The Collegian – Sept. 3, 2021

A fresh start

Fall sports return

SPORTS

The

@Collegian_GCC @gcc.collegian The Collegian: The GCC Newspaper Friday, September 3, 2021

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The Award-Winning Grove City College Student Newspaper

Vol. 107, No. 1

College seeks return to normal Annalese Aderholt Contributing Writer

US PARALYMPIC SWIMMING

Grover grabs gold

Freshman Mikaela Jenkins clutches her gold medal after winning the women’s S10 100-butterfly in the 2020 Paralympic Games.

Jenkins represents in Tokyo

Emily Rupczewski Sports Editor

On Tuesday, Paralympian, world champion and the newest addition to the Grove City swim team, freshman swimmer, Mikaela Jenkins, earned her first gold medal in the women’s S10 100-butterfly in the 2020 Paralympic Games.

With Tokyo’s 13-hour time difference, Jenkins’ results surfaced on social media early Tuesday morning, and word spread quickly around campus throughout the morning. Numerous Instagram, Twitter and Facebook posts filled GCC feeds as students and faculty shared the news in celebration of Jenkins’ medaling.

With a time of 1:07:52, Jenkins beat out Australian

competitor Jasmine Greenwood for the gold. In what NBC announcers dubbed her final “Phelps-like” stroke, Jenkins secured her victory by adding a final extra stroke at the end of her swim that ultimately led to her success.

“When I touched and saw that I had placed first, I just felt relief,” said Jenkins. “I was pretty stressed out going into that event since I was the reining world champion and my competitors are all amazing athletes! However now that I have been able to process everything, I just am so happy with how that swim turned out.”

Jenkins had previously taken eighth place in the women’s 100-meter breaststroke on August 26 and competed in Thursday night’s S10 100-meter back-

stroke and the S10 200-meter individual medley on Friday. This issue was sent to print prior to the results of the competitions on Thursday and Friday.

Head swim coach Dave Fritz has closely followed Jenkins’ journey and was remined why she is not only a successful athlete but also the perfect fit for Grove City as well.

“Watching her 100m butterfly you could really see that competitive fire,” Fritz said. “Her disability limits her start quite a bit, so she was behind at the beginning of the race by quite a bit. As the race unfolded you could see the drive to catch her competition and the fight to hold them off the last few meters. That attitude is contagious, especially with the

type of high achievers that the College attracts.”

After the games, Jenkins will return to Grove City where she is majoring in Biology/Health on a pre-med track. Though this will be her first time as a student at GCC, Jenkins is not new to Grove City’s swim program.

“Mikaela came to our swim camp in the summers of 2018 and 2019,” head swim coach Dave Fritz said. “So I’ve known her for quite a while. We were able to develop a great relationship as we worked on some aspects of her strokes and were able to improve on her start off the blocks. Mikaela kept in touch as she conducted her college search – she had a lot of unique questions due JENKINS 11

McNulty Memo

Pres. Paul J. McNulty ‘80

As I begin my eighth year as president, I am more excited than ever about what is happening at Grove City College and the direction we are headed.

The significant increase in our enrollment, including more than 50 transfer students, is an encouraging indication that our mission is resonating with more and more families. There is a hunger for education that affirms enduring values and provides for the free pursuit of truth. Students also yearn for the Grove’s caring community in contrast to the harsh divisiveness of the general culture.

This is also a historic

year for the college. Before Christmas, the Board of Trustees will announce a bold new strategic plan that will guide us towards our 150th anniversary celebration in 2026. In the new year, we will announce the details of an unprecedented capital campaign that, Lord willing, will address a long list of much needed new projects and renovations.

Meanwhile, administrators and faculty are busy with the renewal of the core curriculum, implementation of a new learning management system (think easy-touse online management of your courses) and the development of additional graduate programs. And speaking of historic, plans are con-

MATTHEW SCHOONOVER

President Paul J. McNulty ‘80 began the college’s 146th academic year with his convocation address to faculty and students. tinuing for our shift to Wor- next semester.

Here are some other highship Wednesday (midweek/ lights this year: midday chapel) and Formation Friday, both beginning MCNULTY 3

With a lot of uncertainty in the air and case counts apparently rising on campus this week, many are wondering how Grove City College will respond to COVID-19 this year.

The college’s ultimate goal this semester is to “restore normalcy to campus” in every way possible, President Paul J. McNulty said. The College isn’t requiring masks or mandating students get vaccinated, but he said it is evaluating the ever-unfolding information about COVID-19 as well as the “applicable government directives” and recommendations to establish smart and safe plans.

“The college is obligated to comply with legal mandates … At the moment, most COVID guidelines are recommendations and not mandates,” McNulty said.

“If Pennsylvania establishes a mandate for higher education, the college would comply. Though laws in this area are difficult to decipher, our best judgment is that testing, contact tracing and isolation are state health department requirements.

Masking and social distancing, surveillance testing and other measures are CDC recommendations,” he said.

“Social distancing, in particular, is a helpful recommendation because it reduces the burden and disruption of contact tracing and quarantines,” McNulty said.

Asked this week about the possibility that the college would require students to get vaccinated or limit the activities of unvaccinated students in hopes that they would get the vaccine, McNulty said he “does not foresee that happening.”

Instituting a mask mandate isn’t out of the question, he said. While the state dropped its mask mandate in June, rising infection numbers and controversy over local rules led Gov. Tom Wolfe to issue an order requiring all students, staff and visitors wear masks in K-12 schools in Pennsylvania.

McNulty said a possible mask requirement on campus is not out of the question.

Last week, an email from the Office of Student Life and Learning noted the presence of COVID-19 on campus and strongly recommended self-isolation and utilization of both Zerbe’s rapid testing service and the reporting portal on MyGCC in the event of suspected or actual illness or exposure so that appropriate action may be taken toward ideally curbing the further spread of the virus.

The College’s COVID-19 dashboard indicated 18 students had been infected in the first week of classes and on Wednesday, McNulty anCOVID 9

Editorial

Page 2

The award-winning Grove City College student newspaper, Sept. 3, 2021

From the Tower

Embracing the new normal

After a long year of COVID protocols, it’s good to be back to normal (for the most part) on Grove City College’s campus.

It’s refreshing to see the smiles of professors and other students, and it’s uplifting that you don’t have to always stay six feet apart from each other. These restrictions may have had their place last year, but they prevented us from truly connecting with one another in meaningful ways.

Now you don’t have to constantly worry about being shipped off to a hotel room. Lord-willing, it stays that way.

Though the college has seen 20 new positive cases within the first week of classes, campus life so far is still better than last year.

We need to remain optimistic of our remaining weeks here, and all we can do is hope we make it to Thanksgiving without incident.

For upperclassmen, stepping foot on campus again feels like entering a strange yet familiar world, while sophomores feel like they’re still freshmen because they’ve never experienced campus life pre-COVID. Because of the latest Delta variant, the coronavirus is still a sobering reality as we start classes with high hopes. None of us know what the future holds, but that doesn’t mean we can’t live out our best year of college in the meantime.

Though last year was one of difficulty and hardship, our campus community has so much to be thankful for as the fall semester begins. One of which is a return to normalcy… of a sort.

Some of us have doubts about whether campus will ever be the same again, while others feel more optimistic. It’s possible we may never return to our old college lives before COVID, and that’s ok.

We have the opportunity to live in a new normal. We have the chance to stop taking everything for granted and to embrace life in a rich, new way (despite the fear of a virus).

This year challenge yourself to make new friends, take up a hobby you have always been interested in or join another club. Be bold and make the best out of your remaining time here. We only have four years of college. Once graduation comes, those years spent on campus with friends and professors are gone.

Though we all must remain vigilant with our health, COVID has stolen a year and a half of our lives. It’s time we make the most out of our future here, however long each of us have left on campus.

Rather than letting circumstances determine your actions, live your life with intention and purpose. It may be tempting to desire the old normal way of life — to wish that COVID never existed — but life is all about change. And that’s a scary thought to ponder, but it’s true.

Don’t stay stuck in the past wishing your life were different somehow. Instead let this year of the new normal transform you into more of the person you were created to be.

David Zimmermann

Editor-in-Chief

Collegian Staff Editor-in-Chief

Copy Chief

Managing Editor

Business Manager

Section Editors News

Copy Editors

David Zimmermann Caleb West

Ayden Gutierrez

Community Noel Elvin

Perspectives Clark Mummau

Sports

Emily Rupczewski

Joanna Thorpe Kathryn Miller

Katherine Bennett Austin Branthoover Shelbi Henkle Kylie Jasper Claire Josey Eve Lee Lauren Ness Ashley Ostrowski Sydney Travis

Staff Writers

Photo Chief

Matthew Schoonover

Scott Amon Connor Schlosser Isaac Willour

Design Chief

Staff Adviser

Chris Murphy

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.

