The Collegian – Sept. 18, 2020

Trump touches down

Mowing tuition

Student entrepreneur grows local business

Inside look at the presidential rally

COMMUNITY

PHOTOSPREAD

The

@Collegian_GCC @gcc.collegian The Collegian: The GCC Newspaper Friday, September 18, 2020

Collegian The Award-Winning Grove City College Student Newspaper

Vol. 106, No. 3

Campus goes bat crazy Maskless pests flutter about dorms Alyssa Dixon

Contributing Writer Grove City College has had several bat incidents on campus this semester.

The first reported incident happened in Harker. On Aug. 14, Resident Assistant Rachel Gray was leaving her room when she saw a bat fly past her down the hallway.

Shortly afterwards, she reported hearing screams coming from upstairs.

Gray found students hiding in the laundry room to avoid the bat, which had flown upstairs. As instructed by the Resident Director, Gray and the other RAs closed all the doors in the hall before calling Campus Safety.

Campus Safety Officer Jim

Dickson dispatched the bat by allegedly “smacking it with a broom until it stopped moving,” according to Gray, who expressed pity towards the creature.

“I wasn’t scared of the bat,” she explained. “I actually thought it was kind of cute.

I just didn’t want to get bitten.”

Sophomore Claire Josey of

MEP reported another incident on Aug. 30. Josey was notified about a bat near the stairwell and alerted Campus Safety. She was told to shut all doors in the hall and make sure the residents stayed in their rooms. The officers came and removed the bat.

“I remember that the residents were startled at first, but most were more

curious than scared. The bat was not moving, so it did not seem to pose a threat,” Josey said.

Junior Caleb McKinney reported a bat sighting on Aug. 26 in Ketler. McKinney was in his dorm when he saw something enter the room from the window. As soon as McKinney and his BATS 3

Council looks at diversity deficit Gabrielle Capaldo Staff Writer

Juniors Addie Reynolds, Johnny Youland and Morgan Hordinski enjoy a meal to-go outside Hicks cafeteria.

DAVID ZIMMERMANN

Plastic takes over cafeterias Noel Elvin Staff Writer

Plastic is in no way a scarcity within the cafeterias.

Plastic bags, utensils, bottles and meal containers overflow out of the trash cans as students adjust to new cafeteria protocol.All food stations are staffed, all meals are prepackaged and all drinks are now served in single use plastic bottles.

“We have had to shift to single-use disposables in order to facilitate meals being

taken to eat outside the café,” JonErik Germadnik, general manager of the Bon Appetit Management Company, said.

“Given the unexpected surge in global demand for single-use disposables, our supply chain is in flux and we can’t always get our preferred products. The clamshell containers that we are able to procure are not recyclable items.”

Two main problems are presented by this excessive use of plastic: the inability to recycle a large quantity of the

plastic being used and the consumption of chemicals within plastic.

While there are blue recycling bins next to almost every trash can in both cafeterias, the only plastic products that are recyclable are the plastic bottles.

Mercer County only recycles #1, #2 and sometimes #5 plastic bottles and jugs, according to Mercer County’s Recycling and Solid Waste Department webpage.Mercer County does not recycle the numerous prepackaged

salad, side dish and occasional entrée containers, as well as the plastic utensils that can be recycled in addition to plastic bottles.

It is not only the lack of recycling, but also the negative health effects that come with eating and drinking out of plastic containers on a regular basis that make excessive plastic usage unacceptable.

Dr. Jan Dudt, professor of Biology, believes that this is a necessary precaution saying, “I would imagine that PLASTIC 3

Shoe in, masks on, hours open Collegian Staff Open hours take on a different look in light of the college’s COVID-19 action plan.

Open hours commenced on Sept. 7 in Colonial Apartments and Sept. 9 on upper campus.

The rules require all parties participating in open hours to remain masked at all times and are encouraged to maintain social distancing.

“While spacing is somewhat complicated due to room size, we advise that you

continue to use discernment in maintain six feet,” said an email from Resident Director Tori Wright.

The email went on to explain that there will be no cap on the amount of people allowed in a room, but the whole party could be asked to quarantine if someone in it tests positive or is exposed.

Signing in on the open hours sheets, though normal protocol for open hours, is emphasized to aid in contact tracing.

Visitors can only be mem-

bers of the residential campus community.

Initially, the new rules included a major change in open hours policy that would require students to keep their doors open a full 90 degrees instead of the traditional 4-inch rule. On Thursday that change was rescinded.

Failure to comply with the open hours regulations could result in a warning or disciplinary action.

“We will re-evaluate this policy in a week and if any changes are made, we will

communicate at that time,” an email from Director of Residence Life Jonathan DiBenedetto said. “Our hope is to be able to continue to offer open hours throughout the semester, but we need all of you to help make that possible.

EDITOR’S NOTE: “90 degrees rule is not right” Perspectives piece on page 8 was written prior to the announcement regarding changes to the college’s COVID-19 action plan on Sept. 17.

The new Grove City College President’s Council on Diversity had its first meeting before students arrived in August.

Convening monthly, council members are working towards creating change for promoting a diverse community.

The purpose of the council is to “help guide recommendations in the development of strategic initiatives for the recruitment and retention of students, the hiring of new employees and broadening perspectives among all members of the community,” according to a press release from the college.

“In recruiting students and searching for the best employment candidates, it’s important that we understand what obstacles may be impeding our success with regard to racial and ethnic diversity. I formed the advisory council to help the college address this question in particular,” President Paul J. McNulty ’80 said.

The council is composed of 11 members, including faculty and two Grove City students, who were selected based on their relevant experience.

According to Justin Jose, a member of the council and Director of Multicultural Education & Initiatives, the first meeting was solely an introductory meeting, and while there are no concrete initiatives, council members have presented ideas.

The council proposes to increase the diversity of Grove City’s student body.

According to administration’s official demographic report, under nine percent of the student population is from a diverse background.

This ranks Grove City DIVERSITY 3

Editorial

Page 2

The award-winning Grove City College student newspaper, Sept. 18, 2020

From the Editor’s Desk

Savor the middle

Anna DiStefano Managing Editor

I don’t like beginnings.

Most people would agree that Mondays can be rough.

Starting a new week, getting back into a routine, and going about what you need to do. It’s an adjustment.

August is the Monday of the year, or the school year, at least.

Just as people dread Mondays, I dread August.

The month brings a new year, a new routine and new people. There’s an unavoidable awkwardness and anticipation that comes with every August.

Fresh starts are great and all, but I’ve often wished that I had the ability to skip the first week of classes and transport to mid-October.

Give me orange leaves and fall weather. Let my syllabi be slightly worn, with crossed-out dates and assignments on the horizon, close enough that I can see them, but far enough that they wouldn’t notice if I waved.

That’s the sweet spot.

Those are the weeks I look forward to when I come to campus.

I prefer middles. The best part of anything is the middle.

The bulk of a novel, the best seasons of a TV show, the bridge of a song, are all found in the middle. Beginnings, although essential, are slow and laborious.

They’re something to get through.

We have a habit of ignoring the middle, though, as middle children would know.

The middle is where everything happens. The middle is where you’re chal-

lenged, where you learn, and where you grow. Enjoy the middle and use it to your advantage.

Draft. Write too much.

Read more than you need.

Give yourself the opportunity to make choices and choose only the best.

Few people are so talented that they need minimal revisions. These people are not real. And if you think you’re one of them, think again. To skip revisions is to skip the middle, to go straight to the end from the beginning.

We have to move forward, onto the next and the next, but please, do not do so haphazardly.

To this I say, do not finish just to finish. Do not work through your list merely for the satisfaction of crossing it off.

Grow to care about whatever work you have. Love that paper. Embrace your reading. Cherish the time you spend editing and revising. Be proud of anything and everything that carries your name. Savor the middle.

I realize that my middle is ending, and my end is beginning. Now, I’m not about to get all reflective in our third issue of the year, but I acknowledge that my time is coming to a close.

Endings aren’t as bad as beginnings. When you get to the end, you have an idea of what is coming. You’ve read the books, seen the films, and heard the songs.

As I look to my ending, I’m not sure what’s coming. It’s not the ending I saw from my middle. But October can only last so long. The trees will lose their leaves and the assignments will come closer. While we may be wary of leaving our middles, we’ll find more, if only after a few beginnings.

Collegian Staff Editor-in-Chief Paige Fay

Copy Chief Britney Lukasiewicz

Managing Editor Anna DiStefano

Business Manager Kathryn Miller

Section Editors News David Zimmermann

Copy Editors Jessica Hardman Ashley Ostrowski Claire Josey Lauren Ness Kylie Jasper Joanna Thorpe Elizabeth Schinkel

Community Fiona Lacey Perspectives Clark Mummau

Photo Chief Wes Kinney

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

Design Chief Caleb West

Staff Adviser Nick Hildebrand

Sports Emily Rupczewski

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

Green Eyeshade Award the

This week’s Green Eyeshade Award goes to Design Chief Caleb West for his dependability, good humor and eye for design.

