The Collegian, April 17, 2026

Collegian

Matthew Purucker News Editor

Michael Knowles, a conservative political commentator best known for his work with The Daily Wire, spoke on how America’s conservative roots built the country’s identity March 26 in Crawford Hall Auditorium.

Knowles argued throughout his speech titled “The Conservative Mind at 250” that America is a conservative country, which is why the author believes Americans have rejected radical change. Knowles reasoned that this has allowed the United States to last nearly 250 years.

“Not all revolutions are created equal,” Knowles said in

Knowles talks USA250

the lecture, citing the French, Russian, Haitian and Puritan revolutions. “Our revolution holds that all men are created equal. … The American Revolution is the most successful political revolution in history, and it was successful precisely because it was conservative.”

The host of the Michael Knowles show talked for about 20 minutes, highlighting the impact of American political thought throughout the history of the United States and the conservative ideas behind it.

“America herself is conservative from the grand designs of our forebearers to the ordinary habits of the predominantly conservative people who populate her still today,” Knowles said, concluding the

lecture portion of the event.

Afterward, audience members asked Knowles for his thoughts on various topics, including AI, Europe, identity politics, human composting, Alex Pretti, whom ICE agents killed during a January protest in Minneapolis, political factions, femininity and Hamilton, the man and the musical.

“We have to get (along) together,” Knowles said, responding to a question about how to relate to people with opposing political views: in Knowles’s case, liberals. “I wish that I didn’t have to share a country with these people a lot of the time, but I do. That’s the situation I’m in. And if there is a bedrock principle of conservatism, it is accepting reality.”

“So that’s the reality. And then I think you have to ask

Happy birthday Grove City!

Kendall Lambrecht Copy Editor

One week ago today, Grove City College celebrated its 150th anniversary with a special birthday party coordinated by the college’s Crimson & White society and the Alumni Council.

Preparations for the college’s 150th anniversary began all the way back in 2023. While the gala in Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Museum occurred last month, Grove City honored the college’s actual founding day on April 10.

Junior Amanda Tangelder, rising president of the Crimson & White society, explained the effort that went into the affair. “The birthday party was one of the events that we brainstormed within this group, but the main execution of the party didn’t begin until spring semester,” she said.

The birthday party began promptly at 10:45 in the morning with party favors, ice cream, beverages and a table with a banner for all to sign. Students, professors, alumni and others got to sign the 150th banner with their name and graduation year, marking their existence at Grove City College forever.

Tangelder, alongside Alumni Coordinator Amanda Sposoto ’00 and fellow junior Katie Hillebrand, met together to discuss details for the event. The three discussed what they wanted the day to look like, including which student groups on campus should be involved, the food, the prizes and more.

“As for my role specifically,” Tangelder said, “once we finished the brainstorming period, I was in charge of sourcing some of the event signage, yard games and worked with (Amanda) on discussing our marketing efforts.”

Involving the students, Tangelder coordinated how many volunteers would be needed, as well as creating tasks for them and time slots. From 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tangelder acted as the key point of contact.

The college celebrated its 150th birthday April 10 in SHAL Courtyard. The festivities included a performance by the jazz band, cornhole, a replica of the iconic Grove sign, an appearance by Mr. Pew (at right) and, of course, a 12-foot-long cake. Above, President and First Lady Lingo blow out the candles with help from Assistant to the President Betty Tallerico, Dean of Calderwell School of Arts and Letters Dr. Paul Kemeny and members of SGA.

Lux Mea returns

Saturday

GCC News Release

Grove City College’s Lux Mea Film Festival returns to campus at 7 p.m. Saturday in Crawford Auditorium.

The festival features films created by Grove City College students and is in its sixth year. Lux Mea is Latin for “My Light,” the college’s motto, and the festival focuses on redemptive storytelling and spiritual truth.

“A redemptive story should tell the truth about what it means to be a human being made in the image of God, and that can take a lot of different forms for a lot of different people,” Professor of Communication and Visual Arts Greg

Steven Mauch Contributing Writer

Professor Emeritus of History Gary Smith released a book on Grove City College’s history titled “Standing Strong: Grove City College’s 150-Year Journey in Faith, Freedom, and the Pursuit of Excellence” March 24. According to Smith, a former history professor at the college, this will be the third substantial history of Grove City College, considering those published in 1971 and 2001.

Smith mentioned that Grove City is different from many other Christian universities in that it has such a long “rich and robust history,” as well as having other distinguishing features, such as being coed from its founding and the 1984 Supreme Court Case, Grove HISTORY 10 BIRTHDAY 4

The cruelty of comparison

Another year, another semester and another finals season that rises ominously from the future, less than two weeks away.

For some, these weeks mark the completion (and survival) of their first year of college, and for others, this season includes the last scholastic papers and exams they will ever take, a true off-boarding from a 16-year-long life stage of learning.

The academic environment, nearly universally, depends on competition for motivation. Paper and project season at the college reminds us of that, ingraining in each student who is not on their guard a mindset quick to compare as a means of personal evaluation.

While a competitive system of grading is debatably necessary in a rigorous classroom environment, it tends to breed a corrupting and self-injuring spirit in high-achieving students.

Like members of a sports team who are turned against each other to compete for a position, the heightened academic competition during this time in the semester quickly pits students against each other in rivalry.

Time and again, comparison impedes our readiness to genuinely support fellow students, considering how every grade and instance of another’s excellent work becomes a standard by which we judge ourselves. At worst, this competition directly opposes love when we, considering how our own work compares, gain confidence at another’s subpar work and despair when their work proves exceptional.

Now is the very worst time of the year for such a widespread vice to spring up, as it is also the season when relational support is needed most, graduation-related goodbyes are imminent, and the stakes of formation are the highest.

More than the rest of the semester, these final weeks seem, and in some ways are, greatly consequential, which easily incites a narrowing, individualist mindset. As we watch personal goals and dreams apparently teeter on the line of each exam score, support from our friends, as well as support for them, dims in perceived significance. What takes its place, oftentimes, is bitter comparison that displays itself as antsy dread or distended pride, or an insensible combination of the two.

Yet in our week-long “survival mode,” the truth of the gospel prevails, as each of our callings for life is a one-man run to Christ, not a competitive race. None of us can anticipate how our successes, hurts, niche experiences and acquired skills will play into what we will be called upon to do, or even how we will get there. Our command for this moment, then, is to be faithful, with our minds, our resources and our relationships, none of which we are entitled to, but which we are, for this time, gifted to steward and take joy in.

With that said, I wish this college a happy finals season, and that even in this heavily academic sphere, we can rejoice, unhindered by comparison, with those who rejoice.

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THE GREEN EYESHADE AWARD

In concert at the Grove

Mia Gallagher

Celebrate 150 Correspondent

Throughout Grove City College’s 150-year history, countless political leaders, prominent theologians and talented artists have graced campus with their presence.

Among those famous figures were some of the 20th century’s musical greats. From big band and jazz musicians, 1960s superstars like Simon and Garfunkel and hard rockers of the 1970s to contemporary Christian acts, the performances hosted here reflect campus life throughout the years and the culture of the times.

“The famous figures who have visited campus give a glimpse into student life. It shows the style of music students were listening to, the culture of campus at the time,” Director of College Archives and Galleries Hilary Walczak ’09 said.

“Even today, when I listen to Simon and Garfunkel, I envision the 1960s, and it’s so cool to think that they performed here on campus. Or that my dad was a freshman when Alice Cooper performed on campus -- and he got to experience that show,” Walczak said.

According to Walczak, the college has brought musical artists to campus since the beginning. The earliest concerts were small-scale, usually taking place during dances and similar events.

“The more famous artists started in the ’60s when a student concert committee formed. This was also when artists were touring the country more and often did so on college campuses. It’s where many of the major artists would get their starts,” Walczak said.

has been acclaimed throughout the world as the creator of a new, rich and distinctly American musical idiom.”

Celebrating a legacy of faith and freedom

To celebrate Grove City College’s 150th anniversary, The Collegian is exploring the College’s history, traditions and culture in this ongoing series.

Coys came to campus on April 5, 1973, to play during the college’s annual spring extravaganza.

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The Collegian is the student newspaper of Grove City College, located in Grove City, Pa. Opinions appearing on these pages, unless expressly stated otherwise, represent the views of individual writers. They are not the collective views of The Collegian, its staff or Grove City College.