Remain vigilant Caleb West

Managing Editor This year is supposed to be the return to normal life, but that’s off to a rough start already.

Even after just two weeks, COVID has already shown its ugly face here on campus and seems to be as strong or stronger than before, and yet the campus community is generally turning a blind eye.

Compared to the first case on campus last year, which hit around this time, the reaction is very different. Why is that? What has changed?

For starters, there’s a vaccine now. Many students and faculty have gotten the shot, and that has eased some of the tension especially for those in higher-risk categories. Even so, there are still breakthrough cases, and we have seen some on campus so there must be something else.

I think the main change between now and a year ago is in the mindset of our community. People are simply tired: tired of extra rules and

regulations, tired of quarantining and, most of all, tired of masks. We are all tired of the reality that we must still be vigilant.

COVID has been a global pandemic for nearly a year and a half, and people just want it to stop. That can be dangerous though, as one can’t simply wish a disease away. Pretending the problem doesn’t exist does nothing to solve it, and in fact often exacerbates it.

A nonchalant approach to COVID may be easier and may seem normal, but trying to live a normal life in a world that is anything but only brings problems and hurt.

As we see our friends and classmates placed in quarantine, it’s easy to get angry.

However, we must remember that quarantine exists for a reason. It is only by taking COVID seriously that we can continue to maintain the generous freedom we are given.

The college has always placed a great value on freedom. It’s right there in our motto: where faith and freedom matter. Last year, some of that precious freedom was taken away. The sacrifice

Green Eyeshade Award This week’s Green Eyeshade Award goes to Community Editor Noel Elvin for her hard work, creativity and a desire to learn more as a first-time editor.

Elvin

was made that we must wear masks and follow CDC guidelines so that we could attend class in person even as most other colleges did not.

This year much of the obvious restrictions have been removed, but that does not mean students can take all of their freedom right back.

Even though we are no longer wearing masks, there must still be a focus on stopping the spread of COVID, or it will only be a matter of time before we are right back where we were last September, or even worse, where we were last March.

I for one appreciate the freedom we have been given and certainly do not want to go back to those times, but right now it’s not looking great.

I fear yesterday’s chapel cancellation is only the first step down a very slippery slope that can easily dump us back in our homes doing class online, which, I hope you agree, is definitely less than ideal.

Just like last year, keeping campus life the way we have it now is going to be an uphill battle, and one that must be fought by us all.

This week in history...

Fall flashbacks

Mine shafts close Alumni Sept. 6, 1985 The Collegian reported that Alumni Recreation Building had been shut down due to the discovery of old coal mines beneath the structure of the building. According to the article, the mines were discovered during test drills for a possible addition to the building that summer. The building housed the mailroom, bookstore, Gedunk, dormitories, and athletic staff offices. The 61 male residents of Alumni were relocated to Zerbe Health Center, Phillips Field House, and other community residences for housing.

The mailroom and bookstore were relocated to the library basement.

MacKenzie emphasizes futurity of higher education Sept. 21, 1971 The Collegian interviewed new college president Charles S. MacKenzie.

“I think that I see at Grove City the potential for a creative educational institution… I would like to see Grove City College the type of campus where men and women are informed and inspired to be able to go out into their careers with an eye to making the world a better place.” MacKenzie said his role was “to be an advocate of the basic Christian principles that made our country and this college great.”

the

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

PLUM GROVE INC.

Crimson Gridders face tough opener Saturday against Waynesburg, the conqueror of the Nittany Lion Sept. 30, 1931 According to this issue of The Collegian, the Grove City College football team was preparing to start the 1931 season against Waynesburg. What is worth noting here is that Waynesburg was coming off a victory over Pennsylvania State University in the prior week. Yes, that Penn State, the Division 1 school who sends multiple players to the National Football League (NFL) on a yearly basis.

Obviously, the landscape of college football in 1931 was vastly different than the landscape of college football in 2021. The National College Athletic Association did not create divisions until 1968, and it wasn’t until 1973 that the NCAA split into three divisions.

Prospects Good for a Great Year Oct. 3, 1921 “The present year promises to be the best in the history of the College,” President Ketler said recently when asked by our Collegian representatives concerning the prospects for the year.

Ketler reported the largest enrollment in history with over 400 students and steady growth over the last three years. “The College is in better condition now than at any time in its history.”

Ayden Gutierrez

News Editor

News The Collegian,

Sept. 3, 2021

Page 3

Fall brings fresh faces Collegian Staff As a new academic year rolls in, another class of excited, overwhelmed freshman begin their Grove City journeys.

This fall, the freshman class are not the only ones beginning their Grove City careers.

Grove City College has welcomed 13 new professors to the campus community this fall. The 13 new faculty will augment the College’s roster of Christian scholars in the departments of Modern Languages, Communication and Visual Arts, English, Education, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Exercise Science, Accounting, Nursing and Biblical and Religious Studies.

Dr. Chris Ansberry is joining the faculty as an Associate Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies. Ansberry will also serve as the Director of the Accelerated Pastoral Degree Program being offered in conjunction with Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary.

Shannon Barrios is joining the faculty as an Instructor of Communication and Visual Arts. Barrios specializes in intercultural and corpo-

College hires new faculty

GCC

Ten departments welcome 13 new professors in the annual faculty photo. rate communication with an emphasis of translating kingdom principles into the marketplace.

Dr. Jeffrey Bilbro is being brought on as an Associate Professor of English. Bilbro will teach courses in the Writing Program, English and the Humanities Core.

Dr. Hayden D. Gerhart is an Associate Professor of Exercise Science. Gerhart will teach and conduct research in exercise physiology.

Dr. Paul J. Jackanich is joining the faculty as a Visiting Assistant Professor of French. Jackanich joins the Modern Languages Depart-

ment to teach French and courses on the French Enlightenment.

Dr. Jason Killam and Dr. April Knupp are both being added as Associate Professors of Spanish. Killam joins the Department of Modern Languages to teach Spanish and Spanish Linguistics.

Knupp joins the Department of Modern Languages to teach Spanish language and Hispanic literatures and cultures.

Dr. Qiuyan Li is being added as an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering.

Li’s specialty is additive manufacturing and ultrasonic

non-destructive testing. She is also interested in material mechanical property characterization, wave propagating theory in solid, electro-mechanical systems, MEMS and sensor development.

Dr. Michael Rawl joins the faculty as an Assistant Professor of English. Rawl will teach 20th-century and contemporary British literature.

He specializes in 20th-century Anglo-Irish poetry and focuses particularly on the work of W.B. Yeats and Geoffrey Hill.

“Dr. Rawl is very friendly and very open to having conversations about the content

that we cover,” sophomore Robert Tamburrino said. “He is extremely insightful, and his enthusiasm makes class enjoyable.”

Dr. Rick Sabousky has been added as a Professor of Education. Sabousky will teach special education practices and interventions.

Dr. Tricia Shultz, a familiar face to Grove City College, joins the faculty as an Assistant Professor of Accounting. Shultz earned a B.S from Grove City with a double major in biology and psychology. Shultz later returned to Grove City in 2014 to earn another degree in accounting. Shultz will be teaching Principles of Accounting and Taxation.

Dr. Janet Skees joins the staff as an Associate Professor of Nursing. Skees joined the Nursing department in February and teaches Introduction to Professional Nursing.

Dr. He (David) Zhang rounds out the list of new professors. Zhang joins the faculty this fall as an Assistant Professor of Computer Science. Zhang will teach computer architecture and operating systems.

MCNULTY

continued from 1

The outdoor basketball court on lower campus is a new addition this year, left as a parting gift by the class of 2021.

MAX PARGEON

Grads leave hoops behind

Nicholas Grasso Contributing Writer

As the college begins to return to normalcy amidst its continued battle with COVID, the new outdoor basketball court on lower campus is already drawing crowds as the spirit of community begins to grow.

A gift from the graduating class of 2021, the court, complete with partial painted lines and regulation hoops has been a coveted feature at the college for years.

Junior Dante Mamone said, “So far I have really enjoyed playing ball on the new court. It’s another great addition to an amazing campus.”

The lower campus location allows easy access for students living in the apartments, and a picturesque view of Rainbow Bridge, an alluring factor for some.

Sophomore Sam Giannetti stated, “The court being on lower campus was a good call because it’s another reason for students to go to lower

campus. Other than the sand volleyball court, lower campus is pretty underutilized, so the court location is cool.”

“The court itself isn’t great, though, because it feels very small, plus there’s no threepoint line and the double rims make shooting pretty difficult. Overall, it’s cool that we have it,” Giannetti concluded.

The mixed feelings about the court seem to be commonplace, as sophomore Lance Lenoksy pointed out.

“The court isn’t full size, but it looks like it definitely could have been. I don’t know why they wouldn’t have made it bigger, plus the backboards aren’t great either,” Lenosky said.

