GROVE CITY COLLEGE ALUMNI MAGAZINE
Winter 2017
MEETING THE CHALLENGE Gecko team demonstrates determination in tech world THE COLLEGE LAYS OUT A NEW VISION, MISSION
CANCER BATTLE BECOMES LEARNING HOW TO LEARN INSPIRATIONAL CRUSADE LED TO ALUM’S SUCCESS
CAMPUS VIEW
Harbison Chapel is reflected in a puddle of melted snow. Grove City College was recognized this fall as the “Most Beautiful College in the North” by Christian Universities Online. The College’s architectural style, signature buildings and natural setting earned it the honor, according to the website.
M ESSAG E
FR O M
TH E
P R ES ID EN T
CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY
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’ve always enjoyed big challenges. Blessed with a helpful combination of faith, basic optimism and a little naiveté, I look at most challenges as opportunities. Winston Churchill got it right when he said, “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” One of my first big challenges in life involved distance running. You wouldn’t know by the looks of me now, but I was once a skinny cross country runner. In fact, if it wasn’t for cross country, I wouldn’t be writing this short essay for a publication named after a snack shop on a Navy ship. But God has great plans for our lives. So in the fall of 1975, my senior year in high school, I was contacted by John Barr, Grove City College’s cross country coach and long-time basketball coach. If he hadn’t taken the time to invite me to campus, I almost certainly would not have found my way to the College. So thank you, Coach Barr. My life was transformed at GCC. My running career went nowhere as a college student, but between the ages of 14 and 18, distance running was my highest priority. I loved sports, but I lacked the talent to play anything at the varsity level involving a ball. However, I discovered that God had given me a runner’s heart and that if I trained diligently, I could be successful. I vividly recall enduring long hard runs by focusing my attention on the feet of the runner in front of me and just keeping pace. On countless occasions over the last 40 years, the experience of that time of intense self-discipline has been an encouragement to persevere in the midst of other great challenges. Over the years I’ve learned, of course, that not all challenges are the same. In this issue of The GēDUNK, we reflect on a variety of challenges faced by the College and its alums. No challenge is without opportunity, but we all know that some challenges can be extraordinarily difficult. I encourage you to find a quiet spot to sit and read this excerpts of Lissa (Swanson ’10) Yanak’s blog, which begins on page 32. The story of our lives is how we respond to the big challenges, and Lissa reminds us that God does His best work in us through adversity. Finally, please take a moment to reflect on our revised vision and mission statements and our list of core values on page 29. You will see that Grove City College exists to prepare men and women for big challenges. We prepare them with the proficiency, purpose, and principles to face every challenge with courage and conviction. Most importantly, we promote a biblical perspective that embraces this powerful truth: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. As you learn more about the challenges we face at GCC, I hope you will consider how you can help us succeed in our opportunities. “Building for a strong and faithful future” will require enormous support, but imagine how blessed the world will be for decades to come if Grove City College remains a thriving place of education and transformation.
Paul J. McNulty ’80 President
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Winter 2017
’mid the pages MEETING THE CHALLENGE
Over the course of a lifetime, in ways both profound and mundane, we are challenged. Individuals – and institutions – aren’t guaranteed an easy road. Obstacles are often more abundant than the smooth patches. The challenges test our ability, our understanding, our confidence, our competence, and even our faith. But we know “all things are possible for one who believes” (Mark 9:23). This issue of The GeDUNK explores how the College is responding to challenges facing higher education today and how a Grove City College education equips alumni with the skills, wisdom, and faith to take on their individual challenges.
Building a strong and faithful future: Grove City College President Paul J. McNulty ’80 announces a new strategic vision for the College.
Climbing out: Jake Loosararian ’13 endured a “trough of despair” as he shepherded Gecko Robotics from the campus to commercial viability.
You can do this: A devastating diagnosis became an inspiration for Lissa (Swanson ’10) Yanak, who tells her own story in moving and personal blog posts.
Learning how to learn: Wendy (Sabados ’88) Mascio says “learning how to learn” at GCC was essential in turning a sudden job loss into entrepreneurial success.
DEPARTMENTS 8 | Upfront News about the College, Alumni, Faculty and Students 28 | Features Grovers “Meet the Challenge” 38 | Class Notes Find out what fellow alumni are doing
ON THE COVER: Ian Miller ’13, Troy Demmer ’11 and Jake Loosararian ’13 of Gecko Robotics look on as one of their inspection robots climbs up pipes in an elevator shaft at their Pittsburgh headquarters.
44 | In Memory Friends we’ve lost and remember 50 | Alumni Babies Introducing our newest Grovers 52 | Faith & Learning A faculty perspective
Connect with us: The GēDUNK, a magazine published for alumni and friends of Grove City College, highlights campus news, student features and alumni achievements. Named after the on-campus gathering place / snack bar for students since the early 1950s, the word Gedunk made its way into the Grove City College vernacular when Navy veterans returned to campus, bringing the term with them. The name stuck. For decades, the Grove City College Gedunk has been the place to come together to share news and ideas, live and learn, and this magazine strives to connect our family in similar style.
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ME S S A G E
FR OM
THE
DI RECTOR
OF
A LU MN I
R ELATIO N S EDITORIAL BOARD Jeffrey Prokovich ’89 Vice President for Advancement Melissa (Trifaro ’96) MacLeod Senior Director of Alumni and College Relations Jacki Muller Senior Director of Marketing and Communications
Dear Alumni and Friends,
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his issue bring a few stories of alumni who, like many of us, have experienced life’s challenges and they’ve not allowed these challenges to define them but rather to help them grow personally, professionally and their faith journey. I thank them for sharing their personal journeys with us. A few years ago, I had an alum come to campus to share his career and experiences with a small group of students. He asked each student to name their hometown and they answered, “Denver, Colo.,” “Syracuse, N.Y,” “Dallas,” “Richmond, Va.” …He then responded, “back in my day – in the late 60s – if you had a similar group, you would have heard: Pittsburgh, Pa., Youngstown, Ohio, Meadville, Pa., Butler, Pa.” While we still draw a large number of students from a 3-hour radius of the College, we now have students representing 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 13 foreign countries. These students graduate and become alumni spread all over the globe. We are no longer just a regional College. Some of you just love this alumni magazine and would probably like us to produce it 12 times a year. Others get your Grove City College news online and only look at Snapchat or Instagram (and won’t even read this letter!) Still others are excited to finally be setting up a computer and looking at email. Some will only read our emails on a mobile device. And, a few of you still really love that handwritten note. What does all of this mean? One of the biggest challenges my office has is trying to reach 27,810 alumni in a time when you get so many messages in a day. We want each of you to feel connected, to return to campus, to know what is happening, to share the Grove City College story with prospective students, and give back to the place that holds a special place in your heart. But with so many different ways of communicating, it seems that reaching you becomes harder and harder. So what are we doing to overcome these challenges? Traditional forms of communication still remain an important vehicle for us. We still receive such positive feedback about this magazine, thank you. But, we also work daily to reach alumni and friends through our social media channels. We are challenged to make sure that the information we hold is current so that you receive updates via email and traditional mail. And we are challenged to find new ways of communicating. In 2017, I look forward to sharing more opportunities for you to get livestream coverage of on-campus events. And if you turn to page 10 you’ll learn about our new platform Brazen, which provides opportunities for alumni to connect and share advice online with students or with fellow alumni. Additionally, we are also looking for creative ways to bring alumni virtually into classrooms to enhance the learning experiences of our students. Don’t worry, we still want to see you in person – Mark your calendar for Homecoming 2017, October 6-8. We promise to keep in touch in many traditional methods, but some of you may just be getting a bit less traditional mail from us, and we think you might be ok with that. May your 2017 be blessed richly and may you have good health, much joy and peace. Now grab that cup of coffee and enjoy this issue of The GēDUNK!
Melissa (Trifaro ’96) MacLeod Senior Director of Alumni and College Relations
EDITORIAL STAFF Nick Hildebrand Managing Editor Janice (Zinsner ’87) Inman Associate Editor, Class Notes, In Memory, Babies Brad Isles Associate Editor ALUMNI & COLLEGE RELATIONS OFFICE Charlene (Griffin ’83) Shaw Margaret Perkins Noel ’10 Tricia Corey Carrie Sankey COLLEGE ARCHIVES Hilary (Lewis ’09) Walczak SPORTS INFORMATION Ryan Briggs ’01 Robert Audia DESIGN Justin Harbaugh Art Director/Graphic Designer ALUMNI ASSOCIATION John Mackie ’00, President Steve Solman ’96, Vice President Cover photograph by Alan Adams Interior photography by Alan Adams, Lissa (Swanson ’10) Yanak, Andrew Stein ’18, Robert Audia, Brad Isles, Justin Harbaugh, Nick Hildebrand WRITE US, PLEASE Your feedback is very important to our editorial staff and we encourage you to register your comments, questions, concerns, and, hopefully, compliments. Our mailing address is The GeDUNK, 100 Campus Drive, Grove City PA, 16127-2104, but there’s no need to put pen to paper or stamp to envelope, we’ll be happy to hear what you think via email at alumni@gcc.edu. Please use GeDUNK in the subject line and indicate if your letter is intended for publication.
Grove City College 100 Campus Drive
P.S. I hope you’ll take a moment and acquaint yourselves with the Alumni Council Corner on page 19. This is a new section that we hope to bring to you each issue. Council represents YOU and they want you to know more about how they are working to achieve this.
Grove City, PA 16127 724.458.2300 888.GCC.GRAD alumni.gcc.edu alumni@gcc.edu
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Winter 2017
Wolverine giving week challenge breaks record
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he Wolverine Giving Week Challenge netted Grove City College $1.25 million in support at the end of 2016, beating previous records for money raised and donor engagement. Alumni and friends of the College generously supported the College’s efforts during the week after Thanksgiving, which is traditionally known as Giving Week. Building upon the efforts of the College’s first giving week challenge in 2015 – the McNulty Match Challenge – which raised $435,000 from 700 donors, the 2016 Wolverine Giving Week Challenge set a new high. College presidential families, past and present, including President and Mrs. Paul J. McNulty ’80, past President and Mrs. Richard G. Jewell ’67, past President and Mrs. John H. Moore, and past President and Mrs. Charles S. MacKenzie led the Challenge campaign with matching gifts. This year’s goal was not only to raise money to support Full Circle, the Annual Fund, scholarships and other mission-critical initiatives, but to increase the number of gifts earmarked for Grove City College’s mission to equip students to pursue their unique callings through an academically excellent and Christcentered learning and living experience. When the week came to a close at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 2, 2016, the College recorded 856 gifts of more than $1.25 million. This included $100,000 in challenge funds from 55 first-time donors and nearly 200 donors who graduated from the College between 1970 and 1979. That decade’s alumni now hold bragging rights. “The Wolverine Giving Week Challenge attracted new levels of alumni and friends support for the good work being done at Grove City College. Through the generosity of each person who contributed, we surpassed our goals and set exemplary fundraising records,” Brian Powell ’03, senior director of Development, said.
“Their gifts will be dedicated to supporting academic areas and programs, including endowed scholarships, The Center for Vision & Values, The Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, athletics, science and technology and Full Circle, the Annual Fund, used to meet the areas of greatest need across the College,” Powell said. To make a gift to Grove City College, visit gcc.edu/givenow. For additional information about supporting the College, call 724-458-2992 or email BMPowell@gcc.edu.
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Grove City College
upfront
News about the College, alumni, students, campus, faculty and sports
College challenged by exclusion, making case against flawed Scorecard
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rove City College’s continued exclusion from the federal Department of Education’s College Scorecard likely cost the College its rightful place on some national “best-of” lists in 2016. The Scorecard is a federal database that was intended to guide students and families as they evaluate the quality and value of American colleges and universities. The U.S. Department of Education claims the Scorecard is comprehensive, but it isn’t. Grove City College is one of several high-performing schools that isn’t included in the database because it does not accept any federal aid, including student loans. Exclusion from the Scorecard is having an impact on the College as more and more private sector college rankings and guides are using the database as the starting point to evaluate colleges and universities. In years past, Grove City College was a shoo-in for inclusion based on its outcomes and value. But during the summer and fall, the College was missing from a few high-profile lists. In 2015, Grove City College was ranked as one of the best schools in the nation by Money magazine. In 2016, the College didn’t even make the financial magazine’s list. USA Today includes nearly 500 of the country’s leading institutions of higher learning in its annual guide. Grove City College, which was included in the national newspaper’s previous year’s edition, was nowhere to be found. Both sources relied on the Scorecard for much of their data. 8 | w w w. g c c.e d u t h e G eD ¯ UNK
“It defies logic that a school that is consistently ranked by others, including Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report, as one of the nation’s top private liberal arts and sciences colleges would go from Money’s Top 100 one year to non-existent the next,” President Paul J. McNulty ’80 said at the time. “Grove City College didn’t change in a year, but the methodology that private sector reviewers use to evaluate schools did, and it is costing the College valuable thirdparty validation of its success as an educational institution with a tremendous return on investment.” “A well-run, academically excellent and fiscally responsible institution is being erased from rankings that have been designed to recognize these very traits,” McNulty said. That has the very real potential to limit the number of qualified and engaged students who will learn about the College’s record of excellence. In September, another
hammer blow fell when The Wall Street Journal, partnering with Times Higher Education, released its first-ever college rankings. The Journal looked at “what students get out of” college, with graduation rates, alumni salaries and student loan repayment rates making up 40 percent of a school’s grade. Nearly 800 American colleges and universities were evaluated. Missing from the Journal’s rankings was Grove City College, which could have made the cut based on its past performance but wasn’t even considered because the Scorecard was “essential” for inclusion, according to a spokesperson from Times High Education. McNulty blasted the Scorecard and took issue with the newspaper’s rankings in a letter published in October by The Wall Street Journal: “The College Scorecard is not a legitimate data source for any serious college rankings system. The Department of Education is
misleading the American public when it refuses to acknowledge institutions like ours, despite results that meet or exceed metrics of success established by the federal government. … The Wall Street Journal would’ve better served its readership by examining the shortcomings and omissions of the Scorecard rather than legitimizing it. “(S)tudents and families need to know that Grove City College would have been ranked highly – if only we depended upon taxpayer dollars to operate. … The public deserves to know exactly what your new rankings system presents—and why.” The College has renewed its call for the Department of Education to either include Grove City College and others that were left out of the database or provide a disclaimer to make it clear that not all colleges and universities were included. “Grove City College has never asked the federal government for anything other than to be left alone to pursue its mission of providing students a high-quality liberal arts education in a Christcentered community at a price that families can afford,” McNulty said. With a new administration in Washington, the College is reaching out to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to make its case for inclusion on the Scorecard to return Grove City to its rightful place in the rankings.
Winter 2016
news Grove City College meets or exceeds the national averages that the College Scorecard establishes:
TUITION Grove City College charges students $16,630 per year before scholarships and financial aid, just $35 more than the national average of $16,595 the Department says students pay after accounting for federal student aid, scholarships and other factors.
GRADUATION The College’s 85 percent graduation rate is more than double the Scorecard’s 42 percent national average.
FRESHMAN RETENTION Grove City’s stands at 92 percent, 24 points higher than the national average.
GRADUATE EARNINGS The average early career salary of Grove City College graduates is $48,800, that’s 42 percent higher than the $33,800 national average.
Faculty association lifts half-century censure
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sanction imposed on Grove City College by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) during the hottest years of the Cold War was lifted last year in a historic vote by the faculty organization, which hailed the College’s unprecedented action to end a half-century of censure. “Being on the censure list for 53 years was not representative of what we are as a faith-based institution and doesn’t reflect our long-standing commitment to fairness and respect for our employees. The College is a wonderful environment for scholars to thrive professionally,” College President Paul J. McNulty ’80 said after the AAUP vote at its annual summer meeting. The College was placed on the AAUP’s censure list in 1963 following the dismissal of thenhistory professor Larry Gara, an incident that’s still the subject of debate. Gara’s removal from the faculty made national headlines in the early 1960s after he enlisted the AAUP to investigate. Some students protested his ouster and several professors quit, allegedly in solidarity with Gara. The AAUP’s panel determined that Gara, who had enough teaching experience to earn tenure, was not afforded sufficient due process. It might have been forgotten – or at least become a minor footnote to the College’s 140year history – but for the fact that the sanction remained in place, decade after decade until Grove City College earned the dubious distinction of being on AAUP’s censure list longer than any other school. Some saw it as a badge of honor, signifying the College’s independence. Others thought the censure’s impact on the College’s ability to attract faculty and on its institutional reputation was problematic.
Dr. Stephen Taaffe ’89, a history professor at Stephen F. Austin University in Texas, examined the Gara case for an academic paper and his research convinced former College president Dr. Richard G. Jewell ’67 and others that Gara had been treated badly by the College’s administration and board in 1963. In 2013, at the behest of McNulty, Jewell visited Gara, now in his nineties and retired from a distinguished teaching career at Wilmington College in Ohio, to express the College’s regret over Gara’s treatment. The gesture was very meaningful, Gara told The Associated Press, and it was a key reason the AAUP voted to lift the censure, according to Gregory F. Scholtz, director of the AAUP’s Program in Academic Freedom and Tenure. “No institution has ever done that before,” he told the Allied News of Grove City. Getting off the censure list requires a college to take some corrective action. While the College maintains the no-tenure policy that prompted the AAUP’s sanction, the College made it clear that under procedures in place today, the case would have been handled much differently. “We are pleased the faculty and administration felt the censure mattered enough to have it removed,” Scholtz told the Allied News. “There was great celebration at the annual meeting, great rejoicing, that Grove City had been removed.” “Grove City College is built on an uncompromising foundation of principled leadership, ethical standards, and personal integrity – characteristics that our faculty and administration aspire to every day. Resolution of this matter is a recognition that Grove City College values and respects academic freedom and due process,” Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Robert J. Graham said.
Sources: U.S. Dept. of Education, PayScale.com, Grove City College
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Grove City College
JOIN THE NETWORK Signing up for an event is easy. Events are listed online at alumni.gcc.edu/onlineevents. Login can be completed through LinkedIn or by creating your own login. Events take place via textonly with no video option. For more information email alumni@gcc.edu.
