The Collegian – Dec. 5, 2020

Take it from me

Going a-wassailing

New grad shares lessons learned

PERSPECTIVES

Profs share family recipes

COMMUNITY

The

@Collegian_GCC @gcc.collegian The Collegian: The GCC Newspaper

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Unity. Purpose. Strength.

Women’s basketball prepares for season start

SPORTS

Collegian The Award-Winning Grove City College Student Newspaper

Vol. 106, No. 11

See ya never

Finals take a new form

December grads bid adieu

Scott Amon Staff Writer

GCC

President and Mrs. McNulty hosted a reception for December 2020 graduates at Carnegie Alumni Center before students returned home for Thanksgiving.

Gabrielle Capaldo Staff Writer

As the semester comes to a close, December graduates find themselves reflecting on their time at Grove City College and planning for the future.

To celebrate their graduation, under normal circumstances, the McNultys would host the graduating seniors at their home with dinner and a personal send-off.

However, because of COVID, the school rerouted the seniors to the Carnegie Alumni Center where President Paul J. McNulty ’80 handed out gifts and delivered a speech.

“It was nice,” said Gretta Kriner. “He encouraged us that God is strengthening us during this time and that we can do anything.”

Kriner was one of the seniors who had decided to graduate early for financial reasons. “The feeling still hasn’t set in,” Kriner said.

“It’s weird knowing I won’t see my friends next semes-

ter.”

On the other hand, others were ready to move on. “It feels good to be a December grad,” Rachel Brodine said, “because my plan was always to graduate in the fall.” Brodine echoed the sentiment that most college graduates have — they plan to graduate at a certain time.

However, not all these seniors had that plan. Brisco O’Donnell had no intention to graduate early, but due to COVID, decided it was best.

“I was on track to graduate in the spring, but when everything shut down and I didn’t have anything to do, I decided to take a few classes,” he said. Having taken four summer classes during quarantine and 20 credits his last semester, O’Donnell graduated early.

“I feel pretty accomplished and excited to graduate,” he said. “At the beginning, graduation feels so far away, but after you graduate, your fears from the beginning have subsided and it feels re-

GCC nursing program has a solid start Ashley Ostrowski Copy Editor

Nursing students are finishing up their first semester of Grove City College’s nursing program.

Since the start of the pandemic, quality healthcare has been in high demand more than ever before. For its first year, the nursing program at Grove City has been a success. According to Nursing Program Director Dr. Janey Roach, there are currently ten freshmen enrolled in the program so far, and interest has spiked over the last year.

“We’ve had about 2 and a half times more interest than we had a year ago in admissions,” Roach said.

Nursing students in their first year have a similar experience to other GCC freshmen as they too are working hard and learning to adjust to living on a college campus.

“I think they’re learning how to live away, how to study and what resources are available here at Grove City.

I think it’s obviously an interesting year with the pandemic for any student who is NURSING 7

December graduates pose in the Carnegie Alumni Center. ally good.”

Similarly, Laura Nelms transferred in with more credits being accepted than

GCC

she anticipated, giving her only a year and a half at GRADS 7

It is without a doubt that finals are one of the most important and feared aspects of college.

Now that students have returned to online classes, finals will be virtual.

Different disciplines of study, naturally, have different requirements that affect the structure of finals.

To prevent cheating, finals are being updated and modified to ensure that students are still being tested on class information.

Dr. Kristen Waha, assistant professor of English, has always focused on the students’ writing for finals.

“My courses typically focus on developing students’ abilities to read texts closely, analyze details and think through complex questions as they relate to works of literature,” Waha said.

In a more typical semester, Waha’s finals include multiple-choice questions, short answers and an essay component.

Waha’s finals did not change much last May despite everyone taking their finals online. She did, however, make her exams open book and open note.

“I chose to just focus on short answer and essay questions… It seemed to make little sense to ask multiplechoice questions that could be looked up in notes anyway,” she said.

Continuing with the same structure, Waha is keeping her finals open book and open note for the upcoming fall exams.

Additionally, the program Turnitin will be used to ensure that students are not plagiarizing content from outside resources. Overall, FINALS 3

Campus COVID concludes The COVID-19 Positive Test Dashboard recorded four cases from Nov. 25 to Nov. 29. In total, there were 110 positive student cases and 17 positive employee cases, bringing the tally for the semester to 127. While the dashboard accounts for the number of people who tested positive for COVID-19, it does not include data related to the number of students who were asked to self-isolate and/or quarantine in response to a close contact’s positive result. To hear a student’s perspective on the college’s contact tracing and overall handling of the pandemic, see our semester recap in Perspectives.

A new addition to my.gcc this semester, the COVID-19 Positive Test Dashboard kept students, faculty and the greater Grove City College community up-to-date throughout the semester. The dashboard is expected to continue when classes resume for the Spring 2021 semester in January.

Editorial

Page 2

The award-winning Grove City College student newspaper, Dec. 5, 2020

From the Tower

The final countdown

We like to countdown to events. Milestones, birthdays, weddings, graduations.

College is a giant countdown. We’ve noticed that, at the close of this fall semester, freshmen optimistically anticipate their ensuing seven while seniors approach their last with a mix of eagerness and dread.

There are countdowns to semesters, paper deadlines, exam dates, projects, presentations, finals and all those things that cause us to wish it was all over.

It’s understandable that countdowns are so common.

The middle is hard because that’s where lies the uncertainty and responsibility. Everything about the middle points to the finish line. Weariness is real and sometimes a push to the end is the only way to reach the other side.

This may be the last time you have a collective countdown. In this campus setting, everyone is counting down with you. Everyone is tired, avoiding burnout and just wishing for Christmas. This time, everyone’s in it together.

But word from the (just as) wise: be careful not to get caught up in the countdown.

Keep your eyes on your goals but avoid tunnel vision.

Endlessly charging onward—avoiding all outside distractions—is a distraction itself, a distraction from what’s going on around you.

So, we’ll offer you this cliché: stop to smell the roses. Or, if you’d like a more biblical adage: be still.

Take a walk. Prioritize meal times. Join a group and become an invested member. Listen in on that last class and remember – this may be the last time you hear from that professor or engage with those classmates.

When the clock stops, these are things that you can’t get back or recreate.

Just as we will caution against an obsession with staring at the clock, we also caution against getting lost in the moment.

One day you’ll wake up, and there will be too much to do.

Enjoy your good ol’ days, but don’t forget to think ahead.

Enjoy the anticipation. This just might be one of the last collective countdowns you’ll have. There will be countdowns after graduation--to weddings, first days of jobs, vacations, breaks—but few will apply to as many people as the graduation countdown does.

For the seniors and graduates – enjoy it. Savor it. Love it as best you can. It is only a moment, a passing in the wind, but don’t let the distance distract you from what you’ll be losing – this campus community. Soon a day will come where you miss the people, the meal dates and the weekend adventures.