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

West

Seeking justice Film inspires racial healing

David Zimmermann News Editor

Let’s just say it — 2020 is a bad year to be alive. Not only are we dealing with the ongoing effects of a global pandemic, but we must also navigate through the divided political climate as the country prepares for another presidential election.

Yet, there is still one issue that affects all of us whether we want to admit it or not — racial unrest.

As racial protests swept across the country after the death of George Floyd, I, along with countless others, had time to reflect on this heartbreaking event while in quarantine. After watching the arrest video, I asked myself, “How does this man’s death affect me?”

At first, I did not think much of it; but once I saw the impact that his death had on society, it was like a wake-up call for me. Suddenly, I started paying attention.

Whether Floyd was murdered due to a police officer’s bias or not, that is beside the point. A man still suffered injustice and died in the very hands that were meant to uphold justice in society.

When I was younger and more naïve, I thought that racism was a thing of the past — an attitude that no longer

applied to the 21st century.

Before this year, I was ignorant of the disadvantages that many people of color still face today.

But once the pandemic hit, my life slowed down, allowing me to reflect on issues such as this. And, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that racial injustice is not a political issue but a spiritual one.

Because we are made in the image of God, we are called to treat one another justly with the respect and dignity that we were all given.

As Christians, we often say this as an admirable goal we would like to achieve. But do we practice it when it comes to others that look different from us?

Do we strive to seek justice when there is none? Do we try to build bridges with others and heal wounds? Or, do we merely feel pity for the broken and move on to the next thing that is vying for our attention?

Today I believe we need Christians who are willing to speak up for the voiceless and who are willing to listen to the suffering of others.

That is what African American lawyer Bryan Stevenson did.

Over the summer, I had a chance to watch the legal drama “Just Mercy,” which tells the true story of a young Stevenson who went up against the institutional rac-

ism found in the South. Because of his committed faith in God, he chose to challenge the status quo and help the wrongfully convicted despite the consequences.

Stevenson entered into his client’s pain and made it his mission to give the man a voice in a world that would not listen to him. Instead of feeling apathy for his clients, Stevenson strove to seek justice for the underprivileged.

We need more Christians like Stevenson who see the brokenness in our world and then act on it.

No matter what you think about America’s current race issue or the media coverage that the issue gets, no one can deny the burden that minorities carry.

Instead of neglecting or ignoring their pain, embrace it.

Try to understand where they are coming from by having a conversation with them.

In fact, this was how Jesus lived. He entered into the suffering of others and reconciled the broken to God. This is what Jesus calls us to do, too.

Right now in 2020, I believe we are not supposed to stay quiet while others are hurting. Rather, we need to be engaged in conversations with those that have been placed in our lives.

Only by understanding and listening to others can we start to seek justice for the broken.

This Week in Collegian History

Students take to the screen September 25, 1940 “As I See It” Op Ed by Tom Shcarer If you’ll recall from previous history classes, US involvement in WW2 did not start until the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941.

At GCC 80 years ago, there was much speculation on the nature of the war and how long it would be.

In this op ed, student Tom Shcarer discussed the wheat economy and the devastating effect that the war and the winter had on Europe.

Germany’s “Danubian granary” accounted for about 60% of Europe’s wheat supply; though it had been won

by English forces after a very long, harsh winter—one of the most bitter Europe had seen for some time—that same winter and retreating German torches cost over two thirds of the continent’s supply.

Wars are fought with more than bullets and men; “Armies leave nothing but poverty in their wake.”

This was a terrible setback for Allied forces, and the war would rage on for 5 more years.

September 25, 1970 OB innovates orientation program By this time in 2020, OB events have begun to taper off as classes are in full swing and freshmen have (hopefully) begun to truly settle in.

Not so in 1970; Orientation Board events continued through the end of September.

Another difference 50 years ago was the inclusion of faculty in major events, with them participating and leading workshops in things like “Silk Screening, Washington Gossip, Existentialism, Folklore and a ‘Surprise Package’

by Dean Kring.”

September 7, 1990 “Grovers Tackle Television” by Laura Wagner While many students trudged off to jobs the summer of 1990, two Grove City students—junior communication major Karin Hawkins and sophomore physics major Jason Wakefield—experienced the fast-paced and unpredictable world of television news.

Karin worked as a reporter and assignment editor at HVIT channel 30, of the NBC station in Hartford CT; Jason, at the CBS station in Erie, PA as assistant to the meteorologist on WSEE channel 35.

In the 500 hours the two students worked, both agreed that the world of television is fast-paced and competitive, and most certainly not for the faint of heart.

But, hey—we know Grovers can take it, don’t we?

Jules Wooldridge

Staff Writer

News The Collegian,

Sept. 18, 2020

Page 3

Local theater for sale Guthrie seeks owner, remains open

Noel Elvin Staff Writer

Four weeks ago, Grove City’s beloved Guthrie Theatre went up for sale.

While COVID-19 has affected everyone, it has substantially impacted movie theaters.

Being forced to close in the first week of March until mid-May, the Guthrie, like all theaters, has taken a hard hit.

According to owner Spencer Folmar ’10, they have only been permitted to operate at 25 percent capacity since they reopened in May. Prior to showing Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” at the beginning of September, the Guthrie’s last premiere was “Sonic the Hedgehog” in February of 2020.

Folmar said, “We’ve taken quite a hit honestly. Studio releases are what makes a theater at all profitable just to keep the doors open.”

With no new releases, it is difficult for theaters to sustain themselves. Many movies, including “Mulan,” “You Should Have Left” and “King of Staten Island,” have been released directly onto

NOEL ELVIN

Movie-goers line up outside the Guthrie to see the movie ‘Tenet’ last week. The theater is currently looking for a new owner, but will remain open in the process. streaming services, completely skipping the movie premiere stage.

Movie release dates continue to get postponed.

“We definitely had no intention of selling before COVID hit, and it just hit us at a really bad time. I had personally put in quite a bit of money into the renovations, and then the theater business in general isn’t a very profitable business,” Folmar said.

Folmar continued, “We’re

going to stay open as long as possible. We hope to keep going. Maybe the business will turn around. If we can find a new steward of this building to preserve it and give it the resources to survive the storm, we want to find that person now.”

Although it is up for sale, the Guthrie does not plan to close their doors, informed Folmar.

They have been showing “Tenet” since the beginning

The financial column

Stocking up early

Everyone knows that investing is a good thing to do.

The wonders of compounding interest are easy enough to understand. Investing early can lead to great payoff in the future. Yet, too few college students actually invest.

The stock market looms as an intimidating, complicated, fast-paced arena that we avoid. While it is true that approaching the stock market should not be done flippantly (there are risks), there are plenty of ways to mitigate those risks. The goal of this article is to give you as the reader a clear path to enter the wonderful world of investing.

The chaos the coronavirus pandemic caused is a great example of a fickle stock market. Any money that you will need within the next year or so probably should not be put into stocks for this reason. The reality is that while the long-term market trend is always up, the near-term is not necessarily that rosy.

The best first step to buying your first stock is to open a free account with a broker-

PLASTIC

continued from 1 any risk to human health presented by the increase use an exposure to plastics in our dining hall is out weighted by the risk associated with the spread of COVID if we use dining practices as usual.”

While eating out of plastic

BATS

continued from 1 roommate realized it was a bat, they rushed out of the room and closed the door until security arrived and took over.

“What surprised me most about the event was how the bat managed to find its

of September, and its final showing will be on Saturday, Sept. 26.

According to Folmar, after the final showing of “Tenet,” the Guthrie will be showing “The Lord of the Rings” as a themed event. They are also planning a Christmas play for the community theater; however, this plan is still not yet official. Students of Grove City College adore the Guthrie and want it to remain a part of the Grove City cul-

DIVERSITY

continued from 1

age, such as a Robinhood.

Having and putting money into accounts like these will allow you to buy and trade stocks.

What should you buy? The answer to this question depends on your situation and goals.

The simplest and safest way, though, would be to find a low-cost mutual fund that mimics a major market index like the S&P 500.

That might sound like a lot of finance lingo, so let me explain.

An index-fund is just a collection of individual stocks.

In exchange for a small fee, a manager buys and sells individual stocks so that the proportion of each in the fund is proportional to their presence in the market.

If you put money into that fund then, you are essentially buying small pieces of 10s if not 100s or even 1000s of shares in different companies. This allows you to diversify and reduce any excess risk you are taking on and reap the benefits of the overall growth of the market.

A great, low-cost fund

to consider would be Vanguard’s 500 Index Fund, which trades under the ticker VFINX. If the market goes up, you can be sure to ride these gains without the hassle and risk of trying to research individual companies and securities.