Alumni mentoring initiative builds Grover network
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he Office of Alumni and College Relations, in partnership with the Office of Career Services, is offering a new opportunity to connect current students with alumni “mentors” through Online Events powered by Brazen. Brazen is an online personal engagement platform that connects participants in a speed-networking type of event with text-based chats. Without the pressure of video, participants can log on and chat with other alumni or students while on the go or even while cooking dinner. The technology allows alumni across the globe to engage with other alumni and current students in quick, real-time conversations during online events. With under 10 minutes per chat, much like an in-person networking event, students learn to “work the room” and fine tune their elevator pitch as they make connections with alumni and determine which connections are worth pursuing after the event. “This program provides alumni in various geographic areas added opportunities to stay involved and meet students with whom a mentoring relationship could be developed,” according to Director of Advancement Communications Margaret (Perkins ’10) Noel. She added, “These events provide the platform to make the introduction. After students and alumni chat they can decide to request a connection on LinkedIn and potentially stay in contact. Students walk away from these events having gained advice while practicing their networking skills.” Already, six events have taken place focusing on the value alumni bring to current students. Early adopters on the alumni side had high praise for the mentoring initiative. Frank Watson ’80 appreciated the
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chance to connect with undergraduates. “What a blessing,” he said. “The hour went by so quickly. Some of the students have already reached out to me on LinkedIn. It was a neat way to network with each other,” Steve Solman ’96 added. Recently, members of the Professional Alumnae Group – Pittsburgh Chapter participated in an online chat open to women students. Topics ranged from how to balance working and childcare to negotiating salary. Future events will include opportunities for prospective employers unable to visit campus to participate in recruiting events to network with current students. In addition to connecting alumni with students, events for alumni to alumni networking will also take place. Accepted Students and Early Decision Chat with Alumni Networking Tuesday, March 14 at 7 p.m. Online Career Networking Event – Alumni to Students Chat Thursday, March 16 at 7 p.m. Current Students Networking with New York City Alumni Thursday, April 6 at 7 p.m.
Winter 2017
alumni Alumni Band Day
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n Sept. 17, 2016, past and present collided in a practice room at Pew Fine Arts Center as Wolverine Marching Band alumni and their student counterparts joined up to make beautiful music. About 60 former members of the marching band returned to campus, instruments in hand, to join members of the current edition for a half-time performance at the annual night game. After rehearsals led by current Band Director Dr. Joseph M. Pisano ’94 and retired bandmaster Dr. Edwin P. Arnold, Grove City’s temperamental climate produced a storm so bad the band couldn’t take to the field. Instead, the combined ensemble put on a performance for the ages in Ketler Auditorium for an exclusive audience of friends and family.
Wolverine Marching Band alum Bruce Passaratti ’16 greets Charles Vidourek ’05 as Tyler Engel ’16 and Lauren Schmitt ’15 look on.
John Seybert ’95, Lovina (Fahnestock ’95) Cornish, Dr. Joseph Pisano ’94 and Jason Gillette ’96 reminisce about their Wolverine Marching Band days.
Karen Meyer ’16 works the brass.
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Grove City College
Homecoming roundup
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rove City College welcomed more than 3,600 alumni, parents and friends to campus for Homecoming
2016. With the rain holding out until late afternoon, the morning festivities of Homecoming were busy and bright. A new Homecoming King and Queen were crowned and a record number of participants gathered to make new memories on the campus so many called home for four years. The fairy tale-themed parade made for great entertainment on Saturday, with the sisters of Theta Alpha Pi joining the brothers of Sigma Alpha Sigma in winning first prize for their Shrek-inspired float. While the football team was not able to win against Waynesburg, the crowd was energetic and the afternoon concluded with a concert featuring student acts and recording artist Joel Ansett ’12. The Class of 1966 celebrated its 50th reunion with more than 70 graduates and spouses in attendance, concluding their weekend with a memorable dinner on campus. Five Greek groups celebrated milestone reunions and other events were tailored to celebrate classes ending in 1s and 6s. Another Homecoming highlight was the recognition of this year’s Jack Kennedy Memorial Alumni Achievement and Distinguished Service award winners. Achievement Awards went to Drs. Sandra (Marshall ’59) Clark and L. Marvin Clark ’53, Milton W. Shlapak ’59, and Dr. Brian L. Leftow ’77. The Rev. Dr. Richard A. Morledge ’54, retired dean of the chapel, was presented with the Distinguished Service award and preached an emotional and well received sermon at the awards banquet.
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view MORE homecoming and milestone reunion IMAGES online www.flickr.com/grovecitycollege
Winter 2017
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MILESTONE REUNIONS
“It is always great to connect with old friends and make new ones. Fun times were had in typical Pan Sophic fashion.”
Grove City College
– Don Balla ’93
10 5 TH A N N I V E R S A R Y “It reminded us of a time in our life that we should all treasure. The robust attendance at the event was evidence that we were able to put together a weekend celebration that was truly appreciated by our fellow alumni.” – Lee McCracken ’86
10 0 TH A N N I V E R S A R Y “It is amazing how the years just melt away when all the TA sisters get together for one incredible night!” – Charlene (Griffin ’83) Shaw
9 5 TH A N N I V E R S A R Y “It was so special to have in attendance Mike Ristvey ’59, one of the 1956 charter members. He shared how special the fraternity remains in his life and that he still often wears his green blazer.” -Christian Matthews ’85
6 0 TH A N N I V E R S A R Y “It was truly special being in the room with everyone having the common bond of Grove City College and Phi Tau Alpha; the latter which would not exist without the former.” – Nate Fox ’03
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5 0 TH A N N I V E R S A R Y
Winter 2017
Homecoming 2016 ... by the numbers
1,481 Hamburgers served
311
Future Grovers in attendance
5
Greek Reunions
1
50th Undefeated Football Season Reunion
477
Grover Couples (Alum married to an alum)
52.17%
Record-setting percentage of 1956 alums who gave reunion gifts
Wolverines ’66 celebrate undefeated season
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rove City College’s last undefeated Wolverine football team celebrated the 50th anniversary of that memorable 1966 season during Homecoming 2016. A total of 39 players returned to commemorate the occasion, march in the parade and be recognized during the pre-game ceremonies. Tony Silver ’68 traveled halfway around the world from Australia to be a part of the festivities. Brian Bancroft ’68 worked with the Alumni Office to organize the reunion, making phone calls to teammates to be sure everyone knew about the occasion. When asked whether team members knew that they were part of Grove City College history at the time, the group agreed “absolutely not.” Many expressed surprise and were humbled to be a part of the College’s history. Everyone had a great time swapping stories and memories (some may even be true), getting life updates, and turning the clock back one day to the boys of fall. “Our team’s 50-year reunion was an unbelievable day! The fact so many teammates came back from all over the country shows the strong bonds formed that season remain. Even more guys, who couldn’t get back, reconnected via e-mail, and were there in spirit,” said Lynn Crawford ’69. Team member John Baun ’68 shared some advice with the current football team, saying “It’s not what we do on the field, but what we do in life – how we conduct ourselves in business, in our churches, our communities, and our families that matters most.”
SAVE THE DATE OCT. 6 - 8, 2017 alumni.gcc.edu Celebrating milestone reunions for class years ending in 2s and 7s
GREEK MILESTONES Alpha Beta Tau 70th Beta Sigma 95th Omicron Xi 70th Zeta Zeta Zeta 100th
AFFINITY MILESTONES Kappa Delta Pi 25th Warriors for Christ 25th Alpha Omega Housing Group 40th Alpha Epsilon Chi Housing Group 40th t h e G eD ¯ UNK w w w. g c c.e d u | 15
Grove City College
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4 Grove City College Alumni & Friends events are happening everywhere. Alums proudly displayed the College flag in Baltimore, Md. (1) and on an Alaskan cruise (5) offered by the Alumni Travel program. They heard President McNulty (2) deliver the State of the College address in Pittsburgh, Pa., enjoyed a freshman send-off picnic at the home of Ellen ’82 and David ’82 Bennett in Canfield, Ohio (3) and had breakfast on campus with Santa and Mrs. Claus, pictured here (4) with Nancy Paxton ’54, retired vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students. Grover alumni recruiters returned to the alma mater en mass (6) to help students get jobs at the annual Career Fair. And big groups gathered for events in Denver (7) and Florida (8) at Walt Disney World, the happiest place in the world (besides Grover City College.)
Winter 2017
alumni & friends events Upcoming Alumni & Friends Events March 7
American Founder’s Luncheon with Nate Mills ’16 Pittsburgh, Pa.
March 4-12
Touring Choir Tour N.Y., N.J. and Pa.
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March 11
Alumni and Friends Dinner Lancaster, Pa.
March 12
Touring Choir Worship Service Performance and Alumni and Friends Lunch Ardmore, Pa.
March 17
Showcase Series-Broadway Series, Riverdance Pittsburgh, Pa.
March 25
Alumni and Friends Tailgate and Pirate Spring Training Game Bradenton, Fla.
March 25
Gamma Chi Alumni Brunch Grove City, Pa.
March 27
Alumni and Friends Lunch Naples, Fla.
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April 1
Scholarship Lunch Grove City College
April 20-21
Center for Vision & Values Conference Grove City College
April 22
Children’s Theater Breakfast and Performance “The Phantom Toll Booth” Grove City College
April 27
Alumni and Friends Mixer Cleveland, Ohio
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Remember to bookmark alumni.gcc.edu/events for more dates and info on registering.
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Grove City College
ALUMNI In 2016, alumni from around the country traveled to amazing destinations with their alma mater on Alumni & Friends Tours. From visiting Ireland’s rocky cliffs to spotting whales and brown bears in Alaska, travelers reconnected and made new memories. Where will Grove City College go next?
2017 TRIPS
SOUTHERN ENGLAND ADVENTURE June 29 to July 9 – Experience the history, beauty and charm of England as you explore the lush green- and gold-hued Cotswolds, the cosmopolitan chic of London and all the drama Lady Mary could handle at Highclere Castle, where “Downton Abbey” was filmed! CANADIAN ROCKIES PARKS AND RESORT LODGES August 10 to 16 – Join President and Mrs. Paul and Brenda (Millican) McNulty ’80 as you explore the grandeur of Whistler, Banff and more while staying at some of the grand lodges made famous in film, literature and history.
TRAVEL 2018 TRIPS
TANZANIA MIGRATION SAFARI February 7 to 18 – Africa in all its wild, timeless beauty calls us home to explore the Great Migration, the Serengeti and more in the comfort and style of beautiful and historic lodges and out-of-door deluxe “camps.” THE AMALFI COAST OF ITALY April 10 to 18 – Time travel back to the last days of Pompeii and Herculaneum but in first class luxury as you explore this most famous region filled with seascapes, warmth and hospitality at every historic turn. GREAT NATIONAL PARKS OF THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST June 4 to 13 – There’s no place like home for some of the world’s greatest natural landmarks, including the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell and Monument Valley – home to John Ford’s classic vision of the Great American West. THE SWISS ALPS AND ITALIAN LAKES June 13 to 22 – Join President and Mrs. McNulty for ten days in the Alps exploring Lake Como, Bellagio and St. Moritz, plus a scenery-filled ride on the Bernina Express (the Alps’ highest railway). FLAVORS OF SPAIN October 13 to 21 – Saturate yourself in the delicious treasures of Costa Brava, where artisanal shops, wineries and generations-old cuisine techniques abound! GROVERS ON TOUR IN THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS IN JANUARY
Visit alumni.gcc.edu/travel to book your dream trip today! 18 | w w w. g c c.e d u t h e G eD ¯ UNK
Winter 2017
Mark your calendars Family Weekend May 5-7, 2017
Alumni
COUNCIL CORNER What to know about Alumni Council
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Join us for this signature Grove City College tradition. Highlights include the Spring Dance Company performance, Tau Alpha Pi One Act Plays, College Jazz Ensemble and Stage Band concert, Family Weekend Dinner, and All College Sing. View the complete schedule of events and register at alumni.gcc.edu/familyweekend
Questions?
EMAIL FAMILYWEEKEND@GCC.EDU OR CALL 724-458-2300.
Pop Quiz! The restored Reformation Window in Harbison Chapel is dominated by the names and images of eight leaders of that movement, including John Calvin and Martin Luther. Can you name three others depicted in the stained glass? Those who respond with the correct answer will have a chance to win a prize! Contact the Office of Marketing and Communications at news@gcc.edu or on Twitter @GroveCtyCollege #PopQuiz.
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he Grove City College Alumni Council is a group of 38 members representing the entire 27,000-strong Alumni Association. These members represent the Alumni Association in geography, class year, majors and affinities. The members of the Council serve three-year terms. Council President John Mackie ’00 noted, “Serving as president of the Alumni Council and having the opportunity to give back to my alma mater has been a tremendous experience. I’m proud to lead a group of people committed to seeing Grove City College succeed and its alumni community stay connected.” Steve Solman ’96 serves as vice president of the Council. Alumni Council members serve on a number of committees that help guide the organization’s efforts to serve all Grovers. They include: Strategic Planning – This committee is for planners, big thinkers and rule makers. Communications – This committee is for clear and creative communicators with a passion for sharing the College’s message and brand. Nominating – This committee is for dynamic, engaging stewards of the College with a gift for recognizing and fostering a similar enthusiasm in others. Student-Alumni – This committee is for winsome people with ideas and imagination on ways to invite students to become active alumni. Development – This committee is for outgoing, innovative people with a gift for inspiring investment in the College’s unique educational mission. Awards – This committee is comprised of 12 discerning people with the integrity to perform a confidential mission. Members are charged with vetting nominees and compiling a slate of finalists for the Jack Kennedy Memorial Alumni Achievement Award and the Distinguished Service Award, the association’s highest honors. Do you know someone who would be interested in contributing skills and time to the Alumni Council? Are you? Contact us. Learn more about the Council, committees and nominate someone today at: alumni.gcc.edu/alumnicouncil
Summer issue pop quiz winners!
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ongratulations to Roberta E. (Elder ’50) Parkes, who won last issue’s Pop Quiz: The original Rainbow Bridge was built in 1931 to connect upper and lower campus in time for the dedication of Harbison Chapel and Rockwell. The current bridge was built in 2002
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Grove City College
College invests $7 million in campus improvements
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rove City College invested more than $7 million in campus capital improvements in 2016. Some, like the new porch on Breen Student Union and the vibrant new turf on Thorn Field, are obvious. Others, including some of the most extensive work, aren’t visible to most students and visitors. As many as two-dozen large and small projects were undertaken during the summer of 2016. At year’s end, nearly all were complete. “All of this work will make for a better, safer and more efficient campus that meets the needs of our students, faculty and community,” Jim Lopresti, vice president for operations, said. After a decade of hard use by the Wolverine football team, other athletes, student groups and the Grove City community, Thorn Field’s artificial turf reached the end of its useful life. Work began in June to strip the old turf and infill from the field, and lay a new FieldTurf playing surface, before the 2016 football season opened. The updated field features a new, brighter version of Grove City College’s crimson and white colors in the end zones. The area around Breen Student Union was a job site for most of the summer as new sanitary lateral lines were installed and new steps and a porch were added to the west side of the building. The new entryway is an aesthetic and utilitarian addition to the building, replacing a deteriorating set of steps that wrapped around the face of the building, and providing a commanding view of the courtyard between the union and STEM Hall. One of the College’s more unique facilities was also on the project list: the William H. Allen Jr. Bowling Alley, located on the lower level of the Physical Learning Center. A favorite campus hangout since the 1950s, the lanes were shored up to repair years of enthusiastic use, new carpet was added to the seating area and, thanks to the contributions of the College’s Student Government Association, the alley received new lighting and a fresh coat of paint. Other capital improvements included: • Replacement of the entire kitchen at Hicks Dining Hall and a new fire alarm system for the attached residence hall. • The addition of a boiler to ensure the campus doesn’t face a heating emergency during the winter months. • Extensive electrical feed alterations along campus’ eastern border. • A new roof and HVAC unit for Henry Buhl Library. • New ceilings in much of Crawford Hall. • Rockwell Hall roof repairs. • Mechanical improvements to the competition and recreational pools in the Physical Learning Center. • Landscaping around the steps leading from Rainbow Bridge to upper campus, which was funded by the Class of 2016. The College continues to avoid taking on debt to achieve its goals. Generous donors and prudent financial management have been invaluable to making capital improvements such as these possible.
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Winter 2017
campus Reformation window renewed
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f something in Harbison Chapel seemed to be missing this fall, that’s because it was. The Reformation Window behind the altar in the Chancel was removed during the summer for cleaning and restoration. Each section of the window was disassembled and taken to Renaissance Glassworks in Canonsburg, Pa. There, each piece of glass was carefully separated and catalogued before craftsmen began their work. Each of the hundreds of stained glass pieces that make up the window was cleaned and restored and placed in new cames (the frames within the frame of these windows). After months of work, a two-man crew from Renaissance Glassworks installed the refurbished windows in December.
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Grove City College
Nate Snitchler, Austin Zick and Sam Kenney work through the night to pull off the 24-hour Theatre Project.
Annabelle Rutledge ’17 and Hannah Vaccaro ’18.