For everyone else, now is your chance to grasp this limited time and treat it as the gift it is.

Anna DiStefano Managing Editor

Paige Fay

Editor-in-Chief

Collegian Staff Editor-in-Chief Paige Fay Managing Editor Anna DiStefano Section Editors News David Zimmermann Community Fiona Lacey Perspectives Clark Mummau Sports Emily Rupczewski

Business Manager Kathryn Miller Copy Editors Jessica Hardman Ashley Ostrowski Claire Josey Lauren Ness Kylie Jasper Joanna Thorpe Elizabeth Schinkel Rick Metheven Austin Branthoover Eve Lee

Design Chief Caleb West

Staff Writers Scott Amon Noel Elvin Connor Schlosser Gabrielle Capaldo Jules Wooldridge Ayden Gutierrez

Copy Chief Britney Lukasiewicz

Staff Adviser Nick Hildebrand

Photo Chief Wes Kinney

The Collegian is the student newspaper of Grove City College, located in Grove City, Pa. Opinions appearing on these pages, unless expressly stated otherwise, represent the views of individual writers. They are not the collective views of The Collegian, its staff or Grove City College.

Green Eyeshade Award the

Clark Mummau Perspectives Editor

Christmas is my second favorite holiday, but the world seems to adore it above all other days. I do not think any other holiday’s cultural permeation extends to about a month before and after, in addition to a strong resurgence six months later except for Christmas.

In recent years, I have called myself a bit of a Scrooge for my disdain of most anything Christmas until the week before its date. While that is not entirely true, I did cringe when the radio played Christmas music as we headed home on Thanksgiving. Christmas music is the most pervasive form of the “Christmas spirit,” and it is what annoys me the most.

I love Christmas carols and even many modern sacred Christmas songs, but there are few secular Christmas songs that I tolerate much more than once a year outside of very specific settings.

As I considered pop Christmas music, one thing stands out: much of it revolves around sensual romance, and it is lyrically not so different from non-Christmas pop music.

This music is not anything special. Often, the only thing that makes it sound “Christmasy” is sleighbells.

It does not represent the true meaning of Christmas, our Lord and Savior’s incarnate condescension to his

sinful creation. Some classic Christmas songs do focus on redeeming parts of the holiday’s secularization such as “White Christmas” and “Grown up Christmas List” that, while not sacred, ought to be lauded for their focus on pure themes.

Besides the lyrical banality of pop Christmas music, it seems like there are few songs to choose from, so the listener hears the same several songs on repeat. No matter how enjoyable Christmas songs may be, hearing 20 songs in various arrangements becomes tedious in little time.

So, to help retain some of the true Christmas spirit and begin purging some of the commercialization from this holiday, here are my official requirements that all homes, businesses and vehicles should immediately adopt: “All I Want For Christmas Is You” can be played once a week, and only in shops and grocery stores. Shoppers need something to distract them from the materialistic woes and preparation stresses, after all.

I allow “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth,” and maybe one or two other Chipmunks songs once a year, and not without strong conversation to drown out their whining.

“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” may never be played unless an actually good version is recorded, and even then, it must only be played past midnight when its potentially creepy nature fits the situation.

All other Christmas songs

Kinney

about infatuation and desiring people must have sleighbells removed and will be mixed in with the rest of pop music. They, along with the pop music they will join, offer nothing meaningful to society.

There may not be more than three vocal versions of one song played within an eight-hour span, and no more than one in an hour.

Instrumental arrangements are acceptable if they exhibit a sufficiently transformative application of the melodies so that they provide a contrast to their vocal counterparts.

Songs featuring sleighbells but either no lyrics or lyrics connected to winter and not Christmas may be played as long as it is cold. They are not exempt from frequency limitations.

After following these regulations, the spirited listener may complain that they have little to listen to, however, they are neglecting the wide array of available sacred music available. Listen to the beginning of Handel’s Messiah, learn some new carols and listen to different parts of The Nutcracker. I would highly recommend Amy Grant’s Christmas albums from the 80’s and 90’s, but that was what I grew up with due to my parents.

I think that by following these suggestions, we will have a deeper understanding of the true meaning of Christmas, and we will be better served as a world. We will focus on God and his work at this season, which is always good for us to do.

This week in Collegian history

Dreams, bikes and family Dec. 4, 1964 “College Milestone Marked” Grove City College wasn’t the first name given to Dr. Isaac C. Ketler’s school. In fact, GCC was not even considered a college when the Pine Grove Normal Academy was founded in 1876. It wasn’t until eight years later on Nov. 21, 1884, that the small town of Pine Grove changed its name to Grove City, thus giving the college its present name. On that day, Ketler, GCC’s first president, saw the beginning of “his dream” coming true — to provide a college of higher education for the surrounding community.

Dec. 5, 1986 “Jarvis Bikes for Crippled Children”

This week’s Green Eyeshade Award goes to Photo Chief Wes Kinney for his years of valuable service at the newspaper. We miss you and wish you the best!

The Green Eyeshade Award honors student contributors that demonstrate consistency and excellence in their work.

Singing loud for all to hear ...or not

TIME

To raise proceeds for the Crippled Children Committee, freshman Todd Jarvis (along with his friend) spent his summer biking cross-country from Warren, Pa., to Vancouver, British Columbia. The seven-week “Handlebars for the Handicapped” trip was 3,177.7 miles long, and both bikers raised $4,000 for the Warren-based organization.

Jarvis said that the experience was worth

it and that he would do it again. “I wasn’t sure how it would work out for places to stay overnight. It always worked out, though.

We slept in parks, and once we even slept behind a school.”

Nov. 30, 1990 “G.C.C. Employee Finds Sister After Four Decades Apart” While students spent Thanksgiving break with family and friends, maintenance worker Chuck Thorpe sent video tapes to his once long-lost sister and two brothers, all of whom he had never met before that year.

In October 1990, Thorpe met his sister Debbie for the first time after spending 41 years apart from each other. Together, Thorpe and Debbie found their two brothers and called them to catch up on old times. “I felt that Debbie and I were destined to find our brothers together,” he said. “I just hope they get the video tape, they’re more personal, and we don’t worry about the phone bill.”

David Zimmermann

News Editor

News The Collegian,

Dec. 5, 2020

Page 3

Chapel prepares for virtual Advent Meg Leach

Contributing Writer Since campus will be closed to students through December, the traditional Christmas Candlelight Service will look different this year.

Dr. Donald Opitz, the college’s chaplain, wrote in a recent email to the student body that he will hold an Advent of Hope service virtually at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 6. It will be livestreamed at www.gcc.edu/chapellive.

Opitz plans to invite the campus community and their families to “close the semester together in celebration,” with this virtual Advent service. He also said some opportunities for spiritual growth will be offered

by Chapel Ministries in the last week of the semester leading up to Christmas, including Bible studies, book discussions and Advent devotions.

Some students shared their thoughts about this change in campus tradition.