Correction:

The Collegian incorrectly identified a student as president of the Urban Gaming Club in a story in the March 27 edition about a fire in Ketler Hall. The story also incorrectly identified the man whose battery led to the fire as an alumus. He is not.

Student leaders were the driving force behind booking these acts. At the time, SGA and the student concert committee worked together to recruit artists and prepare for their arrival, which on occasion included picking the artist up from the Pittsburgh airport themselves.

Over the years, the college has put together an impressive lineup of musical guests, from Louis Armstrong (1959) and Dizzy Gillespie (1963) to Kansas (1975) and The Outlaws (1978). In more recent years, prominent Christian artists like the Newsboys (1994 and 2015), Andrew Peterson (2024) and Strings & Hearts (2025) have also graced the Grove City community with their impressive discographies.

The shows live on in memory – and in The Collegian’s archives. Here’s a look at some of these memorable musical guests and our predecessors’ coverage of them.

Duke Ellington

Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington was a revolutionary American composer and pianist. Throughout his career, Ellington worked tirelessly to create a unique and compelling sound, shaping the jazz industry in the process. His efforts — along with those of his band, the Washingtonians — also led to the expansion of big-band jazz on the American music scene.

Ellington came to Grove City on Oct. 20, 1961, and put on an incredible concert for the student body. In a news article describing Ellington’s upcoming show, one Collegian staffer had this to say about the jazz legend: “It has been said by critics that Duke Ellington’s music and Walt Disney’s cartoons are the only two original art forms America has produced. True or not, Ellington

Simon and Garfunkel Renowned today for pioneering the American urban-folk music subgenre, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel arrived on campus on Nov. 11, 1966, just as they were achieving widespread fame. According to a Collegian staffer, “no new act has caused such excitement as the new duo” and their debut album “Wednesday Morning, 3 a.m.” has “clearly marked them as a vital force on the folk scene.”

Then Student Council President Richard Jewell — who went on to become the college’s eighth president — was responsible for the booking, according to the same Collegian article.

Following the concert, Collegian reporter Marty Redman shared these remarks in a review of the folk duo:

“Simon and Garfunkel were great. Their off-the-cuff humor captivated the audience from the first. Their songs were well-written, well chosen, well executed and well received … Their greatest charm was perhaps their outlook of cynicism in combination with their obvious sensitivity,” Redman said.

The Temptations

The Temptations were a renowned 1960s musical group known for their authentic Motown sound. Best known today for their 1964 single “My Girl,” the group put together an impressive musical repertoire that helped give the ’60s their distinct sound. The college hosted these sensational singers for a concert on Nov. 10, 1967. In the words of one Collegian staffer: “Not much needs to be said by way of introduction of the Tempy Boys to Grove City College.”

“Five performers, synchronized in rhythm and movement even as they exit the stage, can communicate to an audience in a way with which a mere Motown record cannot compare,” one Collegian writer said, in a news article promoting the upcoming concert. The McCoys Best known for their smash hit “Hang On Sloopy,” the Mc-

Despite the apparent popularity of the group on campus (evidenced by an earlier article in the ’60s highlighting the group’s success), the McCoys were not SGA’s first choice for the extravaganza, having originally tried to recruit Herman’s Hermits or Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs.

To promote the last-minute booking, the then Social Vice President Mike Jives described the McCoys as “a really, really super-neato fantabulous, swell bunch of guys.”

Alice Cooper

“The canvas-protected arena floor was strewn with garbage. The bleachers reeked of dried vomit. The area nearest the stage was blanketed with pillow feathers. The entire site remained one of the aftermath of a tornado. Alice Cooper was here.”

That was the scene Collegian writer Bob Byer described after the band’s concert here in September 1971. It was definitely a different time on campus then.

Cooper, an American singer, songwriter and actor, is best known for his raspy voice and theatrical shock rock shows. After the concert, Byer was able to interview Cooper and his band members, producing one of the most iconic concert reviews in Collegian history.

“Audiences like to have fun,” Cooper told Byer. “We had a riot up in Canada once. The kids rushed the stage and ripped off our shirts. Like the Stones or early Beatles. That’s when you really have fun — when you have a riot.” Did Alice think that the Grove City audience had fun? “I think so … They weren’t as open as some of our other audience … but yeah, I think so,” Cooper said.

Don McLean

The “American Troubadour” Don McLean, acknowledged at the time as one of the nation’s best lyricists and songwriters, arrived on Grove City’s campus on September 20, 1974 to headline the college’s annual fall concert.

Known for his eight-and-aCONCERT

‘Mid the vines

Molly Miller Contributing Writer

This past Saturday Grove City College’s Student Government Association hosted their biggest event of the year: the biennial Gala. After months of preparation the event finally arrived, and campus showed up to see what it had to offer.

While there was no real red carpet rolled out, the student body showed up dressed to the nines, nonetheless.

“Social Affairs plans and executes a lot of events throughout the semester, like Coffeehouses, but this year we planned the biannual Gala.” Emily Williams, the junior vice president of social affairs, explained. “My favorite part of all of this was truly working with my committee. Our different senators led tasks like decorations and food. I love working with this group of people. They all care so deeply and I have loved getting to know them throughout this process.”

The event boasted numerous different activities and engagements spread between both the Student Union and SHAL atrium. The theme, “Mid the Pines,” filled both locations with hundreds of ethereal vines and florals, string lights, candles and other capti-

vating decorations, transforming campus into an enchanted wood.

The executive vice president of academic affairs, Rebekah Jones, described the long process of setup for this event.

“My favorite part was watching SAC transform throughout the day. We started setting up at 8 a.m. and by evening it was a completely new space!”

It wasn’t a process devoid of trials. Jones laughed over one memorable moment: “We put all of the tables and chairs (in

Ok. Study day, spring 2025. My computer screen was divided into three separate sections for three different classes. I was actively studying all three and eating lunch. I aced those exams, so it worked!

SAC) in the commuter lounge … but the elevator was broken so we had to carry them all up the stairs … that was a crazy way to start the day.”

For the first 2 hours of the event, the Student Union housed check-in and swing dancing, filling the room with the swish of dresses and suits, while SHAL atrium hosted some beautiful treats, mocktails and hors-d’oeuvres to accompany a professor meet and mingle. It also had two photo locations: one with a beautiful

Word on the street

backdrop and a mirror for selfies, and upstairs a more professional photo booth where students could receive printed copies of their photo strips.

A classroom within SHAL also boasted exciting rounds of bingo hosted by none other than Timothy Heiser and John Hatzis.

The Alma Mater inspired theme had to have a movie to both accompany and explain it, so SGA selected “Beauty and the Beast” which played in the Sticht lecture hall for those at-

As a Grover-achiever, what’s the craziest thing you have ever done for the sake of efficiency? I bought a portable computer monitor so that I can have a 2-monitor study setup wherever I go.

Emily Lewis ’28

Pace in a circle for at least 30 minutes while studying for finals to get my step goal and retain information.

Victoria Freeland ’29

Taking my computer to the bathroom to review PowerPoints while peeing.

Rolled out of the top bunk (with the railing removed) in my work clothes at 4 a.m. after five hours of sleep to finish a 10-page paper due in class at 8 a.m. which I started the afternoon before. They say sleeping is more efficient than staying up all night.

tendees needing a break from dancing or a bit of childhood nostalgia.

The second half of the event transitioned the Student Union into a location for more traditional party dancing and the room was soon full of excitedly screamed lyrics and uncontained joy.

Williams remembers a specific moment that reassured her that all the work had been worth it. “Around 10:30 p.m., I was sitting at the ticket table (and I was quite tired) and I just saw people dancing and laughing.”

“When I went over to HAL, people were chatting, playing bingo, and just truly enjoying where they were. This is probably when I realized that this event was a success ... In life, especially amidst the tests and assignments, I feel like it is so easy to get caught up in the busyness. At Gala, I saw people just enjoying the moment and being able to be with one another,” she said.

The five-hour-long event concluded with confetti canons launched by members of SGA from the upper levels of the student union.

All that said, Gala 2026 offered a beautiful evening for Grove City College that will certainly be remembered for years to come!

I once gave myself a strict 12-minute eating window and ate the same meal for a solid week so I wouldn’t “waste time” deciding what to eat.

I wait to pee until after I finish whatever I am working on (even if it’s five more pages of an essay).

Doctor Love

Sliding into the DMs

“What are your thoughts on sliding into someone’s DMs? Our campus is always talking about different perspectives on technology, but does tech necessarily kill romance?