GCC interns drill down to fund Uganda wells
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s well as getting the valuable, out-of-the-classroom experience they were supposed to get out of their internships, Grove City College students Annabelle Rutledge ’17 and Hannah Vaccaro ’18 can also say they changed thousands of lives for the better. The women spent the summer of 2016 working as interns on fundraising for the Wexford, Pa.,-based Christian and East African Equatorial Development (CEED) Trust, an international nonprofit aid organization focused on improving living and economic conditions in povertystricken areas of the world. Their job was to find the money that fuels CEED’s mission to drill hundreds of wells in Uganda, a country facing a debilitating water crisis. They ended up forging a partnership that will magnify the impact of CEED’s efforts. Annabelle, a history major from Carmichael, Calif., and Hannah, an entrepreneurship major from Merrimack, N.H., brainstormed and worked the internet and the phones, spending hours on research to create portfolio materials and make presentations and cold calling dozens of wateroriented organizations to garner support. “I have never had to cold call so many organizations and I learned how to pitch the organization’s mission to save lives in two minutes or 30 minutes,” Hannah said. “Understanding the fine details of CEED in order to prove to donors why this organization was valuable to Uganda and worth the investment is tangible learning I normally could not get in the classroom.” The fruit of that labor was a call Annabelle made to Wells of Life, an organization dedicated to bringing clean, safe drinking water to millions of Ugandans. “In the moment it seemed like a lastditch effort, but in hindsight I can see that it was a divine appointment,” she said. Instead of a receptionist or executive assistant – or even another intern – Annabelle’s cold call reached Nick Jordan, the organization’s founder. The match was perfect. CEED was looking for funds to build wells and Wells of Life was looking for ways to continue their mission. Annabelle connected Jordan to CEED’s board of directors and a partnership was forged. A contract between the two non-profits was recently inked. Graham Hodgetts, president of CEED, said the women were relentless. “As Annabelle and Hannah continued to make so many cold calls we could hear vestiges of desperation in their voices, but their determination prevailed. They would not take ‘no’ for an answer and just doggedly kept calling until they found Nick at Wells of Life. We are very impressed and grateful for them really sticking with it – and to Grove City College for producing two such winners,” Hodgetts said. “The day I learned that Wells of Life would sponsor 500 wells over five years because of that phone call which uncovered the harmonious missions of these two amazing organizations, I cried,” Annabelle said. “God blessed the work we did.”
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And now for something completely different ...
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hat famous Monty Python’s Flying Circus line was an appropriate introduction to Tau Alpha Pi’s 24-Hour Theatre Project, which had dramaticallyinclined Grovers writing, casting and performing six one-act plays in a little more than a single day this past fall. It was the student theatre honorary society’s first-ever attempt at this kind of “hack-a-thon,” which has become popular – and even competitive – on campuses throughout the U.S. and among professional theater companies. “If it sounds a little crazy – well it probably is,” Betsy (Boak ’77) Craig, professor of English and advisor to Tau Alpha Pi, said as the weekend loomed. Student Director Rachel Criswell ’17 was key in bringing the idea to Grove City. The work began at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, when an interested group of writers, directors, actors and technicians gathered at the Little Theater in Pew Fine Arts Center on campus. After a brief meeting, the group divided into teams and got to work, with the writers and directors pulling all-nighters to craft their stories. At 7 a.m. Saturday, actors began rehearsing and by 6 p.m. that night, it was show time. The one-acts were well-received by the audience drawn from the campus and community. As well as providing students a dramatic outlet, the project also raised awareness and donations for The Clean Mile, which aimed to donate “a mile’s worth” of cleaning products to the Grove City Community Food Pantry.
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students
Marching in the Magic Kingdom In October, the Wolverine Marching Band and one of the College’s jazz ensembles traveled to Orlando, Fla., to perform at a number of venues at Walt Disney World, including Main Street USA and Disney Springs. “It was an amazing opportunity and experience for the students – I was excited when the Disney Youth representatives told me that not only was it a pleasure to work with and hear such a fine group of students, they also gave us an open invitation to perform there at any time in the future,” Grove City College Director of Bands Dr. Joseph M. Pisano ’94 said.
College partners with Praxis for on-campus entrepreneurship academy
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rove City College’s Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation is partnering with a venture group that works with a growing portfolio of Christfollowing entrepreneurs to create high-impact organizations to prepare students motivated by their faith to create and lead ventures that matter for the future of society. Praxis Accelerators have worked with 130 entrepreneurs around the globe, creating over 2,500 jobs and over $130 million in revenue and trained hundreds of students and recent graduates through Praxis Academy and Future Founders programs. Praxis will hold an on-campus workshop in April featuring the leaders of high-growth startups who will share their insights, lessons and stories at the intersection of theology, culture and entrepreneurship. The workshop
is open to the entire College community. In addition, 10 Grove City College students and two faculty members will attend the 2017 Praxis Academy Annual Gathering this summer in Los Angeles, Calif. The Academy is an intensive, five-day seminar centered on a vision for redemptive entrepreneurship. Students are selected through an application process focused on theological vision, cultural
imagination and track record of innovation. “We feel that, in Praxis, we have found a like-minded organization with a powerful message that resonates with our students,” Yvonne (Korloch ’97)English, executive director of the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, said. “Praxis Academy is thrilled to partner with Grove City College. We hope to see a generation of students serious about their Christian faith create entrepreneurial solutions to some of our world’s biggest problems, and know this aligns with the vision of Grove City. We’re excited to work together, and to see some of their brightest students contribute to the larger community of next generation entrepreneurs,” Jon Hart, who leads Praxis Academy, said.
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Grove City College
Dr. Philip J. Prins talks with a television reporter about his caffeine research
Professor’s research points to a real bump from caffeine
Konzen’s coda
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n Nov. 4, Professor of Music Dr. Richard Konzen performed his final organ recital as a full-time faculty member. Fittingly, Konzen played himself out on the Miriam (Shellito ’52) Parker organ, which he was instrumental in securing for the College. Konzen, who joined the faculty in 1992 and has served as College organist and facilities director of Pew Fine Arts Center, is retiring at the end of the academic year. His faculty recitals were “must-listen” events, and for his final one, he chose an all-Bach program. The composer’s work, he said, is “the bread and butter of the organ repertoire” The Parker organ was custom-made for the College as a gift from Royal Parker ’52 in honor of his wife. Parker initially wanted to have a special trumpet stop added to the Frances St. Leger Babcock Memorial Organ in Harbison Chapel, but Konzen was able to convince him that the College was more in need of a high-quality studio instrument. When the contract to build the new organ was approved in December 2005, Konzen said it was “a great early Christmas present.” The Parker organ features a hammered lead stop that was built specifically for Konzen. Konzen also played a role in the complete overhaul of the chapel organ in 2000. The organ, which was built in 1931, was a “very sick puppy before restoration and 16 years later, it is still a joy to play,” Konzens said. It was designated a historical organ worthy of preservation by the Organ Historical Society in 2010. Konzen’s most memorable on-campus performance was presenting his own performing edition of Bach’s “Art of Fugue” in Harbison Chapel as the score was projected on a screen for all to follow along. Over the years, Konzen has mentored a number of organ majors who have gone on to graduate programs at Yale, Notre Dame and other leading institutions and are now in major positions in churches and colleges.
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esearch about the effects of caffeine helmed by Dr. Philip J. Prins, associate professor of exercise science, is getting some attention. Over the holidays, Prins’ work studying caffeine’s impact on endurance was highlighted nationally in Shape magazine. Prins’ research was prominently in the December issue that hailed the world’s most commonly used stimulant as an exercise aid. Caffeine’s ability to wake us up is well known. What’s less understood is whether it can improve performance for everyday exercise. About two years ago, Prins began to conduct research at Grove City College on energy drinks, a billion dollar business, to find out if they had any impact on athletic performance. He and exercise science majors Grace Majchrowicz ’17, Jessica Althausen ’17, Teresa Dallatore ’17, Julie Fijal ’17 and Natalie Sorek ’16 conducted double-blind studies of recreational runners. “What we found was that 500 ml of Red Bull, when administered 60 minutes before the event, significantly improved 5K running performance by about 30 seconds,” Prins said. A paper on that research, co-authored by Prins and Dr. Gary L. Welton, assistant dean for institutional assessment and professor of psychology, was published in November in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. That study’s findings were picked up by Shape and other media outlets, drawing some much-deserved attention to the faculty-student research that’s a hallmark of the College’s STEM departments. A deeper dive into the subject that looked at the individual key ingredients of energy drinks – caffeine, taurine or glucose – indicates that caffeine has the greatest impact. Prins expects to publish those findings later this year. There’s a caveat to what seems like good news for those trying to justify their daily caffeine habit: Like any drug, building up a tolerance can blunt its effects. So if you’re expecting to cut your running time down by guzzling a cup of coffee or an ice-cold Coke, you’ll need to go cold turkey for about a week or more before the event, according to Prins.
Winter 2017
faculty
Dr. Jeffrey Tedford ’00
Dr. Michael Falcetta Professor of Chemistry
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Tedford served as the guest conductor for several regional honors orchestra festivals, including Adams/Cumberland County Music Educators Association High School Honors Orchestra and the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 4/6 Orchestra at Somerset (Pa.) High School. Tedford was also appointed as the collegiate representative for Pennsylvania-Delaware String Teachers Association, where he will advise and coordinate the collegiate chapters of PADESTA throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware.
Dr. Falcetta had a paper Stabilization Calculations of the Low-Lying Temporary Anions States of Be, Mg and Ca published in the journal Chemical Physics. The article, coauthored with bio-chemistry major Nathan Reilly ’17 and Professor K.D. Jordan from the University of Pittsburgh, addresses the very short-lived negative ion states of these atoms, using computational methods developed by Falcetta, Reilly and Jordan. While the states considered exist for only a few millionths of a billionth of second, they can have a profound impact on chemical processes in planetary atmospheres, plasma technologies and even effect of radiation on biochemical systems.
Dr. Archibald recently published the textbook Design of Human-Powered Vehicles. Archibald teaches a popular course on the design of vehicles that harness muscle power, often pedal driven. These vehicles “can provide affordable, sustainable, and healthy transportation to people around the globe,” according to the textbook’s overview. Students who take the class design and build their own human-powered vehicles and compete in competitions sponsored by The American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Orchestral Activities
Dr. Stacy (Hensley ’93) Paparone
Dr. Erik Bardy
Associate Professor of Music
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
Dr. Paparone was recently elected to serve as president-elect of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 5. She will serve two years of a six-year term with PMEA’s District 5 as president elect, two years as president and then two years as past president. District 5 encompasses a four county area that includes Mercer, Butler, Beaver and Lawrence counties.
Dr. Bardy published his research on drying kinetics in the ASME Journal of Heat Transfer. The paper, titled Drying Kinetics of Methylcellulose Gel vs. Mango Fruit in Forced Convection Drying With and Without Electrohydrodynamic Enhancement, stems from Bardy’s work with Grove City College’s European Study Center activity partner in France in 2014 and 2015.
Dr. Mark Archibald
Dr. Lorie Johnson-Osho
Assistant Professor of Education and Director of Multicultural Recruiting and Retention Dr. Johnson-Osho was named a 2016 Woman of Excellence by New Pittsburgh Courier. This honor recognizes African American women who are leaving lasting marks by making great strides in their professions and positively impacting their communities.
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Grove City College
How they play the game: Wolverine sportsmanship recognized by NCAA, PAC
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portsmanship gets a lot of lip service in collegiate athletics, but there’s no box to record that score and it counts for nothing when it comes to being declared champion, putting a winning season in the record books, or attracting the attention of a media – and a larger culture – that is obsessed with winning. Early in the last century, sportswriter and poet Grantland Rice made famous a sentiment that Grove City College athletics holds at its core. Rice’s famous couplet declares that “when the One Great Scorer comes/To mark against your name/He writes - not that you won or lost/But HOW you played the Game.” How the individual student-athletes, teams and coaches that together make up Grove City College’s 22 NCAA Division III teams stand in that assessment means something much more than how many wins they claim or records they break. That was evident when five of Grove City College’s seven varsity teams whose primary season of competition is during the fall sports season –Wolverine football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s tennis and women’s volleyball – were honored as the 2016 Presidents’ Athletic Conference Team Sportsmanship Award recipients, as voted on by the league coaches in their respective sports. In December, former Grove City College Director of Athletics and Chair of the Department of Exercise Science Dr. Don Lyle accepted the NCAA’s Bob Frederick Sportsmanship Award. Lyle, who stewarded 26 | w w w. g c c.e d u t h e G eD ¯ UNK
Wolverine athletics for decades, retired in 2016 after 43 years with the College. He was instrumental in creating a program that mirrors the culture of Grove City College. “We take great pride in our student-athletes’ overall experience at Grove City College,” said Todd Gibson ’02, director of athletics. “At the top of our priorities is ensuring that our student-athletes display the highest degree of sportsmanship and character in working together as a team while at the same time striving for excellence and success in their venue of competition. Wolverine teams have won a total of 45 Team Sportsmanship Awards since the award was instituted in 2008. That accounts for more than a quarter of the awards issued by the conference and as many as the second- and third-place schools combined. Wolverine teams have earned the most Team Sportsmanship Awards in six of the eight full years that the honor has existed, and 15 different Grove City programs have won at least one Team Sportsmanship Award. The Wolverine women’s soccer team leads all programs in the conference by having won the Team Sportsmanship award in eight of nine seasons of the award’s existence while women’s volleyball has earned the honor seven times and men’s soccer six times.
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sports The Grove City College Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2017 was honored in February. Pictured, from left, standing: Athletic Director Todd Gibson ’02; Cherith Reidenbaker 97; Lynn Crawford ’69; Dr. Donald L. Lyle; Elisa (Pederson ’06) Stodghill; and President Paul McNulty ’80; seated: Wayne Stamm; Abby (Moose ’05) DeMario; Eric Sluss ’86; and Thurlow “Turtle” Mayhood ’50.
Follow Grove City College Sports on Facebook, Instagram (gcc_wolverines) and Twitter (@GCC_Wolverines)
Six enter Wolverine sports pantheon
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n February, the Grove City College Athletic Hall of Fame inducted the Class of 2017, welcoming standout athletes from the ’60s to the 2000s, along with the Hall’s founder, into the Wolverine pantheon. The 11th Hall of Fame Class includes: Lynn Crawford ’69 – Football; fouryear starter on the defensive line, helped achieve a 25-9-2 record and is believed to be Grove City’s last “60-minute man.”
Eric Sluss ’86 – Swimming and Diving; six-time All-American, held school record in both butterfly events for 25 years, and helped team to 42-7 dual meet record from 1981 to 1985. Cherith Reidenbaker ’97 – Softball; school career hit leader with 104, threetime First Team All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference pick at shortstop and set school batting average record. Abby (Moose ’05) DeMario – Basketball; three-time First Team All-PAC at guard, set program record with 172 3-point goals and helped U.S. win gold and silver medals in 2005 and 2009 Deaflympics.
Elisa (Pedersen ’06) Stodghill – Cross Country; All-American in 2004 and 2005, four-time PAC Runner of the Year, CoSIDA Academic All-American, and Sportswoman of the Year. Dr. Donald L. Lyle – Coach, professor and athletic director; helmed soccer, basketball, softball and baseball squads over a 43-year career with the College, helped found the Hall of Fame in 2006 and chaired Hall’s Selection Committee from 2006 to 2015. The 2017 Athletic Heritage Award recipient was Thurlow “Turtle” Mayhood ’50 (swimming) and the McMillan-Jewell Charitable Heart Award Recipient was Wayne Stamm, longtime financial supporter of the College who has transported thousands of Wolverines while working for Campbell Bus Lines for the past 25 years.
or who have made a significant impact on its athletic program. Athletes who are nominated for induction must have last attended the College at least 10 years prior to being considered for induction. Nominated athletes must also have earned at least two varsity letters at Grove City while competing in a sport recognized as having varsity status during their time of competition. Coaches who are nominated must be retired from his or her sport of induction. The Athletic Hall of Fame Selection Committee – a representative 11-person body that includes current and former athletic administrators, former student-athletes and other alumni – will consider candidates who were active during or after 1956, the year that Grove City permanently joined the NCAA.
Grove City College established the Athletic Hall Fame to honor men and women who have achieved excellence in the field of athletics or coaching at Grove City College
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Grove City College
Building for a Strong and Faithful Future Grove City College develops strategic plan in challenging times
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here is no other school like Grove City College ... Its ability to thrive while remaining faithful to its convictions will say a great deal about the nature of our society down the road.” That declaration by President Paul J. McNulty ’80 during December’s State of the College Address explains much about the College’s plans to meet the challenges it is facing as it begins its 141st year. Grove City stands alone in the American higher education landscape as a beacon of faith and freedom, distinguished by its commitment to historic Christian orthodoxy, the western intellectual tradition and financial independence. That position presents unique challenges that Grove City College leaders are facing head on with an ambitious, strategic plan that will position the College for a strong and faithful future.
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FIRST THINGS The vision behind the plan harkens back to the College’s founding as an aspirational institution. Grove City College was established to prepare the sons and daughters of western Pennsylvania for the responsibilities of citizenship in the modern age then dawning. “Their lives should exemplify solid, vigorous, aggressive Christianity. We want no smug selfsufficiency, or critical hypocrisy. We believe in constructiveness, in men and women who have courage, who believe in right and who are not afraid to make a stand for the right in the moral and civic issues of life,” Weir Ketler class of 1908, the College’s third president and the son of founder Isaac Ketler, said. Grove City College – English scholar Sir William Ramsey observed after surveying the elder Ketler’s legacy – was designed to
make students “fit for the American world, and likely to leave the American world a little better than they found it.” McNulty recalled those words as he announced the Board of Trustees’ adoption of the strategic plan and reaffirmation of the school’s historic commitment to its “identity as a Christian and comprehensive liberal arts college, grounded in conservative values, and dedicated to the development of leaders of the highest proficiency, purpose and principles ready to serve the common good.” The College aspires, McNulty said, to be elite without being elitist. WHY NOW? Nationally, higher education is stressed by risings costs and a distorted financial model, declining enrollment, over-regulation, moral ambiguity and existential questions
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“It will fulfill a bold vision: To be the best Christian liberal arts college in America.” about the value of a traditional four-year degree. Grove City College is immune from some of these stresses – there is no question here about eternal truth or the worth of studying the foundational principles of western civilization and refusal to accept federal monies continues to inoculate the College from government oversight – but it is particularly vulnerable to others. The College has held the the line on costs and maintains a “sticker price” that’s far below competitive institutions, but the ability of others, supported by distorted financial models and public monies, to offer more attractive financial aid packages to prospective students, especially those from modest backgrounds, puts Grove City at a disadvantage. The rapid proliferation of online technologies has also resulted in ubiquitous low-cost alternatives to the College’s traditional residential undergraduate program. Demographics also play a part in the enrollment challenge. The College has long had a national appeal, but its traditional geographic recruiting pool is shrinking as more and more students hail from the Southeast and West. MEETING THE CHALLENGE Grove City College’s strengths – a superior approach to higher education, outstanding outcomes for graduates, a community of respect, civility and virtue undergirded by a deep faith in the Lord – provide a firm foundation for meeting the challenges the institution faces. A key element of moving forward has been the effort to articulate for the first time the College’s vision, mission and values. (See sidebar.) While “the three pillars” of Grove City College – education, affordability and faith – have long served as shorthand, they don’t fully express everything that the College stands for or is attempting to advance. Those values provide guidance for the plan now being put into action.