Junior Madison Zammataro missed the brief note about the Advent service but said she would readily attend anything virtual. “I honestly didn’t know that they were having this. I would love to participate because the candlelight service is always a fall semester highlight,” she said.

Zammataro was not the only student lamenting the loss of the annual candlelight service. Junior Rebecca Reed said that she would miss gathering to worship because of the light it brought to the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and she will look for an online option to participate.

GCC

The annual Christmas Candlelight service is usually a highlight of the fall chapel program, attracting both members of the community and students scrambling to fill their credit requirement. This year, the service has been exchanged for online Advent devotions, led by Dean of the Chapel, Dr. Don Opitz.

Reed will also consider partaking in the other faith-driven activities Opitz mentioned: “The end of the semester is a little crazy, but it sounds like Dr. Opitz’s Advent devotions could be a great way for us to focus on what really matters during the season.”

On that note, students will be taking advantage of the opportunity to spend quality time with family in the weeks following Thanksgiving. Not returning to campus before Christmas brought Zammataro “mixed emotions.”

“Part of me is excited to be home for the whole holiday season and be a part of family traditions this year.

But the time leading up to Christmas is my favorite time to be on campus,

so I am also sad,” Zammataro said.

Zammataro brought up the point that the Advent service will not be the only beloved campus tradition that will be missed. She will also miss the annual gift exchanges with friends and the night when the marching band plays Christmas carols while the star on Rockwell is lit.

Junior Sarah Matthews also thought it will be nice to experience Christmas at home for a change, but she noted that the semester is in a strange limbo.

“We are home, but we still have a week of classes and finals. When finals are done, we won’t be packing up for break and driving home which helps me physically know that I have

FINALS

Finance column

Prepare your financial future Alex Andersen Contributing Writer

As you prepare for finals and a well-deserved break, it may be tempting to plan on spending your extra free time hanging out with friends and family and relaxing. While it is important for you to rejuvenate yourself over winter break (it’s called a “break” for a reason), a winter break is also an excellent time to think about your financial future.

Over winter break, you can take five simple steps that will prepare you well for financial success after college.

First, you can get a job.

Even if you can only work part-time, the extra cash you can generate from a job over winter break can allow you to pay off extra college loans, buy Christmas presents for family and friends, start an emergency fund or begin investing in the stock market. To find a job over winter break, you could ask old employers if they have openings or use job search websites like CareerBuilder.com, RobertHalf.com, Indeed.com and Monster. com. You could even search for internships specific to your field of interest.

Second, you can apply for scholarships, according to Kristen Kuchar’s article,

finished the semester,” Matthews said.

Despite the trials that came with heading home early, along with missing campus, Reed expressed gratitude to the college for taking the necessary precautions to protect the students’ health.

This year’s virtual Advent service will bring that light Zammataro said it always brings, possibly hearing the traditional part of the service she always likes — a poem by Grace Noll Crowell that ends with the lines, “Thus assured I shall go forward through this unknown land; The way can never grow too dark, too long, For I shall bear Thy light within my hand.”

“Smart Moves Students Can Make Over Winter Break.”

If you have had to or expect to take out college loans to fund your Grove City education, remember that opportunities to apply for scholarships are available to you throughout your college years. Use websites like FastWeb.com, FinAid.com and CollegeNet.com to find some. Even if you must compete hard for some scholarships you apply to, you may make more money through scholarships than you could ever make through a seasonal job.

Third, find thrifty ways to get Christmas gifts for your family. While it may be exciting to spend a few days and a couple hundred dollars on Christmas shopping, there are less costly ways to have fun. So, consider finding less expensive gifts for others this holiday season.

You could write appreciative and heartfelt notes to loved ones, give away old toys to younger siblings or cousins or make meaningful presents for others through your artistic skills.

Fourth, as Kuchar recommends, you can assess your spending habits and plan a budget. Try to figure out about how much you spent in the past six months and decide if you are happy with

how much you have spent and where you have spent it. Then, make a budget (a written plan for how you are going to spend your money) for the next three or six months, since doing so can help you take control of your spending and give you more peace of mind about spending money. Cultivating the habit of budgeting now makes it much easier to do so after college, when budgeting becomes more crucial and complicated.

Fifth, you can learn more about personal finance. You can easily find online videos to watch, podcasts to listen to and books or articles to read in order to learn more about this invaluable subject. You can also ask your parents and other financially successful adults you know about some tips on personal finance they have gained from their own experience and learning.

So, there you have it: five practical steps you can take over winter break to help you become more financially successful. Depending on your financial circumstances, not all these steps will apply to you, but take the steps that you think are best for your situation. Your wallet will thank you later.

Write for The Collegian Interested in writing for The Collegian? The Collegian provides excellent opportunities for students who are interested in journalism careers, in writing and in exploring campus events and issues. All sections welcome new writers.

Email the Collegian at gcc.collegian@gmail.com.

continued from 1

the structure of Waha’s final did not change dramatically from previous years. Typically, English exams already focus on writing and analysis, which “are most easily measured and challenged by open-ended and essay questions,” Waha said.

The finals that are most likely to change dramatically are in the STEM fields where knowledge is measured through quantitative reasoning and problem-solving.

Dr. Kristina Pazehoski, professor of biology and assistant dean of the Hopeman School, had to change her finals significantly to adapt to online finals.

In her lower-level biology classes, “the final exam has traditionally been 100 multiple-choice questions, covering topics across the whole semester.”

The upper biology classes, Pazehoski said, were based on a few multiple-choice questions but were mostly “problem-based.”

Like Waha, Pazehoski knew that a final where students could easily look up answers in their notes would not be challenging.

In the spring, Pazehoski had to change significant portions of the final. “There was a much greater emphasis on essays.”

One creative way Pazehoski modified her final was by having students write up questions.

“Students were tasked with writing five short-answer and 10 multiple-choice questions that addressed several of the learning objectives for our class.” The final was a success, Pazehoski said and added that “the results were amazing.”

Starting this fall, Pazehoski modified her final for BIOL 101 by having students

choose a research question to focus on throughout the semester.

“As the semester has progressed, they have done a few small assignments to investigate how the BIOL 101 content pertains to their chosen question,” Pazehoski said.

The culmination of their research is a report, which is then handed in as the students’ final.

Dr. James Clem, assistant professor of physics, took a much different approach to updating his finals. He is not changing anything.

Clem said that his test format has been and currently is mostly multiple-choice, and he strongly opposes a focus on memorizing information.

“I abhor anything that requires memorization — memorization of material is a horrible learning method,” Clem said. “I focus my teaching style on understanding concepts and applying that understanding in different scenarios and/or environments.”

“Since my exams do not rely on memorization, an open book exam and/or open-notes exam wouldn’t be that helpful to a student anyway,” Clem said.

Online finals vary depending on the academic discipline and the personality of the professor.

