For these and all my sins of my past life, I am heartily sorry.”

Coppola, who wrote, directed and produced ‘The Conversation,’ considers it his most personal film. In a way, Henry is a microcosm of America in the early 1970s: Watergate, the Vietnam War and increasing paranoia and distrust in the government.

But Harry is not a bad man. He is trying to do his work, but he is haunted by his past, feeling his work is causing a crack in his image. His conscience is carrying a heavy burden.

Harry, who perfectly fits in with ordinary folks in San Francisco, can best exhibit his professional abilities. He is smart, obsessive, religious and yet personally sloppy. Coppola’s screenplay brilliantly focuses on and hangs on to every detail regarding Harry. It is precise and the coinciding long shots indicate the anxious feeling that consumes Harry.

In a way, ‘The Conversation’ is a triumph. It is a project Coppola was passionate about creating and had full creative control of the work. The

film’s strange dichotomy seems to best represent the complexities of America.

TikTok

Dom Puglisi Staff Writer

Fifty years after its release, ‘The Conversation’ is more relevant than ever. From its release until now, the film’s appeal comes from its culmination of character study and thriller plot creating a world that is a reflection of the current times we live in. The constant stream of anxiety that flows through Coppola’s masterpiece is a reminder of the anxieties that modernday America faces.

We’ve all heard countless times: TikTok has changed the music industry. Since the rise in the app’s popularity, it has become clear how much of today’s music landscape has been shaped by TikTok’s influence.

TikTok’s two most popular songs at the moment are living proof of this influence.

“Someday I’ll Get It” by Alek Olson: This song contains several notable qualities. The first impressive thing about this track is its astounding brevity. Clocking in at just over a minute, this lo-fi guitar-driven ballad about a breakup is over before it seems to start. The format of TikTok rewards shorter songs, as more of the song can be played in each video. Because of this, songs have been getting shorter recently, which can lead to the positive effect of a concise, hard-hitting track. Of course, it can lead to the opposite effect as well: the song practically ends before it begins.

Successful ‘Fallout’ adaptation surprises viewers & critics

Joel Sledd Sports Editor

When Amazon Prime announced a “Fallout” show based on the beloved video game series, fans of the game collectively rolled their eyes at the thought of yet another video game adaptation hitting their TVs. At the time, the fans’ pessimism was justified. Other TV shows based on video games, like ‘Halo’, flopped with the fans of the video game series because the producers ignored everything that made the video game special.

However, the showrunners of “Fallout” avoided these pitfalls and exceeded expectations. “Fallout” is a breath of fresh air among the genre of video game adaptations. The show stays true to the source material while developing its own unique story and characters. While it is far from perfect, the settings and character developments overshadow most of the show’s flaws.

‘Fallout’ currently sits at a 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes with over 100 reviews. The show is praised for being faithful to its source material while having a quality production; two characteristics severely lacking among modern video game adaptations.

For people unfamiliar with the setting, ‘Fallout’ takes place in an alternate universe at two different times. The main story takes place in the 23rd century, over 200 years after nuclear bombs are dropped all over the world, and the subplot occurs right before the bombs dropped in 2077. The world has gone culturally stagnant since the ‘60s. Everyday products and entertainment never evolved beyond the mid-twentieth century style. Computers and the Internet never achieved widespread use, yet technology continued to advance.

The setting uses a ‘60s retro futuristic style in a postapocalyptic setting after a nuclear war. The video game has always

been political satire of the post-WWII culture in America and the hyper-capitalist culture of the time. Many political themes from the video game are portrayed very well in the show, although with a bit less subtlety. Showrunners Geneva RobertsonDworet and Graham Wagner successfully satirizes the culture of McCarthyism and blind patriotism which affected the United States in the ‘50s and ‘60s. The ‘Fallout’ games are innately political satire, and the show emulates this very well by injecting real-life events into its story.