“It will,” McNulty said, “fulfill a bold vision: To be the best Christian liberal arts college in America.” THE PLAN The strategic plan, dubbed Building for a Strong and Faithful Future, sets six goals and lays out a number of objectives and tactics to achieve them: Goal #1: Increase Academic Excellence Grove City College is evaluating all current program offerings, including the core curriculum, for continued relevance and to develop new and innovative programs that meet student demand and strengthen the academic experience, including the possibility of graduate programs. Goal #2: Enhance the Campus Christian Environment Restructuring the format and content of the Chapel program is at the top the agenda to strengthen and expand the College’s Christian formation programs. Other initiatives call for co-curricular programs that offer opportunities for students to serve the common good by pairing Christian thought to practice. Goal #3: Achieve Optimal Enrollment The College will implement a national recruitment initiative to cultivate relationships with affinity groups to attract prospective students, diversify the student body through minority and international outreach, and conduct a campaign to fund need- and merit-based aid. Goal #4: Expand the College’s Brand Reach and Influence To raise its profile and burnish its reputation, the College is developing a marketing strategy, planning events and building a new website to promote its distinctive message, thought leadership, faculty expertise and alumni connections in organizations aligned with the College’s vision, mission, and values. Goal #5: Recommit to Excellent Stewardship and Continuous Improvement The College is committed to outstanding management of all fiscal, physical and personnel resources, with a clear focus on organizational efficiency and mission necessity. Goal #6: Expand Revenue Sources The College will look to the revenue generating potential of campus facilities and services, consider non-credit-bearing online offerings and expanding credit-bearing online offerings, identify potential new and non-alumni donors and work to increase giving totals.
REAFFIRMED AND RENEWED VISION Grove City College strives to be the best Christian liberal arts college in America. Grounded in conservative values, we develop leaders of the highest proficiency, purpose, and principles ready to advance the common good. MISSION Grove City College equips students to pursue their unique callings through an academically excellent and Christcentered learning and living experience distinguished by a commitment to affordability and its promotion of the Christian worldview, the foundations of free society, and the love of neighbor.
VALUES Faithfulness – By God’s grace, we remain committed to the Christian faith of our founders. While we continuously adapt our efforts in relation to the realities and challenges of this world, we serve a God who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Excellence – In everything we do, from classrooms to residence halls, from performance stages to sports venues, we are devoted wholeheartedly to the highest standards of excellence. “…[D]o all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31) Community – We foster life-long community engagement through a dynamic campus experience marked by service, hospitality, and abiding respect for others. Stewardship We honor the financial support and commitment of families, alumni, and friends of the College by managing our resources wisely. Independence – We value and safeguard our institutional autonomy as a blessing of America’s heritage of freedom.
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Grove City College
The Gecko Robotics team, from left: Josh Moore ’13, Todd Joslin, Kevin Low, Jake Loosararian ’13, Ian Miller ’11, Yizhu Gu, Troy Demmer, and Ed Bryner.
By Nick Hildebrand ake Loosararian ’13 calls the period between the time he quit his day job to focus all his time and energy on Gecko Robotics to getting an initial investment in the company his “trough of despair.” “Every day I would ask myself: ‘am I making the right decision?’ After getting a good education at GCC and now me working crazy hours for myself at a startup that’s not making any money, you begin to wonder if this venture is worth it,” he said. When we hear about a rising tech firm, images come to mind of wide-open, whimsical workspaces populated by coddled millennials supported by deep-pocketed venture capitalists willing to invest millions
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in an untested idea that no one has any idea how to monetize. The reality is a bit different, at least when the tech involves a wall-climbing, industrial inspection robot. In 2014, Loosararian was deep in the trough, beta-testing the robot and hoping to get paid. “I would perform jobs in a dirty confined space with my little robot where nothing would be working and I was left on the floor of this big boiler soldering wires together. I was repairing mechanical issues on the robot, debugging electrical components and writing some software, all in front of the customer,” he said. “It was all about soldiering through, finding a solution and keeping that warrior mentality forefront.”
“God always seems to wait until you are grasping at straws until He comes in and saves you.”
Winter 2017
Josh Moore ’13 and Ian Miller ’11 work on a Gecko robot in the company’s Pittsburgh workshop.
Gecko Robotics was conceived at Grove City College by Loosararian and fellow electrical engineering majors Ian Miller ’13, Andrew Wilson ’13 and Orion Correa ’13 as their senior project. Their challenge was to identify a problem and find a solution. With a little direction and a lot of investigation, they settled on a dangerous and costly aspect of the power generation industry – boiler inspection. Boilers are the heart of a power plant, where fuel is burnt to create the steam that drives turbines. They must be in good shape to keep the system running safely and efficiently and require regular inspection. For decades, that inspection has required complete shutdown of the power plant and sending people inside to eyeball the boiler and all its components. It’s a $15 billion a year problem for industry that also puts the inspectors in physical – sometimes fatal – danger. The Gecko team set out to design and build a wall climbing robot that could do the work at a much reduced cost to industry and humanity. “Robots make dangerous jobs safer, faster and cheaper,” Loosararian said. “This is something that could change the game on many levels.” By the end of their senior year, they had a working prototype and began testing the robot. One of those early tests showed a boiler that was on its way to a forced outage – in other words, it was ready to force a shutdown. That would have taken down the plant and led to the loss of tens of thousands of dollars an hour and potentially millions before it was repaired. The idea clearly had potential. The team benefitted from Grove City College’s VentureLab, a program that helps
student-entrepreneurs turn their ideas into businesses. That assistance was critical to turning the senior project into a business. After graduation, Loosararian secured a day job with a company in Ohio and initially partnered with Correa to take Gecko to the next level. Loosararian eventually bought his partner out and pursued the entrepreneurial dream on his own. He quit his job in 2014 and dedicated all his time and his life savings into the venture. Things started out well, he said. “I was starting to hear good things from customers. But, startups are like a rollercoaster. You feel on top of the world one second and then you plunge hard for a while. The cycle continues on like this. Each of these ups and downs pushed me to a new place mentally which tested my resolve for this.” Loosararian was deep in the “trough,” proving out the technology and trying to talk customers into paying for beta tests. He mulled an offer from a larger company to absorb Gecko but after lengthy negotiations decided he didn’t think the deal was right. “It was a really hard because it seemed I had no better option available, but I knew that wasn’t the path to success. The goal of starting a business is to positively impact and change the world.” “It really tested my ‘why’ for starting the company and my faith in God because I believed this is where He wanted me. I chose to put myself in a hard situation because I believed in this – even though nothing was working.” After a year and a half, Gecko was in a hard place. “I was sleeping on the floor of my best friend’s apartment and had a couple hundred dollars left to my name. I wasn’t
sure I was going to make it any further and that is when God blessed us by getting into Y Combinator.” Y Combinator is an intensive incubator and investor that’s helped launch name brand tech companies like Dropbox, Airbnb, Reddit and more than a thousand others. For a tech start-up, being selected is like hitting all five numbers plus the Powerball. Gecko moved to Silicon Valley for three months and the tech wizards behind the incubator worked intensively with them to get the company into shape and refine its pitch to investors. During Demo Day, startups present their companies to a carefully selected, invite-only audience. Miller and another Grove City College alum, Troy Demmer ’11, both of whom had been helping Loosararian with the company on the side, joined up formally. Miller serves as the company’s chief technology officer. Demmer is chief operating officer. Gecko Robotics then hired another GCC alum, Joshua Moore ’13, and three engineers from CMU’s Masters of Robotics program. “I needed a team to make this dream a reality,” Loosararian said. “God brought the best co-founders and team I could ask for. With the help of the amazing entrepreneurs at YC, our trajectory for success was set.” Acceptance by Y Combinator and rave reviews for Gecko’s Demo Day performance have drawn top investors and customers. Gecko has set up shop in Pittsburgh and about a dozen companies in heavy industries are now using their services. Looking forward, Loosararian said the company sees “robotics as tools humanity needs to perform jobs safer and better. Our vision will take us to many industries.” “The infrastructure in our country and the world is in dire need of solutions that Gecko Robotics is developing. With bridges, tunnels, roads and more in constant need of reactive repair, citizens are left in potentially dangerous situations. A reactive mentality is not acceptable, we must predict, and Gecko Robotics is going to be the company to pioneer this paradigm shift,” he said. Gecko Robotics, and the Grove City College alums guiding it, have met their challenges with grit, determination, innovation and faith that will surely see it succeed and grow. Getting out of the “trough of despair” wasn’t easy, Loosararian said, but “God always seems to wait until you are grasping at straws until He comes in and saves you. I think that example of His redemptive power was pretty cool.”
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EMBRACING Lissa (Swanson ’10) Yanak
THE DAY THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING JANUARY 15, 2016
Jay kissed my forehead as he headed off for work, reminding Oliver, our 70 pound lap dog, to “take care of [me] while [he] was gone.” I snuggled in close to Oliver, buried in blankets … It was going to be a good day. Jay and I had just returned from a weekend away and our marriage was feeling stronger than ever. I had just been offered the opportunity to practice play therapy at a local private practice that seemed like the perfect place for me. I had no idea that this would be my last morning without cancer consuming my mind, like a ruthless leech feeding off of hope for the future and a false sense of security in a history of general health.
Less than two weeks earlier, Lissa had discovered a very large, hard mass in her right breast during a self-exam. She saw doctors and had what they suspected was a cyst biopsied. I heard the somber, sad words that dripped with empathy. Those words that no one ever wants to hear, the words that change your world within a millisecond of their delivery: “It is breast cancer.” Who? Me? The 27-yearold girl who takes no medications, has had no major surgeries, and zero significant family history of breast cancer. I have cancer? The room started spinning and suffocating me, as my mind raced four million miles per minute … My doctor reassured me that I “could still have children,” saying that “doctors will tell you different things, but there’s so much you can do … with IVF and freezing eggs and new medications.” That broke me. I never thought that breast cancer and fertility would be so closely related. I never even thought about breast cancer at all, really. This is not how 2016 was supposed to be. Just a week earlier, we had high-fived and celebrated, as we crossed off five year goals that, thanks to God’s faithfulness, we were able to reach in two. Just a week earlier, we
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had written out our new one year, five year, 10-year goals with giddy anticipation for this new stage of life, a stage that was supposed to be travel and fun and freedom and babies. And then, as quickly as the terror ripped in, it left. I just felt this wave of comfort and peace that can only be explained as eternal. I felt the words of a song we sang over and over at church wash over me, based on the first verse of Isaiah 43: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by name; You are mine.”
ON BEING 27 AND BALD FEBRUARY 10, 2016
So, let’s just address the elephant in the room, shall we? In a month, I will definitely be bald. Like a baby-bird-in-the-middle-of-winter bald. And, oh my stars, how I have always loved my hair … Whether I was compensating for a bad day or a little college weight gain or a subpar outfit, I could always hide behind a thick head of blonde hair … It seems vain and foolish, the most difficult reality of having cancer for me has been the fear of being bald. I’ve cried more about being bald than the cancer itself … yes, I can wear a wig. But I still know that underneath everything there will be the very bald head of a girl who had a less than 5 percent chance of breast cancer with no risk factors.
MAKE IT MATTER FEBRUARY 28, 2016
Well, chemotherapy numero uno is done and, honestly, I’m completely shocked at how totally normal I feel. I know it won’t always be this way, but I’ll take it while I can! … As the
reality of my diagnosis has set in, the cry of my heart and the aching in me prays and pleads to the Lord to: make it matter, make this count for something.
MULTUM IN PARVO MARCH 11, 2016
Multum in parvo (much in little) has been Jay’s constant reminder to me through this process: that there is much in the little wins. … Jay reminds me that my height, a whopping five feet, says so little about the fierceness in me to fight. He reminds me every day that there is much in little. Today, we had a win. It wasn’t little at all, but HUGE. Today, my doctor manually assessed my tumor for responsiveness to the chemotherapy … “You’ve had a remarkable response.” These were the words that escaped her experienced lips, the same lips that have told other patients that the chemotherapy has been ineffective and it is time to implement other treatment options … We know that He answers prayers …
HAVE TO’S & WANT TO’S MARCH 20, 2016
I’m learning that cancer has a way of clearing the clouds from your mind … It’s helped me to discern what I really want in life, what is totally uncompromisingly important to me. And the rest sort of falls back. And I’m happy. And it seems weird to say that … I’m so thankful that I get to see these bright days together of doing what we love with the people that we love. It seems crazy, but there were days darker than these when I thought we might never be happy, days when I feared that we were just stuck on a miserable guinea-pig wheel working and working and working only for the life we wanted to feel even farther away than when we started. I’m so thankful that all of the have-to’s from the past 27 years added up and concluded in these few beautiful want-to’s. It was all worth it. And I have no doubt that this looming have-to of cancer treatments will be worth it, too.
Winter 2017
TODAY Lissa (Swanson ’10) Yanak describes herself as “a wife, daughter, sister, therapist & dreamer.” In 2016, the 27-year-old was diagnosed with Stage IIIA breast cancer. The blog she started to raise awareness of breast cancer and “empower women to embrace today” details the challenges she faced, from the diagnosis to the physical and emotional toll of treatment, and the strength and faith that helped see her through her battle.
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LIFE ON A LIFETIME MARCH 26, 2016
We’ve been so laser-focused on professional goals for the past five years because we wanted a family. Really badly. But, we also felt like it was “responsible” to wait until we had more security and stability … It was hard work, but we told ourselves that we were doing this now so that we could love life later, so that we could enjoy our children and each other when we had more permanence … This reality is has been one of the hardest for me … I never, ever thought that I’d be going through expedited IVF at 27, that I’d be praying that it would work because we didn’t have the luxury of time to try another round. I never thought that I’d have to choose between my fertility or my life. Yet, here we are.
30 BEFORE 30 APRIL 6, 2016
I try to avoid too many cancer-related Facebook groups or online forums or even people because I like to focus on positive things. Even in all the beautiful, there is a lot of ugly in this experience, a lot of unknown, a lot of side effects … It is a battle every day to stay positive, sometimes every minute. Today, in fact, has been an every minute type of day. It hasn’t been a bad day. It’s actually been a good, normal day. But it seems that the good, normal days are the ones that sting the most. I long for normal. The thought of life cut short is devastating to me. I’m not scared of death because I know the beautiful eternity that awaits me. What I’m scared of is missing moments with the people I love in the spaces I love during this splendid life that I love.
bagel or Cheerios in my face to avoid the nausea and acid reflux that come with chemo. Sundays tend to be more emotional. I cry … I CRY. A LOT. Maybe not outright each time, but every Sunday there is, at the very least, silent turmoil. Let’s just say Sunday can be a bit of an emotional mess of a day. But, then Monday comes and I’m like all open-armssuper-dramatic-run-hug loving on Monday, which I never in a million years thought I’d say. Seriously, who likes Mondays?! Apparently, this girl.
GOODNESS: REFINED APRIL 23, 2016
We seem to think that “good” means free of hardship or difficulty. That a good life is a life without challenge, that a good job is a job that is easy, that a good marriage is a marriage with no conflict, and that a good God is a God that keeps you safe and far from despair. I still believe in God’s goodness because “goodness” doesn’t mean freedom from suffering. It means goodness in suffering. It’s the little mercies that God gives us: the kind words of a doctor or nurse or friend, the feeling of peace in hard times, a perfectly timed hug, and the unconditional love of others.
In May, Lissa’s doctor is optimistic for a pathologic complete response at surgery, which means that no cancer is detectable and the chance of recurrence is comparatively low. “It fills us with fresh and reignited hope,” she writes. In June, she begins her second round of chemo and her tumor continues to soften and shrink when she is admitted to the hospital with a dangerously low white blood cell count that has impacted her ability to fight off infection. She is released after a few days.
Monday through Thursday, I feel like superwoman, running errands and crossing off to-do’s and trying to maintain some sort of norm. Friday through Sunday, I am usually curled up on the couch trying to shove a
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I know that suffering is all encompassing: physical, emotional, spiritual. I know that the Lord is stripping me of everything: of all control, of all of my dreams, of the future that I’ve spent all of my life trying to build on my own. I know that this is, somehow, better and sweeter for me, as hard and lonely and dark as it feels sometimes. I know that some blessed day in the future I will see even the smallest morsel of “why” behind all of this. I know that, as much as I want to, I cannot fast forward to that day …
CHEMO EVE JULY 6, 2016
Two .25-centimeter spots … That’s all that remains from an 8 centimeter tumor, which means that, at the halfway point for chemotherapy, my tumor had shrunk an unheard of 93.75%.
HE SPEAKS JULY 22, 2016
THAT YO-YO LIFE APRIL 18, 2016
all that’s to come in the next few months. The physical stuff of this is hard, losing so much of “you”, but the emotional parts are so much harder … Life goes on all around me as I kneel in the rubble of what I thought my life would be, grieving the loss of dreams and grasping onto the hope that I will see the goodness that is coming.
THY WILL BE DONE JUNE 14, 2016
Thy will be done. It’s the only words I’ve had lately as I’ve trudged through the messiness of processing this experience … I’ve experienced such a heaviness of heart, just thinking about
About a week ago, Jay and I were cruising with the windows rolled down … completely out of nowhere, I felt this distinct nearness of God, closer than I’ve ever felt before. I’ve read in the Old Testament about God speaking to various people and heard testimonies that reference to the Lord speaking, but I’ve always been skeptical of this concept … I know that God moves and have certainly sensed his direction in my life, but I never really thought that he still overtly speaks to us. It wasn’t loud and roaring. It was quiet and gentle and clear. I could feel Him whisper, compassionately with a pinch of sorrow: “Oh, my child. If only you knew what I was doing.” It was comforting and real.
