The GēDUNK September 2020

September 2020

A DEFINING MOMENT

Grove City College’s vision and values provide leadership in challenging times

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Grove City College

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CAMPUS VIEW

The Orientation Board was on the job again this fall to help new students move in and get their bearings.

Masks covered their smiling faces, but everyone was glad to be back on campus.

September 2020

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M E Grove City College

SSAGE

F ROM

THE

PRES ID EN T

DEFINING MOMENTS AND ENDURING VALUES

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his issue of the GēDUNK presents two historic and defining moments in the life of Grove City College. One concerns the impact of the ongoing global pandemic on campus life, and the other is about a major transition in leadership. Both moments are appropriately characterized as “defining” because they reveal and reinforce the College’s core values.

First, the pandemic. Last March began on a high note. We were still celebrating February conference championships in women’s and men’s swimming and basketball (a first!), freshman applications were up, and Brenda and I were off on a bucket list trip to Israel with a group of our alumni. By the middle of the month, it was a remarkably different situation. The drama of that memorable time is skillfully retold by Nick Hildebrand in the pages ahead.

What cannot be overstated are the many ways God has blessed GCC in this experience.

The amazing support of the College’s alumni and friends, the strong leadership of the Board, the talent and dedication of employees, especially the faculty, and the distinctive grit of our students all came together to turn this unprecedented challenge into a major success.

By June 30, financial support and freshman deposits were up significantly, approximately 1,000 students were enrolled in summer online classes, the all-campus GPA for the spring semester was higher than the year before, and planning for this fall was well underway. In sum, this first defining moment revealed that Grove City College is indeed an exceptionally strong institution. Our values of faithfulness, excellence, community, stewardship, and independence are more than just words.

Second, the transition. Our new Board chair Ed Breen ’78 is only the fifth person to serve in this position since 1930. He follows David R. Rathburn ’79, who dedicated 17 years of outstanding service to the College. We acknowledge his generous contributions and extend our sincere gratitude for his unwavering wisdom. This continuity of Board leadership is an extraordinary story. As an alumnus, the husband and father of three alumnae, and a trustee for 10 years, I thought I was well-versed on all things GCC when I became president in 2014.

However, my appreciation of this incredible legacy of leadership was lacking. As the large majority of liberal arts colleges have gradually abandoned traditional values, Grove City College has chosen a different path.

Across three centuries, we have remained true to our principles and faithful to our mission because of the unshakable character of our leaders. These leaders have stayed the course in their own lives and in service to the College. In Ed Breen, a corporate executive highly regarded for his commitment to ethical leadership, we will perpetuate, not pivot, from our three-fold distinctiveness as an institution – one that is academically excellent, Christcentered, and affordable for all.

I cannot recall a time in my life when greater uncertainty existed in the world.

Tremendous volatility is present in our politics, public health, race relations, city streets, and international affairs. Isn’t it a blessing to know that Grove City College is a safe harbor in a raging storm? May by God’s grace this continue to be so.

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 Paul Pendergast ’68 DESIGN Justin Harbaugh Art Director/Graphic Designer ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Jana Volante Walshak ’07 President Carol (MacGamwell ’79) Yannuzzi Vice President Cover photograph by Andrew Stein ’18 Interior photography by Alan Adams, Tiffany Wolfe, Jason Jones, Andrew Stein ’18, Mac Hancock ’23, Wesley Kinney ’21, Ed Doyle ’20, Liney Parker ’20, Ivy Nowakowski ’20, Josh Wanek ’21, Justin Harbaugh, Nick Hildebrand, Brad Isles CORRECTION: The breathtaking Campus View shot of the Cassegrain telescope at the College’s observatory in the March 2020 issue was taken by Steven Smiley ’21. The GēDUNK regrets not giving this talented student proper credit.

Paul J. McNulty ’80 President Grove City College 100 Campus Drive Grove City, PA 16127 724.458.2300 888.GCC.GRAD alumni.gcc.edu

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September 2020

’mid the pages

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A DEFINING MOMENT Grove City College’s vision and values provide leadership as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to roil higher education.

I NS I D E

6 | Upfront News from campus 16 | Alumni Grovers share “A Day in the Life” photos 48 | Class Notes Find out what fellow alumni are doing 52 | In Memory Friends we’ve lost and remember 56 | Li’l Wolverines Introducing our newest Grovers 58 | Faith & Learning A faculty perspective

Connect with us:

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A CLASS OF ITS OWN We pay tribute to the Class of 2020.

Their accomplishments outshine the unusual circumstances of their graduation.

The GēDUNK, an award-winning magazine published for alumni and friends of Grove City College, highlights College news and alumni achievements. Named after the on-campus gathering place / snack bar for students since the early 1950s, the word “Gedunk” made its way into the Grove City College vernacular when Navy veterans returned to campus and brought the term with them. For decades, the Grove City College Gedunk has been the place to come together to share news and ideas, live and learn, and this magazine strives to connect our family in similar style. College and University Public Relations and Associated Professionals has recognized the GēDUNK with awards for excellence in design and writing for five consecutive years.

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Grove City College

upfront

News about the College, alumni, students, campus, faculty and sports

Dr. Donald D. Optiz, the College’s new Chaplain and Senior Director of Christian Formation, leads a prayer in Harbison Chapel.

“I am humbled and elated by God’s grace in providing me this opportunity to exalt Lord Jesus and to nurture everdeepening love and faithfulness of students as we seek to learn and serve together.”

Dr. Donald D. Opitz named Chaplain and Senior Director of Christian Formation

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r. Donald D. Opitz, an ordained Presbyterian minister and accomplished scholar with a deep background in Christian higher education and pastoral care, is College’s new Chaplain and Senior Director of Christian Formation.

Opitz oversees the College’s Chapel Ministry team, will design and coordinate Chapel programming, and collaborate with other College leaders in the nurturing of spiritual life on campus. Faith formation is a central feature of the College’s Christcentered living and learning experience. The twice-a-week Chapel program focuses on the love of God and the love of neighbor.

“Don brings a remarkable breadth of experience to his new role. He is blessed with a deep understanding of the scriptures, passion for discipleship, and devotion to pastoral care. He will serve our students and the entire College community with love

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and inspiration,” College President Paul J. McNulty ’80 said.

Opitz comes to Grove City College from Messiah College, where he served as campus pastor. He succeeds Dr. D. Dean Weaver ’86, who served two years as the College’s interim chaplain and was recently named Stated Clerk of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

“The invitation to join the academic community of Grove City College fulfills the dream of a lifetime. I am humbled and elated by God’s grace in providing me this opportunity to exalt Lord Jesus and to nurture ever-deepening love and faithfulness of students as we seek to learn and serve together,” Opitz said.

It will be a homecoming of sorts for Opitz, who grew up in Grove City and graduated from the local high school. He graduated from Westminster College in

1983 with a double major in religion and philosophy, earned a Master of Divinity degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in religion and culture in modern society from Boston University.

He was previously professor of higher education and sociology at Geneva College, where he was also director of the Lillyfunded PTEV program The Call. Early in his career, he was campus minister and director of training with the Coalition for Christian Outreach and a resident director at Gordon College. Opitz is the author, with Dereck Melleby, of Learning for the Love of God, a student’s guide to integrating faith and learning.

He and his wife Christine have two daughters, Lauren and Katie.

September 2020

College boosts financial aid to help students in uncertain times

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rove City College increased financial aid awards available to students this fall in a move to help families navigating college costs in a season of uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Ordinarily, our low tuition and extensive financial aid make a Grove City College education distinctively affordable, but these are not ordinary times,” President Paul J. McNulty ’80 said as he credited the College’s faithful supporters for making tuition even more affordable for students and families facing financial hardship.

Under this unprecedented initiative, the College invested an additional nearly $2.5 million from its endowment and other gifts to increase awards for the 2020-2021 academic year. Sixty-six percent of students receive need- or merit-based financial aid from the College. Recipients of need-based aid are seeing a 20 percent increase in their scholarship amounts under the plan. The total amount of funded scholarships will exceed $10 million.

In particular, the College made additional funds available to help students and families experiencing recent economic hardship.

Such special consideration scholarships provide much-needed assistance for students who otherwise might not be able to remain enrolled at the College.

Majority of GCC students earn Dean’s List recognition

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rove City College students posted an impressive record of academic achievement over the spring semester, despite an international pandemic that had them adjusting, nearly overnight, to a new form of learning.

More than 57 percent of the College’s 2,100 undergraduates made the Dean’s List for their work during the semester, much of which was done online after safety concerns and government guidelines concerning the coronavirus forced the closure of campus in March.

The College tapped its deep technological resources and online expertise to shift more than 800 courses to remote instruction and students and faculty likewise met the unprecedented challenge.

“Our students at Grove City finished the spring semester with incredible resiliency. Even with the immediate transition to all

distance delivery of classes, student performance was unwavering,” Dr. Peter M. Frank ’95, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, said. “I was impressed with the number of students who continued to pursue academic excellence, and remained positive and hardworking, despite the challenges of moving home.”

Nearly 10 percent of the student body, or 193 students, had a perfect 4.00 grade point average (GPA.) Of the 1,148 students on the spring Dean’s List, 436 achieved high distinction (3.85 to 4.00 GPA) and 429 with distinction (3.60 to 3.84 GPA.) Overall, the average GPA for Grove City College students was 3.33.

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Grove City College

First class of nursing candidates begins journey just in time

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his fall, the first class of candidates begins their four-year journey toward a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree offered through the new Charles Jr. and Betty Johnson School of Nursing in partnership with Butler County Community College.

The innovative program was born last year in response to a nationwide shortage of nurses and growing student demand, but no one expected an international pandemic would make the need to educate and train nurses even more clear.

Demand for the program was high before the coronavirus hit, according to Dr. Janey Roach, director of the College’s Nursing Program. Originally designed for an inaugural class of 10 freshmen, the College decided to increase the class size to 24 when five times as many prospective students as that expressed interest.

BSN students will benefit from the partnership between Grove City College and BC3, which plays to each institution’s strengths. The first class is taking general education and pre-nursing science required courses this fall on campus.

Their core nursing classes and clinical experiences will begin through BC3’s Shaffer School of Nursing and Allied Health in the fall of 2021 and will continue through the third year of schooling, though students will still be attending classes at both institutions, with formal nursing classes and professional placement. At the end of the third year, students will have an associate degree from BC3 and may take the state nurse licensure exams. If successful, they can begin working as a registered RN as they complete their fourth year of a bachelor’s degree from Grove City College.

Members of the band Treebeard Brown flank Veritas Film Festival-winning filmmakers Addie Reynolds ’22, Robbie Weaver ’19 and Catie Fluharty ’21.

Student-made short film takes top prize in Veritas Film Festival balloting

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n alumnus and three current Grove City College students recently won the short film category for the second annual Veritas Film Festival, hosted by Veritas Arts and the College.

The independent film festival planned for April at the Guthrie Theater and on campus was called off due to the pandemic. But organizer Spencer Folmar ’10, owner of the Guthrie, and the festival’s seven judges, including Dr. Kimberly Miller, chair of the Department of Communication and Visual Arts, still diligently watched over 700 entries and chose winners from the 150 selections for each of the seven categories.

Robbie Weaver ’19 won the top prize in the short film category for his film Treebeard Brown, highlighting a local band that includes a few Grove City College alums. Current Grove City College students Addie Reynolds ’22, Catie Fluharty ’21 and Adam Sweet ’21 worked with Weaver on the seven-minute short film, which was originally released last year. The film came out of a semester-long assignment in Greg Bandy’s documentary film class in the fall of 2018.

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College, Counseling Center, Career Services among the best

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rove City College is one of America’s best colleges, according to the 2021 edition of The Princeton Review’s influential annual guide to the nation’s outstanding colleges and universities.

Inclusion in the “The Best 386 Colleges” puts Grove City College among the top 15 percent of the nation’s higher education institutions. The educational testing and prep company’s guide looks at a variety of studentcentered metrics, including cost, value, academics, and quality of life.

The Office of Career Services and Counseling Center earned high marks in the guide’s student survey results, which poll student opinion on various aspects of college life. The Office of Career Services is ranked 8th in the nation and the Counseling Center 14th. The College also holds the number 8 spot on The Princeton Review’s list of best schools for internships. The College is also identified as a “Best Northeastern” school and a “Best Value College.”

“Our inclusion on this prestigious list year after year is a wonderful affirmation of Grove City College and our clear distinctiveness in the world of higher education. The combination of our high value education and the remarkable character and capability of our students truly sets us apart,” Grove City College President Paul J. McNulty ’80 said.

Outstanding academics, interesting professors, Christian community, high quality campus life, and an unwavering focus on student flourishing are among the factors that students value most about Grove City College, according to The Princeton Review.

Social Work major Gabby Ross ’21 of Worthington, Ohio, is hoping to work with a faith-based non-profit after she graduates with an accredited degree. She’s interested in working with refugees and immigrants and gained experience working in community development in low-income neighborhoods through an internship last summer with the Columbus Dream Center.

Social Work program earns CSWE accreditation

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rove City College’s Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work (BSW) program earned initial accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

The Council’s Commission on Accreditation voted in June to approve the College’s baccalaureate social work program. It is the culmination of a years-long effort for the program, led

by Dr. Lisa L. Hosack, associate professor of Social Work.

“We are grateful to complete a 3½-year accreditation process and to receive full accreditation for our BSW program. This status benefits students not only in terms of validating quality of the program; it Hosack holds positive implications for those who move on to graduate school or pursue licensure in the future,” Hosack said.

CSWE accreditation assures students that the program meets certain standards recognized across the discipline, and that, as graduates, they are qualified to work in the field.

In 2013, Hosack began developing the program, which integrates faith into social work to improve the lives of people through service.

By 2015, Grove City College was recognized as one of the top Christian colleges to study social work, and by 2017 the program was elevated to major status.

Students in Grove City College’s social work program acquire an extensive background in micro and macro-level practice through courses in human development, child welfare, research methods, and social welfare policy analysis. Social work majors also complete a 400-hour internship in their senior year with human service agencies that address domestic violence, children’s welfare, health services, and other needs.

September 2020

Collegian Editor-in-Chief Paige Fay ’21 and Managing Editor Anna DiStefano ’21 work on the award-winning paper on a Wednesday night in the Crawford Hall tower newsroom.

Collegian student journalists win Keystone Press awards

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ix staff members and contributors to The Collegian, the student newspaper of Grove City College, won four 2020 Student Keystone Press Awards from the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association.

Collegian Editor-in-Chief Grace Tarr ’20 shared a second place award for layout and design with her immediate predecessor James Sutherland ’19, who led the newspaper in 2018 and 2019. Staff Writer Erin McLaughlin ’20 took second place in general news for her story “Students object to the text,” which covered a campus controversy over a textbook used in a required western civilization course. Perspectives Editor Joshua Tatum ’20 earned a second place award for columns with three entries .

Contributing photographers Ivy Nowakowski ’20 and Mikayla Gainor ’23 shared an honorable mention prize for a gallery of photos from the 2019 Orchesis dance show.

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Grove City College

Retired Biology professor Dr. Fred Brenner laughs in his famously cluttered office in the Rockwell Hall of Science in this file photo.

Veteran biology professor Brenner leads group of long-serving faculty retirees

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fter 51 years of teaching at Grove City College, Biology Professor Dr. Fred Brenner retired in May as the third-longest serving faculty member in College history.

Brenner began his teaching career at the College in 1969 through a personal connection with the dean of the College at the time, who was on his Eagle Scout Board of Review. Over the years, Brenner impacted the lives of thousands of students and earned the respect of his colleagues.

“Over his tenure at Grove City College, he shared his respect for the environment, love of everything outdoors, knowledge of wildlife biology, and his prowess in the laboratory with thousands of students,” Dr. Lisa Antoszewski, chair of the Biology Department, said. “His commitment to educating Christian men and women is unmatched.”

“I always appreciated Fred and his team player approach,” Dr. Jan Dudt, professor of Biology said. “He steps up when needed and is

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always engaged when a need was presented.”

“In his many years, he has taught a very extensive list of courses within the department – from genetics to geology to wildlife behavior to ecology,” Dr. Steve Jenkins, fellow professor of Biology said.

“But perhaps more notable in my mind is that Fred was conducting ecological and environmental research when virtually no one else on campus was doing it.”

According to Jenkins, Brenner was the only member of the Biology department who was regularly publishing research articles through the 1980s and early 1990s. He included biology majors in his research, providing undergraduate research opportunities to hundreds of students, many of whom followed Brenner into academia and conservation work.

“Fred has been the kingpin in our ecological/environmental instruction and training of hundreds of well-placed students

for over a half of a century,” Dudt said. “His shoes are big and will be a challenge to fill.”

Brenner has been recognized for his work in various scientific and community organizations. In 2016, he was elected as a life member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for his contributions and leadership in science. He held leadership roles in a number of scientific organizations, published extensively in scientific journals, co-edited 14 books on a variety of environmental topics and collected too many awards to list.

“Fred is active in the local community and, because of this, has built relationships between the community and Grove City College,” Antoszewski said. “While we wish Fred the best in his retirement, we will miss him greatly.”