The sets and character designs are surprisingly detailed while staying true to the source material. Fans of the game will see plenty of familiar elements, yet the show doesn’t rely on these elements to tell the story. For viewers who have never played the video games, the show is easy to follow, and all crucial information is explained.

Although the show is leagues ahead of some other video game adaptations, ‘Fallout’ still has some glaring flaws. There is some severely awkward dialogue throughout the series that throws off character interaction scenes. The show also constantly switches between tones at a rapid pace. In an interview, Robertson-Dworet stated he wanted to bring a more humorous overtone to the show. However, the show cannot flow properly because the atmosphere constantly flips between serious and comedic.

Despite this, ‘Fallout’ is worthy of a watch. Viewers can appreciate the unique settings and characters while fans of the video game series can enjoy a faithful adaptation of the source material.

‘Fallout’ has already been renewed for a second season on Amazon Prime, but no release date has been announced.

The next notable aspect of this track is what kind of videos it is paired with on TikTok. Most of the videos pertain to an animal dying or recovering from an injury. These emotional TikToks are served well by the song’s melancholy melody. However, the song itself is about a breakup, not necessarily these other themes.

Yet, the power of TikTok is the power of aesthetics, the sadness conveyed in the song is transmuted from the realm of romance to these other experiences. To some degree, this is true of all TikTok songs; it is more about meeting the aesthetic of a certain vein of videos than making something more specific and harder to apply.

“Praise Jah in the Moonlight” by YG Marley: The first thing to notice about this song is the name of the artist; a pairing of 1970s reggae superstar Bob Marley’s last name with the term YG, which is often employed by modern rappers. This name symbolizes the theme of this song – a crossover of old with new.

Classic reggae instrumentals are paired with booming 808s to create a feeling of modernity mixed with nostalgia. This feeling is made especially clear near the end of the song, where a classic choir delicately sings the chorus in a duet with the autotuned crooning YG Marley, another example of two styles of music juxtaposing, yet fitting together.

This is a theme on TikTok I find quite encouraging. The boldness that artists possess when blending styles that are not typically found together and the mixing of two things to make something new is a hopeful quality. Much of the music on TikTok is far more diverse than what you would hear on the radio due to the genre-blending styles seen in this track.

These two songs alone portray the many ways that TikTok has influenced the music industry, whether that be through brevity, aesthetics or genre blending. Time will tell whether these changes were for better or worse, but either way, TikTok is here to stay as a large influence in the music industry.

TWEAKTOWN

Women’s Tennis prepares for Division III tournament

Garrett Gess Staff Writer

The Grove City Women’s Tennis team finished up their regular season as they prep for the NCAA Di-vision III Championship Tournament on May 10.

This spring season was a follow-up to a successful fall season where the Wolverines won the PAC Championship. In the semifinals, Grove City secured a 5-2 triumph against Franciscan at home. This victory advanced the second-seeded Wolverines to the championship with an overall record of 11-3.

Grove City gained the advantage by winning two out of three doubles matches. The team secured the victory with straight-set singles wins by junior Alyssa Good, junior Janel McCray and freshman Cath-erine Petrovich.

The Grove City captured the PAC title by pulling in a 5-2 victory over top-seeded Allegheny in the conference tournament championship match at Westwood Racquet Club. The Wolverines won two of three doubles matches, and three of the four completed singles matches. McCray clinched the team win with her victory in sixth singles. McCray and junior Emily Ivory teamed for an 8-5 win at first doubles. Sophomore Courtney DeCarlo and freshman Peyton Joines teamed for an 8-5 third doubles win.

Joines also nailed down a straight set win at third singles while classmate Petrovich won in straight sets

at No. 1 singles. Petrovich earned the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award. Joines and McCray earned All-Tournament Honors. As conference champion, Grove City earned an automatic berth in the 2024 NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. Pairings will be announced later in May. This was Grove City’s first conference title since the 2018-19 season. The Wolverines concluded the fall portion of the schedule with a 12-3 overall record.