Winter 2017
NO ONE FALLS SHORT
JUST KEEP GOING
SEPTEMBER 20, 2016
NOVEMBER 20, 2016
“… There was 8 mm remaining of residual disease, so you did not have a PCR.” There it was, wrapped up in a bunch of other significant statistics and results from my pathology report. All I heard was “you did not have a PCR”. Annnnd tally up Kick #2 to the gut of 2016.
OPEN HANDS AUGUST 17, 2016
This MRI is a game-changer. It’s the MRI that will show how much cancer is left in my body after chemotherapy … It’s the MRI that will determine whether a pathologic complete response (no cancer left in my body at the time of surgery) is even possible. All the waiting has felt so heavy, constantly checking my phone with every vibration and ding … My doctor said that the tumor appears much smaller than the .5 cm that remained at the halfway point of chemotherapy. The lymph nodes appear benign and the left side is completely clear. A pathologic complete response remains a possibility for me!
FAREWELL, SWEET SUMMER SEPTEMBER 10, 2016
Summer 2016 turned out to be one of the best summers ever. Chemotherapy was spread out every three weeks so that meant plenty of in between time to enjoy baseball games, pool time, and travel. I spent as much time outside as possible. What I anticipated as being a difficult and discouraging summer shifted into one of my favorite summers of all, which is really saying something because I’ve had some great summers. And now we are here. Staring into fall. And I usually love fall. But this year, it means something different. It means the wondering and worry and fear of what’s left in my body. It means grieving the loss of the parts of my body that make me a woman as I watch my fuzzy hair slowwwwly growing back. It means recovery and exercises and button up shirts. … I’d be lying if I said I was looking forward to it. I’ve spent the past six weeks in between chemotherapy and surgery so busy that I haven’t allowed my mind to think about the “what ifs” of surgery on Monday. I wanted to enjoy the blissful ignorance of not knowing how much cancer is left in my body.
Each day that I open my eyes, I am moving toward healing, whether that healing be earthly or eternal. I have full and complete confidence in this. I’m choosing to embrace today. I’m choosing to walk in faith with the ultimate Healer. I’m choosing to take this and do what I can with it, whatever I can, wherever I can. The pathology revealed that no cancer was remaining in my lymph nodes (WOO!) and indicated that the surgical oncologist got clean margins during surgery. My medical oncologist said she is “thrilled” with these results, indicating that it would be very difficult, nearly impossible, to go from an 8 cm tumor to nothing.
Lissa underwent bilateral mastectomy/ reconstruction surgery and started radiation treatments. She recovered from the surgery and her life began to feel “normal” again. In November, she noticed some swelling on her left side. Her plastic surgeon confirmed there was an infection and had to remove one of her implants.
Lissa is married to Jay Yanak ’08, who she met at Grove City College. (“We spent many Saturdays on the turf as Jay played football and I cheered on the cheerleading squad from the sidelines.”) She also has an extensive alumni network in her own family that includes: brother and sister-in-law Dan ’13 and Jerrah (Thomas ’15) Swanson; her mother- and father-in-law John ’79 and Becky (Peterson ’78) Yanak; and her brother- and sister-in-law David ’05 and Kristen (Yanak ’06) DiDonato. “You could say that Grove City has given me much more than just a quality education, wonderful friends, and blissful memories, but a beautiful and loving family, as well,” Lissa said.
The infection really hurt deeply, on a very personal guttural level. It felt almost cruel. I was angry ... I looked at Jay with cutting eyes and bitterly asked: “What more can He want from me? What else is there?” I wish I could say that I’ve come to peace with all of this. I haven’t … Yet, I know myself. I know I’ll suck it up and find a way to make the best of it, even though I don’t want to.
SO, WHAT’S NEXT? DECEMBER 29, 2016
Last Monday, I had the last of my 33 radiation treatments. As we walked out of the hospital, I kept expecting a nurse to come running after me, breathless, to say that there’s actually more treatment that needs to be done. But that didn’t happen … With triple negative breast cancer, there are no further treatments or medications that are effective. If the cancer does not recur in five years, my risk of cancer is the same as any person walking on the street. I cautiously approach the one year anniversary of discovering my cancer … It all feels like a very surreal, terrible nightmare. Some days it’s like none of this really happened. But it did. And I have the scars and the fragility and the trauma to prove it. Although no words adequately express how grueling this year has been … I can truly and deeply say that, despite all of this pain and heartache: I am grateful. …This certainly hasn’t been what I wanted, but it has been what I needed, as hard as that is to admit … I needed to be completely rocked down to my core to seek a life of balance, to recognize what really matters, to know the depth of God and the unshakeable peace of eternal life, to meet and experience the beauty of community, to know suffering in such an intimate way so that I am better equipped to comfort others.
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Winter 2017
Learning how to learn By Nick Hildebrand
W
endy (Sabados ’88) Mascio had to search her memory to recall her old embryology teacher’s name, but professor Alfred Brower’s distillation of Grove City College’s educational philosophy remains in the front of her mind: “It’s not what you learn, but that you learn how to learn.” That lesson has served Mascio well. The one-time biology major who wanted to become a doctor is now a successful entrepreneur whose latest venture, CompleteIt Consultants, aims to teach small business owners how to manage, grow and sustain their enterprises. It’s the latest challenge for Mascio, who started her first business, Medical Equipment Source LLC, on the fly in 2002 when her husband Luigi’s job was eliminated in a corporate merger. “He came home and said ‘They cut me. I don’t have a job,’” Mascio recalls. Today she describes it as a “bump in the road,” but the couple, who had three small children to provide for at the time, faced what could have been a devastating loss of income. The question, she said, was clear: “What are we going to do?” At the time Mascio and her husband were both working in sales – she sold pharmaceuticals and he was in medical equipment. Over dinner that night they had a conversation that centered on surplus medical equipment that hospitals and labs had bought, used and basically discarded when the warranties ran out or the next generation came along. At the time, the medical field was awash in cash. They decided they could take the old equipment, remanufacture it and resell it. “I said ‘I’ll be right back,’ went up to my office, made up some business cards and
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. My goal is to help people be self-sustaining.” letterhead and said ‘Let’s try this for a year.’ We had a company,” Mascio recalled. And they had a motto: “Failure is not an option.” It wasn’t that simple. “I didn’t know everything. I had to figure it out and rely on my ability to learn and how to find information,” she said. Books and classes helped, as did tenacity and self-reliance. At the end of the first year, with Mascio working days at her sales job and nights building the business with Luigi, the couple turned a profit of $14,000. It was enough to keep going. By 2005, Mascio quit her day job. By 2007, Medical Equipment Source had a staff and a headquarters in Mars, Pa. When you go into business for yourself, Mascio says, you have a lot of control over your own destiny. Until you don’t. Medical Equipment Source had grown beyond reselling old equipment. They were setting up clinical laboratories for doctors and hospitals, working with research institutions and other partners to grow their business. When the Affordable Care Act was passed, it had a huge impact on the medical field. Doctors and hospitals saw the reimbursements they receive from insurance decrease and “they stopped dead,” Mascio said. “We had to
look for other options – and failure was not one of them. We thought ‘Where would the Affordable Care Act not have an impact?’ The international market.” Admitting they had “no clue” how to do business overseas, the Mascios did what worked before. They hit the books, learning everything they could about taking their small business into the global market. They formed VIVO Worldwide Inc. and started setting up labs in foreign countries. In the process, they got an education in international business – and expanded their own when clients started to come to the Mascios with new devices, wondering if they could sell them in the U.S. “So we learned a whole other business,” she said. Last year, Mascio launched a new enterprise that will allow the lifelong learner to become a teacher of sorts. CompleteIt Consultants aims to help clients establish or grow their small business through operational assessment, middle management coaching, project management and mentoring. She’s tailoring some of her services – and the price – to accommodate smaller “mom and pop” businesses. “There are people out there who do this, but they don’t do it for the smaller companies, the companies that really need it,” she said. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. My goal is to help people be self-sustaining.” Wendy Mascio’s Grove City College connection continues. Her son Andrew Mascio ’17 is finance major and economics minor who has his parents’ “entrepreneurial bug.” He’s one of the founders of the Wolf Creek Track Club, a company whose mission is to unite, grow and strengthen the Western Pennsylvania running community. t h e G eD ¯ UNK w w w. g c c.e d u | 37
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class notes 1957
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George Pearson received the John J. Ingalls Spirit of Freedom Award in October from the Kansas Policy Institute (KPI). The award is presented to a Kansan who uniquely supports the principles of individual liberty and economic freedom. Pearson is chairman and co-founder of KPI and a board member of the Atlas Network.
1968 Wayne Smith and his wife, Denise, now own and operate the First Settlers Lodge in Weston, Maine.
1973 George Collins, a senior litigation partner at Bouvier Law LLP in Buffalo, N.Y., was selected for inclusion in the 2017 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Collins and his family reside in North Buffalo.
1974 Brenda (McCurdy) Wait retired after 27 years with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Her last position was executive director of the Crawford County Assistance office. She looks forward to volunteer work and traveling with husband, Larry.
1975 James Gregory joined Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, P.A., based in Bridgewater, N.J. He is a member of the firm’s Environmental, Real Estate and Land Use and Litigation groups.
and for viewing online at
alumni.gcc.edu/classnote.
Remember to let the alumni office know that you are having a “Grover Gathering!” We’d love to send you some fun “stuff” for your event.
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1976 Darrell C. Smith, an attorney with Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP, in Tampa, Fla., received a 2017 Best Lawyers in America Lawyer of the Year award in the area of securities regulation.
1977 Fred Ungerman, a partner in the Dayton, Ohio, firm of Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, was named Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers 2017. He was recognized by his peers in the area of labor law – management. Michael Zellers, an attorney with Tucker Ellis LLP in Cleveland, Ohio, was included in The Best Lawyers in America for 2017. He focuses on Product Liability Litigation – Defendants.
1978
Email alumni@gcc.edu for more information.
Gayle (Palko) Secrist was appointed chief of staff for the Maryland State Superintendent of Schools based at the department’s Baltimore office.
PLEDGE CLASS |
Members of the Tri-Sig Pledge Class of 1966, pictured then and now, held their biennial reunion in Sandy Lake, Pa., and returned to campus for a visit, complete with a tour and meeting the president. Pictured on campus at the June reunion are, in front, Judy (Winkler) Legge and Nancy (Redshaw) Bosserman, and, behind, Carol (Dixon) Truehart, Cindy (Rodgers) Zahorchak, reunion host Debbie (Diehl) Young, Bev (Schuster) Kissam, Alexis (Downie) Schaefer and Linda (Harris) Sittig. Susan (Ewing) Garrison and Julie (Macalka) Knight could not attend.
Nancy (Rabe ’78) Cogsil recently joined a Moroccan chapter of Oneegg.org, allowing her a 501.3c platform for her continuing work of delivering basic needs to nomadic children and mothers. She plans to finish her dream of a 1,000-hen chicken farm to distribute healthy chickens to mothers to feed their children eggs and sell eggs for income.
Winter 2016
JERSEY SHORE |
Laura (Gardner) Ducray, front, snapped this photo of her Class of 1983 Gamma Sigma Phi sisters gathered at the Jersey Shore for a weekend in June 2016. Row 1, from left: Sandy (Burg) McKnight, Jodi (Harner) Henderson, Susan (Kay) Morgan and Meg (Sheets) Yeager. Row 2: Jackie (Graham) Fennell, Amy (Paulus) Pople and Nancy (Hawthorne) Morley.
JOURNEY TO THE EAST | Susan (Irwin ’66) McCabe, Maggie Irwin ’70 and Dr. Mary Ann Watson ’66, all Gamma Chi sisters, traveled together in fall 2016 to the capitals of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Russia. Here, they pause in front of St. Basel’s Church in Red Square, Moscow. 1982
1994
The Rev. David Preisendanz was installed in July as the new pastor of North Presbyterian Church in Elmira, N.Y.
Debbie Baker received a scholarship from Amazon Rainforest Workshops to attend its two-week Educator Academy, held in the rainforest of Peru and accessible only by boat. The workshop helped her develop instructional approaches she will use while teaching at a university in Haiti. Dr. Lisa (Allenbaugh) Goss accepted the position of chief medical information officer of the Washington (Pa.) Health System. She also is continuing in her role as assistant clinical director of the Family Medicine Residency. Mark Rychel was named a 2015 Advisor of the Year by Lincoln Financial Network. His office is located in Wexford, Pa.
1991
WELL DRESSED | Grover cousins in their GCC attire are, from left, Caleb, 9, Clair, 7, Cooper, 4, Chase, 2, Penny, 6 months and Clark, 3 months. Chase and Penny belong to Mike ’02 and Sandy St. Clair Volchko, while the others are children of Sarah (St. Clair ’02) an Adam ’02 Corbett.
Jenna (Garner) Goggins received her doctor of ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in December 2013. Her thesis explored the gifts of the Holy Spirit and training in the charismata among Christians who worship in mainline denominations. Rev. Dr. Goggins recently accepted a new call as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Paducah, Ky., where she now resides with her husband, Dr. Rory Goggins, and their three children.
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Grove City College
GONE FISHING |
Recently retired Grove City football coach Chris Smith ’72, right, enjoyed a September day with teammate and Epsilon Pi brother Steve Bachman ’72 angling red fish from Captain Steve’s boat in Panama City, Fla.
DINNER DATE | Enjoying dinner at the Hyde Park Steakhouse in north Pittsburgh are Class of 1963 friends (from left): Mary Lou (Reslink) Neithamer, Jan Wagner, Becky (Gamble) Eynon and Judy (Cathcart) Jaskulski.
VENICE VIEW |
CHI DEL GOLF | Brothers of Chi Delta Epsilon fraternity met for golf and dinner at the Ponderosa Golf Course in Hookstown, Pa., on Sept. 1. Row 1, from left: Jeff Sample ’74, Al Karns ’75, Henry Gerhardt ’74, Lance Marguglio ’74 and Rick Alford ’74. Row 2: Jim Lederer ’75, Tim Hayes ’74, Jim Cullison ’74, Bill Marshall ’74, Peter Johnson ’73, Bennie Phillips ’75, Rich O’Planick ’74, Bob Steinen ’73, John Blakley ’70 and Dr. Bill Stiffler ’74.
These Sigma Theta Chi sisters from the Class of 1966 reunited in Venice, Fla., this summer. From left: Saundra (Diaz) Mook, Karen (Cabble) Lowe, Dorothy (Gergely) McBride and Sue (Lutz) Klingensmith.
GOLDEN GIRLS |
Sitting in front of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge are 1963 Sigma Theta Chi sorority sisters, from left: Bonnie (Mordush) Robbins, Judy (Cathcart) Jaskulski, Kay (Holland) Carlson and Connie (Rhonemus) Coffrin. The ladies stayed at the Rhonemus home.
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NU LAMBS IN NASHVILLE |
Four Nu Lambda Phi fraternity brothers met for a reunion in Nashville, Tenn., in July. From left: John Semancik ’70, David Orlando ’71, Paul McKenna ’72 and Bill Hamburg ’71.
1996 Michelle (Embich) and Al ’94 Griffith welcomed daughter Miriam Catherine on April 2, 2016. Siblings are Joel, Susanna, Samuel and David. Andy Kozusko relocated his practice to the Williams Mullen law firm in Raleigh, N.C. He will work in the firm’s Intellectual Property Section.
1999 Melissa (Alkson) Busler had her children’s book When Pirates Took Over My School published in July 2016. The action story geared to children ages 7 to 10 is available on Amazon. Courtney (Spoon) and Steve ’97 Vago welcomed daughter Josephine Lena on May 26, 2016. She joins sister Nina, 3.
2000 Jeremy Bowers has been promoted to principal at Karpinski Engineering. He leads the firm’s Akron-Canton office. As a principal, he will take part in firmwide management and strategic planning. Katie (Britton) Koehler and her husband, Mark, welcomed daughter Rachel Brice on Aug. 25, 2015. She joins sisters Shannon and Amelia. Alyx (Phillips) and Steven ’01 Petcovic welcomed son Keaton Alexander on Dec. 17, 2015. His siblings are Caden, 8, Chasen, 6, and Brycen, 4.
2001 Tamara (Corti) Fossa and her husband, Sergio, are the parents of daughter Peyton Lidia, born Sept. 22, 2016. She joins siblings Jackson, 5, Benjamin, 4, and Reagan, 1 David Miller and his wife, Heather, welcomed son Watson William on April 30, 2016. Brother Trey is 4. Sara Vassallo married Morris Ling on Nov. 21, 2015, in Magnolia, Mass. Sara is a lab manager at MIT. Mo is an attending physician and
Winter 2017 assistant in medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and has a junior faculty appointment at Harvard Medical School. They reside in Winchester, Mass.
2002 Shannon (Stansbury) Geary played the narrator in the New Castle (Pa.) Playhouse’s July 2016 production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Dr. Matthew Hall was appointed dean of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s undergraduate school Boyce College. Hall, an assistant professor of church history, has served as vice president for academic services at the seminary in Louisville, Ky. since 2013. Melissa (Snowden) and John ’01 Sabella welcomed daughter Clara Jane on July 17, 2016. She joins three sisters and four brothers in the Sabella household.
2003 Nathan D. Fox, Esq., partner with Begley, Carlin & Mandio, LLP, in Langhorne, Pa., presented at an executive roundtable of CEOs on “Key Legal Issues CEOs Must Be Aware Of” hosted by SmartCEO Magazine. Fox also recently was named to the 2016 Pennsylvania Rising Stars List by SuperLawyers. Heather (Hayden) Golden and her husband, Dan, announce the birth of son Alexander Thomas on April 15, 2016. Mackenzie (Madden) Varga and her husband, Zachary, are the parents of daughter Charleston Marie, born Feb. 17, 2016.
2004 Rebekah (Entwistle) and Steven Flanders are the parents of daughter Caitlin Elizabeth, born Jan. 22, 2016, and sister Liana Joy, 3.
Matthew Kennedy and his wife, Chanti, welcomed son Callum Luke on May 19, 2016. Big brother is Gavin. Heather (Webb) Long and her husband, Brad, announce the arrival of son Ethan Davide Senga. Ethan was born Jan. 25, 2014, and was adopted from the Democratic Republic of Congo, arriving home May 12, 2016. Amanda (Nelson) and Nick Prugar finalized the adoption of a daughter and son in August 2016. Aurora Grace was born Dec. 28, 2013, and Diondre Isaiah was born July 4, 2015. Elizabeth (Kilmer) Smith and her husband, Jared, welcomed daughter Noelle Patton on July 5, 2015.