Brenner ranks third on the list of longestserving faculty. Dr. Alva J. Calderwood, Class of 1896, holds the record for longest-serving faculty member, working for the College for 53 years. The school of Arts and Letters is named for him. Herr J. Harvey Cole taught German at the College for 52 years. He retired in 2015.

A number of other long-serving professors retired at the end of the academic year: Dr. Lois Johnson, professor of Education and director of the Office of Global Programs, retired after a 25-year tenure. During this time, she taught education classes and led the Stan Johnson and Karen Johnson Office of Global Programs (formerly the Office for International Education) and “loved every minute of my time here,” Johnson said.

Dr. Patricia Scheffler, professor of Education, arrived at the College in 2006. She encouraged the early childhood community of educators in the Grove City region and was a Scheffler founding member of the Midwestern Early Childhood Institute, an organization that seeks to provide researchbased best practices to early care providers and teachers in the region.

Dr. Shuhui Su, professor of Modern Languages, served for just over a decade, beginning in 2009, teaching Chinese language courses and crafting a minor. Her expertise in Chinese culture benefitted Su the campus community, especially through the Chinese Club.

September 2020

Welcome new faculty

Joining the faculty this year – and pictured at an acceptable social distance – are, from left: Dr. Remi Drai, Associate Professor of Mathematics; David M. Butler, Assistant Professor of Management and Marketing; Dr. Ethan C. Smith ’03, Associate Professor of Mathematics; Dr. Natalie D. Heisey, Associate Professor of Education; Dr. Darren M. Wood, Assistant Professor of Biology; Melissa D. Carruth, Assistant Professor of Spanish; and Brian C. Dickinson, Assistant Professor of Computer Science.

Dr. Patricia (Armstrong ’75) Tinkey, professor of Spanish, started at the College in 2004. As a student in the 1970s, she studied Spanish, French, and German in the Modern Tinkey Languages department.

“Returning to teach at Grove City College was like coming home,” Tinkey said. For 14 of her 16 years, she taught in the Education and Modern Languages departments.

“Mentoring students has been one of my greatest rewards,” Tinkey said.

“Each of these faculty have served this college for at least a decade, and it is truly noteworthy to thank Dr. Brenner for his half a century-long commitment to Grove City College. What an amazing difference he has made in the lives of so many alumni across this country. The close connection that many of us developed with our alma mater is directly related to the legacy of this group of retirees,” Dr. Peter Frank ’95, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs and professor of Economics said.

Au revoir

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r. Mark Reuber, professor of Engineering and field director of the Stan and Karen Johnson Office of Global Programs, and his wife Deborah, adjunct professor of Modern Languages and resident life director, display a book of memories compiled by students to recognize Reuber’s 32nd – and final year at Grove City College. The book contains thoughtful remembrances from some of the more than 300 alumni who studied with the couple at the College’s European Study Center in Nantes, France. The Reubers will be working through the end of the year. t h e G ēD UNK w w w. g c c.e d u | 11

Grove City College

Demand is high for Grove City College online courses Enrollment in online courses is up sharply, summer session nearly double the 2019 enrollment

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r. Christy L. Crute, director of Graduate and Online Programs and professor of Business Analytics, attributes the increase to the quality of the courses and rising demand for an online version of the academically excellent and Christ-centered education students expect from the College.

The audience for online courses is comprised of adult part-time learners, undergraduate students and dual-enrolled students who are taking college courses – and earning transferable college credits – while still in high school.

In recent years, Grove City College invested intentionally in online learning to reach interested students where they are and provide them a robust selection of courses that match the quality of those offered to full-time residential students. That was one of the reasons that Grove City College was able to shift swiftly to remote instruction when the coronavirus pandemic forced students to leave campus and finish the spring semester online.

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Several factors drove the spike in summer online enrollment, Crute said. “Our faculty have done an amazing job of offering a variety of courses that are highly interesting to our students in great study areas like business, calculus and statistics, humanities, engineering, and many others. They seem to have captured the attention of a national audience,” she said.

“Our faculty have done an amazing job of offering a variety of courses that are highly interesting to our students in great study areas ... They seem to have captured the attention of a national audience.”

The College’s decision to offer all rising college freshmen a special price on online courses also contributed to the record numbers. The College’s desire to “give back” during the pandemic by making courses more affordable to incoming freshmen provided students with something to do during a summer where work and play opportunities were severely limited, she said.

Finally, dual-enrolled high school students are taking advantage of the opportunity to earn college credits now that can reduce both the cost and the time it takes to earn an undergraduate degree. “The online portion of our college-in-high school program continues to expand its reach. In less than one year, we have attracted students from more than 20 states around the country and several countries overseas,” Crute said.

Online enrollment in Fall 2020 is also up by over 50 percent, with nearly four times as many classes offered.

For more about online or dual enrollment, visit www.gcc.edu/ onlinecourses.

September 2020

College debaters celebrate after a historic tournament victory. From left, Sebastian Anastasi ’23, Anna-Claire Rowlands ’22, Courage Houston ’21, Jacob Adams ’23, Andrew Furjanic ’20, Christopher Ostertag ’20, Caleb West ’23, Reese Overholt ’22, Rebecca Powell ’20, and Ruth Eckman ’22

No debate about it as team claims five national titles at home tourney

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he Grove City College Debate Team enjoyed one of its greatest achievements as the team won an unprecedented five national titles in a single weekend in March.

The College hosted the 23rd annual National Christian College Forensics Association’s National Invitational tournament, which drew debaters from the nation’s top Christian colleges and universities, including Liberty University, Whitworth University, Azusa Pacific University, Colorado Christian College and Kansas Wesleyan University.

Ultimately, no Grove City debater went undecorated, and the college’s overall performance secured for them the Quality Award, which is awarded to the school who has the best average point contribution per entry. A long-standing NCCFA tournament director indicated he didn’t remember “ever seeing a score like this,” with the Grove City College students earning twice the average score of the runner-up.

Debating on their own campus for the first time in the squad’s history, the Grove City College team seemed to be inspired by the familiar surroundings and the presence of three former captains – Ryan Brown ’16, Drew Brackbill ’16, and Colin Freyvogel ’18 – to turn in their best collective performance in the team’s history.

Engineering professors Dr. Luke Rumbaugh ’07 and Dr. George “Geo” Richards work with Robert Goodrich ’21, Joshua Harhai ’21, and Armand Ignelzi ’21 to analyze a propulsion system for NASA.

Engineering students compete, develop skills with NASA project

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rove City College Engineering students experienced a unique opportunity to contribute to a NASA project in the 2019-2020 NASA Glenn Research Center University Student Design Challenge.

Armand Ignelzi ’21, Robert Goodrich ’21 and Joshua Harhai ’21 worked together with Dr. George “Geo” Richards, associate professor of Mechanical Engineering and Dr. Luke Rumbaugh ’07, associate professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, on the project.

The challenge involved analyzing a propulsion system for NASA’s prototype hybrid electric aircraft and identifying problems in its thermal management. The team built a simulation model of their electrified propulsion system based on details from NASA, which was used to analyze and document the system performance, identify weaknesses, and improve the design, according to NASA’s guidelines.

Though the team didn’t win the competition, the experience was invaluable. “This NASA student design competition was exactly the sort of experience we try to get for all our engineering students at Grove City College: hands-on work on real-world problems, in close collaboration with fully invested faculty members,” Rumbaugh said.

Touring Choir releases album on streaming services

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rove City College’s Touring Choir’s latest album is out and available on major music streaming services.

Fans and alumni can listen to Grove City College Touring Choir 2019-20 on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and Amazon. It’s a first for the storied choir, Dr. Katherine Mueller, director of choral activities, said. Music on the album ranges from spirituals to Bernstein’s Mass and art songs. The choir recorded it on tour in the in the spring of 2019.

“We believe this is a great way that we can share the performances of our talented Grove City College singers with more listeners than ever. I am so proud of these students and their ability to make music of the highest quality,” Mueller said.

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Grove City College

Wolverines put the ‘student’ in student-athlete

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he COVID-19 pandemic terminated promising seasons for all nine Wolverine spring sports programs and has put all competitions for the College’s fall sports, including football, on hold until after Jan. 1, 2021.

In mid-March, the Presidents’ Athletic Conference suspended all athleticallyrelated activities and officially canceled the 2020 spring varsity sports season in April. The pandemic’s continuation led to the Presidents’ Council making a similar decision for the conference’s fall sports competition and agreed not to hold any winter sport varsity competitions prior to the new calendar year.

There was hope for the NCAA-defined “low contact” fall 2020 sports of men’s and women’s tennis and men’s and women’s golf to be permitted to compete this fall with conference competition only. However, the PAC’s Presidents’ Council voted to postpone all competitions during a virtual meeting on Aug. 26. The decision came not long after an NCAA’s Division III Administrative Committee announcement on Aug. 20 recommending that member schools not compete in the fall term to avoid potential increased health and safety risks.

“Although we would love to be competing this fall in all fall sports, and would have loved to complete seasons last spring, as an athletic department we have approached this as an opportunity to ‘win’ this period of time,” Grove City College Athletic Director Todd Gibson ’02 said. “Our goal was – and is – to not just get through this time period but to work together – coaches, athletes, and

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staff – to grow our athletic program, build relationships, and recruit student athletes that want to be part of our community.”

“The creative ways that our teams have found to stick together, and get stronger, and the ways our coaches have adapted to mentor, meet, and recruit will last long after this is over. We have very united teams ready to get back in action and potentially the most talented incoming freshman athletic class in school history,” Gibson said. “When the time comes, our teams will be ready!”

PAC leadership voted unanimously this summer to postpone fall 2020 athletic competitions in the NCAA-defined “highcontact” and “medium contact” sports of football, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, and men’s and women’s cross country until the spring 2021 semester.

The PAC also explored moving the NCAAdefined “low contact risk” sports of men’s and women’s outdoor track and field to the fall along with golf and tennis competitions.

PAC outdoor track and field programs have typically held their traditional seasons in the spring.

“Our Presidents’ Council has indicated every intention of having our schools play to the greatest degree possible during the spring 2021 semester, with a continued highest priority on student-athlete health and safety,” Presidents’ Athletic Conference Commissioner Joe Onderko said.

NCAA Division III has provided a blanket waiver providing all 2020 spring sports varsity athletes with an additional season of eligibility, as a result of the nationwide cancellation of spring sports.

ighty-seven Grove City College winter and spring sports student-athletes earned placement on the Presidents’ Athletic Conference’s Spring 2020 Academic Honor Roll. The 87 honorees represents the highest Academic Honor Roll total ever for Grove City.

Including Grove City’s 60 Fall 2019 PAC Academic Honor Roll selections, the College placed 147 total student-athletes on the PAC Academic Honor Roll during the 2019-20 academic year. That is the second-highest total ever for Grove City College.

Athletes who achieve a 3.60 grade-point average or higher during their semester of competition are named to the Academic Honor Roll. Playing time does not factor into a student-athlete’s ability to qualify for the Honor Roll.

Many individual programs and athletes racked up additional academic achievement awards due to student-athletes’ academic success, including women’s tennis, water polo, volleyball, and men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs. And, in a first for Wolverine athletics, men’s lacrosse standout Henry Brannan ’20 was named a Division III Scholar All-American by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. He is the first Scholar AllAmerican in program history.

The Grove City College spring sports season in 2020 ended prematurely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Wolverine teams had posted outstanding fall and winter seasons and it appeared quite likely that the spring sports teams would continue that excellence. The pandemic prevented the men’s and women’s golf, tennis, and outdoor track and field teams from competing in the spring. The baseball, softball, men’s lacrosse, and women’s water polo teams did complete a portion of their respective schedules prior to the shutdown.

September 2020

athletics Jackowski to lead women’s lacrosse, build program for inaugural season

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rove City College has hired Lafayette, N.Y., native Cassley Jackowski as its inaugural head women’s lacrosse coach. Grove City will begin intercollegiate play in women’s lacrosse in spring 2022.

Women’s lacrosse is the 23rd intercollegiate varsity sport at Grove City College.

Jackowski comes to Grove City after spending the last three seasons as head women’s lacrosse coach at Division III Houghton College. In 2020, Jackowski led Houghton to the best start in program history.

That strong beginning reflected a continuation of Houghton’s rise in the Empire 8 conference under Jackowski’s guidance. Houghton achieved the program’s best winning percentage and highest conference finishes with Jackowski as head coach.

“We are excited to welcome Cassley to our athletic program and the Grove City College community,” Grove City College Athletic Director Todd Gibson ’02 said. “She brings head coaching experience and toplevel lacrosse pedigree.

“We look forward to Coach Jackowski having the opportunity to guide our transition from club to varsity lacrosse and building a Christ-centered lacrosse program that will compete for championships and strive for excellence in all that they do.”

Jackowski’s coaching career began as an assistant coach in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes women’s lacrosse program in 2016 and 2017. She worked as the FCA Club Western National Team head coach in 2018 and also as FCA Camp head coach that year.

“I am very humbled and honored about this new opportunity at Grove City College,” Jackowski said. “The Lord’s hand has led me directly here and toward this exciting new chapter in life.

“I am extremely excited to create a competitive, Christ-centered culture where we look to strive for excellence in all that we do, both athletically and academically. I feel grateful for the opportunity to instill faith and integrity in student-athletes while directing their talents and hard work toward a greater purpose.”

“As we set out to recruit the first class of varsity lacrosse athletes, we look forward to hosting top-level high school players from across the country on our campus in the coming months,” Gibson said. “Cassley’s varied experience with the FCA lacrosse program and the northeastern United States lacrosse community will help us target the special group of studentathletes that will help build our program.”

Jackowski was a standout high school and collegiate lacrosse player, setting records at Roberts Wesleyan in Rochester, N.Y., where she earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education. She then earned her master’s degree in health, physical education, and recreation from Emporia State (Kan.) in May 2019.

“This is a unique opportunity to play a key role in the initiation and development of a women’s lacrosse program, as well as to actively participate in a piece of history at a wellknown, successful college whose legacy rests in the Lord,” Jackowski said. “Grove City has all of the components to be able to recruit strong student-athletes. The campus is beautiful, the athletic facilities are great and the support staff and academics are exceptional. The potential to create a program from that can compete at a high level is exciting and inspiring.”

Lamie PAC coach of the year; three earn all-PAC status

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he Presidents’ Athletic Conference champion Grove City College men’s basketball program was wellrepresented on the All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference Teams.

Head coach Steve Lamie earned his fifth PAC Coach of the Year award after guiding Grove City (20-8) to the conference title and the program’s first 20-win season in 31 years. The Wolverines went 13-3 in conference play to win the regular season title. The Wolverines then defeated Thiel (76-62), Saint Vincent (70-69) and Geneva (86-70) in the PAC tournament in earning the conference crown.

Lamie secured his 300th career win February 12, when the Wolverines earned a 78-68 win over visiting Penn State Altoona.

Three players earned All-PAC recognition, led by First Team All-PAC selection James Wells ’20. Junior guard Justice Rice ’21 captured Second Team All-PAC and senior guard Nate Peters ’20 garnered All-PAC Honorable Mention. t h e G ēD UNK w w w. g c c.e d u | 15

Grove City College

A DAY IN THE LIFE An alumni photo essay project showcasing unity.

By May 1, 2020, daily life had taken on a new, unfamiliar cadence for many Grove City College alumni around the globe. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic brought the regular rhythms of life to a screeching halt and simultaneously created a new sense of urgency, a longing for both community and normalcy. The GCC Alumni: A Day in the Life photo essay project was

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designed to showcase the unity and bond the alumni family shares, and to

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• GIVE • C

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celebrate the unique ways they are living, working, playing, and serving in these not-so-ordinary days. More than 250 alumni submitted photos on May 1, 2020, all of them personal and meaningful. Their poignant images remind us all that we are not alone, even while “socially-distant.” These are some of their stories.

September 2020

Roger Nelson ’53 shared a heart-wrenching image of one of his daily visits outside the window of his wife Martha’s nursing home room. Taken by the activity coordinator at her facility, the image captures Martha’s joy at seeing Roger as he readies his phone for their chat through the glass. According to Roger, the hardest thing about the pandemic has been the lack of personal contact between them. “I think it has resulted in a faster decline in her physical condition. The staff of the nursing home has stated that this is not only affecting Martha but also most of their patients.”

“One of the most difficult things I’ve experienced is watching the decline of someone so bright and vibrant happening right in front of my eyes. Martha was at the top of her high school, college and medical school classes, and was responsible for an organization of over 100 people and several millions of dollars in expenditures. She is now confined to a wheelchair, unable to walk or feed herself. Fortunately, she knows my name and can respond to simple questions and photographs.”

(As this issue of The GēDUNK was going to press, we received word that Dr. Martha Nelson has passed away.)

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Grove City College

If living during a global pandemic wasn’t hard enough, Laura (Doherty ’14) Collins and her husband suddenly found themselves becoming foster parents at the same time. Her photo submission, with the blurred out faces of her two tiny foster children, sends a message of hope as much for her own family as for the rest for us. In blue sidewalk chalk, they’re shown carefully coloring in the outlined words, “We can do this.”

