The Collegian, Sept. 13, 2024

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Art & Soul brings calm crafting and community to campus Club celebrates over 200 members

Class is now in session with Pence

On Thursday, former Vice President Mike Pence and President Paul J. McNulty ‘80 taught two classes: Christianity and Public Policy, a small seminar course for students affiliated with the College’s The Institute for Faith & Freedom (IFF) think tank, and Faith and Public Service, a larger lecture class that has more than 200 students signed up. Pence is teachng as part of his role with the Colleg e’s Center for Faith & Public Life.

Rathburn memorialized Longtime board member honored in Harbison

Trash mountain battle continues

A mountain of trash has led to a mountain of backlash.

In January of this year, the DEP Environmental Hearing Board ruled in favor of TriCounty Industries against a citizen appeal, meaning that Tri-County Industries did not have its 2020 permit revoked and can reoperate its fracking waste landfill. The landfill was previously permitted from 1985-1990. However, residents have not given up their fight against the landfill. The Citizens Environmental Association (CEASRA) of the Slippery Rock Area has led a lengthy appeal process to prevent the landfill from reopening. It has taken the case to the Commonwealth Court.

“Vogel Holding, Inc., which owns the site, has had a terrible violation history, with over 1.2 million dollars in fines as of 2014. We believe that if they could not operate a simple landfill safely, they will never be able to manage a radioactive fracking waste dump,” Jane Cleary, a CEASRA member, said.

After a multi-year battle with rectal cancer, Rathburn died in Keswick, Va.

Grove City College hosted a memorial service yesterday in Harbison Chapel in honor of Trustee Chair Emeritus David R. Rathburn ’79 who passed this February at 66.

Rathburn’s impact on the College as a leader, benefactor and alumni will not be soon forgotten by the campus. Over his 28 years of service on the Board of Trustees and 17 years as its chair, Rathburn was devoted to the College’s mission and values.

He oversaw a period of

unprecedented growth and approached the change with tact and resilience. Rathburn was given Chair Emeritus status and awarded an honorary doctorate in 2020 after he stepped down from the position. College leaders eulogized Rathburn as a leader who made a significant impact on his alma mater.

“David’s exceptional intelligence, boundless energy,

amazing generosity, consistent respect and heart-felt compassion for others and unshakable faith in God’s grace are attributes rarely found in one leader,” College President Paul J. McNulty ’80 said.

“He will long be honored by the College community alongside the names of

Including Tri-County Industries, Vogel Holding owns 11 companies relating to waste management. One of those companies is Seneca Landfill, which is in Butler County and is one of the most radioactive landfills in the state.

While there are many concerns about the landfill, there are two definite problems: increased traffic congestion off the I-79 interchange due to more municipal trucks

Students witnessed Trump rally shooting

Tomorrow marks two months since July 13, the day of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at one of his rallies in Butler County, Pa.

Several students at the College attended this event, which was just 34 minutes away from Grove City. For many of them, the event was an exciting opportunity to see Trump and hear him speak.

Early into the rally, multiple gunshots were fired at Trump. The College’s students who witnessed this event have their own firsthand perspective, expectations and afterthoughts to share.

During the event, students observed a lack of security, and multiple discussed how easy it was for them to get

LUKE PAGLIA
TRASH 3
RATHBURN 3
RATHBURN
Donald J. Trump right after getting shot at his rally in Butler, Pa.

From the Tower Information overload

Information overload is killing me, and it’s probably killing you too.

How many times have you heard someone say, “I never read the news,” or “I hate the news”? How many times have you said something similar? Short answer – enough for it to be a common perspective shared by many Americans.

A knee-jerk response to this perspective could be “Well you’re just ignoring the world’s problems” or “You’re uninformed and uneducated.”

But it’s not that simple. It is overwhelming. We have access to endless information thanks to the beloved and unbearable World Wide Web, and yet, it’s hard to get a straight and simple answer, isn’t it?

There are just too many options. I don’t long for our society to return to the era where you had one news source, or the era where a man in a funny hat stood in the town square and hollered, “Hear ye, hear ye!” However, I do long for a break from information overload.

Is there a cure? I don’t know. Let me know if you find one. But for the time being, while I wait for you to figure it out, I strive to be a conscious consumer.

Being a conscious consumer requires intentionality and focused effort. It requires media literacy, which has become an increasingly valuable skill. Sifting through dozens of articles written by dozens of people from dozens of different perspectives can lead you to walk away less informed and more confused than when you started.

It is far too easy to find your niche in a news outlet that tells you what’s going on in the world in the way that you want to hear it. It’s much more pleasant to click on the headline that summarizes your pre-existing opinion in five words or less.

But that’s not consciously consuming. You’ll never learn anything if you only listen to something you already know. I like to read all kinds of news. It doesn’t mean I believe it all, or agree with it all, but I read it all.

I screen my news sources through bias trackers. Does this make me boring? Most definitely. Does it keep me informed? I like to think so. I don’t have strict loyalties to a specific source, but if I had to name one, I’d say my favorite is the Collegian.

In case you haven’t heard this a million times, it’s an election season. An uninformed voter is a threat to democracy (no offense to the uninformed voters out there). Don’t succumb to the information overload that scares you away from consuming any kind of information.

It’s worth doing some digging and taking some time to be well informed of what’s going on.

Read the news, pretty, pretty please with a cherry on top.

Collegian Staff

Editor-in-Chief

Emma Rossi

Managing Editor Grace Scheller

Section Editors

News

Violet Whitmore

Community Emily Fox

Perspectives

Grace Scheller

Entertainment

Sports

Mia Gallagher

Photo Chief Luke Paglia

Copy Chief

Kathryna Hoyman

Business Manager

John Remaniak

Copy Editors Bonnie Pittman

Kendall Lambrecht

Sophie Spilak Olivia Emerick

Elizabeth Jenkins

Staff Writers Dom Puglisi

Garret Gess

Abigail Kengor

Brae Sadler

Kristiana Shirk

Staff Photographers

John Hake

Jillian Bates

Staff Adviser Nick Hildebrand

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. Thank you for reading the Collegian!

Reflections on calling

One of Grove City’s defining pillars is to guide students as they discover and pursue God’s calling for their lives. No freshman is going to make it to the end of orientation week without hearing the word “calling” at least three times. It’s something we talk about all the time, but what does it actually look like when one is “called” down the path God has preordained for them?

My understanding of calling has developed substantially during my time at Grove City College, but maybe not in the way that one would assume. When I was in high school, I have to admit that I didn’t understand what it means to be called by God. I knew God had a plan for my life, but I didn’t know how I was supposed to figure it out. I made my own plans for my future and placed the label “God’s plan” over my own name.

Needless to say, my plan was, in fact, not God’s plan, and it fell apart.

My freshman year of college, I told everyone that I was going into scientific writing. So when I saw “science writing” on the list of courses available to me that spring, I immediately signed up. I am so glad I took that class, not because it confirmed my plans, but because I realized I didn’t want to read through pages and pages of research reports every day for the rest of my life.

While it was blessing to

learn that my career plan was not the best fit for me, I felt numb. For the first time in my life, I didn’t know what I was going to do next. I was completely lost with no map of where to go.

Then, out of the blue, I got an email from Emma Rossi asking me if I wanted to be the Community Editor for the Collegian. If you had asked me in high school if I would ever be a journalist, I would’ve laughed at you. I felt completely unqualified for the job, but I needed something to put on my LinkedIn, so I accepted the position.

