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EDITORIALS
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Not even Dr. Love can save this relationship
The
@Collegian_GCC @gcc.collegian The Collegian: The GCC Newspaper Friday, March 5, 2021
Student shares her home state’s story
Swim season comes to a close
Collegian The Award-Winning Grove City College Student Newspaper
Hymn hubub
Vol. 106, No. 16
RA-ising new leaders
Worship changes cause confusion Gabrielle Capaldo Staff Writer
At the beginning of the semester, Worship Teams Coordinator Matthew Montgomery made adjustments to the singing portion of chapel, singing psalms and hymns only, to reflect this semester’s speaker series. According to junior Noel Elvin, who serves as a guitar player and singer for Sunday Vespers, Montgomery explained to the chapel worship staff at the start of the semester that they would only sing psalms and hymns for the foreseeable future. Junior Isaac French, electric guitar player for Tuesday chapels and Media Services employee, however, states that this is a misunderstanding. According to French, there have been many rumors spreading around campus surrounding chapel, none of which he has heard from the chapel staff. “We are only singing psalms and hymns this semester on Tuesdays as part of the chapel’s psalm series,”
French said. When asked about this hymn controversy, Montgomery himself agreed with French and explained what is really happening. “The past month or so we’ve had a series on Tuesdays specifically dedicated to reading the psalms,” he said. “We had T. David Gordon do a series of messages, we had Carl Trueman kick off singing the psalms and then the next portion of the series will be praying the psalms.” Montgomery clarified that all the chapel has been doing is singing psalms on Tuesdays as closely to their original texts as possible in accordance with this semester’s series of the psalms. “In no way are we replacing contemporary worship at Grove City, this is just a semester series on Tuesdays,” he said. Nevertheless, this misunderstanding has stirred conversation among the chapel’s worship team staff. Due to COVID-19 protocol, students are only allowed to HYMNS 3
Theater 3 Plays in Repertory Performed in Ketler Auditorium returns Tuesday March 16 live on campus 5:00 PM
Clark Mummau
7:30 PM
The theatre program returns to the stage with three plays running next Tuesday through Saturday. The program aims to foster “interesting (though not always easy-to-have)” conversations through its plays, and it believes that this year’s plays in particular will invite these conversations. This year’s plays will combine humor and pathos to raise these difficult questions. There is an audience limit of 275 people, and seating will be available on a first come first served basis. Tickets are free and can be picked up when entering the lobby. Masking and social distancing will be enforced in Ketler Auditorium. The award-winning plays to be performed are A Walk THEATRE 3
A Walk in the Woods by Lee Blessing (115 mins.) Eleemosynary by Lee Blessing (90 mins.)
Wednesday March 17
Perspectives Editor
5:00 PM 7:30PM
Art by Yasmina Reza (90 mins.) A Walk in the Woods by Lee Blessing (115 mins.)
Thursday March 18 5:00 PM 7:30 PM
Eleemosynary by Lee Blessing (90 mins.) Art by Yasmina Reza (90 mins.)
Friday March 19 4:00 PM 6:30 PM 8:30
A Walk in the Woods by Lee Blessing (115 mins.) Art by Yasmina Reza (90 mins.) Eleemosynary by Lee Blessing (90 mins.)
Saturday March 20 2:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM
MATT SCHOONOVER
Senior Colonial Hall Resident Assistant Mary Campbell observes applicants during RA group interviews last week in the Breen Student Union. Applicants participated in three team activities while being observed by Resident Directors and RAs as part of the Residence Life hiring process. Changes were made to the group interview portion of the process to accomodate for COVID-19 restrictions. Groups were smaller and participated in social distancing. “Though the smaller group size brought a different dynamic than before, it facilitated us getting to kow each candidate individually over the course of the evening,” senior MEP RA Caroline Wehmeyer said. The new hires will begin training this spring and formally take over their halls fall 2021.
Eleemosynary by Lee Blessing (9w0 mins.) Art by Yasmina Reza (90 mins.) A Walk in the Woods by Lee Blessing (115 mins.)
Admissions numbers up despite COVID Chris Murphy Staff Writer
In the wake of COVID-19, many colleges have struggled to operate normally, including catering to prospective students. While some colleges have insisted on continuing online instruction, the college has been determined to not only host in-person classes but also to invite high schoolers to experience the campus for themselves. As a result, the college has seen an increase in applications. “Freshman applications for the fall of 2021 increased by 24 percent over last year’s class. In fact, we received more applications this year than any year since 2005. The increase has allowed us to accept more students, but
we’re not sure how many will enroll next year,” Vice President for Student Recruitment Lee Wishing ’83 said. The college has stayed open for in-person education since the beginning of the academic year, a decision that has set the school apart from many other institutions both locally and nationally. Grove City has been vocal of its desire to give tours and previews of life on campus for prospective students, which gives the college a unique advantage. “We know from our data that a visit to campus is a strong indicator for enrollment at Grove City College,” President Paul J. McNulty ’80 said. “The beauty of the campus, warm reception by Admissions, professionalism ADMISSIONS 5
Editorial
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The award-winning Grove City College student newspaper, March 5, 2021
From the Tower
It’s not us, it’s you We have a confession to make. We’ve been seeing other people. We know we’ve been together for the last five beautiful years, but we think it’s time that we start experimenting. Perhaps it’s a midterm crisis, or maybe the COVID crazies but it’s for the best that we take a break from each other for a bit. Maybe a better staff would’ve given you two weeks’ notice. Maybe a better staff would’ve called you, told you the truth and tried to mend ends. Instead, in the spirit of the hookup culture plaguing our society, we have indulged in several one-night stands. We’re trying to find ourselves, hoping each time that we’ll finally meet that someone. None of this is to say that you are not enough. We’ve had some wonderful times together. We’ve shared so many laughs, deep talks, goofy jokes and hard work. You’ve been a patient partner who has faithfully been there through our best times and worst times. You were always constant and comforting, until your biggest betrayal. One day, you suddenly changed. We don’t know how or why, but one day when we called you, ecstatic to again be passionately reunited, you dropped the bomb. Five years was a long time. We had gotten so comfortable together that we began to lose sight of who we were. We know we said we were in it for the long haul, but we were young and naïve then. We are entering a new stage of life, and we need to think for ourselves. We don’t think we can do that in our relationship together. Originally, we thought it wasn’t you, it was us. But, upon closer reflection we came to a more accurate conclusion. It wasn’t us. It was you. It was you who emptied our souls. Your betrayal left us unsatisfied. Where was the spice? Where was the heat? Where was the flame?! Oh, wrap us again in your tender embrace! Speak to us again of those saucy adventures of yore. You doomed us when you stripped the College Special of the complementary soft drinks. Oh, what have you done?
Collegian Staff
Collegian Staff Managing Editor Anna DiStefano Section Editors News David Zimmermann Community Fiona Lacey Perspectives Clark Mummau Sports Emily Rupczewski Photo Chief Wes Kinney Design Chief Caleb West Copy Chief Britney Lukasiewicz
They’re more than just photos Matt Schoonover Photo Chief
All this to say, we both changed.
Editor-in-Chief Paige Fay
MATT SCHOONOVER
Business Manager Kathryn Miller Copy Editors Kaitlyn Bennett Jessica Hardman Kylie Jasper Claire Josey Eve Lee Molly Miller Lauren Ness Ashley Ostrowski Joanna Thorpe Sydney Travis Staff Writers Scott Amon Gabrielle Capaldo Noel Elvin Chris Murphy Connor Schlosser Jules Wooldridge Staff Adviser Nick Hildebrand
The Collegian is the student newspaper of Grove City College, located in Grove City, Pa. Opinions appearing on these pages, unless expressly stated otherwise, represent the views of individual writers. They are not the collective views of The Collegian, its staff or Grove City College.
