The Collegian – Oct. 29, 2021

Lacrosse giving back

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Team raises thousands for Lowin

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@Collegian_GCC @gcc.collegian The Collegian: The GCC Newspaper Friday, October 29, 2021

Junior runs on libertarian agenda

Students share their opinions

Collegian The Award-Winning Grove City College Student Newspaper

Vol. 107, No. 7

French brings irony and ideas Trueman essay sparks critical response

Sarah Soltis Staff Writer

Political commentator David French brought his conception of American pluralism and guidance on maintaining Christian character in politics to campus last Thursday.

French spoke to both a packed morning and evening chapel service and, in between, dined and disFRENCH cussed with a variety of faculty members and students. These included students interested in law school, faculty and staff from the Office for Student Life and Learning and members

of the college’s American Enterprise Institute (AEI), who had read and discussed his recently-published book this fall.

French began morning chapel with anecdotes of his undergraduate years at Lipscomb University and of his jolting transition to law school at Harvard University. He then argued that the questions haunting our political sphere, such as those on ending abortion and addressing racial injustice, are “extremely complicated.”

Time, care and Christ-like humility, he said, remain vital in dealing “with virtually anything that matters in this culture.”

Similar ideas shone out in French’s evening lecture.

After declaring the depth and dangers of polarization in America’s public sphere, French discussed the Christian’s duty to display the fruits of the spirit over fear, regardless of circumstance.

AEI councilmember, senior Zachary O’Neil, helped English professor Dr. H. Collin Messer and Chaplain Donald D. Opitz organize French’s visit, spending “about eight hours with him over the course of his visit.” Over dinner, French and AEI-affiliated students discussed French’s book and ideas, American political trends and a recent French family story involving “a dead chipmunk in the toilet.”

From the moment O’Neil picked French up at the air-

port on Wednesday until his post-chapel reception ended on Thursday, O’Neil’s first impression of French as a “pretty humble and down-toearth guy” remained uncontested in O’Neil’s mind.

“I think he balanced really well intellectual humility and being firm in what he believed, which is a hard balance to get,” O’Neil remarked.

Senior Emily Burke, who joined in at the AEI dinner, had a different impression.

She said French talked over her and “distastefully” joked about former President Trump during the meal.

While Burke “absolutely agrees” with French’s doctrine of love despite political disagreement, she maintains

that “when you look at his Twitter, when you look at the articles he’s writing in The Dispatch, you do not see that doctrine lived out in his rhetoric.” Instead, she said, one sees “the vilification of the unvaccinated” and of “those who truly support traditional values.”

Along with love despite disagreement, French advocates a posture of pluralism.

As French explained after his evening lecture, pluralism in the public sphere “does not require anybody to abandon their convictions” but “requires you to make room for other people’s convictions.”

Embracing pluralism “does not mean becoming a squish” FRENCH 3

AEI scholar discusses Afghanistan Lillian Ford

Contributing Writer

SHARON HERALD

Students from local high schools participate in the BEST robotics competition at the Grove City College Arena on Saturday, Oct. 23.

BEST. Robot. Ever.

Caroline McClellan Contributing Writer

The usual sweaty athletes that walk the Physical Learning Center (PLC) halls were replaced with tiny moving robots this weekend, as the college hosted its annual BEST Robotics competition.

This two-day event welcomed robotics teams from 15 different middle and high schools throughout western Pennsylvania and Ohio. The students competed to be one of three teams advancing to the regional competition, junior co-head judge Levi Marasco said.

BEST stands for Boosting Engineering Science and Technology and is a “projectbased STEM program” that hosts annual robotics competitions for over 18,000 students at hubs all over the country, according to their website.

This competition begins each fall with a kickoff day when participating teams are informed of the game theme

and given a bin of parts with which to construct their robot, sophomore co-head judge Michael Gomez said.

He notes that each team of students then has six weeks to build a robot they believe will most effectively complete the tasks in the game, thus earning their team points.

Last Friday and Saturday, these teams gathered on campus to present their hard work and test their robot’s effectiveness on the game field.

According to Marasco, the competition consists of varying components judged over several days: an engineering notebook submitted before the competition, a marketing presentation and team exhibit judged on Friday night and the game itself, which took place on Saturday.

Teams, varying in size from a dozen to 70 members, advance through the seeding round, wild-card round and semi-finals, with four teams competing in the finals. The winner of this final round is awarded the “game award,”

and judges tally the results from all components of the competition to determine who receives the “BEST” award, Gomez said.

This year, Cornerstone Christian Prep won the BEST award, and Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy won the game award. These two teams, along with Mentor High School, are headed to the regional competition in Denver, Colo.

BEST assumes an approach to engineering unlike other robotics competitions.

Electrical and computer engineering professor Dr. Mike Bright, also President of the Board of Directors at BEST Inc., said, “BEST takes a very holistic view of engineering.”

He says that this organization helps introduce students to the multidisciplinary skills they will need to succeed in the field of engineering.

Grove City College is one of only two BEST local “hubs” in Pa., and the college has hosted this robotics competition every fall since 2010,

according to Bright. This event draws middle and high school students from all over the state, and these kids get the unique opportunity to experience the campus, meet professors and students and learn about the engineering program at the college.

In fact, many of the judges are students, professors and alumni of the college, noted Marasco. This year, both of the head judges, Gomez and Marasco, attended the Grove City College hub BEST competition as high school students.

Gomez commented on the impact that this competition had on his college decision.

“One of the reasons I came to Grove City for electrical engineering was because of the good experience I had here in high school.”

He reflected that “getting to meet Dr. Bright and having real engineering experience made me want to pursue that more in college.”

The American Enterprise Institution (AEI) Executive Council invited Dr. Michael Rubin to speak at Sticht Auditorium in Staley Hall of Arts & Letters on Wednesday, Oct. 27, about the current situation in Afghanistan and the resulting effects.

Rubin is a RUBIN senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and specialist on Iran, Turkey and several other areas in the Middle East. Along with a Bachelor of Science in biology, he earned his Masters and PhD in history from Yale University.

Rubin came to Grove City to discuss issues related to his prolific career in Middle Eastern studies.

During the lecture, Rubin noted how purposeless it can be to send money to the governments of the Middle East, because the funding often goes missing and thus never reaches those it is meant to help.

Another one of the many issues that Rubin touched upon concerned President Biden’s decision to remove American troops from Afghanistan.

According to Rubin, Biden’s reasoning for pulling troops out of the country was “to take us out of this ongoing war.”

However, Rubin refuted this remark, explaining that the American troops were there for preventative measures to keep war from starting. Now, with the pull-back of American troops, the preventative measures are gone.

As a result, Rubin says that more conflict will likely ensue.

AFGHANISTAN 3

Editorial

Page 2

The award-winning Grove City College student newspaper, Oct. 29, 2021

From the Tower

All in moderation

Why do you read the news? What is it about these stories that draws you in and causes you to take time out of your busy day to read them?

Even more so, why are we constantly drawn to our phones and computers, checking online news from all around the world? Why must we constantly flood ourselves with information?

I, of course, read these stories, because it’s my job. However, I only have this job because enough of you all pick up the paper each week that the college decides its worth maintaining our funding. So I ask you again, why did you pick up the paper today?

There’s an element of our nature that is innately curious.

In the TV show “The West Wing,” there’s a line I love in which a White House staffer is explaining why Congress should fund exploration to Mars.

He says, “Cause it’s next. Cause we came out of the cave, and we looked over the hill and we saw fire; and we crossed the ocean and we pioneered the West, and we took to the sky. The history of man is hung on a timeline of exploration, and this is what’s next.”

Humans are indeed exploratory by nature, and part of this nature drives people to read. It is, after all, by this reading that we can learn and better understand what is happening around us.

In this paper, there are all kinds of things to learn regarding what’s happening here on campus. If you check CNN or Fox, though, you’ll see coverage of current events all over the world, and it quickly becomes overwhelming.

Society has become irrevocably linked by the internet, in a way that could not even have been imagined a hundred years ago. We can see live footage of our favorite athletes competing across the world or watch our friends getting married at a wedding across the country.

However, that’s only part of it. We are also constantly bombarded with terrifying images of bombs going off in the Middle East or political riots in Hong Kong.

It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by this constant influx of information. As much as we are curious, humans are also empathetic by nature. Part of the DNA code that makes us human also embeds in us a sense of camaraderie, and so when we see those horrific things day after day, week after week, it starts to drag us down.

The key with news, as with anything, is moderation. In the modern world, there is more information available to us at a few keystrokes than ever before, and the papers we read and the websites we browse are designed to drag us in and keep us engaged.