I said yes with very little thought which was highly unlike me. To this day, I am an intense planner with an EXTENSIVE google calendar and was nicknamed “big spreadsheet kid” by my boss this past summer. I’m so grateful God didn’t allow me to rob myself of the fountain of blessings that has come out of this job. Not only have a gotten experience for my resume, but I was welcomed into a community that supports me and pushes me to grow beyond my expectations of my capabilities.

It was through my first year on staff that I realized I wanted to pursue PR as a career. It was the first time I really felt fulfilled by the work I was getting paid to do. When I look back on all the steps I had to take to fall into this job, it wasn’t an accident. I didn’t “fall” into the job, a series of doors were opened for me that I blindly followed until I realized that it was God who was unlocking them and leading me forward the whole time. And it didn’t stop there.

The next two internships I got didn’t come from anything I applied for. Again, they came through unexpected phone calls and emails. I’ve never had a map showing me which doors to walk through, but I trust that God is leading me through each one even when I don’t realize it.

This weekend, I had the privilege of attending the annual CRM conference. I listened as TJ Freeman reminded us of our calling as God’s Image bearers and as His church to bring the light of Christ into the darkness. I continued to contemplate calling as Dean Weaver told us of his more direct calling into ministry when the Holy Spirit spoke to him through various people he encountered.

There are some aspects of our calling that are explicit, like the great commission. But not everyone receives their calling in the same way. Some people are told what God’s plan for their lives is through the people He places in their path. Some people grip onto Jesus’ hand for dear life while they blindly stumble through a series of doors and find themselves in a place that only God could’ve intended.

The one thing we all have in common is that unlike my misconceptions in high school, calling is not something we figure out. It’s instead something we are led to by God. Whether your calling is explicit or silent, you can rest in knowing that you don’t have to figure it out. God will lead you into His plan for you, and if you take the wrong path, He’ll redirect you onto the one that He meant for you to take.

AMY OPENS DOORS LLC

The Collegian, Sept. 13, 2024

New officers join the squad

This fall, Grove City College welcomed four new campus safety officers to the department.

The officers joined the team last year during the academic year but are being officially welcomed this semester.

The four new patrolmen work to maintain safety on campus. In this role, they adhere to safety protocols, do building checks, respond to medical and fire alarms, enforce parking and safety regulations and assist with any other concerns on campus.

Each officer has previous experience in law enforcement in some capacity. In the department, there are

currently prior marines, firefighters, prison guards, police officers and security guards, in addition to many other types of officers. New patrolman Officer Jerome Lynch has decades of experience that he brings with him to the College.

Lynch served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps with the 3rd Battalion 8th Marines in a light infantry unit as a small arms repairman, and then worked for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections for approximately 13 years, working in three different state prisons.

After a decade of work, Lynch decided to make a dif-

ference somewhere else. “I retired and eventually decided to make a good impact on lives (including my own) on a more local level,” he said.

“I see an opportunity to make a positive impact on the younger generations that are coming through this College, as well as the local community, with safety and to assist where I can, from any student that just may need someone to talk to all the way up to assisting with events on and off campus,” Lynch said.

Lynch enjoys engaging with students and animals on campus alike. “Talking and getting to know the students, staff, faculty and local community that utilize the space that Grove City College offers,” is his favorite part of the job. “There are a lot of

very good people and VIPs (very important puppies) around,” Lynch noted.

Officer Scott Sanderson, another new patrolman, also has an extensive background in law enforcement. Being formerly involved in the U.S. Navy, Sanderson served as a Deputy Sheriff/Corrections Officer for a county facility and a firefighter/EMT for over 35 years. He also worked in security for UPMC Hospital (private security and psychiatric transports), proving that Sanderson is more than equipped to work on campus.

Sanderson shares Lynch’s sentiment about coming to work for the College. “I de-

Ray Ushikubo to perform

Grove City College

focus and clarity … and marvelous dynamic nuance,”

cided to come to work at GCC because I enjoy working with students and helping them with their growth and wellbeing,” Sanderson said.

“My favorite thing about GCC is the interactions with the students, whether it’s friendly contact around campus or if a student just needs someone to chat with. I enjoy the joking and generally friendly encounters with the multiple students I have had so far,” Sanderson added.

The campus is monitored 24-hours-a-day by safety personnel on foot, in vehicles and on bicycles. The department responds at any time to the campus emergency extension at 724-458-3000 and monitors fire alarms, sprinklers and intrusion alarm systems.

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close to the stage.

Grove City College’s Showcase Series presents acclaimed pianist and violinist Ray Ushikubo at 7:30 p.m. today in Ketler Auditorium of the Pew Fine Arts Center on campus.

Ushikubo made his orchestral debut at age 10 playing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 at Los Angeles’ Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and now, in his early 20s, he is a sought-after soloist, performing with major orchestras across the nation.

Known for his “disciplined

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traveling to the landfill, and its location being within two miles of the Grove City Airport.

“However, federal law prohibits new landfills from being 6 miles from an airport, due to the very real danger of bird/aircraft strikes,” Cleary said.

“TCL (Tri-County Industries) maintains they are exempt from that law as they are not ‘new.’ A jet flying over the landfill as it was landing ingested a bird into its engine last summer, causing 1.2 million dollars in damages, though nobody was hurt, fortunately,” Cleary continued.

Despite the concerns CEASRA has illustrated and several others the organization lists on its website, it is important to note that fracking waste cannot be disposed just anywhere. There are federal regulations and practicalities that prevent that from happening.

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Ketler, Pew, MacKenzie, and the other greatest leaders of Grove City College. I will always appreciate his kind friendship and support,” “McNulty said.

While at the College, Rathburn served in the Student Government Association, played varsity soccer, was sports director and a broadcaster on the campus’ WSAJ radio station, sang in the choir, was inducted into ODK leadership honorary and belonged to the Nu Lambda Phi fraternity. Rathburn graduated with degrees in business administration, accounting and

Ushikubo will be accompanying himself during the Showcase concert thanks to a Steinway Spirio R piano, a high-tech player piano.

“It is going to be an incredible demonstration of musical excellence, but also the integration of technology with acoustic music,” Chair of the Department of Music Dr. Jeffrey Tedford said.

“There are mechanics on this particular piano, which is essentially an acoustic piano with a computer and additional mechanics that allow a player to record themselves and recreate the performance. The pedals move,

Local and Grove City College Associate Professor of English Dr. Jeffrey Bilbro shared input into the situation that will potentially affect his town.

“In a perfect world, I think we would have landfills that took like normal waste, and then the fracking stuff would get trucked out to places that are capable of handling hazardous waste. That would be insanely expensive because it would be on a train or a truck across the country … So, I get why they’re not doing that, but that’s what I think would be responsible,” Bilbro said. If needed, CEASRA is willing to appeal the decision all the way to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. However, if that appeal fails, then the landfill will most likely be in operation sometime over the next several months. TriCounty Industries has kept its fracking waste landfill up to code anticipating that the company will receive the permit.

the keys move, and all of it moves to the exact degree that the performer recorded. It is incredibly precise,” Tedford said.

The concert is presented in partnership with the Fort Pitt Piano Company and Steinway and Sons.

“I am thrilled that we are able to bring Ray to campus to share his talents with our community as well as demonstrate the innovation that exists with the Steinway Corporation,” he said.