Waha’s English finals have not changed significantly, while Pazehoski’s biology finals need to be modified more heavily.

Clem sees that changing his test format would not change much for students.

Though it is difficult for both the professors and students to have finals with different structures, more creativity is being shown.

“I’m thankful for the ways in which the pandemic conditions have prompted me to re-analyze my teaching methods,” added Pazehoski.

Community The Collegian, Dec. 5, 2020

Giving thanks on campus Laura Hamilton Contributing Writer

Imagine not going home for Thanksgiving. You don’t see your family, don’t travel long distances, don’t help to prepare the delicious feast.

Instead, you stay on campus, in your dorm, and eat your Thanksgiving dinner in the dining hall. Unthinkable, right? That is what life was like for Grove City students until the mid-20th century.

Thanksgiving break did not even exist at Grove City until the 1950s or so, according to college archivist Hilary Walczak. Students did not go off campus very often because they did not have the transportation resources.

“Travel was harder, people didn’t have cars of their own…non-local students would have to take the train,” Walczak said.

So almost every student who did not live near Grove City stayed on campus for Thanksgiving break.

Walczak explains that the Thanksgiving week was much like any other week of the semester. “Campus went on like normal, classes continued, [although] they did have Thanksgiving Day off. They had a special Thanksgiving chapel service and a slightly fancier Thanksgiving dinner…they had traditional foods like turkeys, etc.”

However, Thanksgiving was still a special time for the students who had to stay on campus. Many social events filled the week since people couldn’t be home with their families. Sororities and fraternities would hold dances and other gatherings so that the community could celebrate together.

“They dedicated services to those who were overseas during World War I,” Walczak said. “Rationing took place…When the [Spanish] flu hit campus in 1919, students weren’t going home or traveling, so social distancing and similar activities took place.”

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

During WWII, the campus dedicated events such as dances to the war effort, using Thanksgiving as a fundraising opportunity for the war.

Campus dances were far more popular and frequent than they are today, since there were fewer things to do off-campus—there were no outlets or other outside attractions. They only began to dwindle in the ’70s.

“You had dances for almost everything,” Walczak explains. “They were a social event. Almost every Greek group and club would hold a dance… big bands and live music came in the ’40s. There were no dance clubs yet because almost everyone knew how to dance, and it was a common pastime.”

After WWII, the interstate was built, cars became more readily available and Thanksgiving break started to become a reality.

“A lot of veterans came back to campus and could afford a car,” Walczak said, “that’s when you started to see the semesters taking the more modern-day look we have now with only a two-semester year. Before, it was more of a trimester system.”

Now, Thanksgiving break serves as a transition period for Christmas decorations. “The second [students] leave for Thanksgiving break, the campus switches over to Christmas and the decorations go up,” Walczak explained.

The holidays look different for Grove City students this year, with many leaving campus early and missing Bon Appetit’s Thanksgiving spread, and no on-campus classes during the Christmas season. But a glimpse into the college’s Thanksgiving traditions reminds us that our students are resilient and committed to community, in the past and present.

Page 4

What’s cookin’?

In the midst of our holiday cheer, one can never have too many recipes. Take a look and try your hand at some of The Collegian’s favorite holiday delicacies. Enjoy!

Recipe Ingredients:

2 cups corn

2 tablespoons butter

Dr. Lisa Hosack’s gr andmot

her

Directions:

1. Mix well and ba ke middle

2 tablespoons suga

r

2 eggs

Corn Pudding

From the kitchen of:

at 350 F for 1 hour

or until set in the

½ teaspoon salt 1 ¼ cup milk

Recipe Ingredients:

fresh or 1 12-ounce pack of frozen cranberries ¾ cup of sugar ½ cup orange juice

juice ½ cup of cranberry isins ¼ cup of golden ra or1 teaspoon of grated e peel ange peel (grate th ice and then use the ju the from the orange for e) wet ingredients abov

sh

Cranberry Tea Reli Directions:

gar and the cranberries, su ok co an ep uc sa e rg 1. In a la pop, which is at until the berries he m iu ed m er ov juices

about 15 minutes. covered for ge peel; simmer un an or d an s in is ra e 2. Add th a covered to cool, transfer to w lo Al . es ut in m 10 about til served. bowl. Refrigerate un ies. So very the liquid and berr ith w , ps cu 4 t ou ab 3. Makes e cranberries! good to eat if you lik

Recipe

1. Mix first five ingredients together. In a sepa rate

1 ¼ teaspoon baking pow-

with an electric mixer, beat 10 tablespoons butt

der

¼ cup granulated sugar 2 eggs

utes. Add

eggs and vanilla and beat again.

1 teaspoon cinnamon

bowl

er, brown

sugar and ¼ cup granulated sugar for 3 min

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup brown sugar

Dr. Kristin Waha

Directions:

1 ¾ cup flour

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

Apple Cider Donuts

From the kitchen of:

Ingredients:

Pinch nutmeg

Zolane Gordon

From the kitchen of:

2. Add flour mixture and apple cider and beat until mixed. Pour into donut tray or use a muffin

fully

tin. Bake 12 to 14 minutes at 350 F (muffins may take long er).

3. Melt remaining butter in one bowl and mix remaining granulated sugar to make the coating in ano ther bowl.

Remove donuts from oven and let them cool

a few minutes; then roll donuts in butter, and cinnamo n-sugar.

Enjoy them while they are hot!

1 teaspoon vanilla ½ cup apple cider 1 teaspoon cinnamon plus ½ cup granulated sugar (for outer coating)

Recipe Ing

redients:

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as Christmas W From the f: kitchen o

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esse Dr. Colin M

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Direction

all in 1. Combine us! smell delicio

cider 4 cups apple pple juice (I 4 cups pinea ned) buy Dole can ou erry juice (y 4 cups cranb juice or can use 100% cktail) cranberry co n sugar 1/3 cup brow rtered 1 lemon, qua whole cloves n o o sp a te 2 1 1/ sticks 2 cinnamon on allspice 1 1/2 teaspo

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The Collegian, Dec. 5, 2020

Page 5

In memory of Mrs. Alice Ketler

7 Questions with…

Fiona Lacey

Community Editor At 102 years old, Grove City teacher and eldest member of Grove City College’s founding family, Alice (Bryant) Ketler passed away on Monday, Nov. 2, leaving behind a legacy of faith and kindness for her beloved children and grandchildren to remember.

To remember Ketler, we’ve gone through the college’s archives to share more about her life and story.

Ketler’s mother originally moved her, her four siblings and grandmother to Grove City in 1921 for a proper education after her husband died. After attending Grove City High School, Ketler enrolled in Grove City College.

According to Alice in an interview with the Archives, this “was just sort of given.”

Ketler lived at home and walked to school every day, taking classes for the business major and eventually joining the basketball team and her “town sorority,” Delta Kappa Gamma.

During her senior year, she was crowned May Queen, a little-known tradition of the college that has since ended.

