The Collegian, April 19, 2024

‘Civil

War’ shocks

Film’s narrative leaves viewers facing harsh reality ENTERTAINMENT

Collegian

poll revealing

Lowest support in poll history

According to a poll conducted by The Collegian last month, political alliance appears to mean less and less to Grovers.

Last month, a poll emailed to the student body recorded results from 511 students across all academic disciplines at the College about political preferences and affiliation.

When asked who they anticipated supporting in the 2024 presidential election, 46 percent said Donald Trump, three percent said Joe Biden, 12 percent said a third-party candidate and 38 percent said undecided. It also found that 84 percent of students plan to vote in the 2024 election, while five percent do not, and 11 percent are unsure.

In contrast to previous polls conducted by The Collegian, a 2020 poll conducted of nearly 600 students recorded that 67 percent of students voted for Trump,

Falcetta named ODK professor of the year

Dr. Michael F. Falcetta will be honored as Grove City College’s Professor of the Year at next week’s honors convocation.

Falcetta, a professor of Chemistry, was selected for the award by the College’s chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honorary that has recognized collegiate scholarship, leadership, and citizenship based on nominations from students.

“Dr. Falcetta’s passion for his field is very evident in his teaching. He does an excellent job of making a difficult subject engaging and approachable to his students. He also takes time to get to know his students and dis-

plays genuine care for them and their wellbeing,” one student wrote.

Falcetta joined the faculty in 2003 and has taught general chemistry, physical chemistry, molecular modeling, and other courses over the years. He has also served as an adviser to a number of student organizations, most recently Phi Omega Sigma, the “Possums” men’s housing group. Whether teaching nonSTEM students, engineers, or chemistry majors, he is known for his “ability to explain complicated ideas in a way that makes chemistry both understandable and

Israel, her existence is proof that the promises of God are true,” Pence said.

Pence spoke as the keynote speaker at the Institute of Faith and Freedom’s annual conference addressing antisemitism.

To introduce the speaker, President Paul J. McNulty ’80 announced the establishment of the new Center for Faith & Public Life and shared the news that Pence would serve as the Center’s Distinguished Visiting Fellow for its first year.

For the following hour, the College’s newest Visiting Fellow spoke about Israel’s war against Hamas, a terrorist organization that first attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Pence had the opportunity to visit the war-torn Gaza Strip after the initial attacks,

witnessing the bloodshed and tragedy firsthand.

When explaining the complexity of the war, he likened settling the conflict between Israel and Hamas to making Israel co-exist with Palestine, who he labeled the “serial killer next door.”

Speaking from his experience working with the American embassy’s relocation to

Jerusalem, as well as citing his knowledge of the founding principles of America, Pence spoke to the audience on his belief in the importance of America’s alliance with the nation of Israel.

In his support of the Israeli government, Pence quoted Genesis 12:3, in which God

GRACE DAVID

Mike Pence speaking at the Institute for Faith and Freedom’s “Confronting Antisemitism” Conference last week.

GCC

Omicron Delta Kappa’s Professor of the Year, Dr. Falcetta.

This total percentage combines those who plan to vote for a third party and those who are undecided.

From the Tower

Virtue in communication

Flyers for conferences, lectures, chapel speakers and talks seem to create a calendar collage on the campus’s bulletin boards. This College can’t seem to get enough of conversations, and I thank God for it.

Discussion and dialogue are perhaps the most valuable tools in the pursuit of truth and knowledge. Without communication, ideas can’t be shared, facts can’t be learned and relationships can’t be built.

There’s something to be said of the spoken word, about sitting with or in front of someone while they talk and you listen. To me, the written word represents conversation so important it must be recorded.

Every article in this paper begins as a conversation, which then evolves into another conversation, and so on. First, my section editors tell me about something, then they tell their writers about that something, and that writer goes and talks to other people on this campus about that something until it’s all written down; a conversation condensed into 500 words and sent to the press.

I think of the ancient Greek philosophers, who wrote down entire conversations and trusted they would be understood for their virtue and principles. As a communication arts major, I think of the infamous (to some) and delightful (to others) class discussion, when we all move our chairs into a circle and talk about what we’re learning. I remember what my peers shared during our collegiate version of circle time far more than I remember a lecture.

A conversation engages the mind in a way that makes this kind of learning a timeless tradition. Conversation puts something into motion because it combines human connection with the exploration of the truth.

The recent Institute for Faith and Freedom conference is another testament. I spoke with fellow students, faculty and people who weren’t even on campus during the talks. In each conversation, we talked about topics we would’ve otherwise never mentioned.

The Collegian recently conducted a survey asking Grove City College students their political opinions as well as their opinions on the topic of abortion. This survey was in conversation well before it was sent to students and long before we were able to see the results. It’s been discussed at length in the Tower, and it’s been belabored in both conversation and written word.

To me, this poll and its results represent the essence of conversation’s value. What began with a conversation between those on staff here at The Collegian evolved into something greater that we wanted to include the student body in.

What you’ll find in the results and the article about the results is fuel for conversation. I encourage you to engage with the content published here and use it as a prompt for considering your own beliefs.

I have never been on, somewhere in the state of Kentucky with two hours between me and my destination.

I am responsibly abiding by the speed limit, when suddenly, I see ahead of me, a bright yellow sun-like shape glowing in the distance. I wonder what gloriousness could be shining so bright in my time of need. It was a Buc-ee’s. Feeling intimidated by the rows and rows of gas pumps and desperate for fuel and caloric sustenance, I pulled in. I fill up my tank, walk through the establishment’s automatic doors and enter a grand room.

“Welcome to Buc-ee’s,” the clerk yells, with a few others following suit; I felt welcomed. I see snacks, under twenty-one approved drinks and the merchandise tables. I left that Buc-ee’s with happiness in my heart and a gaping hole in my bank account.

Who says money cannot buy happiness? Buc-ee the Beaver sure doesn’t.

Are you planning a road trip this summer? Well, if the answer was no, change it! There are so many exciting things about a trip in a car with family or friends: the beautiful sights of God’s nature as you drive, the stops you make along the way and

HAMAS continued from 1

says of Abraham’s descendants, “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse.”

Pence stated that waving a Palestinian flag, attending pro-Palestinian protests and speaking in opposition to the Israeli government was an antisemitic notion. He criticized both sides of the aisle for their approach to the war between Israel and Hamas.

He addressed the protests occurring on college campuses across the country and the increasing prevalence of antisemitic language with a call to action.

“I think the time has come for states across the country, including Pennsylvania, to enact legislation that defines

all-inclusive stops at a place called Buc-ee’s.

Never heard of it? Let me enlighten you. Buc-ee’s is the world’s greatest rest stop in the south or west part of America. It’s known for its astonishingly clean restrooms, vast snack options (both Buc-ee’s limited and name brand), merchandise options and a welcoming atmosphere.

It is something you do not want to miss. The iconic beaver mascot is put onto shirts, socks, pants, sweatshirts and so much more! You can stop in to get your limited-edition holiday shirt to make all your friends want to go to Buc-ee’s too; it worked for me!

Every time you enter, you will be greeted with a resounding “Welcome to Bucee’s,” making it feel even more like home. Now, do not

antisemitism and prohibits antisemitic rhetoric in our public schools and universities,” he said.

He explained the reason for this nation’s loyalty to Israel was long established before Israel went to war with Hamas. Pence referenced a letter from 1790, which George Washington wrote to a Hebrew congregation in Newport, R.I.

In this letter, Washington expresses that America “gives bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that those who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens and giving in on all occasions their affectionate support.”

Pence encouraged those in attendance to learn from

get this fine establishment confused with a local Sheetz or Wawa. This grandeur is not for comparison; you will never truly know a convenience store gas station until you’ve experienced a Bucee’s.