Ushikubo has performed on the stages of Carnegie Hall and Walt Disney Concert Hall, appeared on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, is the recipient of the

prestigious Davidson Fellow Laureate Award, named a Young Steinway Artist and was a prize-winner at the 2023 Klein International String Competition. He received his bachelor’s degrees at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied piano and violin, a rare achievement at the institute.

The Showcase Series brings creative and cultural offerings to campus each year for student and community enjoyment. The performances are curated by the College’s Department of Music and highlight the arts as an integral part of the Grove City College experience.

local community has protested the trash mountain.

Senior Maggie Marino was near the front of the stage when it happened. She noted how nerve-racking the moment was. “I can’t really say how long we were on the ground; it was an adrenaline-filled moment,” Marino said.

When the shooting started just about 10 minutes into Trump’s speech, the audience was shocked.

“No one really knew what was going on. There was almost a lull in everything and then people started to crouch down after a few seconds,” freshman Cecily Ritenour said.

After the shock set in, everyone moved away from the scene in an orderly fashion. “Everyone moved very quickly and efficiently -- there was no screaming or pushing. Everyone moved with a purpose,” Ritenour said.

Security quickly escorted rally attendees away from the event, according to the students. When asked what was running through their minds during that moment, some of them said they were able to see that Trump was okay, but those who couldn’t wondered if he was dead.

“Initially our whole group thought that Trump was dead. I think everyone who couldn’t see him thought he was dead as well,” Ritenour said.

“It’s an important issue for Grove City College students to think about. You know, sometimes we think about environmental problems as just climate change and … big abstract problems, but environmental problems are always like use problems and balancing competing goods,” Bilbro said.

political science. Post-grad, he went to work for Price Waterhouse before joining Hopeman Brothers Marine Division of AWH Corp as assistant to the president.

At the age of 33, Rathburn was named president of the company and led it for 22 years before forming marine interior outfitter US Joiner LLC. After selling US Joiner in 2011, he served as vice chairman of Trident Marine Systems.

In 1992, Rathburn was elected to the Board and was named its chair in 2003, becoming the youngest person in the College’s history to serve in that position. At that time, he was already serving as interim president of the

“They’re local, they’re

College after the retirement of seventh President Dr. John H. Moore.

During his time on the Board, Grove City College became one of the premier Christian colleges in the U.S., removed itself from the federal student loan program and raised half a dozen new buildings, including Rathburn Hall. While improving rankings, he consequently expanded the spiritual and financial network of the College.

In 2001, Rathburn was honored by the College with the Jack Kennedy Memorial Alumni Achievement Award and was named the winner of the prestigious Distinguished Service Award in 2020.

messy, and there’s not really an easy answer … We need landfills, so how do we enact our use of the land and our relation to one another responsibly? And I think that’s what’s at stake here, how can we be responsible stewards of our place and our community?” Bilbro said.

“The transformative impact of David’s leadership cannot be overstated. He skillfully guided the Board of Trustees into a new era of effective governance by introducing strategic planning, prioritizing endowment growth, and encouraging more extensive board deliberations on key issues,” Trustee Chair Edward D. Breen ’78 said.

“David boldly embraced opportunities for improvement while maintaining an unwavering commitment to Grove City College’s cherished values. His wise counsel will be greatly missed,” Breen said.

Because most of the students who attended the rally live near Butler, it was jarring for many to see something like this happen so close to campus. Due to high political tensions, a few of the students were expecting some form of violence at the rally, but they were still shocked.

“I did expect something to go down, a fight or something similar, but nothing like a shooting. I think as a community it was also incredibly shocking to see something like this happen not even 30 minutes away from my home,” Ritenour said.

Marino shares a similar perspective.

“I don’t think anyone ever expects an event like this to happen in their community, but the truth is we live in a sinful world, and this could have happened anywhere,” she said.

Connect with us! S tay updated with our social media @Collegian_GCC

SCOTT
SANDERSON
JEROME LYNCH
SHARON HERALD
The
USHIKUBO

Community

GCC has he(art) and soul Club provides creative space for students

As the fall semester progresses, new and returning Grovers alike may find themselves feeling burnt out.

Tasked with so much intellectual headwork and hours of coursework, it’s easy for students to neglect the role that creativity plays in the life of the mind. Creation rejuvenates the mind and the soul, but many on campus lack the resources for large artistic undertaking. The College’s only art club, Art and Soul, fills that need by hosting themed events and providing supplies.

Art and Soul meets roughly twice a month to do something crafty; often their events are paired with a snack or a fun drink. They’ve hosted events like Pies and Pinch Pots, Strawberries and Shirleys, Build a Bouquet and recurring meetings called “Chalk the Walk,” where they draw all over the College sidewalks.

The club offers a lowcommitment and laid-back creative outlet for students. “We’re not going to hunt you down and force you to go to every event. People can come whenever they want to, even if it’s just to have a break from studying,” Vice President and Marketing Lead Molly Gleason said.

Club membership has swelled this semester. “Last year we had roughly 50 to 75 members, but now we’re over 200 members,” Gleason said. “We’re the only art club on campus; people are always surprised about that.” Gleason attributes much of the club’s exponential growth to this factor, adding that the club leadership’s laid-back approach to events is also a draw.

“We just think of the most random things and smash them together. It’s not super niche like oil painting or charcoals. We like to make aesthetically pleasing combos and pair them with a fun

snack or a drink,” Gleason said, hinting that there may be a charcuterie board event in the near future.

Art and Soul frequently collaborates with other organizations on events. The club usually paints a banner in support of the Exhale Gallery. Recently, Art and Soul

partnered with the Student Involvement Committee to host Mocktails and Moodboards, where attendees drank fun drinks and curated scrapbook-like art pieces to their desired aesthetics.

Meetings used to be held in the Pew Fine Arts Center art studio, but as numbers have

gone up, Art and Soul meetings are usually in Breen Student Union. “We’ve had to start capping events at 80 or 90 people,” Gleason said, adding that some events need to be registration-based. For the sake of supplies, the club sometimes has to charge a small fee.

If you missed Mocktails and Moodboards, don’t fret: Art and Soul has a lot in store for this year. To find out more about the club or to get notified about upcoming events, follow them on Instagram @artandsoulgcc or contact Molly Gleason at gleasonmk21@gcc.edu.

I think my girlfriend is a Liberal...

I just started dating this girl, but I found out that our political views significantly clash. I really like her, but I’m afraid it might cause problems in the relationship as it becomes more serious. Should I wait for what feels like the inevitable or break up now?

Sincerely, Partisan Grover

So, you guys finally made it to the “politics” conversation…a bit late is better than never! A little political tension on Grove City’s campus isn’t unheard of (we’re not in the top 10 conservative colleges for nothing). Personally, I like knowing certain

things before I commit to a relationship. Politics, religion and family values are all important things to know early on and should be mentioned in the talking stage. They form the core of who we are! Of course you want your girlfriend/boyfriend to agree on these things; it’s only human.