Daily interactions with students are what Erik Covert ’16 missed the most while teaching remotely during the pandemic. “I found it much more challenging to determine the daily mood of the class and adapt lessons to best meet the needs of the class. It definitely made me more creative in my teaching, as I had to make lessons around what students had at home.”

The poignant photo of his empty 6th grade classroom “demonstrated the adaptability and perseverance that people showed during that time. A year ago, many people would have laughed at the suggestion that they could attend church services online, work from home, and even have their children take online classes. However, in just a few weeks most of the country shifted to that way of life.”

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When Dan Hunter ’79 told his wife during the pandemic that he was going to “work,” the retired Hunter meant to his garage to spend time woodworking. It’s his self-taught hobby.

A relatively new hobby for Hunter, he works mostly with “live edge” wood that retains the original unfinished edges. He does everything from felling the trees and cutting the slabs to finishing the boards. He makes benches, coffee tables, and serving tables, but from the smaller pieces, he is crafting cutting boards, and carving spoons, walking sticks, and caricature figures, as seen in his photo.

Hunter retired as a senior technical consultant from Alcoa in 2015, which is when he found the time to add woodworking to his other hobbies of photography and bonsai. His wife, Danette (Bingle ’79) Hunter, is a Health Room secretary for Franklin Regional Middle School in Murrysville, Pa. While the schools were closed, she helped to sew many face masks for her colleagues still required to be at the school.

They also check in on their Western Pennsylvania parents. As to their new daily routine, Dan reports that it “consists of having our coffee, breakfast, read the paper, I tell Danette I’m going to work (i.e., the garage), she goes to the sewing room and makes masks, and we meet up again at dinner.”

September 2020

Jonathan Althausen ’11 and his wife, Lacey, were one of the many couples facing a childcare dilemma when the pandemic hit. While both continued to work, Jon stayed home in Dublin, Ohio, with the couple’s two children, Elizabeth, 4, and Joseph, 2, pictured. Lacey is a primary care pediatrician.

Althausen is able to be at home with them because he works remotely in his new job with Mureti, which he began in January 2020. It is a start-up company formed by his Grove City electrical engineering classmate Mike Hollis ’11.

As to his daily charges, “They love to go on bike rides to the park, scooter around the block, play “dinosaur” around the house, paint and color various animals, and (take) the occasional car ride listening to our favorite family songs,” said Jon of the kids’ recent favorite activities.

He reported in late summer that Ohio had re-opened many things but their family has limited who and how they connect with others. For example, Althausen said, “we made the tough choice to not travel to a family wedding in July.”

He no longer takes the kids to grocery stores as part of their usual weekly routine. “Surprisingly, that has been a hole in our outings that we’ve missed. Another surprise is how thankful I have become for local parks and playgrounds, especially once they reopened. They have been a gem and blessing to have.”

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Grove City College Shawna (Martin ’95) Haynes and her daughters helped to fill a physical need during the pandemic as seen in her photo, providing 100-120 lunches to children of the North Side of Pittsburgh.

The children were part of the ministries of Urban Impact Foundation and needed food during the school shutdown.

Haynes learned of the project through her employer, Eden Christian Academy.

With help from daughters Anna and Ellie, both 16 and Eden students, the Haynes family decorated bags with Bible verses and encouraging words before filling the colorful sacks with lunch foods. The ladies did this twice during the Spring, as did many other Eden families.

A self-proclaimed busy person, Haynes says it was “definitely a change when everything started to close down. However, I was surprised that I enjoyed the slower pace and the simplicity of the season. I valued the time at home to linger over my devotions with the Lord. …With Brandon [husband Brandon Haynes ’96] no longer traveling for work and activities being cancelled, (the family) spent evenings playing games and watching movies.”

And should the need return to pack more lunches for students, she says “we will definitely be looking for the opportunity to participate again.”

The congregation at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in New Kingstown, Pa., has been very supportive of its pastor, Rev. Matthew Best ’98, and the need to move services online.

“Many are grateful for the opportunity to worship, even if it isn’t in person,” Best shared. “One of the neatest things that has happened is the informal fellowship time that happens before worship. We use Zoom for worship and people log in early so they can check in with each other. …

It’s been one of the most unexpected and important parts of worship actually. It’s about building and maintaining community in a way that is available to people.”

In his submitted photo, Best is conducting the worship service and preaching live in front of a laptop computer. He is joined in the sanctuary and assisted by his wife, music director and organist Abigail (Noss ’98) Best and their four children, who fill in with singing, sound, and filming the procession. “It’s not a matter of just doing the same thing in front of a camera – so many aspects of worship change.”

As to blessings in a pandemic, Matt said, “I see blessings from God all the time. There are people hearing the message of the Gospel for the first time because of worship going online. There are people who are receiving food and other help because the church had to get creative. We are blessed to be forced to answer the question – why does the church exist, instead of just cruising along as we’ve always done.”

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September 2020

Jessica (Arnett ’03) Campagna, DO is a hospitalist physician in southwestern Indiana. “I was social distancing before it was cool. My family was being cautious about viral contagions almost two months before the rest of the country because I did not want my infant child to be exposed to the flu. As a result, our family was feeling the effects of isolation and loneliness weeks before the rest of the country.”

Campagna now wears a respirator mask at work, but as shown in her photo submission, she was “instructed to wear the surgical masks over the filters to protect them from physical soiling (blood splatter, phlegm/mucus, etc.). The surgical masks, however, kept falling off. After that photo, I sewed my own filter covers that could be washed periodically.” As a frontline healthcare professional, she has noted that continued shortages of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like surgical masks and gowns are still a daily concern for her and the other healthcare heroes with whom she serves.

“It has been good to reassess priorities. God and family are all that matter now. My career is not as important to me, only as a vehicle for showing God’s love. Making money is not as important to me, only to pay off student loan debt, buy necessities, and for giving. Thanks to the relatively low cost of Grove City College, I was able to go into medical school without any undergraduate student loan debt.”

One thing that gets her through the tough days? “It is a blessing to take the time to count my blessings. When the whole world is struggling and all seems hopeless, you have to count your blessings.”

On that one day in May 2020, alumni provided a personal glimpse into the ways they were both looking inward and reaching outward, each in his or her own circumstances.

Whether the task was teaching or working remotely, foster parenting, serving on the front lines of the pandemic, or caring for loved ones, Laura (Doherty ’14) Collins’ words ring true for alumni everywhere. “It’s the hardest thing we’ve ever done, but God’s timing is perfect and He’s showing us without a doubt that we CAN do this.”

And we still are.

View more photos from A Day in the Life at www.gcc.edu/dayinthelife

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Grove City College

A DAY IN THE LIFE

with Jody Mathie ’77 “Who knew that one tiny strand of a rogue RNA virus, visible only with an electron microscope, could bring this entire world to its knees...”

Denver, Colo., pediatrician and Grove City College Trustee Jody Mathie ’77 had offered to be there for her good friend, former GCC Chair of the Board David Rathburn ’79, as he was having surgery right as the pandemic was breaking out in America. True to her promise, she arrived to help him through his recovery process in the days immediately following his surgery. In the quiet moments while he rested and healed, away from the demands of her pediatric office, she found a few minutes of peace to ponder the pandemic and the current state of our nation.

“Was America in need of a ‘reset?’ Had we become an unappreciative population, not noticing or acknowledging the bountifulness of this nation, the spirit of its people, the freedoms we had taken for granted?

Were we just enveloped in such a fast-paced lifestyle that we were forgetting the simple joys of family and friends, and life in general?”

Her reflections about the pandemic became a short essay called “The Little Virus that Could,” which can be found in its entirety at www.alumni.gcc.edu/Mathie. Her thoughts moved us and inspired us to talk with her about her pediatric practice and personal experiences during COVID-19.

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Dr. Jody Mathie ’77 submitted this photo for the A Day in the Life project. She’s pictured here with a second-generation patient.

Q

As a healthcare professional, what difficulties have you encountered during this pandemic?

We are wearing masks not just while seeing patients, but all the time. I have it on about 12 hours a day. I go home emotionally and physically exhausted many nights. I forget to drink enough, and sometimes I forget to eat. I’m re-breathing my own air all day and often I arrive at home feeling nauseous and just skip dinner. With my patients, COVID-19 is all we talk about. I ask how they’re handling things during this time, and we discuss their fears and concerns. It can be emotionally exhausting.

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September 2020 had to take out a half-million-dollar loan to make our office safer, to provide greater separation between sick and well patients, and to add six additional exam rooms.

Tell us more about the photo you submitted for the “A Day in the Life” alumni photo essay project on May 1, 2020. mom of the baby I was holding A The took the photo. She said she wanted to capture this “COVID-19 moment.” It was this family’s third baby and, interestingly, the baby’s father was one of my patients when he was growing up!

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What are you noticing about the families you are seeing in your practice during this time?

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Parents are worried about COVID-19.

They are concerned for their kids but also for their older parents. They’re worried about who would take care of their children if both parents got sick. Would other families want to help, and risk exposure, too? These are things that my patients’ families are thinking about. Younger kids are afraid because they just don’t understand serious illnesses like this. They’re not used to seeing everyone wearing masks. We try to put them at ease as much as we can.

I have noticed a few disturbing trends, especially in families with two working parents. Kids are spending even more time on electronics than ever. We use a depression tool with our patients 12 years and older, and a high score is 10, but I have seen some at 22 and even 30 on this scale. I am warning parents to pay attention to your kids’ use of electronics during this time and to their depression markers. I might not see their child for another year, and depression can spiral quickly.

I am also seeing kids gaining weight, partly from the increased hours spent on electronic devices, but also because normal outlets for activity like summer soccer and tennis camps and other outdoor group activities that encourage exercise have been canceled this summer.

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Our families and patients are all required to wear masks, too, so I am finding that it is very difficult to read my patients’ facial expressions. The masks cover up to 75 percent of the face, and though seeing “smiling eyes” is fairly easy, it’s difficult to detect fear or sadness, especially in the children. I will lift a child’s mask to check their throat and say, “Oh, that’s what you look like!”

We had also already planned on an office remodel even before the virus hit, but we’ve

Q

How has COVID-19 impacted your practice thus far?

We have 15 providers in my practice and we have had only two positive cases of the virus. One was a seven-yearold child who was at another child’s birthday party where no one was wearing masks. The other patient was a two-yearold who had only a fever and a hoarse voice for one day. And he was tested for COVID-19 seven days after his symptoms and was still positive. Thankfully, both patients are now recovered and their families did not also become positive.

In general, I think we are seeing more positive test results because people are finally scheduling their elective procedures. With required testing before these procedures, we are detecting more asymptomatic cases.

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Have you noted any blessings or benefits in this time of quarantine and social distancing?

Q

Some families seem to be getting closer. They are using this time to take walks, to take driving vacations, etc.

They have embraced this time to make their families better. I have also seen that people are focusing more on faith. I think we’re seeing more online church attendance than ever before, even among people who don’t attend church in person. I hope this is a trend we will see continue.

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Q

What is something that surprised you the most about this pandemic?

I am surprised by just how much economic selfishness has taken precedence. At the beginning of the pandemic, airlines said they were blocking off every other row to help with the social distancing of passengers. Very quickly they have backtracked on that and are now booking every row and every seat they can.

Greed is disappointing in this time when we all have to be doing what we can to help stop the spread of this virus.

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Grove City College M ESSAGE

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C O LLEG E

R ELATIO N S

Dear Alumni and Friends,

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y the time you receive this magazine, we will have completed our first ever Virtual Homecoming. We missed seeing so many of you this fall. Our students certainly missed an opportunity to show off their campus, their organizations, and their talents.

Our faculty missed an opportunity to reconnect with you. My team, which looks forward to preparing for your arrival and seeing you on campus, had to shift our focus to creating a new experience. These are certainly different times and not having the chance to give you a seat at our table, ON CAMPUS, has been difficult for us.

But much prayer, thought, research, and discussion went into the decision to cancel our in-person Homecoming this year. At the root of this decision was concern for our students – our alumni in residence. We want to do all we can to keep the campus community healthy. In addition, with the restrictions we have and modifications to events we would have to make, we just didn’t feel that we could give you the Homecoming experience you have come to appreciate and that we have come to enjoy providing.

If you missed ‘Stay at Home’ Homecoming, I hope you’ll take the opportunity to navigate online to alumni.gcc.edu/homecoming. It’s not too late to hear from our leadership, faculty, and alumni award recipients, and to see a bit of the campus virtually. I hope this helps you to take a moment to reflect on why Grove City College matters to YOU. And we are already planning for 2021 and the Best. Homecoming. Ever. With seven milestone Greek reunions and 24 class reunions, it will certainly be the place to be in 2021.

Mark your calendar, book a hotel room and plan to return October 8-10. We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

I look forward to the time when we can welcome you back to campus to take your Seat at Our Table. Until that time, know that you are missed.

Now, grab that cup of coffee and continue reading your GēDUNK!

Melissa (Trifaro ’96) MacLeod Senior Director of Alumni and College Relations

Visit alumni.gcc.edu/homecoming to share the experience.

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September 2020

SAVE THE DATE FOR 2021!

Get ready for the “Best. Homecoming. Ever.” to celebrate so many things!

24 CLASS REUNION CELEBRATIONS

5th Class of 2016

6th Class of 2015

10th Class of 2011

11th Class of 2010

15th Class of 2006

16th Class of 2005

20th Class of 2001

21st Class of 2000

25th Class of 1996

26th Class of 1995

30th Class of 1991

31st Class of 1990

35th Class of 1986

36th Class of 1985

40th Class of 1981

41st Class of 1980

45th Class of 1976

46th Class of 1975

50th Class of 1971

51st Class of 1970

55th Class of 1966

56th Class of 1965

60th Class of 1961

61st Class of 1960

SEVEN GREEK MILESTONE ANNIVERSARIES Pan Sophic 110th Anniversary alumni.gcc.edu/pansophic Delta Iota Kappa 105th Anniversary alumni.gcc.edu/deltaiotakappa Sigma Delta Phi 101st Anniversary alumni.gcc.edu/sigmadeltaphi Theta Alpha Pi 100th Anniversary alumni.gcc.edu/thetaalphapi Sigma Theta Chi 76th Anniversary alumni.gcc.edu/sigmathetachi Kappa Alpha Phi 65th Anniversary alumni.gcc.edu/kappaalphaphi65th Phi Tau Alpha 55th Anniversary alumni.gcc.edu/phitaualpha

It’s going to be a year you don’t want to miss!

Mark your calendar and save the date.

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Standout alumni awarded

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Alumni Achievement Award –– AND ––

For more on the 2020 Jack Kennedy Memorial Alumni Achievement and Distinguished Service Awards, check out the Stay-at-Homecoming 2020 video, available Oct. 2 online at alumni.gcc.edu/homecoming.

Alumni Achievement Award

Robert D. King, P.E., ’69 King, an electrical engineer, has devoted his career to changing the world’s dependence on fossil-fuel-driven vehicles. Known as GE’s “father of electric vehicle research and development” at the time of his retirement in 2014, King and his research team developed technology and patents now used by more than 50 percent of hybridelectric vehicles worldwide.

He began his technical career at General Electric’s Heavy Military Electronics Department, developing radar and sonar signal processing systems. In 1979, he transferred to the Hybrid Vehicle Program at GE Global Research to address technical barriers identified in his 1968 IEEE Prize Paper “Electric Cars in Your Future,” written while a senior at GCC, plus real-world experience from his own electric cars.

His research through the years has focused on electric and hybrid vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, package delivery trucks, transit buses, and locomotives. His work has demonstrated

substantially reduced petroleum consumption for passenger vehicles and reduced transit bus emissions via hybridization.

King received recognition for his intellectual property, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from GE Licensing. He has 135 issued U.S. Patents, has published 42 technical papers, is a professional engineer in New York and, and is an IEEE Life Fellow. In 2015, he also received the prestigious IEEE Transportation Technologies Award.

The Sigma Alpha Sigma brother and his wife, Barbara, live in Schenectady, N.Y., and have two sons and five grandchildren.

Alumni Achievement Award

Lisa Adams Gordon ’78 Adams Gordon is a television news anchor/producer for Erie News Now at WICU/ WSEE TV, the NBC and CBS affiliates in Erie, Pa., where she also works as a field reporter and hosts/produces a weekly public affairs program, The Insider.

For more than 42 years she has applied her skills to the broadcast journalism field in roles that include news director,

rove City College alumni are being honored by their alma mater as recipients of the 2020 Jack Kennedy Memorial Alumni Achievement and Distinguished Service Awards.

The Alumni Association presents the awards to recognize remarkable alumni and those who have served the College’s vision, mission and values with distinction. The Alumni Association established these awards in 1964 and 1999, respectively, to recognize outstanding graduates and loyal friends of the College.

The Jack Kennedy Memorial awards are typically presented at a ceremony during Homecoming weekend. But … this isn’t a typical year. In place of that event, which has been cancelled, we seek to recognize these amazing alumni here and look forward to presenting their awards in person in 2021.

live broadcast director, anchor, reporter, producer, assignment editor, and digital news writer. During her career, she has interviewed innumerable influential and controversial figures from all walks of life, including heads of state, presidential candidates, Nobel Prize winners, Grammy winners, Olympic champions, CEOs, civil rights activists, astronauts, authors, serial killers, renowned journalists, scientists, and religious leaders.