If I haven’t given you enough of a reason to stop, they hold two world records. The first record is for the world’s largest convenience store in Sevierville, TN, encompassing 74,707 square feet. I am proud to say I have visited this historic pitstop palace, maybe adding an hour onto my trip back home. The second world record is for the world’s largest car wash, spanning over 255 feet of conveyor. Never will your car be so record-breakingly clean. Go to Buc-ee’s this summer; you will not regret it.

Washington’s words and apply them to the modern fight against antisemitism.

“This sentiment is not new…I believe (the letter) expresses this sentiment. And this might be a plan for us to remind our neighbors and friends of these ancient principles in America.”

“That’s the American sentiment. That’s the sentiment that proceeds from our faith and our common JudeoChristian heritage. Let us in this moment, each one of us, to be a voice for that sin, to stand against the evil of antisemitism, to stand with our most cherished ally, Israel, to reject antisemitism in all its forms, and to do our part to create a more perfect Union.”

FALCETTA continued from 1

engaging,” according to one student nomination.

Even those who are not taken with chemistry are taken with Dr. Falcetta. As one senior explained, though some students may say “I hate chemistry,” they quickly add “but I LOVE Dr. Falcetta.”

The feeling is mutual. Falcetta said the students are the reason he has stayed on the job at Grove City College for more than two decades. “We are blessed with great students both in terms of their academic ability and their character,” he said. Falcetta said he was “surprised and honored” to be named Professor of the Year

and downplayed his role in achieving the title. “I feel this largely reflects the investments that so many people have made in my personal and professional life,” he said.

While his favorite part of teaching is the students, Falcetta also indicated that his colleagues are “a tremendous blessing” and valued interdepartmental and interdisciplinary collaborators – and sometimes, teachers, as in the case of Dr. Julie Moeller, whose Hebrew classes Falcetta said he has been auditing for several semesters. “I’m still a novice but have learned a ton and really enjoyed sitting with the students – so to speak,” Falcetta said.

An expert in physical chemistry, Falcetta is an active researcher who publishes regularly with his Grove City College collaborator Dr. Mark Fair in leading journals, including The Journal of Physical Chemistry, and speaks at scientific meetings and conferences.

At Grove City College, he regularly supervises student research, providing students with the opportunity to collaborate on his projects. Falcetta “makes sure his research students truly understand the science behind what they are completing and not just how to carry out processes,” a student research assistant said.

He also makes sure his upper level students in CHEM

342 are well fed on “minimuffin Mondays.” The class is “required – but not necessarily eagerly awaited” by all biochemistry majors, Falcetta said.

“I thought that the combination of Mondays and a physical chemistry course might be too depressing, so, I started making mini muffins for class each Monday morning,” he said, describing himself as a “hacker” when it comes to baking. “Students seem to like chocolate chip, blueberry, and chocolate and chocolate chip muffins a lot,” he said.

It continues a tradition that Falcetta started when he began teaching over 25 years ago and would make cookies for students on exam days,

often with the help of his wife and daughter. A seasonal variation – “baklava bonanza” – is coming up soon.

Originally from Commack, N.Y. on Long Island, Falcetta earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics from SUNY College at Oswego, N.Y., and a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh. He has also completed graduate work toward a master’s degree in New Testament Studies from Alliance Theological Seminary.

Falcetta lives in Grove City with his wife, Esther. They have a daughter, Tessa.

HANNAH WELKER

ODK’s nominees for senior man and woman of the year

Brand new grand

Violet Whitmore

Three weeks ago, a grand addition was made to the practice rooms in Pew Fine Arts Center (PFAC) which will surely become a key signature of the Grove City College Music Department.

Thanks to generous donations over the past year, A 6’5” Boston grand piano, a subsidiary of the Steinway Corporation, has been purchased for student use, performances and lessons.

According to Jeffery Tedford ‘00, professor and chair of the Music Department and Orchestral Director, this investment will benefit many piano majors for years to come and will accommodate the increasing amount of piano majors on campus.

“Over the last four years, we have gone from five music majors with a concentration in piano to 17 in 2023 and 2024. Because of this growth, we need to improve our equipment and create a second piano major practice room because piano majors must practice on a grand piano,” he said.

Sophomore Wesley Morgan is a piano and organ performance major who is often found tickling the ivories and loves the new addition.

“This new one is nice because it is decently in-tune and it is possible to get different ‘colors’ in the sound and shape musical phrases properly and easily,” he said. “It is a big deal for the music department to have this new piano because there are cur-

18.55 percent voted for Biden and 7.74 percent voted for other. In 2016, a similar poll noted that 52.33 percent were planning to vote for Trump, 13 percent for Clinton, 18 percent for other and 15 percent not voting.

rently a lot of piano majors, and having more means it is easier for the piano majors to have access to a nice piano.”

According to Tedford, it is recommended for music departments and schools of music to replace grand pianos every 15-20 years. The average age of the pianos at the College is 82 years old, and the last newly purchased piano came along in 1976 when the PFAC first opened.

To maintain the piano’s condition and allow students time to hone their skills, the new grand is available to piano majors only. Due to the increase in piano majors, many of the pianos are aging rapidly.

“Many are in disrepair, have cracks, pedals do not work, or are having monthly maintenance issues. We do have several grand pianos, which is a benefit to our program, but they are older and will need to be replaced in the coming years,” Tedford said.

The difference in pianos for students is palpable.

“A grand piano feels different and plays differently than an upright piano,” Tedford said. “Piano majors are required to give their senior capstone recitals on a grand piano, so they need to have the opportunity to practice on a grand piano.”

“The sound, volume and size are different. Tuning is different (layout of the strings), the ‘action’ of how the keys work (move and strike the strings) is different on a grand piano and has power and variety of ‘color’ or timbre.”

said other. In the 2020 poll, 71 percent voted for a candidate and 29 percent went by party affiliation, in sharp contrast to newly collected data.

Student runs for Ohio statehouse

Mia Gallagher Staff Writer

“What are you going to do after you graduate?” This age-old question has faced every college student spending four years and thousands of dollars trying to answer. For one Grove City College student, the answer to this very question will be answered on Nov. 5, 2024.

Meet Josh Malovasic, a junior Theology and Biblical Studies major who is running for State Representative of Ohio District 21. Malovasic, who entered this race as an unopposed Republican, has his work cut out for him in switching this district from blue to red.

The Democrats have managed to soundly win District 21 for the past three election cycles. This time around, Malovasic will square off against Eric Synenberg, who

defeated the incumbent Elliot Forham in the primary on March 19.

“I’m running primarily because I believe that God’s Word is the only source for morality, truth and legislation. God is glorified when his candidates stand on his Word and standards of righteousness in public life. I believe we are seeing Biblical judgment on our nation in part because our leaders have abandoned integrity, righteousness and truth – all resulting from the rejection of the authority of the Bible and God. Secular politics, on the right or left, will not fix the wicked legislation that currently exists,” Malovasic said.

Among the many key issues that will be decided in this election, those at the forefront of Malovasic’s campaign include abolishing abortion, lowering state spending and taxes, encouraging free market growth, preserving Constitutional originalism and decreasing

Ohio cities’ crime rates. The main focus of his campaign, he said, is to honor God and promote Biblically-sound legislation in the political arena.

“Something else I’ve put at the forefront of my campaign this far is the fact that I am not a career politician. I did not study political science. I am not going to law school and I have never been in the world of politics. My calling in life is to be a pastor. I do not pledge my loyalties to either party because neither party is founded on the authority of God’s Word, nor do I care that one is ‘closer’ to the truth than another. Any party or organization not founded primarily on Scripture, no matter how well it is built, will fall in the end,” Malovasic said.

While Malovasic does not have the political experience of his opponent, his campaign will work this summer to build his base and share his message with voters.

Retired prof’s podcast takes

on Christian nationalism

Since his retirement, former professor of psychology at the College, Warren Throckmorton, has not been idle. Throckmorton now hosts, writes and produces a podcast, “Telling Jefferson Lies,” in cooperation with the current Chair of the Department of the Political Science Department and professor Michael Coulter ‘91.