In the first match of the spring season, Grove City secured a solid win against Rose-Hulman in Orlan-do, Fla. with a score of 6-3.

However, the following day, they faced Wartburg and suffered a loss, with Wartburg winning 7-2. Their next match was on Mar. 15, when they traveled to Erie, Pa., to take on Penn State Behrend. In that matchup, the Wolverines dominated, winning with a convincing score of 8-1.

Grove City dominated the match, winning all three doubles matchups and securing five singles victo-ries in straight sets. In singles competition, Joines, Ivory, Good, McCray and freshman Nicolette Rosati all claimed victories for Grove City, with a hard-fought match from DeCarlo after a close third set.

In the doubles matches, the Wolverines displayed their strength and coordination, sweeping all three matches against Penn State Behrend. The pairs of Ivory and McCray, DeCarlo and Joines

and Good and sophomore Julia Ehrenberger worked seamlessly together to secure victories for Grove City. Their most recent match, on

Apr. 16, was a tough home match loss against John Carroll. The Wolver-ines look ahead to the NCAA tournament.

Softball sweeps W&J

Joel Sledd Sports Editor

After suffering a sevengame losing streak in late March and early April, Wolverines softball rebounded into the stratosphere, winning nine out of 10 games in a row. They recently extended this streak with a doubleheader sweep against the Washington & Jefferson Presidents on Apr. 24.

In game one against their conference rival, the Wolverines conducted a minor comeback to keep their conference record above .500. The Presidents set the Wolverines back at a one-point deficit in the top of the third inning. After a scoreless fifth inning, Grove City tied the score 1-1 with a run batted in by freshman outfielder Evelyn Montone. Sophomore infielder Rylie Eaton was credited with the run.

In the sixth inning, freshman pitcher Abigail Meadors homered to left field to steal the lead for Grove City. The Presidents’ offense did not score in the seventh inning, resulting in the Wolverines’ first victory of the day.

In game two, Grove City struck quickly in the bottom of the first inning. Junior second baseman Maci Linhart was batted in by freshman Alexis Jackson for her first run of the day. In the third inning, Jackson doubled to left field, which allowed Linhart and sophomore out-

fielder Noel Anthony to score on one play.

Senior catcher/infielder Erin Mulholland batted in Jackson for the last run of the inning. The Presidents replied with one run in the fourth inning to set the score 4-1. In the fifth inning, the Presidents’ offense scored two more runs in one play after a hit to right field led to chaos on the diamond. Washington & Jefferson tied the score in the top of the sixth inning 4-4 with another run.

Grove City quickly responded with two runs scored by Anthony and junior outfielder Kamryn Weissinger for a two-point lead.

The Wolverines then allowed two more points on defense for another tied score of 6-6.

In the overtime inning, the Wolverines’ defense caught a fly ball and Meadors striked out two Washington & Jefferson batters to keep tied score. With two outs at the bottom of the eighth inning, Montone batted in Anthony for the game-sealing run.

The sweep against Washington & Jefferson pushed Grove City’s record to 2014 on the season and 10-8 in conference competitions. The PAC conference is in tight contention, with many teams in the middle clawing their way up.

Wolverines’ softball only has two double-headers left this season: Saint Vincent

Track tunes up for PACs at SRU

Joel Sledd Sports Editor

In the last regular season meet of the spring, the Wolverines traveled to Slippery Rock, Pa. for the Slippery Rock University’s John Papa invitational. The Wolverines clutched several key performances to help propel themselves into the PAC Championship.

The men found their success with a win in the 1600-meter relay to close out the day. Senior Tyler Eagan and sophomores Isaac Young, Alex Mitchell and Isaac Busler finished the relay with a time of 3:21.97 setting the third-fastest time in Wolverine history.