You see, I want to get to know this guy on campus that I follow on Instagram but rarely see in person, and I feel like a DM might be my best bet. But sliding into someone’s DMs seems like the most boring story to tell your kids one day. What should I do?”

Does tech kill romance? I’d say that dating apps do. Name any dating app, and I can tell you at least two horror stories that have happened to my friends or people I know. It’s a waste of time, time that you could spend talking to that person in real life. That isn’t to say that there haven’t been any success stories, but those are the exceptions, not the norm.

I believe in meet-cutes (aka meeting someone organically), or at least in a friend setting you and someone else up. Isn’t that the dream? I want to be able to tell my kids that my spouse really put the effort in to get to know me. In all honesty, I think sliding into the DMs is a cop-out.

On a campus as small as Grove City College, someone has to know him or one of his friends. If that’s so, someone can organize a group thing where he gets invited.

Even if you only randomly see him on campus, figure out what he does in his free time. Lots of guys can be found in their natural habitat (aka the gym), on the quad playing Spikeball or chipping golf balls near MAP. Catch them on their way out of the gym and say hi! Or, even better, ask to join their Spikeball game with the friend you’re walking with. It isn’t weird, especially since the weather has been absolutely gorgeous. Plus, if you aren’t a senior, you have plenty of time to cross paths or have a HUMA class together.

As of late, multiple people had the courage to slide into my DMs. I applauded their effort and was, of course, flattered, but these attempts always fell flat for me. Either we had never talked before, and I genuinely had no idea who they were, or they just started off poorly. I need to have at least one in-person conversation with them to have a good start to the online conversation. Otherwise, it’s just awkward.

It sounds like you and I are in a similar situation. There’s someone I’m interested in as well, but it appears I have an advantage since we’re in some classes together.

You know, a lot of people say, do as I say, not as I do. That’s not the case here. So trust me, I mean it just as much for myself as I do for you. Best of luck!

Dr. Love

Lux Mea in technicolor

Julia Sikora Contributing Writer

The sixth annual Lux Mea film festival is set for Saturday at 7 p.m. This event showcases student films in Crawford Auditorium, followed by an award ceremony and a reception. It is well attended by students, faculty and community members alike, welcoming more than 900 guests last year.

Students in professor Bandy’s Special Events and Promotions class begin working on the festival as soon as the spring semester begins. Madison Barczy, a junior on the Lux Mea reception team, encourages others to attend the festival “for the experience! (It is) a night full of films ranging from documentaries to new animated films that are all student-produced, with a reception to follow.” The best part of Lux Mea, according to Barczy, is “seeing the whole campus community coming together to appreciate (everyone’s) God-given talents and skills!”

The theme this year is Life in Technicolor. Besides a retro-color palette displayed throughout the night, the theme will be emphasized especially in the introduction, taking the audience on a journey through the history of film.

The 20 selected films for 2026 include “150/250” by Brady Larkin, “Confidential” by John Hatzis, Zach Kappel and Contessa DiGuglielmo, “Crash Out” by Lily Beers, Ricky Andrews and Matthew Purucker, “A Dyslexic Quest” by Eli Hatfield, “Experiment #2” by Eli Hatfield, Gabe Bungar and Bella Costa, “Frenzied” by Lily Beers, “I Saved You One” by Julia Truesdell, “The Language of Worship” by Ellie Smith, “The Major Dilemma” by Lily Beers, Ricky Andrews and Reilly Martin, “Potato Rot” by Naomi Ng, Ellie Smith and Julia Truesdell, “Racing the Reaper” by Cana Severson, “Repulsion” by Matthew Purucker, “Road

BIRTHDAY continued from page 1

April 10 didn’t mark just the college’s birthday, as freshman Payton Allan and her mother, a Grove City alum, also celebrated their own birthdays.

“It really makes the connection between my mom and I, and the school that has played such a huge part throughout my whole life, seem so much more special,” Allan said, “like one huge birthday party.”

“It is a crazy link between family legacy and tradition -- I figured it would make a good story,” Allan said.

While the main focus of the party was centered towards students, the Alumni Center was present and helped with engaging alumni who may be in the area to celebrate.

The climax of the party took place at 11:55 a.m., when students and faculty gathered around to listen to the fight song play and sing “Happy Birthday” to Grove City. Quickly afterwards, President Lingo ’00 cut the twelve-footlong cake.

“I was so happy to see how

In Ketler Auditorium... Children’s Musical

April 17 at 7 p.m.

April 18 at 11 a.m.

to Recovery” by Andrew Glasgow, Naomi Ng and Julia Truesdell, “Sprout” by Sydney Bredenberg, “The Suite” by Elika Weaver and Elise Schlemeier, “Stacy & Snuffles” by Zach Kappel and Eli Hatfield, “Stu-Tea” by Julia Truesdell, “Thrifty Thread” by Abigail Loiacono, “Vigil” by Contessa DiGuglielmo and “What Are You Running From?” by Ricky Andrews. The film selections span across a variety of categories, including narrative films, documentaries, super-short

films and experimental films.

A panel of judges will award the films across multiple categories, including best actors, actresses, original score and more. According to the Lux Mea website, “our judges have helped shape the festival’s legacy, recognizing films that challenge, inspire and leave a lasting impact.”

Filmmaker Tessa DiGuglielmo hopes her films “inspire people (and) make people feel.” She is “of the belief that we are made in the image of

a creator. As sub-creators, we are called to use our God-given talents to bless others.” DiGuglielmo recognizes that “the festival is not only a night of entertainment but also glorifies God and is ultimately for an audience of one (God) — that doesn’t mean we love the audience (any less)!”

Guests can purchase tickets on sale for $5 online or at a table in the Breen Student Union through Friday April 17. Tickets will be sold for $7 at the door.

excited students were to be there and how upbeat the atmosphere was with the band playing!” Tangelder said. “I also really enjoyed getting to work alongside our current and new Crimson & White members – we have such a wonderful group of students

who are willing to joyfully serve!”

Grove City College’s 150th anniversary birthday party was definitely one for the books.

“From planning to seeing the event come to life,” Tangelder said, “I feel incredibly grateful to have been a part of such a

What’s fresh at the Grove?

At Wolf Creek... Ducky Derby

April 18 11:30 a.m.

“Hello, Mrs. Piggle Wiggle!” will bring childish joy and lots of laughs this weekend!

This annual fundraiser sponsored by the ABTs and Okies will raise money for WIN Victim Services. Buy a duck in SAC!

meaningful milestone for a college and community I love so deeply.”

Thank you, Tangelder, Sposato, Hillebrand and the Alumni Council for throwing such a meaningful event for the Grove City College community!

In the SAC Great Room... Q&A with Mrs. Lingo

April 21

6 p.m.

Join our first lady for an evening of conversation about her experiences and perspectives!

The magic returns

Anna Kasianides Copy Editor

HBO has officially released its first trailer for its upcoming Harry Potter series — and the return and reboot of the wellknown story is already dividing the fans.

While the reboot promises a more faithful, long-form adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s books, the early reactions reveal that audiences are split between excitement and skepticism. The trailer itself focuses on nostalgic moments fans remember: Harry’s upbringing, the Dursleys, the famous acceptance letter and Hagrid’s first appearance — all key elements leading up to Harry’s arrival at Hogwarts.

The series features an entirely new cast, with Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione, Alastair Stout as Ron, John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as

McGonagall and Paapa Essiedu as Snape. Alongside this new cast, with J.K. Rowling acting as an executive producer, the series release date is set for Dec. 25, 2026.

The long-form adaptation plans to feature details and subplots taken from the books that were cut in the films, allowing for a deeper exploration of the characters, their school life and lore. The promise of the series is to be “authentic to the original books,” while simultaneously aiming to display unseen elements of the magical world, according to the official Harry Potter website. The HBO Harry Potter reboot plans to have each season of the show cover one book of the series, providing the room needed to explore the world in depth that the story deserves.

The series is facing a cloud of controversy, particularly concerning the casting of

This music may contain beauty Raye’s latest album

Andrew Hutchinson Staff Writer

2026 has already shown itself to be a great year for pop music.

Raye and her second album, “This Music May Contain Hope” is perfect proof of this. The album on paper is intriguing: 17 tracks, one hour and 13 minutes with features from Hans Zimmer and Al Green.