In short, investing is too important to be ignored until after college. The few extra years of compounding interest that your college years make a huge difference down the road. Getting into the market is simple.

Brokerages like Robinhood allow you to open free accounts and trade for free.

If you have any cash sitting in an account that you will not need within the next year or two, at least a portion of it should find a home in one such account and eventually be used to purchase a market-based index fund.

This diversification will allow you to reap the rewards of the market with minimal risk.

occasionally is not problematic, eating out of it three times a day would not be ideal.

While some students want to be recycling everything they use, it’s not possible in Mercer County.

To reduce this problem, more entrees, sides and sal-

ads could be served in aluminum bowls which are more environmentally friendly.

A simple way to reduce plastic waste could be to install sensor water bottle filling stations, like ones found in other buildings on campus, throughout the cafeteria.

at 2,173 out of 2,718 in ethnic diversity nationwide with a student body composition that is below the national average The council is also considering the role that faculty with more diverse backgrounds, including experience with curriculum focused on other cultures, might have in meeting the college’s goals, Jose said.

Although trying to create a more diverse student body is good, Jose said that the school must first focus on the current minority population on campus now.

“The initial emphasis of the meeting was ‘how do we bring more ethnic diversity on campus through student, faculty and staff?’” Jose said.

“And those are great, but we need to figure out how to support our minority students who are already here.”

According to sophomore Tanohah Leon, a member on the council, “we must create space on campus for higher recruitment before focusing on recruitment.”

A good way to create that culture, according to Leon, is to have venues on campus for minority students to be able to talk about their experiences.

“I think a lot of people are unaware of the challenges that students of minority backgrounds go through,” Leon said.

“I’m really excited to see what the council is going to do and have hope that they will be successful,” Leon said.

Elsie Becker, president of Students for Ethnic Aware-

way through our window.

We have two windows: one was closed completely at the time, and the other was open just two to three inches to allow some cool air into the room. Our room was also dimly lit at the time,” he said.

“Nonetheless, the bat found its way in.”

Although these sightings

of bats in dormitories have been startling to campus residents, nobody has been bitten by one yet.

This was confirmed by Larry Hardesty, Vice President for Student Life and Learning, who said he receives a copy of the incident report any time there is a bat on campus.

Furthermore, Hardesty stated, “The reality is if we have a bat in the residence hall, the protocol is that we need to send the bat to the lab, and the lab is able to say if the bat has rabies or not.

Typically, they’re able to get results back in two to three days is what they tell us.”

However, even though ac-

Karsten Lagerquist

Contributing Writer

ture.

Junior Sarah Matthews commented, “I think that it would be a good idea if the college bought the Guthrie, because it would offer more on-campus activities.”

Manager Bill Grigsby has been working with Folmar since before they opened the Guthrie.

When asked if he intends to continue working at the Guthrie, he responded, “I’d be happy to do whatever the new owner would like to do.”

“It was not an easy decision for us,” Grigsby said. “We talked about it for months.

Because we’re nonprofit, we solely rely on the support of the community, and because of everything that has happened with the economy, that has led us to the difficult decision to sell.”

Folmar added, “We’re going to continue to operate, and we’re really appreciative of the college and all the support they’ve given me and our theater and the community as well. We’ve been very welcomed here these past two years. We’ll stick around as long as we are needed, and we look forward to finding a good, new owner.” ness and Diversity said she believes the council is “long overdue” and diversity helps the college better reflect the kingdom of God. “The Grove City bubble is 92 percent white, but the world isn’t,” Becker said. “As Christians, we need to be prepared for the world.”

As the purpose of the council states, the school wants to broaden the perspectives of students to other cultures so that they can be better prepared to enter the world, especially as Christians sharing the gospel.

“Alums have mentioned that when they left Grove City and went into diverse environments, they were not ready for those hard conversations,” Jose said. “With that, we want to support our minority students and our majority students by helping them have a better Christian perspective of how to think of this conversation.”

The Multicultural Education Department earlier this month hosted a campus forum where students could freely share their experiences about the racial justice protest movement that exploded this summer after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. About 40 to 50 students and faculty members attended.

Professor Cedric Lewis, a member of the council, was among the speakers.

“Don’t be afraid to talk to each other,” he encouraged the student body. “The love of God is the reason we are all here. And sharing it with one another is what we must do. Don’t be afraid to tell your truth.” cording to the Centers for Disease Control the chances of contracting rabies from a bat is slim, Hardesty still advises students to take precautionary measures when necessary. This means distancing oneself from the bat as much as possible and letting Campus Safety handle it.

Community The Collegian, Sept. 18, 2020

Page 4

FIONA LACEY

Juinors Bryce Lowe and Ben Cooley mow a Grove City lawn. Lowe started mowing at 12 and now has his own lawncare business that services the Grove City area.

Let Lowe mow

Students support education with lawn care Fiona Lacey

Community Editor Think you’ve seen junior Bryce Lowe mowing lawns around Grove City lately?

You’re not mistaken.

Lowe, a lawn mower since the age of 12, is the founder and, in fact, owner of Ridgeline Landscaping, a local lawn-mowing business operating in the Grove City area since 2019.

With around 60 lawn contracts, Lowe has hired at least two workers and contracts off other work to local lawn mowers in town.

Lowe’s operation, only a year old, is built on a decade of hard work.

“Growing up my dad really wanted to teach me and my older brother how to work,” Lowe explained. “We did paper routes and odd jobs at construction sites. When I was 11, I started cutting grass.”

Scott Amon

“There was very little profit, but I would cut the lawn, type up a little invoice and give it to my dad- that was great,” Lowe said. It was this instilling of work ethic by Lowe’s father that carried him through into adulthood, and to finally create this business.

“It was great- so educational, because it was so hard,” Lowe said.

Then tuition bills hit hard during Lowe’s freshman year at Grove City, and he decided to create a business out of his regular side-hustle.

“I thought, hey, I could make some good money from this,” Lowe said. “Why not make this something I could do for a while to pay the bills.”

“I’m growing and building it, and next year I’m actually going to take out a big loan from the bank,” Lowe said. “I can really grow this into something I can do for

at least a couple years after college.”

Lowe plans on lawn-mowing throughout college and into grad school, maintaining business until he can eventually make a living as a Classics professor.

But Lowe finds his particular purpose in the mentorship that his business brings, both for himself and those working for him. “I’ve learned so much about just the value of hard work. I used to resent it so much because it was so hard,” Lowe said. “But it’s supposed to be hard.”

A number of Lowe’s employees have been able to find purpose and direction through Ridgeline Landscaping, particularly Grove City High School student, Ben Anastasi, who, according to Lowe, doesn’t plan on attending a university.

“I’ve been able to sit down with Ben and ask him about his goals” Lowe said. “He’s

FIONA LACEY

Bryce Lowe and Ben Cooley pose on the back of Lowe’s truck. been taking on more responsibility with the business and is doing really well.” Anastasi has worked for Lowe for a while, making him a valuable asset to Lowe and his business in years to come.

Lowe and his workers, like Ben Cooley and Ben Anastasi, can be found all throughout the Grove City area, mowing lawns and taking on new contracts as time permits.

Lowe described his business tactic simply: “I knock on [a resident’s] door and tell

them I can mow their lawn for a certain price. They’ll say ok, mow it every x amount of times a month, and that’s another customer.”

Lowe hopes to grow Ridgeline Landscaping into a fullyfledged company, wanting to gross around $35,000 by the end of 2020, and $50,000 by the end of next year.

“Throughout all of this I’ve really learned what it means to work hard,” Lowe said.

“And I’ve enjoyed sharing that with others.”

Zooming for the Eucharist

Staff Writer

When COVID struck Grove City College last Spring causing the college to close, all student organizations had no choice but to switch to online meetings.

The Newman Club was one of the clubs that made the transition from in-person meetings to being entirely virtual. The Newman Club is a student-run organization that is dedicated to serving the Catholic students on campus. In semesters past, the Newman Club held weekly meetings that featured a speaker, Monday night dinners, game nights, faith discussions and weekly recitations of the Rosary.

The pandemic interrupted all these activities.

“We were unable to meet together in-person for fellowship at meetings,” said vice-president of the Newman Club, Hope Fiely. Additionally, officer elections had to be conducted entirely online which had never been

done before.

Though the Newman Club has now returned to campus, the group is remaining cautious, “This semester, we are limiting in-person meetings… resulting in more virtual meetings, just to limit the potential spread of COVID,” said Fiely.

These limitations, however, did not stop the club from hosting a meet and greet earlier this month. “We had one event,” said Fiely. “Our on-campus meet and greet at the firepit on lower campus.”

The event was a success according to Fiely, “We had over thirty attendees, and the new Dean of the Chapel [Dean Opitz] was able to stop by.”