This was not without the permission of Mrs. Alice Ketler, according to current First Lady Brenda McNulty ’80.

She hadn’t liked it very much anyway, saying, “Well, it was kinda corny!”

“They really separated the boys and girls,” Alice told college archivist Hilary Walczak of the Archives. Even so, Alice managed to start dating her longtime elementary school admirer, George Ketler ’39, son of Weir C. Ketler ’08, and grandson of Grove City College founder Isaac J. Ketler.

George was a member of the football team, and an obvious big name on campus. When asked if this was strange at all to her, Alice said, “Well I had known him since eighth grade.”

“He started sending me notes freshman year,” she

Mr. Scott Gordon Director of Student Activities and Programs What do you listen to on your ride home?

WSAJ 91.1 What are you currently reading?

“To Purge this Land with Blood: A Biography of John Brown” by Stephen B. Oates What’s something you’ve been pondering lately?

“To Purge this Land with Blood: A Biography of John Brown” by Stephen B. Oates

GCC ARCHIVES

Alice Ketler, the longest living member of the Ketler family, was crowned May Queen, a little-known tradition of the college that has since ended. Ketler passed away this November at 102 years old. said. “When I was a junior, he asked me to a basketball game, and that was our first date.”

The two were a perfect match, and married that September after graduation in 1939. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, George was stationed as a Marine and eventually deployed to the Pacific Islands, forced to leave a pregnant Alice and their 6-month-old son, Jud, on their own in California.

“It was tough,” she told Walczak. “We were happy after the war was over that we had Bruce,” she said of her youngest son, Bruce Ketler ’71.

The family of five eventually moved back to Grove City when George was offered a position as assistant Bursar

of Grove City College.

Ketler took English classes at the college while teaching at Grove City Junior High.

She later went on to receive a master’s degree at Westminster College after three years of juggling her job, family and education.

After her husband died in 1993, Ketler decided to stay in the Ketler residence in Grove City, to the surprise of many. “You know it’s home. I love it,” she said.

Ketler made her house open. “None of us ever knocked on the door before we entered,” her son, Bruce, noted.

At age 100, Ketler was hosting book clubs and having weekly meals with her youngest, Bruce. According to those who knew her best,

she knew the whereabouts and happenings of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all kept straight by her “keen mind and sharp memory.”

Brenda McNulty described an afternoon visit with Ketler when she was 96.

“We’d sit on the couch in Alice’s beautiful sunporch with the light streaming in and her years old pink geraniums blooming in their pots all year round. She caught me up on lots of family history and we chatted of trips, books, TV shows and current events. [A] lovely example of aging graciously,” McNulty said.

“It’s been a good life,” Ketler said in her interview at age 95. “I’ve felt very blessed, I really have.”

Favorite restaurant right now?

“To Purge this Land with Blood: A Biography of John Brown” by Stephen B. Oates Name the one movie that makes you tear up.

The 1979 film “The Champ” starring Jon Voight and Ricky Schroder.

What are you looking forward to today?

An effective COVID-19 vaccine.

Favorite thanksgiving tradition?

My wife Zolane’ s turkey dinner in general, her cranberry relish specifically!

Holiday plans go south Noel Elvin

“At that moment, it was unclear if I should go back Staff Writer home since it was uncertain For many students, breaks whether the campus was going to reopen at some point are for returning home to see in the future,” said Orozco. one’s family and eat mom’s “If I had stayed a bit longer, food, but that’s not always I would not have been able to the case. For many internareturn home because all airtional students, returning lines cancelled their flights.” home is simply not an opWhen GCC opened for tion. For others, neither was the fall semester, Orozco was returning to campus this fall. not able to return due to the In March, when the colcancelation of all flights to lege sent the majority of stu- the U.S. Therefore, he studdents home, junior Barnabas ied remotely from his home Chen and sophomore Morris in Nicaragua. Because of Li, who are both from Chi- this, he will get to spend this na, stayed on campus until semester’s breaks with his the end of the semester. family, unlike many other inWhen the spring semester ternational students. concluded they both stayed Senior Shelly Quin, who in the U.S. for the summer. Li is also from China, gradustayed at a professor’s house ates in December and is apand Chen went to L.A. where plying to law schools for Fall he has extended family. Both of 2021. After she graduates, Chen and Li have not returned she will be moving to Pittshome in almost a year. burgh where she currentContrarily, junior Car- ly has a part-time job and will los Orozco, an international be looking for a full-time job. student from Nicaragua, reQuin explained that she turned home when GCC had hopes to return home bean exodus back in March and fore she begins law school in was unable to return to cam- the fall and that her mother could come watch her walk pus in the August.

for graduation in May if it is safe and travel restrictions permit.

Chen, Li and Quin all wish they could return home, but, according to Chen, returning home would require a 14day quarantine in China once he lands as well as when he returns to the U.S. for school in the spring.

Even aside from COVID-19 restrictions, Chen said that a round trip flight would cost him roughly $10,000.

For many international students, breaks do not occur during the holidays they celebrate at home. Thanksgiving is not a holiday celebrated in China or Nicaragua. Instead, a very important holiday in China is Chinese New Year, but they also celebrate National Day and Moon Festival, also known as the MidAutumn Festival.

Christmas is celebrated only within the church in China according to Chen. He explained that it is celebrated differently than in the U.S. though. For example, Christmas decorations are only on the streets, not within the

houses.

Christmas and New Year’s Day are celebrated in Nicaragua. Orozco said that some Christmas and New Year’s Eve traditions include “the setting up of a Christmas tree, ignition of sparklers on Christmas, lighting up fireworks on New Year’s Eve and the once-a-year meals my grandmother cooks.”

While many international students wish they could return home for breaks, they are also grateful for the unique opportunities they have had from spending time with friends’ families and traveling. Each family has their own traditions and international students can not only get to know that family better but also the culture as a whole.

“It sounds sad that when you have a break that international students can’t go home,” Quin said. “But in my personal experiences during these times you always get to know a friend’s family or go travel or have a trip somewhere. So, it’s actually really fun.”

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Perspectives The Collegian,

Page 6

Dec. 5, 2020

Unifying philosophies

Why we should be careful to compromise beliefs Isaac Willour

Contributing Writer Every year, there are a bevy of intellectual offerings that surface around Thanksgiving as we slip into the Christmas season.

Most of them are written by people who sit in their comfortable chairs, sipping matcha green tea while presenting airy, strugglefree reflections on how our struggles are not really fundamental and how we can all rise above everything that divides us and come together in a blaze of kumbaya spittin’ glory to eat pumpkin pie and hug it out.

I do not think the lifestyle bloggers and Starbucks-fueled power of positivity types called this one correctly.

While unity is possible, there is an absolutely irreconcilable divide between two different ideas within society that bears examination.

The first idea is ostensibly the majority opinion: The Cover-All. Unfortunately, this idea has penetrated our academia, media, institutions of higher learning and most perniciously, the churches.