Her work, from documentaries to enterprise reporting, has been recognized by the Pennsylvania Associated Press Broadcasters Association, the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters, and the Public Relations Society of America Northwest Pennsylvania Chapter, which named her Broadcast Journalist of the Year in 2018.

She has contributed to the future of her field by teaching courses in Radio/ TV Performance, and Mass Media and Pop Culture at Gannon University, and frequently serves as a lecturer and panelist on news ethics and practices. She is president of the Erie Philharmonic Orchestra Board of Directors, active in her church, and has helped raise thousands of dollars for Children’s Miracle Network through hosting a telethon with AHN Saint Vincent Hospital.

An Erie native, Adams Gordon has served the College for the past 15 years through the Development Committee, Alumni Council

To nominate someone for either award, please visit www.alumni.gcc.edu/awards.

Nominations for each year must be received by Feb. 1.

and as an Alumni Trustee. She and her husband, Scott, live in Erie and have two sons, including alumnus Andrew Gordon ’11.

Alumni Achievement Award

David H. Peiffer ’81

Entrepreneur and businessman Peiffer ’81 has more than 35 years of expertise in trade and commerce in the Near East. As founder and president of NITCOM Inc., he is a key player in the manufacture, marketing, and sales of OEM and after-market vehicular climate systems and parts throughout the Levant and, in particular, Israel. NITCOM is a major supplier to Israeli military industries and represents some of the largest names in the mobile air conditioning industry.

Peiffer received an M.A. in Near Eastern Studies from the University of Michigan; attended Hebrew University as an exchange fellow; and participated in the Tel Akko archaeological excavations. He has published research in former Israeli Ambassador Itamar Rabinovitch’s book Israel in the Middle East; wrote Beyond the Green Line, a research project focusing on Israel’s strategic calculus in Judea and Samaria; and contributed to Dr. Rachel Bronson’s Arab-Israel conflict research at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C. When not in Israel, Nu Lamb fraternity member, Peiffer resides in New Cumberland, Pa., with two projects of personal interest.

In Jim Thorpe, Pa., he is heading restoration of The Castle built by Dr. B.S. Erwin.

The second project, the non-profit Peiffer Memorial Arboretum and Nature Preserve Inc., honors his parents for their community service in Cumberland County.

In the past, Peiffer volunteered for ILAN, working with handicapped children. He vice-chaired the Board of Directors of ADAM, a former arm of the Israel Rabbinical Court System, and led the moving and rebuilding of the Shprintzak Elementary School library in Rehovot, Israel.

Peiffer is married, his wife is Ravit, and has five children including alumnus, Daniel Peiffer ’18.

Distinguished Service Award

David R. Rathburn ’79

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oard of Trustees Chair Emeritus Rathburn embodies what the Distinguished Service Award was created to recognize: someone who has made a significant contribution to the College through consistent service in exceptional ways.

Rathburn has been serving the College since his undergraduate years in the Student Government Association. He served on the Board of Trustees for 28 years, the last 17 as Chair, a position he left in July.

He was the youngest Chair in the College’s history when he was appointed to the post in 2003. At the time, he was already serving as interim president of the College after the retirement of Dr. John H. Moore. Rathburn was elected to the Board in 1992, and served for five years as chair of the Enrollment and Student Affairs Committee.

During his years on the Board, Rathburn helped lead the College during a period of unprecedented growth and change: extricating itself from the federal student loan program; establishing a robust network of financial support; becoming one of the premier Christian colleges in the U.S.; raising half a dozen new structures – including a namesake Christian activities building; restoring numerous building and working with four College presidents.

With degrees in accounting, business administration, and political science, the Nu Lamb brother went to work for Price Waterhouse before joining Hopeman Brothers Marine Division of AWH Corp as assistant to the president. He worked for the company in various capacities before being named president in 1991 at age 33. He served in that position for 22 years before forming marine interior outfitter US Joiner LLC. He sold the company to J.F. Lehman and Co. in 2011, and now serves as vice chairman of Trident Marine Systems, headquartered in Arlington, Va., which meets maritime infrastructure needs.

Rathburn has served as chairman of the Allied Industries Committee for the Shipbuilders’ Council of America and as president of the board of directors for local his Junior Achievement and United Way boards. He is also a member of the Japan-EuropeKorea-United States International Shipbuilders Consortium and serves as a Seapower Ambassador. Rathburn currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the board for the Virginia Institute of Autism.

He is an ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church USA and has two sons, Mark ’08 and Tyler ’18.

Grove City College

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2 Grove City College alumni & friends meet online (1) for a virtual Seat at Our Table event, a format that we’ve gotten used to over the last few months. Before the pandemic hit, alums enjoyed a Grover Gathering (2) hosted

by M. Dale Weaver ’08 and Ben Chapman ’11 at Brethren Village, Lititz, Pa., and the annual Campus-Community Award ceremony (3), which honored Dr. Jennifer (Scott ’99) Mobley and Alex Eckard, in February. The brothers of Kappa Alpha Phi hit the links in July for a golf outing (4) at Cranberry Highlands Golf Course. And in another prepandemic event, alumni mixed with current students in February (5) at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C., during the Conservative Political Action Committee Conference.

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September 2020

alumni & friends events Upcoming Virtual Alumni & Friends Events In recognition of the reality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of College and Alumni Relations is holding virtual versions of traditional events. Join us online for these and other great opportunities to Celebrate, Connect, and Give.

For additional details, visit alumni.gcc.edu/events.

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October 14 Travel in the Covid Era with Vanessa Cheatham of Orbridge, 12 p.m. EST October 15 Seat at Our Table Hosted by Gerald ’92 and Tammy Bullock October 19 Seat at Our Table Hosted by Suzie (Allen ’75) and Craig ’74 Jones

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October 28 History and Mystery at Grove City College with Archivist Hilary (Lewis ’09) Walczak November 12 Seat at Our Table Hosted by Ellie (Shaw ’16) and Derek Dietz November 17 Wolverine Challenge December 5 Santa Breakfast 10 a.m. EST

Upcoming Alumni and Friends Travel April 20 – 28, 2021 Cruise the Dutch Waterways

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May 30 – June 6, 2021 The California National Parks

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Faced with the unprecedented challenge of a global pandemic, Grove City College draws on its vision, institutional strength, and unfailing faith to fulfill its core mission

By Nick Hildebrand

Grove City College On Friday, March 13, as the COVID-19 pandemic was spreading and colleges and universities across the country were sending students home and making plans to shift instruction online, Grove City College President Paul J. McNulty ’80 announced that the College would chart a middle course.

Classes would shift to remote instruction for a month or more, but students could decide for themselves whether they should remain on campus or leave, he wrote in an email to students and their families. The policy was the result of weeks of discussion, thought, and prayer by the administration and members of a task force assembled to evaluate the burgeoning coronavirus crisis and its impact on a community of more than 2,300 students living and learning in close quarters.

McNulty thought the College had threaded the needle and found a solution that protected the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff while maintaining the inherently valuable, in-person residential educational environment the College is known for.

“When the email went out,” he said. “You could hear the cheering on campus. People were excited that they would get to stay.”

But, as the hours ticked by that weekend and new mandates and guidelines from the state of Pennsylvania and the Centers for Disease Control were issued, “it became clear that it was untenable,” McNulty said. Rules on crowd sizes, school closings that would impact employees with young children, staffing issues as personal safety concerns rose, and the designation of colleges and universities as “non-essential” businesses by the state would severely impact operations.

Those factors, coupled with the very real possibility that an outbreak on campus could severely strain local health capacity, forced the president’s hand. “I became concerned that we could hurt the community. Could we overrun the hospital? Could we put people’s lives at risk because we’re not doing the responsible thing on campus? What does that campuscommunity relationship look like and how do we best serve those interests? That began to weigh heavier on my mind,” McNulty said. “It was a really tough weekend.”

On Monday, March 16, he sent another email. It was necessary, McNulty wrote, to “adjust our plans for campus life going

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A student carries a basket of clothes as he prepares to leave campus on March 17 after the College announced that campus would be evacuated to protect the community from the growing COVID-19 pandemic.

forward … it will be necessary for all students to depart campus as soon as arrangements can be made.” The next day, cars, SUVs, and minivans clogged the driveways and parking lots outside residence halls in a light rain as students and their families packed up and moved out. There was some hope that students would be back in a month or so, that the crisis would abate and the College community would be together again in time to celebrate the Class of 2020 at Commencement in May, but the long faces and longer good-byes suggested it was a forlorn hope.

The pandemic is without a doubt the greatest crisis that McNulty has faced as president of his alma mater and a test of the vision, mission, and values of Grove City College. “It is a defining moment,” he said.

Grove City College has faced a series of defining moments over 14 decades. They form the milestones in the College’s journey from a tiny local prep school to a nationally known institution of higher learning regarded as one the country’s best colleges and universities by The Princeton Review and U.S. News and World Report. Brought on by circumstances beyond anyone’s control, like the pandemic, or created by leaders intent on fulfilling a historic mission to provide an excellent, affordable, and Christian education, these defining moments and the ways Grove City College has met them speak to a culture of faith, resilience and, sometimes, just plain grit. That culture has been tested over the last six months and the College has come out stronger academically, financially, organizationally, and spiritually.

September 2020

Before students left campus in March, someone put a surgical mask on the Wolverine mascot statue outside of the Physical Learning Center.

“I became concerned that we could hurt the community. Could we overrun the hospital?

Could we put people’s lives at risk because we’re not doing the responsible thing on campus?”

– Paul J. McNulty ’80, College President

After making the call to send students home and move classes online, the first, and foremost, challenge was to deliver more than 800 courses designed for in-person classroom and laboratory instruction to more than 2,300 students scattered across dozens of states. Decisions made long ago and more recently made the transition far easier than anyone would have thought possible.

In 1994, in the early days of the digital revolution, Grove City College began providing each incoming student with a laptop computer. Those earliest machines, not much more than glorified word processers, were a way to attract students and prepare them for the changing workplaces they would soon inhabit. The laptop program was also intended create a culture of digital unity across campus, with

faculty members and their students working with the same technology.

A quarter of a century later in 2019, the College decided to make a greater investment in digital instruction, creating an Office of Online Education and Graduate Studies and expanding its online offerings under the direction of Dr. Christy Crute. Early success in that realm and dedicated space for the office in the Hall of Arts and Letters made it easier to transition courses online and train faculty to deliver their courses via Microsoft Teams, which is part of the software used across campus. Within days the connections made in the classroom were renewed on split screens across the country. Greg Bandy, associate professor of Communication Arts, summed up the faculty’s resolve in a Collegian story by paraphrasing Winston

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“We shall teach on the beaches, we shall teach in our living rooms, we shall teach in our backyards and on our streets, and yes, we may even teach in our pajamas; but we shall never surrender.”

– Greg Bandy, Associate Professor of Communication Studies

Above, faculty members undergo training for remote instruction using Microsoft Teams.

Faculty familiar with online education mentored those who were new to the pedagogical modality, helping the College achieve a historic transition of more than 800 in-person classes in less than two weeks.

Below, entrances to campus were blocked after Pennsylvania officials ordered “non-essential” businesses closed during the pandemic.

Far right, President Paul J. McNulty ’80 waves to students on the first day of fall classes at the entrance of the Hall of Arts and Letters.

Months of planning preceded the return of students for in-person classes.

Churchill: “We shall teach on the beaches, we shall teach in our living rooms, we shall teach in our backyards and on our streets, and yes, we may even teach in our pajamas; but we shall never surrender.”

That optimistic take on the academic side was balanced by an unplanned financial reality for the College: providing refunds for unused room and board and other pandemicrelated expenses. Seniors and those who chose not to return in the fall were entitled to cash payments and returning students were offered a credit for the fall. All told it amounted to a $3 million hit in a budget with very little wiggle room. In April, McNulty and then-Board of Trustees Chair David R. Rathburn ’79 made an unprecedented joint appeal, aptly title “A Defining Moment.” It explained the situation and noted the fact

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that Grove City’s principled stance against federal support meant that it would get none of the billions earmarked by Congress to help colleges and universities weather the COVID-19 storm. The College needed help, not just to cover refunds and other expenses, they wrote, but to increase the amount of financial aid available in the fall for students whose financial situation was impacted by the pandemic.

Their call for support was answered by gifts large and small, including more than 150 students and families who donated their room and board refunds back to the College.

“We were overwhelmed the community’s response to this unprecedented need. It is a real affirmation of what the College does and what it means to our alumni, our friends and our families. Their support in this crucial

time will help hundreds of students continue to experience everything that’s great about a Grove City College education,” Jeffrey D. Prokovich ’90, vice president for Advancement, said. By the end of the fiscal, the College saw an increase over the previous year in unrestricted giving of more than $1 million.

On May 11, while students finished their finals online, a welcome announcement marked a turning point in this defining moment: The College would open as scheduled for the fall, with in-person classes and students back in their residence halls.

That happy news belied the hard work ahead by a committee assembled by McNulty to develop plans to resume campus life safely and responsibly. The cross-disciplinary group of administrators, faculty, and staff spent months studying all aspects of the

College’s operations and the shifting science around the coronavirus to develop policies and protocols that would allow Grove City College to deliver the learning and living experience that has been transformative for so many students and alumni. Their efforts, McNulty said, demonstrate the foundational values of excellence and community.

“There’s not much room for ‘good enough’ when you work at a plan and get down into these details,” McNulty said. “What I saw was that people’s capabilities really took off. They got their mission. They got direction and they moved forward.” The comprehensive final plan details policies and protocols to protect the community and addresses nearly every possible contingency. It requires measures that some might find restrictive, but are ultimately necessary in a season of caution.

September 2020

In mid-August, students began to return to campus. Per the plan, they had all been screened and some tested for coronavirus under a partnership with Quest Diagnostics.

The health of the entire campus community will be monitored until the pandemic subsides. As they moved back into their College homes, masks covered their smiles but it was clear that everybody was glad to be back. Barring another order to shut down from the state, McNulty is confident that the College will remain open through the fall. It is early days still, but it appears that College has risen to the challenge of another defining moment.

“The pandemic has sapped us of financial resources and diverted us strategically. It’s been a demanding presence for us, but there are benefits that have come out of it. Our

technology was validated. Our faculty’s commitment to students was validated, and our students generally flourished. It was an opportunity, in a sense, to test the real capacity we have for our mission and we tested well,” McNulty said. “We’re collaborating well. I’ve seen our campus doing cross disciplinary work like it never has before and I think it’s going to help us. People are working as a team really well and that’s a huge organizational strength that I’ve benefited from as a leader.”

The pandemic has also provided a chance to “get back to the basics,” he said. With limits on many of the activities that are a big part of the holistic campus experience, such as athletics and large group events, McNulty said students will be able to focus on what matters most: being in a classroom, learning from people who have extraordinary character and strong values.

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DEFINING MOM ENTS

Grove City College

Orientation Board member Amanda Schmidt ’22 gives a thumbs up on move-in day, signaling a return of sorts to normal on campus.

In a year marked by protests and toxic politics in addition to the pandemic, that kind of mentorship is going to be more important than ever as students navigate what is, perhaps, the first defining moment of their lives. “Our students are returning to campus after having been through a really complicated cultural experience for the last six months, and I think in some ways there’s going to be some confusion and challenge about how to think about some really big issues,” McNulty said. “So it’s the job of the leadership of the College and the faculty and all those working with students to be as thoughtful as possible about how to help them think about our present situation.”

McNulty said he takes inspiration from his “favorite philosopher,” Wolverine Football Coach Andrew DiDonato ’10, who is telling players who won’t hit the gridiron until spring because of the pandemic to “focus on your vision, not your circumstances,” and Psalm 68:19 – “Blessed be the Lord who daily bears us up; God is our salvation.”

“It’s not He occasionally bears us up, or we hope He’ll bear us up. But He daily bears us up to get us through these things.

A vaccine isn’t our salvation. Election Day isn’t our salvation. Racial justice isn’t our salvation. God is our salvation and that means we trust in something bigger than our circumstances. That’s what faithfulness looks like in a defining moment. It sees a bigger story at work than just what’s happening in front of your eyes.” ■

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ver the course of 144 years, Grove City College has faced a series of defining moments, times in which circumstances demanded action and the College responded with vision, mission and values – faithfulness, excellence, community, stewardship and independence – and came out better and stronger for future generations.

IN THE 1880S, in the school’s relative infancy, founder Isaac Ketler enlisted industrialist Joseph N. Pew, who was Ketler’s one-room schoolhouse teacher, as a partner, creating a support system for Grove City College’s fundamental program of affordable, excellent, Christian higher education that reached beyond the modest community. The alignment of mission and vision that Ketler and Pew shared created Ketler Pew a leadership template that’s served the College well to this day.

IN 1930, with the Great Depression raging, Grove City College went ahead with plans made long before the stock market crash to shift the campus “up the hill” to the east side of Wolf Creek with the construction of two signature buildings – Harbison Chapel and the Hall of Science. The building projects provided jobs for local workers and when they were completed and dedicated on the same day in 1931, they laid down a marker for the College as a major driver of the local economy that remains in place today.