Away from the relay and in the 800 meters, Young placed second, running a time of 1:58.64, and Busler would take fifth with a time of 2:02.11. Freshman Max War took second in the 3000 steeplechase while junior Alex Hemmerlin placed fifth in the same event. A series of Wolverines placed in the 1500 meters, starting with sophomore Michael Singley in fourth place. Sophomore Caleb Hawke placed sixth, junior Jonah DeWitt took seventh and sophomore Caleb Willis capped off the series at eighth in the 1500 meters.

On the field, Ryan Lenhart placed second, throwing 154 feet, 9 inches. Senior Gabe Dunlap threw the javelin 173 feet, 2 inches to earn fourth place while classmate J.D. Black placed sixth with a best throw of 169 feet, 5 inches. Junior Nick Petucci took fourth in the triple jump and senior Nick Gustafson claimed eighth in the shotput to close out the field events.

The women also fielded great individual performers, beginning with a win in the 3000 steeplechase by junior Grace Smith. Smith’s time of 11:22.19 is the second fastest time in program history, beating the original No. 2 record by five seconds. Following Smith was junior Abigail Gehman, taking seventh in the steeplechase, Junior Lydia Bennett took second in the 1500 meters and third in the 800 meters. Freshman Cayla Lawrence trailed closely behind in the 800 meters to take fifth. Junior Carolyn Colteryahn, senior Paige Cotton, freshman Hannah Costa and Lawrence combined their efforts in the 400-meter relay to place sixth.

Senior Katie Baller and freshman Elly Bruner tied for second in the high jump, as both athletes cleared 5 feet, 9 inches on their best attempts.

Sophomore Megan Wise placed seventh in the javelin, throwing 106 feet, 7 inches. Over a dozen athletes have qualified for the All-Atlantic Track and Field Championships (AARTFC). Athletes from Division III schools in the Atlantic region qualify to participate in this annual event. This year, the AARTFC will be held on May 15 and

and Pitt-Bradford. Grove City softball played La Roche University yesterday, but due to the publication schedule of this issue, the results cannot

be included. Up next for the Wolverines is Saint Vincent College. They will compete at 3:30 p.m. today at Saint Vincent in Latrobe, Pa.

GRACE DAVID

Junior Janel McCray in spring competition.

GRACE DAVID

Senior Catcher Lauren Harris at bat.

How NIL affects GCC Athletics

Joel Sledd Sports Editor

Since 2019, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has been progressively loosening its restrictions on name, image and likeness (NIL) deals for collegiate-level student-athletes. After being pressured by the student-athlete body of the NCAA and state-level governments, much of the legal language surrounding NIL has been changed or removed entirely. These changes have allowed college athletes to pursue more opportunities in the realm of NIL deals and profit from their own image.

The movement to allow modern NIL deals started rolling when the class action lawsuit was filed when former University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) basketball player Ed O’Bannon sued the National College Athletics Association (NCAA) for profiting from athletes’ images without compensating the athletes.

In September 2019, California became the first state to allow collegiate-level athletes to be paid for their names, images and likenesses. More states started to follow, with Florida granting NIL rights in 2020. In June 2021, a second court case concerning NIL compensation – Alston v. NCAA – was ruled against the NCAA and expanded NIL rights even further.

Pennsylvania eventually joined the movement in July of 2021, officially legalizing student-athletes to profit from their image through endorsement and sponsor-

THRASHER continued from 16

ship contracts. In 2022, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives furthered NIL possibilities even further by passing House Bill 2633, which loosens restrictions on schools’ involvement in NIL.

Now, college representatives can introduce students to NIL opportunities that financially compensate players. Schools cannot represent the players in negotiations, but they are legally allowed to introduce student-athletes to possible employers.

While the NCAA alleviates restrictions on studentathletes’ NIL capabilities, the athletic department at Grove City College has been forecasting what NCAA Division III athletics will look like in the future.

“Everyone in the NCAA has had to learn it because it was so different than what the NCAA rules were,” said Athletic Director Todd Gibson. “Until two years ago, anything involving an athlete getting paid, no matter the division, was against the rules.”