The podcast series is based on Throckmorton and Coulter’s book “Getting Jefferson Right,” a response to Evangelical author David Barton’s “The Jefferson Lies: Exposing Myths You’ve Always Believed About Thomas Jefferson.” Barton pulled his book from publication after the errors “Getting Jefferson Right” exposed were made public.

The podcast series “chronicles how history can be hijacked for ideological and political purposes, as well as a much broader story about the surge of Christian nationalism and the misuse of history which often goes along with it,” according to Throckmorton’s Apple Podcasts page.

“The series begins with

of those who identify with a party vote for the candidate from that party,” Coulter said.

an in-depth consideration of the methods of Christian nationalist storyteller David Barton,” Throckmorton said. “Then I tell the story of how his book on Jefferson was pulled from publication in 2012 and the response of evangelicals to that rare event. From there, I broaden the scope to examine the varieties of Christian nationalism and the negative consequences of this way of thinking about church and state.”

Throckmorton aims to expose Christian nationalism because “the belief that the United States is a nation of Christian privilege is powerfully intertwined with the religious and political identity of many evangelical Christians,” he said in an article in the Nov. 2023 edition of the Church & State Magazine.

“Despite the consensus among professional historians that an innovation of the Constitution and the American experiment is the separation of church and state, a surprising number of Christians endorse survey items that suggest the laws of the United States should reflect the Bible.”

Though the podcast stemmed from exposing spe-

cifically Jeffersonian lies, Throckmorton and Coulter have launched new conversations about historically inaccurate stories and assumptions Americans have about the founding of the United States and pervasive Christian nationalism.

“Undergirding these beliefs are numerous false narratives about the founders and events at the founding of the nation that are taken as support for the idea that God brought the U.S. into existence in a way that makes America better or more favored than other nations. We are convinced that historical revisionism is necessary for Christian nationalism to flourish,” Throckmorton said.

The podcast hosts historians, professors, theologians and scholars in most episodes to debunk and discuss historical myths, Christianity and other books. Episodes began in Jan. of this year and will be posted periodically until the segment ends during the last week in April.

Read more about “Getting Jefferson Right” at gettingjeffersonright.com or listen to “Telling Jefferson Lies” on Apple Podcasts for more.

The most recent poll shows the smallest amount of support for an election or candidate ever recorded at the College. When asked about their party affiliation in the 2024 poll, 61 percent voted Republican, five percent voted Democrat, 27 percent voted Independent, and six percent

“To me, this is the most interesting result,” Michael Coulter, Chair of Political Science and professor at the College said. “Clearly, there are people who identify as Republican and/or conservative who are least hesitant about voting for Donald Trump.”

“This is surprising because party identification is the best predictor of vote choice in the United States, and usually around 90 percent

Paul Kengor, Senior Director and Chief Academic Fellow for The Institute for Faith & Freedom and professor of political science at the College, was not surprised by the results. “The numbers confirm what I expected, and frankly what one would expect from a college once named by the Princeton Review as ‘the most nostalgic for Reagan,’” he said.

or Republican and those planning to vote for Donald Trump. There’s a 20 percentplus gap there. That’s quite revealing. It reflects the reality that a lot of young conservative Republicans are not big fans of Donald Trump.” However, 69 percent of students polled described themselves as Conservative, 23 percent as Moderate, five percent as Liberal, and three percent as none of the above.

Samuel Stanton, professor of political science at the College found inconsistencies in the results.

“You can be conservative as a Republican and not desire to vote for Donald Trump. You can be conservative as a Democrat and not want to vote for Joe Biden. You can also be unsure about who you might vote for regardless of being conservative, moderate or liberal because you do not know enough about third parties and the candidates offered by those parties,” Stanton said. POLL continued from 1

“I also find interesting, and not surprising, the notable gap between those identifying as conservative and/

“It is interesting to note that 66 percent of respondents state they are Republi-

cans or Democrats, but only 49 percent of those respondents state they will vote for the likely candidate for President in 2024 from either of the major parties,” he said.

The winner will be announounced at next Wednesday’s Recognition Convocation. The nominees for senior woman of the year are Annalese Aderholt, Megan Gagnier, Cara Scott, Caroline Garrett and Alarie Findley. Nominees for senior man of the year are Ari Campbell, Tim Gibson, Kristopher Sekera, Collier Kaufman and Ethan David.

Community

Christ across campuses

Campus United connects students in worship and prayer

Emily Fox Community Editor

An estimated 500 students from six nearby campuses gathered together in worship last Sunday for Campus United, a new event uniting students from colleges in western Pennsylvania and Ohio. About 50 to 75 students traveled to Grove City from colleges such as Slippery Rock, Geneva, Allegheny, Westminster and Youngstown State to pray and worship together as the body of Christ.

The planning of the event involved a collaboration between several worship teams from Grove City College including Warriors for Christ, Met By Love and 24 Hour Worship, as well as students from SlipCity, a Christian cross-campus group involving members from Slippery Rock and Grove City College.

“There can often be this sense of division or competition between campuses, but in reality, if we’re followers of Jesus, then regardless of what campus you’re on, we have the same vision – to see our campuses met with the gospel and living in its fullness. Worshipping together reminds us of that unity, and praying together reminds us that we have an active role to play in what God wants for our campuses – that we are all partnering with God in that regardless of where we are,” President of Met By Love junior Grace Waggoner said.

Waggoner and the President of Warriors for Christ, senior Joel Griffith, came up with the idea to have a crosscampus worship night after witnessing students from Slippery Rock and Gove City praising God together in the chapel. Their two worship groups then teamed up with

Last Sunday, approximately 500 students from six campuses in Western Pa and Ohio gathered in Harbison to worship their Creator and pray for their campuses. Campus United was a collaboration between Met By Love, Warriors for Christ, 24 Hour Worship and SlipCity.

24-Hour Worship and a leader of SlipCity from Slippery Rock, Caleb Frey, to plan the event. Students involved in planning the event met every week for a month to prepare.

The event started with worship followed by a message from junior Sam Hogue on the importance of unity and praying for their campuses. Students attending the worship service then split into small groups to pray for

what breaks the heart of God at their colleges. Students then came back together to worship and set aside time to get to know students from other campuses at the end of the service.

“Worship is fruitful because it’s what we are made for. Worship reminds us who we are – weak and needy people in awe of an allpowerful, holy God who has somehow made a way for us

to know Him. What was so cool about Campus United was that so many different styles of worship were represented in the room – even the worship team had a range of more traditional worship and more charismatic styles. But when we as college students decide that the most important thing in worship is our heart posture before God, then nothing else matters other than that God re-

ceives what He’s due. And we believe, by the power of God’s grace, that that’s what happened on Sunday,” Waggoner said.

“It’s unsure currently if it’s going to be an annual event. We are hoping to host Campus United again next year, but as cliché as it sounds, it’s entirely in God’s hands to provide the connections necessary again!”

Delight fosters fellowship

Kristiana Shirk Staff Writer

The first Delight Ministries was created in 2012, and since then it has spread across the United States to over 200 universities, finding its way to Grove City College in 2020. Delight Ministries is a group of Christian

women who strive to have a community centered around growing closer to God and their fellow women. This semester, they have given new life to the Grove City College portion of the ministry.

President of Grove City College’s Delight Ministries, Hannah Norris, said there are about 15 women cur-

rently interested, but they have the room and desire to grow: “We would love to see the group grow as big as God wants it to. We want this organization to reach the right women who are longing for a relationship with God and fellow sisters in Christ.”