As good as it is to learn and discover, the massive influx of information will quickly overwhelm anybody. So take a moment, ask, “Why am I reading this?” and maybe just take a break from the hubbub once in a while.

Caleb West

Managing Editor

Collegian Staff Editor-in-Chief

David Zimmermann

Managing Editor Caleb West

Section Editors News Ayden Gutierrez

Community Noel Elvin

Perspectives Clark Mummau

Sports

Emily Rupczewski

Photo Chief

Matthew Schoonover

Design Chief Chris Murphy

Copy Chief

Joanna Thorpe

Business Manager Kathryn Miller

Copy Editors

Claire Josey Eve Lee Andrew Marston Lauren Ness Syd Travis Zachary Wood

Staff Writers

Scott Amon Connor Schlosser Sarah Soltis Isaac Willour Emma Whiteford

Staff Photographers Mia Campagna Grace David Dan Kabakjian Eve Lee Maya Lindberg Nolan Miller Olivia Ortman Max Pargeon Gracie Turnbaugh Caleb Warrick

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.

Green Eyeshade Award the

This week’s Green Eyeshade Award goes to Joanna Thorpe, our Copy Chief, for her thorough attention to detail, organization and dedicated copyediting focus into late Wednesday nights.

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

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

More than meets the eye David Zimmermann Editor-in-Chief

Grovers find themselves fans of one of two fantasy book series: J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” or C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia.”

Both are highly entertaining, thoughtful stories about friendship and the eternal fight between good and evil.

However, the honor for the definitive fantasy adventure of my childhood would have to go to (gasp) J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter.”

From a very young age, I was transfixed (you could even say, spellbound) by Rowling’s writing of a relatable character found in Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived.

When I read the seven books and watched the eight movies, I could see a part of myself in Potter; it was not because he practiced magic, but because he was an outsider.

Once neglected, he was given a new home at Hogwarts, where he made authentic friendships and learned how to protect himself against evil. It was empowering for a young boy to live vicariously through a character that, no matter how broken, always persevered against seemingly insurmountable odds.

Growing up with the series, I never thought twice about its content. So, it was to my surprise upon entering middle school that some of my Christian friends were not allowed to watch the “Harry Potter” movies or read the

books as children.

Sure, the story revolves around witchcraft and wizardry. But that is just a veneer–a tool to help convey deeper truths about humanity and the self.

There are so many life lessons from this series that one can learn: face your fears, never give up, true friendship is a beautiful gift not to be taken for granted and love is the most powerful force of all.

Many Christians overlook the implied subtext found in these moral lessons and focus only on the explicit content of the occult, with some Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox Christian circles even denouncing the series as evil and Satanic.

Despite the exaggerated fear that the spells produced in the novels and films are real incantations, Rowling’s writing was never intended to be taken literally. After all, the Wizarding World is a fictional universe designed t0 entertain younger generations.

Even though Tolkien’s and Lewis’ respective fantasy novels contain magic, most Christians wouldn’t dare oppose their works due to their clear Christian symbolism.

In the book “Harry Potter and the Bible: The Menace Behind the Majick,” critic Richard Abanes claimed that Rowling did not write from a “Christian perspective.” According to his logic, inclusion of magic is permissible, as long as the author happens to be a Christian.

The funny thing here, though, is that Rowling is a Christian. She may not have been as outspoken about her

This week in history...

Coffee, tuition and gold medals Oct. 31, 1997 Jam house spreads the Word On this day in history, the Grove City Jam House opened. The Jam House was built in the basement of the P.S. Hallmark shop on Broad Street in downtown Grove City. The name came from another Christian coffee shop in Greenville, founded by the same people, the Mustard Seed Jam House. The Jam House offered live Christian music of all varieties. The Jam House has since closed.

Oct. 29, 1982 GCC Least Expensive

Thorpe

religious beliefs like Tolkien and Lewis were, but her faith undoubtedly influenced her writing.

The Christian undertones found in “Harry Potter” may not be as overt as the ones in “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Chronicles of Narnia,” but they’re still there.

Rowling is just much more subtle with them in her stories, which include themes of death, sacrificial love and the inner struggle of the self.

Even the plot point that Harry is a Horcrux (a piece of Voldemort lives inside Harry’s soul) purposefully illustrates the original sin doctrine–that your own worst enemy is often yourself. This principle explains why Harry had to die in “The Deathly Hallows” before he could be raised to life and defeat Voldemort once and for all.

The parallels between “Harry Potter” and the gospel are incredibly sophisticated, and that’s just one example.

Rowling’s “Harry Potter” story is like a treasure chest, waiting to be dug up by curious readers and audiences.

There is so much more to this series than meets the eye; you just have to be willing to look for the deeper truths hidden behind the thin veil of witchcraft.

If you’re a Christian who grew up without the halls of Hogwarts in your home or find yourself at least a bit curious, give the novels or movies a chance. If you still don’t like “Harry Potter” afterwards, that’s fine. We’re all entitled to our own opinions, but they must be informed ones.

Grove City College advertises itself today as the least expensive private institute in the state of Pennsylvania. This was also the case in 1982. The Collegian released a graphic that showed Grove City was yet again the least expensive school in the area. Tuition

at the time cost $4,270, which was $2,000 dollars less than its closest competitor, Geneva College, which cost $6,395. Carnegie Mellon at the time cost $9,150.

Oct. 28, 1948 Olympian visits campus Grove City College currently has freshman Mikaela Jenkins, a gold-medal, Paralympic athlete, on campus. In 1948, another Olympian visited the college. Bob Mathias, an American decathlete and two-time gold medalist, visited Grove City. Mathias was a part of a football game against the Grove City freshman football team. After attending Stanford University, Mathias went on to become a United States Marine Corps officer, actor and United States Congressman, representing the state of California.

Ayden Gutierrez

News Editor

News The Collegian,

Oct. 29, 2021

Page 3

Nursing program gets that credit Grove City College Grove City College’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program has earned initial accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

The two-year-old program offered through the college’s Charles Jr. and Betty Johnson School of Nursing was thoroughly reviewed by ACEN evaluators to ensure that students are getting an education that meets health care industry standards and prepares them for fulfilling medical careers.

“Accreditation helps students through further fostering excellence by ensuring that a program is meeting standards of educational quality specific to nursing education through the peer review process,” Nursing Program Director Janey A. Roach said.

“We are building a program to educate and train nurses who will demonstrate excellence as medical professionals and as caregivers with a solid intellectual and faith foundation. Receiving initial ACEN accreditation is a crucial endorsement of the work we are doing.”

The BSN program was launched last year in response to student interest and a nationwide nursing shortage that’s only been exacerbated by the pandemic.

AFGHANISTAN continued from 1

Throughout the rest of the lecture, he provided several historical examples of countries affected by war, in addition to stating some of the critiques of other countries’ involvement in the process.

He also gave insightful answers to questions that stu-

FRENCH

continued from 1

but means protecting all civil liberties.

French did not bring his wisdom to campus without requisite irony. Three days before visiting, French published a piece in The Dispatch critiquing Biblical and Religious Studies professor Dr. Carl R. Trueman and his First Things essay, “The Failure of Evangelical Elites,” which was published last week.

In his essay, Trueman identified the American Christian’s “temptation” towards either “fist-shaking” or “accommodating to cultural norms” to maintain status. Trueman primarily focused on the latter temptation, considering the work of two historians and the National Institute of Health director Francis Collins.

In doing so, Trueman briefly questioned the proTrump and Never-Trump rhetoric, which he considers “to be pretty unworthy of Christians” due to the “abusive language” it often generates between Christians.

French, famously a “Never-Trumper,” responded to the concept of evangelical elitism, offered a defense of his own recent work and wrote directly to Trueman, saying, “If you’re not seeing how reactionary politics and intolerant ‘anti-woke’ militancy are manifesting themselves on the right, then

It is offered in partnership with Butler County Community College (BC3) under an innovative design that plays to each institution’s strengths.

During their first year, BSN students study the liberal arts and sciences, along with introductory nursing courses at Grove City College. Then they begin their nursing education, including their clinical experiences, through BC3’s highly-regarded and accredited nursing program.

After year three, students

graduate from BC3 and can take the national licensure exam to become a registered nurse. In their final year, they can choose to work as an RN while taking their final BSN courses online or at Grove City College and continue campus life.

Demand in the major’s second year was so great that the class size was more than doubled this fall, with 19 freshmen now seeking BSN degrees. They join nine sophomores on the BSN track, including sophomores

Liz Mackey and Sara Layton, who began taking classes at BC3 this semester.