2005 Charlie Hildbold was named the Champions Indoor Football League’s Executive of the Year for the 2016 season. In addition, his team – the Texas Revolution – was named the 2016 Franchise of the Year. Calvin Holston completed the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Senior Reactor License examinations. He is now licensed to oversee all nuclear reactor and turbine-generator
operations at Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant in Maryland. The Rev. William Lytle was ordained a priest in the Anglican Church in North America on April 2, 2016. He is now serving as rector at True Vine Anglican Church in Monongahela, Pa. His wife, Rebecca (Hall) Lytle ’06, became a registered nurse in June 2016 and is now working at Jefferson Regional Medical Center near Pittsburgh. They are the parents of four children.
2006 Erin (Ries) and Benjamin ’08 Bestic are the parents of son Christian Benjamin, born May 1, 2015. Melissa (Hohman) and Daniel ’08 Byerly announce the birth of their son Seth William on July 9, 2016. Amy (Fillar) and Geoff Ford welcomed son Jonathan Lee on April 1, 2016. He joins brother Jacob.
2007 Kayla (Wilson) MacDonald and her husband, Glenn, are the parents of daughter Madelyn Ray, born May 10, 2016. Holly (Fleischman) and Michael Morgan are the parents of daughter Kayla Sofia, born March 4, 2016.
GREENVILLE GANG | Grovers from the Classes of 1973-75 met for an early October weekend in Greenville, S.C. Front row, from left: Helen (Kim ’73) Fitzkee, Joan (Pitcairn ’73) Kugler, Jan (Hoster ’74) Stewart, Debra (Stevenson ’73) McConahy, Sue (Knappenberger ’73) Appleton, Carol (Kamp ’75) Harris, Dawn (Campbell ’73) Stokes and Christine (Kindle ’73) Sosebee. Back row: Toby Fitzkee ’73, George Kugler ’73, Diane (Russell ’73) Rhoads, Ed Harris ’73, Brian Cox ’73 and Dorothy (Williams ’73) Weeks. t h e G eD ¯ UNK w w w. g c c.e d u | 41
Grove City College Sarah (Smith) Nettles and her husband, Chuck, welcomed daughter Charlotte Rose on April 14, 2016. Kelly (Beisel) Reese and her husband, Brandon, announce the adoption of son Liam Allen, born Dec. 28, 2015, with adoption finalized on July 15, 2016. Jana Volante Walshak, a litigator with Fox Rothschild LLP in Pittsburgh, was elected vice chair of the Young Professionals Board of Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania. Junior Achievement provides hands-on experiences to encourage financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship in students from kindergarten through high school.
2008 Brian Campbell and his wife, Becky, welcomed son Evron Ferree on Sept. 6, 2015. Cassandra (Cisek) Doggrell and her husband, Keith, are the parents of daughter Luna Rose, born Dec. 13, 2015. Rachel (Littlefield) Dowse and her husband, Justin, welcomed daughter Elena Adeline “Ellie” on March 17, 2016. Nicky (Lipartito) Keith and her husband, Nathaniel, announce the birth of son Colin Anthony on Jan. 5, 2016. Molly (Mason) Pfeiffer and her husband, Brad, announce the birth of daughter Audrey Grace on May 28, 2016. Kimberly (Barron) and Benjamin Read welcomed daughter Lucy Mae on Aug. 9, 2016. She joins sisters Charlotte, 3, and Heidi, 2.
2009 Julia (Davis) Blackburn and her husband, Michael, welcomed daughter Lynna Grace on March 30, 2016. Amy (Ritter) and Jacob ’10 Knox announce the birth of daughter Ellie Jane on April 4, 2016. Jim McNamara, a high school math teacher, is now teaching at the John F. Kennedy School in Berlin, Germany.
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Katie (Griffiths) Pfeffer and her husband, Oliver, welcomed daughter Lucy Marie on Aug. 10, 2016. Lucy’s sister Elena is 2. Joshua Smith is the new women’s soccer coach at the University of the Southwest in Hobbs, N.M.
2010 Christy (Wray) Deal and her husband, Jonathan, announce the birth of daughter Georgiana Elizabeth on Sept. 23, 2016. Megan Grayburn and Ryan Baker were married July 2, 2016, in Dallas, Ga. They reside in Acworth, Ga., where Megan is a fifth-grade teacher and Ryan is a pastor of a church plant. Megan completed her third degree in education, majoring in instructional technology, from the University of West Georgia in July 2016. Bethany (Savage) and Thomas ’12 Jackson are the parents of daughter Elaina Joy, born Sept. 19, 2016. Emily Klopsic and Matthew Skyrm ’11 were married June 11, 2016, in Mantua, N.J. Matt is an underwriter for Nationwide Insurance and Emily was promoted to vice president and wealth strategist II for Team Delaware with PNC Wealth Management. The couple lives in Media, Pa. Kim (McDonald) and Bryan ’08 Pierrot welcomed daughter Lyla on June 23, 2016. Andra Reed married Gregory Garner on April 16, 2016, in Greencastle, Pa. They met in Penn State’s Meteorology Graduate School program, and now live in New Jersey where Andra is a postdoctoral fellow at Rutgers and Greg is an associate research scholar at Princeton. Stephen Wong accepted a position with the Texas GOP in August. He
ALBUQUERQUE REUNION |
Class of 1979 girlfriends celebrated a first reunion in Albuquerque in August. Front row, from left: Janet (Hobe) Micklos, Linda (Millard) Tsagdis, Jan (Glass) Skeen, Lois (Morton) Kuttesch and Carol (Schopps) Walton. Back row: Paula Meyer Haven, Robin (Lancellotti) McCourt, Stephanie (Folkl) Johnson, Nancy Hayes Bevington and Leslie (Edwards) Feather.
works state-wide on engagement and outreach out of Austin.
2011 Emily (Cramer) and Michael Acquavita welcomed son Jonah Michael on Feb. 3, 2016. Autumn (Skorup) and Steven ’13 Battaglia announce the birth of son Rocco Anthony on April 5, 2016. Laura Carlson earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Brittany (Hayward) and Kevin Hoffman announce the birth of daughter Elizabeth Grace on Jan. 4, 2016. Kevin McKinnis is now an associate in the Tax and Wealth Management group of Walter Haverfield, LLP, based in Cleveland, Ohio. Robert Pecchio, founder and executive director of the nonprofit CourtVision International, traveled to Palestine in August to finalize their Conflict Resolution program. The organization serves young people through a variety of basketball programs. Lynn Phillips and Ryan Matthews were married June 11, 2016, in
Sierra Madre, Calif. Ryan graduated from Wake Forest University’s medical school in May 2016, and is now in a pediatric medical residency program at Loma Linda University’s Children’s Hospital in California. J.T. Seelman accepted a sales position with Emerging Technologies (Dell EMC) in Boston in August 2016. In addition, he received his real estate license with Coldwell Banker in 2014. Courtney (Bright) Wallace and her husband, Michael, welcomed daughter Genevieve “Neva” Lynne on Aug. 21, 2016. Big brother is Theo.
2012 Russell Bopp and his wife, Brittany, are the parents of son Rowan James, born Aug. 1, 2016. Hannah (Weaver) and John ’13 Gourley welcomed daughter Nora Elizabeth on May 19, 2016. Megan Haux married Timothy Snyder on May 7, 2016, in Grove City. She now works at a homeless shelter in New Castle and at Grove City Alliance Church. Tim works at Joy Global in Franklin. They live in Barkeyville.
Erin (Kauffman) and Bryan Joseph announce the birth of daughter Sophia Noel on Dec. 18, 2015.
2013 Johnathon Bohnert and his wife, Colleen, announce the birth of daughter Nina Beth on Oct. 11, 2016. Alex Brown graduated from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in May. In August, he began working as a law clerk at the Federal District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh. Allison Seelman and Thomas Ferrante were married July 31, 2016, in Leechburg, Pa. They now reside in Natrona Heights, Pa. Allison works as a contract professional at Bechtel Plant Machinery in Monroeville and is a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker.
Winter 2017 Emily Seelman is now an associate in the Litigation and Employment Practice groups with Leech Tishman Fuscaldo & Lampl LLC in Pittsburgh. She focuses primarily on commercial litigation matters. She recently passed the Pennsylvania bar exam. Rachel Van Til, a sommelier with Mabel Gray in Hazel Park, Mich., was named a Best New Sommelier 2016 by Wine & Spirits magazine. She was recognized for her depth of wine knowledge, warm presence with guests and the respect of her colleagues.
CANADIAN TOUR | Members of the Sigma Theta Chi Class of 1971 and their husbands toured the Canadian Maritimes in September. Front row, from left: Linda (Byer) Lemmon, Barb (Toth) Brandt, Barb (Sherwin) Schmit and Cathy (Santalucia) Clark. Back: The late John Lemmon ’71, Don Brandt ’70, Chuck Schmit ’70, Jack Clark ’72.
2014 Kate Henry and Christian Durbin ’15 were married on Aug. 13, 2016. They now reside in Cranberry Township, Pa.
GOLF WEEKEND |
Friends from the class of 1980 have met every year since graduation for a golf outing weekend. Jerry Nelson organized this year’s outing at Virtues golf course in Ohio. The classmates met freshman year and became friends as well as teammates on many different intramural sports teams. Pictured here, from left, front row: Ken Venmar, Ken Torrence, Terry Haynie, John Ankney, Jeff Kelly and Paul Calandra; second row: Tom Carothers, Burt Caldwell, Dave Hasek, Kevin VanZandt, Bob Wagner and Nelson. Carothers, Hasek and Wagner all have children that are attending or have attended GCC.
IN STYLE | This group of Sigma Theta Chi sisters gathered for a weekend at Seven Springs in July. The sisters, from classes in the midto-late 80s, shopped at The Style Truck (owned by Jackee Ging ’88) and a portion of sales were donated to a breast cancer organization in honor of two sisters recently diagnosed. Ging’s Style Truck was Pennsylvania’s first mobile boutique and was named Boutique of the Year 2015 by Style Week Pittsburgh.
FRIENDSGIVING |
A group of alumni and families gathered the weekend before Thanksgiving as they have done for 35 years. The tradition started while they were students at Grove City College in the early 1980s. Celebrating this year were (Front row, from left): David Kramer ‘84, Elizabeth (Knisely ’84) Daigle, Mark Williams ’83, Tim Daigle ’84, and Melodie Frankovitch (with Luke). Back row: Steve Eckert ‘84, Faith (Hoerger ’82) Williams, Dan Brookhart ’83, Ellen (Chandler ’82) Brookhart, Mary Beth (Young ’85) Trivilino, Alan Trivilino ’83 and Matt Frankovitch ’85.
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Grove City College
in memory The Grove City College Alumni Association places a book in Henry Buhl Library in memory of each alumnus for whom the Office of Alumni and College Relations receives written notification of death, including a copy of the obituary. This pays tribute to the lives of deceased alumni while benefitting current and future students.
To notify the Office of Alumni and College Relations of the passing of a loved one, please send an obituary to alumni@gcc.edu.
Ruth (Smith) Bullions ’33 died Aug. 21, 2016, shortly after her 105th birthday. She resided in Buffalo, N.Y. Surviving are two sons, including John Bullions ’67; four grandchildren, including Wendy (Bullions ’85) O’Dowd; and four great-grandchildren. George A. Mitchell Jr. ’38 died June 22, 2016. After working for U.S. Steel, he joined the Civil Air Patrol during World War II and later, American Airlines. He rose to chief pilot and instructed others after retirement. He lived in Pacific Palisades, Ca. Three children and a grandson survive. Evelyn (Nutt) Morris ’38 died July 22, 2016. She raised her family in Cranford, N.J., and retired to South Carolina. She and her late husband traveled with the Wesley Singers and she was avid gardener. Surviving are three children, including Lindy (Morris ’66) Stahlman, three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Louis J. Bibri Sr. ’39 died Nov. 1, 2016. A Navy veteran of World War II, Bibri had a long career with Armstrong World industries, including as a vice president. Grove City College presented him with a Jack Kennedy Alumni Achievement Award in 1978. Surviving are three children, three grandchildren and a sister. Jean (Crane) Giles ’40 died April 4, 2016. She first taught high school, raised her family, then taught sewing and quilting in San Carlos, Calif. Most recently, she lived in Augusta, Ga. Surviving are two
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children, two grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Mildred (Lester) Carroll ’41 died Oct. 22, 2016. First a teacher, she then served churches with her minister husband in Pennsylvania, New York and Texas. Surviving are three children, six grandchildren and a sister. Thelma (Smith) Corner ’41 died July 12, 2015. She retired as director of guidance in the Mercer (Pa.) Area School District and served on the Mercer Library board. Survivors include two sons, three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Jane (Bottenfield) Coladarci ’42 died May 7, 2016. After raising her children in California, she worked with The Country Almanac in Woodside and found a career in advertising. Surviving are two children, two grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. Elizabeth “Betty” (Simpson) Downing ’42 died July 19, 2016. She became a homemaker after working as a legal secretary. She lived in Washington, Pa. Surviving are three children and four grandchildren. Howell L. James ’42 died May 12, 2016. An Army veteran of World War II, he lived in Erie, Pa., and worked at Tanner, James and Colwell Insurance for 37 years. Surviving are three children, seven grandchildren, six greatgrandchildren and a sister. Lola (Fetzer) Maurhoff ’42 died Oct. 23, 2016. A
resident of Cabot, Pa., she worked as a teller for Mellon Bank and Pittsburgh National Trust. She taught Sunday school and was a 4-H leader. Surviving are her husband, Alfred, six children and six grandchildren. Mary (McGinty) Shear ’42 died July 26, 2016. She retired after 50 years of nursing and recently lived in Tyler, Texas. Survivors include two children, three grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren. Dr. John V. Barber ’43 died July 2, 2016. He moved to Florida after retiring from his Greensburg, Pa., practice in urology. He served in World War II and the Korean War. Surviving are his wife, Judith; three children, including Dr. Gregory “Vance” Barber ’75; brother The Rev. Carl Barber ’52; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Winifred (Gratz) McDowell ’43 died May 21, 2016. She retired as associate executive director of the Blair County (Pa.) Board of Assistance. Surviving are three children, six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Helen Betty (Batz) Rose ’43 died July 3, 2016. She made her home in Mandeville, La., where she was involved in church and Eastern Star. Survivors include a son, a granddaughter and a greatgrandson. Dorothy “Lee” (Carruthers) Carson ’44 died May 25, 2016. She lived in Fort Worth, Texas, where she was a
Winter 2017
homemaker. Surviving are two children, two grandchildren and a sister.
Washington, D.C. Survivors include a brother and nephews.
Dr. Anna L. Eckersley-Johnson ’44 died Oct. 1, 2016. She chaired the Department of Business Education at Central Connecticut State University after an extensive teaching career. She lived in New Britain, Conn., and published several textbooks. Surviving are cousins and friends.
G. Joan (Hill) Dallas ’46 died April 29, 2016. She lived in Titusville, Pa., and worked at the Quaker State corporate headquarters in Oil City. Surviving are her husband, Robert, two children, two grandchildren and a greatgrandson.
John M. Jamison Jr. ’44 died Aug. 26, 2016. An Army veteran, he worked at Westinghouse in Blairsville, Pa., as manager of sales. Surviving are three children, six grandchildren and a greatgranddaughter. Marian (Thompson) Schaffner ’44 died June 1, 2016. She and her late husband owned and operated Schaffner’s Furniture Store in Falls Creek, Pa., and she published two genealogy books. Surviving are three children: Margaret (Schaffner ’70) Church, Saralyn (Schaffner ’74) Vogel and Thomas Schaffner ’75; four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Beverly (Bromley) George ’45 died July 24, 2016. She lived in Geneva, Ohio, and worked in secretarial positions before a teaching career. Three daughters, grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren survive. Marjorie (Orcutt Smith) Mandes ’45 died July 21, 2016. She was a teacher in the Ludow, Derry Township and Lower Dauphin school districts in Pennsylvania. Surviving are her husband, Louis, two children, three grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren. Harriett (Orr) Bauer ’46 died May 18, 2016. A Springfield, Va., resident, she worked for many years in the president’s office of Southern Railway in
Margaret (Marshall) Hershberger ’46 died Dec. 6, 2016. She had been a homemaker and substitute teacher. A talented artist, she lived in Oakmont, Pa., before moving to Charlotte, N.C. Surviving are three children, including David Hershberger ’76, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Margaret (Singleton) Wade ’46 died July 11, 2015. She lived in Wellfleet, Mass., and is survived by three children and seven grandchildren. Jean E. Waterman ’46 died Dec. 1, 2016. A lifelong Grove City resident, she worked as an executive secretary at Cooper Bessemer for 30 years and was very involved in her church. Surviving are brother Donald Waterman Sr. ’49 and a sister. Robert E. Blair ’47 died May 7, 2015. He was a retired chemical engineer and research manager living in Columbus, Ohio. During World War II, he was an Army medic. Surviving are five children and seven grandchildren. Alice (Hollenbach) Morrison ’47 died July 11, 2015. She lived in Cooperstown, Pa. Marion (Schramm) Springer ’47 died Aug. 6, 2016. She worked as a teacher, a teacher’s aide and in her local library. Surviving are three children, including Karen (Springer ’75) White, six grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren.