Arguments about these things will start to crop up when you don’t want them to. You seem to be aware of this potentially happening in the future. Seeing as you wrote to me (the expert), perhaps you’ve already experienced a few arguments. It feels like political perspective is important to you AND to your girlfriend. If you’re both disagreeing already (red flag! sorry), your relationship might begin to experience some cracks under the tension. Here’s the thing: sharing core values is so, so important in a relationship. Political views are part of that. I could go into detail about how the two opposing views

make sharing certain common values impossible…I won’t, don’t worry. If you two have this conversation and realize that these particular conflicting views bar the way forward, then a clean break is the right thing to do. If you imagine building your family someday along certain values, it won’t work out in the long run. Most Grovers date to marry (myself included). A marriage with opposing views isn’t impossible, but it is generally not desirable. You could start resenting each other for your opposite views. In all honesty, both of you could still end up learning something from each other, even if you turn

the end.

Grovers, take note. Before you start dating someone seriously, make sure your core values align! It’ll stop many arguments before they even start. Milk that talking stage for all it’s worth (but don’t drag it out). Don’t even THINK about the infamous ring-by-spring before making sure you’ve checked all the important boxes.

Auspiciously, Dr. Love Love M.D.

out to be just friends in
ART & SOUL
.Junior Anna Mattix, junior Katie Belcher and sophomore Caitlyn Williams pose with their Art & Soul work at a past event.

OB behind the scenes

Though much of their work may go unnoticed, the Orientation Board (OB) members pour so much energy into each new freshman class.

They prayed for the students before those students even knew their OB leaders existed. They spend a year planning events that will span only a few weeks. So, what exactly do the OB leaders do?

According to Junior Chair Ava Fahs, from October to August, the Junior and Senior Chairs of OB work together with Student Life and Learning (SLL) to plan and produce events for each freshman class. This fall semester, Fahs has helped Senior Chair Mary Margaret Bargery in leading meetings and mediating the progress of the OB committees.

Under the SLL faculty advisors and the OB Chairs, the rest of OB is made up of five committees: Co-Rec, Relig, Publicity, Outreach and Social. These committees, respectively, coordinate things like outdoor activities, worship, marketing, international student connection and dance events.

For example, OBP, the Publicity committee, helps create the most notable part of the OB experience: the theme. The committee members suggest five themes, one of which is chosen, according to OBP Executive Sarah Sears. This year, the board chose the “Beach” theme.

“I love getting to watch my committee members do their jobs so faithfully. It’s a blessing to get to come alongside other exec members and all of OB and get to serve the

freshmen and to welcome them in,” Sears said.

Senior Chair Bargery also loves to serve alongside her friends and staff. In her role, she oversees all of OB and works directly with their faculty advisors, Eric Fehr and Katie Van Dam, to manage things like budget, hiring and potential conflicts. While such a large role makes administrative work challenging, especially since it covers two years, Bargery is not alone in the process.

“The most rewarding thing about the position of Senior Chair has been the opportunity to work with my Junior Chair, Ava Fahs, to discover

and strive towards OB’s ultimate goal to serve and love in a Christ-like manner,” Bargery said.

Having been junior chair for a year now, Fahs has an exciting future ahead of her. She applied to the position in the Fall of her sophomore year and will take over as senior chair this October to begin the new OB season. As senior chair, she and the advisors will hire the new junior chair, take on executive members to lead the five committees, and interview about 140 students in the Spring semester. After that, the planning begins.

Since OB is not a studentled organization, much of the

schedule is laid out already and overseen by the advisors. However, Fahs is looking forward to meeting the new members and helping where she can. “My job is less about bringing so much change, and more about, ‘How can we do what we’ve done but better?’” Fahs said. Fahs encourages students to apply for OB because it is a meaningful way to serve on campus. Especially being away from home, Fahs said, it’s important to find ways to do ministry. OB provides the opportunity to serve in a meaningful way. “It’s a really good way to be faithful to your community.”

From Sibera to GCC

Abigail McConaughy Contributing Writer

Yuliya Franklin ‘03 grew up in Kurgan, Siberia (USSR) where she spent her time in school learning British English and helping to grow vegetables in the family garden. Life was serious, future plans extended only as far as dinner and money was scarce in the entire area. Despite this, her childhood was a happy one.

Through the Freedom Support Act, Yuliya was given an opportunity to attend an American high school for one academic year. In order

to receive this opportunity, she needed to undergo nine months of testing. Yuliya then traveled to Greenville, Pa. to live with a host family and attend high school. During this time, she applied for a scholarship to Grove City College, which she received, assuming she maintained a minimum GPA of 3.60.

Across her time at the College, Franklin majored in international business, minored in German and choreographed two dances for the Orchesis dance team. Besides all this, she worked every job she had time for so that she could live on campus and supply clothes for her family. Her favorite time at the College was her senior year.

Grove City was also a conduit for something beautiful that had lasted over 21 years. It was on this very campus where she met her husband Lucas Franklin ’02, a political science major from California.

The College prepared Franklin for her career by teaching her time management. She needed to balance high academic success, three jobs and time for fun and friends, a schedule few students could manage.

Jumping to the present, Franklin advises current students to learn as much as they can.

“Every experience, every class, lecture, every interaction, extracurricular activity, summer job, internship and

every person you will meet will enrich you and teach you something that may have a profound impact on your life,” Franklin said. Franklin’s story is a reminder that God works all things for good and that even as college students people can still work hard and achieve their goals. Franklin has served in various positions with her degree including teaching, aiding social media marketing and assisting with business exchange programs. Franklin had a goal, and through hard work and patience, she achieved it. Her current job allows her to utilize her language skills in both German and Russian, as well as her business education.

WHAT’S FRESH AT THE GROVE

In the PLC lot... Food Truck Friday Sept. 13 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Third Eye Pies will be serving lunch from their food truck in the PLC/STU lot this afternoon.

In Ketler Auditorium... Showcase Series: Ray Ushikubo Sept. 13 7:30 p.m.

Come see Ushikubo play the violin and use a high tech player piano tonight. Students attend free!

In the bowling alley... Free Bowling Night Sept. 13 7 - 10 p.m.

Gather a group of friends for fun and fellowship at the PLC bowling alley tonight starting at seven.

Seven questions with… Dr. Rachel Kohler

Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Why did you decide to come teach at Grove City College?

The opportunity to teach at Grove City was a clear provision of the Lord, and I was excited to join an academic community that was committed to putting Christ at the center of life and learning.

If you could direct a documentary about anything, what would you choose?

I think a great documentary topic would be showing the varied experiences of third-culture kids adjusting to adult life in their passport country. Or maybe the lives of people who are still practicing old and dying artisanal crafts like tatting, bobbin lace, etc. What’s your favorite fall activity?

My favorite fall activity is canning, drying and preserving all the fruits, veggies and herbs that I’ve grown or foraged. In that regard, I feel a kinship with squirrels.

If you could compete in the Olympics, what sport would you pick? Definitely Alpine skiing. If you could enter into the world of any book or movie, which would you choose?

Oh, this is hard -- there are so many wonderful worlds to choose from! Off the top of my head, I think the front runners would be the world of “Narnia,” “The Incredibles” or “Star Trek.”

What’s your go-to coffee order?

Chai latte. I grew up in a German-American family where the only proper way to drink coffee was strong and black. (American coffee = Bodenseh Kaffee, i.e. “bottom-see”). So, while I like coffee, I avoid drinking it regularly as I can’t usually handle that level of caffeine!

What are you most looking forward to this semester?

The end, haha! But what I mean by that is I’m looking forward to seeing how far the students have come by the end of the semester, what they’ve achieved, what we’ve accomplished together, the fruits of our labor. Also, Christmas.