A photographer’s life is adventurous and sometimes a dangerous one to live; people seldom realize what photographers go through to get a photo. When people think of photographers, they think of a person with a two-foot lens who shoots weddings and sporting events. The dream of the photographer is not to capture every first kiss from the perfect couple, or the best touchdowns made by the best players. The dream of the photographer is the stories and the experiences behind every perfect frame. Behind every one of my landscapes there is a story, the best shots have the most trial and tribulation. One of my most treasured landscapes is one I shot over the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. One year ago this week, my roommate and I drove up to Buffalo to explore his hometown and walk around
the Falls. The largest problem that we encountered was that it was during a blizzard. Another problem was that I could not pass up the opportunity to stop in Erie and get some photos of the half-frozen waves. I did not think of the ice on the roads, and my car could not drive straight, especially when the wind blew. Long story short I got to Buffalo three hours later than originally planned. The next day we walked around in the blizzard aftermath getting photos of ice that looked like remnants of Elsa’s rage from “Frozen.” Once my roommate and I got into Canada we walked around, and I shot the Falls like they were from Hollywood. Another big problem was that my roommate and I forgot cash, and neither of us wanted to pay the insane border exchange rates, and so we were in Canada longer than expected. But, as they say, there was beauty in our mistakes. When we got back on the “rainbow bridge” between the two countries, I wanted to get a photo of the flags. While my roommate and I were working on the flag
This week in history...
Chicken dinner Monday, March 2, 1925 “Odd Men Entertain Colonial Girls” Memorial again hung out her festive banners on Wednesday evening when the “odd” men treated the lady of his choice to a sumptuous chicken dinner and everything that goes with it. Thursday March 1, 1945 “Naval Training Program to End”
Green Eyeshade Award the
This week’s Green Eyeshade Award goes to the entire newspaper staff for their commitment to good work, consistent dependability and wonderful camaraderie. The Green Eyeshade Award honors student contributors that demonstrate consistency and excellence in their work.
Collegian Staff
shot, I remember him telling me to turn around, and I remember spinning around like a top and seeing a beautiful sunset. Never had I seen such vibrant blues and reds mix together on a piece of sky like this before. I got the camera re-adjusted for the landscape, and right before I took the shot, I knew that this would be the best photo of the trip. The point of my story is to hopefully show you that the photo I took does not have the same meaning without the story; without all the work I put into getting the photo it is just another landscape over Niagara. Twenty years from now I want to remember the story behind my photo: the way that U.S. border security gave me a hard time on the way back, stopping in Erie and doing small cosmetic repairs under my car with a pocketknife, the windburn on my cheeks and the emotional rush of it all. Photographs are not just elegant displays of color and compositional patterns, they have a deeper meaning, and that is what brings the meaning to my madness—the stories.
The Naval Training Program will end on April 15, after a little over four years of successful work. This action is made necessary because of the increased facilities for training sailors and marines, several strictly Naval schools have been opened. Grove City was one of the first institutions in the country to be selected by the Navy as a training school, the first class entering
on March 1, 1941. A total of 3,702 men will have graduated from the school by the time it is discontinued in April. Friday March 2, 1962 “Odetta to be on Campus March 9” Odetta is an artist in no one’s tradition: rather she is an individual in her style and personal in her idiom. Odetta has appeared in various festivals and concerts- Carnegie Hall and Town Hall in New York. At many universities- University of California, Princeton, and Harvard; television- Dave Garroway and Ernie Ford; in movies“Sanctuary”; as well as on radio, and on several long play records for the Vanguard Recording Company.
Fiona Lacey Community Editor
News
The Collegian, March 5, 2021
Page 3
College laments myGCC David Zimmermann News Editor
Dr. Peter Frank ’95, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, and the Online Teaching Committee have decided to implement a new learning management system (LMS) called Brightspace after several years of consideration. Starting in the fall of 2022, the beloved myGCC will no longer be used as the primary LMS platform for academic learning. However, Frank said that myGCC will still play a role in the college’s future. To best meet the college’s needs, Dr. Christy Crute, executive director of the Graduate and Online Programs, said that many different LMS platforms were under examination before choosing Brightspace. “Students, faculty and staff all worked as a team in the selection of the LMS,” Crute said. “The process was quite extensive, starting with what the needs are and then progressing to looking at a variety of LMS’s to select the one that would fit best here.” Dr. Paul Kemeny, dean of
the Calderwood School of Arts & Letters, said, “I think Brightspace is going to dramatically enhance students’ learning experience. It’s an incredibly user-friendly tool for both students and faculty that will likely strengthen classroom instruction.” Brightspace, powered by Desire2Learn, is currently in the rollout process for being used on campus, however gradual. Before it is fully implemented in fall 2022, the LMS will be tested by professors for this year’s summer online courses and fall semester classes. This will give faculty ample time to transition from myGCC. Dr. Andrew Harvey needs an LMS to allow his writing students to access each other’s papers for draft workshopping. For now, he has used myGCC to fill that need. “MyGCC is pretty simple in its approach to user-friendliness: why take one click, when three or four would do?” he said. “Once you expect little or nothing from it, it no longer disappoints.” Dr. Kristina Pazehoski has always used myGCC for grades, teaching materials
Junior Garrett Dickudt stares at his computer screen in Buhl Library. and videos. She says myGCC is sufficient for her current needs but makes it difficult and time-consuming to enter grades and upload exams. “I’m excited to try this new system – [Brightspace] is widely used across many colleges and universities and seems to have the functionality to make managing large enrollment and/or online classes a little easier,” Pazehoski said.
According to Frank, the college’s choice to switch to a new LMS was decided upon “to allow for a uniform approach to online course delivery and in-person instructional technology that will provide students with a consistent experience across all GCC departments.” “I think the students will see a new face to GCC in terms of online tools, and they will appreciate a more user-friendly and uniform
MATT SCHOONOVER
experience,” he said. “Overall, I found MyGCC to be a little difficult to navigate; when I was first interested in applying for the college, it was shocking to me how difficult finding information could be on the website. The problem has continued well into my years here at the college - I never can seem to find any of the information I need in an efficient manner,” senior Jared Stonefield said.
National news roundup David Zimmermann News Editor
Two states open up On Tuesday, Governors Greg Abbott of Texas and Tate Reeves of Mississippi both announced that their states would end the mandatory mask mandate and start reopening businesses at full capacity. For Texas, these new executive orders will be effective Mar. 10. Mississippi’s have been in effect since Wednesday. This news comes at a time when vaccines are being quickly distributed to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic. Together Abbott and Reeves decided to end the state mandates to reopen their respective states’ economies so that there could be more employment opportunities for local businesses. Abbott urged his fellow Texans to be smart and personally responsible when safely interacting with others. And Reeves said that Mississippi is “getting out of the business of telling people what they can and cannot do.” While both governors see the decision to lift pandemic restrictions as promising news for their states, President Joe Biden expressed his concern a day later, saying that the decision was a “big mistake” and a result of “Neanderthal thinking.”
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sing one song per chapel at the end of the message. This is to decrease the number of aerosols released into the air while people are in the room. “In a world without COVID,” Elvin said, “we would sing both hymns and contemporary songs. But now we are only singing hymns and psalms.” Elvin and French expressed that they are concerned with how singing psalms and hymns only will affect the campus. “I personally prefer contemporary because those songs from a worship leading standpoint are easier for the congregation to contemplate in the moment when they are singing it,” Elvin said. “It’s important for them to make
CPAC The annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) reconvened once again, bringing conservative politicians all over America to speak at this event. At the Hyatt Regency hotel in Orlando, Fl., speakers included American Conservative Union (ACU) Chairman Matt Schlapp, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida, former U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo and former President Donald Trump, among many others. The conference especially sparked attention this year due to the stage design resembling a Nazi symbol, the Odal rune. Twitter users first noticed the resemblance and called out the conference event for deliberately promoting anti-Semitism. Both the conference organizers and events design company Design Foundry denied such claims. Hyatt Hotels, which hosted CPAC, issued a statement saying that the ACU oversaw all events logistics and called such use of hate symbols “abhorrent.” Schlapp tweeted that the stage design conspiracy was “outrageous and slanderous” and that “we have a long-standing commitment to the Jewish community.” CPAC also made headlines for Trump’s first public return since leaving the White House in January. Although there were many things said in an hour and a half by the former president, the biggest news came when
the worship easy enough to comprehend in the moment so that they can connect with God. Hymns are more complicated.” French agreed stating, “There is value in singing psalms, but I don’t think we should do it every week to a congregation that may not be able to worship to it.” Both Elvin and French stated that as worship leaders, leading the congregation in hymns is more difficult than leading them in contemporary worship music. On the other hand, Montgomery stated there is benefit in having this chapel series. “The lyrical content of what we sing is so important because we learn from what we sing,” he said. “All of our songs should be accessible
intellectually, but they also need to challenge us.” Sophomore Hannah Struble, singer for one of the Tuesday worship teams, also thinks singing psalms during the Tuesday series is a good idea. “The whole point of worship is to praise God,” she said, “so we should be praising God in our singing rather than changing it so that it’s understandable to certain people.” In the end, Montgomery and all of chapel staff believe that chapel should have both types of worship. “We should be singing a balance of songs,” Montgomery said, “that are both easily accessible in the moment but also songs that aim to convey the deep truths and riches of the gospel.”