As a listening experience, Raye again is incredibly countercultural. The album has a deeply theatrical spoken intro and closes with a recognition of every individual who contributed to the album’s creation, showing her appreciation for the people who allowed her to have success as an independent artist. The album has four main “seasons,” but upon first listen is almost overwhelming due to an intentionally chaotic structure.

I’m still not sure what season is where, apart from the track “Winter Woman.” Nevertheless, the question of musical quality was never a worry. Raye’s record-breaking and award-winning first album, “My 21st Century Blues” featured some of the most impressive modern pop vocals, and her live performances were even more impressive than the recordings.

Tracks here like “Nightengale Lane.” once again show who the queen of vocal acrobatics really is right now, and

just as before, every imaginable style of music seems to be included. Musical production is impeccable, with backing from the London Symphony that adds a complexity of sound no synthesizer will ever reproduce. Some notable tracks from the album to get a taste are “Beware…The South London Lover Boy,” “Joy” and “I Hate The Way I Look Today”.

Lyrically, unfortunately, this album is not as good as some of her other work. “Life Boat” doesn’t have the same brilliance as “Escapism” or “5 Star Hotel,” and a lot of songs are a vibe without being catchy. It appears as if this album has a minor case of Tortured Poet-itis; put simply, unmemorable lyrics that rely too heavily on poetry and complexity that nothing ever repeats.

“Click Clack Symphony” to me was the most obvious case of this, as the Zimmer music is dragged down by the listener’s struggle to find a chorus to sing. With more than 9000 lyrics in the album, it is not a catchy, TikTok-centric album, but the extensive scale of the project does seem extreme at times.

The jazz tracks have received criticism for their tempo and character change, including a jazz saxophone solo in “I Hate The Way I Look Today,” but I found those nuances attractive. As someone who

Severus Snape. In the original Harry Potter films, this role was filled by Alan Rickman. In the HBO reboot, Paapa Essiedu is cast in this role.

For fans, this is not a political issue, but a matter of commitment to the source material. Snape is one of the most iconic and well-developed characters in the Harry Potter franchise, with wellknown narrative elements that are specifically tied to his appearance, as well as his background and relationships.

This narrative alteration of his character leaves critics to wonder if this will undermine other key elements of the story. Whether one agrees with the casting decision or not, the reaction is undeniable, and it is displayed in the engagement numbers.

Additionally, critics raise their voices at the decision to consult J.K. Rowling as an executive producer due to her

public stance on transgender issues, leading to concerns regarding her influence on the project. As an executive producer who is “very, very involved” according to HBO CEO Casey Bloys, some critics argue that giving Rowling a deeply involved creative role gives her a platform and ensures she continues to financially benefit from the Harry Potter franchise, which they oppose due to her views. HBO is undertaking quite the project in adapting Harry Potter into a long-form TV series, intending to unite the fans under a beloved story, yet it is doing the opposite.

Avid fans remain skeptical over the creative changes and question whether HBO meant it when they said that it would be a book-faithful adaptation. Activists unite under mutual concerns over Rowling’s involvement.

Those who love the series

loves experiencing live jazz and big band, Raye has managed to condense that spontaneity into her album and ought to be commended for such an artistic move.

As a whole, “This Music May Contain Hope” is a gem. It has received decent, but not stellar, reviews from music industry pundits, complaining about it being too ambitious, too strange and too long. However, Raye’s entire solo career is a rejection of the industry that imprisoned her and used her to make uninspiring tracks for others.

Her rejection of short songs, repeated choruses, bland elec-

tronic instrumentation and inclusion of diverse genres only exists because she is not following the formula that has erased diversity in pop music. Its success among listeners is further proof that Raye has made what listeners want, not what “industry experts” want.

Her shows are selling out, the least listened songs on the album have 5 million streams in a week and a half and listener reviews online are far more positive than any other major album so far this year.

“This Music May Contain Hope” has understandable flaws, but its brightness shines through like the morning.

are cautiously optimistic. Mixed feelings abound on all sides, shown by the recent event of the trailer getting “ratioed.”

In all, HBO is lacking the united audience they sought after, and with controversy swirling and cautious hope raised, HBO is walking a delicate line between honoring the Harry Potter series and redefining it. While the reboot succeeds or stumbles as it walks this path of nostalgia and creative liberty, the conversation surrounding it is already shaping its legacy — showing that the world of Harry Potter remains as powerful, and contested, as ever. As Albus Dumbledore once said, “‘It is our choices … that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.’”

KNOWLES

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here (liberal beliefs)?’ And I think all of liberalism boils down to three words, which is, screw you, Dad. … And so, you recognize that they made some philosophical errors, and you treat them with respect.”

This “The Conservative Mind” lecture was a part of a lecture series that the Institute for Faith & Freedom (IFF) created in 2022 that, according to IFF’s website, seeks to “explore the precise question of what it means to be a conservative.”

People from and around Grove City College attended the near-maximum capacity event, which was the second time Knowles had given a speech at the college.

Knowles rose to national fame in 2017 when he published “Reasons to Vote for Democrats,” a satirical book mostly filled with blank pages that was an Amazon bestseller in March of that year. Knowles also began hosting his podcast on The Daily Wire that year and has since been prominent in conservative political media.

Political Science Professor Paul Kengor, chief academic fellow for IFF, said in a speech introducing Knowles that he had met him at a Young America’s Foundation (YAF) conference in 2019 and was motivated to bring him to Grove City in 2022.

“Ever since, students have been clamoring to bring him back,” Kengor said. “So, we’d been looking for the right moment.”

Those interested in watching the lecture can visit YAF’s YouTube channel.

Every two years, the college’s Student Government Association puts on the Gala, a dance for the campus community. This is a highly anticipated event, since students only get to go twice in their collegiate career.

The Gala is a great opportunity to show off your moves on the dance floor to your friends or maybe even a significant other. At the event, you can find many students ballroom dancing, swing dancing and just jumping around to the music.

Whether you went to the Gala or not, you can experience the amazing event through these photos. You can also turn to the Community section and read all about it.

by Luke Paglia, Photo Chief

David Rathburn: A man of faith

Joseph T.C. Holland

Contributing Writer

David Rathburn was chairman of the Grove City College Board of Trustees for 17 years. Those who knew him in that context would probably describe him as powerfully analytical, confident and willing to argue the point. He was one of the powerhouse personalities who defined Grove City College.

To me, he was more than that. He was my cousin. He taught me how to be a man of faith. I would like to share with you what I learned from him.

I first met David when I was 12 years old. My mom and I were in Pittsburgh for her aunt Flora’s funeral. I had never been to Pennsylvania or met any of Flora’s side of the family. I felt scrawny, insecure and completely out of place. I did not expect that trip to have any lasting impact on me. Relatives encountered at weddings and funerals tended to only be seen at weddings and funerals.

Instead, I met David, Flora’s son. Over the course of that trip, I got to know him a bit and found that he was many of the things I wanted to be.

Carter A. Freeman

Contributing Writer

Winston Churchill. In reading his name, one can almost catch a whiff of his sacred Romeo y Julieta cigars. The cigar smoke is not acting as a mask, but as an outpouring of what burns inside him.

No part of him can be hidden. Each of Churchill’s wouldbe secret journals illuminated his fiery soul. For every word written about Churchill, there stand 10 more written by himself. Churchill had an audacious soul. It takes one with such audacity to ignite a light bright enough to blind or warm so many and to burn for so long.

“To David, Grove City was a beacon of true spiritual and intellectual freedom.”

David was successful, he was confident and he was sincere. When I went home, the most miraculous thing happened: David stayed in touch with me. That was his first act of compassion that stuck with me. I still don’t know what I did to make him take an interest. He really didn’t have to. Maybe he saw something in me he liked, underneath all the awkwardnesses. Maybe he just saw that I could use some guidance.

After that point, David was a constant fixture in my life. Even after his cancer came back, he went out of his way to bridge the distance between my life in South Texas and his on the East Coast. He was a constant figure in my life, and I got to know him well. I was able to tease him about his boyish love for his favorite band, The Eagles. I could comfort him when a Pirates loss ruined his mood. This truly successful man with so many plates in the air let me truly see him, and in turn made me feel seen. There aren’t words for what a gift this is to a kid.

When I was a senior in high school, my best friend died of

heatstroke at a football game. And despite everything going on behind the scenes, David made sure to call me every single day for the next few weeks. When David was about my age, he had similarly lost a friend who, while playing baseball, was struck by lightning. David claimed that God had put that tragedy in his life, in part so that I could feel less alone. Who says something like that?