After watching a brief game on the court, junior Nate Fuguet said, “The placement of the court right next to the river was questionable.

Missed shots are definitely going to go into the water.

Also, the lack of lighting on the court and on lower campus in general make it tough

to play in the evenings.”

“The court was a really great idea, it just seems like it was poorly executed,” Fuguet concluded.

The communal aspect of the court and the chance for campus growth has been one of the main positive features according to students.

“The outdoor court was a great idea. The chance for new events to be held on lower campus with basketball is awesome, and it’s another way for non-student athletes to play ball when the IM room is busy,” Junior Preston Field said.

Patrick Finley, the President of the class of 2021, along with other student officers from the class and several administrative college employees put considerable work into funding and greenlighting this project.

“The class of 2021 officers were thrilled to unveil our senior class gift, because we thought a basketball court would be a great addition to our campus community,”

Finley said. “For a long time, the court was going to be just half size but hard work, dedication and enthusiasm for the project left us with a bigger court.”

Finley also spoke on the expenses of the class gift.

“The court was expensive, so fundraising was a major factor. With the support of many in my class, we made it happen,” Finley said.

Nikki Eckard, Assistant Director of Advancement Services and Annual Giving, shares Finley’s excitement.

“The class of 2021 had a vision to be able to provide the court, and it was completed.

It’s so exciting to have more outdoor options and activities for students,” Eckard said.

Ultimately, the court acts as a community gathering place and a symbol of recreation on campus, and as the semester marches on, more and more students are primed to take advantage of the gift from the class of 2021.

*The Library: Please check out the partial renovations in the library if you haven’t done so already. The Rare Book Room and the secondfloor stacks have been transformed into fantastic study space. Comfortable new furniture, excellent lighting and plenty of power outlets make these outstanding areas for serious studying, and they should excite everyone about the many upgrades to come. *Athletics: We have more than 500 varsity athletes on campus this year – the largest number ever, including our own Tokyo gold medalist. In the shortened and condensed seasons last spring, GCC finished in the top four in every sport! Expectations this year are high, but our strong team cultures seek to honor God first, win or lose.

Go Wolverines! *Grown at Grove: Thanks to everyone who signed up at the Organizations Fair to help Mrs. M with the college’s garden. This project is sprouting great success…and lots of tomatoes. *Café Upgrades: Our dining experience continues to get better, especially now that we can relax most of the COVID adjustments. Bon Appetit is offering more options and improved service areas.

MAP Café, in particular, has some fun changes, including a permanent waffle station.

Students with dietary restrictions should also be pleased with a better approach for enjoying satisfying and safe food. *Miscellaneous: Adirondacks chairs in the Staley HAL courtyard – more are coming. Night football game on 9/11 is a White Out. Food Truck Fridays start next Friday – and Chick-fil-A is Oct. 1!

May the Lord bless us this year with safety, growth, love and success. See you around.

Community The Collegian,

Sept. 3, 2021

Page 4

Events honoring the 20th anniversary of 9/11 A series of in person events and online experiences Monday “Never Forget: A 20th Anniversary Reflection on 9/11.” is a curated online exhibit that tells the story of that fateful day from a Grove City College perspective through a digital gallery of quotes, photos, oral history recordings and an archive of firsthand accounts from alumni and other members of the College community. It includes eyewitness reports, harrowing stories and observations from Grovers whose lives were impacted by the attacks. Check it out online at www.alumni.gcc.edu/ Wednesday College President Paul J. McNulty ’80, who was in the Department of Justice’s command center on 9/11, will share his first-hand experiences and spotlight the selfless acts of Americans who answered the call of duty after the attacks at noon at the Rivers Club in Pittsburgh. His lecture – “Let’s Roll: The High Price of American Freedom” – is part of the Foundations of American Leadership Series presented by The Institute for Faith & Freedom at Grove City College. The event is sold out, but it will be livestreamed at www. gcc.edu/livestream.

Thursday “The Wisdom of Remembering,” a special chapel presentation at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept.

9 in Harbison Chapel.

Students chance pause and consider the wisdom of recalling and reflecting on events of the past. The service will be livestreamed at www.gcc. edu/livestream.

Saturday Halftime tribute by the Wolverine Marching Band during the annual Night Game. Game against Bethany at 7 p.m.

Students eat in Hicks dining hall as the cafeteria returns to normal after COVID-19 protocols have been suspended.

CALEB WEST

Stir fry, to go and Sunday brunch Cafeteria returns to normal

Carolyn Scott

Contributing Writer On-campus dining, one of the most affected areas of student life last school year, is starting to look normal again as COVID-19 regulations significantly decreased across campus.

Nonetheless, even within the first week of classes, it seemed dining protocol was still up in the air. To-go dining was sometimes available and sometimes not. Due to a problem with the dishwasher, the Hicks dining hall changed from its normal plates and silverware to paper plates and plastic utensils, then back again.

“It was a little weird,” sophomore Katherine Kovac said. “I kept forgetting that I serve myself now!”

Although students were allowed to bring in their own mugs and water bottles, they had to leave their backpacks at the cafeteria door. Amidst the confusion, Bon Appetit’s

General Manager, Sam Shepherd, provided students with some clarity regarding dining policy.

The to-go dining option became incredibly popular last year and will remain in use, according to Shepherd.

For those wishing to utilize it, he said, “Just declare the option at the front register, and you’ll receive a food container, cup and cutlery pack.”

Another popular dining practice adopted last year was eating outside and coming back inside for seconds.

Shepherd said the college’s meal plan does not support swiping meal passes multiple times for the same meal, so returning for seconds is not encouraged this year.

It also appears the piles of backpacks accumulating at the dining hall entrances during meal hours are back.

Bringing backpacks into dining areas is no longer allowed. However, Shepherd is looking to change this rule, so students should keep an eye out for any signage indi-

cating a change in this policy.

One change caused by COVID-19 regulations last year was the usage of emergency exit doors as normal exits to encourage social distancing.

The exits used last year are once again serving as emergency doors with their alarms enabled. Students should exit dining halls through the same doors they use to enter, Shepherd said.

Anyone who showed up to Hicks at 7 a.m. on the first day of classes quickly learned that the dining hall hours have also changed. Hicks is now closed for breakfast on weekdays, and breakfast at the MAP dining hall starts at 7:15 a.m. Lunch begins at 10:45 a.m. in Hicks and 11:30 a.m. in MAP. Dinner is now extended until 8:15 p.m. in Hicks and 7:15 p.m. in MAP. This is a significant change, as dinner will now be available longer than it was during both preCOVID-19 school years and last school year.

Hicks serves most week-

end meals, although MAP is now open for Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. As any returning student will have noticed, the outdoor dining tents outside Hicks are still up and available for outdoor eating.

Perhaps the most significant change to on-campus dining this year is the revival of the Hicks Wok station.

According to Shepherd, “Wok station at Hicks is here to stay!”

Noodle lovers can rest easy.

“I was happy to see wok zone back and the make your own waffle bar,” senior Kylie Aiken said.

campus events last year with the absence of many common IM Sports. This caused a lot of students to sit around without much to do after they finished their homework.

“The culture was a little strained,” Kimpel said.

Last year, it was difficult to get IM Sports scheduled and facilitated with the different necessary approvals, Kimpel said. Additionally, it was difficult to motivate students to sign up given the restrictions in place.

Last year, Grubbs and her roommate, senior Jael Compton, played on a coed volleyball team together. The entire team ended up being put in quarantine, resulting in none of them being able to play in the finals.

“I felt super bummed out,” Compton said.

While the IM League did not cancel all sports last year, it cancelled many notable

ones, including men’s football, women’s flag-football, men’s basketball and men’s and women’s volleyball.

Senior Reagan Saunders, president of Men’s Intramurals, said these sports were canceled because they were high-contact sports with either players or the ball.

But this year, almost all IM sports will be returning.

This semester, the IM League will offer the following sports: men’s football, women’s flag-football, men’s and women’s frisbee, men’s indoor and outdoor basketball, men’s and women’s volleyball, the men’s and women’s indoor soccer tournament, coed outdoor soccer, spikeball, tennis and ping pong.

Registration is currently open for spikeball, tennis and men’s outdoor basketball. Seasons for men’s football, women’s flag-football,

coed outdoor soccer and men’s and women’s frisbee began on Sept. 2.

Kimpel appreciates how IM Sports bring together different communities of various students that may have never met each other on campus, if it were not for IM Sports.

“You have to sign up with your community,” Kimpel said. “And then you play a different community of students.”

Compton recalled making many friends through IM Sports since freshman year.

Saunders also said he made some of his best friends through IM Sports. He is most excited for basketball to return.

“There’s nothing like rolling up to a crowded IM room with three to four games going on at a time as you prep for some hoops,” Saunders said.

Although the changes to on-campus dining brought about by COVID-19 were inconvenient in the short term, it appears that these changes, originally used to encourage social distancing, are allowing students to gain a broader dining experience now.