Another difficulty facing religious clubs, like the Newman Club, is religious service attendance. Many students opted to remain on-campus and watch live-streamed services. A large number of Newman Club members chose to remain on-campus for Mass as well. However, an integral part of the Catho-

lic Mass is the reception of the Eucharist – the Body of Christ.

Delaney Stull, the Newman Club president, and Fiely worked hard to bring the Eucharist onto campus, “We spoke to our new pastor at Beloved Disciple along with the campus ministries department to find a way to bring the consecrated hosts (the Eucharist) to campus,” said Fiely.

An agreement was reached with the college administration that a student or professor could transport the consecrated hosts to and from the campus.

The Newman Club is also learning to adapt to COVID restrictions by focusing less on large group meetings and emphasizing virtual meetings, small group discussions and prayer groups. Prayer is an especially important aspect of Newman Club, “Matthew 12:20 talks about the importance of group prayer, and our structured prayer time provides that,” said Fiely.

The Newman Club chaplain, Mark Armour, leads the Rosary group and Liturgy of the Hours, while Stull and Fiely are starting a book club that emphasizes “the roles of different women in the Bible.” Through these programs, the Newman Club hopes to help the Catholic students grow in their spiritual lives, especially during COVID. The Newman Club is changing the way they have conducted meetings for years due to campus restrictions.

These restrictions, however, are providing an opportunity for re-evaluation.

Fiely said, “COVID has limited our ability to have on-campus speakers, but it has given us the opportunity to have speakers that we couldn’t have before through the utilization of Zoom/Teams calls.” Speakers no longer need to travel to the college campus but can give their presentations from their workplace or home. Switching to a virtual platform allows the New-

man Club a greater variety of speakers.

Like many organizations and clubs at GCC, the Newman Club had many trials to overcome before returning to campus but have come out on top. The club is still a place where students “can grow deeper in our faith along with relationships with our fellow Catholic students,” said Fiely. Despite uncertainties and restrictions, the Newman Club continues to do well Fiely said, “Our membership has grown even during this uncertainty and we are grateful for that.”

By persevering through the present trials, the Newman Club is following President McNulty’s exhortation to “Be strong and do good.” A lot of changes have forced their way onto campus, but as the Patron Saint of the Newman Club – St. John Henry Newman – said, “To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.”

The Collegian, Sept. 18, 2020

7 Questions with...

Page 5

COVID-19 is testing everyone’s limits Chris Murphy

Contributing Writer

Dr. Seulgi Byun

Chair, Associate Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies What do you listen to on your ride home?

The Dave Brubeck Quartet What are you currently reading?

Bring the Noise: The Jürgen Klopp Story What’s something you’ve been pondering lately?

When will Missy start making omelettes again?

Favorite restaurant right now?

Chez Byun Name the one movie that makes you tear up.

Students of Grove City College may have arrived on campus for the new academic year, but unfortunately, so has COVID-19.

The school’s administration has established conventions to prevent the spread of the virus and the potential for proliferation; one notable way has been offering testing to students before and during the year’s start.

Before arrival, all students were required to complete a COVID-19 screening through Quest Diagnostic, a franchised, medical testing company, to determine an individual’s risk of exposure.

If necessary, the student in question would be sent a testing kit to identify any traces of the illness.

While these screenings adequately assessed students, one student, the first Grove City student to contract COVID-19, became infected after their evaluation. The student did not realize they were exposed until after their return to school.

“I was working at a family

What are you looking forward to today?

With the release of Dr. Paul Kengor’s book, ‘The Devil and Karl Marx,’ The Collegian sat down with him to learn more about his work.

Whichever one doesn’t fall asleep on me!

antine and isolation as a result of a second COVID-19 case on campus, unrelated to the first case.

Sophomore Kathryn Miller was isolated due to the first introduction of coronavirus.

“It was interesting. It was a lot of eating by yourself…it was hard to not be able to invest in other friendships and things during that time,” she said. “I think even introverts would’ve gotten bored of it.”

Senior Josh Tricarico was also in the initial grouping of isolated students.

“I was so bored one day, and I usually run every day and so I ended up running an entire mile in my room,” he said. “It wasn’t how I expected my senior year to start that’s for sure.”

The first student with COVID-19 also hopes the community can come together to protect one another from infection. They said, “I think the school is doing everything in their ability to keep on top of it…these rules are in place for a reason. As of right now it’s really important that we do wear masks and that we are trying to be very mindful of the rules in place.”

John Kalajian

Contributing Writer

Favorite class you’re teaching right now?

standard right now,” Hardesty said. “Both of those were top notch, but the fun thing was that [McNulty said] ‘look, we’re going to enter into agreements with both of them because if one of them’s not able to meet those standards, we’ll move to the other’…what we’re finding is [the tests] are hitting the timeframes that they’ve told us.”

In reference to an email sent to the school on Sept. 4, Hardesty explained the purpose of the message: “The president’s email and my video are both intended to encourage students…we’re seeing a lot of students who are dropping the mask, we’re seeing students who are connecting outside and they’re not wearing the mask, and I understand it’s hard.”

To those who have gone through the contact tracing protocol, Hardesty said, “There’s no blame there. I’m not blaming people for where we were and what has happened. I think as a community you learn, and you move forward.”

A large number of students have recently been in quar-

Kengor introduces new book

The Pursuit of Happyness

My evening walk with my wife

camp in Colorado,” the exposed student said. “We got a message from our director that other people at the camp had tested positive… [Aug. 19] was when I found out that I was probably highly exposed.”

Even though the student was not sent a testing kit from Quest, the school did not hold them accountable for the missed opportunity to assess themselves. “To their knowledge, why would I need a test? If I had gotten a test when I took the screening, I would’ve tested negative because I hadn’t been exposed yet.”

Now that the semester has begun however, GCC can personally dispense tests and monitor infection of the student body though on-campus testing. Larry Hardesty, Vice President of Student Life and Learning, explained the school’s process in detail: “We originally thought about going with antigen testing, which is rapid testing, to be able to give us a quick response on ‘ok, is this COVID?’ Antigen testing is not nearly as effective as PCR testing - the gold

Q: Your new book is called The Devil and Karl Marx - Why this title?

A: I have a history with spiritual biography, but I’ve always wanted to do a spiritual exploration of Marx. And yet, given Marx’s intense atheism and his shocking and deeply disturbing writings (particularly poems and plays) about the devil, a more fitting title for this one seemed to be The Devil and Karl Marx and certainly not God and Karl Marx.

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Q: Why did you write this book and who is the intended audience?

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A: As a Christian scholar, I try to write books that I believe have value to the world and the faith. For the record, I’m not the first to discover this dark side of Marx. Marx’s musings about the Prince of Darkness is a subject avoided like the plague by his aficionados, particularly recent hagiographers, but others in the past have written about it. It has been clearly documented for a long time. In fact, these writings by Marx were found by his first biographer, Franz Mehring, in the late 1800s. Mehring, a Marx admirer and socialist, urged Marx’s daughter to not let these writings see the light of day. It was David Ryazanov, founder of the MarxEngels Institute in Moscow, who had the intellectual integrity to preserve them.

For more info about being a Collegian photographer, email gcc.collegian@ gmail.com or KinneyWA17@ gcc.edu

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TAN BOOKS

Paul Kengor’s book, ‘The Devil and Karl Marx,’ is a spiritual exploration of Karl Marx and his ideals.

Q: What is the relevance of this book to the campus and greater society?

worldview and how such a positive worldview can build a better society. Implicit to that understanding is knowing (and warning about) the dangers and even despair and destructiveness of an explicitly and aggressively anti-Christian and militantly atheistic worldview. That was Marx and Marxism and communism. Marx called religion not merely the “opiate of the masses” but “the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. This was not a routine atheism. It was very harmful.

A: We at Grove City College believe in the fundamental importance of a Christian

Q: What is a proper Christian response to the rise of neo-Commu-

nism?

A: To reject it. As Marx said, “Communism begins where atheism begins.” Vladimir Lenin declared that “any worship of a divinity is a necrophilia,” insisted that “there is nothing more abominable than religion,” and demanded: “Everyone must be absolutely free to … be an atheist, which every socialist is, as a rule.” The proper Christian response to that is to reject it.

Q: What do you think Karl Marx was trying to accomplish with his work? What were his motivations?

A: Literally nothing short of a revolution and new world.

Marx in the Manifesto said that communism represents “the most radical rupture in traditional relations.” It seeks to “abolish the present state of things.” He called for the “ruthless criticism of all that exists.” That’s a rather chilling thought from Karl Marx.

In an interview I did with Dennis Prager, he kept coming back to those lines like, “Everything that exists deserves to perish.” He told me: “It’s just pure nihilism.” It is indeed. It’s a very destructive philosophy, utterly un-Christian. This is something I feel people must know, especially as far too many today are praising communism and advocating socialism.