Helen (Miller) Skillman ’48 died Aug. 30, 2016. She resided in Bemus Point, N.Y. Survivors include daughters. Warren A. Spicer ’48 died Sept. 10, 2016. He lived in Owego, N.Y., and retired after 25 years with IBM Corporation as an advisory engineer. He served in the Navy during World War II. Survivors include his wife, Kathryn (Applequist ’49) Spicer, two sons, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. Ralph E. Jamison ’49 died Jan. 27, 2016. He lived in Euclid, Ohio. Survivors include wife Caroline. Ruth (Cheeseman) Meier ’49 died Oct. 22, 2016. She was a librarian for Slippery Rock (Pa.) High School and a yoga teacher. Recently, she lived on Johns Island, S.C. Survivors include two sons three grandsons, four greatgrandsons and a sister. Carol (Bermont) Burrows ’50 died Aug. 19, 2016. She was a dedicated church member and Oakmont, Pa., tax collector for 12 years. Survivors include two children, four grandchildren, two greatgrandchildren and a sister. Jean (Hale) Miller ’50 died June 9, 2016. She retired as administrative assistant to the president of Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa. Surviving are two daughters and two grandchildren. J. Richard Moyer ’50 died May 26, 2016. The World War II Army Air Corps veteran was a high school social studies teacher in Cochranton, Pa., then a guidance counselor in Conneaut Lake. Survivors include his wife, Rosemay, four children, four stepchildren, two siblings, 14 grandchildren and 13 greatgrandchildren. Russell E. Nason Sr. ’50 died Oct. 2, 2015. He made his
home in Hacienda Heights, Calif. Dr. William W. Peters ’50 died June 15, 2016. He was a retired optometrist living in Greenville, Pa., and a Navy veteran of World War II. Surviving are his wife, Mary “Sue,” a daughter, four stepsons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Janet (McMurray) Stewart ’50 died June 9, 2016. She taught English at several New York state high schools and chaired the department in Watertown. Surviving are her husband, Charles, three children, four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and a brother. George B. Stubbs ’50 died July 30, 2016. A World War II Army veteran, he had been office manager for Kittanning, Pa.’s Builder’s Supply. Surviving are two children, four granddaughters and a great-granddaughter. Dorothy (Fry) Watterson ’50 died August 26, 2016. She lived in Waldwick, N.J., and worked as a bookkeeper in business and in her church. Surviving are three sons, including Gregory Watterson ’81; six grandchildren, including Katrina Watterson ’06; and a greatgranddaughter. M. Ann (Cowell) Britton ’51 died July 6, 2016. She further studied business education, worked at an insurance agency and taught at Bucks County Community College. Surviving are her husband, William, two children and three grandchildren. Mary “Betta” (Neish) Elliott ’51 died July 3, 2016. She gave 21 years of service with her husband at Rider University in New Jersey. Survivors include two daughters, three granddaughters and a brother. t h e G eD ¯ UNK w w w. g c c.e d u | 45
Grove City College Nancy (Carnahan) Elliott ’51 died Nov. 12, 2016. A New Wilmington, Pa. resident, she retired after 20 years of teaching in the Shaler School District. Surviving are her husband, John Elliott ’51; three children, including Cindy Elliott ’85, and three grandchildren. Marian (Ray) LaRitz ’51 died Aug. 6, 2016. She lived near New Castle, Pa., and taught for 29 years at Lincoln High School in Ellwood City, Pa. She enjoyed puzzles. Surviving are her husband, Bruno; two sons, including David LaRitz ’80; sister Barbara (Ray ’54) Hartman and two grandchildren. Martha (Kurtz) Ringer ’51 died Sept. 4, 2016. Living in California, she worked for the Devereux Foundation, as a seamstress, and in raising her family. Survivors include four children and five grandchildren. Harold L. Rose ’51 died July 28, 2016. He retired as vice president of the international division of Signode Corporation and moved to Naples, Fla. He was a World War II Navy veteran. Surviving are his wife, Hilda, two brothers, five children, 19 grandchildren and 19 greatgrandchildren. Glenn C. Fountain ’52 died Sept. 17, 2016. He was retired from Westinghouse Electric Supply Co., and lived in Richmond, Ky. He was a Korean War Army veteran. Joseph A. Mallison ’52 died Nov. 10, 2016. A World War II Navy veteran, he was a professional engineer who worked for many years with Carbon/Graphite Group. He won awards for community service in St. Marys, Pa. Survivors include three children, three grandchildren and a sister. 4 6 | w w w. g c c.e d u t h e G eD ¯ UNK
Ronald E. Varnum ’52 died May 21, 2016. He retired as director of telecommunications at STC BOCES in Horseheads, N.Y., where he lived. He was a Korean War Army. Survivors include his wife, Nancy (Moon ’53) Varnum, three children, eight grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. Dr. Dale L. Critchlow ’53 died May 6, 2016. An electrical engineer, he spent 35 years with IBM Research and 13 years teaching at the University of Vermont. Grove City College presented him with a Jack Kennedy Memorial Alumni Achievement Award in 1987. Survivors include his wife, Alice (Ellenberger ’55) Critchlow, three children, a sister and grandchildren. Dr. Gerald L. Carlson ’54 died July 10, 2016. The respected chemist was awarded five patents and worked with Mellon Institute, Carnegie Mellon University and Westinghouse Research Laboratories. In retirement, he and his wife owned and operated a bed and breakfast in Mercer, Pa. Surviving are his wife, Lucille, six children and 11 grandchildren. The Rev. James J. “Mike” Ferguson Jr. ’54 died June 23, 2016. A Presbyterian minister, he dedicated more than 31 years to pastoring, preaching and vitalizing worship. Most recently, he lived in Carlisle, Pa. Survivors include his wife, Jacqueline (Dunbar ’54) Ferguson; three children including Jerry (Ferguson ’85) Weaver; grandchildren; greatgrandchildren and numerous GCC relatives. Jeanne (Abbott) Todd ’54 died July 17, 2016. The Richmond, Va., resident worked as a secretary for a church and the State Council of Higher Education. Surviving are four children, including
Linda (Wise ’78) Bollinger, 10 grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren.
died July 10, 2015. Survivors include four children and three grandchildren.
Janet (McNeish) West ’54 died Sept. 14, 2016. She lived in Slippery Rock, Pa., and worked as a bookkeeper. Surviving are her husband, John, three daughters and a granddaughter.
Nancy (Lenhart) Thomas ’56 died Nov. 30, 2016. She had worked for Mountain Mental Health in Kentucky and organized the first rural Meals on Wheels. Returning to Pennsylvania, she was a medical technologist. Surviving are four children, eight grandchildren and 10 greatgrandchildren.
Jane (Howard) Corbin ’55 died July 12, 2016. A resident of Midlothian, Va., she raised her family and had two corporate positions, retiring twice. Surviving are her husband, William, three daughters, grandchildren and a sister. John P. Hassler ’55 died July 30, 2016. He lived in Camp Hill, Pa., and was a selfemployed accountant for 30 years. He served in the Air Force and as a liaison officer with the USAF Academy. Surviving are a son, grandson and brother. Robert J. Jolley ’55 died Aug. 26, 2016. He was a Marine veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He was a teacher and administrator in the Bethel Park, Pa., School District for 30 years and an employee of Paul L. Henney Memorial Chapel. Surviving are his wife, Betty, three sons and five grandchildren. Carol (Wiltshire) Wagner ’55 died July 6, 2016. She lived in Allison Park, Pa., was a founding member of Northway Christian Community Church and taught Bible study. Surviving are her husband, Regis, four children, six stepchildren, a sister and many grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.
Jay W. Dull ’57 died Oct. 6, 2016. An Army veteran, he worked in human resources with Ford Motor Company for 37 years in Ohio and Michigan. Survivors include two daughters, three grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren. Manuel J. Kaffenes ’57 died Oct. 9, 2016. He was a teacher and guidance counselor in the Aliquippa (Pa.) School District for 28 years, and owned and operated the M. J. Kaffenes Insurance Agency in McKees Rocks for 40 years. Survivors include his wife, Irene, three sons and seven granddaughters. Jack E. Streitman ’57 died July 16, 2016. He had a 30year career as a metallurgical engineer with Teledyne Allvac in Monroe, N.C. After retirement, he started his own metal custom castings company. He was a Korean War veteran. Survivors include his wife, Mona, three children and four grandchildren.
David L. Beals ’56 died May 7, 2016. A chemist, he worked at Sohio, Fort Belvoir, Exide and International Paper. Survivors include his wife, Eva, three daughters, a brother and six grandchildren.
Dr. James G. Vergis ’57 died Sept. 11, 2016. A board certified internist and nephrologist, he had a distinguished career at Lower Bucks Hospital (Pa.) and was chief of medicine at St. Mary’s Medical Center. Surviving are six children, nine grandchildren and two siblings.
Joanne (Shellito) Kempic ’56
William E. Zacur ’57 died
Sept. 17, 2016. He worked in sales for car rental companies and was a U.S. Army veteran. Mentor, Ohio, was his home. Dorothy (Harker) Jansen ’58 died Dec. 27, 2016. A teacher, she was the daughter of fourth College President Dr. J. Stanley Harker ’25 and wife Helen (Calderwood ’23) Harker. Survivors include her husband the Rev. C. Robert Jansen ’58, two children, six grandchildren and sisters Ruth (Harker ’51) Mills and Anne (Harker ’60) Dayton. Linda (Walter) Nesbitt ’58 died Feb. 26, 2016. She lived in La Grange, Ill, and was a substitute teacher at Lyons Township High School. Three children, two grandchildren and a brother survive. Charles G. Atwell ’59 died Dec. 17, 2015. He lived in Titusville, Fla., and retired from the space industry. He was a Korean War veteran. Survivors include his wife, Pat, three children, six grandchildren and nine greatgrandchildren. Charles G. Coughlan ’59 died June 11, 2016. A Navy veteran of the Korean War, he lived in Murrells Inlet, S.C. He had worked at the Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginia. Surviving are his wife, Mary Kay (Dapra ’59) Coughlan, three children and seven grandchildren. Frank M. Shaffer Jr. ’59 died Dec. 31, 2016. He retired in 1980 as a U.S. Air Force major and earned a Bronze Star in Vietnam. In 1999, he retired from PennDOT as emergency management specialist. Survivors include his wife, Carolyn (Shelly ’60) Shaffer; two daughters; three grandchildren; two greatgrandsons and three sisters, including Susanne (Shaffer ’54) Johnson and Marilynn (Shaffer ’63) Diffenderfer.
Winter 2017 Leon J. Dawley ’60 died Sept. 5, 2016. Surviving are his wife, Shirley, two children, four grandchildren and a sister.
ponies. He lived in Poplar Ridge, N.Y. Surviving are his wife, Ina, three sons, seven grandchildren and two siblings.
John J. Sweeney II ’60 died June 6, 2016. He was an Army veteran who worked as an accountant for 30 years. Most recently, he lived in Jackson, Ohio. Surviving are his wife, June, two sons and grandchildren.
The Rev. Craig D. Christner ’64 died May 9, 2016. He served eight years in the Air Force, worked in education and was superintendent of Akron (OH) Christian Schools for 18 years. He also was a Grace Brethren Fellowship ordained minister. Surviving are his wife, Lynda, three daughters, 10 grandchildren, his mother and two brothers.
William C. Bryson Jr. ’61 died June 29, 2016. He was a leader in the telecommunications field and directed the Naval Telecommunication Automation Center. He lived in Raleigh, N.C. Surviving are his wife, Phyllis, four children, 18 grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren. Karen (Vorlage) Scheid ’61 died May 20, 2016. Prior to time as a homemaker, she taught at Grove City Junior High School and was an executive secretary at Westminster College. She was also a gifted artist. Survivors include her husband Walter Scheid ’59, two children, two grandsons, three greatgrandsons and brother William Vorlage Jr. ’68. Janice (Myer) Michael ’62 died Aug. 16, 2016. She had an early teaching career, moving to Florida in 1981. Surviving are her husband, Dean, two sons and a granddaughter. Karen (Spetz) Turcotte ’62 died Sept. 13, 2016. She worked for the Chautauqua (N.Y.) Institution for many years and sang in her church choir. Recently, she lived in Clarksville, Ind. Surviving are two daughters, a granddaughter and a brother. Philip C. Anguish ’64 died May 1, 2016. He worked as a mechanical engineer. He enjoyed collecting, and also owned and raced
John B. Ginader ’64 died May 31, 2016. An Erie, Pa., resident, he was president of American Hollow Boring Company, becoming chairman of the board in 2008. Surviving are his wife Alice “Midge,” two children, a sister, three stepchildren, grandchildren and a greatgranddaughter. Richard Kent ’65 died April 1, 2016. He lived in Trophy Club, Texas, and had a long career in the exhibit industry. He also drove drag boats professionally and custom painted race boats, cars and motorcycles. Survivors include his wife, Marilee, two sons, two granddaughters and a brother. Memorial gifts can be made to the Pan Sophic Scholarship Fund at Grove City College. David E. Kozlowski ’65 died Nov. 10, 2016. He was a mechanical engineer who moved from Western Pennsylvania to Indian Trail, N.C. Survivors include his wife, Kathleen; three children, including Jeffrey Kozlowski ’91; six grandchildren and two siblings. William A. Mowry ’65 died June 24, 2016. He retired as senior project engineer with SMS-Demag Steel in Pittsburgh. Surviving are his wife, Pamela, two sons, five
grandchildren and two sisters. Stanley J. Smithtro ’65 died July 16, 2016. After a career as an Air Force pilot, he worked in pharmaceutical sales for Roche Labs. He lived in Camarillo, Calif. Survivors include his wife, Shirley (Buck ’66) Smithtro, two children and four grandchildren. Lois Ann (Nary) Messer ’66 died May 21, 2016. She worked in human relations before establishing her own staffing agency. She moved to Florida after retirement. Survivors include her husband, Robert; a daughter; two sisters, including Leslie (Nary ’69) Gesell; and five stepchildren. Charles E. Wegner Jr. ’66 died Oct. 5, 2016. The Harrisville, Pa., resident retired after 34 years of teaching music education and directing choirs in the Slippery Rock School District. Surviving are his wife, Linda, two sons and four grandchildren. Alan W. Anderson ’67 died May 24, 2016. After teaching English, photography and drama at Aberdeen (Md.) High School for 18 years, he opened Anderson-Mayer Photography Studio. Surviving are his wife, Jayne (Gillespie ’67) Anderson, two daughters, three grandchildren and a brother. Suellen (Herr) Bashaw ’67 died Oct. 7, 2016. When in Rochester, N.Y., she worked as a framer for Wegmans and retired from Quadrant. Most recently, she lived in Hermitage, Pa. Surviving are two daughters, four grandchildren and a sister. Thomas A. Heim ’67 died June 28, 2016. He was a licensed professional engineer who most recently worked with ED3 Consultants. He lived t h e G eD ¯ UNK w w w. g c c.e d u | 47
Grove City College in Sewickley, Pa. Survivors include his wife, Judy, son Douglas Heim ’91, a brother, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Lt. Col. William H. Humes Jr. ’67 died May 30, 2016. He lived in Pittsburgh, Pa. Survivors include his wife, Lois, three sons, two grandsons and two sisters, including Holly Humes ’79. Thomas R. Markusson ’70 died Sept. 2, 2016. After Air Force service, he had a long career with the federal government. He lived in Reston, Va. Survivors include his wife, Patricia, two children, four grandchildren and a brother. Gary A. Koch ’71 died June 8, 2016. He won many accolades while with Alcon Laboratories, and was named Salesman of the Year. He lived in Robinson Township, Pa. Survivors include two sons, his parents and a brother. Memorial donations may be made to the Kappa Alpha Phi Scholarship at the College. Dr. John H. Lemmon ’71 died Jan. 8, 2017. He had a long career in social work and retired as a professor of criminal justice at Shippensburg University. A Marine Corps veteran, he was an avid runner and golfer, and coached high school track. Most recently, he lived in Southport, N.C. Surviving are his wife, Dr. Linda (Byer ’71) Lemmon, two children, four grandchildren and a sister. James P. Aubele ’72 died Nov. 4, 2016. He spent his life teaching others and worked for Gulf Research, XEROX and Merck. Survivors include his twin sister. Fred Gibbons ’72 died May 23, 2016. He was a realtor for 44 years and broker/owner of RE/ MAX Real Estate and Gibbons
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Agency Insurance in Elizabeth Township, Pa. Survivors include his wife, Suzan, his mother, three children and two sisters, including Karen (Gibbons ’65) Wade. James C. Stewart ’72 died Oct. 2, 2015. For more than 40 years, he taught math and coached baseball, basketball and football in Pennsylvania’s Greensburg-Salem and Greensburg Central Catholic schools. Surviving are his wife, Janice (Hostler ’74) Stewart, two children, three grandchildren, three siblings and several Grove City College cousins. John W. Bauer II ’73 died Sept. 16, 2016. A resident of North Palm Beach, Fla., he taught social studies for 38 years. Survivors include wife Cheryl (Beebe ’73) Bauer; a daughter; three grandsons; and siblings Paul Bauer ’66, Marian Bauer ’68 and Constance Bauer ’70. David M. Hazen ’73 died May 4, 2016. He had worked in payroll at Davis Beverage in Allentown, Pa., before moving to Meadville. Surviving are a sister and two nephews. Robert C. Flackman ’74 died Oct. 24, 2016. The Montville, N.J. resident worked as a mortgage loan officer. Survivors include his wife, Cynthia, two daughters, his father and two siblings.
pilot. Survivors include his wife, Myrna, two children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. Mary R. Lucas ’76 died Dec. 6, 2016. A Pittsburgh resident, she had worked in research at the Arthritis Center at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and as a visiting nurse. She became an associate of the Sisters of Divine Providence. Four siblings survive. Robert E. King ’79 died Dec. 14, 2016. He lived in Medina, Ohio, and enjoyed a 26-year career with NASA, most recently as a program specialist at the John Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. Survivors include his wife, Deborah, two children, his mother and four siblings. R. Scott Johns ’80 died Jan. 23, 2017. He lived in Olean, N.Y., and worked for Southern Tier Realty and Insurance. A sister and brother survive. Ellen (Shinners) Ottaway ’83 died Sept. 23, 2016. A pharmacist, she had worked at WVU’s Ruby Memorial Hospital and UPMC Altoona. Survivors include her husband, Brent Ottaway ’83, and five children.
Lance A. Marguglio ’74 died Nov. 30, 2016. He lived in Strongsville, Ohio. Surviving are his wife, Linda (Keller ’75) Marguglio; two sons; his mother and two siblings.