Bringing on prospective student-athletes now requires appealing to a whole new dimension of college sports. NIL policies and opportunities will certainly impact the decisions of oncoming student-athletes across all divisions of college sports.

“It’s a big reason why student-athletes are making decisions on where they go to play sports,” said Gibson.

While the College’s recruitment process will adapt to better suit the changing nature of college sports, Gibson is certain one factor will stay constant: academics.

“I’m very fortunate to work

“Each NCAA team now has a student chaplain,” Thrasher said.

Sports at a Glance

Around the conference

On April 23, Hiram College announced they will be rejoining the President’s Athletic Conference in July 1, 2025.

Hiram college left PAC athletics in 1989 after spending 18 years in the conference. Hiram College will be the most recent addition to the PAC conference since Allegheny entered in 2022.

The PAC will now hold 12 full-time members, including Grove City College, who joined the in 1984.

Results

Baseball:

Loss, vs. Waynesburg (DH), (9-8)

Win, vs. Waynesburg (DH), (9-2)

Win, at Thiel (DH), (17-0)

at a place where the outcomes our students are going to have to go beyond just the walls of the athletic department,” he said. “I want every kid to have a great athletic experience but if you take athletics out of it, you’re still at a great place.”

As for current studentathletes, Grove City College’s NIL policies allow for Wolverines athletes to use their own names, images and likenesses to earn money from endorsements, sponsorship and appearances without hindering their eligibility. However, student-athletes must be wary about state laws, as Pennsylvania’s legislation supersedes any NCAA rulings. Student athletes need to understand Pennsylvania’s laws, as it changes from state to state.

Athletes should also be cautious about what they are signing up for and who they will associate with. The athletic department wants to develop a faith-based culture on and off the field. If an endorsement goes against the missions of the College, visions or values, the college is legally allowed to prohibit compensation.

NIL opens new opportunities for student-athletes, but the future isn’t set with the evolving environment of college sports. Despite the uncertainty of the future of collegiate-level sports, the Wolverines are tackling these changes with optimism.

“I think we could be a leader in this and I think there would be people who might want to get to know our student-athletes. That could be attractive to a lot of brands and markets,” said Gibson.

TRACK continued from 14 ministry philosophy with the G.E.A.R. program.

Thrasher acknowledges Coach Sayles’ contribution to the spiritual progression of Wolverines’ athletics, stating, “He has been a wonderful blessing and addition to the College with regard to the role he plays in the athletic department.”

The seeds planted many years ago have helped develop a group of student spiritual leaders within every team on campus.

“So many of the chaplains come through the intro to sports ministry class. I’ve seen God work through that class and the lives of those students, but also how they then have been a strong force on their own team or within their own sphere of influence with regard to reaching out and evangelizing and sharing the Gospel. It’s been a pretty exciting thing.”

16 at the State University of New York at Cortland.

Grove City is heading to compete in the two-day long PAC Championship. Day one of the event started yesterday, but due to the publishing schedule of this issue, results for day one of the championship cannot be included.

The competition resumes at 2 p.m. today at the Mylan Park Track & Field Complex in Morgantown, W.Va.

Loss, at Thiel (DH), (7-1)

Men’s Lacrosse (12-4):

Win, at Westminster (20-7)

Win, vs. Allegheny (22-6)

Win, at Chatham (21-7)

Women’s Lacrosse (12-4):

Win, at Westminster (15-12)

Loss, vs. Allegheny (14-8)

Win, vs. Thiel (12-4)

Softball:

Win, vs. Washington & Jefferson (DH), (7-6)

Win, vs. Washington & Jefferson (DH), (2-1)

Win, at Penn State Beaver (DH), (14-5)

Win, at Penn State Beaver (DH), (21-8)

Men’s Tennis:

Win, vs. Franciscan (8-1)

Win, at Saint Vincent (8-1)

Win, vs. Waynseburg (8-1)

Men’s Golf:

4th/9, at PAC Championship (1265)

Women’s Golf:

4th/8, at PAC Championship (1582)