Through the lens,

Sept 18, 2020

Page 6

All it’s Trumped up to be

Art and text by Wes Kinney

The 2020 election year is posed to be one of the most monumental election years in our lifetime. I knew that attending this rally would be a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to be able to see what the general media outlets love to take snippits of to fit their agendas. I was not disappointed.

In going to my first ever presidential rally I knew that I didn’t want to focus on the person speaking. I was more interested in the crowds and how diverse they were. This was a family event with kids as young as five years old, to grandparents standing with their families gathered to hear the curent president speak.

Most of the crowds had been there most of the day, rain or shine.

President Trump is usually portrayed as an angry and spiteful man in most media. This rally showed me that his kindness is often misunderstood. Trump is able to show his leadership in the way he speaks and carries himself in front of a crowd.

See, usually I would think that a rally is a waste of time. It is usually a speaker talking about how good he/she is and never giving credit to those that got them there. This rally was far from that. Trump calls out names in both a positive and negative sense. He builds up his supporters as well as the policy makers that he has worked with in the state of Pensylvania. Trump makes sure to spend more time on positives than negatives. He also makes an effort to say “We” not “I” did such and such.

Seeing him in person made all the difference to me.

EDITOR’S NOTE: At this time, the college encourages students to remain on campus unless for a reason that is deemed “significant or essential.” Given the milestone election year and the current state of the political landscape, we believe President Trump’s Latrobe rally to fall under this classification.

Through the lens,

Sept 18, 2020

Page 7

Perspectives The Collegian,

Page 8

Sept. 18, 2020

90 degree rule isn’t right Students object to college’s open hours updates Andrew McDevitt

to go somewhere off-campus where they can employ their basic freedoms and privacies. A basic level of trust and leniency with the student body will certainly ensure that they will not feel a need to travel off-campus, endangering us all further.

The majority of students are wearing masks and complying with restrictions.

Greek groups, OB and sports

teams seem to contain the majority of the issues we’ve seen, given that they require a lesser amount of distance and safety than other groups.

Yet, they are allowed to continue with their practices and events with minimal restrictions. This results in large groups of students being sent into numerous quarantines.

The rest of us are forced to deal with the ineffective and pointless restrictions the college insists on placing instead of acting effectively to target the actual causes of transmission. Swing dance is allowed to proceed despite a nearly negative amount of social distance between students, yet a woman in a men’s dorm requires a fully open door. Regulations like the ninety-degree rule do nothing to address the actual issues leading to the spread of COVID. I was working and weathering the pandemic along with my girlfriend before we returned to campus. We had been taking safety actions and preparations together.

Now I’m not even allowed to have a conversation with her without the entire hall listening to us speak as we try to ignore everyone else’s conversations.

Students’ attitudes will save this semester, not authoritarian rules. The increased restrictions does little more than detrimentally impact students’ attitudes toward the restrictions and their mental health in an already dangerous and stressful time. It’s hard to trust a school whose motto is “faith and freedom matter” when our freedoms are continuously ignored without giving us ample justification. If freedom doesn’t matter to this school, why should our faith in them matter?

student body. He also mentioned why some people won’t recommend the college.

“If a given student does not have a great experience at GCC, they are not likely to recommend the college.

That’s unfortunate, that’s a drawback,” Jose said.

“Whether that’s the college not serving them well, them not fitting in, or whatever the factor, that plays a significant part in recruitment.”

So how do we actively strive for greater diversity without compromising our core values?

First, we must be intentional and strategic in recruiting more diverse students and faculty. Scripture is clear that people of all nations, tribes and tongues will be worshipping together before the throne of our Lord and Savior, so let us hasten the kingdom of God by modeling our Christian community on earth after what it will be like in Heaven. As Jesus prayed, “as on Heaven, also on earth,” (Matthew 6:10).

Justin Jose also noted that there is a practical reason to have a diverse recruitment plan. Estimates show that by 2050, America will be a

majority minority nation, so we must look to the growing minority populations to increase our enrollment.

Furthermore, we should look for opportunities to engage with minority students and faculty, but never in a way that tokenizes them. No matter their skin color, everyone is equally created by God, so let us treat everyone as such.

“There is a thriving minority middle class, that’s where the college needs to find a way to form relationships with schools, with churches with people who are against the common stereotypes of GCC. It’s just a matter of building those relationships,” Jose added.

Grove City College is not evil or racist for not being diverse, but if we, and I mean all of us, don’t work to make the college a more diverse and truly accepting place, we will be at fault.

As a conservative college, we don’t like change. However, changes, like intentionally reaching out to more diverse areas wouldn’t change our identity, are practical and further the Scriptural picture of the kingdom of God.

Contributing Writer

Grove City College has implemented many new restrictions to ensure students’ safety this semester due to the pandemic.

Most of these, like the mask mandates, are indisputable and should be followed and enforced for the safety of the entire campus. Others are so senseless; they may end up doing more harm than good to the campus and students.

Recently, the college administration began toying with a new “ninety-degree rule” for the campus’s open hours policy. This rule requires students to keep the door of their rooms open at least a ninety-degree angle when someone of the opposite gender is in the room.

The administration says that “the door being 90 degrees is helpful as it allows air to circulate in the rooms.”

Airflow is proven to help reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19.

Under normal circumstances, however, students are not allowed to close their doors. They are required to have the door open at least four inches when a visitor of the opposite gender is in the room. The open doors are also being seen as an open invite for those walking by to enter the room. This encourages students to expose themselves to more people and further endangers the future of our semester. A fully open door provides minimal improvement to the previous guidelines and does not seem like a significant enough impactor to institute a rule sacrificing the remainder of our

WES KINNEY

privacy.

The rule is ineffective.

Male residents are allowed to visit another male’s room and keep the door closed behind them, yet the administration takes no issue with them. If airflow is really this important, why do we only need to have our doors open when there are women in the men’s rooms? Shouldn’t they be open all the time then?

This feels like an affront on our basic freedoms rather than a COVID restriction since they only seem to care about the spread of the virus when it’s between genders.

Instituting rules this rigid has an even bigger negative reaction. The college is trying desperately to keep students on campus. The less they allow students to do on campus, the more likely they are

Difficulty fostering diversity Clark Mummau Perspectives Editor

Several weeks ago, Grove City College President Paul J. McNulty ’80 announced the formation of the President’s Advisory Council on Diversity. The goal of this council is to continue to help the college to promote a diverse learning community.

Grove City College, the town of Grove City and much of the surrounding region are notably not diverse.

According to U.S. Census data, 90.0 percent of Mercer County is non-Hispanic or Latino white, and GCC is 91.4 percent white and 8.6 percent nonwhite.

It is easy to bemoan this problem, but there is no easy solution to it. I think that Grove City College’s lack of diversity comes from its location, unique financial aid philosophy and legacy factor.

As a result of these factors, many students, particular minorities, may be less attracted to Grove City College, but I do not believe that it a problem with the college it-

“No matter their skin color, everyone is equally created by God, so let us treat everyone as such.”

self.

Grove City is in the middle of Western Pennsylvania about an hour from any major city, and the area is overwhelmingly white. It is more than understandable why students who are not white might hesitate to come here because very few people, both at the college and in the community, look like them.

One of Grove City College’s unique aspects is that they don’t inflate the price of tuition, unlike most other colleges, and the college doesn’t accept federal funds.

At many schools, the high prices paid by some students go towards paying for scholarships like minority scholarships. I don’t think Grove City College’s policy is morally flawed, but practically,

people are going to go where the money is, and that is often not here.

However, the fact of limited resources should not dissuade minorities from coming here. According to Justin Jose, the director of Multicultural Education and Initiatives, there are multiple organizations offering private scholarships for different students. He specifically mentioned The Pittsburgh Promise, which helps students from Pittsburgh attend higher education affordably.

One of the most common sources of recruitment is word of mouth and recommendations. According to Jose, we don’t have many deep ties with areas that are more diverse, so it is harder for to recruit a more diverse

The Collegian,

Sept. 18, 2020

Page 9

When everything is uncertain

Allison Smith

Contributing Writer As an education major, your whole college career has undertones of building up to the semester of student teaching.

Finally, you get to put into practice everything you’ve talked about for the last three or three and a half years. You’re excited, nervous and ready for the challenge. You anticipate some things that will be unexpected, but that comes from working with kids, right?

But what if it feels like everything is uncertain and unexpected?

I am a music education major from Texas. Typically, student teaching placements are confirmed in April or May of the preceding spring.

Mine was not confirmed with my school district until early August, so I spent the summer wondering if I would

even be able to student teach this semester. About a week before returning to campus, the principal of my school requested that I remain on campus for two weeks before coming to school since I am from Texas, currently a restricted travel state for Pennsylvania.