Trump teased a 2024 presidential run. He also confirmed in his speech that there are no plans to launch a new political party, concerned that it would split the Republican vote. President Biden updates President Joe Biden stated on Tuesday that the U.S. will have enough COVID-19 vaccines for all adults by the end of May, two months earlier than his original July prediction. He also said that all states should prioritize teachers as essential workers to get at least one dose of the vaccine before the end of March. In related news, Biden and Senate Democrats have reached a new deal, as part of passing the nation’s $1.9 trillion pandemic relief plan, to limit how many people qualify for the $1,400 stimulus checks. According to NBC News, individuals who make less than $75,000 and couples in the same household who make less than $150,000 are eligible. For individual incomes between $75,000 and $80,000 (or $150,000 and $160,000 for couples), check payments will be reduced. And the Senate bill cuts off payments at $80,000 or $160,000. This proposal comes after widespread criticism of Biden going back on his campaign promise to send out the $1,400 stimulus checks “immediately” if the Democrats won the Georgia Senate runoff races.
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in the Woods and Eleemosynary by Lee Blessing and Art by Yasmina Reza. They will not be live streamed, but they hope to provide a video of the performances for those who cannot attend in person. Eleemosynary focuses on themes of family dynamics, guilt, pride, new-age spirituality and the importance of forgiveness, and the play’s title is a Greek word meaning charitable. Art discusses the fragility of friendship, longing and the value of art through the interactions of three friends in Paris as they debate over the worth, both monetary and societal, of a piece of modern art. Finally, A Walk in the Woods discusses negotia-
tion, international relations and treaties. It is loosely based on an actual event in 1982 in Switzerland when an American diplomat, Paul Nitze and Russian diplomat, Yuli Kvitsinsky, left the negotiating table to take a walk in the Swiss countryside. “This is technically my first time on stage here at Grove, but I kind of grew up on stage back home. I’m so incredibly thankful for this opportunity and all the people who have gone into making it happen in a pandemic-ridden world,” Sophomore Justin Folger said. “Is it different? Totally. A lot of acting is in facial expressions, not just yours, but reacting to everyone else’s on stage. It’s been tough to react to fellow actors’ mask-swaddled faces. But, if that’s what it takes, it’s 100% worth it.”
Community The Collegian,
March 5, 2021
Page 4
Swinging back to ‘normal’
Laura Hamilton Staff Writer
Grove City College’s dance clubs are back in full swing for the spring semester. Both clubs have established COVID-19 precautions as they did last semester, but members are excited to be dancing again. During the warmer weeks of last semester, Swing and Ballroom Clubs met outside in HAL Courtyard, where there was more space to spread out, dance and socialize. However, with the colder weather, the clubs meet indoors. But finding an available space that could hold all members was trickier than one might expect. The process for re-opening the clubs was several weeks long, but in-person meetings were worth the effort. Caroline Golden, Co-President of Ballroom Club, explained that the club’s Exec Team had to apply for a permit to hold meetings. “Our biggest struggle was finding a space inside large enough to accommodate our club…and to address how we were going to create the most safe environment for our dance community,” Golden said. “Crawford is the only available location with space to dance and space to spread out and socialize…We could limit the number of people dancing, while not having to force anyone to leave between dances.” Both dance clubs have several rules in place to comply with GCC’s COVID-19 guidelines. A limited number of couples can dance on Crawford Stage at a time (usually
MATT SCHOONOVER
Swing dance practices in Crawford Auditorium Wednesday night following firm COVID-19 rules. eight to ten), hand sanitizer is readily available, nondancers are asked to distance themselves and masks must be worn properly at all times. Swing Club holds lessons in person, while Ballroom Club records lessons and posts the videos online for members to watch.
Ballroom Club also held sign-up slots for the first week of dancing to limit the number of people in the space at one time. Friday night was divided into five rounds. Each round lasted for 15 to 20 minutes and included a variety of dance styles. The second week,
however, Ballroom Club met without the sign-up sheet, since few people showed up on the first Friday. These rules have not dampened people’s enthusiasm for dancing, however. “I really enjoy that dance can be held inside. While I dislike any COVID-19 re-
facturer
Clark dips his pizza in this
15. Shakespeare contemporary
21. Which of our News Editors had a birthday last week and didn’t tell us?
Collegian Crossword
strictions, I am very happy with how both dance clubs are able to run while reducing the spread of COVID-19,” sophomore Jett Curran said. “I enjoy the dance clubs as they help teach dance moves from many styles and just general confidence in ability and approaching random people,” sophomore Eric Sayre said. “However, with the current situation, I wish we had more space and did not have to worry as much about COVID-19.” “I don’t mind the precautions this semester,” junior Ashley Ostrowski said. “I kind of like meeting in the same place for both Ballroom and Swing, it’s very convenient.” “We are trying to be safe and responsible, and I’m glad to see the cooperation of our community. Hopefully it’ll warm up, so that we can dance outside again. Regardless, we are happy to be dancing,” Golden said. “Our community is a family.” “I think anyone remotely interested in dancing, regardless of the amount of skill you have, should come and participate because ballroom and swing dancing aren’t always available elsewhere,” Curran added. “It’s a lot of fun.” Swing Club meets on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., and Ballroom Club meets on Fridays from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Free dance sessions also occur on Monday nights from 9 to 11 p.m. Both clubs meet in Crawford Auditorium. As the weather warms up, however, the clubs may move back to an outdoor location such as HAL Courtyard.
Across 2. Dante’s guide 4. HUMA capstone 6. Shrek, has layers 10. Current IM sport 12. Describes a moving office chair 14. First name, Sports Editor 16. Typical pizza topping 17. In like a __ out like a lamb 20. Bird food 22. Nickname for Pa. 26. Nail lacquer 27. College yearbook 28. Goddess of victory 29. Title, unmarried 30. Country to the north 31. Beast of burden 32. Condensation in the sky
Down 1. Egyptian god of the afterlife 3. State with the most lighthouses
8. Swimming event held this past week 9. Hinge for the foot 11. Spider’s home
16. Bishop of Rome
5. Do this to a picture
12. Island survival show
18. “In Our Time”
7. Small, yappy dog
13. GCC computer manu-
19.
