M E Grove City College
SSAGE
F ROM
THE
PRES ID EN T
MEANWHILE … THE BLESSINGS CONTINUE
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t’s the middle of another winter here at Grove City College. As I write this, a fresh inch of snow arrived last night, but the ever-present stretches of gray clouds are giving way to expanding patches of soft blue sky. The sun is even expected to make a cameo appearance today. Outside my Crawford Hall window, students, bundled in puffy down coats (and a fellow or two in shorts – get ready Zerbe) make their way around the Quad – or across it; how dare they! The ubiquitous face masks work double-duty in this frigid weather. It is hardly a normal time early in the second semester, but students are happy to be back on campus. And so it goes at the start of 2021. Charles Dickens and the Apostle James come to mind. Contrasting the riches of London with the poverty of Paris, Dickens famously wrote, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” More pertinent are the words from James 1:2-4, “Consider it all joy…when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” While this past year has been an enormous trial for all of us, we are witnessing God’s tremendous goodness to the College. In many ways, the past 12 months have been among the best in our history, particularly in the areas of academic innovation, student recruitment, and financial support. Innovation has been the watchword for academic affairs. The highly successful launch of the Charles Jr. and Betty Johnson School of Nursing, the exciting rollout of two compelling graduate degree programs, and the incredible expansion of our online learning initiative (over 1,000 students for our summer courses) have taken us to a higher level of academic excellence. There is a strong sense of expectation on campus. We look forward to an extensive renovation of Henry Buhl Library starting this summer that will transform this space into a 21st century facility for study, research, and collaboration. What will be next? Applications for the incoming freshman class are the highest in 15 years. We are hearing from high school students from all over the country who are excited about the clarity and boldness of our mission and the genuineness of our community. We are an appealing destination for all who are weary of elitist foolishness and yearn for wisdom and the affirmation of timeless values. And we are an oasis for those who long for a caring culture rather than a cancel culture. In addition, our commitment to affordability has resulted in the lowest tuition increase in 30 years, making Grove City College unquestionably one of the best buys in higher education. Finally, we are deeply thankful for the extraordinary support we have received from alumni, families of students, and friends of the College. Last June, we smashed our all-time record in annual giving by nearly $1 million. Then, as this academic year began, we were blessed by the largest unrestricted gift in college history – $4 million from entrepreneur Richard Staley ’62. The Lord knew we would need extra help this year. Our COVID costs currently exceed $3 million, almost 5 percent of our annual operating expenses. Nearly every other university and college is receiving major special funding from the federal government to help with these largely unplanned expenses. But we will continue to forego such funding and hold fast to our distinctive independence. In this current environment, our goal now is to replicate last year’s historic fundraising success as we seek to offset rising and unanticipated costs, increase financial aid awards, and enhance the student experience. Though the pandemic has been a hard trial for all of us, you will see in the following pages that we continue to be blessed in remarkable ways. Our bold vision to be the best Christian liberal arts college in America is not strategic bravado. It is a shared appreciation of God’s promise: “Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established.” (Proverbs 16:3) Though new trials may await us, we will remain hopeful that there will always be a “meanwhile” to the inspiring story of Grove City College.
EDITORIAL BOARD Jeffrey Prokovich ’89 Vice President for Advancement Melissa (Trifaro ’96) MacLeod Senior Director of Alumni and College Relations Jacki Muller Senior Director of Marketing and Communications EDITORIAL STAFF Nick Hildebrand Managing Editor Janice (Zinsner ’87) Inman Associate Editor, Class Notes, In Memory, Babies Brad Isles Associate Editor Joanie L. Baumgartner Director of Advancement Communications Amy Evans Associate Director of Advancement Communications OFFICE OF ALUMNI & COLLEGE RELATIONS Tricia Corey Carrie Sankey Charlene (Griffin ’83) Shaw COLLEGE ARCHIVES Hilary (Lewis ’09) Walczak OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT Brian Powell ’03 Kelly Conger Karen (Irwin ’85) Daum Elizabeth (Smith ’81) Hanley Zach Jew ’11 Adam Nowland ’07 DESIGN Justin Harbaugh Art Director/Graphic Designer ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Jana Volante Walshak ’07 President Carol (MacGamwell ’79) Yannuzzi Vice President Cover photograph by Kiley (Hajak ’19) Miranda Interior photography by Jason Jones, Andrew Stein ’18, Mac Hancock ’23, Wesley Kinney ’21, Liney Parker ’20, Josh Wanek ’21, Matthew Schoonover ’23, Justin Harbaugh, Nick Hildebrand, Brad Isles, Kiley (Hajak ’19) Miranda
Grove City College 100 Campus Drive
Paul J. McNulty ’80 President
Grove City, PA 16127 724.458.2300 888.GCC.GRAD alumni.gcc.edu
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