For those two weeks, I worked independently, communicating with my cooperating teacher each day, planning lessons, learning our songs and familiarizing myself with what to expect when I was able to go to school. The second week in, I had to selfisolate for two days while I waited to hear the news of a friend’s test results. His test results came back negative and I was released, but that incident made me realize that my going to school was not a sure thing. Anything could come up, and I could be required to stay on campus.

The day finally came. I got up early and went for a run, ate breakfast, read my Bible and showered. At 7:15 a.m., I

left to drive to school. I honestly couldn’t believe it. After two weeks on campus, I was very excited. Was I still nervous? Absolutely. But I was so ready to be with the kids.

My current placement is in a K-3 school, and at the beginning of October I’ll switch over to high school. It’s been very interesting to be in the school environment at this time and hear conversations between teachers.

My cooperating teacher, who has taught music at this school for 29 years, said she feels like a first-year teacher again. The students, she said, are not where they normally would be academically, socially and musically. She is teaching almost a grade level lower than she normally would to catch them up.

However, she’s also only getting through about half of a normal lesson each period due to extra procedures: kids sanitizing hands when they enter and exit the room; sanitizing instruments between every use; spending part of the period outside (which

takes longer than you’d expect) so the kids can spread out and remove their masks for a few minutes; reminding students to wear their mask or face shield properly and not touch each other… and the list goes on.

On Tuesday, we had lunch with two of the other specials teachers and discussed the difficulties of the school’s current hybrid approach.

Teachers are expected to livestream classes and create online assignments for the students who are enrolled online. This comes with many difficulties, as some classes simply do not lend themselves to livestreaming well. For example, most children do not have the music classroom instruments at home and would not have the attention span to sit and participate in a whole class without the community of their classmates.

So, my cooperating teacher has been making lesson videos for them each week that consider what they may have at home that they could use

instead. All parts of online teaching require extensive extra planning and time. Yet the teachers are not given any additional compensation or even additional planning periods during the day to accomplish these things. There are also concerns surrounding livestreams, such as privacy of students and inappropriate participation of the parents of online learners.

The world of education right now is a challenging place, but my cooperating teacher and advisors have all been saying that if I can teach now, I can do anything, as the amount of creativity, energy, patience and understanding required right now is above and beyond the normal.

I have been encouraged by the amount of enthusiasm and determination I see in both the students and teachers at my school in the face of the unexpected challenges of this time, and I hope to carry the inspiration of their examples with me as I go forward.

Catching fire

Revolution possible as Belarus election fuels conflict John Kalajian

Contributing Writer

EVE LEE

The plastic plight Sierra Nagy

Contributing Writer The pandemic has brought with it many unintended consequences, some of which may seem too microscopic on a personal level to hold any significance; one of these consequences is our new wasteful system of obtaining meals.

Yes, it currently appears as though plastic and paper containers are the most costeffective and efficient means to distribute student meals at this time. But in the long run, how much impact may this truly have?

Considering each student on average has three meals on campus, that amounts to at least three large plastic or paper containers excluding side dishes such as salads and disposable silverware.

Hypothetically let’s assume that each person only takes one drink for each meal. That only amounts to six pieces of plastic per person a day.

However, when considering that there are about 2,000 (number rounded down to provide an approximate excluding commuters) students producing a minimum of six pieces of plastic a day,

the volume of waste produced begins to look rather intimidating.

Out of these numbers, how many people actually recycle consistently? Of course, the situation isn’t helped by students not knowing what can actually be recycled. If only drink bottles can be recycled those looming numbers start to look a lot worse. Typically plastics will not be accepted for at recycling plants unless they have been cleaned out.

Admittedly, the strong yet time-consuming academics of Grove City does not allow for much room to worry about cleaning the plastic containers we get each meal in.

However, being that this institution holds Christian values at such a high level, and most of the student body holds the same values, a Christian perspective of the waste production should not be ignored. God calls for humans to cultivate the Earth, and though not directly stated, to sustain it so that future generations may prosper from it as well. At this rate, the resources of the Earth are not exactly being sustained.

These rough calculations do not even include all the other waste produced that cannot be recycled. Returning students likely noticed

the influx of garbage in comparison to other years since so much trash was being placed into the garbage containers outside each dorm, that we resorted to using the large dumpsters instead.

Now overflowing garbage containers and plastic bag tumbleweeds have most unfortunately come to plague our beautiful campus. A peaceful walk around lower campus is altered by the sight of plastic drink bottles which occasionally drift down the creek, and meal containers lying on the ground beside the overfilled trash cans they fell out of.

The trash buildup should not be attributed to our maintenance staff, whose work has already been increased due to the pandemic, but rather the method through which we now get our meals.

It has come to the point where it is necessary to evaluate whether or not we as a student body feel comfortable with our current recycling habits as well the amount of waste we are producing during this pandemic. We are undeniably blessed that we have access to so much food and various means of receiving it.

However, with that blessing comes much responsibility.

Amidst news of coronavirus, race riots, ammonium nitrate explosions and American politicians on both the left and right who cannot seem to get their act together, another event has occurred recently that has not received the attention it deserves.

On Aug. 9, the Republic of Belarus, a landlocked Eastern European country of approximately 9.45 million people held presidential elections. Incumbent Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko “won” a sixth term as president with over 80 percent of the vote.

Lukashenko, who has been President of Belarus since 1994, has described himself as having an “authoritarian ruling style,” has been called “Europe’s last dictator” and is not recognized as the legitimate President of Belarus by the European Union.

His opponent, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, recently had to flee to neighboring Lithuania due to pressure from government police.

From Lithuania, Tsikhanouskaya, a former teacher, has sent messages saying that she is ready and willing to lead the resistance to establish proper democracy in Belarus.

Following the elections, thousands of protestors flooded the streets of Minsk demanding that Lukashenko resign. Over 7,000 were arrested, and the protests are now in their third week. The Soviet-style dictator has said there will be no new election for the Belarusian presidency “until you kill me.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin, one of Lukashenko’s only international allies, has openly voiced his support for Lukashenko maintaining his control over Belarus.

With the European Union and the United States now

threatening sanctions on Belarus, Russia coming to Lukashenko’s aid and American Armed Forces extending their stay in Lithuania, it seems as though a new Cold War is fomenting between the East and the West - between democracy and dictatorship.

What will unfold in Belarus over the next several weeks will be interesting in that it may decide the fate of several generations of Belarusians. This rigged election may finally be the spark that launches the revolution that will overthrow Lukashenko’s regime.

As a nation that partially owes its independence to the intervention of pro-democracy French forces, the United States (and the rest of the West for that matter), should take an active interest in the situation in Belarus. The Belarusian people are under a totalitarian regime that enforces strict censorship, limits the right to worship and whose people live in perpetual fear of being arrested by the state and detained without trial.

In order to ensure that the Belarusian people’s rights are abused no longer and to make the world safe from totalitarianism, the West should sanction Belarus as much as possible, support the resistance led by Tsikhanouskaya and openly aid the democratic protestors. The Belarusian government under Lukashenko is illicit, and therefore the West should aid the citizens in overturning the government and establishing a fair Belarusian state.

The legacy of the Soviet Union lives on in states such as North Korea and Belarus, and the West needs to take a stronger stance to ensure that the citizens under totalitarian regimes have the means and support in order to dispose of their dictators and implement fairer governments.

CONNECT WITH 100 EMPLOYERS AND GRAD SCHOOLS RIGHT FROM YOUR LAPTOP.

Wednesday, September 23, 2020 1:00 - 5:00 PM | On Handshake NOTEWORTHY ORGANIZATIONS

Abarta Coca-Cola Beverages, Aerotech, Armstrong World Industries, Cedar Point, Chromalox, DesignTech Inc., Duquesne Light, EY, FedEx, Grossman Yanak & Ford LLP, Honda, Marathon Petroleum Company LP, Sherwin-Williams Company, UPMC, and others!

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Asbury Theological Seminary, Capital University Law School, Duquesne University- Law School, GordonConwell Theological Seminary, Mid-America Reformed Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, and others!

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CCO, Cru, Episcopal Service Corps, Family Research Council, Fellows Programs (Capital, Fourth, Piedmont, Pittsburgh), Jill's House, Light of Life Rescue Mission, Love Thy Neighborhood, Samaritan's Purse, The City Mission, Youthworks, and others!

...ALL EAGER TO CONNECT WITH YOU!

Approximately 100 employers and graduate schools will be online for the fair!

Positions in 21 states and international locations!

Connect with GCC alumni reps who are attending!

Internships, summer jobs, & full-time positions available!

The Collegian, Sept. 18, 2020

Page 11

Freshmen’s fresh start

New athletes reflect on unique sports season Emily Rupczewski Sports Editor

Sports may not be back, but students are. This year has been a unique schooling experience for students everywhere, but the high school graduating classes of 2020 did not get the endings they expected.