DURING WORLD WAR II, enrollment plummeted as College-aged men joined the service. The College drew on its strength in engineering instruction to support the war effort and keep the lights on. The hundreds of students lost to service were replaced by hundreds more in uniform who came to campus for Naval Training School, a three-month course that prepared them to operate and understand the machinery of war, and later pre-flight training for the Air Corps that led to the long running Air Force ROTC program. Ironically, considering the College’s later stance, it was a government contract that “saved” Grove City College.

September 2020

THE 1970S were a decade of change as Grove City College made an intentional decision to reaffirm its identity as a Christian institution of higher learning. Under President Charles S. MacKenzie, the Grove broke with progressive and permissive trends in academia and created a groundbreaking curriculum that ensures every student is taught a core of essential humanities courses that explore and advance the Christian worldview. Faith formation became a true focus of campus life.

IN 2000, the College mounted its first capital campaign in more than half a century to raise money for new construction, scholarships, and to sustain its mission in the 21st century. The Change and Commitment campaign and its successor Grove City Matters together raised more than $160 million in a little more than a decade. As a result, the campus was transformed with the construction of the Hall of Arts and Letters, Breen Student Union, Rathburn Hall, Colonial Hall Apartments, STEM Hall, and extensive renovations to Carnegie Alumni Center and other facilities.

Thousands of students benefited from increased scholarship awards and the Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation and the Institute for Faith and Freedom were created to amplify the College’s values in the future.

IN 1984 the U.S. Supreme Court delivered a verdict in the longrunning case of Grove City College v. Bell. It marked the legal conclusion of the College’s nearly decade-long fight to maintain its independence from unwarranted and unnecessary government regulations. The court’s ruling and later legislative action made it clear that accepting any federal support would force the College to violate its principles.

As a result, Grove City College withdrew from the student grant and loan programs and stands today as a beacon of independent Christian higher education.

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Grove City College

CHANGING OF THE GUARD Q&A with the new Chair of the Board of Trustees

McNulty ’80 said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how his business acumen and professional relationships will benefit the school in these challenging times and how he will build on the outstanding accomplishments of David Rathburn.”

The GeDUNK posed a few questions to Breen: You are a successful and busy corporate leader, why take on the added responsibility of leading the College’s Board of Trustees?

Grove City College has meant a lot to Lynn and me. Obviously, that’s where we met, and our lives wouldn’t be what they are if we had not gone to Grove City College. It is important to us that the students of today have a similar experience that will launch their lives and careers. The foundation that the College provides is one of a Christian worldview, a free society, and the love of your neighbor. That philosophy, plus the rigorous education that I received, was essential in my success as I progressed through my career. At this point in our lives, I feel that it is important to give back my time in a leadership role that will continue to place GCC on solid ground for the future.

I look forward with great excitement and anticipation to spending time with our president, Paul McNulty, his staff, and the Trustees, working to accomplish this goal.

In July, alumnus Edward D. Breen ’78 became Chair of the Grove City College Board of Trustees. Breen, the executive chairman and chief executive officer of DuPont, succeeds David R. Rathburn ’79, who led the board for 17 years before stepping down this summer. (See page 27 for more.)

The New Hope, Pa., resident has served on the College’s Board of Trustees for the last 19 years. He studied economics and business at the College, and he and his wife Lynn (Branstner ’78) have been longtime supporters of their alma mater.

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operations in the course of his distinguished career, Breen is widely regarded as one of the leading strategic thinkers and ethical leaders in the corporate world. Grove City College recognized his extraordinary accomplishments with its Alumni Achievement Award in 2001 and he also received an Honorary Degree (Doctor of Laws) in 2004.

“Few, if any, leaders can match Ed Breen’s experience in organizational governance. As one of our most accomplished alums, his service in this unique role will be an enormous blessing to Grove City College,” President Paul J.

Small private liberal arts colleges are facing well-documented enrollment challenges, persistent financial pressures and rising questions about relevance. How does the College meet this moment?

Faith and Freedom, two words that come to mind for me, are exactly the values that make Grove City College special. It is a large part of what makes our College distinctive, and differentiates it in the higher education marketplace. We need to think outside the box, and continue to promote the College as a special place where we come together, with our faculty and student body, to create a college that is beyond compare with our peers.

September 2020

Because of the dedication of our alumni base and like-minded donors, we have continued to support our students with financial aid, and will do so in the future.

We have always run the college in a fiscally conservative manner, and it is important that we do this moving forward.

Development of new programs such as our expanded online offerings and proposed gradatuate degree programs ways to generate additional interest. Another great example is the collaborative nursing program with Butler County Community College. This program combines a highly rated nursing course with a Grove City College degree. We need to continue to seek additional programs that keep pace with our rapidly changing world.

“The reach that Grove City College has, through its graduates, is something that we need in this world, especially now.”

You have a reputation for “fixing” ailing corporations to create stronger operations and increase shareholder value. Is that experience applicable to higher education in general and to Grove City College specifically?

The steps to make any type of organization better, whether a corporation or a college, are quite similar. You need a well-defined vision and mission and a solid operating plan to continue to advance the College. A key ingredient in any organization is to have a strong leadership team, which Grove City College is fortunate to have. I have always said throughout my business career, that if you want to win the game, you need to have the best possible team on the field. I will also be working with Paul and the Board to develop the next Strategic Plan to begin in 2022.

Lynn (Branstner ’78) and Ed ’78 Breen flank First Lady Laura Bush, who spoke at Commencement in 2011 and helped kick off the Grove City Matters campaign.

What are your long- and shortterm goals for governance of the College?

First of all I would like to thank my predecessor, David Rathburn, for his friendship, strong leadership, and steady hand over so many years. We are also fortunate to have a board that is talented and engaged.

In the short term, I am looking forward to becoming more familiar with the College’s strengths and challenges, and to supporting Paul and his leadership team in managing through this current pandemic crisis.

Long term, we will be working on positioning Grove City College in a rapidly evolving marketplace. We must also make sure that we are running the College in an efficient and fiscally conservative manner by balancing our budget, which many other colleges cannot do. Other key areas of focus should be our marketing to prospective students and families, and taking care of some items of deferred maintenance to bring our physical plant up to the best standards. To accomplish these goals, I feel that we will need to formulate and begin a new capital campaign.

What is Grove City College doing right? What can be improved?

When it comes to what I think Grove City College is doing right, it’s like talking about my kids and grandkids. I think EVERYTHING they do is right! Seriously though, we all love Grove City College, and are here and

engaged because we think it is a special place and a wonderful community. What we need to improve on is conveying that message to prospective students and their families through our marketing. I would also like to see the diversity of our student body and faculty reflect the world around us. In addition, the support of our alumni and donors is most critical to all that we do at the College. It is important to expand the circle of those who love the College, and will financially support it.

You and Lynn have been active and supportive alumni of Grove City College over the years. What is it about the College that inspired you to remain so closely connected to your alma mater?

The most important reason that Lynn and I have supported Grove City College all these years, 42 years to be exact, is because of the type of young men and women that Grove City graduates are. They are smart, hard-working, caring, and mission-minded individuals. The graduates of today, like the graduates of the past, will be leaders in their communities, and will make significant contributions in whatever path their careers take them. The reach that Grove City College has, through its graduates, is something that we need in this world, especially now. That is what motivates me as I move into this new role, and I’m hoping that my fellow alumni will join me in this endeavor.

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You can ensure that future generations have the education they need to be a positive influence in our society.

Grove City College

“There are lots of places to invest your resources these days, but I think it’s wise to consider a Charitable Gift Annuity. It’s a wonderful program and a wonderful opportunity. It’s the least I could do for all the difference Grove City College has made in my life.”

– Don McConnaughy ’63, Retired Maumee, Ohio, Fire Chief To learn more about Grove City College’s Charitable Gift Annuity program, visit www.gcc.edu/giftannuity, or request your complimentary planning guides at giftplanning.gcc.edu.

If you would like to support Grove City College through your will, please consider using the following language: “I give and devise to Grove City College (Tax ID 25-1065148), located in Grove City, PA, all (or state a percentage) of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate to be used for its general support (or a specific fund or program).”

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2020

S P E C I A L G R A D U A T I O N R E C O G N I T I O N S E September C T I O 2020 N

CLASS OF

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Grove City College

Paul J. McNulty ’80 President

Office of the President 100 Campus Drive 27-2104 Grove City, Pennsylvania 161

CLASS OF 2020

LAST LESSONS FOR THE Dear Friends,

olars over a course of years to carefully designed by wise sch e wer lege Col y Cit ve Gro at ths about the world and Your studies nities and much more. Vital tru ortu opp al ion fess pro g llin was all carefully prepare you for fulfi ors and dedicated mentors. It fess pro ing car by ght tau n the human spirit have bee planned and organized. s, we have learned some hard, And in a span of about 50 day 0.

202 of ic dem Pan the e cam And then . And here’s some good news: ourselves and the Christian life ut abo ons less e abl alu inv unexpected and to come. you will be tested in the years there’s no final exam, though a blessing; it’s part . Our hope for good things is rld wo s thi in tly ligh live to is We have been reminded this light momentary affliction ed to something greater. “For call re we’ But an. hum y full of being ison.” 2 Cor 4:17 ght of glory beyond all compar preparing for us an eternal wei ghs, a 17th century English contentment . Jeremiah Burrou e uin gen rn lea to ned mo condition of spirit We have been sum et, inward, quiet, grace-filled swe at “th as nt tme ten con ian condition.” It’s not preacher defines Christ fatherly management in every and e wis s d’ Go in ts igh del nt which freely submits to and Christ does not say, “Do not cou eed, Burroughs observes that Ind . une fort e mis hav of “I s s, ing lare feel to dec opposed ly.” And the apostle Paul says, “Take up your cross dai as a cross what is a cross.” He 1 er the circumstance.” Phil 4:1 learned to be content, whatev You are the class ng equipped for life’s journey. bei of e anc ort imp the rly vision, We understand more clea historic new formulation of its 2016, the College unveiled a of fall the yer is that In . pra sion ing mis tinu new con of the pose. Indeed, our pur r you for you ip equ to is e mission and values. Our purpos loving God and neighbor. how to live a truly good life, for on visi 0 202 h wit ed ipp you will be equ served an a lifetime. Online education has for ent estm inv an n bee e hav urred. With these These years together s where transformation has occ tion nec con al son per our in s e what is good. extraordinary need, but it’ rificing service to others. Lov -sac self in act imp an ke ma to last lessons you are now ready ed to leave this special place Grovers have grit! You were forc , ber em Rem s. eou rag cou h you always.

Be strong and n. And may God’s peace be wit ofte rn retu ase ple so d, nne before you had pla

Warmest regards,

ful Future

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September 2020

IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN

By Alyssa (Jackson ’19) Bootsma The Class of 2020 will be remembered for being the first Grove City College graduates to earn their degrees in the midst of a global pandemic. Their ability to adapt and overcome their circumstances was an inspiration in a season of uncertainty, despair, and discovery. But that doesn’t do the College’s newest alumni justice.

“The overall story of the Class of 2020 is that they are amazing, wonderful individuals ever since freshman year and they stayed that way through adversity,” Dr. Constance (Nelson ’93) Nichols, Chair and professor of Education, said. “Instead of selfpity, they asked themselves ‘How can I take care of others during this time?’ and then did just that.”

“This class especially delighted in celebrating one another’s accomplishments, and that’s why it was so devastating to see the last few months of college taken away from them,” Nichols said. “At the end of the day, a college such as ours is grounded on not just making a living but the ability to have a great life,” she said. “These graduates are people you would love to have as your neighbors and church members and friends.”

An example close to Nichols’ heart are the more than 30 education majors who were student teaching this spring. Instead of being concerned about the impact the pandemic would have on their grades or careers, they exceeded expectations to support teachers and their students with extra projects like creating science experiment videos to supplement regular lesson plans. For Sydney

“The overall story of the Class of 2020 is that they are amazing, wonderful individuals ever since freshman year and they stayed that way through adversity.”

– Dr. Constance (Nelson ’93) Nichols, Professor of Education McCormick Student Teacher of the Year awardees Giulia Pucci ’20 of Butler, Pa., and Jordyn Pistilli ’20 of Vienna, Va., it was the best experience of college.

Pucci’s second teaching placement was

almost entirely online. “I couldn’t have asked for a better experience,” she said. “Both my cooperating teachers within the schools and my professor supervisors handled the transitions with such grace – I learned how to be a flexible teacher and how to tackle any challenge that came my way.” The payoff, she said, was the reaction of her students. After watching a video series she spent 15 hours working on, one student said, “This was so fun! Could you make more?”

Pistilli did her student teaching in the fall, but she still had to do the paperwork to secure her certifications in the spring, which, according to Nichols, is no easy

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Grove City College

The photos that accompany this feature were all submitted by members of the Class of 2020. They depict the graduates on what would have been Commencement Day in May, which was observed online with a virtual graduation tribute featuring President McNulty and a presentation of every graduate’s name. The Office of College and Alumni Relations sent every member of the class a graduation box of supplies to celebrate the day.

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feat, especially without the ability to walk into a professor’s office for help. Despite the challenges, Pistilli and all the seniors were properly certified and most landed jobs for the fall. “As many of my fellow Class of 2020 grads can attest, finding a job in the middle of a pandemic was a daunting task,” Pistilli said. “But I was blessed to be hired for a full-time teaching position in Fairfax County Public Schools next year.”

Their last few months of college may always overshadow the rest of their time at the Grove, but the Class of 2020, like others before it, have a record of achievement beyond their individual transcripts. They got more than an education. Some became

published authors in scientific journals.

Some earned athletic accolades. Some turned entrepreneurial ventures incubated in the classroom turn into real businesses. Some discovered their faith while others grew in it. Some realized vocations they had never imagined. Some found spouses. They were all part of a community based on deep and transformative relationships with their fellow students, faculty, and staff.

Noah Gould ’20 of Granby, Mass., began novel economics research with Dr. Caleb Fuller ’13 on how regulation relates to corporate location. “The fact that he was able to balance this project with his final semester of college, especially amidst all

September 2020

Man and Woman of the year honorees grateful for community they found at GCC

F

alco Muscante ’20 and Torres Kearney ’20 earned Grove City College Senior Man and Woman of the Year honors, respectively.

Grove City College President Paul J. McNulty announced the awards, which are presented jointly by the leadership honoraries Mortar Board and Omicron Delta Kappa, during a virtual Recognition Convocation for the Class of 2020 in May. The selections based on scholarship, leadership, and service.

Muscante, of Elizabeth, Pa., earned a degree in Management with a concentration in Human Resources and minor in Pre-Law. In addition to his academic success and deep involvement with the College community, he is a talented musician who played alto saxophone in the College Jazz Band. He served as editor-inchief of the College’s Journal of Law and Public Policy, as well as a resident assistant, teaching assistant, ministry leader, and Student Advisory Leadership Team. Muscante worked in Career Services and Admissions offices, where he served as an ambassador and tour guide, and in the President’s Office. He is a member of ODK and earned academic honors.

Remarking on the Man of the Year distinction, Muscante said he was “incredibly humbled” and revealed that Grove City

the disruptions, speaks to his commitment, focus, and his mature understanding of how difficult good scholarship is,” Fuller said.

Despite his heavy academic burden, Gould spent some of his last semester producing with a friend a tongue-in-cheek email newsletter called The QuaranTimes. “We felt like a humorous take was needed and at one point had about a fifth of campus on our email list!” Gould said.

Another initiative of Gould’s was the two-and-a-half years of his college career he spent writing the musical “Antigone & the King” with Micah Mooney ’20 of Sellersville, Pa., In January, the show had four sold-out performances, which were recorded for

College was not even on his list when he was looking for a college. He said he took a tour and “fell in love with the place.”

“I knew this was where God was calling me to be,” he said.

“I’m thrilled to have been a part of a community … where there are so many that are there to support you and to come alongside you and encourage you.”

Kearney, of Dublin, Ohio, earned a degree in Biochemistry with a History minor. She demonstrated academic excellence through independent research, sacrificial service, and exemplary character in her on-campus activities and a “heart for ministry” through missions trips at home and abroad, McNulty said.

Among her many academic achievements and on-campus roles, Kearny served on the Orientation Board Religious Committee, as an officer of Alpha Beta Tau sorority and bible study leader. She worked at Henry Buhl Library and as a Chemistry lab assistant and was a member of the Crown and Sceptre service honorary and ODK. Kearney said she was humbled and honored to be named Senior Woman of the Year and that Grove City College “shaped me into the person I am today.”

“Thinking back over my time at GCC, the Lord truly just showed himself so clearly,” Kearney said. “He provided a space where I could grow spiritually and academically and best of all within a community that constantly pushed me back to Him.” Nominees for Senior Woman of the Year also included Kate Balcom ’20, Anne Shirley Dassow ’20, Emma Hartshorn ’20, and Kelsey Tischler ’20. Nominees for Senior Man of the Year also included Emmanuel Agladima ’20, Adam Bannister ’20, Noah Gould ’20, and Brooks Thomas ’20.