Perspectives
23. “Here Comes the ___” Editor
24. Eastern, mountain, and western subspecies
25. Tempted Eve 27. Acronym; bring your own
The Collegian,
March 5, 2021
Page 5
Protestant to priest Scott Amon Staff Writer Friar Bonaventure Chapman, formerly known as Adam Chapman ’04, graduated from Grove City College with a double-major in Applied Physics and Christian Thought. He is also a Dominican priest. Hailing from Buffalo New York, Chapman considered himself to be a Presbyterian before he ever set foot on campus. “I was baptized in the Presbyterian Church and although my family tended to worship at a United Church of Christ Church, I had returned, as it were, to Presbyterian of the strong Calvinist variety,” Chapman said. In high school, Chapman felt a call to the ministry, and when it came time to start applying to colleges, Grove City seemed like a perfect fit. “I looked for the best Reformed Presbyterian College I could find, one with strong academics in both science and humanities and also a strong Calvinist commitment in confessional views,” Chapman said. The college fit his criteria, and he joined the incoming freshmen class in the fall of 2000 pursuing both a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts. His college majors are an enigma to a world that pits faith and reason against one another. Chapman, however, never felt a conflict between these two areas of study. “Theology and physics always struck me as being perfectly compatible and perhaps even mutually influencing since both remind
FR. BONAVENTURE CHAPMAN
Friar Bonaventure (Adam) Chapman ’04 felt a call to ministry whle in high school and attending a Presbyterian church. While attending Grove City College, his perspectives on religion changed and converted to Catholicism. Now he is a Dominican priest. one of the finite limitations of man in search of the infinite,” he said. Chapman noticed a further connection, too. “It seems to be that physics and theology are a lot more similar than dissimilar and given the percentage of physicists who are theists compared to the other natural sciences, that suspicion seems borne out,” he said. Chapman was influenced by both the Presbyterian and Catholic elements on campus and was attending two different churches for a time. “I tended to go to the Saturday Evening Vigil Mass at Beloved Disciple (the local
Catholic parish) and then Dr. Paul Schaefer’s Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning.” Though he continued to be a dual churchgoer, Chapman never vocally expressed any desire to convert to Catholicism with his religious beliefs still firmly Calvinistic. Chapman considered his final year at Grove City to be especially influential as he decided to convert to Anglicanism. “I was moving my way ‘up the candle’ liturgically, as it were, so I had decided to become Anglican my senior year and was accepted to Oxford University…to study for ordination to the Episcopalian priesthood,” he
said. He added that Schaefer “had an incalculable influence on me” especially in deciding which seminary to attend. While he was a student at Oxford, Chapman started to feel a growing desire to become Catholic. The community he experienced at Grove City College coupled with his new studies began to compound into a singular desire to become a Roman Catholic. “During my final year there, after reading now Saint John Henry Cardinal Newman’s ‘Apologia Pro Vita Sua,’ I finally gave in to the Roman Catholic Church and was received into the Church on Nov. 4, 2007,” said Chapman. His desire to become a minister did not stop with his religious re-alignment, and he soon “began the discernment process for the Catholic priesthood,” he said. Chapman knew that he wanted to become a religious brother, which limited him to the main four religious orders in Catholicism: the Franciscans, Dominicans, Jesuits and Benedictines. “The Dominicans seemed like the very best because not only were they intellectual and communal, but they were also always known as crypto-Calvinists because of the many, many dogmatic similarities between Calvinism and Thomism,” he said. Chapman saw his time at the college as both influential and formative. “Grove City College was a profoundly important place for me, and I have always been grateful for the college in my life of faith,” he said.
The story of ‘One Story’ Noel Elvin Staff Writer
Junior Ariana Nelson, president of One Story, wants to find a way to unite the Grove City College campus, not through political or religious affiliations, but rather through personal stories of hope and positivity. Being at a conservative Christian college Nelson struggled to connect with NELSON people because she does not identify as either of those things. During freshmen year, she struggled with loneliness. “It seems like everybody has their act together, and I don’t. At all,” Nelson thought. “I feel like my struggles are unique to me, and nobody knows what I am talking about. I wish somebody would just be honest with me and tell me, ‘Maybe I
ADMISSIONS continued from 1
of our Ambassadors (tour guides) and the vibe visitors discern while here all combine to make visits the most important part of our recruiting efforts.” McNulty continues, “Our
don’t have this specific struggle or this life circumstance, but I have something similar and look: I got through it, and it’s okay.’” Nelson noticed that political and religious conversations never seemed to end very well, but when people were candid about life experiences and emotions, friendships were formed. People united when they shared their stories and opened up about who they are. One Story focuses on stories that have been formative in people’s lives. “Everybody has that one story that you can’t not know about them,” Nelson said explaining the meaning of One Story’s name. Whether these stories are stories of positivity, grief or talking to the man at the train station, they are stories that have not only formed the storyteller but will inevitably impact and encourage
the audience. One Story’s conversational series was launched on Feb. 18 featuring sophomore Mollie Landman’s story of sorrow and joy in. The room filled to capacity as Landman told the story of her husband, Brady Hunker, dying at 19-years-old from bone cancer. After Landman shared her story with the room, a man came up to Nelson and Landman. “I wasn’t even supposed to be in this room,” he said. “I got lost and I thought this was a different room, but I stayed…I don’t feel as alone anymore. I know I was meant to hear that.” Reflecting on Landman’s story, senior Hannah Tarolli said, “[Landman] exudes such confidence and wisdom…To see her move forward in faith and with amazing strength is incredibly inspiring.”
Nelson expressed how she has not only taken care of One Story, but that it has just as much taken care of her. Through hearing these stories, she has been able to find hope and comfort during a challenging season of her life. “There is power in sharing and power in leaning on others,” Nelson expressed. Alum Adam Bannister ’20 was featured in episode two on Mar. 4. He shared his story about how God helped to navigate his path to a music ministry in Guatemala. The third episode’s guest has yet to be announced but will occur on Mar. 23. Nelson’s overall desire for the organization is that it might bring people together on campus. Instead of dividing ourselves, she hopes that we would be able to unite in hope: “We are one through our stories.”
sense is that our efforts to accommodate safely their desires to visit the campus have been a significant factor. We developed a strong set of protocols early last summer to manage this admissions priority.”The Admissions Office has needed to take extra precautions to ensure the safety of scouting students.
Johanna Paul ’12, assistant to the vice president for Student Recruitment, said, “This means staggering arrivals, sending smaller tours, restricting class observations to classrooms with available capacity and reserving specific tables in the cafeteria every day.” The college has had to get
creative with their offerings. “We have adapted our visit program by expanding our virtual options and adjusting on-campus visit options,” Paul said.The fruit of this labor has already begun to show itself as the number of applications for the coming term exceed this past year’s applications.
7 Questions with…
Dr. Michael Bright
Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering What do you listen to on the ride home? I just finished Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits. I’ve been on a classic rock binge lately. What are you currently reading? I am reading “Paul, Judaism, and the Gentiles: Beyond the New Perspectives” by Francis Watson. It is my first foray into the new perspective on Paul, so it is a little tough going at this point. What’s something you’ve been pondering lately? Jesus’ day, the Jews were expecting an apocalyptic, triumphant Messiah, and many missed who Jesus was. Christians now plainly see the Jesustype Messiah in Scripture. Most eschatological views today expect an apocalyptic, triumphant return of Jesus. I wonder if He may come again in some different form that many of us might miss, even though it is plainly laid out in Scripture - we just don’t see it. Favorite restaurant? Forage in Lakewood, OH. It is quite “foodie.” Locally, I am a fan of Third Eye Pies. What movie makes you emotional? “Fiddler on the Roof.” I only had one daughter, so only had a Tzeitel experience. As a father, it breaks my heart to see Tevye try to balance his religious convictions and love for his daughters. The exodus from Anatevka is at once deeply sad and deeply hopeful. I’ll also note that my grandkids think I dance just like Tevye - I think that is a compliment. What are you looking forward to today? I teach a 1 credit class, Ethics in Engineering and Robotics, in an evening format, so tonight is the final. I truly enjoy the class but also look forward to having my Tuesday nights free again. What is your favorite class you are teaching right now? ELEE 442 Parallel Computer Architecture. This field is changing so rapidly, it is very challenging to try and keep up. Every year I get to read interesting articles and learn new things. Every year some of my lectures are just one step ahead of my students, and occasionally one step behind!
Through the lens,
Through the Lens
March 5, 2021
The Collegian,
Page 6
March 5, 2021
Capturing the transition Photographing nature as winter warms into spring
Photos and text Matthew Schoonover Photo Chief
Daniel Kabakjian
Through the Lens,
March 5, 2021
Page 7
One of the challenges of photography is the art of capturing photos while the seasons change. The transitions from fall to winter and winter to spring are the hardest of these transitions are the most difficult. The three weeks to a month before and after winter are always dull, brown, and muddy. Spring offers the burst of color, and winter offers the vivid blues and elegant whites but the transition is a hard one. Sunsets always offer a mix of vibrant colors, whether it is the reds or the oranges, both always look good aganist the blues. Winter always seems to be more dramtic, more elegant, and more adventurous. Maybe its just the look, or maybe winter is just better.