Both said their instructors have high expectations that challenge students, but, as Layton said, the rigor “ensures that our patients will be receiving the best care possible, and that’s really what matters most.”

“Becoming a nurse definitely isn’t easy, but it’s meant to be that way,” Layton shared. “If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.”

“The nursing program is

tough but not impossible,” Mackey said. “I chose the program because I already had great experiences with Grove City College and trusted that this program would be just as good by extension.”

The concurrent campus experience provides “the best of both worlds,” according to Layton. “BC3 exposes us to great hands-on labs where we get the chance to practice our skills and become comfortable with what we’re doing as well as getting real life experience at the hospitals in the surrounding area,” she said.

Grove City College’s excellent academic resources, including its core humanities curriculum, and the Christcentered community provide nursing students with a solid liberal arts education and a worldview that values service and support.

“When I graduate, I hope to have gained as much knowledge and experience as possible to be a nurse that will serve God, serve those around me and be at least a fraction as good as my current nursing mentors,” Mackey said.

That is the ultimate goal of Grove City College’s BSN program.

Roach said, “The program is intended to educate health care professionals who can attend to patients and their families in a compassionate, holistic and ethical way.”

dents asked toward the end of the lecture.

In 1994, Rubin began his studies on Iran, which expanded to include travel and in-depth observation of postrevolution Iran. These studies also consisted of Yemen and the pre-war and postwar Iraq. Rubin then spent time observing the Taliban first-hand before 9/11.

He has written and coauthored several books pertaining to topics regarding the Middle East. Some of the titles include: “Dancing with the Devil: The Perils of Engaging Rogue Rising,” “Kurdistan Rising” and “Seven Pillars: What Really Causes Instability in the Middle East.”

Additionally, he has writ-

ten several news articles and has appeared on a variety of news stations to discuss his area of expertise. As a former Pentagon official, Rubin continues to specialize in the Middle East.

He has also taught classes regarding culture, terrorism, Middle Eastern conflicts and the Horn of Africa while at sea to both U.S. Navy and

Marine military branches.

Rubin has experience working as a contract analyst for the Foreign Military Studies Office, a political advisor for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad and a staff adviser on Iran and Iraq in 2002 to 2003 for the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

GCC

Sophomores Abigail Montgomery, Emily Smyth and Emma Clark participate in their clinical at BC3.

you’re not seeing how Christianity and large segments of the new right are opposed to each other.”

Considering the circumstances, Trueman thought French’s response was “extremely discourteous.” As Trueman said, he “could have reassured” French that his article was not about him, if only “he had the good manners to contact me in advance of writing.” Nonetheless, the fact that French “clearly recognized himself in some of the criticisms I was making” fascinated Trueman.

Trueman maintained that one preaching pluralism must respect their opponents, saying, “Mr. French does not respect his opponents. As far as I can see at the moment, he only punches right, and he only punches down.”

Despite French’s invitation to loving engagement, Trueman deems that “any casual reader of his Twitter feed will see that this is not a man who practices what he preaches.”

Nonetheless, Trueman said that he had “no problem” with anyone being invited to speak at campus.

O’Neil and Burke echoed his sentiment, both expressing enthusiasm at the prospect of hearing and engaging with enlightening figures like French.

Finance column

Keeping it simple

Karsten Lagerquist Contributing Writer

Investing is one of those activities that has a lot of flair. New investors like to actively buy, sell and explore all the different ways to invest, whether it’s individual stocks, options, mutual funds or Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs). Active trading is exciting and can result in some great stories about perfectly timing the market and registering large gains, but it is hard to be consistently good at.

The problem is that being too involved in the market means that you are probably not doing adequate research into which companies you are investing in. Without doing this research, you are really doing more speculating than actual investing, hoping that the magical market will swing your way.

American billionaire Warren Buffett once famously warned, “Never invest in a business you cannot understand” because of this.

Understanding for Buffett does not mean being able to vaguely describe what you know of the business already. Understanding is being able to give a concise description of the main revenue streams that the com-

pany enjoys resulting from its set of value propositions and having an idea of what the company’s historical financial picture has been and where it is going.

That might sound like a lot of work. To tell the truth, it can be. The more you practice, the easier it gets to gather that first layer of information. Even so, active investing is still a time commitment.

Thankfully, though, there is a simpler way to safely enter the market. In contrast to active, passive investing is a strategy that is far more suited to someone getting started. A classic passive investing strategy is to use mutual funds. Mutual funds are large baskets of stocks often built around specific themes or characteristics.

The simplest is the mutual fund that reflects the S&P 500 index, which is a large set of stocks (500 of them) selected to represent the market overall.

Instead of investing in 10 different individual stocks, each with their own specific risks that overlap in unpredictable ways, a passive investor might look to put their money in a market index fund. Because this market mutual fund has so many different stocks in it, we can

safely assume that many of the risks that are unique to each individual company cancel each other out, leaving us with the gains and losses that the entire market might sustain because of macroeconomic trends, which generally are positive on any long-term trajectory.

This is effective diversification at its finest.

Diversification can certainly be attained by picking individual stocks, but that again requires a deeper understanding of the risks of each stock and how they might qualitatively and quantitatively relate to each other stock in the portfolio.

Investing is exciting. I hope that by highlighting the understanding required to actively invest, I have not scared you from giving it a go. The key is to start slowly and safely. Understand a basic mutual fund and the diversification benefits it provides. Then, as you are willing to spend your time, you might either be content to continue to passively invest or start learning to look at individual companies and be able to construct your own portfolio.

Regardless of what you end up deciding, though, always err on the side of keeping it simple.

Community The Collegian, Upcoming Events...

What’s fresh at the Grove?

On Campus:

Chick-fil-a Returns 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 29 Outside of STEM

Monster Mash 8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 29 HAL Courtyard

Football Game vs.

Washington and Jefferson 1 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 30 Thorne Field

Lit Lower Campus 8-10 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 30 Lower Campus

IFF - “James Madison: America’s First Politician” 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 3 Rathburn Hall

“The Social Dilemma” Viewing and Discussion 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 3 Sticht Lecture Hall

Fall Musical Once Upon A Mattress

7 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 3 through Saturday, Nov. 6 Ketler Auditorium

Oct. 29, 2021

Page 4

Glorifying God through her disability and sport Jenkins shares her story

Emma Whiteford Staff Writer

At the beginning of the semester, many of us waited for news from Tokyo about the college’s very own Paralympian, Mikaela Jenkins, and wondered how a world class athlete ended up at a small-town college in Pennsylvania.

To answer that question, here’s a glimpse into the life story of this inspiring figure.

Jenkins, whose home is found in Evansville, Ind., was diagnosed with Proximal Femoral Focal Deficiency (PFFD) as a baby. At eight months old, her ankle and foot were amputated.

Throughout her younger years, her disability distinguished her little.

As she grew older, however, the weight of her disability became heavier as other kids began to define her by it. Jenkins remembers trying to do everything she could to appear as normal as possible.

At the same time, a family friend introduced her to the idea of competitive swimming. Inspired by the idea, Jenkins increased the time she spent in the pool and trained harder than ever before.

Her hard work paid off, and she made her first junior national cut in 2017. She made the national team in 2018.

As she stepped further into the public eye, Jenkins began to become a role model for others. She started to give young children with disabilities private swimming lessons and counseled parents whose babies had been diagnosed with PFFD on the best courses of action, encouraging and ensuring them that

MATTHEW SCHOONOVER

Paralympian Mikaela Jenkins shares her story of not being limited by her disability. disabilities do not limit potential or opportunity.

Jenkins reflects that having the opportunity to be a role model for others is the high point of living life on the public platform.

Then came the news that Jenkins had qualified for the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo.

Amidst the flashing lights, rushing adrenaline, interviews and the fun experienced throughout, Jenkins asserts that her weeks in Tokyo were some of the “most stressful four weeks of my entire life.”

In these weeks, Jenkins

competed in five events and won gold twice. When asked what those victory moments felt like, she described a sense of relief.

“When you dream about that moment for five years, by the time that it’s finished, it’s just pure relief.”

However, there’s so much more to Jenkins than the medals she has won at competitions. By not allowing the title “Paralympian” to define her entirely, she keeps her focus on the next goals she wants to reach in swimming; she relies on her faith to keep her priorities and identity ordered correctly.

“When it comes to competitions,” Jenkins said, “it’s all in God’s hands, and God decides if I win or if I lose.”

She strives to view swimming not as her identity, but as a means of glorifying God. “God does everything for a reason, and I was born with a disability because I’m able to show His glory through that.”

While Jenkins is currently pursuing a degree in molecular biology and exploring the idea of going to medical school, she’s not done with swimming yet. She hopes to compete in two more Olympic games before retiring.