Building community through sport Noel Elvin

Community Editor After a hiatus of oncampus events, Intramural Sports are ready to bring the campus back together as a community.

IM Sports are a way to meet different people on campus, take a break from studying and be active without the pressure of being an athlete.

“It’s really just a fun way to meet and compete in a healthy way with other people,” senior Lillian Kimpel, president of the Women’s Athletic Association, said.

Senior Abigail Grubbs, who has been participating in IM Sports since freshman year, agreed. “If you’re an active person, it’s a really nice outlet. It’s a good way to relieve stress,” she said.

Kimpel recalled the fact that there was a lack of on-

The Collegian,

Sept. 3, 2021

Page 5

Singers and musicians excited to be maskless Noel Elvin

Seven questions with…

Shannon Barrios

Community Editor Last year choirs, orchestras and bands were all uniquely affected by COVID-19 safety precautions, but this semester brings a breath of fresh air.

With COVID-19 protocols loosening across campus, the Music Department is able to return to full-capacity rehearsals, normal spacing between performers and maskless performances and rehearsals.

Last year all ensembles were spaced out by six feet or more, and rehearsals were shortened with groups divided into two. Wind instruments used bell covers to reduce aerosol dispersion and all other musicians, including choristers, were masked.

Choristers specifically had to overcome some mental barricades, senior Olivia Kane said. Kane is a member of concert choir, band and orchestra.

“Having the mask over where the sound is supposed to be coming out, it puts a restriction on you,” Kane said. “It’s something that shouldn’t be there. In reality it wasn’t blocking that much, but mentally it was easy for it to make you think it was.”

Dr. Andrew Erb, director of both concert and marching band, said that it was harder to direct with a mask because, aside from tempo, he needs to communicate phrasing, emotion and expression which is difficult without being able to use his entire face.

When reflecting on not being able to see every instrumentalist’s face, Dr. Jeffrey Tedford ’00, chair of the Music Department and orchestra director, said that eye contact is paramount in an ensemble.

“The students’ eyes continued to give me all the information I needed,” Tedford said. “Intense concentration to eye rolls and everything in between.”

Tedford added that one of the bigger issues was simply fitting everyone in some of the larger ensembles onto the stage or into a room with the social distancing require-

Professor of Communication Arts What do you listen to on the ride home?

Worship music, a podcast, or NPR, depending on my mood.

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Touring choir has their first rehearsal maskless in over a year. performances and rehearsals ments.

Erb said that increased could still occur despite stuspacing between instrumen- dents being isolated or quartalists caused more prob- antined.

“We were not sure weeklems for concert band than marching band. Unlike con- to-week who we would have cert, marching band is used in rehearsals,” Erb said. “So, to playing distanced across a I had to make sure that multiple people were covering football field.

“The concert ensemble, every part in the case that however, sometimes strug- we were missing a lot of stugled to hear each other while dents.”

Although there were many spaced out,” Erb said, “and seeing the conductor was an safety precautions, shortened issue in rehearsals for some rehearsals with only half the students on the ends of the orchestra at a time were what front rows. This made tim- affected orchestra the most, ing more difficult, and into- Tedford said. Through this, nation and balance was a big he strived to focus on the importance of the education challenge.”

He explained, “In a way, it process over performing durmight have actually made us ing these unique times.

“My daily reminder to mybetter at dealing with those aspects of performance be- self and students last year cause we had to really focus was ‘Let’s focus on what we on them and listen intently can control rather than the to others in order to have any things we cannot control,’” chance of addressing those he said.

Having started college durissues.”

Erb also intentionally se- ing COVID-19, sophomore lected music containing few Dabria DiCenso, a Music masolos and thick scores so that jor and member of orchestra,

MATTHEW SCHOONOVER

was excited to begin this year with no restrictions.

“I finally feel like I am experiencing the true Music Department at Grove City College,” DiCenso said. “It is very nice to be able to make music without so many restrictions that were affecting the sound of the orchestra.”

Kane reflected on how grateful she still was to be able to sing in choir despite the restrictions, especially seeing how many schools did not have choirs last year.

This semester, Tedford looks forward to moving back into a balance of both learning and performing. With restrictions loosening up this semester, he is looking forward to having his entire orchestra in one room again for a full-length rehearsal.

Kane expressed that as both a music and dance performer, she looks forward to be free not to wear a mask anymore and being able to use her entire face to emote when performing.

Freshmen? More like fresh-army!

Caroline McLellan Contributing Writer

The hearts of many upperclassmen fill with joy every fall when the college community meets hundreds of new students.

Others, such as sophomore Cara Scott, experience moments of intimidation by the utter volume of strangers now sharing our dorms, tables and classrooms. Regardless of how you feel about their arrival, they are here.

And there are a lot of them.

Lee Wishing, Vice President for Student Recruitment, was able to provide valuable insight into the exact numbers. Grove City College enrolled 629 new freshmen and 44 transfer students in fall of 2021. This year marks an almost 20 percent increase in enrollment from 2020, which welcomed just 527 new students.

Despite this uptick in enrollment, Grove City actually experienced a 5 percent drop in its admission rate from 78 percent in 2020 to 73 percent

in 2021. This is due to the whopping 2,081 applicants that the college received this year, which is the most it has seen since 2005.

Of the 2,081 applicants, around 1,500 were admitted and a subsequent 629 enrolled. In spite of this class surpassing the 2019 class of 490 students and the 2020 class of 527, Wishing notes that this class size is not unprecedented for the college.

In fact, 636 students enrolled at the college in 2017 and 608 in 2018.

Regardless, a 20 percent increase in enrollment from 2020 is a notable feat.

Around the country, colleges and universities saw on average a 4.9 percent drop in undergraduate enrollment for the 2021 cycle, according to The Herald. Unlike these other institutions, Grove City is having no problem attracting bright minds to its picturesque, tight-knit campus.

Our very own President McNulty believes the reason for this increase is two-fold.

Firstly, he points out how

“the class (of 2025} is strongly aligned with the College’s distinctive strengths of academic excellence, Christcentered environment and caring community.” A survey given to the class of 2025 indicates that “high quality academics” and “Christian environment” were the top two reasons that students chose to attend Grove City College.

Lee Murray, a freshman Finance and International Business major from New York, described Grove City as a refreshment after “being in the secular world for so long” and decided to attend the college because of its “Christian roots.”

Secondly, President McNulty notes, “The vast majority of our new students have an association with someone who is a part of our larger college community.”

According to Mr. Wishing, 92 percent of Grove City students have a previous connection to the college, with half of these being family members and a fourth being friends. Zeke Ostrowski,

a freshman Biochemistry major from Massachusetts, decided to come to Grove City because it seemed familiar after watching two of his brothers attend the college.

Another factor that may have contributed to the large class size could simply have been that the campus was open last year.

“Campus visits play a large role in successful recruiting,” President McNulty said.

This was certainly a significant deciding factor for David Stoner, an Undeclared major from Illinois who “fell in love with the place” after his campus tours. Freshman students like David were able to see the campus for themselves and picture the next four years here, even through the summer months.

Regardless of why they chose Grove City, we are so glad that they did. Though our dorms may be full, so are our hearts. Welcome home, freshmen.

Ethics in the Conflicts of Modernity: An Essay on Desire, Practical Reasoning, and Narrative by Alasdair Macintyre.

What’s something you’ve been pondering lately?

I have three little girls who are three years old and younger, so lately I have been thinking about what a gift it is to watch them grow and become who they are made to be, and the privilege it is to nurture their unique giftings. They are all distinctly individual, and God’s goodness and creativity is so evident in their little lives. They astound me in every beautiful way!

Favorite restaurant?

The Melting Pot. I LOVE cheese!!

Name a movie that makes you emotional.

“The Shack” What are you looking forward to today?

Having dinner with my family. It is so special to sit around the table together and share food and moments.

Favorite class you’re teaching right now?

Honestly, I am enjoying them all. The students make things unique and special, so I cannot say I have a favorite class… but my favorite topic is probably Intercultural Communication.

Connect with us! @Collegian_GCC @gcc.collegian The Collegian: The Grove City College Newspaper

Through the lens,

Through the Lens

Feb. 22, 2019

The Collegian,

Page 6

September 3, 2021

Performance season Photographers go on vacation with a different perspective hhohohoh

Matthew Schoonover

Most people take a vacation to relax, watch the sunsets or just enjoy time with family. A photographer goes on vacation to get the photos that they have been wanting to get all year or semester long.

The school year for the photographer is a training session, a time to perform under pressure and become familiar with the camera so well that its user can perform at lightning speed.

The summer is the performance time for the photographer; to see what all those assignments have done and what new skills the photo athlete can now bring to the table.