YULIYA FRANKLIN
OB
OB Exec poses at the Street Dance, one of the last OB events the group hosts.

Fall sports bring excitement, energy and entertainment

John Hake Jillian Bates

The start of the Grove City College year not only means that studenst are hard at work in the books, but they are also putting the work in on the athletic fields. Fall sports are off to a hot start at the College where all of the sports teams are looking to capture more PAC championships.

On top of competing for PAC championships, the varsity cheerleading squad, marching band and color gaurd are the heart and soul of the College’s athletic team spirit. All of these groups show up and show out for every football game to hype up the crowd and the players. Good luck to all Grove City College athletic teams this year!

John Hake
Jillian Bates
John Hake

The ‘trad-wife’ trend TikTok facade

Among the many trends flooding social media is the concept of the “traditional wife,” or the “tradwife” as it is more commonly called.

The general description for this title is a wife who follows the traditional roles attributed to her gender, such as homemaking, raising children and displaying stereotypical feminine characteristics including kindness, patience and hospitality. It often depicts their lives as a utopia, with picturesque outfits, elaborate meals and well-mannered children frolicking amongst forests and farm animals.

Although this concept originated from Biblical standards of marriage, it lacks essential components

of what the “Biblically traditional” wife should be. The value of being a truly good wife remains in the principles listed in Scripture. From the very beginning, God establishes the role of a wife as being in partnership with her husband, to support Adam in his work and to grow their family. Even with the corruption of the Fall, these core principles remain the same for marriage.

In addition, these core principles of earthly marriage are meant to reflect the eternal relationship of the church and Christ. As Ephesians 5 describes, wives must submit to their husbands as the church to Christ. However, the tradwife perspective often misinterprets this idea of submission.

While wives are meant to obey and respect their husbands, it is not a relationship of dominance, but a loving partnership as illustrated in

lacks true value

Eden. Due to the culturally negative connotation of the word, the tradwife movement represents submission as unquestioning inferiority where the wife exists merely as a provision to her family and home.

According to a Parents. com article, the tradwife trend “romanticizes a time when women existed to support their husbands, performing thankless, challenging labor to keep their homes running and children fed without any help.” While these tasks of homemaking and childrearing are honorable, the mindset behind the tradwife approach often reduces it to a romanticizing of seemingly slavish labor. It not only supports inequality in marriage, but also diminishes the role of support and deeper connection that the Bible portrays for wives.

Finally, the tradwife mindset discounts the work at-

tributed to wives in the Bible. Most tradwife influencers emphasize their desire to escape the workforce, claiming a cozier life is the conventional way. Not only does this diminish the weight of a wife’s labor, but it ignores the work that Biblical wives performed.

Proverbs 31 illustrates a noble wife as one who participates in merchant and real estate work, in addition to caring for her home and husband. Although the Bible does mostly represent the role of the wife within the home, her goal remains the same wherever her work takes her. She must glorify God and serve her family in whatever her calling may be, whether that is in the home or the work force.

The tradwife trend not only diminishes the role of a wife, but also creates an unrealistic view of life. It worships an idyllic and impractical

lifestyle, where a family lives off one income and a wife can spend all day performing duties of baking, gardening and ironically video editing for a TikTok post (a practice not usually found in the mid-twentieth century). In the current economy, this balance is not only impractical but nearly impossible for most families.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with enjoying these tasks, the tradwife lifestyle glorifies an unhealthy mindset limited to the four walls of her home. Just like the boss babe dream, this is not a tradition but merely another trend that will pass away with time. However, what will hold steadfast is the beauty of marriage in its reflection of Christ’s timeless love for His people.

Is chivalry really dead?

I’m not old-fashioned; rather, I stand in the strength of glorious manly tradition. This can have some side effects. Apparently opening doors for girls, sticking up for them when other guys are picking on them, telling off a young lady’s ex when he’s being a jerk to her — all those things can lead a woman to think you like her.

In most cases, these acts are simply following the code of honor known as chivalry. However, they usually follow with informing the recipient that these acts are not a sign

of romance. If treating a lady with decency and courtesy is so out-of-the-ordinary that she thinks I must be romantically interested in her, what has society come to?

Christian men ought to practice chivalry -- that lifestyle of being “fierce in war and gentle in the hall,” as C.S. Lewis said.

Being fierce in war is using your manly aggression to fight for others (your bros and those who can’t stand up for themselves). But I’m speaking here more on the gentle side of chivalry, the ‘civil’ in civilization.

A big part of the gentle side of chivalry is treating women with respect. For heaven’s sake, treat girls like human

beings instead of dating objects! Are we not supposed to treat all humans as having tremendous inherent dignity and value because they’re made in the image of God?

Even if you don’t directly dishonor women, take an active role against modern culture by honoring them. This is why chivalry came to be known by holding doors for women and letting them go first in lines. These acts are small, simple ways to honor the ladies around us, and quite frankly, to remind ourselves that they are people deserving of respect.

This practice of honoring women readies us for relating to them correctly when we eventually do start dating. It helps us young men be pre-

pared to treat our date with honor and decency, it fosters selflessness and Christian love in our relationships and it helps us use our strength for the sake of others.

I hardly have to argue against the well-known opponents of chivalry who say that all these chivalrous actions are designed to belittle women. As anyone can see now, this claim is far from the truth.

Chivalry is designed to help Christian men treat ladies kindly; to treat women, as Paul said to Timothy, “with absolute purity”.

The real problem with chivalry comes in the form of hypocrites who open doors and do all the sweet stuff just to win women into bed with

them. They don’t truly honor women, but they have given people ammunition to sling at a wonderful ideal. It is this sort of ‘false knight’ who I’m inclined to exercise my chivalrous ferocity on.

I believe chivalry is the key to a manly walk with Christ, especially in this era. I think some true modern-day knights might be God’s tools to turn our nation around.

So go, men of Grove City; honor God by honoring your sisters in the faith. Strike some fear into the hearts of chauvinists. Make a campus culture so rife with chivalry that honorable actions will not risk causing heartbreak.

Language of love

While the foreign language requirement for many students may feel like a waste of time or an unnecessarily difficult and random skill, defenses for the requirement often include its practicalities of efficiency in travel, translation and trade.

With all this being said, a more inspiring reason exists -- charity.

The arguments defending multilingualism for its convenience can be resisted by someone who plans to never leave their anglicized Pennsylvanian town, and who has no interest in literature, politics or international business. Even someone travelling overseas often thinks that as long as they stay in the mainstream cities, any dead cat swung will hit an English-knowing tongue. Such a person will suffer no foreseeable inconvenience by knowing nothing more than “si,” “pizza,” “taco,” “bonjour” and “croissant.”

But what if a refugee wanders into their small town and Google translate is their only hope for conversation? It is hard to connect heart-toheart when a screen is in the way. What if while overseas the traveler desires more than just convenience and wants to speak to the people in a way that respects their home and culture? Hospitality and charity are the best reasons to pursue linguistic studies.

Charity — or love of neighbor — means doing your utmost to pay respect to people because they are made in God’s image. It means accommodating their struggles and needs, and always putting yourself at their expense instead of them at yours. If we all work for each other’s comfort and joy, then the

Greatest Commandment (Matthew 12:28-31) is being lived in a way that brings holiness to the world and goodness to society.

Hospitality is an attitude of showing charity to whoever comes your way. Given that language is so central to our human experience, one of the essential aspects of hospitality is communication --listening and seeking to understand another’s heart as revealed through their words.