This idea says all that really matters is the way we present ourselves, with no thought to the mind behind the mask.

As long as one presents a life that fits in with popular sentiment, all will be well.

Social cohesion and harmony are more valuable than conflict because it is only through social unity that humanity can reach for higher things.

If we must compromise to restore a social fabric, then

that is what it is going to take.

If eggs must be broken to make an omelet, such is the way.

If you insist on certain principles that cut against the grain of popular opinion, you are a bigot, prude, oldfashioned and must be socially censured.

While there are approximately five people worldwide that would actually admit to holding such a philosophy, how often do we act like this philosophy is true?

How often are we afraid to engage in difficult discussions about values because we fear how we will be perceived?

While being a jerk is generally an ineffective social strategy, being a polite but dissenting voice should not be a source of fear. If it is, it is a sign that the Cover-All philosophy is gaining traction in

Nothing new: fraud through the ages Jackson Romo Contributing Writer

The 2020 election is dogged by allegations of voter fraud, un-democratic rhetoric and elitist corruption, and the media labels these times as “unprecedented.”

Conservatives worry that a Republican will never win an election again, that all elections are untrustworthy. But if history has anything to say, it is that the institutions of our Republic are resilient.

America weathered elitist corruption, voter fraud and public distrust in the electoral process and survived it all.

This is not to condone voter fraud or partisan undermining of legitimate elections, but simply to offer hope to those who question.

The 1824 presidential election fiasco occurred just 36 years after the founding of the Republic. Andrew Jackson was well below the 131 electors necessary to win the presidency but came in first place with 99 delegates.

A close second was the establishment favorite, John Quincy Adams, with 84 electoral votes.

With none of the four candidates capturing a majority of delegates, the election fell to the House of Representatives. House Speaker Henry Clay brokered the so-called “Corrupt Bargain” by convincing enough representatives to vote for John Quincy Adams as president. In return, Henry Clay was named Secretary of State.

America’s greatest electoral challenge was the 1876 presidential election. The Democrat, Samuel Tilden, was only one vote shy of capturing the presidency.

But Republican-controlled canvassing boards in the “re-constructed” states of South Carolina, Louisiana and Florida refused to certify the election results in favor of Tilden. Republicans in Louisiana then launched

your life.

The second philosophy is the one everyone thinks they are: The Committed Philosophy.

This idea is that of holding to your underlying values no matter the social or personal costs.

Very noble, very archetypally appealing; we all want to be the stalwart hero.

But this idea will never gain cultural clout.

We definitionally cannot have a culture of aboveaverage people. The idea of maintaining freedom is one that goes against the law of entropy; it is countercultural in nature.

Being committed requires you to push back against a culture that wants you to sacrifice parts of yourself to fit in with it.

And that is a philosophy all of us want to embrace, but

A pandemic semester in review Shelbi Henkle

Contributing Writer

THE NEW YORK TIMES

a campaign of ballot tampering, under the supervision of republican agents from Republican President Ulysses Grant.

The election was resolved when house democrats agreed to certify the election in favor of Rutherford B. Hayes, in exchange for the end of reconstruction. This became known as the Compromise of 1877. It resulted in a century of Jim Crow, another form of voter suppression, instituted by southern democrats.

As a proud Texian, I cannot leave out the history of the Lone Star State. Future President Lyndon B. Johnson was defeated in the 1941 Democratic Senate primary because he ordered his cronies to report the election results early. This gave his opponent, Pappy O’Daniel, enough time to “discover” more votes to change the election. Not one to repeat mistakes, Johnson enlisted southern Texas political boss George Parr, the “Duke of Duval County.”

In the 1948 Democratic primary, Johnson waited until three days after the election. One of Parr’s men changed the vote count in

Precinct 13 of Jim Wells County, giving Johnson his 87-vote edge. Without the help of voter fraud, Johnson would have lost his second primary back-to-back, dashing his hopes of becoming President.

The American electoral process has always recovered from a lack of public faith in elections, so long as Americans submitted to the rule of law. It is one thing to believe that your party was cheated, but something entirely different to incite violence or seize authority illegitimately based on those beliefs.

I would urge my fellow conservatives to submit to the rule of law, even if it seems unjust. Paul implores us to “submit to the governing authorities” in Romans 13. That includes all authorities, even unjust ones.

I would also urge conservatives to be careful with allegations of voter fraud. An allegation of voter fraud is an impeachment of the entire electorate.

Benjamin Franklin warned that we only have a republic if we can keep it. Every voter and every party must do its part in maintaining faith in our election processes.

few people actually put into practice.

Can we have unity between these two philosophies? No. Not, at least, on the things that matter.

We cannot simultaneously hold to our values and compromise on them.

We cannot cover all for cohesion and commit to selfsufficiency. We cannot have equal levels of social unity and individual liberty.

The power of positivity only has the power to create a horde of happy people that still disagree on everything as strongly as they did before.

We can create unity around shared interests.

We cannot create unity of thought, and we should be incredibly careful before we try.

The fall semester of 2020 was a memorable one for Grove City College as they persevered through the pandemic.

The school has done a remarkable job, in my opinion, staying open when many schools around the United States shut their doors and moved online for the semester.

From August to Nov. 29 the college cumulatively had 127 cases which is impressive compared to the rest of the United States.

The college’s back-toschool plan in August did fall under scrutiny from some students and parents due to the strict guidelines Grove City installed but the rules put in place were reasonable and effective.

Creating a GCC “bubble” provided protection for the students and staff by utilizing protocols such as self-isolations and quarantines for students and faculty exposed to COVID-19.

The semester experienced a few outbreaks after the three-day weekend in October, but the school contained the spread rather well.

The most difficult thing for those involved in the “COVID-19 taskforce” was navigating constant change and uncertainty.

McNulty summed up the biggest challenge for his team by saying, “There were times when we felt overwhelmed by the logistics of contact tracing and spread prevention. But the Lord was kind, gracious, and protected the College from unmanageable circumstances and serious illness.”

Personally, I was placed in self-isolation three times over the course of the semester and then placed in quar-

antine towards the end.

Now after experiencing some aspects of the COVID-19 protocols, there were definitely some issues in the system, such as the speed of communication to the students about what was required of them.

It is also crucial to note that this entire system is new and many of the faculty had responsibilities outside of the taskforce.

With that in mind, there is room for improvement, but given the context and limit on resources, the school did a solid job maintaining a healthy student body.

McNulty also acknowledges that there are definitely areas the student body can grow as well as the understanding of “basic practices such as mask wearing and physical distancing.”

Nothing about the regulations was pleasant or desirable to follow, but they were necessary to protect the community.

It was not the easiest to comprehend the effects of my individual actions, but one has to look at their actions like concentric circles; there is a long-range impact on those whom you interact with and their friends as well.

A community mentality of “we over me” brought the college closer together metaphorically since it inspired others to be cautious about their actions as well as putting others before themselves.