A knight in shining armor How important is chivalry? Inquisitively, Traditional Grover

Dear Traditional Grover,

Dear Dr. Love

The first definition of chivalry, as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “the medieval knightly system with its religious, moral and social code.” So, I don’t know why this would be important in a relationship these days, but Dr. Love isn’t here to judge, just to assess.

So, basically, you’re weird.

Case closed.

However, on the off chance that you are referring to the more classically used definition, “courteous behavior, especially that of a man toward women,” well

NBA

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have retained much of their core. So long as Kawhi Leonard and Paul George remain effective, the Clippers remain a formidable threat.

The Jazz look to return to last season’s dominant form as the number one seed in the West. Utah has proved you do not need overwhelming star power to succeed in the regular season.

I would have some more to say on that so let’s get into it.

Respect is quintessential in a relationship. If there is a lack of respect in the beginning of a relationship, the odds are slim that it will magically develop. Now, because we are in the magical land of Grove City College, I will stick with the more classical view of chivalry: The reality is that women appreciate it and men grow through learning to be gentle, respectful and sacrifice for the woman they are dating.

Both men and women appreciate being cared for, and I don’t care how independent you think you are; at

the end of the day, it’s how we’re designed as humans.

Marriage is a perpetual commitment to let go of your selfishness and put someone else’s needs and wants before your own. And, ironically, it ends up making you happier, as you focus less on yourself and more on loving and caring for the person you love.

Chivalry isn’t just the cute stuff like opening doors and stealing flowers from your neighbor’s garden to surprise your lady. It’s washing the dishes and scrubbing the toilet, because you know she doesn’t want to do it. Chivalry is anticipating the needs

In the East, Brooklyn remains the most talented roster consisting of Kevin Durant, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin and Paul Millsap. Kyrie headlines this list of names on national news.

After continuing to refuse the Covid-19 vaccine, Irving has been banned from practices and games but will continue to be paid despite not playing. Irving is stuck in an issue that goes beyond basketball.

Should he decide to receive the vaccine, he may return to the team.

Outside of the Nets, the Bucks are poised to return to championship form with the force of Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Chicago Bulls are a team to keep eyes on in the East, however. With a slashing offense of Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball and Demar Derozan and an all-star anchor down low in Nikola Vucevic,

of the woman you love, humbling yourself to be less selfcentered and learning to be more thoughtful, as you continue to understand what it means to love the woman to whom you’re committed. So buckle down, skippy; this love story of yours isn’t just the fun stuff, this is where it gets real.

Here to protect and serve,

Dr. Love Love, M.D. the Windy City looks to blow away expectations. With a healthy-looking start to the season, the Bulls need to remain healthy going forward, if they want to go deep in the playoffs.

The league’s favorites present much uncertainty this season, yet power rankings remain surprisingly unchanged. If there ever were another NBA season in which the dark horse prevails, 2021-22 may be the one.

The Collegian,

Oct. 29, 2021

Page 5

GCC student runs for city council Ayden Gutierrez News Editor

Junior Ben Seevers is running for city council in North Apollo, Pa., in the statewide municipal election on Tuesday.

“I decided to run because my area is on the decline. If our government continues down the path it is on, our town will be dead within a couple decades,” Seevers said.

Seevers, who grew up in Spring Church, a commuSEEVERS nity just east of North Apollo, moved to North Apollo after graduating high school. Seevers said he got into politics during his freshman year of high school.

“Ironically, what sparked it was a trip to a Trump rally with my grandparents,” he said. “The event made me interested in government. The biggest question that drove my interest was ‘What ought the government to do?’ My eventual answer became a simple ‘nothing,’ but at first,

I settled for conservativism, probably due to my rural upbringing.”

“The Libertarian Party and my friend Andrew Hreha, who ran for state representative earlier this year, helped to give me the motivation to do so.”

Seevers explained that North Apollo is an at-large district, which means that all the voters in the town elect all three councilmen. There are open seats and three names on the ballot – with Seevers being one of them.

In addition to the candidates on the ballot, there are two write-in candidates, the current president of the council and Hreha. According to Seevers, he and Hreha are running as libertarians.

Seevers went into detail on what he hopes to accomplish if he is elected. “My guiding principle is that government functions should be privatized, and privatize I shall.”

“Number one on the slate is garbage collection. Currently, the council’s responsibility is to contract with a private firm to provide garbage collection for the en-

tire town. Essentially, the garbage collector has a complete monopoly over garbage collection,” Seevers said. “If the garbage companies had to compete for individual households, they would be more inclined to listen to the wishes of the people. So, I plan to privatize trash collection; thereby, giving each household the right to choose who provides waste management services.”

He continued, “Furthermore, the next police contract will be negotiated during my tenure. I wish to outsource policing services to a private firm instead of another local government’s police force, like it is currently.”

Another of Seevers’ goals is to privatize road maintenance. He said, “Placing the responsibility of maintaining the roads on individual landowners and allowing them to keep the funding necessary to do so would be infinitely better than the current government mismanagement.”

Seevers also noted that the taxes of North Apollo are some of the highest in the area.

“It scares away potential homeowners, and it is killing our town,” Seevers said. “My goal is to lower and eventually eliminate the local property tax.”

According to Seevers, he ultimately wants to show how private solutions can work to solve seemingly public problems. Seevers believes that everyone comes at politics with the assumption that the government ought to do something, and he wants to challenge that.

“If I don’t sort out local politics first, I will be just like the rest of the politicians who work their way up the ladder,” Seevers said.

“I am not them. I never want to be them. Those people disgust me. If we are to have a free society in our lifetime, we can’t play the game and tear off our costume once we are at the top, because at that point it is probably already too late.

Whoever waits for that moment is likely to be changed by the system rather than be the change themselves.”

Five businesses to visit this fall Emma Whiteford Staff Writer

Fall has, at last, swept in with a chill in the air that beckons the need for a variety of cozy off-campus excursions, so let’s take a moment to stroll down Broad Street and review some of the many old haunts frequented by Grovers.

We begin with Collage Coffee and Art House, a quaint little coffee shop on the street. It’s usually bustling with fellow students, so you’ll be sure to run into someone you know or hear the chatter of familiar Grover life. The music is folkish and fills one with a cozy nostalgia of times gone by, making it the perfect spot for catching up with friends over coffee.

The coffee is roasted inhouse and is, therefore, sure to provide high quality flavor. But if coffee isn’t your thing, the tea lattes are also expertly crafted. With art plastered on the walls, a myriad of mugs and its creative atmosphere, Collage is perfect for a Saturday morning outing.

However, if you’re looking for a quieter atmosphere, a more expansive menu or a larger space, another ideal coffee shop option just a little further down the road is Beans on Broad, casually referred to as Beans. With its strands of Edison bulb lights strung across the room and classic coffee shop music, Beans is central to the Grove City community.

The baristas are warm, and the atmosphere is instantly cozy, thus, earning its reputation as an ideal study spot.

Order from any number of drinks or grab a meal; there’s something for everyone.

Additionally, they offer a small assortment of handmade products from local artisans and source many of their products locally, promising that your purchase of coffee goes right back into helping the community to flourish.

Next, check out Antiques by the Yard. This little antique store contains a captivating collection of artworks, rows of chinaware and jewelry. It’s the perfect stop for perusing well-loved items from decades past. Plus, in

Seven questions with…

Dr. Jarrett Chapman

Associate Chair, Professor of Education and Certification Officer What do you listen to on the ride home?

On the way to the college, I listen to Prof. Grant Horner’s Ten Chapters and on the way home audiobooks, typically in the historical and historical fiction genre.

What are you currently reading?

“A Loving Life” for spiritual development, “Every Child Deserves Straight A’s” for education (look at the table of contents, it’s not what you think) and something from Baldacci to turn my mind off.

What’s something you’ve been pondering lately?

Since it has been nine years since I have taught in the K-12 setting, am I still relevant to my preservice teachers, and what can I do to keep current in my field?

Favorite restaurant?

We don’t eat out often, so I would have to say something cooked in a Dutch Oven over a campfire with my Trail Life USA Troop.

Name a movie that makes you emotional: “Chariots of Fire” What are you looking forward to today?

Teaching my classes and interacting with education majors, as they seek to prepare for the great calling of being a teacher.