In an interview, Dr. Kelsey Madsen of the Language Department drew from the example of Pentecost as an inspiration for language learning, pointing out that “people hear in their own language.” If the law of charity inspires our communication properly and its goal becomes respecting the other person and accommodating them, then speaking in the way that their heart will most easily grasp is the best choice.

This task can be very hard (as I know all too well) and as Madsen points out, the experience of speaking in a foreign tongue to its native speaker can be very humbling.

“The very act of learning a language ought to engender some sense of humility because it’s really hard to be making mistakes all the time. … [But] if you stay in your perfectionism, you don’t progress,” Madsen said.

Regardless of how excellently you speak, the effort you put into speaking another’s language shows them you care. Messing up and persevering only accentuates that impression. It shows sacrifice, humility and love, which, as Christians, are qualities we are constantly pursuing. So even if you don’t get an A+ in Spanish 101, joyfully pursue your classwork to be better equipped to show your neighbor love.

Letters to the Editor

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GOOD LUCK

continued from 10

harassed by crazed fans and that her life had been dissected since rising to fame. She discussed the fact that her fans do not know her personally and that to act as if they did was inappropriate. “I don’t care that this crazy type of behavior comes along with the job I’ve chosen. That doesn’t make it ok. That doesn’t mean I like it,”

Pop is so back!

Recession pop is real, and this summer’s slew of chart-topping bangers point to a repeat of the cultural phenomenon that was first popularized in 2009.

Case Lewis, founder of trend newsletter “After School,” describes recession pop as “a lot of Katy Perry, and a lot of hyper, very fast music.”

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Roan said.

Many are calling Roan’s response rude and ungrateful, but she is by no means the first celebrity whose fan base has turned on her. In an era where social media gives constant access to many celebrities’ lives, consumers develop parasocial connections with artists, kicking up massive backlash when they make the simplest mistake.

The TikTok wheel repeatedly launches artists to fame

In the midst of the Great Recession, artists like Pitbull, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry were products of their time, but rather than directly reflecting the feelings of their time, they took a different approach.

“You can narrate it: You can write lyrics about being sad and miserable and economically disempowered. Or you can say, ‘what the hell — we’re all poor. Let’s party’,” Lewis explained.

But there doesn’t need to be a recession for there to be recession pop. This is the crucial distinction that makes or breaks the argument that we are seeing a resurgence of this type of music.

Despite how the American people may be feeling about rising prices and growing in-

overnight and then lashes out when they can’t deal with it. At one of her concerts this summer, Roan said, “I think my career is just kind of going really fast and it’s really hard to keep up.” Mankind was not made for fame such as this. Adjusting to fame, like Roan has found, is not something that can happen overnight. Loving an artist’s music is one thing, but stalking and harassing her and

flation, we are not as close to a crash as it may seem.

“The resurgence of recession pop that we’re seeing right now, it reflects young people specifically, their societal struggles, their distrust of corporations and the sort of economy that they’ve inherited in many ways,” Lewis said.

“There’s a bit of a disconnect between how the economy is actually doing and how young people feel financially. It hurts to see an economist say, ‘Actually, things are better than ever.’ That tension has given way to recession pop,” Lewis continued.

We’re seeing that again. As political turmoil tests the limits of pandemic-fatigued Americans, the music couldn’t be happier. With unemployment growing increasingly concerning and inflation ballooning, playlists sound like there’s never been a better time to be alive.

It isn’t merely a distraction. It isn’t a symptom of denial. It’s simply an indication that people turn to music to process the uncertainty of their reality. The music you hear on the radio isn’t mere coincidence -- it’s part of a cycle of pop culture that should serve as a reminder that we’ve been here before, and we’ll be here again.

Charli XCX’s “Brat” and

her family is quite another. Roan has pleaded with fans to separate her stage persona from her true identity, asking them not to act as if they know her personally. “I am scared and tired. And please – don’t call me Kayleigh. I feel the most unsafe I have ever felt in my life,” Roan said. Here’s to hoping that the fall of this Midwest Princess is not as meteoric as her rise.

Chappell Roan’s “Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” are two albums that bring listeners back to the carefree and campy club classics of the 2000s. Roan even describes her music as being inspired by the synth sounds of the ‘80s and the pop of the early aughts.

What else happened in the ‘80s and early aughts? An economic crash.

In fact, Billy Joel’s “Allentown” is a ballad of financial strain on small blue-collar communities during the financial hardship of the ‘80s. While Joel may have taken the literal narrative approach, Kool & The Gang released “Celebration” the same year.

The same thing can be said for the Great Recession. People danced their distress away in the clubs to “Like a G6” and expressed their angst through Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.” The duality of this music is indicative of classic patterns that define recession pop.

This year, like many years before, the Billboard Hot 100 hits curate a vibe that is the antithesis of reality. Pop culture is quickly dismissed by many, but it’s a true reflection of its time, even if that reflection has nuances that lead to a deeper symptom, like recession pop.

Interested in Perspectives? Join our team! For more info about writing for Perspectives, email schellergm21@gcc.edu

Opinions, editorials, and columns.

YOUTUBE

Good luck, babe

It’s impossible to go far on the internet without running into TikTok’s latest “Femininomenon”: the Midwest Princess herself, Chappell Roan.

After being in the music industry for nearly 10 years, Roan’s popularity rose exponentially and nearly overnight during the early parts of 2024. After opening for massive artists like Olivia Rodrigo and then headlining her own tour, Roan’s debut 2023 album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” exploded everywhere.

Soon social media was a walking Chappell Roan advertisement. The summer’s trends, Billboard Top 100s and concert scenes were dominated by her music. If you haven’t heard “Femininomenon,” you’ve probably heard of “Red Wine Supernova,” and if you’re anywhere on social media, chances are you heard Roan chant “H-OT-T-O-G-O” more times than you’ve wanted to.

You’ll need it

As shocking as her lyrical content and public persona may be to Grove City students, Roan’s artistry is ac-

‘Deadpool

tually quite commendable. A far cry from the Taylors and Sabrinas of the music scene, nearly every single song in

and Wolverine’ loads on the MCU nostalgia

“Deadpool and Wolverine” shattered records this summer in becoming the highestgrossing R-rated film ever, bringing in approximately $1.3 billion and climbing.

The previous record-holder was “Deadpool” in 2016 at around $782 million, proving just how beloved the “merc with a mouth” is among an audience of comic book fans and superhero movie lovers alike.

And the film writers do indeed know the audience: critics impressed and unimpressed agree that this movie is ultimately an earnest love letter to the Marvel Universe. The worst of reviews cannot deny that the well-timed wit, humor, classic fourth wall breaks, redemption of nostalgic characters and, of course, the signature gore of the action scenes all contributed to an incredibly entertaining film. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman reminded the audience exactly how they earned their fame in their fantastic performances

this movie makes its name with nostalgia. The story picks up a little after “Logan” ended with Wolverine’s supposed final appearance and noble self-sacrifice. Superhero movies in general have a track record of resurrecting the dead on a quest for more money. “Deadpool and Wolverine” only gets away with this because of its comedic tone and self-awareness -- Deadpool makes several quips to the fourth wall about Logan’s convenient resurrection by way of vague, multiverse-relevant explanations.