The senior awards are the highest honors that the College can bestow on students. Their names are recorded for posterity on a memorial plaque on a boulder outside Harbison Chapel on campus. Former recipients of this prestigious honor have gone on to become leaders in faith, education, business, law, and health care.

a cast album now available on streaming services. “Looking back, I am so thankful for the professors and students who invested so much in the process,” Gould said. “It speaks to the dedication of the Grove City College community that we were able to rehearse and put up the play.”

For Tyler Gustafson ’20 of Newburg, Pa., former SGA executive president, a memorable moment his freshman year shaped the rest of his college experience. “My brother, Cody, had received some offers to play football at the D2 level and had garnered interest from some D1 AA schools,” he said. But one night his freshman year, Gustafson got a phone call from his parents. “They told me that while

View the announcement of the senior awards at gcc.edu/recognition2020 t h e G ēD UNK w w w. g c c.e d u | 45

Grove City College

they ate dinner, Cody said he wanted to go to Grove City College. When they asked why, he told them that I was there,” he said. “God has blessed me with a wonderful family and being able to share Grove City College with my siblings has been another great blessing.”

Gustafson values the relationships he built during his years at Grove City College, specifically the mentorship and wisdom of “President McNulty, Dr. James Thrasher ’80, my professors, advisors, and friends and the life lessons I learned from football Coach Andrew DiDonato ’10 had a profound impact on me,” he said. Since leaving campus in March, Gustafson said he missed these relationships the most.

Emily Stein ’20 of Monaca, Pa., remembers singing “Begone, Unbelief” in

church her sophomore year. Since then, she kept a sticky note of a lyric on her laptop: “With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm.” “For the next two years, I saw those words each time I opened my laptop to type,” she said. In a speech she wrote in consideration for the student speaker spot at Commencement, Stein addressed the importance of relationships amidst the storms faced throughout college: “We have learned of the power of being surrounded by a strong community. We have learned how a true friend can change a life. We have learned how to seek out mentors to guide us.”

Grace Tarr ’20 of Brooklin, Maine, worked with The Collegian, the award-winning student newspaper, since her freshman year and served as the Editor-in-Chief in

the spring. Despite being off-campus and across many states, the staff was still able to publish newspapers in an online format. “It was an important way to keep the campus connected and stay up to date with Grove City news despite our absence,” she said. The newspaper’s staff made many adjustments including focusing on one story. “Almost all of the issues were focused on how students were experiencing the pandemic in an effort to give a narrative to how Grovers were adapting for current students, but also as a historical account for later generations,” Tarr said.

That record is part of the Class of 2020’s enduring legacy at Grove City College, but it isn’t the whole of it. ■

Dassow, Schools earn annual Wolverine sports awards

G

rove City College honored senior football player Wesley Schools ’20 and senior women’s swimmer Anne Shirley Dassow ’20 as its respective Omicron Delta Kappa/ Mortar Board Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year for the 2019-20 academic year.

Schools earned Division III All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, and D3football.com following the 2019 season. Last fall, Schools ran for 1,788 yards and 27 touchdowns. He led NCAA Division III in scoring and ranked third nationally in rushing yardage.

The Presidents’ Athletic Conference named Schools as its Offensive Player of the Year award for the 2019 season. He also earned Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Offensive Player of the Year recognition, along with First Team All-ECAC honors.

A Biblical and Religious Studies major, Schools capped his senior season November 23 by rushing for 165 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-38 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the ECAC Division III James Lynah Bowl. Grove City finished 9-2 overall, tying the program record for wins in a season.

He earned Most Valuable Player honors in the 2018 James Lynah Bowl after rushing for a Grove City-record 359 yards and five touchdowns in a 56-48 victory over Morrisville State (N.Y.).

A two-time First Team All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference selection, Schools led the league in rushing yardage in each of the last two seasons. He concluded his career with 5,698 rushing yards and 66 rushing touchdowns. Schools ranks second on Grove City’s career list in both categories.

Dassow concluded her career as a seven-time NCAA Division III All-American. She won the Division III national title in the 200 butterfly as a sophomore at the 2018 NCAA Championships

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in Indianapolis. Dassow also earned national runner-up in the 100 butterfly as a sophomore.

She qualified for the NCAA Championships in both the 100 and 200 butterfly in each of her four seasons. The NCAA canceled this year’s Championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) recognized all Division III event qualifiers as All-Americans in their respective events.

In February, Dassow earned Presidents’ Athletic Conference Most Valuable Performer honors for the fourth consecutive season.

She earned First Team All-PAC in each of her four years and helped lead the Wolverines to conference titles in 2017, 2018, and 2020.

Dassow owns Grove City records in the 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly, and 100 backstroke. She is also a two-time College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-American and has again been nominated for that prestigious program. Dassow majored in Biology and Spanish.

September 2020

BY THE NUMBERS

505 251 77

%

graduating seniors

women

4-year graduation rate

254 % 49% 3.29 100 men

average QPA join the GCC Alumni Association

5 34

international states countries Bahrain China Republic of Korea Malaysia Nigeria

graduated with honors

TOP 5

MAJORS Mechanical Engineering Accounting Communication Studies Marketing Management t h e G ēD UNK w w w. g c c.e d u | 47

Grove City College

class notes 1961 Bill McCarrier was reappointed

by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf to the Council of Trustees of Slippery Rock University for a second six-year term. The state Senate confirmed the appointment in May.

1966

KEEP IN TOUCH! We want to keep in touch with you electronically! If you have an email address, or have recently changed your address or work information, make changes through

alumni.gcc.edu/update.

Have exciting news? Submit a class note for the magazine

Dr. Mary Ann Watson received a Distinguished Alumni Award 2020 as part of the University of Pittsburgh School of Education Alumni Awards. She is a practicing clinical psychologist and professor emerita of psychology at Metropolitan State University of Denver, is the author of many professional articles, and has produced 20 films for Films for the Humanities and Sciences based on her academic and travel interests.

and for viewing online at

1969

alumni.gcc.edu/classnote.

Larry Griswold hosted an interactive webinar in June at the invitation of the University of North Carolina – Asheville to discuss the future of intercollegiate sports in the age of COVID-19. The event featured three athletic directors in the state along with Griswold, formerly of Sports Illustrated.

Remember to let the alumni office know that you are having a “Grover Gathering!” We’d love to send you some fun “stuff” for your event.

Email alumni@gcc.edu for more information.

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1971 lan Mesches wrote Major General James A. Ulio: How the Adjutant General of the U.S. Army Enabled Allied Victory. The biography

(MOSTLY) ’50S FLORIDA FRIENDS |

Marlene (Otto ’59) Morrell orchestrated a February luncheon of these friends in Bonita Springs, Fla. From left: Bev (Burgert ’59) and Bob ’59 Allerton; Jerry ’58 and Judy Adair; Morrell; Diane (Greiner ’61) and Bob ’59 Yates; and Bob ’59 and Ellie (Trevitt ’59) Smith.

outlines Ulio’s behind the scenes role in World War II. Ulio helped build the Army from 200,000 to 8 million men, gave the order that ended military transportation and recreational facility segregation, and signed nearly 900,000 telegrams reading “… regret to inform you.” The book, published

by Casemate Publishers and available on Amazon, includes WWII’s impact on the College.

1972 Glenn Passavant retired as senior principal research engineer from Ingevity Corporation, where he coordinated with government and industry on the implementation of technology solutions to motor vehicle-related air pollution. He worked in the U.S., Europe, China, and Brazil. Prior, he was a director for the U.S. EPA from 1978-14.

In this role, he led a wide array

of regulatory programs related to controlling emissions from highway and non-road motor vehicles under the Clean Air Act. He helped to develop and implement onboard technology to eliminate gasoline vapors emitted during refueling.

He was recommissioned in the USAF medical service in 1982 as a bioenvironmental engineer and spent another 25 years in the USAF medical service. He retired as a full colonel in 2009 and received numerous USAF decorations.

1976 The Rev. Keith Sundberg was honored at the February convention of the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators as the 2019 ENRICH Educator of the Year. He is the associate pastor for Wayside Presbyterian Church in Erie, Pa.

1979 Kathryn Ann (Baker) Foote retired from Bensalem Township School District in June 2019 after teaching general and choral music for 40 years at Belmont Hills Elementary School.

She especially enjoyed directing elementary school musicals. She and her husband, Dale, live in Fallsington, Pa. Dr. Kathryn Jackson recently was appointed to the board of directors for DQE Holdings LLC, Duquesne Light Holdings, Inc., and the Duquesne Light Co. She has served as the chief technology officer for three international corporations and, in the energy sector, has advised publicly traded companies with financial and operations planning.

Gary Weber received the William E. Nichols Community Service Award from the Lycoming (Pa.) Law Association in recognition of his outstanding community service to his church, the Boy Scouts, and the Lycoming County Historical Society, and for exemplifying the positive role that attorneys play beyond the practice of law.

1980 Rev. Karen Rogers accepted a call to serve the First Presbyterian Church in Woodward, Okla. This follows a year in New Orleans participating in the Clinical Pastoral Education Program at Ochsner Medical Center. Rogers was ordained in 1992 and has served churches in Louisiana and Oklahoma. She also is a certified spiritual director.

1989 Bruce Hezlep was sworn in for a six-year term as township supervisor in Cranberry Township, Pa., in January 2020. He was also sworn in as captain with the Cranberry Township Volunteer Fire Company. He is a PA State Fire Academy Local Level Instructor and is certified as a Fire Officer II and Fire Instructor II by the Pro Board Fire Service Professional Qualified System. Bruce, his wife

September 2020 Karen, and children Nathan and Anna live in Cranberry Township.

He is a senior sales engineer with RealPage, headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

1992 Michele (Mansfield) Tysiak was promoted to managing counsel at Crown Castle in Canonsburg, Pa.

1993 Shawn Palmiter accepted a position with Specialty Anesthesia of Tennessee in Franklin, Tenn., as the chief certified registered nurse anesthetist. He began his CRNA career at Vanderbilt University Medical Center as a staff CRNA in the multi-specialty anesthesia division. He then transferred to the ambulatory anesthesia division and became the South Pod Center specialist responsible for four ambulatory surgery centers.

Jill Marie (Miller) Ross wrote a short story that was published in the January 2019 folklore anthology Skull and Pestle: New Tales of Baba Yaga. She is a librarian at the Greenville (Pa.) Area Public Library.

TRI SIGS ZOOM | These 1961-64 Tri Sig sisters have held annual reunions since 1992 and a pandemic didn’t keep them apart in 2020.

They maintained weekly chats online. From top, left to right: Grace (Erickson ’62) Peters, Wren (Moorefield ’64) Abramo, Margaret (Hodil ’64) Ayres, Sally (Beile ’64) Stanton, Mary Jane (Harper ’62) Jacques, Molly (Davis ’64) Kirby, Carole (Stuart ’64) Kent, Mary (Todd ’63) Naylor, Sandy (Willison ’64) Lane, Nancy (Liggett ’61) Ross, Jean (Wasser ’64) Wolverton, and Ruth (Harper ’64) Becker.

1995 Michael Kaminicki completed his Master of Religion degree from Liberty University in May 2020. He began his 24th year of teaching history and social studies at Commack High School this fall.

1996 Chad Keener earned his doctorate in business administration from Grenoble School of Management in Grenoble, France, in December 2019.

Dave Sansom was named the metro Charleston 2019 Realtor of the Year by the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors. Sansom is the CFO and COO of Carolina One Real Estate Services.

1997 Jason Seaborn and his wife, Jowell, welcomed son Tyler John Makaio on Feb. 13, 2019. He

’66 CHIX |

Continuing their tradition of March reunions, the ’66 Chix met in Naples, Fla., right before COVID-19 entered public life.

From left: Gail (Holmgren) Hunter, Pennie (Martin) Clifford, Barbara (Studley) Burdette, Pat (Waddell) Mesta, Sandy (McCracken) Gurgovits, and Sherry (Mizer) Hardgrove.

joined siblings Trent, 12, Gisele, 9, Olivia, 5, and Isabella, 18.

1999 Ethan Lyons and his wife, Michele, welcomed daughter Leia, born in March 2019.

2000 Angela (Lilly) and Clay Lanctot announce the birth of son Seth Murphy on Nov. 11, 2019. He joined siblings Daphne, 11, and Joel, 8.

2001 R.J. Bowers was inducted into the Mercer County (Pa.) Sports Hall of Fame in January 2020.

A West Middlesex, Pa., native, he enjoyed stellar careers in both baseball and football in high school and college, receiving the Melberger Award for Div. III football. After college, he played with both the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns.

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Grove City College Jennifer (Bartholomew) Wood and her husband, John, announce the birth of son Jeremiah William on Feb. 22, 2020.

2002 Daniel Jones and his wife, Kendra, welcomed son Elijah Daniel on July 12, 2019.

2003 EP WINTER GOLF |

Hitting the greens at the 101st Epsilon Pi Winter Golf Classic in February were, front, Bill Hladio ’64 and Bob Jackson’60. Back, from left: Al Lelekacs ’59, Harry Guarnieri ’60, William McNees ’65, Larry Kiefer ’67, John Galvanek ’66, Raymond Rawlins ’66, Pete Ansemo ’68, Ronald George ’66, Jim Passilla ’60, Bruce Johnson ’60, Ron Gentile ’59, Ron Lamanna ’62, Dick Danford ’67, Travis Young ’59, and Robert Davis ’65.

NU LAMB FARM OPEN |

These Nu Lamb brothers continued the tradition of the quadrennial Farm Open on a cold and windy February day in Charleston, S.C. Held every leap year on Feb. 29, the Open has used courses from Pennsylvania to Florida, although the name and location of the original 1972 match has been lost to history. Updating the USPS motto, “neither snow nor freezing cold will stay these golfers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds” were players, from left, Stan Oldroyd ’74, Bob Freund ’74, Doug Weber ’73, Ed Harris ’73, and Brian Cox ’73.

MIAMI MEET-UP | Friends from the Class of 2002 met to fish and snorkel in Miami during Super Bowl weekend. The men, freshman friends and members of Alpha Omega, hadn’t all been together in 10 years. From left: Mike Mumau, Mike Hopkins, Dan Wray, Geoff Swanson and Joe Fisher.

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Dr Jessica (Arnett) Campagna and her husband, Jason, celebrated the birth of their daughter, Bianca, on Feb. 3, 2020.

Jim Mortland was married. See 2017 entry.

2004 Dr. Stephen Cummings was featured in the Virginian-Pilot newspaper as a Health Care Hero. Cummings, an orthopedic surgeon with Tidewater Physicians in Williamsburg, Va., is a member of Operation Walk USA, a volunteer organization providing joint replacement surgeries at no cost.

Tara (Gerber) Ferguson and her husband, Ryan, are the parents of son Theo Allen, born June 21, 2019, and daughter Callie Ann, born June 26, 2018.

Kristen (Scro) Sheppard and her husband, Noah, welcomed son Ian Robert on May 30, 2020.

Big sister is Evelyn.

2005 Elaine (Rodemoyer) Aretz and her husband, Patrick, announce the birth of son Kellen Reid on April 22, 2020. Kellen joins sisters Avery, 7, Reagan, 2, and brother Nolan, 5.

Jason Crist and wife Jill Haltigan adopted a son, Michael Sheldon John Crist, on March 18, 2020.

Kristen (Hayes) Lacy and her husband, John, welcomed son Aidan William on March 15, 2019.

He joined brother Ryley.

2006 Jonathan Cameron and his wife, Megan, announce the birth of son Scott David on March 19, 2020.

Geoffrey Ford is now a partner with CJL Engineering, based in Pittsburgh. He directs and manages projects and design of electrical, telecommunication, security, and lighting systems.

Becky (Codner) Glasser and her husband, Kevin, welcomed daughter Madeline Violet on Aug. 28, 2019. Big sister is Mia. Maren (Van Sickel) Goodwin and her husband, Braden, and big brother, Anderson, welcomed Hunter Isaiah on Dec. 18, 2019.

2007 Craig Hallman and his wife, Holly, announce the birth of son Quinn Richard, on May 9, 2020.

Andrea (Langer) and Austin ’08 Schafer are the parents of son Everett Reed, born March 22, 2019. He joined sisters Adelaide, 6, and Liesel, 4.

2008 Timothy Hopper and his wife, Maggie, announce the birth of son Bowman David on Nov. 26, 2019.

Brad Horst and his wife, Kristen, welcomed son Benjamin Clayton on Oct. 8, 2019.

2009 Diana (Pragel) Kelkenberg and her husband, Joshua, announce the birth of son Xavier Sullivan on Jan. 17, 2020.

Dustin Kunkle is now executive director at Summit Grove Camp and Conference Center in New Freedom, Pa.

2010 Amy (Hivner) and Josh Brengel, along with daughters Lillian and Charlotte, announce the birth of Eliza Joy on Jan. 21, 2020.

Chris Daggett and his wife, Sarah, are the parents of daughter Nora Grace, born May 25, 2017, and her sister Eliza Jane, now 6.

Andrew McIndoe, vice president of development at The Heritage Foundation, was selected as one of The Claremont Institute’s Lincoln Fellows for 2020. The week-long fellowship, held at

September 2020

California’s Claremont Institute, includes studying the American founding and conservative thought.

Emily (Klopsic) and Matthew ’11 Skyrm welcomed son Hunter Jameson on July 7, 2019.