The average citizen that watches a sunset may never think about the composition of a photo, but the seasoned photographer knows what they want in the photo before they even arrive at the location. The seasoned photographer who walks out on a beach or goes for a hike is not in pursuit of relaxation and enjoyment but is pushing themselves to achieve greatness unlike ever before.

The photographer on the hike may be thinking about how they can catch a seagull flying into a small hole in a cliff face along the shore of an ocean. Meanwhile, the average hiker will be thinking about how they can beat the trail record. The photographer’s summer vacation is a time to show the world the way they see things; the way the world looks through the lens.

Daniel Kabakjian

Grace David

Daniel Kabakjian

Lizzy Linnik

Through the lens,

Sept. 3, 2021

Page 7

Matthew Schoonover

Max Pargeon

Matthew Schoonover

Lizzy Linnik

Grace David

Grace David

Lizzy Linnik

Gracie Turnbaugh

Grace David

Perspectives The Collegian, Sept. 3, 2021

Don’t Panic Ben Seevers

Contributing Writer Throughout the past year and a half, there has been one single principle that has guided the entire status quo, and that is COVID-19.

The controllers have essentially rejected all other values that one may have. They have used the strongarm of authoritarianism to push us along in accordance with their arbitrary and irrational plans, as if we were cattle.

The private sector, along with colleges and universities, acted in this way because they were either forced by state regulations or chose to enact such policies.

With COVID-19 having been in the conversation for over a year, the average American can more adequately gauge what they should and should not do.

Almost all negative effects the virus could present have been privatized by the vaccine with over 90 percent of hospitalizations being those who are unvaccinated.

So, as much as the status quo might hate it, it is time to abandon the COVID principle as our guiding star and go back to how things were before. It is time to treat it as if it were any other virus. It is more than likely not going anywhere (it is too useful), so we might as well accept it, or we will be doomed to making anxious decisions based on fear for infinity.

The college’s response thus far has been excellent. There has been no campus vaccine mandate or mask mandate (nor should there be), and the college’s approach has been more laid-back than in previous semesters. This is a good thing and shows progress.

Anyone that suggests additional regulations at this point is simply misguided.

Sending us home at the beginning was probably a proper response by the college, but the issue had become politicized and the government intervened.

Under no circumstances should we be sent home again. Under no circumstances should vaccines be mandated. Under no circumstances should masks be reinstated. The college’s current policy is sufficient, and hopefully we won’t worry about it at all soon.

Furthermore, the Delta variant is an even lesser cause for concern. Not even the “experts” are suggesting that the average person get a booster shot to decrease the chance of contracting a variant, although I do not know how much longer that will last.

But there is even some ignorance as to how effective the vaccine is at fighting the Delta variant without any booster shot. It simply isn’t known, and it is definitely not a cause for alarm. My position can be summed up like this: stop panicking. We have heard and seen enough over the past year and a half, and we are just done. The virus is much less of a public health concern now, so it is finally time to close this chapter and move on.

Page 8

Christ v. culture Clark Mummau Perspectives Editor

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the government mandated what we would wear, where we could go, who we could see and when we could do activities.

Of course, many of us rebelled against these restrictions in different ways, and now many of them have been pulled back in many places, including on campus.

What do our responses to these restrictions say about us, particularly as Christians, though? I think that the general conservative Christian resistance to COVID mandates is symptomatic of a failure to live lives radically changed by the gospel of Christ.

When a government God has instituted has made individual rights key, we glorify God by taking advantage of those rights. However, we must remember that these rights come from God, not from an Enlightenment idea of nature. As God is the

source of our constitutional rights and our true leader, we should render to him the first fruits of the use of our rights.

So what does surrendering our rights to Christ look like in regard to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and why does this answer matter?

Well, neither getting vaccinated nor refusing vaccination is sinful, nor is wearing or not wearing a mask. So, we have an individual right to choose, but we are obliged to follow other people’s guidelines, whether or not we agree with them. Just as a business can mandate you to wear shoes and a shirt, it can choose to mandate you to wear a mask or be vaccinated if it desires, and it can choose to lose your business by doing so.

Will not being vaccinated hurt your ability to share the gospel with people, or will your ministry be more effective if you are vaccinated or masked, even just because you may be able to remain in person? If any one of these is the case, then you likely have an obligation to get vaccinated in order that you may

better fulfill the Great Commission.

Why does this answer matter? According to a Public Religion Research Institute study from June, but their most recent on this topic, 24 percent of White evangelical protestants refuse a COVID vaccine, which is five percent higher than the next closest religious group, Latter-Day Saints.

This statistic does not prove Christians are guilty of a certain sin, but I think it belies something much more sinister: an incomplete surrender to God. Many Christians have idolized the comfort of individual rights over a willingness to be led, which leads to Christians being offensive for the wrong reasons.

“Immediately after Peter has been commissioned to be a leader of his sheep, Jesus confronts him with the hard truth that the servant-leader is the leader who is being led to unknown, undesirable and painful places,” Henri Nouwen writes in “In the Name of Jesus.”

Christ’s model is humility.

Rather than clinging to his

status, he “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, …by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross,” as Paul writes in Phil. 2:7-8. We all naturally want to cling to the places where we have control - our individual rights.

Christ’s model is countercultural. He spoke to Samaritans and Syrophoenicians, he touched lepers, he went to the Gadarenes and he proclaimed the truth of the need to repent, to submit fully to God and to believe in the one God sent - Himself. This message was offensive to the Jews, and if we imitate Him, we will also be offensive to our culture.

As humans, we are always tempted to rely on our own strength, and the blessing of individual rights in America makes it easier to rely on ourselves rather than submitting to God. I think that the conservative Christian tendency to cling to individual rights, while not inherently sinful, is symptomatic of a tendency towards refusing to submit the correctly offensive and thoroughly counter-cultural message of Christ.

MATTHEW SCHOONOVER

Vaccines should not split our communities Isaac Willour Staff Writer

Probably one of the most popular (ergo, also most misapplied) verses in the New Testament is Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.”

Throughout history, different factions of believers have missed the mark of their savior’s call in a thousand different ways, from the excesses of Puritanism all the way to the modern allegations regarding Ravi Zacharias’ ministry.

Yet along with the call to not judge comes a dire warning: “in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Christ didn’t leave the call to “judge not” context-free — He framed it with this clear warning for the Christian

community, a warning that applies to all areas of public life, including the public health controversies of the present moment.

There are several truths that must be understood as people of faith when handling the vaccine debate.

Firstly, resistance to increased governmental control is not a theological failing. In fact, the case can be made that it’s an incredibly Biblical practice.

When the Psalmist tells us to “put not your trust in princes, in mortal men who cannot save,” that’s more than merely telling Israel to not trust in whatever monarch held the reins at the time. It’s a call that echoes throughout history for us to view government mandating personal choices with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Modern coronavirusrelated mandates are met with skepticism - this is perfectly understandable.

Over the past 20 months, of-

ficials in public health have given Americans more than enough reasons to be skeptical of their abilities to craft effective policy. Naive trust in government is not the standard to which the faithful and the free are called.

Secondly, voices on both sides of the public health debate have stepped outside the realm of what Christians should be willing to accept.

When Doug Wilson defends fake vaccination records, it’s a legitimization of dishonesty. The ninth commandment doesn’t let us take that road. When David French (a man I greatly admire in many areas) calls the choice for Christians to not be vaccinated “extreme and dangerous,” it’s legitimizing the very polarization that French rails against so fervently.

Lastly, it is not the place of Christians to judge one another’s hearts on medical decisions. It’s neither reasonable nor charitable to assume that we can know the

motivations of the unvaccinated with certainty. We’re not God, and we cannot judge our fellow believers’ hearts. Nor should we allow our preconceived biases to pit us against each other on this issue.

I am not an anti-vax Christian. But I would be doing my unvaccinated brothers and sisters a deep disservice by pretending that their medical choices are rooted in dishonesty or a desire to put lives at risk. The totality of Scripture demonstrates that charity and the ability to disagree on non-essential issues are to be guiding principles for Christian community. If we can’t do that, we will inevitably be left with a further fractured community, even less capable of discussion than we are now.

Christians must be willing to lay partisanship and assumptions aside and learn to move forward together in order to navigate through the current moment.

The Collegian,

Sept. 3, 2021

Page 9

Inflation: It’s what’s for dinner Sam Branthoover Contributing Writer

For my entire life, Arizona Tea has been a buck; the giant can of it, the kind that was uncomfortable to carry anywhere but was too cheap to pass up (for me, anyways).

Then, during a spontaneous and all-too-common Sheetz run with friends, the 99 cent Arizona tea reality I grew up with was shattered.

I was astonished to learn I could purchase two cans for $4, which in of itself was a “deal” (as opposed to $2.29 per can). I remember my friend saying, “They didn’t even go to $1.50 first?”

This is inflation. This is what it feels like. Often in the past decade inflation has been slow, too slow for most to notice. But now it’s here, and it’s not just affecting the bottled beverage industry.