GRACE DAVID

Beans on Broad, a local coffee shop frequented by GCC students, is located on Broad Street in downtown Grove City. the back, you’ll find a rack of They receive their books even slightly intriguing — vintage clothing for just $10. via donations which allows you never know what might The owners are kind and them to sell quality books work. Two, go in with a vigenuine, and it’s highly en- at great prices, making this sion — have an idea of what joyable to strike up a con- store every book lover’s patterns, colors or textures versation with them as you dream. So, stop in and pick you’re looking to find. Three, look through their collection up a new book for yourself have friends shop for you of antiques. So, stop by this or purchase a small gift for while you shop for them — shop to step back in time and a friend. Either way, explor- this always results in grand perhaps their dog, Ruby, who ing this shop is a must when memories and unexpected they sometimes bring in, will walking down Broad Street! finds. After all, that’s the best greet you at the door.

Lastly, we leave Broad part about thrifting — it’s Now let’s walk across the Street and head over to Sal- a different adventure every street and stop at The Alley vation Army, a classic stop time.

Cat on Broad — the newest of for thrifting adventures.

Though our walk downall the businesses reviewed However, if you need some town ends here, now begins in this article. help discovering the poten- your challenge to visit these This little shop is primarily tial of thrifting, here’s three places. Whether you’ll be visa bookstore, but you can also tricks of the trade to use the iting for the first time or stopfind vinyl records, home dé- next time you stop by. ping by again, appreciate the cor and a lovely assortment One, look through every- details that make these busiof teacups. thing and try on anything nesses so dear to Grove City.

Favorite class you’re teaching this semester?

It is a pleasure to teach Intro to the Teaching Profession, where I get to introduce pre-professional educators into the department. But on the other end of the developmental arch, teaching junior and seniors in Curriculum and Instruction is so much fun, as they have “ahh-ha” moments when all their past courses come together into applications.

Take photos but have nowhere to display them?

Join our team!

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

Through the lens,

Through the Lens

Feb. 22, 2019

The Collegian,

Page 6

October 29, 2021

Misdirection

Storytelling and creativity have a strong impact on the perception of photos Photos

Daniel Kabakjian Staff Photographer

Halloween is a favorite time of year for most people. Whether it’s the love of dressing up in costumes and demanding an energy spike on door steps or watching a horor film for a sudden rush of adrenaline, most students like to gather together to experience the fall season with their friends.

Photographers on campus love this time of year because almost every morning is accompanied by: fog, cold mornings, high levels of humidity and cloudy skies.

Photographs have the potential to convey emotion. A man inside an abandoned building and cloaked in fog has the potential to portray mystery, and possibly fear, based on how the photo is observed.

A mail slot on a door is just a mail slot, but when red paint is poured through the same mail slot, it becomes something much more than just an ordinary mail slot. A hallway is just an average hallway until someone tweaks the lighting, places a chair at its end and makes the viewer think that someone was just in the very same chair.

The human mind is a playground of ideas. The job of the photographer is to tell the viewer what ideas to think based on the material and arrangement of the artwork.

The visual medium that everybody sees on a piece of paper takes more than just a finger on a button — it requires storytelling and creativity.

Matthew Schoonover

Photo Chief

The Collegian,

Oct. 29, 2021

Page 7

Perspectives The Collegian, Oct.29, 2021

Page 8

Finding Christ in ‘The Closer’ Chappelle’s special contains wisdom Isaac Willour Staff Writer

Dave Chappelle took the stage in “The Closer” for a moment of reflection in a refreshing yet unorthodox blend of the insightful and the incendiary.

In a special the comedian dubs as potentially his last, Chappelle opines on the controversy he’s garnered during a career filled with accusations of racism, sexism and homophobia.

From a pure comedy standpoint, it does not deliver on the laughs nearly as much as previous specials.

But Chappelle is nothing if not an evolving creature, and what “The Closer” lacks in quick-fire hits (and there are plenty of them, let’s be clear), it delivers in thoughtprovoking storytelling.

Near the end of the special, Chappelle recounts a story about his friend Daphne Dorman, who died of suicide in 2019. According to Chappelle, after he questioned Dorman about being trans, Dorman told him that “I don’t need you to understand me. I just need you to believe that I’m having a human ex-

perience.” To which Chappelle responds, “I believe you, because it takes one to know one.”

According to him, “Empathy is not gay. Empathy is not black. Empathy is bisexual. It must go both ways.”

There are things that could be said about American Christians’ ability (or lack thereof) to understand the idea that lived experience matters, but suffice it to say that Chappelle’s final point is correct. Empathy from one person to another must go both ways if it is to result in real human connection. And sometimes that real human connection involves being able to laugh about the divisions between us, like differences between races and genders.

The reason Chappelle has such a massive following is not merely because he’s perhaps one of the greatest comedians of all time. He has a massive following because he has honed the ability, over a decades-long career, to cross lines like race and gender in comedy.

This is a good thing. If we cannot laugh, without hatred or malice, about the things that divide us (or the things we think that divide us), we are weakening empathy, not strengthening it.

“The Closer” is Chappelle’s way of saying that we can take other people and their lived experiences more seriously when we d o n ’ t t a k e o u r selves so seriously.

Does he make the point perfectly? No one ever does.

We are called to be in the world, and part of being in the world is understanding that we are all equally engaged in the struggle to find meaning and purpose. Because we’re fallen creatures, we often struggle with the temptation to find meaning and purpose by demeaning other people’s meaning and purpose.

It is so easy to become “of

the world” as a response to the chaos and frustration of being “in the world.” The fact that this is so easy might be an indicator as to why Christ specifically exhorted us not to do it.

Lived experience matters, and there are a great number of people who have never felt the comfort of having anyone understand their human experience. It’s to these suffering souls that the church of God is called.

Being in the world involves being willing to reach out to those people with the same love and empathy that we would want them to show us, were those roles reversed. But more importantly, we should be every bit as unapologetic about the truth we have to offer as we are about the empathy and love by which we give it.

Yes, there’s a Christian message to be gained from “The Closer.” Shocker.

‘If you want peace, prepare for war’ Hunter Oswald Contributing Writer

The eyes of the world focused their attention on the abrupt North Korean ballistic missile launch from the port city of Sinpo in the Hamgyŏng province on Tuesday, Oct. 18.

Reports from South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff and Japanese dignitaries state that around 9 a.m., North Korea sent two submarinelaunched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) into the Sea of Japan.

North Korea later claimed that these launches were to test their SLBM’s capabilities and increase their defenses in response to recent policies from the U.S., South Korea and the United Nations.

North Korea deems these measures hostile to their sovereignty.

These tests come less than a month after North Korea’s Sept. 28 announcement.

They claim to have successfully tested a hypersonic gliding missile, making them the fifth nation to start developing hypersonic missiles in the world.

These recent events should both terrify the U.S. National Security community as well as our allies, for North Korea’s focus on experimen-

tal warfare is causing a new global crisis.

Calls for a universal response from the U.S. and our allies are at an all-time high.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called for the reinforcement of sanctions regarding weapons development in North Korea.

While the idea of strengthening current sanctions on North Korea seems like the ideal solution, this would be a major failure to address the real source of North Korea’s military innovations: China.

According to a Congressional Research Service report, China continues to be the essential supporter in North Korea’s nuclear program by exchanging missile technology and providing financial aid. China is using back channels in Iran and Pakistan to continue their support of North Korea’s missile programs while assuming plausible deniability to avoid any direct international reprisals.

Richard Fisher Jr., the senior fellow of International Assessment and Strategy Center, stated, “North Korea’s new maneuverable missile warhead bears a striking similarity to that on China’s DF-21C precision strike missile and the DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile.”

Bill Gertz, a reporter for The Washington Times, said North Korea’s new hypersonic missiles “bears a striking

resemblance to China’s DF17 hypersonic glide vehicle.”

China’s continual support of North Korea has only emboldened the Kim regime to pursue its ambitions to obtain more sophisticated conventional capabilities, putting the U.S., Asia and the international community in jeopardy.

The question of how we deal with this crisis is not as simple as one may think. The U.S. along with its allies, particularly South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and others, need to engage in more cooperation from both an economic and military perspective.

North Korea’s funding for their programs relies heavily on China’s economic success, which makes their funding capabilities very fragile. If the U.S. and its allies impose economic sanctions on China’s manufacturing and financial sectors, China would be compelled to cease its support of North Korea, as 72.3 percent of China’s economy would be devastated along with 74.9 percent of its workforce.

The United States should promote a larger mutual defense pact in Asia that includes Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Australia and others, in which the U.S. and its allies could develop better defense systems along with more sophisticated and experimental weapons. These initiatives are vital in securing both the United States’ and our allies’ sovereignty and prosperity.

REUTERS

While North Korea’s tests bring about more tension in Asia, there is still hope for the future. Vegetius, a Roman writer during the Late Roman Empire, famously

said, “If you want peace, prepare for war.”