David’s willingness to connect with others did not just end with me, however. In the time I knew David, he was a loving supporter of the gay people in my family in a way I did not expect.

I understand if that comes as a shock to some of you reading this. It may seem strange that a card-carrying Presbyterian and conservative like David would be so accepting — not just tolerating — but accepting of an inconvenient group into his view of Scripture. But he did.

David truly had that gift of discernment that so few Christians have. His faith emboldened him to make tough decisions while bringing people together, even if it caused friction with others.

When I was 14, David took me to see his alma mater for the first time. To David, Grove City College was the most wonderful place in the world, and it showed. While on campus, I think David was the closest to giddy I’ve ever seen him.

I was surprised at the time how hard he pushed me to attend here. After all, my parents and I were liberal, we were Catholic and we preferred the Denver Broncos to the Steelers. None of those things has ever been strongly associated with Grove City College. But I guess it shouldn’t have been a surprise.

To David, Grove City was a beacon of true spiritual and intellectual freedom. David thought this place he loved so much would make me feel seen the way he made me feel seen. And that logic was good enough for me. I applied early-decision and didn’t bother applying anywhere else.

That first semester of college is a glimmering memory for me. I can’t eat shrimp still without recalling how much we would tag-team it together at those Trustee dinners. I got to hang out with a Grove City rockstar. And it was my proud little secret that he was my big cousin.

Audacity! Churchill’s first spark of greatness

He had a true mandate of the heavens. When did the sparks first ignite?

Before the puff and pomp, he was a short, skinny and rowdy young gentleman. As the son of a disgraced lord, young Churchill was desperate to restore the honor of his name, a name descended from a great general of the past, which bestowed a burden upon the young man.

Inspired by a sense of divine destiny, Churchill decided it was glorious heroism on the edge of the empire that would propel him to the top. Using his talent as a writer, he could have made certain that by the time his war stories were heard in Britain, he would be seen as the most dashing young man on the front. But for Churchill, there

wasn’t much work of “spinning” stories that needed to be done. His adventure for the sake of achieving his ambition was only triumphed by his ambition for a truly great adventure.

But as we follow the young gentleman attaining favor after favor, fighting in battle after battle and winning medal after medal, our young Winston found every attempt to be in vain. He had not yet become a Churchill. His great stories just hadn’t caught on with the British public. And to make things worse, Churchill was captured. Imprisoned by his enemy at the very peak of his desperation to seem larger than life, he was oppressed and humiliated by the towering walls that barricaded him from his path. Like

no other, he felt as though he was a mustang or a stallion of sorts, unwavering in his stubbornness, opposing any sort of breaking or conformity and resisting the vilest of vices: mediocrity. Only death could part Churchill from his destiny. He threw himself against that beastly wall, climbing its stalk, until he fell over into his escape in the dead of darkness.

Churchill knew that this was his final moment to make or be broken. And so, in a letter only he could write, Winston Churchill challenged the enemy secretary of war to a game of catch.

The secretary, in his anger, almost forgot there was a war, so great was his dedication to settle the disrespect.

Churchill’s leap of faith

It was that October that I saw David for the last time. And when I say that during this time, David reached the end of his long battle with cancer, do not let my saying it make you view him as weary. In fact, he was the opposite.

Call me sacrilegious for the comparison, but like Christ on his way to Calvary, David’s spirits remained strong, fixed on what he had to do. Almost every Christlike anecdote I have of David occurred during his battle. But it did not stop him. His head remained high, for he knew where he was going and that we would see him there.

The further I get from David’s death, the more I wonder if anyone here knows the David I did. I didn’t know him as John Wayne or J. Howard Pew. I didn’t know the powerful administrator, the shrewd negotiator or the pious Presbyterian. Maybe that’s all his legacy is. And maybe it’s selfish that I hope it isn’t.

I hope his legacy will be how I knew him. His perseverance through Christ allowed him to stay so discerning and compassionate to the end. I hope his legacy is making kids like me feel seen.

landed him on his knees, crying out to God for protection and at the bottom of mineshafts covered in coal for days. His journey intersected with the only British man within hundreds of miles, who disguised him and bribed their way past checkpoints. Eventually, Churchill’s leap landed him in the embrace of his British people, who made him their leader in their darkest hour.

And in each of these moments, Churchill reminded himself of one phrase: “De l’audace, encore de l’audace, toujours de l’audace!” -- “Audacity, more audacity, always more audacity!”

Emily Fox Editor-in-Chief

The dark side of BookTok

BookTok has taken over the internet, and in a lot of ways, it’s a great online community. Readers from across the globe can grow in their learning and understanding of humanity through thoughtful conversation, and they can share perspectives they might never have considered without having engaged with other readers from different walks of life.

Readers can get recommendations for books they might not have heard of that just might change their lives. But like anything created by humans, there’s a harmful side.

Recently, many of the books trending on BookTok have glorified unhealthy relationships and pornography. One trope that I’ve noticed becoming increasingly popular is dark romance, characterized by its promotion of obsessive “love.”

These books often involve a female protagonist who is pursued by a powerful man with questionable morals. His most “redeeming” quality is that he will do anything to protect the main character – and there are no limits to achieve that end.

The powerful man is frequently cast as misunderstood, and so we don’t hold him responsible for his behav-

ior. He’s jealous and possessive, and readers excuse that in favor of his chiseled abs. He’s painted in such a way that slowly warps our understanding of what love looks like and desensitizes us to toxicity.

These books manipulate women into believing that these qualities are attractive, even sexy. Afterall, everything he does goes back to his “love” for the main character, for better or for worse. We empathize with him because of his tortured past.

Authors and publishers profit from our intense longing to be singled out, loved and desired wholly and completely, and they fool us into believing that love and obsession are equivalent.

What I don’t think we realize is that we’re romanticizing abuse and obsession. Whether we’re conscious of it or not, we are influencing the way we view sex and romance, and what we read does change our expectations for a partner and how we approach relationships.

These novels can be a dangerous trap because we don’t believe that something we read for entertainment can have an effect on how we think and live. We’re deluded into thinking that we can separate reality from fiction, but our minds can’t sustain the double standard. We can pretend that there’s a distinction and

that we can separate our standards for fictional characters from the standards we hold ourselves to, but we cannot. If we accept toxic behavior from protagonists and call it love, it’s only a matter of time before we accept that treatment ourselves.

This type of book is even more damaging for young, impressionable girls who haven’t yet discovered what real love looks like. They don’t have anything to compare romantic love to but the narrative these books present to them. And what’s worse is that authors and marketers are targeting young readers by promoting this kind of content in young adult books.

Not only is BookTok glorifying toxic and abusive relationships, but it’s also exacerbating pornography. Most of the

books trending on BookTok contain graphic sexual content that the community refers to as “smut.”

In fact, these books have surged in popularity and been normalized to such an extent that the term “smut slut” was coined to describe women who frequently read this subgenre – and it’s a nickname that many boast proudly.

Many consider consuming pornographic images wrong, but justify smut because it’s not visual content and it’s a work of fiction. But arguably, smut is just as dangerous because it invites the imagination to participate.

As Christians, this content is damaging to us spiritually. It goes against the biblical model for love and marriage.

Two become one flesh — not the two kind of become sort

of united but leave room for a third. Smut also reduces our perception of people as the image of God because it presents them through a strictly sexual lens. Even further, it causes us to see our own value as coming from how sexually attractive we think others perceive us, which can cause serious struggles with body image.

Now, I’m not saying we should shelter or censor the content women consume as past generations did. What I am saying is that we should use the minds God has given us to weigh the consequences of the content we read against the Biblical standard. Pornography is an addiction that many people struggle with, even Christians, and we shouldn’t make it harder on them by encouraging them to read smut.

Pilgrimage over product

Why AI should not be used in ministry

it with a distorted substitute.

Lucy Aderholt Contributing Writer

We are becoming slaves to convenience, ease and quick end results — all of which are at our fingertips with artificial intelligence (AI). I have seen these temptations bleed into many aspects of life, but most fatefully into ministry.

The people we are ministering to don’t need a perfectly worded sermon or a seemingly flawless Bible study. They need our time and effort, genuine relationships, community and most importantly, Jesus. Using AI hinders and undermines the right response to each of these needs.