This semester pushed many out of their comfort zone, but McNulty noted, “I talked to a large number of students who expressed a deeper appreciation for being together as a campus community. I think this renewed perspective has been our biggest area of growth.”

Personally, I believe Grove City has been blessed to be able to have in-person classes and will hopefully, able to return in the spring.

The Collegian,

Dec. 5, 2020

Page 7

EXCELSIOR COLLEGE

Advice from a December ’20 grad John Kalajian

Contributing Writer When I look back on my time at Grove City College, I increasingly realize that I was meant to come here.

I want to share some advice from a graduating senior to any underclassmen who may be struggling with some of the things I did.

It is never too late to make some changes to improve your college experience and life outside of college.

1. Get out.

How you studied in high school does not work in college.

In high school, it was all about getting homework and projects done as fast as possible so that you did not have to worry about them later, even if this meant doing it a week or several weeks in advance.

GRADS

continued from 1 Grove. Nelms, along with other graduates, had expressed that she was particularly grateful to graduate early due to the restrictions caused by COVID. “I was so thankful to be in person this semester,” she said, “but it’s such a weird time to be at school and I’m glad I don’t have to do it again in the spring.”

“College the way we left it last spring is different than what it is now,” Kriner said, “so I’m glad I don’t have to deal with that tension anymore.”

Although these students no longer need to handle the COVID restrictions on campus, the world is still experiencing this global pandemic — which has ramifications on their future careers.

“It’s difficult planning what you’re doing after college,”

PREVIEW

continued from 8 All eyes will be on basketball as both teams aim to set a pandemic precedent and defend their PAC titles.

But exactly how fans will be permitted to watch their teams has yet to be determined by the NCAA, PAC and the College.

This does not work in college, where you could quite literally work 24/7 if you wanted.

I tried this approach freshman year, and it led to me spending many hours and days in my room doing nothing but homework that was not due until the end of the week.

There is nothing wrong with working ahead, but do not forget to stop and smell the roses. There are other things in life besides school.

2. Meet people (they want to be met).

I was very anti-social my freshman year.

I seemed to expect people I had spoken to on one occasion to invite me to do things.

This is not how life works.

Also, I figured that if I tried being overly social, people would think I was bizarre.

I did not make any friends freshman year, and it made it very lonely. My sophomore year I decided to throw cau-

tion to the wind and talk to everyone I met, even though it was against my nature.

What shocked me most was that most people wanted to be met and make new friends.

The handful that did not, well, who cares?

There are tons of other people who want friends, and they are waiting for you to initiate. They will be your pillar to lean on when things are tough.

3. Exercise.

Getting a workout in makes you feel so much better and you will look better, too.

Believe it or not most of those jacked guys at the gym who seem really intimidating and might think they are the hottest thing on earth are super nice guys who are eager to share their knowledge and help you out.

Seriously, exercising a few times a week will give improve your attitude, even if you have a test the next day.

4. Get involved in some things (but do not be a Grover-achiever).

Being a member of campus organizations is part of the college experience. It may take some trial and error to find what you want, but it will be worth it; do not get discouraged.

You will meet other people who are into the same things you are, and it will give you something to anticipate.

However, avoid the toxic mentality that being involved in a lot in is a sign that you a superior person.

I do not know why at Grove City being overcommitted to the point of stress is considered a good thing, but it is not. You do not get bonus points for being overcommitted.

5. Find a church and go on Sunday.

I was nominally Christian when I arrived at Grove City and boy did God fix that over the past three and a half

years.

Attending church may seem like a drag, but believe me, over time, it will become very refreshing to leave campus once a week to worship God. 6. Have a sense of humor.

People treat everything in life like it is the most serious end-of-the-world thing.

You need to be able to laugh at yourself, others, society and the way the world is.

Otherwise, you will just end up depressed because things are not the way they are supposed to be.

I hope that you can find a piece of my advice helpful and take time to reflect on your own college experience so far.

Thank you to everyone at Grove City who was a part of my journey, and may God bless you on your journey.

Kriner said, “because you just don’t know what is going to happen with COVID.” Currently Kriner plans to travel to Scotland and work with an Iranian refugee ministry aiding local startups from February to August. Following her return home, she hopes to enter the Pittsburgh Fellows Program and begin her career.

Brodine’s post-graduation plans have also been affected by the pandemic. “The plan was to go into marketing and PR for the performing arts in New York City because that is my background,” she said, “but the performing arts are shut down right now and New York City is crazy, so that’s on hold.”

However, some students are able to move directly into their careers.

Nelms has earned a fulltime position in the operations department of PNC and starts her new job in January. O’Donnell will also begin

his position in the Business Development Center for the Wright Automotive Group in Wexford, Pa., as soon as Dec. 14.

Though life may lead these graduates in varying directions, they still all walk away from the same Grove City College, taking their own experiences and memories with them.

“I had so many ups and downs here, but the people really made it worth it,” Brodine said. “The students, professors and community were so strong and welcoming that, as hard as four years of college gets, it was a great overall experience.”

“It’s weird really,” Kriner joked. “I never understood Stockholm syndrome until college. The whole time you’re there you wish it was over and then it is over and all you want to do is go back.

The truth is that I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.”

NURSING

“I genuinely am enjoying the nursing program here at GCC. It has been very well constructed, and I see it having lots of potential,” said freshman Sadie Kriebel.

After their first year, students will enroll in both Grove City and BC3 nursing courses.

“Students usually ask, well, if I want the Grove City experience, why am I going to school at BC3 and what we say to that is: you want to be around like-minded students who have the passion for caring for others in the same vocation you do, and that’s what you’ll get at BC3,” Roach said.

Next semester, the nursing program plans on hiring a new faculty member and applying for accreditation for fall 2021.

It is likely that streaming games will be live, but information regarding in-person spectators will likely be announced closer to gameday.

Other teams that normally begin around the end of Jan. and mid Feb. are swimming and diving, water polo, lacrosse and track and field.

Of these sports, the PAC has released word on swimming and diving and indoor

track and field.

The latest update also announced the cancellation of track and field’s PAC championship meet, but encouraged teams to schedule meets with local, nonconference teams.

Wolverine fans can be on the lookout for more information from the PAC regarding the return of their favorite sports soon.

continued from 1 in college, but this is a pretty resilient group of students,” Roach said.

Resilience is a vital skill for nursing majors to have success in the field. As freshmen, nursing students must maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA to be accepted into Butler County Community College’s (BC3) Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health.

“Nursing is, the research shows, heavy science and math, so it is a pretty rigorous curriculum,” Roach said.

The Nursing Department meets with its students once a month to help them feel like a part of the program.

Students in the program find the hard work has been rewarding.

DRAFT

continued from 8

Phoenix now has hopes for the playoffs and has made the most improvement of all teams this offseason.