2011 Sarah Bayliss and Joshua Cortina ’06 were married on Jan. 4, 2020. They are living in downtown Pittsburgh, Pa. Kathryn (Brunk) and Patrick Brown announce the birth of son Ezekiel Adams on Dec. 5, 2019.

2012 Grace (Murtoff) and Dustin ’13 Anewalt welcomed daughter Eleanor Grace on Jan. 16, 2020.

Allison (Spaulding) and Greg Church welcomed son Everest Paul Robert on Sept. 4, 2019.

Joanna (Stack) and Soren Kreider announce the birth of son Walter Liam Kreider V on May 23, 2020.

2015 Dalaney Algiere and Jeffrey Robert were married July 11, 2020, in Narragansett, R.I. Ariel (Wick) Barcio passed the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam and is now a licensed PE. Blake Denlinger married Katherine Tan on April 24, 2020, in New Holland, Pa. They now reside in

2016 Bruce Passaretti, music instructor at Montross Middle School, was named Westmoreland County (Va.) Public Schools’ Teacher of the Year for 2020-21. Earlier this year, Montross named him its Teacher of the Year. He joined the school in 2016.

2017 Tressa Johnson and Jim Mortland ’03 were married Oct. 5, 2019, in Fairfax, Va. They reside in Springfield, Va. Tressa is a first grade teacher at Shrevewood Elementary School and Jim is a software engineer principal at SAIC.

FALL FELLOWSHIP | Five ABT sorority sisters and their GCC husbands gathered in Erie, Pa., with their families for the wedding of Karl ’92 and Melodye (Ross ’91) McFadden’s son in September 2019.

Parents pictured are David ’92 and Cheri (Rupert ’91) Hollenbaugh, Curt ’91 and Pam (Chalfant ’91) Bindas, McFaddens, Paul ’90 and Betsy (Dayton ’92) Slater, and Bart ’90 and Joely (Carlson ’91) White.

Included in this group are seven current GCC students or recent grads: John ’19 and Tabitha (White ’19) Gould, Allison Hollenbaugh ’20 and Ben Rittenhouse ’19, Emma Hollenbaugh ’22, Abby (Slater ’18) Osiniak and Molly Slater ’22.

2018 Paul Kardar is one of the 2019 Elijah Watt Sells award winners, the highest recognition a CPA candidate can receive. Each year, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants bestows this award upon the candidates who pass all four parts of the CPA exam on their first attempt with a cumulative score above 95.5.

ENGINEERING FAMILY |

The McGuire/Oskamp families took this Grover photo at Thanksgiving in Fort Myers, Fla. All are either Mechanical or Electrical Engineering grads of Grove City College. From left, grandpa Jeff McGuire ’82, grandma Lori (Brown ’84) McGuire, dad Andrew McGuire ’13, Adalyn McGuire – future ’41, Uncle Jeff Oskamp ’09, and Aunt Megan (McGuire ’11) Oskamp. Not pictured: Uncle Stephen McGuire ’21 – studying abroad in France.

Philadelphia.

Dr. Sarah (Hein) Fedorko and her husband, Alex, welcomed their first child, Quentin Oliver, on March 25, 2020. Sarah is a dentist in private practice in Monroeville, Pa.; the family resides in Zelienople.

Ellen (Glenn) and David ’16 Porter welcomed son Jackson Douglas on Dec. 3, 2017.

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Grove City College

in memory New software has allowed us to screen for alumni reported as deceased but for whom the College received no notification. We are sharing many of those recent names with you in this issue, resulting in a longer list of remembered alumni.

The Grove City College Alumni Association places a book in Henry Buhl Library in memory of each alumnus for whom the Office of Alumni and College Relations receives written notification of death, including a copy of the obituary. This pays tribute to the lives of deceased alumni while benefitting current and future students.

To notify the Office of Alumni and College Relations of the passing of a loved one, please send an obituary to alumni@gcc.edu.

Betty Jane (Hulme) Say ’40, La Canada Flintridge, Calif., April 4, 2020.

The Rev. Julius E. Scheidel ’41, Chestertown, Md., died July 27, 2020, after ministering in the U.S. and Africa.

Helen (Kolts) Joyce ’42 of Largo, Fla., Dec. 17, 2019.

Sarkis Tatigian ’43 (Navy Electronics School), died April 6, 2020, with 78-years of service to the Department of Defense.

Dorothy (Peterson) Sarver ’44, New Wilmington, Pa., a high school librarian, died March 29, 2020.

Helen (Ciaffoni) Kelly ’46, Washington, Pa., July 20, 2020. She was a hospital lab technician.

Ruth (Eyman) Place ’46, Pittsburgh, Pa., died Aug. 10, 2019. She and her late husband founded John P. Place Inc. water treatment.

Virginia (Weise) Starr ’46, Pittsburgh, Pa., March 25, 2020.

Marjorie (Pizer) Trynosky ’46, Broomfield, Colo., Dec. 28, 2019. She was a devoted mother known for her quilts.

Her husband, Michael Trynosky ’50, died Jan. 11, 2020. He was a Marine in World War II and an electrical engineer with IBM. Marjorie (Frantz) Flock ’48, Colts Neck, N.J., May 24, 2020. She taught music, worked at Watson Research Laboratories, and was an accomplished organist.

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Barbara (Collar) Hackenberg ’48, April 29, 2020. She worked in retail advertising and for several non-profits.

William R. Huddleston ’48, Glenshaw, Pa., WWII Army Air Corps veteran, April 24, 2020.

He was an office manager for Ball Chemical and Ranbar Technology, and coached youth sports. Survivors include son Thomas Huddleston ’80.

Margaret (Scofield) Miller ’48, Amherst, Va., Aug. 7, 2019.

She was an accomplished actress and director.

Gerald H. Pfister ’48 of Salinas, Calif., Sept. 24, 2019.

John F. Seibert ’48, Hampton, Pa., WWII Army veteran, Feb. 6, 2020.

Patricia (Murray) Zahniser ’48, Coatesville, Pa., April 15, 2020. She taught French, Spanish, and special reading.

Survivors include husband Paul Zahniser ’50.

John J. Benyon ’49, Spring Hill, Fla., Jan. 16, 2020.

Nancy (Clark) Boyer ’49, Hagerstown, Md., April 14, 2020. She was a homemaker and paralegal.

William E. Scharbach ’49, Seven Hills, Ohio, WWII Army Air Corps veteran, May 19, 2019. He worked at General Electric in Cleveland.

Allen M. Farnham ’50, Midlothian, Va., July 24, 2019.

Robert E. Findley ’50, Altoona, Pa., March 21, 2020. A Korean War Army veteran, he retired after 50 years with Pennsylvania’s Department of Public Welfare.

Richard L. Hummel ’50, Feb. 4, 2020. The Army veteran was a teacher and coach at Grove City, Slippery Rock, and North Hills schools and Pennsylvania State University. Survivors include daughter Miriam (Hummel ’82) Buresh and granddaughter Beth (Buresh ’12) Panicucci.

Carolyn (Becker) Hutchison ’50, May 1, 2020.

Charles W. “Bill” Lehnert ’50, Fort Myers, Fla., Nov. 15, 2019.

Shirley (Kerr) Lowe ’50, Indiantown, Fla., March 17, 2020.

Earl F. Neely ’50, Chesterfield, Mo., April 6, 2020. The Marine Corps veteran was president and COO of Angelica Corporation.

Sally (Deming) Robinson ’50, Waldoboro, Maine, May 26, 2020. She was a teacher, administrative assistant, and artist. Survivors include husband William Robinson ’50.

The Rev. August M. Thalman Jr. ’50, Elizabeth, Pa., Dec. 30, 2019. A WWII Navy veteran, he pastored churches for 50 years and was a volunteer firefighter.

Dorothy (Kovach) Larson ’51, North East, Pa., March 21, 2020. She was a teacher and homemaker.

Suzanne (Kibler) McWhirter ’51, Murrysville, Pa., July 5, 2020. She taught second grade before raising her family.

Charles S. Prosser ’51, Whitehall, Pa., May 11, 2020.

He retired from US Steel as supervisor of metallurgical

auditing and worked as a quality process control consultant.

Dr. Edward E. Thomas ’51, March 11, 2020. A retired dentist, he lived in Tallahassee, Fla. Richard B. Wiley ’51, Williamsburg, Va., Jan. 18, 2020. He worked 40 years with General Electric’s Aerospace Division and served in both the Navy and Naval Reserve.

Alyn G. Bernell ’52, Westfield, Ind., March 2, 2020. An Army veteran, he worked in sales and management with Scott Paper Co. and had a local trail named after him. Survivors include wife Shirley (Jones ’51) Bernell.

M. Ann (Reitz) Goetzenberger ’52, Fairfield, Pa., June 12, 2020. Her work included time with the CIA and Polio Foundation.

Norman E. Hinkle ’52, Crossville, Tenn., June 7, 2020. A civil engineer, he worked with Oak Ridge National Laboratories for 36 years.

Theodora Karfes ’52, Grove City, Pa., Oct. 4, 2019. She retired after 40 years with Mercer County Courthouse’s Juvenile Probation Office.

Catherine (Smith) Teig McCandless ’52, Franklin, Pa., Feb. 27, 2020. The former music teacher operated Anderson Furniture Co. Donald T. Miles ’52, Geneva, Ohio, July 5, 2020. He was an office manager for People’s Savings and Loan, a civic leader, and Navy veteran.

September 2020 Wade D. Brunko ’53, South Park, Pa., June 17, 2020. He worked at USS National Works in the physical lab. Survivors include daughter Susan Brunko ’79.

Donna (Bane) Carney ’53, Fort Wayne, Ind., Dec. 29, 2019.

Dr. James H. Dingle ’53, Elk River, Minn., Feb. 6, 2020. The WWII Army veteran taught high school math and was caretaker for the Oliver Kelley farm.

Dr. John F. Kennard ’53, Air Force veteran, May 30, 2020.

A pathologist, he retired from Clearfield (Pa.) Hospital after 34 years of service. Survivors include brother W. William Kennard ’58.

William B. Kocher ’53, Honey Brook, Pa., May 24, 2020.

He was a mechanical engineer for Cytemp Specialty Steel, manager of its Precision Rolled Products Division, and a WWII Navy veteran. Survivors include wife Barbara (Blomquist ’52) Kocher and daughter Lisa (Kocher ’84) Bodamer.

Robert P. Shupe ’53, Ocean Isle Beach, N.C., May 14, 2020.

The retired Korean War Army veteran was active in local government. Survivors include son Thomas Shupe ’85.

Norman D. “Don” Weisenfluh ’53, Sunnyvale, Calif., June 3, 2020. He worked in management with home and office furnishing corporations.

Naomi (Edner) Booth ’54, DuBois, Pa., June 13, 2020.

After teaching, she became a homemaker and mother.

Evelyn (Hughes) Stevenson ’52, Feb. 9, 2020. She worked in Butler Area School District’s business department.

Margaret (Garner) Gilbert ’54, Ann Arbor, Mich., April 7, 2020. A noted soprano and pianist, she worked as medical technologist with hospital blood banks.

Helen (Fisher) Taylor ’52, Grove City, Pa., June 28, 2020. Her secretarial work included time with Cooper Bessemer, the College’s Alumni Office, and Adessa Auto Auction. Survivors include son David Taylor ’80.

Dr. David J. Jones III ’54, Orange City, Fla., April 3, 2020. He directed community medicine at York (Pa.) Hospital and was vice president of medical affairs for Pennsylvania Blue Shield.

He received GCC’s Alumni Achievement Award in 2003.

Eleanor (Phifer) McLaughlin ’54, Binghamton, N.Y., April 25, 2020.

Carole (White) Morrison ’54, Newton, N.C., Sept. 24, 2019.

Christiane (Hazen) Scholes ’54, Birdsboro, Pa., May 15, 2020.

She worked at Lebanon Valley Offset and traveled extensively.

Frederick N. “Bart” Bartholme ’55, Mason, Ohio, April 15, 2020. He was a controller/ accountant for several manufacturing companies, including Joy, and an Army veteran, A future Frederick Bartholme Memorial Chapel will be built at Medix Run Lodges (Pa.).

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John M. “JJ” Jack ’57, Pisgah Forest, N.C., July 11, 2020. He worked as senior vice president of Business Incentives Worldwide, was a published author, and an authority on motivation.

Michael R. Luscre ’57, Cumming, Ga., Air Force veteran, July 6, 2020. He worked in insurance with Connecticut General and Alexander & Alexander. Post retirement, he launched Ethics Solutions, Inc. Regis F. Brown ’58, Pittsburgh, Pa., Oct. 9, 2019. He was a Korean War veteran.

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FOCUS ON

‘THE WORLD OF RETAIL’: John Stanton ’55 relishes the challenges and rewards of running a small-town gift shop.

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Township. Survivors include sister Jessie (Gregory ’62) Donnan.

Yvonne English '97 sells style through online salvage business

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Shawn Filby '89 opens Pennsylvania Chick-fil-A, teams up with alums

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Todd '64 and Greg '91 Alexander pair up for sporting goods game

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Husband and wife music faculty duo spins yarns at Grove City knitting shop

John M. Stanton ’55, Yarmouth Port, Mass., April 30, 2020.

An Army veteran, he spent his career in retail, including owning and managing The Studio in Duxbury fine gift shop with his wife for 35 years. He belonged to Grove City’s Epsilon Pi fraternity and was featured on the cover of the Fall 2009 GēDUNK. Survivors include wife Marcy, two sons, three grandchildren, and GCC relatives sister Helen (Stanton ’53) Seward, niece Alice (Seward ’79) Campbell and her husband, Craig Campbell ’78, and greatnephew Brett LoVellette ’06.

Margaret (Gregory) Pajak ’56, Aliquippa, Pa., July 7, 2020. She taught at Hopewell High School and in Harmony

Jack Z. Cline ’58, Grove City, Pa., April 30, 2020. He was a Korean War Navy veteran, a stock, commodities and options broker, and a top local golfer.

The Rev. C. Robert Jansen ’58, March 20, 2020. He served many Presbyterian churches, including 19 years with Southminster Church in Taylor, Mich. He also served as moderator of the Presbytery of Detroit.

Molly (Gilbert) Reilly ’58, April 18, 2020. Active in her Greensburg, Pa., community, she was secretary to two churches and receptionist for Catholic Charities.

Richard L. Fisher ’59, Feb. 29, 2020. A Korean War Army veteran, he taught math for 30 years at Jamestown (N.Y.) High School.

Paul A. Knauff ’59, Gaylord, Mich., May 1, 2019.

Ronald C. Holder ’59, Summerfield, Fla., April 21, 2020. He served in the Army and Reserves, and was a founding partner of Paragon Packaging in Girard, Pa. Survivors include wife Anne (Augustine ’49) Holder.

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Grove City College Charles M. “Lee” McCoy Jr. ’59, Boalsburg, Pa., May 14, 2020. An electrical engineer, he worked with Boeing, Vitro Laboratories and retired as program manager from HRB Systems. He was an Army veteran of the Korean War and a Civil War reenactor.

Arlene (Ripper) Randby ’59, Harrisburg, Pa., May 26, 2020. She taught business courses, later worked with a law firm, and hosted refugee families. Survivors include son Dr. Scott Randby ’82.

Sophia (Papas) Strelec ’59, Augusta, Ga., July 20, 2020.

She was a middle school English teacher who traveled extensively.

Roberta (Nesbit) Wertz ’59, Alva, Fla., July 23, 2020. She was a schoolteacher.

Betty Jane (Jamison) Whitman ’59, Erie, Pa, June 21, 2020.

A teacher, she worked for many years in the Bethel Park School District. Survivors include son Michael Whitman ’87.

Robert A. Bens ’60, Greensboro, N.C., June 20, 2020. He worked in accounting and computer programming for Hammermill Paper and in accounting for Hilton Properties.

Larry A. Kittner ’60, Bluffton, S.C., Feb. 26, 2020. An industrial sales professional, he served in the Coast Guard Reserves for 22 years, rising to commander. Survivors include wife Judith (Kish ’62) Kittner.

Brooks M. Lindsey Jr. ’60, June 23, 2019.

Marilyn “Bunny” (Arnold) Spath ’60, Peachtree City, Ga., March 3, 2020. She managed at Aberdeen Woods.

Donald L. Wetzler ’60, Cumming, Ga., July 21, 2019.

Carol (Frank) Kroen ’61, Bellevue, Pa., June 17, 2019.

She taught second grade for 30 years with Northgate School District.

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Mi Sah (Ryu) Juhn ’61, Feb. 8, 2020. She taught elementary and middle school in Paterson, N.J., and excelled in tennis.

Mary Lou (Scott) Cole ’62, Telford, Pa., April 1, 2020.

She taught math in both the Council Rock and Palisades districts.

Thomas E. Jones ’62, Ridgway, Pa., April 26, 2020. The Vietnam War Navy vet owned North American Industrial Supply.

Gary W. Kording ’62, Concord, N.C., July 24, 2020. He retired from Armstrong World Industries after working from four states.

Corinne (Spencer) Miele ’62, Sussex, N.J., July 16, 2020.

She taught kindergarten in West Milford for 30 years.