The absolute worst color to shoot is brown, but when mixed with another color it offers a nice contrast especially against the fleeting snow. Another way of adding depth and interest to a photo is by adding texture, items like loose dirt, rocks or anything else that adds more depth to a photo can only help. The best time to shoot the “brown seasons,” is around golden hour when the light transforms the muddy browns to firey oranges. Any other contrast in color like old yellow grass, pine trees, sunsets and water can always add an intrest look against theboring mud. The one benefit from these transition periods in the seasons is the challenge to become a better photographer. The distiction between the beginner and the professional photographer is that the beginner will hide away, and wait for the next season. The pro or seasoned photographer will look for ways to stay sharp and push their visual limits to another level.
Perspectives The Collegian,
Page 8
Mar. 5, 2021
A tumultuous year Looking back to March 2020
Clark Mummau
Perspectives Editor A year ago, I trekked across icy sidewalks from Memorial to Pew early Saturday morning to board a bus headed for South Carolina with the Touring Choir, ignorant that the coming week would herald a change to society. As the week progressed and we started heading back north, we began hearing news from CPAC about someone there testing positive for some “coronavirus.” On March 7, 2020 two of our choir members were estranged from the group because they were at that conference. It has been a year since COVID-19 has affected the college. Those at the conference went into a two-week
“We packed up to go home, with a fool’s hope of returning in several weeks.” quarantine, and I loved receiving Noah Gould and Graham Filby’s QuaranTimes emails as they enjoyed their time away from campus. However, it was not much longer until we received those fateful emails informing us of canceled events, the choice to stay and finally the forced exodus. My parents came up on March 13 to celebrate my sister’s 21st birthday and to watch our choir concert, but the concert was cancelled, and I was faced with the choice to go home with them or to stay on campus with my sister and friends.
I decided to stay on campus, and I had a great time hanging out with the guys on my freshman hall. But in a few short days, we were sent home, and my sister and I left campus on a frigid Wednesday morning, not to return until moving out our stuff in May. I remember eating at MAP that last morning for breakfast, wearing my “Antigone & the King” shirt and seeing seniors Shannon Migliore and Sarah Dawson, who was also wearing the shirt. We mourned the loss of the year, but laughed about the many memories of theatre, orches-
tra and choir. I said goodbyes to seniors, not knowing whether I would see them again, and we packed up to go home, with a fool’s hope of returning in several weeks. My second semester on campus was cut woefully short and replaced by several months of Teams education, which can never fully replicate the in-person experience. The summer was a weird mishmash of canceled events and online church and in-person ministries, and then we were able to return in the fall to masks and contact tracing. Now we are in our third semester of COVID-19 craziness, and a fourth is likely. Would I change it all if I could? Absolutely. I want those three months with my freshman hall back. I want those three months with the seniors, and I want those three months of extracur-
riculars. But do I regret going home? No. That final Friday, I talked with a friend at breakfast about tension in my chest when thinking about my schedule. She told me that was a sign of anxiety, which made sense. I was overworked and overcommitted. And going home, I was able to spend time with my girlfriend. Being home that spring and summer led to tremendous growth in my faith through challenges and being discipled. COVID-19 changed the way the world functions and how people behave, and the last year flashed by and yet took forever. I look back on a year of incredible challenges, and ahead to one with just as many challenges, but I am grateful for the wisdom God has given me and I know he will continue to lead me through all that lies ahead.
Conspiracy vs. Christ Isaac Willour
Contributing Writer In the adapted spirit of “Braveheart,” “the problem with Christianity is that it’s full of Christians.” The American church is no more perfect than any other, and it is being brought to bear just as much now as in years past. This year opened with a truly heartwarming news story: an outbreak of Christian nationalism in the form of an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, where flags reading “Jesus Saves” and crosses were prominently displayed as an entity of American democracy was attacked by crazed lunatics. The facts of both the Capitol insurrection and its effects are now clearly visible, so what is to be the Christian response when many of our brothers and sisters are willing to entertain untruth in support of a supposed higher calling? This is not to condemn the millions in attendance at the peaceful protest who came and went with zero violent intent. Our differences are matters of political policy and data analysis. In such debates we ought to raise no theological questions. But the violence of the Capitol insurrection was different, and it was hardly the end. In the weeks and months following, a truly disturbing trend has emerged. According to a 2021 American Enterprise Institute study, 29 percent of Republicans and 27 percent of white evangelicals believe in a conspiracy theory claiming, in part, that former president Trump’s opponents were a cabal of globalist pedophiles conspiring to steal the election and sent ANTIFA to stage the Capitol insurrection. Twenty-seven percent. The understandable reaction to such statistics is disbelief, shock, dismissal and sarcasm. However, while
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sarcasm is a beautiful tool for human interaction that ought to be applied liberally as a general rule, it is not what will save us here. Twenty-seven percent of white American evangelicals report belief that Donald Trump is “secretly fighting an elite sex trafficking ring.” American Christianity needs to be pried from the clutches of QAnon and Christian nationalism; its prevalence and acceptance are not a fluke or an unexplained accident. They are an outgrowth of a false gospel that must be combatted.
The answer, as always, is to return to the words of scripture and examine how starkly the word of God contrasts with the world that we are tempted to pretend exists. The gospel of QAnon and Christian nationalism teaches that we are one step away from Armageddon; only rigidly partisan voting, eschatological hysteria and dissemination of misinformation will prevent us from descending into the abyss. Yet the true gospel teaches us a wholly different outlook. The gospel of Christ teaches that we can do nothing to
stop evil without first admitting we are powerless on our own; only through throwing ourselves wholly on the mercy and power of our Creator can we look to unrest and turmoil with any hope in our souls. Conspiracy theories leave us hopeless and terrified of the wiles of the raging world. The gospel assures us: though we experience difficulty and struggle, we are empowered by the One who has overcome the world and live in His promise regardless of what happens. Conspiracy theories appeal to unbelieving hearts
and anxious minds because they legitimize those temptations. When a growing number of professed Christians are embracing such dangerous ideas, we ought to consider with them messages such as the one from Matthew etched into Harbison’s stained glass: “heaven and earth shall pass away, but my Word shall not pass away.” That Word, echoed from the mouth of the Creator of the universe, can fill us with a kind of peace and assurance that not even the most pernicious conspiracy theory can replicate.