Golden State’s second overall pick James Wiseman adds young blood to the frontcourt. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are finally returning this season, but unfortunately Klay Thompson will not.

After Klay’s tore his Achilles this offseason, Golden

State will have to fight hard just to get into contention.

Houston dealt Russell Westbrook to Washington in return for John Wall.

This move removes part of toxicity that existed with the Rockets between Westbrook and James Harden, however the chemistry with Wall will be built from scratch.

Brooklyn, Denver, Miami and Philadelphia had a quiet offseason, but essentially maintain the same playoff squads as last season.

Sports The Collegian, Dec. 5, 2020

Page 8

Are sports returning?

Emily Rupczewski Sports Editor

While fall athletics usually pack the PLC arena and the bleachers of Thorn and Lyle fields, this semester has been a noticeably quiet one.

An official competitive game has not been played on Grove City’s campus since Feb. 29, which proved to be a busy day for many Grove City sports: men’s basketball defeated rival Geneva and claimed a major PAC Championship victory, while the womens team did the same on the road against Washington and Jefferson.

Lacrosse dropped their last home match to Baldwin Wallace by a narrow 9-8 margin, and women’s water polo played what would be their last home game during their 2-day home invitational.

This fall, athletes of all sports returned to campus ready to take on their next season. Teams have been cautiously but rigorously practicing all semester in preparation for spring.

Should it proceed as planned, the spring of 2021 promises to be a busy one.

According to the PAC’s most recent update on Nov. 20, winter and spring sports will attempt to commence as usual, with competition permitted to begin no earlier than

GCC

Last year, the Grove City women’s basketball team won the PAC championship. The team looks to defend their title, even during COVID. Jan. 23 and travel limited to basketball teams are expect- a monumental one for both sophomore, junior and sein-conference teams. ed to return to full competi- men’s and women’s basket- nior classes, and have added It is fitting the last team tion in mid-January. ball teams. These teams ex- a depth of freshman as well, to play on campus—who Though the PAC has not pect to keep the momentum as the men’s team welcomes clutched a championship released on official schedule that propelled them through in seven freshmen and the win, at that—will be the first for either team, it is specu- last seasons going with hopes womens team six newcomto resume competitive play: lated one may drop within a of defending their titles as ers. basketball. month. league champions.

Both men’s and women’s The 2019-2020 season was Both teams retain their PREVIEW 7

National Sports Column

Draft, trades and free agency Connor Schlosser Staff Writer

Instead of a gush of allstars joining forces for new super teams, the NBA’s free agency this year has primarily been role player focused.

Not many big names were available this time around, but some signings, trades and draft selections have shuffled some team’s rankings for better or for worse.

The three biggest names up for grabs in free agency are either re-signing or nearing an extension deal to stay put where they are.

Anthony Davis of the Lakers was at the top of that list and will likely re-sign with hopes to repeat with Lebron James.

The Lakers core was gutted this offseason losing Howard, Rondo, Bradley and McGee, but they since have added Marc Gasol, Clippers big man Montrezl Harrell and sparkplug point guard Dennis Schröder.

Lebron and company still hold the strongest position in the league.

Across the hall of the Staples Center, the Clippers appear to be keeping their trio of Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Patrick Beverly, but have adjusted by moving rotational players and dropping head coach Doc Rivers for Tyronn Lue. Losses of Jamychal Green and Harrell to conference rivals hurt, but the additions of Serge Ibaka and Nicolas Batum keep the Clippers in good standing.

Most improved player last year and all-star Brandon Ingram will stay with

the Pelicans; a team that has given him a central role in the offense, allowing him to flourish.

New Orleans playoff hopes are slim with the dealing of all-star point guard Jrue Holiday to the Milwaukee Bucks.

Milwaukee added Holiday to go deeper in the playoffs in effort to keep titan Giannis Antetokounmpo from signing elsewhere in the near future.

Talented guard Fred VanVleet inked a four-year deal to stay with the Raptors.

VanVleet has been integral to Toronto’s success and now he will fit into a permanent role going forward.

Suns center Aron Baynes and Kings center Alex Len fill in Gasol and Ibaka’s absence.

Forward Gordon Hayward left Boston to make even more money with the Charlotte Hornets.

This is a setback for the Celtics in talent but gives young stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown more opportunity.

Boston lost some depth but added much needed veteran talent in Tristan Thompson and Jeff Teague.

The C’s should see playoff action but still sit behind Milwaukee, Miami and Brooklyn in terms of talent in the Eastern Conference.

The Phoenix Suns made a splash in free agency by adding veteran all-star point guard Chris Paul.

This was an excellent addition for Phoenix to pair Paul with deadeye all-star Devin Booker.

DRAFT 7

Senior Jordan McConnell dribbles past a defender in a game against Saint Vincent last season.

GCC

COVID can’t kill culture Jordan McConnell Contributing Writer

Unity. Purpose. Strength.

This is the mantra of Grove City College Women’s Basketball. It is who we are. It is what we live by.

One of the greatest privileges of my time at Grove City College has been the opportunity to be a part of this program, and the culture that surrounds it. Each season has been special in its own way, showing me what unity, purpose and strength are all about. This year is no different.

UNITY I have always loved the game of basketball, but I never knew how much I could love the people that I get to play it with. Teammates and coaches have become family to me. That is what unity does. The relationships that we have built together will last long after we take our jerseys off and untie our shoes for the last time.

Unity changes the game. It is what allowed us to become the President’s Athletic Conference (PAC) Champions

and compete at the NCAA Tournament last season.

Now we are building from the unity that was established last season. Whether playing spikeball outside on sunny afternoons, going for walks or shooting together in the gym, developing relationships with one another remains a key goal of our team.

PURPOSE When we play with unity, our purpose shines through us. Above all, we play basketball to honor God, and it is our hope that in watching us play, others will see His love.

Without Him, we are simply playing a game that can be taken away in an instant.

Knowing that this season would be unlike any we have experienced before, we wanted our focus to be rooted in the fact that God is unshakeable.

Our theme for the year is “Stone Wall” – relating to Psalm 62:6 which says, “Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.”

The only thing that remains immovable in the chaos is Christ and placing our identity in Him as a team provides us with a stronger foundation than basketball.

STRENGTH Both physical and mental strength are vital for our team. Whether working out in the weight room or doing conditioning on the soccer field at 6:30 a.m., we are continually developing the strength of our bodies, even if the process looks a little different than before.

Now, more than ever, we are learning the importance of mental strength. Sometimes it can be hard to go to practice with the hope of a game still months away, but in choosing to see the challenges as opportunities and not obstacles, we are growing stronger. Our attitude makes a difference.

Though COVID-19 has tried to take its toll on our season, it has no power to take away the culture of our team. There are many things outside of our control, but culture is never one of them.

No matter what this season may look like, unity, purpose and strength will remain.

Jordan McConnell is a senior point guard for the women’s basketball team and was named Most Outstanding Player of PAC Championship Tournament in 2020.