Ministry is a process, not a product, and we should not use ChatGPT, Gloo AI or any other generative AI to produce ideas for a sermon, Bible study, small group or related pastoral circumstance.

Sharing the gospel is not only about the final result of someone accepting Jesus (the “end”), but also how the tools used and the road to get there (the “means”) form and teach us and help us to deepen our relationship with God through our participation in his work.

“(Jesus’) identity doesn’t reside in his capacity to per-

“When we turn to a machine for spiritual guidance, we destroy human connection and replace it with a distorted substitute.”

form divine functions, but in his participation in the loving life of the triune God,” English Professor Jeffrey Bilbro explained in his unreleased book, “Creaturely Intelligence.”

“The final temptation, to rule over all the kingdoms of the world merely by worshiping Satan, reinforces the deadly division the devil is trying to introduce between means and ends: Jesus is invited to get the proper and just result without the difficult and painful means. Yet the difficult and painful means are inextricable from the victory … The reign of Christ must come through his slow, personal ministry and his painful passion,” Bilbro wrote.

“For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Corinthians 4:9).

We are God’s workers, and we are meant to have meaningful participation in His plan for mankind.

For example, when someone is writing a Bible study lesson well, they are spending time in the Word, praying, considering the needs of their specific audience and more. The work of the process itself is beneficial to the person giving the

Last chance!

The Collegian is collecting data on students’ usage and thoughts on the ethics of AI.

Check your inboxes or the link in our Instagram bio at gcc.collegian to respond before it closes at 11:59 p.m. tonight!

The results will be run in Friday’s paper!

lesson because it cultivates and forms their mind, heart and soul. Using AI to come up with lessons or questions removes the process of spiritual formation, thus hindering one’s own faith and participation in God’s work.

Many folks think that, in terms of their means (tools and process used), they can do both — spend time in Scripture, pray, think about their lesson and also use AI, just to “make it better” or “help the process.” But instead of asking AI for help, why not ask a mentor, professor, pastor or friend? And if you never ask other people, how will you deepen your spiritual relationships?

In ministry, it is normal and expected to need help, which is why we are meant to do the work in community.

How did Jesus do his ministry? He met people, talked to them, listened to them, healed them and ate with them. The life of Jesus shows us that human relationships and connections are vital to doing ministry. When we turn to a machine for spiritual guidance, we are destroying the human connection that would otherwise be built by replacing

GOLF continued from 12

ronment she’s faced.

“It makes me appreciate other tournaments and reminds me that conditions can be way worse,” Kinner said.

The women’s team returns to action tomorrow at the Allegheny Invitational in Meadville.

“There is no goal too lofty for this team. We love the Meadville course and are looking forward to competing,” Smith said.

Finally, AI cannot know Jesus, and AI is not endowed with the Holy Spirit — this is uniquely human.

“Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).

When you ask a trusted Christian friend or mentor for help, they have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. So how then can we use a soulless machine to tell people about the salvation of their souls found in Jesus?

Asking a real person for help is significantly better because they can draw on their own, real experience in their faith or ministry, share wisdom, pray for you and much more.

Removing the process of ministry also harms the person receiving the lesson, as it was done by means of a destructive tool — an impersonal machine.

When writing a sermon or Bible lesson, the Holy Spirit is working inside of you, and your own faith can help give a deeper, more meaningful and more accurate lesson. When you ask ChatGPT for help, it draws on the entire internet to produce a response.

Even if the AI is programmed to give a “Christian” response, like Gloo AI claims, it still encourages Christians to distort and bypass the fun-

The men’s team competed in the same event, finishing ninth overall with a team score of 376 in a field of 48 golfers.

Mount Union captured the team title with 329.

Senior Jack Jollie led the Wolverines by tying for 16th place after shooting an 86 in his first competitive round at Southpointe.

“That was my first time playing the course, and it was a very tough course. I’m content with the result, but not complacent,” Jollie said.

“The course is very tight.

damental process and means of ministry for the obscure sake of time efficiency or progress. But are those supposed benefits worth all that is lost by using AI? Using the distorted means of AI is doing an injustice to the people you are trying to serve and minister to. Does AI truly know the human experience? Does AI know what it feels like to go from death to life? Does AI know what it is like to see God working in your life? Can AI be formed by God’s Word and creation? Is AI made in God’s image? No. All of these are absolutely crucial aspects to doing ministry well, and just because AI exists does not mean we have to adopt it in all areas of life – and I see no place for generative AI in pastoral or ministry-related settings.

“The technologies we have are not the only option. We can build them and distribute them and implement them differently,” Bilbro said.

My goal is not to criticize, but to lead us all to reconsider, evaluate and draw boundaries around the use of AI in ministry so that we can teach, preach and share the gospel not just as an end goal, but as a redemptive process, with tools that connect rather than isolate us from God and from people.

You cannot miss the ball right or left. The greens were also fast and firm, which made approach shots and putting difficult,” Jollie said.

Senior Cayden Testa finished 38th with a 96, while seniors Jonah Kozora and Michael Astrab tied for 40th at 97. Senior Brian McDonnell placed 42nd with a 98.

The men return to action at 1 p.m. Monday at the McBride-Behringer-Allen “MBA” Invitational.

Staff Editorial

The “flipped classroom” flop

Mia Gallagher Sports Editor

“It’s innovative and will promote more comprehensive learning.”

“Your homework will be done in class, isn’t that great?”

“Flipped classrooms are the educational model of the future; it’s time to start implementing them now.”

Each of the above statements was made at some point or another by my seventh-grade math teacher, Mr. Harris, who decided to break from traditional education norms and “flip” his classroom.

For those fortunate individuals who have yet to encounter this dreaded educational model, allow me to enlighten you. According to Harvard’s Bok Center for Teaching and Learning, the flipped classroom model requires students to engage with course materials (video lectures or reading assignments) before class, which should theoretically “free class time for activities that involve higher order thinking” (group discussions, problem-solving workshops, etc.).

On paper, this model appears promising as an innovative approach to content mastery.

And indeed, a meta-analysis compiled by “Educational Research Review” claims “the flipped classroom has a moderate positive effect” on students’ academic performance, regardless of discipline, painting a “convincing” picture of this model’s purported efficacy. However, for any college student already balancing four or five courses, a handful of extracurricular activities and a social life, this idealized picture is far from the difficult experience a flipped classroom promises.

Returning to my seventh-grade math classroom, I saw the downfalls of this educational experience early and have seen the same trends in other renditions of this format my friends and I have had to suffer through.

While I didn’t have traditional homework, I spent more time watching and rewatching video lectures than

HISTORY

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City College v. Bell.

Smith noted that Grove City is one of the few schools that began to secularize but later returned to Christianity, another aspect of the college’s history that makes it unique.

Smith was part of the faculty for 39 years before retiring and working on the book, which he says was a two-year project.

“The fact that we have had a really fine historian teaching classes here for so many years really benefited students, and our history department is trying to carry on Dr. Smith and Dr. Harp’s fine legacy of being first-rate historians,” Dean of the Calderwood School of Arts and Letters Paul Kemeny said.

Smith said that during the research, he interviewed faculty, presidents and alumni and examined records such as trustee meeting minutes.

“I know he’s done a ton of research, and (consulted) primary sources, the archives, The Collegian and all kinds of sources that he could get his hands on,” Kemeny said. “It’s not going to be based upon scant evidence; it’s going to have lots of fat footnotes.”

I ever had on math homework in the past. And while our in-class problem-solving sessions did promote collaboration among peers, this behavior was only prompted because my teacher chose to sit and play Candy Crush the whole period instead of guiding our efforts.

The truth is, flipped classrooms do look good on paper — both theoretically and statistically. But as with any other theoretical approach, its application is general and doesn’t fully justify the presuppositions that surround it.

But what exactly are the presuppositions that ultimately make this approach unsustainable?

For starters, let’s consider student motivation. According to a review archived in the National Library of Medicine:

“For the flipped classroom to be successful, students must either have their own intrinsic motivation … or a sense of autonomy to accomplish assignments.”

This is not to say the modern student does not possess the motivation or competence necessary to succeed. If anything, these students are more equipped than ever to make an investigative investment in their educational journey due to the resources at their disposal.