The Collegian,
Mar. 5, 2021
Page 9
Winter wreaks havoc in the south Devon Willis
Contributing Writer Two weeks ago, one of my best friends in East Texas called me on the brink of a panic attack as she and her parents melted snow on a stove so they could flush their toilets. She sent me pictures of snow piled in their bathtub. One of my other friends, stuck in her home with no water, was stressed enough to consider driving on icy roads she had no experience with for her barelyabove-minimum wage job. My parents in Houston had power for about one hour every four hours. My mom, who brings out her parka as soon as it hits 68 and thinks 72 degrees is pushing it, was bundled in housecoats and curled up in bed with our two dogs as space heaters, and they were still lucky for the power they had. Hunched over my laptop in my dorm room, I was glad I was not home at that
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moment, but it hurt being away. I texted my parents and friends frantically, asking what was happening, who was okay and what local churches were doing to help disadvantaged members of the congregation and the community. I scoured social media and the news to see updates for my home. Some practical needs were being met, like warming centers for homeless people opening around the state. In-
Out of touch, out of time? Gresham Smith Contributing Writer
A cry often heard amongst Christians today is that the church is “out of touch with the culture,” and I would agree. The church, by and large, discarded the one and only tool that enables us to be in touch: the word of God, both written and spoken. Instead, the church accepted worldly wisdom and is now trying to assess the size of the forest whilst gazing inquisitively at a rotting tree stump. The approach of many when it comes to apologetics, discipleship and evangelism is best captured in this gem from Young Life’s home page: “We promise three things: you’ll have outrageous fun, you’ll always belong, and we’ll talk about what really matters in life including God’s extravagant love for you.” Apparently, God’s love is an afterthought, a bonus in a three-for-one deal. I recently was in a lecture in which a professor questioned whether the exclusivity of the gospel was the best way to begin teaching others about the gospel. That is the gospel! The whole point of the gospel is that Jesus is the sole possessor of truth! This is why the church is out of touch. We are called to be salt and light to the world, but we decided it is more innovative to be a heap of camouflaged lard. Apparently, the gospel is far more winsome when you fail to include the whole depravity of man, eternal damnation and dependence upon God business. Why did so many churches shut down when COVID-19 mandates started pouring in? Because they were spiritual kill-boxes of convenience to begin with. Many American sermons have become casual Ted Talks, so when the opportunity to avoid conviction of sin, appease the progressive masters and test out new
gadgets and gizmos arrived, many pastors were glad to jump ship. If there is one thing that internet pornography ought to have taught us, it is that no technology is more accepting of depravity than our computer screens. So just like the porn addict who argues that “it isn’t hurting anyone,” so-called pastors and Christians delude themselves into thinking that “internet church” is not a mockery of God’s Sabbath mandate for his people. (I do not deny that technology can be useful in spreading the gospel, especially in areas of intense persecution, but there is a difference between an Asian despot and a virus with a 99 percent survival rate, assuming you even get it in the first place.) What many churches did is referred to in the corporate world as “pivoting.” In theology, it is called apostasy. And it smells like sulfur and rotting flesh. I am reminded of a story I heard of a reformed church plant in New York City coopting a musical score made famous by R. Kelly for its Sunday service. Might the creator of the cosmos, the infinite God, described as “Holy, Holy, Holy” take offence to the music of a serial rapist being played in his sanctuary? Like the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus’ day, we sincerely believe we know the law and the prophets, and yet, we are exactly like those mentioned in Psalm 115. Like drunk men teetering on the edge of a cliff, we are so impaired that the slightest wind of adversity will blow us off and dash us on the rocks below. We are out of touch with the culture because we have disregarded the command of 1 John 2:17: we have become so worldly that we are indistinguishable from it. And unless the church repents, American evangelicals will pass away, right along with the culture we have so lovingly worshipped.
fluencers and artists offered incentives for donations to various charities that focused on helping Texans. Alternatively, the first chair in the Houston Symphony went under a bridge to serenade the literally freezing people there with his violin. He said their smiling faces made his frozen fingers worth it. He and Ted Cruz share a similar sense of occasion. The violinist’s tone-deaf
gesture was about as helpful as the backhanded support for my home on social media. Instead of making actual efforts to aid families in need, politicians used the disaster as a jumping off point for their own programs, or to bash other programs or to go on sunny weekend getaways to focus on the family. Seeing politicians from New York, Washington and California rag on Texan energy plants—we have our
own to avoid federal interference (there are obviously some issues with this)—when people were dying, and millions shivered in their homes felt dirty. The tweets from people in blue states about how Texas asked for this by being conservative were frustrating, at least, and hypocritical. (Harris County, the state’s biggest county and historically blue, lost 16 people to hypothermia in their own homes). Admittedly, this is not the first time this happened. Around 10 years ago, a similar situation occurred. Texas’ energy sources are outdated and the companies that power the state need to be confronted for, predictably, putting profits before people. But now, two weeks later, is the time to talk about changing laws and pressuring politicians. Talking about political reforms when people are huddling together to stop from freezing to death but not practically assisting is harmful. It is like playing a violin to the homeless in the snow.
From the desk of Pastor O
Lent: a time for reflection
Lent is already underway, but it is not too late for me to share a couple of thoughts about this widely practiced Christian tradition. Some of you with deep connections to the Catholic or Orthodox traditions know this practice better than I do, and some in Protestant traditions are light on Lent, never really giving it much thought. Lent is a 40day season that runs from Ash Wednesday until Easter. It is traditionally a season for repentance and penance and often includes practices of self-denial like fasting. Some churches are reticent to ask members to give anything up, but they may encourage them to try out spiritual practices like special devotional readings during this season. The Christian life is rooted in Christ, and it is His life that gives us life. Vivification is the work of God’s Spirit to sanctify believers by renewing and deepening Christ in us. Mortification is also part of Christian formation. The sin that abides in us and all the remnants of our old nature are to be put to death. The stain of sin does not always wash away easily, and sometimes it takes hard scrubbing again and again. Some of the disciplines of the Christian life are designed to connect us to the means of grace that bring vitality, and other disciplines are designed to scrub us through self-denial. Traditionally Lent has focused on the latter, but there is certainly good reason to practice the former during this season and every season of life. In Colossians 3 Paul says that we are to “put to death” (that’s mortification) the sinful stuff; strip those stinky garments off. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. That is vivification—Christ dwelling in you and forging his
likeness in you. These two movements really do belong together, and they shouldn’t simply be restricted to a particular season. But seasons can serve as reminders, and this is a time when others may be more inclined to join with you in your quest for deeper faithfulness. Here are a few practices that you might consider taking on for the remainder of Lent. It is best if you have a partner or two, and every one of these practices should be accompanied by sincere prayer. The first three are practices of self-denial, and the next three may be fresh disciplines for you that will foster new growth. Turn off the porn, all of it. Lust is one of those stinky garments that needs to be caste off. Hold your tongue; listen more patiently; cut out cruel and coarse talk. It is difficult to tame the tongue (James 3), but this is the path of wisdom. Slow down, you’re movin’ too fast. We need to make more time for reflection, and Lent is a good season to work on this. Little learning takes place without reflection, and little Christian growth takes place without it. Instead of fasting from food, I recommend fasting from the consumption of too much media, and this can make time for the next suggestion. QT—engage in some quiet time with the Lord. Try taking 15 minutes each day to read, reflect and pray. If you already practice something like QT, then work on stretching the spirit of prayer and the nearness of the Lord throughout your day. Giving things up is selfdenial, and that is a necessary discipline. Giving things away is even better. Generosity already has selfdenial built in, but the benefit is doubled because generosity is an expression of love, and by giving your stuff and yourself away, you are
actually becoming more like generous Jesus. Remind yourself daily that you have been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, and in that rescue, you have also been recruited into the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5). Look for ways to engage in this ministry by humbly seeking reconciliation in your broken relationships and by forging new bridges across chasms that have fragmented Christian community. God bless you in your desire to draw near to him! I will conclude with a quote from the Dutch reformer, Abraham Kuyper, who served as a pastor, theologian, journalist, prime minister and founder of a university and a political party. The heart of his driving zeal was his desire to be near to God: “The nearness unto God must become reality, in the full and vigorous prosecution of our life. It must permeate and give color to our feeling, our perceptions, our sensations, our thinking, out imagining, our willing, our acting, our speaking. It must not stand as a foreign factor in our life, but it must be the passion that breathes throughout our whole existence. The fellowship which we have with our God, because in God, from God, and through God are the issues of all holy and of all creaturely utterances of life. Therefore God wants a fundamental temper of mind and heart, which, continually giving thanks, lifts itself up and worshipfully directs itself to God. What is required is that at all times and in all things our expectation be from God, and that continually we give Him thanks for everything.” Rev. Donald D. Opitz is chaplain and senior director of Christian Formation for Grove City College. He writes this column occasionally for The Collegian.
Sports The Collegian, March 5, 2021
Page 10
No losses in sight
Women’s basketball remains undefeated Gresham Smith Contributing Writer
Emily Rupczewski Sports Editor
Last Saturday afternoon in Steubenville, Ohio, Grove City ran away with a 95-34 win over the Franciscan Barons. The blowout win gave the Wolverines their sixth win of the year and helped Grove City maintain its tie for first in the President’s Athletic Conference. Both teams struggled significantly offensively out of the gate, as the teams were locked in a 4-4 stalemate three minutes into the first. Grove City went 0-6 from beyond the arc and 5-18 from the field. But Franciscan was even more anemic, converting just three shots. The Wolverines exited the first quarter with a 13-6 lead. However, the Wolverine’s scoring woes disappeared in a hurry, as they went 17-26 from the field in the second quarter, roaring to a 53-12 lead at half, including a 19-3 run to close out the half. The hot shooting carried over into the second half as Grove City made 16-33 from the field and tacked on another 42 points.