They have had some meetings this semester, and they have big plans for Fall 2024. Norris and the group hope to begin “diving into our Delight books and studying more about our call from God, with those study sessions we will do things like crafts, movie nights, plenty of snacks, worship nights and so much more to gather with one another and be a family

just like God calls us to.” Treasurer and Book Coordinator, Jessica Eisenhart, joined Delight Ministries for the opportunity to be involved in the community and family Norris hopes to foster. “It allows girls to be surrounded by other girls DELIGHT 4

Will absence really make the heart grow fonder?

My girlfriend is going on a mission trip outside of the country this summer. I’m really proud of her, but I’m worried about how the distance will affect our relationship. How do we make our relationship work across the globe?

Sincerely,

Distant Grover

Dear Distant Grover, This sounds like a wonderful opportunity and blessing for your girlfriend! The fact that you are so proud is a green flag. A trip lasting only a couple of months can feel like an eternity when you are waiting for your other half to return…especially when you are not even in the same hemisphere. Fortunately, I don’t believe this will strain

Dear Dr. Love

your relationship if you guys communicate before the trip about how you want to stay in touch.

Of course, the easiest route is to FaceTime or call each other as many times as you two want to per week.

However, depending on where she is going, the use of phones and technology may be difficult to come by.

I don’t necessarily think this has to be a negative thing. Dedicating oneself wholly to the Lord and serving others requires a great deal of focus. Taking a step back from one’s personal life is to be expected to best serve others. To make things fun, I think some good old-fashioned pen and paper may be the way to go! You two are most likely used to texting and calling each other every day. Handwritten letters may make you guys even closer than you already are, despite the geographical distance. It’s something tangible to help you both remember these months. Writing letters also gives you two the chance to communicate thoughtful and meaningful

words to each other. Somehow, a letter always feels more sincere and genuine than the most heartfelt text.

Disposable cameras or a cheap digital camera could capture memories your girlfriend has made on her trip. It would be easy for her to send you these photos during those long months to show you how she is doing.

Finally, it is most important to trust in God. Your girlfriend is doing the Lord’s work and bringing the light of His Word to the far corners of the world. It sounds as if you are already supporting the work she is doing. This time apart can be a chance for you two to grow in Christ. When you reunite at the end of the summer, you can rejoice in the fact

that you both have the right focus: God. tant to trust in God. Your girlfriend is doing the Lord’s work and bringing the light of his Word to the far corners of the world. It sounds as if you are already supporting the work she is doing. This time apart can be a chance for you two to grow in Christ. When you reunite at the end of the summer, you can rejoice in the fact that you both have the right focus: God.

I hope this helps!

Dr. Love Love M.D.

GRACE WAGGONER

AEX promises to entertain

At 7 p.m. this Saturday, the Alpha Epsilon Chi (AEX) housing group, will be holding its signature event, AEX Live, in the Student Union. AEX Live is a fun-filled, full-fledged concert featuring several student musicians. The men of AEX have worked hard to prepare for the event, and their efforts are paying off.

AEX Live has been held for decades, making it one of Grove City’s oldest traditions. According to AEX lore, the event began after several Grovers attended and enjoyed the 1969 Woodstock music festival. Although AEX was not founded until 1976, the influence of Woodstock bears a clear influence.

DELIGHT continued from 3

that want to serve God,” Eisenhart said. The joint desire to love God in a positive environment is what makes Delight Ministries a fun and wholesome place for women to gather.

“I hope that Delight will help women find community that they have not been able to so far. Delight’s goal is to help college women who have not found the community they are looking for. It is a place for women to bond and

The unofficial motto of AEX Live is “Woodstock with less sin and more pretzels.” AEX wanted to make their event more Christ-centered, resulting in what we have today. The event focuses on creating a fun and welcoming atmosphere for Grovers. One of the masters of ceremonies (MC) of the event, junior Mason Nichols, explained that AEX Live is meant to provide “good wholesome fun.” AEX Live showcases the musical talents of students but stands alone next to other events like the Student Government Association’s Coffee House. AEX Live embraces its unapologetically loud and bright festival roots. Every genre from rock to jazz is represented. The concert provides a place for students to come and bond over good

create lifelong relationships. I would encourage all college women to get involved. Whether you are looking for a bible study, community or just fun activities, Delight has it all!” Eisenhart said. Eisenhart particularly loves the activities Delight Ministries plans for the events, like crafts and Bible Bingo. With a variety of activities, Delight Ministries is a place for women starting or finishing college and everywhere in between to deepen their connection with the Christian women on campus.

music. Less well-known genres will be featured at the start of the event with more popular types will be featured toward the end.

Nichols emphasized that AEX Live is a way for the housing group to give back. Preparations for the event began in February and all members are working to make it happen. An entire position in the group is dedicated to preparing for AEX Live, but all are expected to contribute. It is an all-group effort. Because of the hard work of its members, AEX Live has been one of the group’s most wellattended events over the last three years.

Apart from the group itself, the event is an opportunity for Grove City students to share their talents with peers. This year, there will be

Norris encourages every woman who is interested to join. “It’s so tough to join a group that is new and you may be unsure of the group, I understand that, but it will definitely be worth every girl’s time to come meet new people and be a part of a Christ-centered community filled with so much love, passion, hope, vulnerability and so much more,” Norris said.

To learn more about Delight Ministries on campus, go to @delight_grovecitycollege on Instagram to find where they post meeting

ten groups of students performing, each featuring its own genre. Past years have featured heavy metal performances among other unique categories. This year’s lineup is promising, featuring songs by Switchfoot and possibly Taylor Swift. Performers do not need to be professionals; anyone is invited to audition. Between each set will be a humorous, lighthearted filler set from the MCs.

This year’s AEX Live looks exciting. The concert will be held in the Breen Student Union building. The group will be providing free, unlimited ice cream to attendees. AEX Live is a great opportunity for students to enjoy quality art and support their peers. All are welcome!

highlights and upcoming events, as well as the QR code to join their Telegram group chat.college on Instagram to find where they post meeting highlights and upcoming events, as well as the QR code to join their Telegram group chat.

Head Baseball Coach

What do you like the most about being a coach at Grove City College?

I love the people I work with and my players. There is nothing like working with a group of people from different backgrounds, with different personalities and experiences toward a common goal.

Which actor would you choose to play you in a movie about your life?

Well, Robert Redford is too old, and I liked Brad Pitt in Moneyball, so if Brad was willing to have minor cosmetic surgery to improve a few flaws in order to look more like me I would go with Brad.

If you had to play/coach a different sport, which would you choose?

Probably softball I guess since it is similar to baseball. Although I did try to teach a girl the proper way to field a ground ball at a former university, and she started crying. My current players may have an opinion on whether I would be a good fit as a women’s softball coach.

What are you looking forward to doing this summer?

Spending time with my wife and my dog. We’ve been exploring the National Parks out west each summer and they have been amazing.

Which MLB team is your favorite?

I am a Phillies fan. (Over 10,000 losses and counting)

What’s your go-to Chick-fil-A order?

If I’m buying it’s the number one, but I haven’t paid in a long time. When we travel, I get the Chick-fil-A points, and I feed my family all summer. Last year I went home with 27,000 points. I am a Platinum member.

If you had to choose, would you rather go back in time or to the future?

I would definitely go back. I would have worried less and been a much, much better ball player knowing what I know now.

Wolverines hit at home plate

The Grove City College baseball team dominates last five games

Amid the tumultuous weather of Western Pennsylvania in the Spring, the Grove City College baseball team braves diamonds near and far to take home wins with swings, strikes and slides. Catch a glimpse of their past few wins here at home on Behringer Field.

Photos by Grace David, Photo Chief Emma Rossi

Emma Rossi

Hate is not love Religious homophobia harms faith

Ellen Otterman Contributing Writer

I was astonished and alarmed to read the opinion article entitled “Love is not love” which was published in the March 22 installment of The Collegian. Not only did I find the article insensitive, but I found the argument fallacious.