But when asked to watch what is often an hour-long video lecture outside the mandated in-person class period, this is where a student’s motivation begins to break down. For evidence of this, look no further than this post from the forum site “College Confidential”:

“I didn’t really like (the flipped classroom), mostly because the lectures the professor posted were longer than the class was each week. Because he wasn’t constrained by his allotted, scheduled class time, he would go off on

Smith said the college gave him freedom during the process so he could write an “honest appraisal of the college,” which was important for one of Smith’s goals: for those affiliated with the college to be able to look back at it to learn from its triumphs, struggles and flaws.

“Dr. Smith’s got a real knack for taking a ton of information, like a stack of information, and synthesizing it down to the big ‘So what?’” Kemeny said. “So, it should be pretty, pretty comprehensive.”

Kemeny said that the students have a large part in the book.

“(Smith) recounts a lot of information about student life, all kinds of extracurricular activities, sports, theater, music, debate,” Kemeny said. “He goes into excessive detail about those aspects of life and some of the colorful personalities that have walked across the stage of the institution over time … as well as the curriculum.”

Among the alumni, Smith interviewed was Bradley Scott ’69, one of the “Grover greats” featured in the book. Scott was the first Black president of the Student Government Association from 1968-1969, an

EDTECHNOLOGYSPECIALISTS

tangents that were interesting to him but that weren’t necessary for the lecture.”

Suddenly, the time investment one must put into such a course far outpaces the rewards to be gained, inevitably leading to a drop in student buy-in and effort.

The flip side (no pun intended) of student motivation is educator intent. According to Shelley Wright, a teacher who chronicled her flipped classroom attempt in an article “The Flip: End of a Love Affair:”

“The reality is that many, if not most, teachers who opt for the flipped classroom strategy are not pursuing a student-centred approach to teaching and learning. The traditional model of learning is simply being reversed, instead of being reinvented. The lecture (live or on video) is still front and center.”

Whatever intentions my seventh-grade math teacher brought to this process, the execution was far from the innovative approach he promised. As Wright describes, if the instructor doesn’t create an in-class environment conducive to active learning, then this model is doomed to fail every time.

From my initial experience with the flipped classroom, to later iterations I’ve endured in high school and at GCC, I can confidently say this “student-centered” approach devolves into the same traditional classroom experience the educational system has used for centuries almost every time it’s implemented — just with more technological flair and added stress for all parties involved.

So before bending over backwards to embrace whatever “educational model of the future” comes next, please take a moment to consider whether this innovative flip may become an inevitable flop in the long run.

ODK Man of the Year and an Alumni Achievement award winner. They met during Harker’s presidency while Scott was a senior and Smith was a freshman.

Scott discussed how Grove City adapted over the years with the issues of the time and how those issues manifested on campus. He stressed how the college was able to continue its mission to teach its students how to live a Christian life in the world outside Grove City College. A part of this development was from the culture of the 1960s and the drift toward secularism, and Scott emphasized the importance of the college knowing who it is.

Scott mentioned that the book is divided into periods that outline the president at the time and what happened during their tenure. He said it was an “easy and engaging read,” and it was “very approachable.”

“Every Grover ought to read this book and share it with their family, because of the great story it tells and the clarity with which it tells that story,” Scott said. “It’s a great read.”

LUX

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Bandy said.

“We want stories that make sense and that are engaging. We also want stories that reflect a certain level of technical and creative craftsmanship. The judges are looking for excellence in all areas,” he said.

Bandy said he’s looking forward to seeing what new stories the filmmakers come up with this year. Entrants include returning student filmmakers and new blood. One freshman is developing a musical, he said.

Bandy’s Special Events and Promotions class plans and executes the film festival each spring. Through the class, students gain hands-on experience with the ins and outs of putting on a large-scale event,

BASEBALL

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enth. One inning later, junior Dan Luko hit a solo home run to bring the score to 11-3. Allegheny tied it up by rallying seven runs in the bottom of the eighth and another one in the bottom of the ninth, leading to extra innings.

“When things got a little crazy towards the end of the second game … we didn’t waiver at the sight of adversity, but instead accepted it and played how we know how to play … I think that is what gave us an edge to win that second game,” Sampson said.

After neither team scored in the tenth inning, Backos broke the tie in the eleventh by launching his first collegiate home run to right center field, also bringing in Weber, who

including a “red carpet” experience and reception for festival attendees.

Students learn how to work with others as part of a team and take initiative to complete their own tasks in an environment akin to an internship experience.

Last year, about 1,000 people attended the film festival, and the Lux Mea team is expecting a packed house again. One of Bandy’s goals for the festival is to improve the reception experience.

“We have an incredibly qualified team who is already taking the steps to make the party a great event,” he said. Lux Mea Film Festival tickets are available at Breen Student Union on campus or online at luxmeafilmfestival. com.

had taken second after his leadoff double.

Junior pitcher Bryce Trischler pitched seven innings, striking out two men and allowing only two runs and six hits. Freshman pitcher Caz Ostrowski closed out the game and earned the win after striking out six players in 3 1/3 innings and allowing one run. Backos went three for six, recording four runs and three runs batted in.

After a split against Franciscan in a double header on Tuesday, the Wolverines will return to action at 1 p.m. in Washington, Pa. on Saturday to face Washington & Jefferson. It will be a tough doubleheader, according to Sampson, but the team has “already proved we can win games that need to be won.”

CONCERT

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half-minute anthem, “American Pie,” McLean was an artist that epitomized the ’70s. One Collegian staffer described his discography as one written about “everyday people and ordinary lives.”

McLean’s show truly moved the campus community, as evidenced by this glowing Collegian review: “McLean was truly a one-man show in every sense of the meaning, especially considering that he composes all his own music. He is among the best in his field and he proved it last Friday night.”

Rush Canadian rock band Rush, best known for their complex compositions and eclectic lyrical motifs, arrived on Grove City’s campus on April 16, 1977, before they became one of the biggest rock acts in the world.

The group, credited with 14 platinum albums, seven Grammy nominations and 10 Juno Award wins, didn’t impress Collegian staffer Rick Severs, who dealt Rush one of the most scathing reviews the newspaper has ever published.

“Not only are they basically a bad band,” Severs wrote, “they also have problems with any song that doesn’t peak at 160 decibels. Actually, there is really no way to compare Rush with anyone else because to mention them in the same sentence with a good band would be to drag down the name and reputation of the latter.”

Despite the ironic misjudgment of this writer, the college has largely displayed great enthusiasm over the years for the bands it hosts, and the campus can anticipate many more iconic shows to come.

Lacrosse blanks Bobcats and Terriers

Garrett Gess Staff Writer

Grove City women’s lacrosse continues its winning streak with its 11th-straight victory. This is the team’s longest streak in program history, as the previous record was a 10game streak in their 2022 inaugural season.

Against PAC opponents, Grove City is on a record 21game winning streak dating back to the 2024 regular season. The Wolverines overpowered their recent competition with a major 9-3 victory at Chatham, handing the Cougars their only conference loss of the season so far. Grove City then had back-to-back 23-0 wins against Saint Vincent and Hiram last week.

Against Hiram last Saturday, Grove City thrived on speed and toughness, a crucial element of the Wolverine attack. Seven different Wolverine players found the back of the net multiple times, and junior midfielder Jess Robinette led with a four-goal performance. Junior midfielder Tori Stevenson followed with three, while junior attack Taylor Blythe had a six-point day, scoring twice and dishing out four assists.

Sophomore midfielder Ella Krabitz, sophomore midfielder Mia Mygatt, freshman midfielder Avery Anderson and freshman midfielder Elliette Smith each added a pair of

goals as part of the balanced attack. Grove City also got on the board from senior attack Jackie Rowell, senior attack Grace Forry, junior attack Gwen Shilling, freshman midfielder Maddie LaForte and freshman defender Sophia Happel.

It was all Grove City from the outset, with six goals in the opening quarter, then a 14-0 cushion by halftime. The Wolverines kept their foot on the gas with a 23-0 shutout. Defensively, freshman defender Gabri Hallam forced seven turnovers. The Wolverine defense has not surrendered a single point in their last two games and only allowed six shots during the stretch, all of which were defended by senior goalkeeper Mia Gallagher protecting the net.

With two more conference games to go, Grove City is in the driver’s seat to be the No. 1 seed and have a home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Tough teams like Chatham, W&J and Westminster would love nothing more than to get revenge and spoil Grove City’s three-peat. The Wolverines, however, are out to prove otherwise.