If the United States and its allies wish to preserve peace and prosperity, we must seek peace by strength.

The Collegian,

Oct. 29, 2021

Page 9

Word on the street...

What are your views on Halloween?

Halloween: Not a holy holiday

BUSTLE

Connor Senechal Contributing Writer

Reformation Day is on October 31, however, this is the last thought on the minds of most people.

Instead, many are thinking about Halloween, a day when both children and adults dress up, go from house to house asking for candy and try to be as scary as possible.

The holiday places a heavy emphasis on evil things such as witches, zombies, monsters, scary ghosts, etc. I do not get any of this. As a college student, I find the desire to get free candy relatable, but what’s up with everything else? Why the gory decorations?

The Apostle Paul told the Philippians that “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,

whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).

Because of the holiday’s emphasis on evil beings, I do not think that Halloween is compatible with this command and, as a result, should not be celebrated.

People decorating their property and dressing up as evil beings to celebrate Halloween represents a large shift in our culture.

Take a witch costume or yard dummy, for example.

The Puritans saw witches and witchcraft as incredibly sinful; they executed people during the Salem Witch Trials in an attempt to purge witches from their midst.

Contrast the Puritans’ actions to contemporary culture, in which people dress up as witches, buy wands and pretend to practice black

magic just for fun. Acting in this manner mocks the practice of sin and is unwise (Proverbs 14:9).

While we should not take the Puritan’s approach of killing innocent people to purge our culture of witches, I certainly do not like the extreme approach our culture takes.

Indeed, we went from understanding God’s disdain for such people and practices to imitating them on Halloween.

Living in a neighborhood full of fake gravestones is not pleasant, but it does not stop there. Many go on to make their properties look more like the dwellings of evil monsters with decapitated corpses arising out of the ground and signs saying, “Don’t enter!”

While this may be done in jest, it is something that my younger siblings see and dream about. Solomon says in Proverbs 3:9 to “honor the Lord from your wealth.” I fail to see how decorating one’s

yard to look like a dwelling of evil and death fulfills our calling as Christians to honor the Lord.

Ultimately, what is Halloween meant to celebrate?

On every holiday, we celebrate something. On Christmas we celebrate the birth of Christ, and many people will put up a tree and give gifts; on the Fourth of July we celebrate the War for Independence and often see fireworks; and on Easter we celebrate Christ’s resurrection.

What do people celebrate on Halloween? On Halloween, people generally dress up, go around the neighborhood asking for candy and try to be scary. What is all of this meant to celebrate?

Halloween stems from the pagan Festival of Samhain, a Celtic tradition that I think should be broken. Psalm 115:17 says, “The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence.” Is it then glorifying to God to remember or celebrate the dead on Halloween?

The lasting relevance of the Protestant Reformation David Lugo

Contributing Writer The 504th anniversary of the beginning of the Protestant Reformation is just around the corner, and its approach highlights significant—dare I say eternal— questions that merit our consideration.

Was the Protestant Reformation an overreaction to a flawed church system, or do the questions addressed by the reformers strike at the heart of Christianity itself?

While some have attempted to dismiss the reformers as overzealous schismatics, the reality is that the doctrines recovered by the Reformation hold as much significance for us today as they did for the clergy of the 16th century.

On October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther, a monk of

the Augustinian order, famously posted his 95 Theses on the Wittenberg Church door, an event recognized as the formal beginning of the Protestant Reformation.

The document, crafted to challenge the Roman Catholic doctrine of indulgences, rapidly spread across Europe upon being translated into the common tongue.

Luther’s 95 Theses, however, were only the first tremors of a movement that would shake the world. The reformers went on to recover the biblical doctrine of salvation by grace alone, through faith in Christ alone, as set forth in Scripture.

The message of Protestantism is that sinners are reconciled to God purely based on Christ’s work. Jesus took the penalty due to His people on the cross, and His perfect righteousness is imputed (or transferred) to the believing sinner.

This free gift of salvation is received by faith alone in

Christ alone. Thus, human merit plays no role in a sinner being declared righteous before God (Phil. 3:9). Biblically speaking, this is the gospel. If salvation is not by grace alone, then there is no salvation for sinners (Gal. 3:10-13; 5:4).

On the contrary, Catholic dogma sets forth a way of salvation in which a sinner’s justification is a process dependent upon the sinners’ works.

The doctrines of indulgences, Purgatory, penance, and the treasury of merit flow from this view.

Rome’s teaching about how a sinner is made right with God stands in stark contrast to the biblical teaching that we are justified by faith apart from works of the law (see Rom. 3:21-28; 4:2-8)—a doctrine condemned by the Roman Church at the Council of Trent (Canon IX).

Is the divide between Protestantism and Catholicism relevant today? The answer

is a resounding yes.

Paul stated in Romans 11:6, “If (salvation) is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.” In Galatians 1:8, he says that “even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!”

While Paul’s opponents agreed that Jesus was necessary for salvation, they tried to insert just a little human merit into salvation. According to Paul, this destroyed the entire gospel. As Luther correctly stated, the doctrine of justification “is the article by which the church stands and falls.”

When it comes to the gospel, there is no middle ground. Whether you view Luther and the reformers as heroes or heretics, I encourage you to take time this week to consider deeply the issues raised by the Reformation.

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Aurora Good “I grew up not celebrating Halloween because my parents view it as celebrating death and the demonic. At this point, I don’t even know what I think about it, but we grew up celebrating Reformation Day instead, because we were total nerds. So, my church would put together a Reformation Day celebration, and we’d have a dessert contest and knock over heretical books, and we would reenact Martin Luther taking down Tetzel.

So, that’s what I grew up with.”

Giovanna Johnson “As a kid, I liked to go trick or treating and dress up. I just think it’s a fun time. As long as you’re not doing anything stupid and causing a ruckus in the community, I think it’s okay to celebrate.”

Matt Hay

“It’s cool. I celebrated it when I was a kid, trick or treating, the basics, nothing too fancy. There’s not much else to it in my mind.”

Mollie Landman Hunker “I really don’t like Halloween. I think the older I get, the more convicted I am that it’s not a holiday to celebrate. I think growing up I was indifferent. If you treat it like a good holiday, it’s fine, but I think I just don’t see any good reason to celebrate it. There’s a lot of evil background, and I don’t think evil should be celebrated in any form.”

Kaitlyn Sipes “My family always went trick or treating, and then my sister and I would have a big candy trade, and we would sort all of our candy, and I’d give her the ones I didn’t like, and she’d give me the ones she didn’t like. My favorites are Three Musketeers and all the chocolate ones. Halloween’s a ton of fun, and I like it.”

Quintin Norris “I think it’s fun hanging out with friends. It’s a little different, because you get to dress as whatever you want to be, so you can use a lot of creativity.”

Entertainment The Collegian, Oct. 29, 2021

Page 10

Searching for happiness amidst pain Billie Eilish’s new album portrays artistic growth Noel Elvin

Community Editor As someone who did not prefer Billie Eilish’s music prior to this summer, I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy her newest album, “Happier Than Ever,” from start to finish.

All-encompassing, the album flows with raw energy and a desperate attempt for happiness. Her tainted skin on a lightly colored backdrop seems to appear to be a cry for happiness: a desire rather than a reality. She is attempting to embody the outlook of “happier than ever,” despite the tears seen on the album cover.

Aesthetically, this album sounds artistically light, contrasting one of her previous albums, “When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?” which was dark in color. All in all this album has a softer musical feel.

Although this new album speaks of being “happier than ever” with lighter melodies, the song’s topics are still not definable as “happy.”

Instead, the messages seem to be searching for beauty amidst the pain instead of dwelling in the darkness.

INTERSCOPE RECORDS

Billie Eilish as pictured on the album cover of her newest album, “Happier Than Ever.”

Lyrically, a handful of the songs on this album tell profound messages. For instance, “Not My Responsibility” is a spoken piece over reverberating chords.

Her lyrics question, “Do you know me?” to then express the judgment and disapproval others have placed specifically on her body image.

At the beginning of her career, Eilish was known for wearing baggy, oversized clothing. While some saw this as a stance of refusal to

be sexualized as a woman, others body-shamed her for the lack of looking like a woman.

“But I feel you watching.

Always. And nothing I do goes unseen. So, while I feel your stares, your disapproval or your sighs of relief–If I lived by them–I’d never be able to move.”

Her lyrics, such as, “Do my shoulders provoke you?”, vocalize many of the public-eye assumptions. “If I wear what is comfortable, I am not a

woman. If I shed the layers, I’m a slut.” Eilish then questions the purpose of these judgments saying, “Is my value based only on your perception? Or is your opinion of me not my responsibility?”