GCC
Kat Goetz passes the ball during a game at Chatham. Goetz brought home 17 points, helping the Wolverines to a 72-53 win. Opposite to the Wolver- points, collected three steals Off the bench, senior guard but the cancellation leaves ines, the Barons struggled to and grabbed 11 rebounds in Lindsey Stanforth also added both teams still undefeated score all night, shooting 22.6 21 minutes. nine points and three steals. for now. percent from the field and Goetz is now averaging a The Wolverines are now Basketball is down to their 3-22 from beyond the arc. double-double on the year 6-0 and still stand undefeat- last few games before the The Wolverines dominated and is second in the PAC in ed in the conference. PAC championship tournathe paint, out-rebounding rebounds per game and sixth Initially scheduled to face ment, where they look to Franciscan 57 to 26. in the league in steals per conference rival Washing- bring home a championship Senior guard Jess Bowen game. ton & Jefferson who shares title for the second season in scored 14 and swiped four Both Bowen and Goetz’s their undefeated 6-0 record, a row. steals for the second game performances last week Wednesday night’s game was The Wolverines face conin a row. However, it was earned them PAC honors as cancelled. This game would ference foe Bethany at 4 p.m. freshman forward Kat Goetz player of the week and rookie have forced one team to add tomorrow in Bethany, W. Va. who scored a career-high 20 of the week respectively. a loss to their spotless record,
National sports column
Watt is going on in Arizona?
Connor Schlosser Staff Writer
It is a reunion in the Valley of the Sun. The Arizona Cardinals have taken full advantage of the strife within the Houston Texans and signed five-time Pro Bowler, fivetime All-Pro and three-time Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt. Watt joins forces with former teammate and fellow five-time Pro Bowler Deandre Hopkins. Together they were an elite duo in Houston. Hopkins was and still remains a topfive wide receiver in the NFL while Watt has remained a defensive anchor despite his aging. In Houston, along with quarterback Deshaun Watson, the trio looked to be a hopeful core for the Texans to rely on and build around for years to come. Fingers are pointed at former head coach and manager Bill O’Brien for trading away Hopkins consequently alienating Watson and Watt. The Texans were on the J.J. Watt is being traded from the Houston Texans to the Arizona Cardinals. losing end of the Hopkins trade receiving aging run- ton community. Following with Watt. Champion and quarterback that can only ning back David Johnson for the destruction of Hurricane linebacker Chandler Jones, get better. The short but Hopkins. Although neither Harvey in 2017, Watt started the young and promising speedy Murray has the elite Arizona or Houston made a fundraising campaign that safety Budda Baker and de- Hopkins and veteran Larry the playoffs, the Texans had produced $37 million of aid fensive captain and corner- Fitzgerald as passing opa far worse record last sea- for families and their homes. back Patrick Peterson head- tions and running backs Keson with Watson and Watt Additionally, his own Jus- line Arizona’s core. With nyan Drake and sophomore at 4-12. tin J. Watt Foundation and reliable veteran presence Chase Edmonds. The soon-to-be 32-year- contributions to the Make- closer to the line of scrimIt seems as if the Cardinals old defensive end built his A-Wish Foundation put the mage, more pressure can be have gotten away with talent career in the Lone Star State needs of children first. A applied to the quarterback theft in the highest degree. producing an unforgettable loveable star on and off the on blitz schemes making the Arizona managed to take nine seasons for the Texans field, Watt now calls Arizona Cardinals more of an intimi- Houston’s dream of playoff which saw four divisional home. dating squad. success and put their own playoff runs and two wild Ranked at the middle of Arizona is easily a top five spin on it. They are about to card opportunities. the pack before the acquisi- offense going into the 2021 live through what could have Watt was not only a hero tion, the Cardinals defense season. Twenty-three-year- been the Texans’ history. on the field but in the Hous- immediately gets stronger old Kyler Murray is a top five Hopkins and Watt are not
SYRACUSE.COM
the only members of this Cardinals system to come from the Texans. Kliff Kingsbury started his professional coaching career with the Texans as a co-offensive coordinator and quarterback coach from 2008-2011, Watt’s rookie season. After stints with Texas A&M, Texas Tech and USC, Kingsbury landed in Arizona in 2019. Arizona has picked up a class act and veteran to add to their now-contending squad, leaving a sour taste in the mouths of Houston fans.
The Collegian, March 5, 2021
Page 11
Sports at a Glance
News
Women’s Basketball
Women’s basketball remains undefeated, with a conference record of 6-0. Wednesday’s game against the equally defeated Washington & Jefferson (6-0) was cancelled earlier in the week, but would have added the first loss to one team’s record.
Men’s Lacrosse
Men’s lacrosse won their first game of the season on Saturday over Westminster. The Wolverine’s 20-11 win gained them not only conference recognition, but the attention of The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. Junior Grant Evans was named to the USILA Division III team of the week for his standout performance in last Saturday’s game.
Results Women’s Basketball (6-0) W, Franciscan (95-34)
Men’s Basketball (4-3)
W, Franciscan (92-63) L, Washington & Jefferson (81-72)
Volleyball (1-1)
L, Washington & Jefferson (3-1) W, Bethany (3-0)
Men’s Lacrosse (1-0) W, Westminster (20-11)
MATT SCHOONOVER
Senior guard Justin Rice attempts to put up two points for Grove City against Franciscan Saturday.
You win some, you lose some
Gresham Smith Contributing Writer
Wednesday, the Wolverines fell to the Washington and Jefferson Presidents 81-72. The game was highly competitive as both teams competed for the lead in the second half. For the Wolverines, senior guard Erik Meiners scored 17 on five of nine shooting from beyond the arc. His backcourt mate, senior guard Justice Rice, added 10 points, six assists, and five rebounds. Sophomore forward Elijah White led Grove City with eight rebounds and added eight points. Off the bench, junior guard Ben Rose scored 10, grabbed six rebounds, and collected three assists. Redshirt freshman Luca Robinson scored eight and grabbed three rebounds in sixteen minutes. Grove City entered Wednesday’s contest against Washington and Jefferson sitting at 4-2 with a chance to move into third place in the conference standings.
SWIMMING
continued from 12 vidual medley. Freshman Caden Smith opened the meet by winning the 500. Junior Peter Millar took first in the 200 free. Grove City also swept the three relay events. Senior Jason Alexander, sophomore Elias Griffin, James Hancock, and sophomore Mac Hancock won the 200 medley relay. James Hancock, Mac Hancock, senior Devin Reynolds and junior Gavin Grove teamed up to win the 200 free relay. Alexander, Griffin, junior Reid Blackstone and Mac
For much of the night, that goal was within reach, as the Wolverines held a nine-point lead with 12:59 left in the second half. However, the Presidents came storming back, with 24 attempts and 17 makes from the free throw line in the second half alone. The Presidents finished the night with 34 attempts to Grove City’s six. A disparity of this magnitude is highly unusual and is roughly 16 attempts more than Washington and Jefferson’s season average and a season-low in attempts for the Wolverines. When the two teams left the court at the end of the first half, Grove City held a three-point advantage, 3431. The star of the first half was Meiners, hitting four three-pointers, scoring 14 in the half. White added six points and three rebounds. Rice scored 10 and dished out four rebounds while Robinson and Rose both added six points. In the second half, the Presidents outscored Grove 50-38.
Saturday, Grove City cruised to a 92-63 win over Franciscan on senior day. In the first half, junior guard Isaac Thrasher knocked down a trio of threes on the way to an 11-point half. Rose added seven points, two rebounds, and a block. For the half, Grove City shot 50 percent from the field, going 16 for 32, and allowing only two buckets within the threepoint arc to the visitors. The Wolverines carried a 41-25 lead into the half, a lead that would only build as Grove scored 51 in the second. Robinson added to a solid first half by scoring nine in the second, finishing with 16 in 14 minutes. Thrasher added two more threes, as he finished with 17 points and three rebounds in 14 minutes. Rice led the way for Grove starters, coming out with 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists and a steal. The Wolverines will face Bethany at 4 p.m. tomorrow in the Grove City College Arena.