The conclusion the article came to is that “regardless of the homosexual couple’s claims of ‘love’ for each other, the inherently sinful nature of their desire for the union makes it impossible to truly love each other”. By this, the article referenced Aquinas’ criteria for love, the most important of which is to desire good things for the other. It claims that, in wanting to be joined in union with someone of your own sex, you are desiring something sinful for both yourself and your partner; thus, you cannot truly love them.

Under this logic and Christian morals, anyone who desires union with their partner via sexual relations before marriage does not love their partner; in desiring union with them, one partner is desiring something counter to the other’s good. Yet, most couples in existence – homosexual or otherwise – have wanted that. Love, then, cannot be measured simply by our capacity to do right by someone. As humans, we will act selfishly at times.

It would also be inappropriate for anyone who supposedly identifies as heterosexual to speak on the experience of someone who

is attracted to the same sex. It is simply not the place of a straight person to say that gay love isn’t real. If we cannot understand some-

one’s reality by experiencing it firsthand, we must base our beliefs on our observations. No matter someone’s sexual identity, the actions

that demonstrate love and care for someone are universal and can be observed in healthy gay relationships just as you would see with healthy straight couples.

I would argue that a person’s love for someone cannot be diminished by assumed eternal repercussions. It doesn’t matter how we scientifically distill and define the concept of love. At the end of the day, what we feel is the only thing we can truly know. The reality is that love is too persistent to brush off with logic and too fundamental to give up.

We cannot help but adore each other; the way someone laughs, the way they walk, the way their mind works, the things they create. We love because we cannot help but perceive the beauty in someone and marvel at the image of God within them. To acknowledge that religion condemns a certain kind of love doesn’t make it any less real, and to cut someone off and abandon them because you want them “not to sin” is a different kind of crime against them.

Furthermore, invalidating and condemning so many people’s experiences is the least effective means of converting them to the Christian faith. Anyone who truly wants the best for the LGBTQ+ community should take the time to listen to other people’s perspectives. We should not be using Christianity as an excuse for intolerance. It is most certainly not what Jesus would do.

Faith and reason do not fail

Abigail Kengor Staff Writer

It is important not only to have belief, but also to understand your belief, knowing why you believe it.

A lot of people go to the wrong place for these defenses, places where your reason may work at face value but does not go deep enough to be impenetrable. You may have a very good argument but a simply insufficient defense of it, and the result is ultimately defeat when confronted with a good debater. Then, you feel you must logically accept your opponent’s argument, even while not at all convinced of it.

The pro-life cause presents a multitude of examples. Arguments for the defense of life come from all sides: biology, sociology, psychology, medicine, economics, law, etc. These arguments typically sound something like this: “It’s a human life from the moment of conception,”

“The family and society are badly affected by abortion,”

“The mental health repercussions on the mother and others are devastating,” “The surgical risks on the mother and potentiality of failed abortions are too great, even fatal,” “Abortion will lead to

The problem is now this: you have come to believe in a correct truth, but your logic to support it is inadequate. How do we solve this problem? By finding better foundations for our beliefs and “taking every thought captive” as we consider why we believe the things we do.

underpopulation” or “Abortion violates the constitutional right to life.”

All of these may be true, but unfortunately, none of them are a sufficient argument against the evil of abortion.

A defender of abortion could respond, “Yes, it’s human. So what?” As for the legal case, a constitution in some other country does not mention the right to life. Every surgery has some risks. If medical technology is advanced to eliminate those risks, that argument crumbles.

A pro-choicer can provide anecdotal proof of women who somehow didn’t suffer emotionally after their abortion and blame the typical struggle on the cultural stigma around it. They might mention that miscar-

riage, too, causes grief, but we don’t consider that a sin.

Death is a part of life, and sacrifices are often made at a crossroads. They might take all your proof of the bad effects of abortion and admit it’s a bad idea, but they need not be convinced that it is a bad thing.

These arguments are good beginnings but are insufficient ends. They are inadequate to condemn the evil of abortion because none of them mention evil. They all dodge the underlying moral truth, even if they presuppose it. Human dignity is irrevocable.

People will argue economics with economics, law with law and the facts of science will reduce to a denial of their relevance. Sooner or later, the crux of the argument becomes, colloqui-

ally, “So what?” or more eloquently, “Why does human life matter?” Only theology and philosophy will provide a satisfactory response.

The pro-lifers giving these arguments all are trying to defend the dignity of human life but cannot articulate it. They might take it on faith that human life matters and falter when asked to prove it, being so used to the fact that the sacredness of human life comes from each human being’s bearing of God’s image. Our faith in this truth must be fearlessly explicated, not circumvented. In communicating that faith to others, we must use reason to explain it, turn to faith to understand our belief and defend it logically. Only by flying upon the “wings of faith and reason” do arguments prevail.

SINGERSROOM

The buzz of BookTok

Grace Scheller Managing Editor

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the availability of time was scarce. While waiting around for our lives to resume, everyone and their mothers were looking for new ways to fill their hours. After the collective cabin fever, only a handful of our hobbies stuck for good. Enter, #BookTok.

For those who aren’t familiar, BookTok is a community born out of the collaboration of TikTok and the reading world. This growing hashtag revolves around TikTok users reading, recommending and reviewing novels to their respective audiences.

The trend is an absolute sensation. Since its founding, #BookTok has collected over 200 billion views on TikTok. The adult fiction genre has seen a 25 percent increase in sales since. The overall growth of the U.S. print book market has risen by nine percent.

On the surface, the new reading resurgence may seem like a relieving step in

the right direction for social media. However, when looking closer at BookTok’s effects, there are, like all things, ramifications.

At the tail end of my high school career, I found myself influenced by the internet phenomenon. The next thing I knew, I was at Barnes and Noble picking up the novel that started it all, ‘It Ends with Us’ by Colleen Hoover.

After having read the book, I went back for more. Four years later, I’ve been reading consistently since. While I’d like to think the sophistication of the novels I’ve picked up has improved, I can’t say that BookTok didn’t revive my hobby of reading.

The trend conveys what elementary teachers everywhere have been trying to impart for years: reading is fun! And what you’re reading doesn’t have to be 800 words long or considered canon. BookTok books are, for the most part, fairly surface-level. It’s refreshing to see others admit they aren’t above the guilty pleasure read. But, when taken too far, the culture of BookTok has imploded on itself.

What was once a healthy

hobby is becoming dictated by trends and the hustle mentality. The cycle plays out like this: A casual reader purchases a book recommended to them by TikTok, reads it once, allows it to sit on their shelf, and returns to the bookstore for a nearly identical book less than three days later. The result is a shrinking attention span and a growing carbon footprint. While some choose to donate their books, you do have to wonder: if these books are only being read because they are trendy, who is going to read them once they’re not?

The beauty of reading as an adult is the fact that it can be done at your leisure. There’s no deadline and no term paper. You’re free from the pressures of the classroom. But the natural, allencompassing nature of the internet promotes a kind of consumerism that correlates reading with productivity. This is when the casual hobby no longer remains casual.

The objective shifts, as has the attitude toward reading on TikTok. It’s no longer about enjoying what you read but enjoying how much you read. And if your only goal is

to read as much as possible about as little as possible, then the effects of BookTok are much more impactful than we realize.

This trendy subgenre provides pure and quick entertainment. It exists almost exclusively as a library of guilty pleasure reads. And why shouldn’t it? Life is far too demanding to exist solely in Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar” and Ovid’s “The Metamorphoses.” I am certainly not one to pass judgment on those who choose to pick up a book just for the escapism of it all. But to ignore the greats entirely, to hide behind the rose-colored reading glasses, to make yourself feel nothing, is a waste.

I don’t believe BookTok culture to be inherently bad. I don’t believe the internet to be inherently bad. But, just like all things online, moderation is key. It’s somewhat disappointing to watch literature being swept away by the tide of the web, but it has its perks. Let’s just remember: the books without the buzz have their perks, too.

FISA: Security or Tyranny?