Prices of items from building materials to food have skyrocketed, and this is fairly evident to any individual with contemporary groceryshopping experience.

At first thought, this gives me small relief; it provides a break from the usually required blackboard economics, in that (seemingly) extensive theory is not needed to show that inflation can occur, did occur and continues to occur in ways that adversely affect average Americans. However, my relief is extremely short-lived.

Many politicians and mainstream economists have been combatting the fear of inflation with the same argument: that the “disruptions in the supply chain” are the reason for witnessed inflation and that said disruptions are merely temporary. I deem this hogwash.

ARIZONA BEVERAGES

It cannot be ignored that an absolutely unprecedented amount of money has been created in the last eighteen months. Over 30 percent of all money in use currently has been produced in the aforementioned 18 months.

The fact that certain industries and products are affected more than others implies

Perspectives Policy The purpose of the Perspectives section is to give a space for student voices.

Here, student writers have the space to critique, question and analyze the world around them.

Perspectives articles represent the views of the individual writer. They do not represent the views of The Collegian, The Collegian staff or Grove City College.

While pieces in Perspectives are subjective by nature, The Collegian has standards for publication.

Articles submitted for publication are expected to provide arguments of substance that rely on fact and are void of foundationally emotional and biased arguments.

This is not a space to parrot party lines. Perspectives articles are expected to take original stances, and, where applicable, consider

COVID

continued from 1 nounced that Thursday’s Chapel was postponed due to the significant increase in positive test results. In the email, he warned that we have nearly reached our limit of isolation housing.

“If the case numbers continue to rise at the current rate, our options include mandatory masking, shifting temporarily to online classes, suspending in-house dining, and cancelling other events,” McNulty said.

In terms of the transmission of the virus on campus, the College is relying on individual self-screening for symptoms associated with

even more so that the inflation we are seeing is the result of credit expansion, and not a uniform market failure in predicting increases in demand.

Even if proper economic reasoning and theory is not enough to show that recent inflation is the result of credit expansion, the simple fact

that so much money has been created in the past 18 months is reason enough to convince any empiricist of some causal relationship.

I challenge government officials: if you believe the economy is truly recovering and that inflation is simply representative of disruptions in the supply chain caused by a recovering economy, then increase interest rates. If the “bull market” economy you have supposedly fostered is truly so strong, then raising interest rates should not be devastating.

Elected officials of both parties advocate for lower interest rates, claim the honor of growing the economy and then somehow continuously pull a fast one on us in explaining how the resulting inflation is unrelated, nonexistent or not their fault.

I remember a few weeks ago, Senate candidate Sean Parnell posted inflation statistics on social media, only for it to be flagged for being misleading.

Fact-checkers stipulated that inflation was part of “Biden’s Recovery Plan.”

Fellas, the market does not need help to prosper; that is the natural state of it. Inflation in this context means massive malinvestment in the economy because of government intervention, and it isn’t called “mal”-investment for being helpful.

It’s all fun and games until it isn’t, and this reckless handling of the economy will surely have long-lasting implications, as well as implications today. The current inflation crisis will not be for our children to deal with; it is something we are dealing with right now. I urge everyone to stop playing into politicians’ stories spun around why inflation is nonexistent or justified.

Letters to the Editor

the interaction of faith within their topic.

This is a space where all voices can be heard. It is our goal as The Collegian staff that Perspectives reflect the diversity of thought represented on the college’s campus.

Additionally, The Collegian will not accept a Perspectives article if the topic has not been reported on by the newspaper. This means that the publication of a submitted or proposed article may be delayed so The Collegian can provide a factual, unbiased context for the paper’s readership.

If you would like to submit an article for publication or want further clarification of The Collegian’s expectations contact Editor-in-Chief David Zimmermann, Managing Editor Caleb West, or Perspectives Editor Clark Mummau.

Space will be provided for Letters to the Editor. However their inclusion is at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor.

Letters will be printed as submitted unless the editors choose to delete words or portions that are in poor taste, libelous or unnecessary to convey essential meaning. The editors may condense longer letters.

Letters must include verifiable contact information, such as an email address.

Anonymous letters will not be accepted. The author’s name will appear with the letter.

Statement of fact and opinion in letters to the editor, editorials and commentaries are the responsibility of the author(s) alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of staff, the college, its faculty or staff or the student body.

Letters must be received by

5 p.m. on the Monday prior to the publication. All letters to the editor will be considered for publication from students, faculty, staff and alumni.

To be accepted for publication, a letter must meet one of the following criteria: it relates to an article published in or issue discussed in paper; it contains information of interest to all, or a segment of our readership (alumni, parents, donors, students, faculty and staff); it relates to college news or policy.

We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity, correct grammar and punctuation, and length. We will not publish unsigned letters. We will not republish a letter that has appeared in another publication in part or in whole. Letters will be printed in the next edition of the paper in which space is available.

COVID-19 to begin the testing, isolating, and/or contact tracing process.

Students, vaccinated or unvaccinated, who test positive for COVID-19 are being quarantined for the “requisite amount of time” in different on-campus locations or at home, if possible -- not in hotels.

Vaccinated individuals who were in direct contact with a positive individual, following the “6/15 rule” (a “close contact” is someone you are within six feet of for 15 or more cumulative minutes over a 24-hour period), will not be contact traced and do not have to isolate, quarantine, or be tested unless they develop symptoms associated with COVID-19.

Unvaccinated individuals who are primary contacts, however, will be required to quarantine in their rooms and be tested using molecular testing five days post-exposure, per CDC guidelines.

If the result is negative and the student is without symptoms, they will be released on the morning of the eighth day post-exposure, for a total of seven days in quarantine.

Secondary exposure protocol from last year, where contacts of the primary contact were instructed to selfisolate until the primary contact tested negative, has been discontinued and deemed unnecessary for the foreseeable future.

Primary contacts are still being asked to submit a list

of contacts though no isolating action will be immediately taken.

Varsity athletes at GCC are operating under stricter rules. All varsity athletic teams must follow the College’s policies but are also subject to the authority of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference, which has decided unanimously to follow NCAA guidelines.

Under those guidelines, all athletes and coaches, regardless of vaccination status or natural immunity, are required to wear masks during official indoor meetings and during bus rides to away games, but not trainings, workouts, or games.

Word on the street

What do freshmen think about OB?

Arabella Held “OB seriously made me feel so at home. I felt nervous coming in, but as soon as they greeted me at my car and were ready to help me and pray with me, I knew I was stepping into a loving community. Every single member of their group is so intentional, and for every event, you could tell how much they were pouring into their mission. They did such an amazing job getting us involved and connected.”

Andrew Foerst “It was great. Everyone was super kind and the events were super fun.

There were some events I didn’t go to, but the ones I did were really fun.”

Jack Henne “For the most part, the events were a lot of fun.

I went to most of them, so there’s that, but all the OB people I’ve met are all great. That’s one thing at least. I signed up for it, so hopefully I’ll be an OB member sometime next year. Overall it’s definitely necessary and it made it a lot easier to meet other people and get situated to campus this year.”

Ben Hollenbaugh “It was helpful getting to know people.

I went to most of the events, at least in the first week, and I actually met a lot of people from that. Some Upperclassmen, OB parents, so I’ll talk to them in passing, and They’re nice people. Otherwise, you’d just be sitting here waiting for classes to start, but the couple days in between move in and classes, it was nice to always have something to do, something to keep you busy so you weren’t. Some people would just sit here and be a little bummed , but instead, they’re going and doing something fun, they’re getting acclimated to college life.”

Jacob Guentter “It was a nice series of introductory events. It’s a good way to kick off the year.”

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Entertainment The Collegian, Sept. 3, 2021

Page 10

Adapting to the times WSAJ plans shift to mainstream apps

Scott Amon Staff Writer

The TLC is primarily known for its semi-awake tech staff and long printer lines at the most inconvenient times.

If, however, the curious student walks down the back hall and takes a left at the bathrooms, then he or she will come face to face with another era, the Dorothy Newman Wilson ’43 Studio.

Yes, it is true; the college still has a radio station. No, the station is not planning to disappear from campus any time soon according to senior Suni Missouri, the general manager of the station. Her mission is simple: to show students that WSAJ is more than pressing play on a soundboard.

“We want to show students that radio is not just a form of disseminating information,” Missouri said, “but it is also an art form – it’s really fun!”

Missouri joined the station her freshman year of college and is now serving in her second year as manager.

The history of WSAJ traces its origins to 1911 when the chair of the Physics Department, Dr. Herbert W. Harmon, began to experiment in the budding field of radios.

According to WSAJ’s website, Dr. Harmon is widely considered to be an early pioneer in “wireless telephony.”

Under the Radio Act of 1912, WSAJ was at last issued a formal license to broadcast in 1922 and has continued broadcasting ever since.