For many, this included online classes, adapted graduation ceremonies, cancelled senior prom and cancelled sports seasons.

Freshman swimmer Savanna Cruz committed to Grove City back in March, the month the panic and pandemic began. Cruz comes from Irvine, California, and reflects on her senior season.

“In California swimming is a spring sport. We started our season and managed to have 3 meets that were not even league meets yet. It was like a preseason kind of thing.

At our last meet some of the kids from the other school were saying how their season was getting canceled after this meet and no one wanted to believe them. The next thing we knew, all sports for spring were cancelled. Shortly after that the whole state went into lock down without any warning.”

Fortunately, fall athletes were able to complete their seasons last year, but now, this is many students’ first fall without their sport.

“Not having football in the fall is going to be super weird,” freshman Ayden Gutierrez said. “I’ve played football every fall since kindergarten, so this has been a strange couple of weeks.”

But not every fall athlete has followed a conventional athletic schedule up until this point.

Freshman volleyball player Eloise Augustine noted, “My senior season of volleyball was luckily COVID-free because it occurred in the fall, but I did not in fact enjoy it as a normal senior would.”

“In the third winning set of my second game of the season against our state championship rivals, I dislocated my knee and tore my ACL and both menisci. Two weeks later, I was admitted for reconstructive surgery and began my nine-month journey toward athletic clearance.

I can confidently say that I have never grown so much spiritually, emotionally and mentally than during the season that I watched from the bench with my brace and crutches. Although losing the prime of my high school career was disappointing, God used it to shape and form me in the best ways and prepare me for the challenges of the 2020 year and 2020-2021 college volleyball season.”

Expecting a redemption season as an incoming freshman, COVID postponed Augustine’s comeback.

Augustine commented on what this unconventional fall season looks like for her team. “So far, our fall season has been challenging but rewarding and very fun.

We are lifting and practicing three times a week. Although all our practices are masked and social distanced which can be frustrating for a closeknit team, the reward of a season and end goal of winning the PAC championship

GCC Head volleyball coach, Leo Sayles explains a drill to freshman Sarah Webb. The team models social distancing and mask-wearing during practices.

motivates us past the sweaty, stuffy masks and inability to give high-fives.”

Although competitive games have been postponed, varsity teams have been permitted to practice with restrictions in place. Athletes can be seen all over campus, sporting their team gear and practicing in the PLC, on the fields and courts and in the pool, as practices have returned in full-force. Or, as full as COVID restrictions allow.

Freshman women’s soccer player Annalese Aderholt weighed in, “My team started practicing this past Monday, three times a week, with lifting twice a week. We will do this for two weeks and then increase to four practices per week and so on, and then we will eventually add scrimmaging. We are split into two groups of about 14 and are non-contact and try to maintain social distancing as much as possible, so we are mostly doing skill and tactical work. We don’t have to wear masks while we’re playing, so our coach makes sure we are always doing something. We aren’t allowed to be in the locker rooms at all, so we just show up at the field and then leave afterward.”

Most teams are following the split squad practice pattern, dividing their teams by groups or pods.

Regarding how football’s new practice schedule looks, Gutierrez said, “We practice two times a week in two separate groups. The days that we don’t practice, we work out in the weight room. Due to the COVID restrictions, we can’t all practice at once, so we were split into groups.”

Freshman volleyball player Gabrielle Lucas said, “We are currently in two pods with each of the coaches, Coach Brett and Coach Amanda.

Each pod goes for 50 minutes, and we practice three times a week. Our masks stay up just about the entire practice, unless we are doing something highly competitive.”

Another big thing on the volleyball team’s radar is team bonding.

Lucas said, “We are trying to do team bonding with our pods on Fridays. We’ve gone to dinner at Hicks after our practices, and we all eat together. I feel that I’ve gotten closer with the girls.”

“Every minute of extra time has been spent with new friends and teammates, especially playing Spikeball,” Augustine said.

“I have loved the relationships that I have developed with the upperclassmen and

my roommate, who also plays volleyball. Our team is very intentional about team bonding, and after practice, we often have dinner together or have a movie night on the weekends.”

How teams choose to take advantage of this extra time off varies. Many teams are intentional about team bonding and the culture they create within their team.

Coaches have seen and taken advantage of this extra time to prepare for the upcoming season and also encourage their players to bond outside of practice.

Gutierrez agreed, “I would definitely argue that the time off allowed us to create a better bond.”

“It allowed us to get to know each other personally, not just as football players.

However, not having fall camp has prevented us from getting to know the upperclassmen as well.”

Aside from having a very unexpected year in sports, the one thing that this freshman class of athletes shares is their desire to attend the College for its values and commitment to a Christ-centered athletic program.

“Even more than the athletics, the unity of the college interested me more,” Augustine said. “The school was and is united in the fundamental principle of glorifying God in everything that they do, and this is evident in every aspect of campus life. The academics are challenging; the athletics are edifying; the community is inseparable; the wolverines are together in a unifying goal and purpose. As soon as I stepped on campus for a visit, I knew that I wouldn’t go or even apply anywhere else.”

Aderholt too reflected on choosing to make Grove City home. “Spending time with the team is what sold me on Grove City. It was so evident to me that they loved the Lord, the game of soccer and deeply cared for one another.

The community of the team and the school as a whole was so attractive, and I knew right away I wanted to be a part of it.”

As they adjust to life on campus and become more involved in their teams, freshman like Cruz, Gutierrez, Augustine, Aderholt and Lucas will be joining together to train hard for the spring and bond with their new teammates. Their excitement at joining their teams is contagious. The student body shares their excitement and cannot wait to watch its newest members compete in the spring.

National sports column

NFL returns

Connor Schlosser Staff Writer

With week one now in the books, we finally have our first glance of the 101st season of the National Football League (NFL) amidst a global pandemic. Big names have changed franchises, franchises have changed names and multiple players have decided not to play due to COVID risk, shaking up the League’s projections.

Despite all the moving parts, the returning champs likely have the best chance to run it back for another chip.

Houston has a problem. And it is not Deshaun Watson’s fault. Head coach and general manager Bill O’Brien has been on the receiving end of harsh criticism for their offseason moves. It was O’Brien who made the mind-boggling move to trade away superstar receiver Deandre Hopkins to the Arizona Cardinals for the injured and potentially inconsistent running back David Johnson.

This has been one of the biggest changes of the offseason. After week one, the Cardinals have a 1-0 starting record, leaving Houston with a 0-1 start after losing to the defending champion Chiefs last Thursday. Patrick Mahomes and company showed up to play as the offensive juggernaut we all remember. Arizona has only gotten better offensively, and Houston is without any visible profit from O’Brien’s gamble.

Unless you have been living under a rock, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski have reunited in Tampa Bay. And after their first week, that reunion is off to a rocky start. Brady threw two picks and the team struggled to connect overall. The Buccaneers boast an exciting mix of talent which fans want to see succeed, but team chemistry is a necessary component going forward if they hope to

RECREATION

continued from 12 the greater Grove City community. How have students been filling this recreational void?

Spikeball has been an extremely popular activity for students this semester.

Students have played at all corners of campus and everywhere in between. Hicks dorm already held a Spikeball tournament, and IM sports are including Spikeball this semester.

“Spikeball to me is another way to stay active,” JD Black, a two-sport athlete at Grove City College, said.

“More importantly, it gives me a chance to compete. In sports you have to rise up to

OFFSEASON

continued from 12 help,” explained Dreves.

With the unique practice schedules and COVID-19 restrictions, team unity seems like it would be challenging, but many players are still finding ways to bond with one another.

“We have watched a movie together and played volleyball outside at the sand courts. We have also had a couple open gyms and eat dinner together at Hicks,” Kilmartin said.

The football team was encouraged by the strength and conditioning coach, Caleb

compete. The Bucs dropped their first contest against the high-octane Saints last Sunday.

Not only have big names changed teams, but one team has changed its name. Now called simply the “Washington Football Team,” the D.C. based club has undergone an overhaul project shedding off its former “Redskins” branding. The Washington team name is still up for debate with a few suggestions such as Red Wolves, Red Tails, Warriors, Pigskins, and Senators still floating in contention. But the team without a name grabbed its first win of the season over Philadelphia.

The Baltimore Ravens dealt the biggest blowout of week one. The Cleveland Browns could not get it done offensively despite the return of Odell Beckham Jr. Lamar Jackson went off, connecting with Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews for a 38-6 victory.

Green Bay traded offensive drives with Minnesota in a high scoring 43-34 duel.

The Packers wide receiver Davante Adams exploded for 14 receptions, 156 yards and two touchdowns. The Packers grabbed the win.

New England fared well against the Miami Dolphins in Cam Newton’s debut with the Patriots. Newton showed flashes of his former MVP greatness with two rushing touchdowns and 44 rushing yards. The Patriots will likely stick to a rush first scheme with their wide selection of running backs.