Roger W. Oates ’84 died May 24, 2016. He had an extensive career in the decorative products industry, including Armstrong World Industries’ flooring division. He lived in Raleigh, N.C. Survivors include two daughters, twin brother Randy Oates ’84 and sister Judy (Oates ’80) Kreger.
Robert P. Montgomery ’74 died July 11, 2016. A Marine veteran and machinist, he was a founding investor in Penn United Technologies and later owned and operated Grand Rental Station in Butler, Pa. He was a licensed
The Rev. Dr. C. Edward Bowen III ’86 died Dec. 19, 2016. Beginning his career as an accountant, he became a Presbyterian minister serving churches in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. He had chaired Pittsburgh
Presbytery’s Crestfield Camp and was active in scouting. Most recently, he lived in Huntington, W.Va. Surviving are his parents and a brother. James L. Carmody II ’87 died Sept. 3, 2016. He lived in Pittsburgh, Pa., and spent most of his career as a superintendent for a geosynthetic lining company. Survivors include his wife, Kristen, a son and a sister. Lori (Schmidt) Kizer ’87 died Sept. 22, 2016. After attending travel school, she worked with the PGA and Palm Beach (Fla.) Opera, before moving to Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1996. There, she worked for varied companies and competed in fitness events. Survivors include her husband, Ken, her mother and two siblings. Elizabeth (Wardle) Zuk ’89 died July 21, 2016. She lived in Seville, Ohio, and was a substitute teacher in the Cloverleaf School System for 12 years. Surviving are her husband, Dan; two sons; her mother Linda (Ryan ’60) Sweeney; her stepmother and three siblings. Michelle (Callender) Blauser ’93 died Sept. 7, 2016. She lived in Parker, Pa. She first worked with A-C Valley Elementary School, then with USIS. Survivors include her husband, Darrel, a son, her parents and a brother.
Friends Dr. Victor MoyaMendez died at his home in Lima, Peru, on Nov. 12, 2016. He taught Spanish at the College from 1967 to 1978 and founded the Colegio Benjamin Franklin in Lima. Survivors include his wife, Ruth, and eight children.
Winter 2017
Dr. Charles S. M acKenzie FIF TH PRESIDENT OF GROVE CIT Y C OLLEGE
1924 – 2017
D
r. Charles S. MacKenzie, the fifth president of Grove City College who spearheaded the landmark 1984 Supreme Court case, died Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017. The accomplished theologian, pastor, writer and longtime College president was 92. His life and his work will be celebrated on April 29, 2017, at a special service on campus. Dr. MacKenzie – “Sherry” to his friends – served as president of Grove City College from 1971 to 1991, a crucial period in which the College took the federal government to court in Grove City College v. T.H. Bell, established its signature core humanities curriculum, brought in more students and faculty, and completed $38 million worth of campus improvements while remaining debt-free.
He was recruited by longtime Grove City College benefactor and chairman of the board J. Howard Pew, who charged MacKenzie with taking Grove City College back to its Christian roots and “cleaning up” student social life after the upheavals of the 1960s. By the time MacKenzie retired, he had done that and much more. Grove City College under his leadership became one of the nation’s premier Christian colleges. He changed the curriculum by advocating and overseeing the creation of a core set of courses intended to foster a Christian worldview in students and changed the living environment on campus by bringing students back to the residence halls and encouraging a lifestyle focused more on faith. “Dr. MacKenzie will be long remembered and revered for his
vision and courage as a leader, his outstanding intellect as a scholar and teacher, and his extraordinary warmth and kindness as a pastor. He touched countless lives over the course of his remarkable career in the church and higher education,” Grove City College President Paul J. McNulty ’80 said. “He was a transformational mentor to me when I was a student under his care and offered unwavering support in my current role. While I will greatly miss him, he is now in the presence of his Savior where he has most certainly longed to be,” McNulty added. “I am a better person for having known Sherry both as a student and during my early tenure on the Board,” David R. Rathburn ’79, chair of the College’s Board of Trustees, said. “President MacKenzie was one of His faithful servants – a principled leader who leaves an indelible mark on our history and the hearts and minds of generations of Grove City College students.” Dr. MacKenzie was the driving force and public face of the College during the years-long court case that was eventually decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. It centered on the College’s desire to safeguard private and independent higher education from ever-expanding federal control. “Little Grove City College feels like David confronting Goliath as it challenges the government bureaucracy,” he said. “It is fighting for everyone’s freedoms and not merely its own.” After stepping down, he served for a year as the College’s chancellor. In 1993, he moved to Florida after being named adviser to the president and professor of philosophy and theology at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, where he was a distinguished professor at the time of his death. Born Aug. 21, 1924, in Quincy, Mass., he earned bachelor of arts degrees from Boston University and Gordon College,
his bachelor of divinity and doctor of theology degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1949 and 1955, respectively, and also studied at Oxford University, the University of Hamburg, the University of Paris, the University of Berlin and the University of Munich. Dr. MacKenzie taught at Princeton University, Union Seminary in New York and lectured at Columbia University, Stanford University, the University of Strasbourg, Beijing University and in Vienna, Austria, and Budapest, Hungary. He also received a fellowship in philosophy from Princeton. An accomplished theologian, Dr. MacKenzie was pastor at Avenel Presbyterian Church in Avenel, N.J., Broadway Presbyterian Church in New York City, and at First Presbyterian Church in San Mateo, Calif. He was a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force. A prolific writer, Dr. MacKenzie published works on René Descartes and Blaise Pascal. He had more than 60 articles and book reviews published in professional journals and is the author of the book “Trinity and Culture.” Among many honors, Dr. MacKenzie was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree by Grove City College in 1997, and the College’s Alumni Association made him an honorary member in 1998. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the Alumni Association in 2015. Dr. MacKenzie’s first wife, Florence, died in 1981; they married in 1964. The Florence E. MacKenzie Campus-Community Award is named in her honor and recognizes individuals from the College and the Grove City area who strive to establish strong town-gown relationships. In 1985, he married LaVonne “Vonnie” Rudolph Gaiser ’56, who survives at home in New Wilmington, Pa.
Celebrating the life of Dr. Charles S. MacKenzie April 29, 2017 – Harbison Chapel, Grove City College
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Grove City College
alumni babies Henry Elwin Baker Born 10-13-15 Stephanie (Mech ’13) and Quinten ’13 Baker
Truett Steven Bowen Born 4-23-15 Brittany (Thomas ’08) and Blake Bowen
Felicity Mae Camp Born 11-14-14 Emily (Ball ’06) and Michael Camp
Shae Lynn Crummy Born 5-8-15 Lindsey (Jacobs ’05) and Tyler Crummy
Luna Rose Doggrell Born 12-13-15 Cassandra (Cisek ’08) and Keith Doggrell
Naomi Faith Eckert Born 5-26-15 Lacey (Williams ’00) and Matthew ’01 Eckert
Julian and Owen Edgar Born 2-4-13 and 1-24-15 Susan (Burger ’05) and Alex Edgar
Elianna Elise Green Born 10-15-15 Amber and John ’14 Green
Kairi Lynn Hoban Born 12-5-15 Ashley (Powers ’09) and Tim Hoban
Ezra August Jones Born 8-10-15 Elizabeth (Thompson ’05) and Jeff ’05 Jones
Rachel Brice Koehler Born 8-25-15 Katie (Britton ’00) and Mark Koehler
Aurelia Skye Lewis Born 10-7-15 Hannah (Champion ’15) and David ’13 Lewis
CONGRATULATIONS NEW PARENTS! Grove City College welcomes your new bundle of joy. We want to send your newborn a Grove City College T-shirt. So between the feedings and late-night lullabies, be sure to send the Office of Alumni and College Relations your child’s name and date of birth. Shirts are available only in infant size. Due to the popularity of the Alumni Babies feature, photos will be limited to babies under the age of 3 in Grove City College shirts only. Digital photos must be high resolution, 300 dpi. Please do not embed photos in the body of an email message, but rather attach a high-resolution image. Submit photos at alumni.gcc.edu/babyshirt or email to alumni@gcc.edu. You can also mail pictures to: Office of Alumni and College Relations, Alumni Babies, 100 Campus Drive, Grove City, Pa., 16127.
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Winter 2017
Ethan Davide Senga Long Born 1/25/14, adopted and home 5/12/16 Heather (Webb ’04) and Brad Long
Scott Francis Mariani Born 2-23-16 Kate (Nagatani ’13) and Mark ’15 Mariani
Caleb Marlowe Milligan Born/adopted 8-11-15 Jennifer and Thomas ’00 Milligan
Daisy Elizabeth Mucha Born 7-14-16 Amy (Fisher ’09) and Nate ’08 Mucha
Caleb William and Jacqueline Grace Nee Born 2-28-16 and 11-25-13 Elizabeth (Horvath ’02) and Chris Nee
Adeline Faith O’Donnell Born 8-8-15 Andrea (Jeffries ’06) and Joe ’06 O’Donnell
Keaton Alexander Petcovic Born 12-17-15 Alyx (Phillips ’00) and Steven ’01 Petcovic
Elena Claire and Lucy Marie Pfeffer Born 5-19-14 and 8-10-16 Katie (Griffiths ’09) and Oliver Pfeffer
Justus Eleos and Judah Jagan Ranjan Born 12-29-14 Cheralyn (Boruvka ’02) and Jagan ’00 Ranjan
Katie Christine Seifert Born 9-17-15 Annie (Dietz ’03) and Scott ’03 Seifert
Vera Jae Shannon Born 3-17-15, adopted 6-3-15 Jeannine (Olie ’04) and Jason ’04 Shannon
Ephraim Clark Shartsis Born 4-11-15 Elizabeth (Falknor ’09) and Burke Shartsis
Boden and Baylor Skyrm Born 7-4-15 Jenny and Jamie ’08 Skyrm
Daphne Elizabeth Smith Born 10-14-14 Daniella (Cosentino ’06) and Josh Smith
Noelle Patton Smith Born 7-5-15 Elizabeth (Kilmer ’04) and Jared Smith
Willow Kailani Sumerak Born 4-18-14 Jennifer (Smith ’96) and Scott Sumerak
Gabriel James Varian Born 8-28-15 Lynn (Ramsdell ’07) and Daniel ’07 Varian
Penny and Chase Volchko Born 2-19-16 and 9-11-13 Sandy and Mike ’02 Volchko
Luke Yonghua Wang Born 10-2-15 Rachel (Holzaepfel ’06) and Nick Wang
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Grove City College
faith & learning A faculty perspective into the mission of Grove City College, the role of Christian scholarship in higher education and the connection between faith and learning.
The Grace of Fortitude By Andrew Mitchell
Dr. Andrew Mitchell is an associate professor of history at Grove City College, having previously taught at Hillsdale College and Spring Arbor University. He earned his B.A. from Hillsdale College in 2000 and his M.A.(2000) and Ph.D. (2005) from The Ohio State University. Dr. Mitchell has taught classes on Spain and Latin America, courses in early modern and military history, and seminars on the 16th century Reformations, piracy, and food and feasting. He is currently working on a book provisionally titled, Long Live the King and Death to the Enemies of the Faith! Religion & Revolution in the Revolt of the Catalans, 1640-1643.
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I
write this on the eve of Kings’ Day, the twelfth day of Christmas, marking the arrival of Epiphany season when Gentile magi left their contemplation, drawn to the sudden coming of the Light. Grove City has long been associated with light, although at times this light has not always been at its brightest (insert obligatory reference to weather reports being “cloudy with a chance of sunshine.”) In December, we celebrate “Light Up Night,” capped by the illumination of the star over Rockwell Hall (long may it stand!) that can be seen for many a mile – if not by the outlets, at least by Sheetz and the Main Street Diner. In 1911, Grove City adopted as its motto Lux Mea, an allusion to Psalm 119:105 – “thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” A few years ago, we created an eponymous student group inspired by that verse. Open to all, regardless of year or GPA, Lux Mea offers forums to discuss fundamental, interdisciplinary questions designed to guide students along the Way, to live and learn in the warmth and light of the Son. In addition to an annual two-day summer retreat, for the last eight autumns this group has hosted an intercollegiate colloquium inviting honors students from fellow Christian and liberal arts institutions. Attendees have come from Hillsdale College, Geneva College, Eastern University, and even Vanderbilt. This year’s conference explored the virtue of fortitude, the ability, as President McNulty summarized in his opening address, to “[face] challenges with humility, determination, grit and grace.” “Fortitude” means “strength” in Latin, but more importantly, it connotes firmness
over time. This is not simply the bravery of the moment, but a far greater strength, one that endures in the face of long-term threats to one’s existence. The pain and hardship associated with these threats can come from nature (think of cancers) or from man (consider Paul’s thorn in the flesh).
Fortitude, as with all virtues, engages the whole man, heart, body, and soul and it does so over the long haul. As with all virtues, fortitude cannot be practiced in isolation. Although individuals alone can be brave they act, not out of selfpreservation, but that others might live. In order to exercise fortitude it is imperative not only that you be in a position where you can use your strength, but that you do so for the right reason. From the classical era to the 20th century, we saw fortitude displayed in righting injustice or in defending one’s community. Disconcertingly we also examined the difficulties of being courageous in modern, rights-based democracies, as well as our contemporary perversion of courage, which increasingly celebrates the Nietzchean individual who sets out to violate and destroy communal norms. More challenging to conference participants, there are circumstances in which fortitude can be manifested by refraining from acting and instead “taking up the cross,” passively enduring the suffering that comes. Alternatively, we found that standing with others, consoling them in their
grief is itself a form of “en-courage-ment.” These traits will not come naturally, and they cannot be taught didactically. They have to be lived to be learned. Before that, they have to be modeled. Finally, we observed that there are several fears that tempt us not to be brave. Among the most powerful of these fears are reigning popular opinion, the loss of profit, and the uncertainty of what the future will hold for us and our loved ones should we take a stand. Yet from ancient times to the present day we beheld brave men and women who considered these fears nothing compared to the joy and true peace that came as consequences of their courageous stance. There is a fecundity, a fruitfulness yielding perhaps a hundredfold that followed, even if they themselves did not live to see it. Fortitude means standing when you cannot see the future; that is where the Christian virtue of hope comes to bear, redeeming the otherwise admirable fatalism of the Confucian, the Stoic, and the Norse gods. Fortitude, as with all virtues, engages the whole man, heart, body, and soul and it does so over the long haul. Your virtue is revealed in the marathon of life, in the Rocky Balboa-style boxing matches, not in the flash of Usain Bolt’s feet. It is standing firm over time that reveals your “true grit;” it is doing so with graciousness that reveals the Hope that lies within. Paul most explicitly describes Christian fortitude in Ephesians 6 as putting on the full armor of God, and having, done so, “to stand.” With due deference to that wily Greek, Aesop, standing rather than bending is what Christ calls us to, even if it means running the risk of personal and communal
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harm. To do so out of sheer obstinance is reckless. To do so out of a committed love to Him who called us and others and who has blessed us with such an abundance of gifts, is courageous. Consider Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They patiently abided when the Babylonians changed their names to honor their own gods, yet they stood fast when commanded to bow before the king’s image. They did not call attention to themselves, nor did they incite rebellion against a clearly immoral political authority. They were no dummies either, they knew the fate that lay in store for them. Yet they stood and would not kneel, willing to endure the consequences. Even when cast into the fiery furnace, they still stood. Actually, they did more than that: in the midst of the flames, they walked with One “who is like a Son of God.”
We remember in the Epiphany season the Light of the World coming into the darkness we sinfully desire to shape and to control. Let it be the Son-Light that convicts us of the sinful ways we’ve treated those around us, past and present; let it be the Son-Light that brings confession and repentance, and that joy that follow, as the Sussex Carol reminds us: As Grove City College, its Board, administrators, faculty, staff, and students, prepare to meet the expected – and unexpected – challenges of many more tomorrows, let us remember that we are not alone. This gracious gift of fortitude, properly speaking, flows not from Lux Mea, but Lux Nostra – our Light. Let us stand and, if possible, walk a bit in this Light. Let us take consolation and comfort from the cloud of witnesses who stood before us and who continue to stand by and surround us. Let us stand against the deadly temptations and the comparatively petty fears that daily assault us individually and corporately, and having done all, to stand.
Of course, one can feel more confident in standing or walking where there is light, although in the case of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, one might feel there was too much light (and heat). Surely we can be strong and of a good courage, considering God has provided us with light in abundance – even in overcast Grove City.
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Grove City College
The god that failed: Communism & socialism then and now
April 20 & 21, 2017
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Grove City College
n 1949, a group of six ex-communists published The God That Failed, detailing their disillusionment with the socialist experiment. It was a major work that riveted America. But, nearly 70 years later and three decades after the fall of the Soviet Union, has communism and socialism failed? Sadly, no – at least in the popular imagination and in the minds of many millennials. Why does socialism suddenly seem on the surge in America in a way that it hasn’t before? Where, why, and how are today’s young people learning to like socialism? This year marks the centenary of the launch of global communism with the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia and seems a perfect time to pause and assess the history and future of socialism in America, and even more radical variants such as communism. Today’s Western “democratic socialists” bristle at the suggestion that their ideology has any resemblance to communism, but how should we view them from a political, economic, cultural, philosophical, ideological, educational, and (especially) religious perspective? How should people of faith assess socialism and its more radical variants? The Center for Vision & Values at Grove City College will consider these important questions and address the communistsocialist phenomenon – past, present, and future.
The conference features Grove City College faculty addressing facets of the larger question and nationally known writers and thinkers, including: Jonah Goldberg, writer and senior editor at National Review. David Horowitz, founder and president of the Freedom Center and editor of FrontPage Magazine. Ron Radosh, writer, professor, historian, and former communist. Dr. Lee Edwards, distinguished fellow at The Heritage Foundation and author of Freedom’s College: The History of Grove City College. Michael Medved, nationally syndicated radio talk show host, bestselling author, and veteran film critic.
register: www.visionandvaluesevents.com Email: blvinton@gcc.edu W W W.V I SION A N DVA LU E S .ORG
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You can ensure that future generations have the education they need to be a positive influence in our society.
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Make a gift in your will to Grove City College. Here’s how it benefits you: • Your gift costs you nothing. • It may effectively reduce taxes on your estate. • You make it possible for generations of students to receive a quality higher education they need to be a transformative influence in our society.
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