Upcoming

Baseball:

Apr. 27, 1 p.m. at Franciscan (DH)

Apr. 29, 1 p.m. vs. Washington & Jefferson (DH)

Men’s Lacrosse:

Apr. 27, 12 p.m. at Washington & Jefferson

Women’s Lacrosse:

Apr. 27, 3 p.m. at Washington & Jefferson

Softball:

Apr. 27, 1 p.m. at Saint Vincent (DH)

Apr. 29, 3:30 p.m. vs. Pitt-Bradford (DH)

Track & Field

Apr. 26, 2 p.m. at PAC Championship

Colton Lehberg

Men’s Lacrosse Newcomer of the Week

Maci Linhart Softball Hitter of the Week

KIRBY LEE: USA TODAY

Wolverines Golf up to par at PAC Championships

Joel Sledd Sports Editor

Wolverine Golf ended their 2023-24 season at the Mill Creek Golf Course in Boardman, Ohio last week. The men and women of the College’s Golf teams were led by Head Coach Brad Isles in his ninth year with the program. After a short and sweet spring season, the men and women traveled to compete in the two-day event held on April 19 and 20.

The PAC champion is decided across four days of events. In the fall of 2023, PAC teams played their first half of the championship in the same two-day format as the spring competition. The final conference champion is decided by tallying the total team points from both the fall and spring championship matches.

In the fall conference championship, the men earned third place, while the women placed fourth in the final standings of the PAC Championship.

“We set ourselves up in the PAC in the fall really well. So that was some good motivation going into the spring,” said junior Max Vaughn.

The spring portion of the season was unpredictable for

Wolverines’ Golf due to inclement weather. The women’s match against Westminster and the men’s only home match of the spring were postponed indefinitely, forcing the Wolverines to go into the championship one match short of what was initially planned.

The men’s team ended their season with a fourthplace finish at the PAC Championship, finalizing a team score of 1265 across the four days of the contest. In the fall PAC Championship, the men rounded up a team score of 624 from playing 36 holes. In the spring, the Wolverines tallied 641 in the two-day event.

Junior Adam Steinmetz earned First-Team All-PAC for earning fourth place among individual performers with a 302 across 72 holes.

Honorable Mention All-PAC recipient Vaughn placed 13th individually with a score of 311. Junior Aiden Allen followed closely behind, shooting 315 and tying for 16th.

finished second with 1208, and Westminster finished one spot ahead of the Wolverines for third with 1235 points.

The women also finished fourth at the championship, combining for a total score of 1582. With eight teams and over 50 competing athletes, the Wolverines faired well at Mill Creek Golf Course.

Leading the Wolverines was freshman Lauren Kardos, who placed 11th individually with 362 in 18 holes.

able Mention All-PAC. Soph-

omore Julianna Jacobs totaled a score of 400 for 17th.

The race for the title was extremely close this year, but Westminster

stole first in the championship for the sixth year in a row with a final score of 1329. Washington & Jefferson were one stroke over, scoring 1330 for second. Thiel was the only other team ahead

The men from Allegheny won the championship with 1,205 points. Washington & Jefferson

Sophomore Hailey Muñoz placed 15th overall and second for the Wolverines with 398. Kardos and Muñoz both earned Honor-

Water Polo ends at the CWPA championship

Joel Sledd Sports Editor

After traveling thousands of miles and competing internationally, Wolverine Water Polo met their end at the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Championship earlier this week. The Wolverines played against four Division III varsity water polo teams at the tournament. The Col-lege’s team will finish the 2024 season with a 4-16 record.

The Wolverines have traveled far beyond many other Division III water polo teams. To start the year, they became the first National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) water polo program to com-pete in a series against Canadian schools. The Wolverines then completed the year at New London, Conn. in the CWPA Championship.

After winning their last regular season match against the Penn State Behrend Lions 16-13, Grove City went into the championship as the eighth seed with a 3-13 record in the regular season. They carried this momentum into the first game of the championship series to overcome Wheaton (Mass.) 14-4.