Hunter Oswald Staff Writer

As if the world of American politics couldn’t get any crazier or more depressing, the future of due process and privacy in America currently hangs in the balance.

Last week, the House of Representatives in a vote of 273-147 passed H.R. 7888, also known as The Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act.

The bill has gained major attention due to the controversy surrounding Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows for U.S. intelligence and federal law enforcement agencies to collect data from communications among non-U.S. citizens abroad without a warrant. The Biden administration along with other supporters for the reauthorization of FISA, for which the deadline is April 19, argue that FISA is necessary to enact effective policy related to matters of national security.

Critics of the bill have raised major concerns regarding its failure to properly address FISA and its potential use to violate American Fourth Amendment rights.

In an interview with the Hill, Representative Thomas Massie stated, “Last night, they were lauded for saving the country because they had stopped FISA, and now it’s substantially and identically the same thing today. And all 19 are going to vote for it.”

Representative Warren Davidson (R-OH) posted on X, “A sad day for sure. Freedom surrendered is rarely reclaimed, but today we lost ground.”

Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) sent a letter to her fellow Republican and Democrat colleagues in the House to consider an amendment proposed by Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) that would add a warrant requirement to Section 702.

While the premise of FISA sounds appealing to those who believe Americans should value security and safety from the threats of our

day, FISA illustrates a much deeper dilemma Americans must finally address.

I am reminded of what Benjamin Franklin once said: “Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” The capacity of governments to efficiently deal with security often comes at the expense of certain liberties.

The cost of liberty for the sense of security is well known in the minds of Americans, especially in a post9/11 era that has seen restrictions to travel, censorship of certain types of speech and constant intrusion by intelligence and federal agencies into our everyday lives under the pretext of homeland security.

Unfortunately, reality demonstrates that, even if people give up their freedom for security, it opens the door for governments to become more tyrannical and abuse their new powers at the expense of our freedoms. This trade-off between freedom and security is not as simple

Word on the street...

What’s your favorite warmweather activity?

Titus Faust ’25

When it gets warmer out, I love going on walks with my girlfriend around the beautiful campus. I also enjoy playing cornhole on Ketler Patio and going to the lake with my friends.

Joey Guida ’24

or desirable as we may wish to think it is and certainly demonstrates the dangers that come from such an arrangement.

As a result of the dilemma between security and freedom, FISA has clearly shown to go against one of America’s core values: the rule of law.

For many years, the federal government has abused FISA for its own benefit in the hopes of silencing internal opposition, affecting both the left and the right. What was used for securing America’s freedom has now become a potent tool for tyrannical actions against everyday Americans, eroding the freedoms we cherish.

If America is to stay true to the rule of law, then FISA must be either fundamentally reformed to place greater restrictions on what the government can do, or the entire thing must be completely repealed. America is a land of laws, and it is up to us to remind ourselves that those laws protect all of us equally, especially from the actions of our government.

My favorite things to do when it gets warmer outside are to play pool volleyball, pickleball, sand volleyball and play some cornhole. Games are a great way to keep the brain and the body stimulated and active. There’s a team aspect to Volleyball that bonds a group of people together; it’s truly a riveting experience. Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the world right now. The brain stays active, promoting longevity in cognitive brain function resulting in a longer and healthier lifestyle. I cannot wait to get outside and have some fun!

Jacob Dellicker ’24

Nothing beats a warm, sunny day in a kayak with a fishing pole and a good book – unless you forget the sunscreen, of course. To hear the birds chirping, the peepers peeping and the crickets cricking (as I like to say), is a great escape from the chaos of everyday life and reminds me of the joys of being a simple man.

Grace Burns ’25

One of my favorite activities for the warmer weather is being able to watch the long sunsets on the quad.

On the flip side, watching the sunrise while listening to the birds sing on the way to breakfast is also a refreshing spring experience.

Alyssa Coleman ’25

When the weather heats up, I enjoy basically anything as long as it’s outside! Running, frisbee on the Quad, dinner outside and studying on MAP patio make any day infinitely better.

Jake Coffield ’24

When the weather gets warmer, I just really enjoy being outside. Things I like to do outside when it is warm include taking my dog for a walk, playing sports, mowing the lawn, reading a book and eating outside. Even just sitting outside is great.

PUBLSHERSWEEKLY

The weight of ‘Civil War’

David Smith Staff Writer

The new film “Civil War” by director Alex Garland leaves audiences with more questions than answers. What could possibly cause the United States to form various factions? What could trigger such drastic anger in people?

With such questions in mind, it is only natural to believe “Civil War” will be a polarizing film. Although it was bound to be divisive, it was almost completely unbiased. Regardless, the amount of sheer violence on a micro level is more compelling than most films I have seen. And still, “Civil War” will most likely not be the movie you thought it would be.

The film follows a team of photojournalists traveling from New York City to Washington, D.C. during a rapidly escalating second American Civil War. In this setting, combinations of secessionist groups are appropriately depicted as misguided anarchy, rendering pure chaos within cities. America has deteriorated into the Loyalist States, Western Forces, Florida Alliance and the New People’s Army.

In the backdrop of all the chaos is the nation’s president, played poignantly by Nick Offerman, who is un-

willing to relinquish power, forcing a third term in office. He has also dissolved the FBI, made a point of targeting and murdering journalists and bombed several cities. In fact, in one of the early scenes, we find two female photographers, renowned journalist Lee Smith (Kristen Dunst) who rescues amateur Jessie Cullen (Cailee Spaeny)

Hozier’s ‘Unheard’

Molly Miller

Contributing

Writer

Hozier’s most recent extended play (EP) ‘Unheard’ has taken the world by storm in the past three weeks. The lead track of the album ‘Too Sweet’ has spread like wildfire on social media and just recently dethroned Beyoncé’s ‘Texas Hold Em’’ at the top of the U.K.’s song rankings, a first for the Irish songwriter.

Late last summer, Hozier released his third album in four years: ‘Unreal Unearth.’ Written during the Covid-19 pandemic, Hozier explored the sense of isolation he felt by writing a musical narrative following the plot of Dante’s ‘Inferno.’ Each song on the record represented a different circle of Hell as described in the epic poem. The ‘Unheard’ EP is made up of four songs that were almost included in the original “Unreal Unearth” album. ‘Too Sweet’ is a twist on Dante’s third circle, Gluttony. The upbeat, catchy rhythm of the music combined with Hozier’s vocals helped the song go viral so quickly. The lyrics describe the rejection of a girl because she is “too sweet” and good while the singer instead prefers bitter things like black coffee, neat whiskey and staying up late into the night. It could be the “it’s not you, it’s me” of love songs. ‘Wildflower and Barley’ was the alternate for the first circle, Limbo, the place in Hell for the virtuous pagans. The song features the Canadian singer Allison Russell whose sweet but soaring vocals combine and contrast perfectly with Hozier’s bari-

tone almost like spring and summer. The lyrics describe a time of inactivity and waiting to be active again through the image of the last spring months before summer.

In ‘Empire Now,’ Hozier turns to Irish history to explain the seventh circle, Violence. Most of the song is a refrain of the lines “Sun coming up on a dream come ‘round / One hundred years from the empire now.” These lines reference the Irish war for independence from England, the conclusion of which just celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021. Hozier seems to belt almost every line almost as if it were a war chant calling upon the ideas of violent wars and revolutions. Despite this, the song itself seems more optimistic, soaring onwards in the hope that the future will be better than the past. ‘Fare Well,’ the other option written for the ascent out of Hell, explores the idea of persevering through hardship and finding comfort where you can. Images of a “kitten cozy the engine” and a “hedgehog under a van wheel” clearly portray dangerous situations where the speaker would not fare well but where they are still trying to find comfort. A line in the chorus reads “Joy, disaster, come unbound here / I’ll deny me none while I’m allowed.” The speaker acknowledges that highs and lows are a part of life and hopes that in the end they will be alright, or fare well. Hozier made the right choice with the tracks that eventually did make it onto ‘Unreal Unearth,’ but it is lovely to hear these extra songs within the context of the album.

from a suicide bomber. Lee and her colleague Joel (Wagner Moura) are heading to Charlottesville, where the Western Forces of Texas and California assemble. Lee reluctantly permits Jessie to join the group on their treacherous trip southward. How the nation got to this point and why people are fighting is not important to

the characters. Their route changes along the way, and they are determined to get an exclusive interview with the president in D.C. Most of the journalists’ traveled-to locations are like that of any warstricken nation: consumed with death squads, mass graveyards, suicide bombers and snipers. Quite frankly, much of the

film is unsettlingly surreal. Just when Garland gets you comfortable with the main characters and the setting, something appalling happens. There is one scene, midway through, where the journalists have stumbled upon their friends but wind up being targeted by a militiaman out to kill anyone he feels justified in senselessly murdering. In this way, “Civil War” functions as a horror film rather than a war movie.