Judith (Cathcart) Jaskulski ’63, Pittsburgh, Pa., July 26, 2020. She taught at both West Mifflin North High School and Steel Center Area Vo-Tech. She was a church organist.

Beverly (Cameron) Clayton ’64 died March 4, 2020. A Jack Kennedy Memorial Alumni Achievement Award winner, she was director and CEO of Carnegie Mellon University’s Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center. Earlier, she directed support systems for Gulf Oil. Survivors include brother-inlaw Michael Kaluza ’67.

DeWayne B. Greenlee ’64, Franklin, Pa., July 7, 2020. He worked for I.U. 6, retiring as director of special education.

Samuel F. Smith ’64, Seneca, Pa., March 25, 2020. The mechanical engineer worked for Penelec.

Barbara (Johnson) Wigton ’64, March 30, 2020. She taught first grade in Butler, Pa., and was on the start-up board of Penn Christian Academy.

Survivors include son Jeffrey Wigton ’74.

Carole (Egger) Dietz ’65, Midlothian, Va., April 25, 2020.

Richard W. Proctor ’65, Summit, N.J., March 29, 2020. An Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War, he was senior vice present of Overlook Hospital before co-founding an executive search company.

Survivors include wife Patricia (Lee ’66) Proctor.

John H. Bream ’67, Clayton, Ga., Feb. 22, 2020. After a career in medical supply sales, he retired to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, to live on a sailboat. Survivors include brother Joseph Bream ’65.

Diane (Light) Breslin ’67, Ruston, La., Feb. 28, 2020. She was a noted pianist and singer.

Penelope “Penny” Erhard ’67, Lakewood, Ohio, Jan. 15, 2020.

Jeffrey C. Hurme ’67, June 27, 2020. He was an Air Force pilot during the Vietnam War and a health consultant in Louisiana.

John C. Lawrence ’67, Alexandria, Va., Jan. 27, 2020.

He worked for Martin Marietta/ Lockheed Martin for 30 years.

Christina (Ritchie) Losos ’67, Pittsburgh, Pa., Feb. 27, 2020. She was an engineer for U.S. Steel and a computer specialist for Children’s Hospital.

Nelson J. Mapel ’67, Goodyear, Ariz., May 7, 2020. He had a long career as a guardianship administrator for Illinois.

Survivors include his wife, Jeannine (Walters ’67) Mapel.

Garry R. Ransom ’67, Alpharetta, Ga., Feb. 22, 2020. He worked for many years as a licensed insurance agent.

Sally (Suffern) Boden ’68, Fairfield, Iowa., May 30, 2019. She was a teacher and librarian.

Mary (McCollough) Breen ’68, Jan. 16, 2020. She taught in Pennsylvania, New York, and Alaska before working with campus security at Thomas Nelson Community College in Virginia.

John T. Long Jr. ’68, Lansdale, Pa., July 15, 2020. He taught for 35 years in the Upper Dublin School District and worked with Spring Lake Farm day camp in Ambler.

Ronald J. Nardozzi ’68, Pittsburgh, Pa., May 24, 2020. He taught social studies for the Penn Hills School District.

Edith (Early) Beglin ’69, Oxford, Md., July 1, 2019.

Survivors include husband Bruce Beglin ’68.

Thomas R. Daggett ’69, Girard, Pa., March 3, 2020. An Air Force veteran, he worked in banking and insurance before running his own business, GR Graphics.

John W. Anspach ’70, Latrobe, Pa., April 10, 2020. He retired as assistant registrar of the Graduate School, City University of New York. He also worked as a therapist.

Donald A. Fusia III ’70, New Kensington, Pa., Feb. 9, 2020.

He was a former PennDOT inspector.

R. Joel Knepper ’71, Orlando, Fla., Jan. 22, 2020.

David B. Say ’71, Gibsonia, Pa., July 12, 2020.

Dr. David O. Thayer ’71, Boulder, Colo., Feb. 13, 2020. He was in private OB/GYN practice and a pioneer in working with the da Vinci surgical robot.

Survivors include brother William Thayer ’66.

Melanie (Filer) Bryant ’72, Rockville, Md., March 24, 2020. She was a management analyst with the U.S. Office of Education.

William T. Checkley ’73, Ramsey, N.J., June 22, 2019.

Chris T. Brunea, Esq. ’74, April 14, 2020. The former Alumni Council member clerked with the U.S. District Court in Syracuse, N.Y., before entering private practice in Buffalo.

Robert A. Wienand ’74, May 16, 2019.

Maj. Michael A. Bilello ’75, Oceanside, N.Y., May 26, 2020. The Marine served three years active duty then Reserves. He also worked in industry and as a court officer with the state Supreme Court.

September 2020 Kevin J. Lewis ’78, Brooklyn Park, Minn., March 28, 2020.

He worked at US Bank as an operations release manager.

Katherine (Lorch) Lazar ’79, Mentor, Ohio, Feb. 4, 2020.

She worked in preschools and day care and was a talented singer with local choirs.

Survivors include husband Arthur Lazar ’79.

Gary B. Pepper ’79, Pittsburgh, Pa, Sept. 14, 2019.

Gordon C. McEwen ’75, Slippery Rock, Pa., June 10, 2020. He was a self-employed builder.

Tami (McConahy) Troscianecki ’80, Centreville, Va., April 24, 2020. After an early teaching career, she worked with technology companies including ROLM.

Thomas J. Meyers ’76, Findlay, Ohio, May 24, 2020. The retired senior vice president for Chase Bank in Columbus taught entrepreneurs.

Christie (Powell) Decker ’82, Lithia, Fla., Jan. 22, 2020. She taught at several Christian schools and was an accomplished musician.

John R. Reither Sr. ’76, Westborough, Mass., March 12, 2020. He worked as a chemical engineer in Summerville, S.C. Survivors include wife Marla (Millen ’76) Reither.

James E. Pater ’82, Feb. 24, 2020. The Natrona Heights, Pa., resident was a selfemployed business consultant.

Survivors include brothers Michael Pater ’79 and Robert Pater ’85.

John D. “Kip” Cooper ’77, Murrysville, Pa., June 23, 2020. An accountant, he retired from Fazio Mechanical Services as vice president of finance. Survivors include wife Kathleen (Gula ’77) Cooper.

Dennis S. Tepe ’85, New Matamoras, Ohio, Feb. 14, 2020. He worked as a chemical engineer with West Lake Chemical.

Richard E. Danowsky ’77, Lewisburg, Pa., April 21, 2020. He worked at Milton Steel.

Vernon J. Savage ’85, Feb. 2, 2020. He worked in software and in customer experience for SAP and lived in both Fleming Island, Fla., and Aurora, Ohio.

Survivors include siblings

David Savage ’77 and Michael Savage ’87.

Stephen A. Fenner ’88, New Castle, Pa., April 11, 2020.

He was a transplant nurse who served as president of the Golden Triangle International Transplant Nurses Society.

Paula (McBride) Klems ’90, Broadview Heights, Ohio, May 5, 2020. She was a pharmacy assistant for CVS. Bethany (Moore) Connick ’03, Ventura, Calif., Dec. 25, 2019.

A teacher, she moved into administration in the Oxnard School District.

Clinton J. Stewart ’06, Grove City, Pa., died Aug. 4, 2020.

After GCC, he earned his MBA in 2010. Survivors include sister Kelli (Stewart ’09) Redfoot.

Friends Dr. William T. Shannon, Concord, Calif., Feb. 22, 2020.

He worked at the College from 1986-96, beginning as executive assistant to the President. He also served as an associate dean, vice president of student affairs, and chairman of the Education department.

Survivors include sons William Shannon Jr. ’84 and Mark Shannon ’85.

metalworking industries and served on Grove City’s Board of Trustees from 1972-90.

Kathryn Van Til, May 17, 2020.

She taught English and Education from 1996-08.

Survivors include husband, Dr. L. John Van Til, a professor of Humanities and Business from 1972-04; and son Seth Van Til, GCC Director of Campus Safety.

Father Michael Allison, Grove City, Pa., June 27, 2020. He was priest of Beloved Disciple Parish and a volunteer chaplain to the Roman Catholic community on campus.

Dr. Garey B. Spradley, Brenham, Texas, Religion professor from 1991-2011, June 16, 2019. Survivors include children Laurel Spradley ’01 and David Spradley ’09.

Philip H. Smith Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa., March 20, 2020. He was a chief executive in the steel and

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Grove City College

li’l wolverines ‘mid the pines

Eleanor Grace Anewalt Born 1-16-20 Grace (Murtoff ’12) and Dustin ’13 Anewalt

Andrew Hoober Brackbill III Born 11-7-19 Kathryn and Andrew ’16 Brackbill Jr.

Alexander Michael Burg Born 10-3-19 Megan (Gebrosky ’12) and ­­­­Ryan Burg

Bianca Campagna Born 2-3-20 Jessica (Arnett ’03) and Jason Campagna

Eden Lilias Collins Born 2-21-19 Laura (Doherty ’14) and Cameron Collins

Theo and Callie Ferguson Born 6/21/19 and 6/26/18 Tara (Gerber ’04) and Ryan Ferguson

Madeline Violet Glasser Born 8-28-19 Becky (Codner ’06) and Kevin Glasser

Quinn Richard Hallman Born 5-9-20 Holly and Craig ’07 Hallman

Lucy Anne and Caleb Henry Johnson Born 3-13-18 and 4-30-20 Hilary (Prescott ’12) and David ’12 Johnson

David Orion King Born 4-7-18 Elizabeth (Hoover ’05) and Joel King

Violet Leocadia Krahe Born 8-16-17 Joanne and Tim ’09 Krahe

CONGRATULATIONS NEW PARENTS! Grove City College welcomes your new bundle of joy. We want to send your newborn a Grove City College T-shirt.

So between the feedings and late-night lullabies, be sure to send the Office of Alumni and College Relations your child’s name and date of birth. Shirts are available only in infant size.

Due to the popularity of the Alumni Babies feature, photos will be limited to babies under the age of 3 in Grove City College shirts only. Digital photos must be high resolution, 300 dpi. Please do not embed photos in the body of an email message, but rather attach a high-resolution image.

Submit photos at alumni.gcc.edu/babyshirt or email to alumni@gcc.edu.

Lyla Jane Kiehl Born 9-23-18 Mara and Steve ’08 Kiehl

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F O L L O W

Beatrice Elisa Kucks Born 9-14-19 Gabrielle (Welker ’11) and Ross ’10 Kucks

Lily Grace Morgan Born 3-4-19 Katie and Timothy ’13 Morgan

Finn Wayne Panicucci Born 1-9-20 Beth (Buresh ’12) and Steve Panicucci

Samantha Jubilee Pfeiffer Born 11-15-18 Lauren (Albert ’06) and Chris Pfeiffer

Lexie Kay Pierrot Born 4-9-19 Kimberly (McDonald ’10) and Bryan ’08 Pierrot

Everett Reed Schafer Born 3-22-19 Andrea (Langer ’07) and Austin ’08 Schafer

Lilyanna Joy Scheufler Born 12-7-18 Susan (Vassallo ’03) and Mark ’03 Scheufler

Tyler John Makaio Seaborn Born 2-13-19 Jowell and Jason ’97 Seaborn

Hunter Jameson Skyrm Born 7-7-19 Emily (Klopsic ’10) and Matt ’11 Skyrm

Jude Elliot Stahl Born 12-12-17 Mandie (Becker ’08) and Ben ’08 Stahl

Reese Olivia Walshak Born 6-19-19 Jana (Volante ’07) and Nick Walshak

Theodore Mel Williams Born 10-26-17 Diana (Campbell ’08) and Benjamin ’08 Williams

U S

O N

September 2020

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Grove City College

faith & learning A faculty perspective into the mission of Grove City College, the role of Christian scholarship in higher education, and the connection between faith and learning.

Developing the mind, heart, and hands of our future leaders

By Dr. John Coyne ’04

Dr. John Coyne ’04 is associate dean of student life for Grove City College’s Office of Student Life and Learning.

His responsibilities include supervising the Leadership & Engagement Team and overseeing Greek life, housing groups, and the student leadership development program. He also serves as the advisor for the GCC Men’s Club Volleyball Team, a member of the Institutional Review Board, and teaches a leadership class for the Department of Management and Marketing. He earned a B.A. in Christian Thought from Grove City College in 2004, a M.A. in Higher Education from Geneva College in 2006, and a Ph.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership from Gannon University in 2018.

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“In all of this, the needed clue is that the liberal arts are those which are appropriate to persons as persons, rather than to the specific function of a worker or a professional or even a scholar … There is no difficulty transferring this clue concerning liberal education to a Christian conception of persons created in the image of God. We are to image God in all of our creaturely activities, our cultural existence and every phase of our humanity. To image God in the fulness of our humanity is our highest calling.

A liberal education that develops this stewardship of all we are therefore implements God’s calling, and the creation mandate finds expression in the educational process … The question to ask about education is not ‘What can I do with it?’ That is the wrong question because it concentrates on instrumental values and reduces everything to a useful art.

The right question is rather ‘What can it do to me?’”

– Arthur Holmes

T

he student leadership development initiative at Grove City College challenges students to reflect deeply on who they are becoming and how that will serve as the foundation for the manner in which they lead within their spheres of influence for the rest of their lives. The initiative is a mechanism where the College sees the latter half of its vision – we develop leaders of the highest proficiency, purpose, and principles ready to advance the common good – play out in a very real and practical way.

On the surface, it may look like a leadership development program you might expect to find at almost any college or

university. There are opportunities to learn about casting a vision, writing a mission statement, creating SMART goals, developing communication and people skills, gaining an understanding of ethics, and taking self-assessments to learn more about who you are, among other things. These are all good and necessary, but not sufficient for effective leadership that is rooted in a deeper understanding of who we are in Christ.

In and of themselves, these traditional components of a leadership development program will not develop wisdom, challenge students to consider their underlying motivations, assumptions, and biases, or instill a deep understanding and longing for their ultimate telos – to glorify God in all they do, including how and why they lead.

We seek to go beyond simply developing traditional leadership skills and challenge students to develop wisdom by seeing how mind (proficiency), heart (principles), and hand (purpose) seamlessly connect in not just leadership, but all areas of life. We seek to instill in students an understanding that they are to be stewards of the influence they have and the people they lead. We seek to cultivate character and develop virtue as a foundation for effective leadership that goes beyond traditional ethics. We do this by leveraging the opportunities for leadership development that are occurring all across the campus and work with faculty and staff to connect what they are doing in their areas to the mission, vision, and outcomes of the student leadership development initiative.

What might this look like?

Let us consider a leadership class for business management majors. The professor covers a section on culture and leadership. The students discuss concepts like ethnocentrism and prejudice, study dimensions of culture (uncertainty avoidance, power distance, collectivism, humane orientation, gender egalitarianism, etc.), and learn about universally desirable

and undesirable leadership attributes. It’s something you would expect any future business leader to have a basic understanding of, except our students’ education has encompassed a framework focused on love of neighbor. In this class as the professor shares leadership theory, that conversation is layered with Kierkegaard’s teaching, which emphasizes that everyone has a common watermark—the image of God—and, regardless of race, culture, gender, etc., those with the common watermark are worthy to be loved. This is a foundation rooted in a biblical understanding of creation and for how we ought to view our fellow humans from a posture of dignity, respect, and love.

Outside the classroom, let us consider the advisor of a fraternity, sorority, or housing group who meets with one of the leaders to discuss an upcoming program where each member is going to be asked to create goals for the semester. Most people are familiar with the concept of SMART goals, but not as many are familiar with the idea of Everest Goals. Everest Goals incorporate the components of a SMART goal, but also, among other things, connect to a virtue and contribute to the well-being or benefit of others in some way. This helps to redirect the student’s focus and desires from themselves to those of others and the common good.

September 2020

Corporate scandals, a global pandemic, terrorism, economic issues, and the ongoing struggle for social justice have only reiterated the world’s deep need for virtuous leadership that goes beyond self-interest and looks out for the wellbeing of others. Grove City College is uniquely situated to respond to this need.

Corporate scandals, a global pandemic, terrorism, economic issues, and the ongoing struggle for social justice have only reiterated the world’s deep need for virtuous leadership that goes beyond self-interest and looks out for the well-being of others. Grove City College is uniquely situated to respond to this need. We are intentionally connecting the areas where leadership development is happening all across campus and ensuring they are all in alignment with our desire to promote wisdom development through the connection of mind (proficiency), heart (principles), and hand (purpose).

It is our hope and prayer that the student leadership development initiative will be one of the transformational experiences God uses in our students’ lives to grow in wisdom, humility and courage, and to be more conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.

Finally, let us consider a coach who takes their team on a service project or mission trip. This experience often leads to debriefing and deep reflection, maybe even cognitive dissonance and the player being forced to reconsider their beliefs or values. The coach seizes the opportunity to both challenge and support the player as they lean into and intentionally process the discomfort, pointing out the connection between mind, heart, and hand, and developing wisdom by remembering, discerning, and exploring this experience.

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Grove City College Alumni Magazine

Grove City College

100 Campus Drive

Grove City, PA 16127 www.gcc.edu

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11-17-20 NOW MORE THAN EVER, WOLVERINES TOGETHER