Russell Wilson and the Seahawks got it done over Atlanta in a 38-25 victory despite strong showings from Atlanta’s Todd Gurley, Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and quarterback Matt Ryan.

The other week one matchups each gave fans a sample of what is to come.

As fans, we can only hope that the League can stay COVID-free, so we can enjoy the gridiron grind. the occasion and compete everyday: on and off the field, in practice, in lifting and in conditioning. For me, Spikeball keeps me in a healthy competitive mindset, keeps me active and it’s a lot of fun!

The lack of sports this fall has us all wanting more competition, and Spikeball has been exactly that for me.”

Ultimate frisbee has also been a common activity for students to resort to this semester. Students can be seen throwing the frisbee on Thorn Field and Hicks lawn.

The sand volleyball court on lower campus has also seen its fair share of action in recent weeks. Large groups of students have gathered waiting their turn to play in the sand.

Thrasher, when he said, “The delaying of the fall season basically just gave the best athletes that go here to GCC more time to prepare for the season.”

Fall sports now taking place in the spring may have presented a variety of challenges, but overall, many teams are hopeful in optimizing their prolonged offseason. The circumstances have created a unique opportunity for them to create a culture of unity during a global pandemic.delaying of the fall season basically just gave the best athletes that go here to GCC more time to prepare for the season.”

Sports The Collegian, Sept. 18, 2020

Page 12

Offseason optimized

Teams take advantage of extra time off

Wesley Gray

Contributing Writer After the decision to postpone all the remaining PAC fall sports on Friday, Sept. 4, teams seek to take advantage of the prolonged offseason.

Grove City College (GCC) players and coaches are both faced with the difficult task of changing their expectations on what the upcoming season will look like.

Freshman volleyball player Alexis Kilmartin said, “I’ve definitely had to learn to become more flexible and ready to accept the fact that things will keep changing with practices and games every day.”

With the reality of no collegiate sports this fall, many athletes and coaches are faced with questions of identity. This extended period gives them an opportunity to think about who they are if they cannot play their sport.

Men’s soccer coach Michael Dreves explained, “I am a competitive guy and I like to win. Building a team and winning games is important, but it doesn’t define me. If it does, my priorities are not right. My identity as a coach needs to be Christcentered. It can’t be win-centered.”

Wrestling with identity could continue to challenge players and coaches, but Dreves sees the value in processing this now as a team and how it will benefit them in the long run. “This fall

presents some amazing opportunities to get better as a team on the field, to deepen our culture off the field and to really dive into our identity that is rooted in Christ. For all of this I am very thankful.”

Due to protocols put in place by GCC and the NCAA, how players train during the offseason is going to look unusual. Most teams have broken into subgroups consisting of about ten players that will lift and practice together.

“It’s a lot of separation of different groups like the small groups that we lift in.

Our freshman class is pretty much doing everything together as far as meetings and other things go for right now,” freshman football center J.D. Black said.

Being able to practice in smaller groups may seem negative, however, there are some advantages. One is players will get to connect on a more intimate level with the members in their group.

Also, it will give coaches more opportunities to work with players one on one.

“I am excited about being able to teach more this fall.

Normally with the games coming twice per week, the season is about recovery and prepping for the next opponent. We develop, but it is often stunted by the clogged match schedule; so from a pure coaching standpoint, having this time will really OFFSEASON 11

GCC

Willie the Wolverine hypes up the student section during 2019’s White-out football game at Thorn Field

Saturdays aren’t for the boys Students fill recreational void without fall sports Ayden Gutierrez Contributing Writer

Grove City College is a tight-knit community. With just over 2,000 undergrads, the student body is very close. Students at Grove City bond over many things: sports, clubs, faith, academics, Greek life and much more. This community is suffering to start the fall semester, as the lack of fall sports has left a gaping void in the schedules of many.

Fall sports attract an abundance of community members to the Grove City College campus. Saturday afternoons on campus during football season are like none other. Before the game, students and community members tailgate in the parking lot and in the lower campus lawn. The sights and sounds include pregame music, cornhole, grills and tables set up with food and footballs

being tossed through the air.

Football team junior quarterback, Josh Ehst, said, “Coming back to campus and not having fall sports has definitely been an adjustment.

It has been weird not having practice every day, and since we don’t have games, there is always a strange feeling on the Saturdays we would normally be playing games. I’ve been doing my best to make the most out of the situation and have been using the extra time for my studies and to perfect our offense for this spring.”

Homecoming brings alumni from all over the country back to campus for the annual Homecoming football game. The celebrated whiteout night game brings many members of the community to Thorn Field to watch a game under the lights. Students pack into the stands in all white to support their Wolverines. President Mc-

Nulty can be seen cheering with students in the student section during the night game. Who doesn’t love a night filled with football, family and fireworks?

The Marching band is another appealing sight to students and community members. The band’s halftime performance is part of the home game excitement. The cheer squad is usually seen flying through the air trying to excite the crowd. Football games are not the only sport that attracts community members and students to Grove City College. Students are often seen filling the Wolverine Den, the student section in the main gymnasium, for home volleyball games.

Soccer games and other sports also attract students looking to support their friends. It is very evident that fall sports have an immense impact on this campus and RECREATION 11

Brick by brick: football continues to build Emily Fritz

Contributing Writer As we transition from summer to fall with the start of the new semester, many of us find ourselves missing one of the most common trademarks of the new academic year: football season. Within the past few years, the Grove City College football team has dramatically improved their in-season performance as well as the overall depth of their program.

Head Football Coach, Andrew DiDonato, explained some of the most impactful changes in philosophy in recent years. “The most significant changes in our program have been related to the bedrock principles in our “Brick

By Brick” philosophy. Our vision is ‘To glorify God in the pursuit of earning a degree, building lasting relationships and competing for PAC Championships.’ We understand that there is a process to achieving this vision and so we strive to lay bricks each day.”

This “Brick By Brick” mentality is easy to spot on the Grove City College campus, as many of the players and staff wear bracelets with this phrase. This allows every individual involved to stay connected and remain focused on the philosophy and vision that they work towards daily.

Another mantra that the team uses is “Each of us

FIONA LACEY

Coach Andrew Didonato closes out football practice as players kneel and listen. The team ends each practice in prayer, keeping the spiritual vision of the team of glorifying God at the forefront of their gameplay.

needs all of us.” DiDonato explains that “it takes everyone not only playing their part but supporting one another – ‘Each of us needs all of us.’ By keeping our eyes on the vision, embracing the process each day and working together in love, we’ve made great memories over the last four years and grown closer to our vision.”

Above all, the team strives to keep faith as their highest priority. “The spiritual aspect of whole person development is what we want to emphasize the most. We say 4-40-Forever because we want to see our players grow during these four years [at Grove City College] in such a way that the next 40 and ultimately forever is impacted.”

Understandably, this year’s season is remarkably unique. While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect

the nation, many new guidelines and regulations have been enforced by the NCAA as well as the Grove City College administration to ensure the safety of players, students and the surrounding community.

Grove City College is a Division III school, which requires the athletic department to remain in compliance with all NCAA mandates.

Protocols include frequent symptom screening, mask mandates, thorough cleaning of all equipment and facilities, capacity limits and testing when deemed necessary or appropriate. While many schools are struggling to maintain on-campus instruction, Grove City College’s COVID-19 plan has allowed the college to start many athletic training seasons without competition.

DiDonato admits that the

2020-21 season brings many new obstacles to navigate.

“We are used to coming into camp in August before school starts, seeing each other every day during the week and playing games each Saturday. Unfortunately, that has [not] been the case this fall.”

DiDonato remains hopeful for how the program will evolve and the players will overcome these challenges. “[T]he most exciting thing to me has been another opportunity to focus on our vision and not our circumstance. ” Whenever a set or drill becomes difficult or a player begins to struggle, many of their fellow teammates or staff members encourage the team to look beyond the challenges of the day and keep moving forward towards what dedication and hard work will lead them to in the future.

While the team continues to work hard during training, they anxiously await what the spring semester will hold for them in terms of competition. DiDonato explains, “Given our limited schedule for a spring season, there will be less home games, but I know our college campus will make the most out of the opportunities we do have. We are still anticipating a PAC schedule where we will be able to play against some of our familiar competitors.”

While Robert E. Thorn Field will remain without an official game for the remainder of the semester, DiDonato reminds us of what the football team has accomplished last year.

“We are coming off an exciting season where we finished 9-2 and won our 2nd bowl championship in a row.

We [have] had many thrilling games the last few seasons where the game came down to the final play. Our players have laid many bricks over the past four years to get us to this point. We’re ready to continue building into the spring semester.”

This season will look different from those prior for several different reasons, but with conscious effort, hard work and determination, the football team will return to the field during the spring semester. In the meantime, keep in mind that “each of us needs all of us.”