This same comedic tone is what allows a lot of character carelessness to slip under the radar. The film is peppered with classic Marvel characters that didn’t quite make it or fell flat on the big screen, such as the Human Torch (Chris Evans), Elektra (Jennifer Garner), Gambit (Channing Tatum), Laura from Logan (Daphne Keen) and Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) as Professor X’s lesser-known evil twin.

These characters, which serve as nostalgia provoca-

tion with Wolverine was so potent in “Logan” gets very little screen. Besides a very brief conversation with the new Logan, she contributes nothing to the plot but a couple extra shiny blood splatters and comic book poses.

The villain, Cassandra Nova, catches the audience’s attention with her disturbing methods of mind reading, but otherwise is rather flat in personality and motives. In other words, almost every single character in this movie besides the leading two are pasteboard cutout dopamine surges for the viewer and nothing more.

One key plot point in the movie’s cheese grater plot was the concept of an “anchor being,” a character around which the entire universe revolves and upon whom the survival of the universe depends. Metaphysical implications of such a concept aside, Deadpool and Wolverine are very much the anchor beings of this movie. Everything else in it bends toward the purpose of making them look cool and pleasing the comic book fans.

her album sounds different from the last, while still maintaining a strong ‘80s influence throughout.

There are a few piano ballads in the vein of Billy Joel, like “Coffee” and “Kaleidoscope,” which are sensitive and vulnerable. On the other end, hits like “Femininominon” and “HOT TO GO!” are nearly nonsensical and pure fun. Roan’s lyrics are often sexual in nature, frequently discussing queer relationships, but songs like “Casual” and “Good Luck, Babe!” feature reflections on the toxicity of casual intimacy that ring true even for those who may not agree with her persona.

She is stylistically diverse, vocally talented and has proven expert at developing a cult following. She has headlined her own tour, appeared on NPR and latenight TV and amassed 3.4 million followers on TikTok and 4.5 million on Instagram. As summer dwindled, however, this fame began to take a toll on Roan, and she took to TikTok to address it. Roan said that she and her family had been stalked, that she had been repeatedly

GOOD LUCK 9

Eilish returns with ‘Hit Me’

Victor Hugo wrote, “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent,” and after almost three years since her last album, it appears Billie Eilish has found the words she had struggled to sing.

Like most artists, Eilish was flooded with surfacelevel stigmas concerning her identity from the beginning, a struggle (to say the least) at the tender age of 13. In an interview with Angie Martoccio of Rolling Stone magazine, she expressed this sentiment.

“This whole process has felt like I’m coming back to the girl that I was. I’ve been grieving her. I’ve been looking for her in everything, and it’s almost like she got drowned by the world and the media. I don’t remember when she went away,” Eilish said.

But in mid-May of this year, that image was shattered – in its exposure to the world, “Hit Me Hard and Soft” was born true to its name.

Eilish sings, “People say I look happy/Just because I got skinny/But the old me is still me and maybe the real me/And I think she’s pretty.”

Less than one minute into the first track on the album, Eilish’s honesty in “Skinny” seems to speak from somewhere inside listeners.

This is a common thread throughout the album, described by Jeni Nance for The Review.

“They make me feel like I’m being wrapped in a warm, comforting blanket, while also sending me into a full spiral,” Nance wrote.

Eilish molds the album from unapologetic vulnerability and honesty, crafting the quietest of phrases to make deafening points, all while boldly pushing her vocals to realms of the greatest

heights in her repertoire thus far. Overall, the album boasts a thematic consistency and a stylistic variance between songs that leaves one with a significant variety of atmospheres to tune in to in a mere ten songs.

Samples of this include “Chihiro,” a song loosely written around a character of the same name from the Studio Ghibli movie “Spirited Away.” Linking the lightheaded confusion and dizzying desperation of a girl trapped in another realm with someone caught wondering who the person she loves truly is, the song is at times pulsing and chaotic and at others quieter and unsure, an appealingly manufactured reflection of struggles both real and imaginary.

“The Greatest” expands the concept of unrequited love, the struggle to please while deserving such attention and the trapped desperation as a result of being left ignored and undervalued. The song grows from mere whispers, lightly stated and reflective of the struggles of someone in that state of such a relationship, to a euphoric ballad demanding the attention it fully deserves and attaining a level of reflection that calls out naysayers for who they are.

“Blue” is a final continuation of the dizzying, drowning vocals with lyrics that harken back to songs throughout the album and the past of someone who lives on. The song is pieced together from songs of her prior albums, speaking to the eras that have defined her in past and the renewal her third album ushers in. When “Hit Me Hard and Soft” was announced, the world crowded about for a peek into this raw wound beneath the surface, and what was found were the beautiful scars of someone who has healed, or at the very least, learned to heal.

VIVIDSEATS

Sports

Tennis sweeps Alfred in season opener

In a weekend of successful home openers for the Wolverines, Women’s Tennis opened their 2024 program with a decisive win over the Saxons of Alfred University.

The team – who, despite being the reigning PAC champs, were ranked second behind Allegheny in preseason polling – sent a clear message to their PAC competitors with a clean sweep of the Saxons in both singles and doubles play.

“We are trying to approach this season with the same attitude as we have in the past, to keep striving to glorify God in how we play and treat our opponents. We hope to continue to play well and work hard,” senior Emily Ivory said.

Individually, the Wolverines displayed strong performance up and down their line-up, earning them six team points in the process.

Sophomore first singles Peyton Joines paced the team with a hard-fought match against Saxons’ opponent Elizabeth Madsen. After nar-

“We are trying to approach this season with the same attitude as we have in the past, to keep striving to glorify God in how we play and treat our opponents,” Ivory said.

rowly clinching the first set 7-5, Joines swiftly defeated Madsen in the second set 6-3.

Seniors Ivory and Janel McCray also made quick work of their Saxon opponents, securing key victories for the team at their third and fifth singles spots. respectively.

Rounding out the team’s singles sweep, junior Courtney DeCarlo and freshman pair Anna Poranski and Iris Kiehl each contributed decisive wins to put the Wolverines on top.

Moving into doubles action, the Wolverines continued their offensive onslaught with three swift victories.

First doubles pair McCray and Ivory toppled their Saxon counterparts, Madsen and Allison Windisch, with a set score of 6-1.

Joines and Poranski simi-

larly put up an impressive offensive showing, securing a 6-2 victory from their second doubles spot. Wrapping things up for the Wolverines were third doubles pair DeCarlo and Kiehl, who secured the team’s doubles sweep with a hard-fought 6-4 win.

“It was amazing to get out there and play so well as a team! Everyone worked hard and stuck to the game plan. Super proud of the positive atmosphere and how we were there for one another. Can’t wait to continue this into the season,” McCray said.

With the cancellation of their Sept. 14 non-conference match against Mount Aloysius, Grove City’s next match will open conference play.

The Wolverines will travel to Geneva College to face off against the Golden Tornadoes at 6 p.m. next Wednesday, Sept. 18.

XC opens season with PAC preview

Wolverine Cross Country is off to the races on their 2024 schedule. Both the men’s and women’s teams opened competition this past Saturday, Sept. 7 with the PAC Preview.

The meet, which was held at Lawrence Country Fairgrounds and hosted by Grove City, featured promising individual and team finishes that bode well for the Wolverines’ success on the courses this season.

The reigning PAC champion women’s team placed second out of the nine teams in attendance, being narrowly edged by the Bearcats of Saint Vincent College, who posted 42 team points to secure victory.