Even though “Civil War” is a scenic and episodic travelogue, it carries a certain weight unusual for other comparable films. There is something so unsettling about the nature of the film and the foreshadowing that unravels. It is almost like watching a house burn down; you know exactly what is going to happen, but still, you are consumed with feelings of shock, dread, and wonder.

There weren’t many moments of reprieve from the foreboding undertone that flows with the film.

“Civil War’s” lack of a political point of view renders something enigmatic and disconcerting. Because of this, the movie seems to be Garland’s warning. The exclusion of a political statement allows viewers to witness the unbiased deterioration of their beloved United States of America.

The obvious pitfalls game developers can’t understand

Joel Sledd Sports Editor

A recent trend in the video game industry has caused some extremely disappointing game releases, and it seems to only hurt the biggest game developers. Most independent developer studios have avoided this damaging trend that continues to damage the reputation and wallets of major commercial studios, who can’t understand why their product is failing.

The biggest discrepancy between most of these indie studios and major commercial studios is their consumer practices. Recently, indie studio Arrowhead Game Studios shook the entire gaming industry with its new title “Helldivers II”. This cooperative third-person shooter has grown extremely popular, receiving praise from critics and the general gaming community.

Even much smaller games like “Lethal Company” have built a solid fan base because of its low price and free content additions. However, the reason for the success of “Helldivers II” and “Lethal Company” goes beyond fun gameplay. The game thrives where other major releases fail, with management and patience.

Considering the circumstances surrounding its development, “Helldivers II” commercial success is somewhat surprising. Before releasing “Helldivers II”, Arrowhead Game Studios hadn’t published a title since

2015 when they released the first “Helldivers.” The sequel was also built on a discontinued engine meaning developers’ main tool to create the game lacked technical support. Although Sony helped fund and publish the game, “Helldivers II” was produced with considerably less funds and manpower than most new major game releases.

AAA game developers, like Ubisoft and Sledgehammer Games, have destroyed their public images with unfinished releases and anticonsumer business practices. Meanwhile, smaller independent studios continue to take advantage of these major shortcomings, bigger studios. This has been especially apparent these past few months, as indie studios continue to push out better products on a fraction of the budget.

At a time when spending $70 on a new video game has become the norm, the $40 price tag on “Helldivers II” draws in many more customers. At the same time, the game was released in a relatively finished state. Ironically, the game became so popular on release, that full servers and long loading times due to the number of players trying to join were the only major issues at launch.

Now, so many unfinished games are released at the expense of the consumer. This is due to multiple factors, but it is usually because of shortsighted, impatient investors who desire immediate financial gain. The greatest

offender of this trend is the “Call of Duty” franchise.

For the past few years, “Call of Duty” has become synonymous with “unfinished release.” Their most recent release, “Call of Duty”: “Modern Warfare III” (“MW3”), perfectly represents everything modern game developers get wrong about their industry. In 2023, “MW3” received harsh reviews after a rushed production caused the release of a severely lackluster product filled with bugs and uninteresting gameplay. Typically, a “Call of Duty” game is developed and released in three years. However, “MW3” only spent 18 months in development. The result was a short, poorly written and universally hated campaign.

Other examples of released unfinished games include “Cyberpunk,” “Fallout 76 Star Wars Jedi: Survivor” and more.

The solution for these malpractices is patience. Many developers have every resource, excluding time due to impatient executives rushing production for the sake of short-term gain. The result is a game that earns horrible reviews and declining sales. More time spent efficiently in the production phase of a video game usually means a better game is released to the public, which results in better sales. Until these executives can learn patience, they will continue to lose out to smaller developers who understand the value of quality.

CROOKEDMARQUEE

Wolverines hit a hot streak

Emma Rossi Editor-in-Chief

Wolverine Baseball has hit their stride and looks to be taking their midseason energy around the bases and right through the latter half of their schedule.

A doubleheader on Monday against the Bethany Bison gave the Wolverines wins five and six in PAC play, making their conference record 6-2.

Grove City opened the scoring when senior first baseman Markus Williams hit a homer out to left field in the second inning. Williams’ homerun was quickly answered when a Bison at bat hit a homer of his own into right field.

The game slowed down for a few innings until the Wolverines came out swinging in the fifth inning, putting five runs on the board. After one more Wolverine tally was added to the scoreboard in the seventh inning, Bethany’s fate was sealed for the first game. Grove City took it in an 8-3 decision.

Freshman pitcher Sam Bevin earned his season’s sixth win after pitching seven innings.

In the twin bill’s second game, the Wolverines held Bethany scoreless until the fourth inning, giving themselves a comfortable 6-0 lead. While the Bisons were able to put two up on the board for themselves, Grove City took the game and ran with it, scoring ten more runs before the game’s seventh inning concluded. Game two ended with a 16-2 decision in the Wolverine’s favor.

Freshman pitcher Michael Earman got his first win as a Wolverine after pitching 3.2 innings. The Bison and Wolverines met in Washington, Pa. After the deluge over this past weekend, neither team’s field was ready for action, so they took advantage of Washington & Jefferson’s turfed facilities. Grove City College ranks fourth overall in the PAC. However, they’ve played only eight games against conference competitors while some teams have played up to 13 games. Due to inclement weather and field conditions, the team has had to reschedule or temporarily postpone many of their games. While this is typical for a spring sport in Grove City, hopes are that when the skies are clear, the standings will be too, and the Wolverines can bolster their conference record with a few more wins. Grove City was scheduled to play the Saint Vincent Bearcats in PAC action yesterday. Game coverage and results cannot be included in this issue due to publication scheduling.

Golf swings on to PAC Championship

Joel Sledd Sports Editor

For men’s golf, the short spring season introduced several challenging competitions, but that hasn’t stopped the Wolverines. Men’s golf originally had seven matches in the spring, including the PAC Championship. But the home invitational, originally held on April 11, has been postponed and will be rescheduled at an unspecified time.

On April 12, the Wolverines entered the Penn State Altoona Invitational. Grove City entered seven participants for the invitational, but only the top four individual scores would count for the final team score.

The men of Grove City College placed 10th out of 17 total teams. The top four performers combined for a final score of 327. At the forefront of the Wolverines’ effort was junior Adam Steinmetz with 74.

Steinmetz tied for sixth overall in individual performances, scoring only two shots behind the first-place recipients. Next up for the Wolverines was junior Aiden Allen with 83.

Todd Hangliter was one shot behind Allen with 84, and the fourth player to score

for the Wolverines was sophomore Jonah Kozora with 86.

Penn State Altoona won the match with 295. Four other PAC teams attended the event, and the Wolverines placed ahead of three of the four teams.

At the Washington & Jefferson Rossin Invitational, the Wolverines placed fifth with a team score of 350. Allen led the Wolverines in individual scores as he tied for 15th overall with 85. Junior Luke Kimmich and senior Andrew Solman both tied for 21st, scoring 88.