“I think what has helped us handle the pressure of going for a third straight PAC title is knowing that we have huge targets on our backs and people want to beat us,” Anderson said. “In practice, in the weight room, in film and all of the

things that make us successful, we continue to grow and get better and not be comfortable where we are. We also structure our team mission around serving each other well and growing in our faith. Which I believe has helped us become so successful.”

The Grove City squad has certainly served each other in a big way, with the Wolverines being fourth in the NCAA in the assists category, with nearly 10 per game. After losing their first three games by a narrow margin, the Wolverines are getting hot at the right time and looking to carry this firepower into the playoffs, now at 11-3.

“Those three very close losses to teams we could have beaten ignited us and gave us fire to get a check in the win category that has continued to keep us going and hungry. Our team connection also really grew post spring break, which added to our connection on the field,” Anderson said.

Grove City will wrap up the regular season next week with two home matchups. They will first face Otterbein at 6 p.m. on Wednesday at Robert E. Thorn Field, and will close with a senior day match against Thiel at 3 p.m. on April 25 at Don Lyle Field. The Wolverines look to take care of business next week and carry their momentum into the playoffs.

Wolverines sweep the Gators

Natalie Hanna Staff Writer

The Grove City men’s baseball team swept a doubleheader against Allegheny on Saturday, bringing them to a 13-12 record. The Wolverines defeated the Gators 9-6 in the first game, followed by a hardfought 13-11 victory in 11 innings in the nightcap.

According to senior second baseman Nick Sampson, the team was consistently focused throughout both games and conscious of what they needed to do to compete well against Allegheny.

Grove City accumulated 12 hits during the opener, each of the nine offensive starters contributing at least one. Entering the seventh inning of the game, they trailed 5-2, but put two runs on the board, narrowing the gap to 5-4.

Freshman third baseman Nick Remish recorded an RBI double, bringing in junior right fielder Caleb Backos, and then scored on freshman DH Johnny Reyes’ RBI single. After the Gators brought the score to 6-4 in the bottom of the seventh, the Wolverines rallied five runs in the eighth. To tie the score, senior first baseman Colin Marinpetro and sophomore left fielder

Junior Caleb Backos earned his first collegiate homer against Gators.

Braeden Coyle walked with bases loaded. Shortly after, Backos was hit by a pitch, Remish walked and an infield single by junior catcher Adam Weber brought Coyle home. After pitching seven innings, striking out five and allowing five earned runs, senior starting pitcher Kenny Lavrich earned the victory. Sophomore pitcher Corey Veverka relieved Lavrich and earned his first save after throwing two perfect innings, which included two strikeouts. The team started off the sec-

Sports at a Glance Results

Men’s Lacrosse (8-7): W, Bethany (28-1)

Women’s Lacrosse (12-3): W, Bethany (22-0)

Men’s Volleyball (12-16): L, Hiram (3-2)

Baseball (14-13): W, Franciscan (14-8)

Softball (15-9): L, Chatham (13-1)

Water Polo (5-17): L, Augustana (Ill.) (21-5)

Men’s Tennis (6-4): L, Allegheny (7-0) Men’s Golf: 5th/7, Moravian Invitational Women’s Golf: 3rd/8, W&J Rossin Invitational

Upcoming

Men’s Lacrosse: April 15, 7 p.m. at Bethany

Women’s Lacrosse: April 15, 4 p.m. at Bethany

Baseball: April 18, 1 p.m. at Washington & Jefferson (DH)

Softball: April 15, 3:30 p.m. vs Geneva (DH)

Men’s Tennis: April 15, 4:00 p.m. vs Saint Vincent

Men’s Golf: April 20 at McBride-Behringer-Allen Invitational

Women’s Golf: April 18 at Allegheny

Track and Field: April 24 at Allegheny

ond game with five runs in the first inning, matched only by one from Allegheny in the bottom of the inning. All five runs were unearned, the result of five walks and two errors. Going into the sixth inning down 5-2, Grove City tallied three more runs. Weber touched home plate on a wild pitch, and junior center fielder David Chandler brought in Backos and Coyle with a single. Chandler once again singled in Backos and Coyle in the sev-

Bobcats bested

Lacrosse rolls past Saint Vincent on Senior Day

Mia Gallagher Sports Editor

The Grove City College

men’s lacrosse team continued their PAC schedule last Saturday with a dominant 23-5 victory over Saint Vincent. With this win, the team extended their current win streak to five, advancing to 6-0 in PAC play and 7-7 overall.

This outstanding performance saw 13 different players get in on the scoring action. The win also served as the program’s Senior Day, proving to be the perfect outing to honor its 10 seniors.

“Winning on Senior Day was so much fun. It was even cooler that it isn’t all about us. A lot of the older guys started the game and by the fourth quarter we had all of our younger guys out there to end the game,” senior Stewart McClain said.

Leading the Wolverines’ offensive onslaught was senior attackman Mac Faircloth, who fired in four goals in the win. Faircloth was joined by class-

“We will find success by following the plan and playing according to our core values as a team. Doesn’t matter who we play, we just need to play Grove City men’s lacrosse.”

mate defender Sam Stevenson and McClain, who each tallied three goals for the day. Freshman midfielder Mason Lyon posted a hat trick in the outing as well.

A pack of Wolverines also added their names to the scoring record, which included senior faceoff specialist Colton Lehberg and classmate Rigdon Greene. Senior defender Andrew Glasgow, Faircloth, Lyons and Greene each chipped in assists to round things out offensively.

Lehberg went 16 for 16 on faceoffs and tallied a career-high 13 ground balls on his senior day. Senior goalie Tyler Gladstone held things down in goal, making five saves and posting a save percentage of .500 on the day.

Reflecting on his four years

-- Stewart McClain

at Grove City, McClain shared what an honor it is to share the field with the other nine members of his class:

“My class will leave a legacy of hard workers who battled adversity, and a group that fell in love with the process with the outcome out of mind. Our class lost a couple along the way, but we are all great leaders, mentors, and young men who strive for excellence everyday,” McClain said.

After traveling to Bethany on Wednesday, the Wolverines will return to action tomorrow at home against St. Mary’s (Md.) at 11 a.m. on Robert E. Thorn Field. The match will conclude Grove City’s nonconference schedule and serve as a final opportunity to polish their play ahead of a potential NCAA run.

“We will find success by following the plan and playing according to our core values as a team. Doesn't matter who we play, we just need to play Grove City men's lacrosse,” McClain said. JOHN HAKE Senior Stewart McClain notched a hat trick on his senior day.

“Our continued success will be playing for an Audience of One and for the guys on the team. We are the tightest team in the country with our chemistry on and off the field and I love every single guy on the team,” McClain said.

Wolverine golf competes at Rossin Invitational

Reagan Thomas Staff Writer

The Grove City College

men’s and women’s golf teams returned to action Monday afternoon at Washington & Jefferson’s Rossin Invitational, navigating a challenging course setup at Southpointe Golf Club that featured a closed hole, two temporary greens and altered routing throughout the day.

“The course setup was definitely challenging. We went into the tournament knowing it was going to be a tricky day, but we knew it would be equally challenging for every golfer. We tried to make light of it rather than complaining. One of our team mantras is ‘control what you can control.’ It’s a cliché, but it’s so critical in golf,” Assistant Coach Amy Smith said.

On the women’s side, freshman Emily Burling placed second and junior Lauren Kardos finished fourth to lead the Wolverines to a third-place team finish. Grove City recorded a team score of 384, paced by its two top-five finishers. Division II Seton Hill won the event with a 372, while host W&J finished second with a 373. Burling shot an 89 to earn second place individually, while Kardos followed closely with a 91.

“Lauren and Emily are experienced, competitive golfers. Their technical skills and golf IQ are exceptional, and they both have an incredible work ethic. Despite several uncharacteristic double bogeys, they didn’t get down on themselves. They stayed focused and finished strong, each parring three of their last four holes,”

Smith said.

Senior Hailey Muñoz joined Burling and Kardos in the top 10 by finishing ninth with a score of 94.

“Hailey has been a significant contributor for three and a half years. Her recent performances have helped us achieve back-to-back third-place finishes, and off the course she’s been a leader in welcoming Emily and organizing team hangouts,” Smith said.

Sophomore Gabrielle Kinneer placed 22nd with a 110, while senior Rebekah Gaehring finished 25th after carding a 113.

“I definitely found myself laying up on a lot of holes to make sure I was hitting them accurately,” Kinner said.

She added that the tournament was the toughest envi-