Contributing to this team success were eight top 20 finishes from Grove City runners, three of whom placed in the top 10. Senior Ella Lyle led the team with an outstanding sixth-place finish, posting a time of 24:26 in the 6,000-meter event. Rounding out the top 10 trio are sophomore Cayla Lawrence and senior Grace Smith, who placed eighth and ninth, respectively.

The five other Wolverines to place in the top 20 – senior trio Virginia Williams, Julia Bauer and Kaylynn Johnson, and freshman duo Carli Freeman and Julianna Lindberg – produced tremendous season-opening performances, demonstrating this team’s potential going forward.

“For the women’s team it is encouraging to start out strong. Last Saturday, two of our top runners were not racing, so it’s nice to know that there is also room for improvement. We hope to con-

tinue to improve through our training, but also through encouraging one another and acknowledging the confidence we have in Christ that spills over into the way we live our lives and compete,” Lyle said.

In the men’s event, the College secured a fifth-place finish out of the eight teams competing. The Golden Tornadoes of Geneva College managed to sweep up first place, with a team score of 35 points.

Pacing the Wolverines was junior Caleb Hawke, whose 8,000-meter time of 27:40.3 allowed him to clinch 14th place. Right behind him was fellow junior Michael Singley, whose time of 27:47.9 earned him 15th. Closing out the top 20 for

Sports at a Glance Results

Football (1-0): W, Geneva (41-0)

Women’s Soccer (1-1-1): W, Wooster (4-1)

Men’s Soccer (2-1): L, Denison (0-2)

Women’s Volleyball (4-3): W, Alma (3-0)

Women’s Tennis (1-0): W, Alfred (6-0)

Men’s Golf: 5th/9, Bethany Invitational

Women’s Golf: 4th/8, Thiel Invitational

Upcoming

Women’s Volleyball: Sept. 13, 4 p.m. vs. Mount Union

Women’s Cross Country: Sept. 14, at Bethany Invitational

Men’s Cross Country: Sept. 14, at Bethany Invitational

Grove City was junior Luke Roberts, who placed 18th overall. A handful of Wolverines – sophomore Max Ware, junior Caleb Willis and senior Jonah DeWitt –notched key top 30 finishes for the team, propelling them to their fifth-place finish.

“For us finding continued success in this season, we all are going to keep putting in the work and focus on all aspects of training needed to improve and succeed. We are also going to focus on keeping humble hearts and giving the glory to God through it all, as well as be a light to our competitors at each competition,” Hawke said.

Both teams will be back in action tomorrow, Sept. 14 as they travel to Bethany, W.Va. for the Bethany Invitational.

Women’s Soccer: Sept. 14, 12 p.m. vs. Dickinson

Women’s Golf: Sept. 14, 1:30 p.m. at Franciscan

Men’s Soccer: Sept. 14, 4 p.m. vs. Buffalo State

Women’s Tennis: Sept. 18, 6 p.m. vs. Geneva

JILLIAN BATES
Senior Janel McCray competes in the season opener.
GCC ATHLETICS
Juniors Caleb Hawke and Michael Singley run for the Wolverines.
Emma Herrmann Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week
Grace Smith Women’s XC Newcomer of the Week
Hope Donnelly Women’s Volleyball Newcomer of the Week

Sports

Tornadoes toppled Football blows

This past Saturday, the Grove City Wolverines began their 2024 football season with a 41-0 win against the Geneva Golden Tornadoes in front of packed stands in Robert E. Thorn Field.

Geneva won the coin toss and chose to receive, but within a matter of minutes, the Golden Tornadoes found themselves on defense after three decisive tackles, two from junior defensive end Jordan Karcweski and one from senior safety Jason Muench.

At the 13:12 mark of the first quarter, senior quarterback Logan Pfeuffer took the field with the Wolverine offense.

Pfeuffer is entering his third season as the starting quarterback for the Wolverines. Last season he led the Wolverines to fourth-quarter comebacks over W&J and Case Western Reserve in the regular season and Susquehanna in the first round of the Division III playoffs.

Pfeuffer earned second team honors in the PAC last season after throwing for 2088 yards in 12 games and

past Geneva in dominant home opener performance

having four games with three touchdown passes.

Pfeuffer is leading alongside senior offensive lineman

Brady Brungard and junior linebacker Jack Jollie as the Wolverines 2024 team cocaptains.

After a drive from each team, junior running back Ian Demeri put the first points on the board, running a 74-yard touchdown to close the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Wolverines found themselves in a tight battle against the Golden Tornado defense at the 1-yard line before adding another six points to the scoreboard, thanks to a handoff from Pfeuffer to senior running back Nico Flati. Flati is quickly approaching the 3000 rushing yard milestone after an explosive junior season in which he earned 1234 yards – a statistic with which he led the PAC in 2023, and which earned him First Team All-PAC. Flati stands third all-time at Grove City in career rushing yardage.

Later in the second quarter, sophomore wide receiver

Daniel Sullivan received a soaring 81-yard pass from Pfeuffer, scoring the Wolverines’ third touchdown.

Sullivan had 162 yards on eight receptions on Saturday, in addition to kicking six extra points, of which he only missed one. Sullivan also led the kickoff five times. Sullivan is on track to triple his total receiving yards from last season after his explosive 2024 debut.

Senior wide receiver Scott Fraser followed shortly behind Sullivan’s touchdown with another connection from Pfeuffer, making the score at the end of the first half 28-0.

The Wolverines then received the ball in the second half.

With just under five minutes remaining in the third quarter, Flati again carried the ball into the end zone, adding his second set of points to the board.

At exactly seven minutes left in the game, junior quarterback Ethan Wiley made the completion to sophomore wide receiver Dominic DiNinno, scoring the final points of the game with a 61yard touchdown.

The Wolverines defeated Geneva 41-0.

This was the first time in history that these two teams have faced off against one an-

other in their season-opening matchup.

Geneva began their 2024 season as a fairly young team, with 10 of their 11 starters being new players. Grove City has seven returning players in their starting lineup, which added to the challenge Geneva faced before the competition even started.

The Wolverines are on bye this week. In two weeks, the Wolverines are on the road to face the Saint Vincent Bearcats, and then return to play Allegheny on Grove City turf the following week in the anticipated night game.

Sept. 21 @ 1 p.m. at Saint Vincent Sept. 28 @ 7 p.m. vs. Allegheny Oct. 5 @ 1 p.m. at Bethany

Oct. 12 @ 2 p.m. vs. Carnegie Mellon Oct.19 @ 6 p.m. at Washington & Jefferson

Oct. 26 @ 1 p.m. vs. Thiel

Nov. 2 @ 1 p.m. at Waynesburg

Nov. 9 @ 1 p.m. vs. Case Western Reserve

Nov. 16 @ 1 p.m. at Westminster

LUKE PAGLIA
Senior runningback Nico Flati takes the ball to the endzone in Saturday’s win over Geneva. Flati scored two of the Wolverines’ six touchdowns.
LUKE PAGLIA
Junior runningback Ian Demeri conducts the Wolverine Marching Band in the post-win celebration. Demeri ran a 74-yard touchdown to earn the Wolverines’ first touchdown of the game and of the season.
LUKE PAGLIA
The Offensive Line gets down into the trenches.
LOGAN PFEUFFER
NICO FLATI
DANIEL SULLIVAN

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