The men’s golf found the most success in this spring’s first three competitions. On April 6 at the Thiel Invitational, the Wolverines fielded enough athletes to have two separate teams compete for the College. The A team combined for a score of 313, good enough for third place, while the B team took ninth with a score of 342. Steinmetz tied for second in individual scores, shooting 72.

The Wolverines competed in back-to-back invitationals at Geneva. On April 1, the Wolverines finished third out of eight teams with a score of 335. Kimmich tied for first, shooting 77. There was also a three-way tie for 13th place

when sophomore Cayden Testa, Kozora and Allen shot 85. Sophomore Brian McDonnell and Steinmetz shot 86 to tie for 19th.

For their spring opening match on March 25, the Wolverines defeated Geneva’s A and B teams by scoring a team total of 319. The Wolverines produced four of the top five finishes with Steinmetz and Hangliter tying for first.

Solman tied with a Geneva competitor for third place and Allen placed fifth. The Wolverines outscored Geneva’s A team by 19 points.

The men and women have completed most of the spring portion of their season, and all that remains is the PAC Championship.

“We are obviously looking to put pressure on the 2 teams in front of us, but just being able to take it one shot at a time and do our best to compete and build confidence will be very important,” Steinmetz said.

“I think we’ve had our ups and downs, but it has overall been very positive. We’ve improved a lot and I’m excited for what’s to come.”

The PAC Championship for men’s and women’s golf starts today at the Mill Creek Golf Club in Boardman, Ohio.

SOFTBALL continued from 12

empty, sophomore infielder Rylie Eaton steps up to bat. Eaton cracked the first pitch over left-center field and past the fence for her first career home run.

Her absolute dinger gave the Wolverines the boost they needed to take the first game.

Grove City took the second game in six innings, scoring six runs while holding the Gators to a single score in the third inning.

The Wolverines are now 15-13 overall and 7-7 in the conference. With eight PAC teams within three games of one another in the rankings, the competition is heating up. The top six teams will compete in the conference tour-

The Wolverines play their next game in a doubleheader against the Thiel Tomcats at 1 p.m. tomorrow in Greenville, Pa.

nament.

After rainy weather kept them off the field and postponed their games, Grove City returned to action on Monday snapping their seven-game losing streak by sweeping the Chatham Cougars.

The Wolverines took the first game with a 6-3 decision and the second game 8-4.

The Wolverines were scheduled to play the Waynesburg Yellowjackets yesterday in a conference doubleheader.

Game coverage and results cannot be included in this issue due to publication scheduling. The team returns to action tomorrow in Monaca, Pa. to face non-conference foe Penn State Beaver in a doubleheader.

WOLVERINE WEEKLY HONORS

Abby Roetering Women’s Lacrosse Midfielder of the Week

GRACE DAVID Sophomore infielder Kenny Lavrich at bat.

Lacrosse stays on top

Garrett Gess Staff Writer

Grove City Women’s Lacrosse clinched their seventh consecutive victory on Tuesday evening, prevailing 12-4 against Thiel in conference action at home on Don Lyle Field.

Grove City held Thiel to just 13 shots overall, with only four attempts in the first half, and forced 27 turnovers. Junior defender Amber Wartman set a season-high record of forcing seven turnovers, while sophomore defender Reese Hasley achieved a career-best of forcing four turnovers, and freshman midfielder Tori Stevenson caused three. Junior goalie Elyse Kiggins made seven saves to secure her 10th win of the season.

On the offensive front, senior midfielder Madison Nazigian contributed five goals and an assist, leading the charge for the Wolverines. Stevenson and senior midfielder Lucy Martin each scored twice.

Additionally, junior midfielder Abby Roetering, sophomore attack Jackie Rowell and freshman attack Gwen Shilling each recorded a goal and an assist. Junior attack Meah Groves and junior defender Emily Arnold both assisted a goal.

Nazigian and Roetering scored in the first quarter to give Grove City a 2-0 lead, which was doubled by halftime with goals from Martin and Nazigian.

Although Thiel cut the lead to 8-4, the Wolverines sealed the victory with goals from Nazigian, Stevenson, Rowell and Martin in four minutes.

Grove City dominated in total shots, leading 27-13, despite committing 20 turnovers. Junior defender Sarah Jackson led with four ground balls, and Nazigian con-

trolled eight draws. The Wolverines will conclude their home schedule at noon on Saturday against conference rival Allegheny (4-1 PAC).

Nazigian, Martin, Blythe, Shilling, Stevenson and Roetering were pivotal figures in this season’s lacrosse campaign, particularly in goals and assists, with Kiggins making key stops at goalie. Nazigian led the charge with an impressive 54 goals and 11 assists.

Martin closely followed

with 42 goals and 16 assists. Blythe also made a significant impact with 30 goals and 22 assists.

Additionally, Gwen Shilling contributed 27 goals and 8 assists, Tori Stevenson added 19 goals and 11 assists and Abby Roetering notched 17 goals and 10 assists, each showing versatility and effectiveness in both scoring and setting up plays.

Together, these players formed a formidable offensive unit, driving a big part

of their collective teams’ success throughout the season.

A big game the Wolverines are preparing for is the road match against the defending PAC champion Washington & Jefferson (W&J) on April 27.

Both the Wolverines and Washington & Jefferson sit atop the PAC at 6-0. Last season, W&J went undefeated in conference play and the upstart Wolverines, who are 5-4 in PAC play, nearly took them down in the quarterfi-

Tennis rebounds in PAC play

nals of the playoffs.

Grove City had an 8-6 lead over W&J heading towards the end of the third quarter, but three unanswered goals from the Presidents surrendered the game for a W&J victory.

This season, the Wolverines are looking to rewrite the agony from last season’s playoff disappointment and finish atop the PAC.

The Wolverines will play at 12 p.m. tomorrow at home against Allegheny.

Joel Sledd Sports

Editor

Grove City College men’s tennis has bounced back after suffering a three-game losing streak last week. After some rescheduling, Grove City found its footing in conference play and swept Thiel, Geneva and Waynesburg at home and away.

On April 17, the Wolverines raced against the weather to beat the Waynesburg Yellow Jackets 8-1 for their fifth conference victory. The 1-11 Yellow Jackets provided very little resistance against the Wolverines, as they continued to climb their way to the top of the PAC. The College’s momentum was briefly halted when they dropped a 7-2 match against John Carroll University at home. Sophomore Benjamin Jones and senior Collier Kaufman produced the only win for Grove City in doubles play. Senior Jameson Sposato provided the only win in singles. The Wolverines took out their frustrations on conference rival Geneva and swept both teams to improve the Grove City record.

On April 13, a 9-0 loss to Case Western Reserve set the Wolverines back with a 9-0 loss. On April 10, Grove City

suffered their first conference loss against Allegheny, losing 7-2. Sposato claimed the only singles victory and doubles partners Jones and Kaufman were the only two victories for the College. The day before the Allegheny match, the Wolverines stayed home to play a rescheduled match against Ashland University.

Unfortunately, Ashland handed Grove City their third loss of the season with a 5-2 decision. Jones and Kaufman once again claimed the lone victory in doubles play and a win at singles by a walkover.

As of Wednesday, April 17, the College sits at third in the PAC standings with a 5-1 in conference matchups and a 10-7 overall record. Yesterday, the Wolverines faced off against the Saint Vincent Bearcats, but due to the publishing schedule of this issue, results from this game cannot be included.

The College only has one more regular season match before the postseason push for the championship. The Wolverines will play their last game of the 2024 regular season at 1 p.m. tomorrow at home against the Franciscan Barons. The post season is up for grabs.

Despite their efforts, the Gators couldn’t catch up until the seventh inning, when they had five runs. The game was tied 8-8.

Bottom of the seventh, one out and the bases are

Freshman Rodrigo Galves Morales staying vigilant.

LUKE PAGLIA

Freshman midfielder Tori Stevenson breaking away from a group of Thiel Defenders.