The opening song, “Getting Older,” moves through a simple melody with a steady downbeat reflecting on how she’s done things she regrets and how she’s tired of hiding in her shame.

This album demonstrates a lot of growth as both an artist

and a young adult. The songs on this album sound like breakthroughs and glimpses of clarity. Yet, nothing about this album expresses confidence or certainty.

The album slowly walks through stories of hurt and searching, as she makes it to the end of the track line-up still lost in her hurt. With the change of mood on this album compared to “When We All Fall Asleep…,” I wouldn’t be surprised if her audience base shifted a bit.

Eilish’s clear attempt to change paths can be easily heard in the second song on the album, when she says, “I didn’t change my number. I only changed who I reply to…

I only changed who I believe in.”

Other songs on the album utilize different percussive instruments, varying the musical voice throughout the album. “Goldwing” for example begins with a very airy, harmonic a cappella section that leads into a digitalized version of the same melody over an electronic drum.

“Happier Than Ever” is lyrically beautiful and a raw representation of Eilish’s experience in the public eye.

Tunes from the Tower...

‘Continuum’ Chris Murphy Design Chief

John Mayer was recommended to me by a friend over the weekend, and, as someone who has heard mostly his hits, I really enjoyed listening to more of the songs that surround his hits when I went through “Continuum.”

Mayer’s second album, “Continuum,” is an R&B and rock cornerstone and arguably the defining LP (or full-length album) of the artist’s discography.

Mayer has gained popularity for his masterful guitar skills, which are showcased in most of his music.

While he has gained popularity for songs from this year like “New Light,” this album from 2006 is a proper showcase of his talents and stands out from his other impressive works.

Many of Mayer’s most famous songs are on this track list, and it was refreshing to hear some of them in their proper con-

text on the album.

Songs like “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” and “Gravity” have been favorites of mine and were nice to hear as part of the whole set, while “Waiting On the World to Change” sounded better than I remembered.

Some songs like “The Heart of Life” and “Stop This Train” are more pulled back and rely on the guitar riffs with relaxed rhythm, but tracks like “Belief,” “Bold as Love” and “Vultures” have a bit more punch to them, showing off Mayer’s nuanced rock style to further develop an already great album.

There are plenty of albums by Mayer that are available to stream, and I recommend going through them.

But for someone getting familiar with his work, “Continuum” is a great place to start. There are a number of familiar hits that might surprise you. This album is definitely worth a listen.

BLUMHOUSE PRODUCTIONS

Michael Meyers stares straight into your soul. Yes, yours. He’s coming for you.

‘Halloween Kills’ dead on arrival Chris Murphy Design Chief

“Halloween Kills,” the sequel of “Halloween” from 2018, released with enough time in the month for reviews to stop people from paying to watch it.

While the prequel made for a successful soft reboot of the series after seemingly hundreds of movies in the franchise, its successor stops the building momentum dead in its tracks. “Halloween” (2018) was rooted in the dread that Jamie Lee Curtis’ character had been harboring for forty years, which, when applied to the entire town of Haddonfield, puts way too many cooks in the kitchen and hurts the central plot dramatically.

It felt like the movie was attempting an “Avengers: Endgame” impression. Everyone who wasn’t killed in the first film came back to give the film a giant cast, but I started rooting for people to die just for the sake of clarity.

Oh, and because most of the characters are so dang unlikeable.

Aside from the literal killing spree that Michael Myers (the killer, not the actor) enjoys throughout the movie, the b-plot of the movie is focused on a horde of towns-

people that is dead-set on mob rule and vigilantism.

This group works wonders, until they ruin a hospital, subvert the police trying to help and mistake an innocent man for the killer, who is twice his size.

Even though the movie was filmed during the summer of 2019, Jamie Lee Curtis stated in an interview with “The Jess Cagle Show” that “The movie is about a mob.

And so, it’s very interesting, because it takes on what happens when trauma infects an entire community. And we’re seeing it everywhere with the Black Lives Matter movement.” I couldn’t help but find similarities between the dialogue of the movie and the words of protesters over the last two years, which only soured the script for me.

The dialogue also makes me think that the budget was blown on editing this movie to death, and there wasn’t enough money left to print scripts for everyone.

They must have held up cue cards with the phrases “evil dies tonight” and “forty years ago” behind the cameras so the actors could just fall back on those. I actively looked up the producers and writers of this movie to see who was responsible for the worst use of a Hollywood budget since

“Space Jam 2.”

On top of the rampant horror-movie clichés, the people of Haddonfield are incapable of facing any reasonable threat with any level of efficacy. Shame on me for expecting horror movie characters to have more than three collective neurons, but if someone lightly jogging away from a masked killer takes time to look back, I’m naturally going to cheer on the killer.

Despite all of these complaints, I can’t help but enjoy some of the kills in the movie and the music. I’m a sucker for a good score and for the ol’ car-door-to-desert-eagleshot-to-the-neck combo.

I definitely wouldn’t recommend this movie as a piece of fine art, but I don’t think it’d be a great choice for people looking for a fun movie with friends either. It’s a shame, too; the first half of the movie was approaching so-bad-it’s-good territory.

The deaths were ridiculous, the senseless actions of the characters were hilarious and the editing was unintentionally silly. The second half just became so clouded in bad decisions, sub-par acting and a plot that screamed “Danny McBride.”

I’d give “Halloween Kills” a 3/10.

Sports The Collegian, Oct. 29, 2021

Page 11

Sports at a Glance

News

Volleyball and men’s and women’s soccer are advancing to their respective rounds of the PAC Championship Tournament.

Volleyball has dropped to the fifth seed in the conference, and depending on the remainder of the regular season, will likely play in a quarterfinal match on Tuesday.

Both soccer teams finished their regular season with a 7-2 conference record. The men’s team is the first seed in the PAC, and the women’s team is second. Earning a bye week Saturday, both teams will have home field advantage on Wednesday as they face the winners of the quarterfinals at a time to be determined.

Football faces a crucial week as they are currently in a four-way tie for first place at 5-1 in the conference. Tomorrow the team faces major rival W&J (also 5-1) in an absolute must-win game that will determine the fate of their season.

Results

MATTHEW SCHOONOVER

Freshman forward Jordan Rebsamen chases the ball down in last Saturday’s match against Bethany.

Win gives Grove City no. 1 seed GCC Sports Information Department

The Grove City College men’s soccer team closed the 2021 regular season Wednesday night by rolling to a 6-1 home win over Saint Vincent in Presidents’ Athletic Conference action at Don Lyle Field.

The win gives Grove City the top seed in the upcoming Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championship Tournament. Grove City vaulted atop the conference Wednesday night with its win, coupled with Franciscan’s 3-2 triumph at Westminster.

Senior goalkeeper Luke Greenway earned his 31st career victory, breaking a three-way tie for first place on Grove City’s career list.

Greenway had been tied with

Dick Manley (1963-66) and Ben Weaver (2012-15) with 30 career wins. Greenway made one save in the first half.

Offensively, Grove City (98, 7-2 PAC) charged out to a 3-0 lead in the first 16 minutes. Junior forward Sam Belitz opened the scoring by converting a penalty kick at 2:59. Belitz then doubled the lead at the 6:04 mark with his second goal of the night.

Sophomore forward Hunter Hardin and freshman defender Luke Kimmich recorded assists on the goal.

Kimmich earned his second assist of the half at 16:11 when senior midfielder Bryce Deaven headed in Kimmich’s corner kick. It is Deaven’s first goal of the season.

Grove City pushed the lead to 4-0 at 37:26 when fresh-

man midfielder John-Luc Harbour scored an unassisted goal.

Junior forward Mark Guinta opened the second half scoring with an unassisted goal at 66:24. Saint Vincent broke through at 67:06 on an unassisted goal by Andres Mateos Carrion.

Belitz then completed his second hat trick of the season at 80:00. Junior defender Aaron McFeaters and sophomore forward Lance Lenosky each assisted Belitz’s goal.

Grove City outshot Saint Vincent (2-14, 1-8) 31-4, including a 17-3 edge in shots on goals. Grove City had seven corner kicks while Saint Vincent had two corners. Junior Jesse Greyshock made one save in the second half.

National Sports Column

Staff Writer

After what felt like another short offseason, the NBA returned for its 75th season.

Here is what you need to know about a few hot teams.

The best team in California is the Warriors and not the Lakers or the Clippers.

We all know it’s definitely not the Sacramento Kings, but the Warriors? Throughout his first four regular season games, 33-year-old Steph Curry has averaged 29 points a game. It’s clear that Curry will remain the primary scoring leader on Golden State this season, at least until the other splash brother, Klay Thompson, can make his much-anticipated return from back-toback leg injuries later this

season.