Tunes from the tower

‘Donda’ Chris Murphy Design Chief

Kanye West has finally released his highly anticipated project “Donda,” after months of listening parties and mounting hype. At 27 songs long and featuring dozens of artists, the album maintains the Christian themes and messaging that began in “Jesus is King.”

Instead of the heavy gospel influence that defined “JIK,” “Donda” relies on relating Christian ideas to worldly situations and Kanye’s life, as well as those he featured on his album. The album’s length allows for a lot of experimenting within this context with a fair amount of success.

Tracks like “Jail” and “Lord I Need You” are rooted in the depth of their messages, while songs like “No Child Left Behind” and “24” heavily rely on Kanye’s raw musical talent, and others like “Jesus Lord” and “Heaven and Hell” are the middle ground between the two ideas. Kanye is applying his faith to the real world, similar to how he had been doing in his older discography and, all-in-all, it seems to work pretty well.

Just be prepared to clear your schedule for the twohour runtime; take a nap or two if necessary.

MATTHEW SCHOONOVER

Junior Janessa Dawson hosts a radio show for WSAJ, the student run radio station.

Students might be surprised to learn that not only is WSAJ one of the oldest radio stations in the country but also the first FM radio station.

“In fact, the first FM broadcast was our President Weir Ketler reading a Bible verse,” Missouri said.

WSAJ has loyally continued broadcasting sports, world news, a wide variety of music and even chapel lectures. Students, however, are less loyal to the station than in decades past. This decline in interest is likely due to the ease with which students can access the same content from their phones.

Missouri recognizes that the plight of WSAJ is similar to radio broadcasting as a whole.

“With the rise of music streaming, radio as an indus-

try has suffered and is nearing extinction,” she said.

Despite the downturn in interest towards broadcast radio, Missouri still has hope that WSAJ can remain relevant to an increasingly techoriented student body. The key to success, she said, is community.

“It’s important to us this year to instill community, especially with all of the isolation that everyone felt in general last year,” Missouri said.

One way she plans to instill a stronger sense of community is to make sure the radio hosts know each other.

“We want to encourage DJs to get to know each other that they do not have shows with,” she said.

The days of FM broadcasting are likely coming to a close, but Missouri and her team have a plan to keep

ahead by shifting their content to mainstream apps instead of FM broadcast only.

Missouri continued by saying that a new broadcasting medium enables “much more freedom with creativity which means content such as talk shows, sports shows and podcasts will be possible.”

When WSAJ switches over to a streaming platform, more options are available to the station. This change, however, junior Clifford Hughes said may not be for the best.

“I think it is a mistake to switch entirely over to streaming,” Hughes said.

Hughes believes that FM broadcasting has a broader appeal to residents in the Grove City area, saying that WSAJ helped him to learn more about GCC when he was considering where to at-

tend college.

“My dad and I listened to it long before I came to GCC,” Hughes said. “So, it served as a recruitment tool for me.”

He added, “I wouldn’t have known as much about GCC to make the decision to come here if it weren’t for the radio broadcasts.

Missouri’s hope for WSAJ is well-founded. The station currently has over forty student-run programs with over sixty new faces signing up for the station at the most recent Organization Fair.

With Missouri and her executive staff at the helm and Dr. Vincent DiStasi ’88 filling in as an interim advisor, WSAJ is well poised to gain ground among Grovers.

Hopefully, this marks a new beginning for WSAJ, and the station will continue to grow for years to come.

‘Heart Songs’ declares His name Noel Elvin

Community Editor The ivories wrestle with the wind as it rises off the sea raging around you. As you are beckoned, you look out into the fog – whether metaphorically or literally – and you are uncertain how you will walk across the treacherous waters. Can you survive the storm?

Alumnus Adam Bannister ‘20 portrays this struggle in the opening song on his newest album, “Heart Songs.”

The song “Why My Soul” pulls themes from Matthew 14:22-23 and Psalm 42:5.

Bannister’s lyrics are as perfectly simple as the yearnings of our heart. He paints the picture of our hearts staring at the deep sea we are being called to step out on. He states our cry so simply: “I don’t know how to swim.”

At the start of the song, as well as the start of the album, you can hear this uncertainty as it dances with the piano.

As the first verse comes to an end, a sense of confidence flows from his voice as it rises above solid chords that depict the steadfast nature of the voice that beckons us.

“Why my soul are you downcast. Why so disturbed within me. Put your hope in God. Have you forgotten who He is?”

Bannister began writing songs in January 2020 when the Lord began pressing songs upon his heart. Since his band, Songs for Revival, released their first album in January 2021, Bannister moved to Central America as a full-time missionary.

While in Honduras, he completed his second album, “Heart Songs,” which consists of 12 songs. Unlike his first album, he is the only vocalist on the new album.

An album full of cries, prayers and yearnings to our Lord and Savior, this album represents its name flawlessly. Each song shares scriptural truths through beautifully crafted lyrics.

“Rest On Me” is a simple call to oneself to not only boast in the Lord, but to boast more. This soft acoustic song is surrounded by the request of His presence: “Rest on me.”

The title song wraps up the album, singing of our heart songs that change as we learn the art of worship more and more each day: “The songs are new everyday. The melody takes brand new turns, as I learn to sing, in brand new ways.”

This song draws themes from Luke 6:45 which says, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out

ADAM BANNISTER

Adam Bannister ‘20 recently released a new album “Heart Songs” with his band Songs for Revival. It is now available to be listened on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube and other streaming platforms. of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

“My heart’s song isn’t perfect, but I offer every chord and sing it to You my Jesus, because my heart is yours,” Bannister sings.

What are we storing in our

hearts? Uplifting thoughts or discouraging thoughts?

What songs are our hearts singing inside of us? For that is what our mouth will declare.

“Declare His name, and cast out fear,” Bannister sings. “The name of Jesus.”

Sports The Collegian, Sept. 3, 2021

Page 11

Sports at a Glance Grove City College freshman swimmer Mikaela Jenkins won gold in the Paralympics 100-meter butterfly on Tuesday.

Coach Nathaniel Horner has been named head tennis coach for both the men’s and women’s teams.

The PAC announced on August 24 that Allegheny College will be re-joining the conference as its eleventh full-time member beginning in the 2022-2023 school year. Allegheny was a member of the PAC from 1958-1984 until joining their current conference, the North Coast Atlantic Conference. PAC Membership for Allegheny will go into effect on July 1, 2022.

Results

Volleyball (1-0):

W, Pitt-Greensburg (3-0)

Men’s Soccer (0-1): L, Oberlin (4-1)

Women’s Cross Country (1-0): W, Franciscan (31-28)

Men’s Cross Country (0-1): L, Franciscan (31-25)

Upcoming

GRACE DAVID

The men’s soccer team celebrates Sam Belitz’s goal in Wednesday’s game vs. Oberlin. Belitz scored the Wolverine’s only goal in their tough 4-1 loss.

Men’s soccer takes first L Emma Rossi

Contributing Writer Grove City Men’s Soccer fell 4-1 to the Oberlin College Yeomen in a non-conference game on Wednesday night at Don Lyle field, kicking off a 17-game regular season for the Wolverines.

Grove City won the first kickoff at Don Lyle field since Apr. 27 to begin the first half.

The game was scoreless until junior forward Sam Belitz scored on a penalty kick at 34:39 in the first half to give Grove City a 1-0 lead over Oberlin. The opening goal of the 2021 season was celebrated with a salute from Sam Belitz, who earned first team All-PAC following the 2021 Spring season.

Sam Belitz was also the sole goal scorer for the Wolverines when Grove City last played Oberlin on Sept. 11, 2019, when Oberlin came out on top with a 2-1 win. This Wednesday was Oberlin’s first game since Nov. 6, 2019.

Senior Luke Greenway started in goal and had one save in the first half as Grove

JENKINS

continued from 1

to her involvement in Paralympic competition and also shared a lot of her experiences with us.”

But more important than the talent and accolades she brings to the team, coaches are excited to see how her hard work, competition and Christlikeness adds to the culture of the swim team and the mission of Grove City College athletics.

“It’s been fun to follow Mikaela,” athletic director Todd Gibson said. “She’ll add to our campus in a lot of ways.

I think she’s going to be very

City dominated defensively, allowing only two shots on goal from Oberlin. For the first half, the game was in Grove City’s favor, and they led going into the second half 1-0.

The tide changed after the second half kicked off, however. Oberlin scored their first goal of the game at 53:51 in the second half courtesy of senior Ben Kessler on a high right shot.

To follow, Oberlin scored three sequential goals within a three-minute span. The Yeomen’s second goal of the game was scored by freshman Augie Smith at the 72:34 mark. Oberlin senior Brian LaFranchi scored the Yeomen’s third goal of the game at the 74:11 mark and the fourth goal was quick to follow at 74:11 from a low right shot by senior Nic Jandeleit.