Eight Wolverines scored at least once in this victory, with sophomore driver Candace Scalise and jun-ior driver Kamryn Kerr firing off three goals each. On the defense, Junior driver Riley McCullough. McCullough handled three blocks and sophomore goalie/utility Lea Steen made five saves. They would be stopped in

their tracks after dropping a 22-4 decision against Augustana (Ill.) for their first loss in the championship series.

Freshman utility Shastyn Tihansky provided two of those goals while sophomore utility Kiley Sill and Kerr each scored their own.

Although they fell in the third match of the series to Connecticut College 16-9, several Wolverines found their footing in this match and kept the game competitive. Tihansky ripped Connecticut’s team on both sides of play. On offense, Tihansky scored five goals and recorded five steals on defense.

The women of Grove City College’s Water Polo program ended their season in the fourth and final matchup of the CWPA tournament against Penn State Behrend. This was the third matchup

between the two teams this season. The first meetup on Mar. 10 ended with a 17-14 loss for the Wolverines.

Grove City College got their revenge in the second encounter on Apr. 13, beating Penn State Behrend 1613. Unfortunately, the Lions would have the last laugh, as Grove City College was defeated 11-8 on Apr. 21 to mark the end of the 2024 series.

All three matchups between the Lions and the Wolverines ended in a three-point deficit for the losing team.

Tihansky led the team in scoring against the Lions with four goals. Sill led the squad with three assists and five steals, while Steen stopped six shots.

The program will be graduating two seniors this year: utility Katie Goodwill and driver Clarie Lochstet.

of the Wolverines at third with 1553.

Only four members of the College’s gold team will be graduating, enabling the Wolverines to retain a similar roster coming into fall 2024.

“We’re excited and optimistic for our future, and there’s a lot of work will be going into summer training,” said Vaughn. Wolverines golf will resume in the fall with many familiar faces

40 years with Thrasher

Joel Sledd Sports Editor

The athletic department of Grove City College has worked for decades to lay down a foundation for a Christ-centered sports culture, yet few people recognize how much effort and manpower has gone into this development. The College’s faculty and coaches work constantly to guide the mental, physical and spiritual growth of its athletes, and a select few people within the College have made this possible.

Over the last 20 years, Dr. James Thrasher ‘80 helped the athletic department guide student-athletes through their spiritual growth on and off the field.

Thrasher has been working with the College for the past 42 years in various roles. He started as a resident director for one of the first upperclass men’s dorms, and his role eventually blossomed into the director of career services, where he directed the program for over 29 years. Now, he helps with the student recruitment office and teaches sports ministry classes for the exercise science department.

Years ago, he helped start the sports ministry programs that contribute to the spiritual development of studentathletes looking to start their career in sports leadership roles.

Around 2005, Thrasher was approached with the task of creating a class around the topic of ethics in sports. An external Christian sports organization called Athletes in Action helped Thrasher design the class as well as formulate a Christian philosophy for the coaches to follow.

He accredits two specific board members from Athletes in Action: Dr. John White from Baylor’s Truett Theological Seminary and former NFL Head Coach Frank Reich. They temporarily joined forces with Dr. Thrasher at Grove City to help teach and build the Christ-centered sports culture.

Thrasher and Don Lyle, the Athletic Director of the College at the time, worked with Dr. White and Reich on campus to bring an updated Christian philosophy for coaching Wolverines athletics.

Many of these philosophies are still practiced today by the College’s coaches.

“I’ve had an opportunity to do things here at Grove City that I never thought I could ever have the opportunity to do. It’s been just a wonderful experience,” Thrasher said.

Almost 20 years later, the foundation laid by Thrasher and the Athletes in Action organization continues to thrive. Associate Athletic Director for Sports Ministry and Head Volleyball Coach Leo Sayles continues to advance the College’s sports

GRACE DAVID

Senior Clarie Lochstet looking for an opening.

THRASHER