The Lakers look concerningly shaky with their new composition of talent. After the acquisition of Westbrook, one of the biggest questions for the Lakers future is how well the ball will be distributed.

Russell Westbrook’s numbers have been solid; the Lakers’ wins have not been solid. Including preseason games, the Lakers had, at one point, a 0-8 start to their season.

Some have alluded to their composition and potential to the 2003-04 Lakers. The 2004 Lakers were a loaded team of veteran talent and were the clear-cut favorites for the championship. Even with a roster core of Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Karl Malone, Gary

W, Saint Vincent (6-1); W, Bethany (5-1)

Women’s Soccer (10-7, 7-2 PAC): W, Saint Vincent (3-1); L, Bethany (2-3, 2 OT)

Volleyball (17-10, 10-6, PAC): L, Westminster (3-0); L, Bethany (3-1); L, Thiel (3-0)

Women’s Tennis (9-5, 4-3 PAC): L, PAC Quarterfinals: Franciscan (5-1); W, PAC Semifinals: Saint Vincent (7-2)

Men’s Swimming & Diving (1-0): W, Allegheny (145-135)

Women’s Swimming & Diving (0-0-1): Tie, Allegheny (142-142)

Upcoming

Women’s Cross Country:

Oct. 30, 11:00 a.m. PAC Championships at Chatham

Men’s Cross Country:

Oct. 30, 11:00 a.m. PAC Championships at Chatham

Volleyball:

Oct. 30, 12:00 p.m. at Geneva

Football:

Oct. 30, 1:00 p.m. vs W&J

Men’s Soccer:

Nov. 3, PAC Semifinals. Home, team and time TBD

Women’s Soccer

Nov. 3, PAC Semifinals. Home, team and time TBD

WOLVERINE WEEKLY HONORS

Who will rule the NBA? Connor Schlosser

Men’s Soccer (9-8, 7-2 PAC):

Payton, Rick Fox and even Horace Grant, the team struggled with team chemistry throughout the regular season and lost in the Finals to the underdog Detroit Pistons.

The Lakers this season may have a similar issue.

They have an eerily similar, talent-heavy roster of veterans consisting of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, new addition Russell Westbrook and additional veterans like Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, DeAndre Jordan, Rajon Rondo, Trevor Ariza and Avery Bradley. If it were 2013, this team could go 82-0. Barring injury, team chemistry remains the biggest question mark for this veteran squad.

As for the Clippers, they NBA 4

Rachael Wallace Owen Schulze Britta Lagerquist Swimming & Diving Swimming & Diving Soccer PAC Swimmer of the PAC Rookie of PAC Rookie of Week the Week the Week

SOCCER

continued from 12

At the 71:17 mark, Weinert scored her second goal of the game, putting the Wolverines up 3-1 thanks to Netschert’s assist. Following only two minutes later, on another assist from Netschert, the fourth Grove City goal was scored by freshman forward Natalie Merrick.

The final goal was scored by freshman midfielder Lexi

Zook, who scored her first goal of her Grove City career off an assist from freshman forward Britta Lagerquist.

The win on Wednesday gives Grove City the second seed in the PAC Championship Tournament, as well as a bye week this Saturday.

They await the results of the quarterfinals to determine who they will host next Wednesday, Nov. 3. at a time to be determined.

Sports The Collegian, Oct. 29, 2021

Page 12

MATTHEW SCHOONOVER

Junior Attack James Petrolle with possession of the ball in last Saturday’s scrimmage against Cleveland State University. The team dropped a close match 16-12 to the Division I school, but picked up a 10-8 win over Division II Seton Hill.

Everyone’s a winner

Lacrosse sees success in fundraiser Rachel Ledford Contributing Writer

Last weekend, the men’s lacrosse team hosted the Nicholas Collelouri Classic, where they team played against Division I team Cleveland State and Division II team Seton Hill, concluding their fall fundraiser for the Headstrong Foundation and for Lowin Willoughby.

Together, the three teams raised over $15,000 through Headstrong Foundation and were able to present the Willoughby family with a large check as well as $2,500 in cash donations collected at the scrimmage that day.

“To be able to support the Willoughby family in such a significant way meant a lot to

me and Kelly, my wife,” head coach Alec Jernstedt said.

“Lowin is such a light, and so WILLOUGHBY to be able to have all those teams and fans there telling her that we are with her I think meant a lot to her and her family.”

The Headstrong Foundation also gave out a “Fathead Award” to a player from each of the three teams during the ceremony.

This award is given to a player on the team who “embodies the relentless spirit and drive to improve the lives of others.”

The Wolverines gave this award to senior defenseman Cody Adams.

“The experiences and friendships that this team has opened up the door for have been more than I ever hoped for,” Adams remarked. “I just want to give back and serve the team in anyway possible.

I am glad I was able to serve and be there for people in the same way everyone has been there for me throughout my four years here.”

Beyond their success in the fundraiser, the Wolverines posted a terrific showing in both scrimmages on Saturday afternoon. Unofficially, the team lost a close and hard-fought match to DI Cleveland State 16-12 but later beat DII Seton Hill 10-8.

“I was thrilled with our overall effort level and ability to put pressure on other teams,” Jernstedt said.

to having this weekend off to rest and recover from some injuries that we have sustained so that we can head into the semifinals and finals at full strength,” senior midfielder Lillian Kimpel said.

Mary Marshall at 37:11.

The second half saw an offensive storm from the Wolverines, with a four-goal run and an impressive twentyone shots. The first goal of the second half was tallied

by Kimpel, who scored her first goal of the season on an assist from senior defender Tirzah Lloyd.

“It was so special as a senior to go out there, play for the Lord and my teammates and score the game-winner,” Kimpel said. “It’s a moment I will never forget.”

“This specific win against Bethany means a lot to us, especially because we are gearing up to enter the PAC tournament,” Kimpel said.

“We can’t win the championship if we don’t win these other games. Especially after having a slow start in the first half, it was such a joy to bring it in that second half and put four more high-quality goals in the back of the net on Saturday.”

Women’s

soccer second in regular season

Emma Rossi

Contributing Writer The women’s soccer team toppled Saint Vincent at home on Don Lyle Field 3-1 on Wednesday.

Junior forward Hailey Weinert scored her first of two goals against Saint Vincent on a low left shot off an assist from sophomore midfielder Megan Mathes at the 19:35 mark. Grove City’s second goal came from sophomore defender Rachel Sullivan, assisted by senior midfielder Jacqui Netschert to open the second half.

Saint Vincent’s lone goal was scored by senior midfielder Lauren May from assists by junior and sophomore midfielders Jessica Persin and Tanisha Grewal.

The Wolverine’s closing goal was provided by Weinert, giving her eight goals on the season. Freshman forward Natalie Merrick recorded the assist.

“The team looks forward

“To fight for a PAC title is a huge blessing and a really cool platform for us to share Christ. So, we come to every practice and every game and the rest of the season with the intention of leaving everything on the field and playing for an Audience of One, because that is the standard which our team demands and to which Christ calls us.”

The Wolverines came away with a 5-1 victory last Saturday over Bethany at home on Senior Day. Again, Weinert opened scoring for the Wolverines at the 12:43 mark of the game.

Weinert is accredited with Grove City’s sole goal of the half, followed by a goal from Bethany’s freshman forward

SOCCER 11

“Defensively, we were very organized, and all three of our goalies made some big saves.”

Going into the matches on Saturday, Jernstedt wanted the team to play a physical game and be pushed to keep up with the pressure; the Wolverines were committed to the challenge.

“We have to continue to work on spacing and organization on offense, but overall the guys did a great job wrapping up this fall season,” Jernstedt said.

In the locker room the team wrote the three goals that they strive to achieve every day: “Be Your Best, Love Deeply and Be Eternally Focused.”

“We want to be the toughest guys on the field in both

our actions and our words to glorify God,” sophomore goalkeeper Daniel Stone said.

Notable players for the Wolverines last weekend included sophomore midfielder Eli Gebhart, senior midfielder Bret Gladstone and sophomore lefty attackman Zach Hougan, who all netted multiple goals between the two games for the team.

The Grove City defense played exceptionally well against Seton Hill, winning a lot of ground balls and staying physical for the whole game, only allowing eight goals against during the close game.

The men’s lacrosse team will return to Thorn Field in February 2022 to kick off their regular spring season.

MATTHEW SCHOONOVER

Senior midfielder Jacqui Netschert drives the ball down the field in Satruday’s win over Bethany.