Hancock capped Tuesday night›s session by winning the 400 medley relay. Both the men’s and women’s diving teams competed on Wednesday. In the Women’s 1 meter dive, Senior Reilly Diggins took second place and sophomore Meg Dobel took ninth. In the women’s 3 meter dive, Diggins took second place once again. On the men’s side, junior Ryan Morris took third place in the 1-meter dive and Jonah Sutter took fifth. In the 3-meter dive, Morris and Sutter took third and fifth. This year’s conference championships features only timed finals. At the time of publication on Wednesday
night, the Grove City women’s team had a total of 574.5 points, leading the PAC. The women hold a 138-point lead with only 10 events to go. As of Wednesday, the men’s team held the conference lead with 608 points. The men hold a 168-point lead with 10 events remaining. If the Wolverines maintain this rate of success, it is probable that Grove City will be back-toback PAC champions. The men’s team will complete their remaining events today as they compete at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. in hopes to secure a championship.
Men’s Cross Country (6th out of 9) 162 pts. at Saint Vincent Invitational
Upcoming
Men’s Swimming:
Mar. 5, 11 a.m./6 p.m. PAC Championship Tournament
Women’s Basketball:
Mar. 6, 4 pm at Bethany Mar. 8, 5:30 p.m. vs. Saint Vincent
Men’s Basketball:
Mar. 6, 4 p.m. vs. Bethany Mar. 10, 7 p.m. at Waynesburg
Volleyball:
Mar. 6, 12 p.m. vs. Thiel Mar. 11, 6:30 p.m at Waynesburg
Men’s & Women’s Cross Country: Mar. 6, 1 p.m. at Bethany Invitational
Lacrosse:
Mar. 6, 1 p.m. vs. Saint Vincent
Softball:
Mar. 6, 1 p.m. at Thiel (DH) Mar. 9, 2 p.m. vs Waynesburg (DH) Mar. 13, 1 p.m. vs Geneva (DH)
Baseball:
Mar. 12, 12 p.m. vs. Waynesburg (DH) Mar. 13, 12 p.m. vs. Waynesburg (DH)
WOLVERINE WEEKLY HONORS
Kat Goetz James Petrolle Jess Bowen Freshman Sophomore Senior PAC Women’s PAC Men’s LaPAC Women’s Basketball Rookie crosse Offensive Basketball Player of the Week Player of the Week of the Week
Grant Evans Junior PAC Men’s Lacrosse offensive player of the week & named to USILA Div. III team of the week
Caden Smith Freshman PAC swimming and diving rookie of the week
Sports The Collegian, March 5, 2021
Page 12
Looking to defend
Swim and dive teams compete for PAC championship Ayden Gutierrez Staff Writer
The President’s Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships were held this week at James E. Longnecker Pool here at Grove City College. The men’s and women’s teams are both looking to win backto-back conference championships. At the time of writing, after the first three days of promising results from the Wolverines, that goal is looking very attainable. Of the first 18 events overall, Grove City won 17 out of those 18. The women’s swimming and diving team earned eight total victories Monday in the opening day of competition. The Wolverines won all four events Monday morning, then won four of five events in Monday night’s session. Sophomores Sydney Laughlin and Rachael Wallace each earned two individual wins Monday to put Grove City at the top of the leaderboard. Laughlin won the 200 individual medley and the 400 IM. Wallace won the 50 free and the 100 butterfly. Sophomore Sarah Gann won the 500, while freshman Liz Hasse capped off the night by winning the 200 free. Grove City also won a pair of relay events Monday. Laughlin, Wallace, se-
GCC
Sophomore Sarah Gann won the 500 freestyle at the PAC championship meet Monday with a time of 5:24.22. The Wolverines have spent the seek defending their title. nior Denali Hutzelmann and night’s session by winning ning all nine events on Tues- free and then won the 100 junior Jenny Baglia won the the 200 free relay. day. butterfly. Moosa swept the 200 medley relay. The men’s swimming and Seniors James Hancock individual medley races. He Hutzelmann, Baglia, Wal- diving team opened the 2021 and Michael Moosa both won the 200 and 400 indilace and sophomore Reese Presidents’ Athletic Confer- won two events for Grove Trauger opened Monday ence Championships by win- City. Hancock won the 50 SWIMMING 11
Volleyball springs into season Emily Rupczewski Sports Editor
The Volleyball team opened their season with a touching senior night and a tight loss to Washington & Jefferson last Friday night. After nearly a year of preparation for this moment, both teams competed fiercely to claim the first win of the season. After four hard-fought sets, ultimately W&J walked away with the tally in their win column. On the hunt for a win, Grove City visited Bethany College on Wednesday night, where they picked up their first win of the season, in a 3-0 victory. Starting for the Wolverines in the first set was Elisabeth Sems, Brooke Sorenson, Sarah Webb, Anna DeGraff, Katie Pry, and Faith Keating. Junior middle blocker Carrie Dill also saw time in the front row Wednesday evening and added four aces for the Wolverines. Sophomore Faith Keating led the offense with 11 kills, and senior Elisabeth Sems totaled 8 kills. Standout freshman middle Anna DeGraff added an additional 7 kills. Providing the assists on the night, freshman Sarah Webb contributed 26 assists and also served two aces. In the back row, freshman libero Gabby Lucas had 15 digs, as did Sems. Keating also added 14 additional digs. Friday night’s game saw enormous support from Grove City’s socially-distanced student section, and
MATT SCHOONOVER
Freshman middle Anna DeGraaf takes a big swing on Friday against Washington & Jefferson. the volume in the Arena was constant the entire night. Students were clearly excited to see the return of sports, and many sports teams could be seen entering in groups to cheer on volleyball as they began their season and celebrated their seniors. Though the 3-1 loss was a close one, the evening did have a silver lining. Four freshman made their collegiate debuts and put up big numbers for Grove City Friday night. The star of the show was middle hitter and blocker Anna Degraaf, who
slammed 7 kills and stuffed 5 big blocks, eliciting roars from the energetic Grove City crowd. Sarah Webb totaled 30 assists in her debut as the Wolverines’ setter. Webb played an incredibly smart game, as her awareness of the court and quick hands paced the game. Gabby Lucas also made her debut as libero, tallying 16 digs, and hustle that went hard for every point. Also in the back row was Grace Kim, who added 11 digs with her defensive talents. Eloise Augustine and
Katie Pry also saw time in the front row, adding to the Wolverine’s offense. The freshman class brings a lot of talent to the team, and they proved themselves on Friday. In addition, the returners steadied the game with the major offensive contributions of Elisabeth Sems, Brooke Sorenson, and Faith Keating. Sems dominated the offense with big swings at key moments, totaling 11 kills and a service ace on the night. In addition to the
roars of the crowd with every swing, the Grove City bench could often be seen falling to the ground—a traditional gesture of awe—every time Sems put the ball down and tallied a kill. In a crucial 12-7 deficit in the second set, Sems slammed the ball on the opposite side of the court for the side-out, and prompting another roar of the crowd. The swing was hard enough to—in the words of one GCC fan—“break the sound barrier.” (Can I say this? Is there a better way to say this? Anon quote? Adding to the energy, fellow senior Brooke Sorenson added 7 kills and 2 aces. Sorenson’s smart swings and veteran strategy contributed to her offensive success against W&J. Sophomore Faith Keating saw play all around on the evening as she matched Sems 11 kills, as well as a service ace, and 28 digs, as well as lots of audience applause. After a game-point Grove City time out in the third set, Keating came in clutch for the Wolverines, adding a big game-point kill, making it 24-23, but the Wolverines dropped the third set on an attack error. Keating’s offensive and defensive skills proved to be a major strength of the team Friday night. The team is off to a strong start already this season, and they have only begun. The Wolverines will be back on the court at 1 p.m. tomorrow as they face Thiel in the Grove City College Arena.