Grove City had one shot each from sophomore Lance Lenosky, senior Holton Gwaltney and junior Mark Guinta and two from Sam Belitz. Grove City finished the game with seven shots and Oberlin finished with

nine. The two shots on goal from the Wolverine’s are accredited to Holton Gwaltney and Sam Belitz.

This season, Grove City men’s soccer boasts a large and experienced squad of 34 players, 13 of whom are sophomores. This size and depth will give the team an opportunity to find what clicks as they begin their first full season since 2019.

This season also marks Coach Mike Dreves’ sixteenth season as head coach.

In the 2021 season preview, Coach Mike Dreves explains the goals of the team are to create the best Christian culture possible, with a focus on friendship as well as competing and accountability. Their second goal? Win as much as possible.

The Wolverines will have another chance to bounce back from Wednesday night’s loss and work towards their goal at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday vs. Houghton College, where they will start a three-game stint on the road and face the Highlanders in another nonconference game.

dynamic on our campus.”

On Thursday night, the swimming and diving team hosted a campus-wide watch party for Jenkins’ 200-meter individual medley in Breen Student Union to show support for their teammate and peer.

“The support GCC has given me has been incredible,” said Jenkins. “I’ve gotten so many messages of support from people I don’t even know and it’s really been encouraging.”

“While it’s very exciting to have a Gold Medalist on the team, I tell every recruit that the most important thing to me is that our athletes are a

good fit for our team culture and campus community – both of which I think she is,” Fritz said. “I’ve found her to be very outgoing, supportive of her teammates and very humble about her achievements and accolades. She’s also very competitive, which I think will push our team to achieve more as they compete with her in practice and meets every day but will also serve her well as she chases the dream of qualifying for the NCAA Championships and earning All-American honors.”

Volleyball:

Sept. 3-4 Calvin Tournament, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Women’s Tennis:

Sept. 3, 3:30 p.m. vs. Houghton Sept. 6, 3:30 p.m. vs. Edinboro

Women’s Cross Country:

Sept. 3, 6:00 p.m. at Westminster Invitational Sept.10, 6:00 p.m. at Chatham Invitational

Men’s Cross Country:

Sept. 3, 6:00 p.m. at Westminster Invitational Sept.10, 6:00 p.m. at Chatham Invitational

Women’s Soccer:

Sept. 4, 1:00 p.m. vs. Allegheny

Football:

Sept. 4, 7:00 p.m. vs. Juniata

Men’s Soccer:

Sept 4, 3:30 p.m. at Houghton

WOLVERINE WEEKLY HONORS

Mikaela Jenkins Paralympics Gold Medalist, Women’s 100M Butterfly

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cus this season. According to Gustafson, this is a focus on the future. As a senior, he is working to lay the foundation for the newcomers.

“Competing for a PAC championship is not just in the present; it’s for the future,” Gustafson said.

“We will be laying the foundation for the guys that will be coming.”

“We learned a lot of the areas we have to work on and holes we need to fill from the shortened four game spring season,” Ehst added.

This preseason left junior

Cody Gustafson Men’s Track and Field CoSIDA DIII Academic All-America Debo feeling prepared to go up against both Case Western and rival Westminster.

Case Western won the PAC in 2019, so they have become the standard to beat. Grove City lost to Westminster 2417 in the spring, leaving a big rivalry between the two schools.

However, Debo is confident that when they meet again on Saturday, Sept. 25., his team will be prepared.

“By the time we get there, we’re definitely going to be ready for them,” Debo said.

The football team kicks off their season at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 4 at Juniata.

Sports The Collegian, Sept. 3, 2021

Page 12

Welcome back

Fall sports return to normal Emily Rupczewski Sports Editor

Athletics are back in full swing at Grove City College this fall.

One year after the NCAA postponed the 2020 fall sports season, fall athletes have officially been given the green light to compete again this semester.

Grove City will see all eight of its fall sports—volleyball, football, and the men’s and women’s soccer, cross country and tennis teams along with cheerleading return to action this fall.

Teams reported early to campus this semester for their respective preseason camps and have been preparing for their first week of competition. Wednesday saw the return of competition from all teams but football, who will play their first game tomorrow at Juniata College.

Not only are varsity teams back, but they are also back in record numbers. This year, Grove City welcomes a freshman class of 638, around 200 of which are athletes.

For athletics, Grove City is an attractive school for students who are seeking a Christcentered team culture.

“Our mission as an athletic department is bigger than wanting to win,” Grove City Athletic Director, Todd Gibson, said. “We want to stand out but in doing so, invite others in.”

“I give our coaches credit,” Gibson continued. “They really figured out ways to recruit successfully throughout the whole last year and a half of COVID. Not only are our numbers higher, but we also really feel like the last two freshman classes are the most talented groups we’ve brought in.”

Athletes and teams will continue to follow NCAA mandates on COVID-19 testing and protocols. In a unanimous vote, all member PAC schools voted to operate under NCAA guidelines for CO-

MATTHEW SCHOONOVER

Freshman Allison Gaines takes a swing at the ball during tennis practice. Women’s tennis opens their season today vs. Houghton.

VID-19 safety.

One of the biggest changes to the league this year is participation in non-conference competition. So long as nonconference opponents follow NCAA guidelines, the PAC has approved outside competition.

This fall looks to be a promising one for fans, as they will be permitted to attend all home games with minimal restrictions unlike last year.

“We will operate as the campus operates,” Gibson said.

Attendance is once again open to visiting fans and those outside of the GCC campus community. Currently, Grove City has no plans to restrict fan attendance at home games.

This year, Grove City President Paul J. McNulty ’80 will serve as the chair of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC).

Named for the leadership under the presidents of each respective college in the conference, PAC governance

rotates chairs through member school each school year.

This school year also sees GCC Athletic Director Todd Gibson ’02 as chair of the PAC Athletic Administrator’s Council. Women’s soccer coach and associate director of athletics for leadership development Melissa Lamie has been named the PAC Senior Woman Administrator Council.

According to the PAC preseason coaches’ poll, many Grove City teams are predicted to do well this season.

Both the men’s and women’s soccer teams are the predicted PAC champions this season. Volleyball and women’s tennis are both predicted as the number two seeds in each of their respective sports, and men’s and women’s cross country are predicted to finish 4th in the PAC. “I feel the preseason picks are deserved,” Gibson said.

“We have some very talented rosters, and our expectations are high. There’s some excitement.”

GRACE DAVID

Sophomore midfielder Chris Eklund attempts to defend an Oberlin player in Wednesday’s home opener game.

This season Grove City also welcomes Nathaniel Horner as head men’s and women’s tennis coach.

“Coach Horner is a strong, Christian coach (who is) excited about tennis and getting to coach at a Christian college. We’re excited to see where things go.”

This fall sports season ought to be one for the

books. Fans and students can be on the lookout for standout players, successful teams and opportunities to cheer on Grove City teams.

“I’m excited about welcoming people back to be part of our athletic programs that are so essential to our success,” Gibson said. “Sports is about bringing people together.”

Football kicks off new season Aly Mapes

Contributing Writer

MATTHEW SCHOONOVER

Sophomore wide reciever Ryan Heckathorn catches the ball in a preseason scrimmage against Allegheny College.

Between returning starters Cody Gustafson, R.J. Debo, John Ehst, Patrick Mark and several promising freshmen, the Grove City football team is prepared to challenge for the PAC championship.

Gustafson received the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year honor for the 2021 spring season. He led the PAC in passes, yards and touchdowns last season. In addition, he set a new record single-game catches against Westminster.

Debo, with 5.5 tackles for loss, ranked third in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference last season. With three sacks and 33 tackles, Debo ranked second on the Grove City squad.

Ehst led the PAC in pass-

ing yards last season with a total of 1,123 passing yards.

Ehst also threw 1,153 total offensive yards to lead the league. Additionally, Ehst threw eight touchdown passes last season.

Mark is returning for a fifth season at Grove City, using his extra year of eligibility.

Mark is a four-year starter, and one of the top returning defensive backs in the PAC. He earned First Team AllPAC honors last season and led the Wolverines with a total of 36 tackles.

The team’s scrimmage on August 26th against Allegheny saw several freshman starters. Nico Flati is a freshman running back we can expect to see on the field this season, as well as Brady Brungard and Dylan Lane on the line. On defense, we will be seeing Bryce Spolnik. This is just a short list of the talent

coming to the football team this season.

Heading into the season, Coach Andrew DiDonato stressed the importance of consistency.

“The hardest part is having the discipline to play at your best each and every week,” DiDonato said.

To do this, DiDonato has reinforced the team vision: to glorify God in the pursuit of earning a degree, to build lasting relationships and compete for PAC championships.

DiDonato has taken the time this preseason to develop the team culture. As a result, the team is ready to live out that vision and compete in each and every game.

Both Ehst and Gustafson commented on the importance of complete team foFOOTBALL 11